Mertz’s Theatre Weekly

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Broadway week ending Sunday, October 18, 2026 · League Week 21

Note on data: The Broadway League’s grosses for the week ending October 18 were published Monday, October 19 (BroadwayWorld’s grosses page reads “Box Office Updated: October 18, 2026”), so Section 1 carries the full per-show table — the missing piece from the October 20 edition, which covered this same week before the figures were out. All figures below are League-sourced via BroadwayWorld’s Oct 18 table (Oct 20 article), Deadline (Oct 20), and Playbill (Oct 20). Show-name mapping on BWW’s unlabeled table was reconstructed from 11 named gross confirmations plus BWW’s own club lists and cross-checked row by row. Any profit/loss read from grosses alone is an estimate.

Corrections
to the October 20 Edition

Jamie Lloyd’s Evita did not close Oct 14 — it closed Sept 6, 2026, with a Broadway transfer (Winter Garden, spring 2027) now confirmed; the Arena Stage Nikola world premiere has been displaced from its Oct 2–Nov 29 slot (dates now TBD); The Sound Of Music is not a new tour — it’s a NETworks production already on the road since July; Les Mis Arena Spectacular wrapped at Radio City in August 2026 (the Taipei/Kaohsiung/JAPAN/Shanghai routing was last season’s); the Mrs. Doubtfire Dec–Feb Seoul engagement is a licensed Korean-language production, not the English tour; Ensemble Theatre’s Akeelah And The Bee ran Sep–Oct 2025, not this fall; and the Phantom Shanghai farewell season dates are Sep 28–Dec 26 (one-day variance from last week’s note).

BROADWAY GROSSES

Week ending October 18, 2026 · 30 shows

$33,963,816
Total Gross
−3.76%
Week over Week
259,164
Attendance
+4.29% vs prior week
$131.05
Average Ticket
−$10.97
94.83%
Capacity
−11.06%
Year over Year
vs $38.19M, same week 2025
$662,472,408
Season To Date
~8% behind last year

Prior week: $35,292,434 (holiday-boosted), 248,496 tickets, 94.93% capacity, 29 shows. Year-over-year attendance −6.69%; season attendance 5,414,541, −3% (Deadline, Oct 20).

Tap a column heading to sort the chart; tap again to reverse. Show titles stay pinned while the figures slide

ShowGrossAttendance% CapPerfsAvg Ticket
Hamilton$2,777,34010,729 / 10,592101.29%8$258.86
The Lion King$2,017,87312,819 / 13,56894.48%8$157.41
Other Desert Cities$1,817,5847,792 / 7,792100%8$233.26
MJ$1,760,51411,055 / 11,09699.63%8$159.25
Oh, Mary!$1,533,6277,140 / 7,16099.72%8$214.79
Wicked$1,425,32313,703 / 14,45694.79%8$104.02
The Lost Boys$1,295,44912,040 / 12,84093.77%8$107.60
860 (prev)$1,268,3348,074 / 8,21198.33%7$157.09
A Few Good Men (prev)$1,246,3017,721 / 7,721100%7$161.42
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child$1,226,47512,586 / 12,97696.99%8$97.45
Aladdin$1,195,40512,666 / 13,81691.68%8$94.38
Chicago$1,171,4888,752 / 8,640101.30%8$133.85
The Great Gatsby$1,156,91711,030 / 11,88092.85%8$104.89
Hadestown$1,050,4787,373 / 7,344100.39%8$142.48
Paranormal Activity$1,049,8089,312 / 9,44898.56%8$112.74
The Rocky Horror Show$1,043,6557,636 / 7,92096.41%8$136.68
Schmigadoon!$1,036,6728,596 / 9,25692.87%8$120.60
Just In Time$1,035,7575,675 / 5,520102.81%8$182.51
The Outsiders$1,000,0187,928 / 8,19296.78%8$126.14
The Book Of Mormon$936,1158,349 / 8,52897.90%8$112.12
& Juliet$918,1777,894 / 8,20896.17%8$116.31
Buena Vista Social Club$880,2868,255 / 8,39298.37%8$106.64
Operation Mincemeat$818,2436,267 / 6,32099.16%8$130.56
Six$790,1187,050 / 8,24885.48%8$112.07
Maybe Happy Ending$788,2967,016 / 7,78490.13%8$112.36
Stranger Things: The First Shadow$763,6749,494 / 12,75274.45%8$80.44
Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)$640,8596,747 / 8,37680.55%8$94.98
Wanted (prev, NEW)$451,0145,222 / 5,24599.56%5$86.37
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play$439,9224,950 / 5,14496.23%8$88.87
The Imaginary Invalid (prev)$428,0945,293 / 5,87290.14%8$80.88

19 of 30 in the $1M club; 27 of 30 at 90%+ capacity (Playbill, Oct 20).

