1. The Tony-winning musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
welcomes two new stars this month. Hamilton alum Okieriete Onaodowan is the new Pierre and pop star Ingrid Michaelson makes her Broadway debut Sonya, which means this month only you can hear Ingrid’s incredible “Sonya Alone” at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre.2. Tony Award winner Julie White is set to replace Tony winner Laurie Metcalf in the must-see comedy A Doll’s House, Part 2
beginning July 25. Julie White is one of the most brilliant and talented actresses working on stage, so her in anything makes it an event (as anyone who saw her replace in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike can attest)—but her doing that glove monologue in Doll’s House is worth the price of admission.
3. Encores! Off-Center kicks off its summer season with Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical Assassins
, starring stage favorite Steven Pasquale as John Wilkes Booth and Tony winner Victoria Clark as Sara Jane Moore. It’s going to be one of the shows everyone is talking about this month so get your ticket now. Running July 12-15 at New York City Center.
4. Another hot ticket this summer is Shakespeare in the Park’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
starring Annaleigh Ashford, Danny Burstein, Kristine Nielsen, and Phylicia Rashad. One of the Bard’s most accessible comedies comes to life in The Park with an A-list B’way cast—it doesn’t get much better than that.
5. There is zero excuse for missing Donna Murphy as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
. Tuesday nights at the Shubert have become a party all their own with a two-time Tony Award winner giving a performance fans will discuss for years and years to come. She opts up every opportunity she can; her comedy is divine; her small moments are genius and heartbreaking; and she infuses the evening’s proceedings with a joy that just can’t be described—you have to experience Donna’s Dolly IRL.6. The new immersive, interactive show J & K: 1965
is inspired by the astonishing Bill Eppridge photo essay in 1965 LIFE magazine about a young NYC couple, John and Karen, battling heroin addiction. It’s unique and interesting and totally New York. The world premiere piece runs July 9, 16, 23, and 30.
7. Another interesting show that caught the eye is a Brooklyn production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
reimagined for Trump’s America—which means they moved the action from Australia to Arizona and the issues of transgender rights, homophobia, and gay parenting take place in Middle America. The production is FREE and outdoors at the Old Stone House & Washington Park in Park Slope, Brooklyn every Thursday through Saturday in July.
8. Second Stage presents the New York premiere of Bruce Norris’ new play A Parallelogram—a mind f#ck starring Celia Keenan-Bolger, Anita Gillette, Stephen Kunken & Juan Castano. In this show, Celia and Anita’s character, Bee, has the ability to see her whole life (past, present, and future) at the click of a button. Sounds like an awesome Black Mirror episode except live onstage. Running July 11-August 20.
9. Though whispers of a Broadway transfer loom, you still don’t want to risk missing your chance to see The National Theatre’s revival of Angels in America
starring Nathan Lane, Andrew Garfield, and Russell Tovey. Visit a movie theater near you on July 20 to see Part One: Millennium Approaches, then return on July 27 for Part Two: Perestroika.10. Nancy Opel stars as a gutsy, recently widowed 50-something woman who rejoins the dating scene in the new off-Broadway musical Curvy Widow
. Seems like the perfect show to take mom to for a few hours of laughs—and Nancy Opel always brings it at 100% vocally, so you know she’s going to deliver.
