Special Reports

New Stephen Adly Guirgis, Samuel D. Hunter Plays Top Our List of Faves This Week

Also, we remind you of a revival of a classic play by Ntozake Shange that closes this weekend.

With so much great theater in New York City, you might need a little help deciding what to see this week. We've got you covered!

Here you'll find a list of standout shows that our TheaterMania critics consider especially worth your time. They're all top productions that you definitely won't want to miss.

Click on the title of a show to learn more and purchase tickets.


RECENTLY OPENED:

Greater Clements

Nina Hellman, Judith Ivey, Ken Narasaki, Edmund Donovan, and Andrew Garman star in Greater Clements.
Nina Hellman, Judith Ivey, Ken Narasaki, Edmund Donovan, and Andrew Garman star in Greater Clements at Lincoln Center Theater.
(© T. Charles Erickson)

"Despite the heavy subject, [Samuel D.] Hunter endows his script with ample humor, and [director Davis] McCallum never skimps on the comic beats, helping us to connect with these characters on multiple levels. …Greater Clements suggests that the American urge to do something might be completely useless, that the fate of towns like Clements is written in the stars — and that is a tragedy." Read Zachary Stewart's full review here.


Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven

Elizabeth Canavan, Patrice Johnson Chevannes, Kara Young, and Benja Kay Thomas are among the many stars of Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven.
Elizabeth Canavan, Patrice Johnson Chevannes, Kara Young, and Benja Kay Thomas are among the many stars of Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven.
(© Monique Carboni)

"The people [playwright Stephen Adly] Guirgis brings to the stage are just so fully realized that it is easy to forgive this three-hour comedy-drama for feeling like a sprawling pilot for a Netflix series. Featuring some of the best actors in New York giving unforgettable performances, Halfway Bitches is not only worth your time, but leaves you wanting more." Read Zachary Stewart's full review here.


Judgment Day

Luke Kirby, right, and the cast of Judgment Day at Park Avenue Armory.
Luke Kirby, right, and the cast of Judgment Day at Park Avenue Armory.
(© Stephanie Berger)

"[Christopher] Shinn has done a surprisingly excellent job of putting [Ödön von] Horváth's words into contemporary English while maintaining the prewar tone of the piece… [Director Richard] Jones proved his talent for expressionist spectacle in The Hairy Ape, which played the Armory in 2017. This production is a worthy successor. Read Zachary Stewart's full review here.


One in Two

Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler, and Edward Mawere star in One in Two.
Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler, and Edward Mawere star in One in Two.
(© Monique Carboni)

"Higher-profile plays about men living with HIV and AIDS have run in New York in the past year, including Angels in America and, currently, The Inheritance. Both of those involve mostly white characters who live far less economically challenged lives than the men we meet in [Donja R.] Love's play. One in Two gives visibility to men whom America often chooses to keep invisible, or at most relegate to a statistical chart." Read Pete Hempstead's full review here.


CLOSING SOON:

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf

The company of For Colored Girls..., which runs through December 15 at the Public Theater.
The company of For Colored Girls…, which runs through December 15 at the Public Theater.
(© Joan Marcus)

"You don't need pussyhats or the sounds of racist battle cries from Charlottesville to understand that [playwright Ntozake] Shange's poetry is just as penetrating now as it was 40 years ago. [Director Leah C.] Gardiner's production fully trusts in that lasting power and accentuates it with an extraordinary cast and creative team…" Read Hayley Levitt's full review here.


For more suggestions, visit our Broadway listings page here and our off-Broadway listings page here.

Featured In This Story

One in Two

Closed: January 12, 2020

Judgment Day

Closed: January 10, 2020