Biggest Gainers

A Few Good Men +$690,934
$555,367 → $1,246,301 — partial-week effect: 3 previews last week, 7 at full house this week.
Wanted +$451,014
New: 5 previews, 99.56%, ahead of Nov 8 opening.
Just In Time +$108,337
Jeremy Jordan’s final week, final bow Oct 18.
860 +$94,574
Capacity climbed 91.49% → 98.33% in previews.
Two Strangers +$32,558
Paranormal Activity +$23,498
Buena Vista Social Club +$14,338
The Rocky Horror Show +$9,621
Chicago +$7,827
Operation Mincemeat +$2,360
School Girls +$968

Biggest Losers

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child −$997,203
$2,223,679 → $1,226,475 — the week’s largest swing by far: same 8-performance frame, capacity only −2.1 pp, so the drop is all average ticket ($172.98 → $97.45); no explanation stated in any coverage; flagged, unexplained.
Other Desert Cities −$339,771
Heavily comped press previews + opening night Oct 18; 100% occupancy held.
Hamilton −$313,294
The Lion King −$199,963
MJ −$125,619
The Outsiders −$103,866
& Juliet −$89,945
Hadestown −$78,494
Schmigadoon! −$69,231
The Lost Boys −$66,914
Stranger Things −$62,738
Oh, Mary! −$58,679
Aladdin −$58,545
Wicked −$57,783
Six −$42,043
Maybe Happy Ending −$41,067
The Book Of Mormon −$35,156
The Great Gatsby −$22,567
The Imaginary Invalid −$1,769

Openings / Previews

Other Desert Cities opened Oct 18 (Hudson; 8 perfs, 100%; note BWW’s table labels it “In Previews” while IBDB lists 10/18 as opening).

860 opens TONIGHT, Oct 21 (Imperial).

The Imaginary Invalid opens Oct 22 (Todd Haimes).

A Few Good Men opens Oct 29 (Beaumont).

Wanted debuted in the League figures this week — the season’s first new Broadway musical (5 previews, $451,014, 99.56%).

Commercial Read
(Estimate)

Playbill’s frame for the week — gross down ~4% WoW while attendance rose 4%+: more people paying less, avg ticket down $10.97 to $131.05, “likely due to how much of the fall season is new on the boards and comping in press.”

Only three shows averaged >$200 (Hamilton $258.86, Other Desert Cities $233.26, Oh, Mary! $214.79);

ODC carried the week’s highest top premium at $799.

Jeremy Jordan’s final week put Just In Time back in the $1M club at a $182.51 avg ticket (~$50 above Broadway average); Matthew Morrison takes over as Bobby Darin.

Sellouts: Chicago, Hadestown, Hamilton, MJ, Oh, Mary!.

The season’s star-preview surge still hasn’t closed the YoY gap (−8% season to date).

YoY biggest gross increases: Chicago +77.9%, MJ +30.4%, Oh, Mary! +19.8%, Hadestown +16.4%, & Juliet +15.6% (BroadwayWorld, Oct 20).

OFF-BROADWAY

  • Openings since Oct 13: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button opens tonight, Oct 21 (Public, Newman) — already extended twice through Dec 6, “nearly sold out,” reviews not yet in (Bustle, Playbill, cityrealty); transfer talk inevitable — watch for it. Anon: A Tempest At Our Kitchen Table opened Oct 14 (MCC, Anne Washburn; mixed-to-negative reviews) through Nov 1. Midnight (Todrick Hall) opened Oct 15 (Daryl Roth). Memoirs Of Amorous Gentlemen (Duncan Sheik/Lah Nanako Winkler) opened Oct 15, through Jan 3, 2027 (Culture Club). The Ask opened Oct 15 (Theater 555; Henner/Purser) through Nov 22 — earlier announcements said Oct 13; officially opened the 15th. Sea Wall (Andrew Scott, Simon Stephens monologue) opened Oct 16, 19 performances through Oct 30, all being filmed for a feature (Studio Seaview). Hospital Hour (Rachel Kaly one-woman comedy, produced by Bob Odenkirk) began perfs Oct 16, opens Oct 26. School Pictures + Two Girls (Cherry Lane double bill) opened Oct 18, already extended to Nov 29. King Of The Yees opened Oct 19 (Signature — Kelly Marie Tran’s Off-Broadway debut) through Nov 15. Copperfield! The New Musical opened Oct 19 (Duke on 42nd) through Dec 6. Aftermath (A.R.T./New York Theatres) first preview Oct 19, opens Oct 24, closes Nov 8. Machine Learning opened Oct 20, closes Oct 30. Previews begun: Slanted Floors (Oct 20, Astor Place, opens Nov 2); 2:22 – A Ghost Story (Oct 20, Lucille Lortel, opens Nov 5, listed through Jan 17, 2027); I Became We (Oct 16, Atlantic, opens Oct 27). Just ahead: Waiting For Lefty (CSC, opens Nov 4), In The Heights (City Center, Oct 28–Nov 15).
  • Extensions: Midnight extended to Jan 3, 2027 (announced Oct 19, on sold-out word of mouth — the week’s strongest commercial signal). Degenerates final extension to Nov 8 (Playwrights Horizons; named a NYT Critic’s Pick; selling out). School Pictures/Two Girls to Nov 29. Soon one more week to Nov 15 (St. Luke’s; cast album out Sep 30). Human Things through Oct 30.
  • Closings: Kramer/Fauci (St. Ann’s) Oct 24; Good Time Charlie (Public) Oct 25; Machine Learning, Sea Wall, Human Things all Oct 30; Anon Nov 1; Degenerates Nov 8. Flag: How Shakespeare Saved My Life (Public) — closing Oct 25 per BroadwayNews, Oct 18 per BWW; unresolved.
  • Cast change: Little Shop Of Horrors — Ethan Slater/Betsy Wolfe final Oct 25; T.R. Knight/Hannah Cruz begin Oct 27. (Playbill)
  • Special event: The Long Christmas Dinner Festival — the Wilder Estate’s national festival of Thornton Wilder’s one-act kicks off at the Public Nov 2 with a reading headlined by Ethan Hawke, Jose Llana, and Tappan Wilder; 30+ organizations in 20 states, licensing fees waived, partnered with the Educational Theatre Foundation for high schools (BWW, Playbill, TheaterMania).
  • No published grosses exist off-Broadway — commercial strength is inferred from extensions only.

OFF-OFF-BROADWAY

  • La MaMa (65th season): Doll Day Afternoon — theatrical premiere of trans icon Elizabeth Eden’s memoir, Oct 15–25 (The Downstairs). Also: Unconditional (Margot Rose musical memoir, Oct 15–25); Untold Wajda: Blokowisko (Oct 22–25); The Greatest Story Ever (Oct 29–Nov 8); Global Indigenous Theatre Festival with Spiderwoman Theater (50th anniversary), Oct 30–Nov 7 — opens with Kōpū (Te Pou, NZ, Oct 30–Nov 1), Invisible Shadows (Minneapolis, Oct 30–Nov 1), Maayuma Li Mubirr (AUSTRALIA, Nov 4–6), All My R(el)ations (Ontario, Nov 4–6), 50th Anniversary Gala Nov 7. (BWW, TheaterMania, TDF)
  • Theater for the New City: world premiere A Part Of The Noise (Franz Kline play), Oct 8–25 — warm notices. (TheaterScene, SplashMags)
  • The Brick (Brooklyn): The Last Letter Oct 15–Nov 8; Three Kings Oct 22–24 (Brick Aux); I Can Steal Your Mother Oct 30–Nov 15.
  • United Solo Theatre Festival (21st annual) began Oct 19 at Theatre Row, through Nov 22. Starstuff (world premiere) Oct 28–Nov 14 at 59E59.
  • The Bald Soprano (Sheen Center) Oct 11–Nov 1, well-reviewed; Delirium (Irondale, Brooklyn) Sep 8–Nov 7.
  • No transfers from Off-Off to larger houses were verifiable this week.

NEW-WORK PIPELINE

  • Wanted — the season’s first new Broadway musical: in previews at the James Earl Jones (first preview Oct 15), opens Nov 8; sold-out first preview weekend (Rachel Zegler, Neil Patrick Harris, Anna Molinari, Killer Mike in attendance — Just Jared, Oct 20); early audience response strong (Broadway.com reviews Oct 16–19). League debut this week: 5 previews, $451,014, 99.56% capacity. (Playbill, updated Oct 20)
  • Much Ado About Nothing (Jamie Lloyd transfer) — rehearsal photos published Oct 13; previews Oct 31, opens Nov 19, closes Jan 10, 2027 (Winter Garden); final understudy casting announced Oct 13 (Bongjio, Carrier, Elliott, Vargas, White). (Playbill, BWW)
  • Downstate — first preview delayed three times by company illness: Oct 17 → 19 → 20 → now Oct 22 (Booth); opens Nov 15, limited run through Jan 10, 2027 unchanged. Buyers through Nov 22 get a code for Small Mouth Sounds tickets at $250. (BWW, Oct 20; Playbill, Oct 19)
  • 860 — Billy Crystal’s solo show opens tonight, Oct 21 (Imperial), limited 14-week engagement (closing Jan 2 per Playbill’s production page, Jan 3 per its Oct 20 article — treated as Jan 2–3). Previews climbed 83% → 98% across the reporting weeks; new production photos Oct 20. (Playbill, AussieTheatre)
  • The Imaginary Invalid — Roundabout’s Todd Haimes Theatre, in previews since Sep 25, opens Oct 22, closes Nov 22. Bill Irwin adapts/stars (Argan); Brandon J. Dirden makes his Broadway directing debut; Rachel Bloom makes her Broadway debut as Toinette. (Playbill, Oct 9)
  • A Few Good Men — LCT revival in previews since Oct 8 (7 sellout preview perfs w/e Oct 18: $1,246,301), opens Oct 29, closes Jan 10, 2027 (Beaumont). Bradley Whitford (Jessep), Tom Blyth (Broadway debut, Kaffee), Krysta Rodriguez. (BWW)
  • The Fantasticks — previews begin Oct 22, opens Nov 16, closes Feb 7, 2027 (Second Stage Hayes); reconceived around two sons and their mothers from Jones’s revised book; dir./choreo Christopher Gattelli. (Playbill)
  • Galileo — Shubert, previews Nov 10, opens Dec 6. Raúl Esparza (title), Joy Woods, Jeremy Kushnier; no fresh news in window. (TDF)
  • NAMT 38th Festival of New Musicals — Oct 22–23 at New World Stages; eight musicals from 518 submissions; additional casting (Sieber, Tyson et al.) announced Oct 14. (BWW)
  • The Long Christmas Dinner — Wilder Estate’s nationwide festival kicks off Nov 2 at the Public (Hawke, Llana, Tappan Wilder); 31 organizations in 20 states; the Goodman Chicago reading features Anthony Rapp and Jeff Tweedy. (American Theatre, Oct 13)
  • Spring Awakening revival (dir. Danya Taymor, Studio Seaview) — begins Nov 27, already extended to Apr 4, 2027 on “unprecedented demand” (Studio Seaview’s biggest on-sale ever); official opening night unannounced (Playbill Oct 20 says “forthcoming” — earlier reported Dec 17, treat as TBA); casting in window: Lilli Cooper and George Abud as Adult Women/Men; full cast incl. understudies announced Oct 20. (Playbill)
  • The Pyramid: An Unauthorized ‘Dance Moms’ Musical — private industry reading confirmed as held Monday afternoon, Oct 19, NYC: Rosie O’Donnell played Abby Lee Miller, Kristin Chenoweth played Cathy Nesbitt-Stein (Variety exclusive via Just Jared, Oct 19; BWW). Titanique co-creator Tye Blue consulting/creative producer; grew from a viral concept (5.6M+ views) via 54 Below (2023) and The Green Room 42 (2025).
  • Silver Linings Playbook musical — private industry reading Friday, Oct 23; score by A Great Big World, book Rick Elice, dir. Jessica Stone. (BWW, Oct 20)
  • Roundabout set spring Broadway dates (~Oct 15): The Full Monty revival (Todd Haimes; previews Apr 3, opens Apr 25, 2027; dir. Leigh Silverman, choreo Connor Gallagher); Dominique Morisseau’s Mix And Master (previews Jan 5, opens Jan 27, 2027; dir. Ruben Santiago-Hudson, starring Kara Young). (Playbill, Oct 15)
  • Spring 2027 theater assignments circulating (reported via season guides, not all producer-confirmed): Inter Alia (Music Box, opens Dec 1, 2026); Dolly (St. James, previews from Jan 19, 2027); Evita with Rachel Zegler (Winter Garden, previews Feb 27, opens Mar 25, 2027 — dir. Jamie Lloyd; Broadway transfer confirmed); Dirty Dancing (Lena Horne, previews Feb 12, opens Mar 14, 2027); Small Mouth Sounds (Barrymore, previews Feb 18, opens Mar 18, 2027 — Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd, Sarah Paulson, Martin Freeman, Greta Lee, Isaac Powell); Gloria (Hayes, opens Apr 5); Warriors (Lunt-Fontanne, opens Apr 8); Paddington (Al Hirschfeld, opens Apr 18); Rhinoceros (Todd Haimes, opens Apr 25). (TDF, newyorktheater.me)

CLOSING WATCH

  • No new Broadway closing announced Oct 13–21. BroadwayWorld’s October listings: “No shows are scheduled to close in October 2026.”
  • Standing closings (all confirmed unchanged in-window): Two Strangers — Nov 29, 2026 (Longacre; tour launches Providence fall 2027); Six — Jan 3, 2027 (Lena Horne; Abigail Barlow back as Howard Nov 1; Spirit Week Nov 9–13); & Juliet — Jan 3, 2027 (Sondheim); Stranger Things: The First Shadow — Jan 3, 2027 (Marquis); Downstate — Jan 10, 2027 (Booth; first preview now Oct 22 after illness delays); A Few Good Men — Jan 10, 2027 (Beaumont; opens Oct 29); Other Desert Cities — Jan 17, 2027 (Hudson); School Girls — Nov 15 (Friedman, after 2-week extension); The Imaginary Invalid — Nov 22 (Todd Haimes; opens Oct 22); 860 — Jan 2–3, 2027 (Imperial; opens tonight); The Fantasticks — Feb 7, 2027 (Hayes; opens Nov 16); Much Ado About Nothing — Jan 10, 2027 (Winter Garden; opens Nov 19); Here There Are Blueberries — Jan 10, 2027 (Barrymore; opens Nov 9). (Playbill Last Chance, IBDB, NYTix)
  • Commercially soft (grosses-verified only): Stranger Things — softest marquee show still running: lowest capacity on the Main Stem (74.5% w/e Oct 18; 79.0% w/e Oct 11) and lowest average ticket ($80.44); Consequence (updated Oct 5) reports recent weeks at ~60–70% capacity and that the production likely hasn’t recouped its ~$20M cost. Closing Jan 3. Two Strangers — 80.6% (up from 78.2%), bottom-5 weekly gross; closing Nov 29, tour fall 2027. The Imaginary Invalid — bottom-5 gross both weeks ($428,094 w/e Oct 18), lowest avg ticket ($80.88), 90.1% capacity — still in previews; Roundabout nonprofit, so the read is different. School Girls — bottom-5 grosses on a second-lowest avg ticket (~$88), but ~96% capacity: a discount-pricing profile, not soft demand (MTC nonprofit). Market context: Broadway’s Oct 18 week down 11.06% YoY; Playbill Oct 20 called 27-of-30 at 90%+ capacity and 19-of-30 in the $1M club “remarkably stable.” No producer statements of financial distress surfaced this window; no closing rumors for healthy open-ended shows (Operation Mincemeat, Schmigadoon!, Paranormal Activity).

REGIONAL US THEATER

  • La Jolla Playhouse: world-premiere musical Grim begins previews Oct 27 (press opening Nov 8), extended to Dec 6 (Mandell Weiss). (BWW)
  • The Old Globe: pre-Broadway world premiere August Rush: A New Musical (Blaemire book/music, Tom Kitt, dir. Kathleen Marshall) on track Mar 27–May 2, 2027 (opens Apr 4). Begin Again has closed — exact closing date unconfirmed (BWW listing showed Sep 6–Oct 11).
  • Arena Stage (DC): CORRECTION — Nikola (Tesla vs. Edison, announced Oct 2–Nov 29) has been displaced from the Kreeger; Eric Bentley’s Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been? (dir. Anna D. Shapiro) went in instead, Oct 17–Dec 6 (press Oct 22). Arena says “more information about the previously announced Nikola will be shared at a later date” — new dates TBD. (Arena press release, BWW)
  • A.R.T. (Cambridge): world-premiere rock opera 1972 (Jane Collective story; Chadwick Stokes score, Jessie Nelson book/directs) Oct 27–Nov 22 (opens Nov 1) — full casting announced Oct 15: Stokes performs as Depot; Gracie McGraw as Hannah. (Playbill, Oct 15)
  • Alliance (Atlanta): world-premiere Like Father open, Oct 8–Nov 15 (Hertz Stage); creator interview BWW Oct 16; no major reviews yet.
  • Ogunquit Playhouse: Mellencamp jukebox Small Town running Oct 1–Nov 1 (BWW review Oct 5 praised choreography/design, singled out “Cherry Bomb”).
  • McCarter: new bhangra musical comedy A Beat Of Our Own closes Oct 25. (New Jersey Stage, Oct 20)
  • Dallas Theater Center: regional premiere of The Monsters, Oct 9–Nov 1; world-premiere musical Kill Local announced Mar 26–Apr 11, 2027.
  • Guthrie: Kunene And The King opened Oct 15 (dir. Ruben Santiago-Hudson; John Kani), through Nov 8; BWW review Oct 20.
  • Center Theatre Group: world-premiere folk musical The Turning ran Sep 2–Oct 11 at the Taper (a one-week extension to Oct 18 was floated only in audition notices, unverified); next: Destiny Of Desire opens Nov 11; The Music Man tour at the Ahmanson Oct 27–Nov 8. Signature (Arlington, VA) began rehearsals Oct 2 for the regional premiere of Adam Gwon’s All The World’s A Stage.

HOUSTON THEATRE

  • 4th Wall Theatre Are The Bennet Girls Ok? Nov 20. A.D. Players at The George Theater No listing this week. Aerial Roots Theatre Company No listing this week. Alley Theatre Uhuru (world-premiere Gloria Majule dramedy, dir. Shariffa Ali) opened Oct 16, through Nov 8; Alley All New Festival casts announced Oct 19 — free readings Oct 23–25 (Adams, Brasch, Majule, Quintero). Art Factory Houston Rocky Horror Show Oct 16–31 (Halloween-night finale). Baytown Little Theater One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest closed Oct 18; next, The Christmas Carol Live Dec 4–13. Boiling Point Players No listing this week. Brave Little Company No listing this week. CAST Theatrical Company No listing this week. The Catastrophic Theatre dark until Murder Murder Kill Kill Kill Feb 12–Mar 6, 2027. Chapelwood Playhouse No listing this week. Christian Youth Theater Houston No listing this week. Class Act Productions No listing this week. Classical Theatre Arms And The Man: Oct 22 preview, opens Oct 23, through Nov 7 (DeLuxe). Clear Creek Community Theatre No listing this week. The Company OnStage We Only Come Out At Night (world premiere) and Maricela De La Luz Lights The World close Oct 24. Cone Man Running Productions No listing this week. Cypress Stage Gloria: A Life closed Oct 18. Dirt Dogs Theatre No listing this week. Drunk Shakespeare Society No listing this week. Ensemble Theatre Purpose closed Oct 11; next, A Motown Christmas Nov 13–Dec 20. Et Voilà Théâtre No listing this week. Exalted Arts No listing this week. Express Children’s Theatre No listing this week. The Garden Theatre No listing this week. Gente de Teatro El Test (in Spanish) at MATCH Oct 22–Nov 1. HAPAA — Hispanic Alliance for Performing and Audiovisual Arts No listing this week. Haven Arts Theatre No listing this week. HITS Theatre No listing this week. Hobby Center Broadway at the Hobby: Tituss Burgess in Concert Oct 24–25 launches the fourth Beyond Broadway season; Beetlejuice Nov 3–8. Houston Ballet Manon closed Oct 4; company at Segerstrom Oct 15–18 (Sons De L’âme with George Li); Nutcracker Nov 27–Dec 28; Nutcracker Market named KPMG its 2026 honoree Oct 19. Houston Grand Opera season opens Oct 23 with Susannah (Oct 23–Nov 8); Faust opens Oct 30 (through Nov 15). Houston Shakespeare Festival No listing this week. Inspiration Stage No listing this week. Island ETC — East-End Theatre Company (Galveston) No listing this week. Lionwoman Productions TX No listing this week. The Lumen Theater Project No listing this week. Main Street Theater Equity EPA for spring-2027 Arcadia Oct 24; free An Irish Carol first read-through Oct 26 (show runs Nov 21–Dec 20). MATCH Gente de Teatro’s El Test (in Spanish) Oct 22–Nov 1. Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company No listing this week. National Youth Theater No listing this week. The Octarine Accord No listing this week. Pasadena Little Theatre No listing this week. Pearl Theater / Pearland Theatre Guild No listing this week. The Players Theatre Company (Conroe) No listing this week. Playhouse 1960 No listing this week. Queensbury Theatre No listing this week. Rec Room Arts No listing this week. The Sankofa Collective Frankenstein Oct 30–Nov 2. Shabach Enterprise / Fade to Black No listing this week. Shunya Theatre No listing this week. Stage Right of Texas (Conroe) No listing this week. Stage Right Theatrical Institute No listing this week. Stages Come From Away closed Oct 18 (end of extended run); The Roommate previews begin Oct 23 (run corrected to Oct 23–Nov 22 — see Section 10). Stageworks Theatre No listing this week. Tapestry Players No listing this week. Theatre Southwest Anthropology Oct 30–Nov 21. Theatre Suburbia Christmas Belles Nov 6–Dec 5. Thunderclap Productions No listing this week. Tribble School for the Performing Arts No listing this week. TUTS Mrs. Doubtfire (2nd national tour) opened Oct 13, through Oct 25 at the Hobby. Unity Theatre (Brenham) No listing this week. Vincent Victoria Presents No listing this week. Wildfish Theatre No listing this week.

Coming Soon to Houston

  • Manual Cinema — The 4th Witch, Oct 28–29 (Cullen, Wortham).
  • Houston Grand Opera — Faust, Oct 30–Nov 15.
  • Sankofa — Frankenstein, Oct 30–Nov 2.
  • Theatre Southwest — Anthropology, Oct 30–Nov 21.
  • Broadway at the Hobby Center — Beetlejuice, Nov 3–8.
  • Theatre Suburbia — Christmas Belles, Nov 6–Dec 5.
  • Ensemble — A Motown Christmas, Nov 13–Dec 20.
  • Alley Theatre — A Christmas Carol, Nov 15–Dec 27.
  • 4th Wall — Are The Bennet Girls Ok?, Nov 20.
  • Main Street Theater — An Irish Carol, Nov 21–Dec 20.
  • Houston Ballet — The Nutcracker, from Nov 27.
  • Baytown — The Christmas Carol Live, Dec 4–13.
  • Alley Theatre — The Night Shift Before Christmas, Dec 4–24.
  • Alvin College — The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Dec 5–12.
  • TUTS — The Little Mermaid, Dec 8–24.

HOUSTON

Comings and goings

  • Opened — Art Factory Rocky Horror Show, Oct 16–31 (Halloween-night finale).
  • Opened — Alley’s world-premiere Uhuru (Gloria Majule), Oct 16–Nov 8 (Neuhaus).
  • Opened — From the Ashes The 39 Steps, Oct 16–25 (Spring).
  • Opened — TUTS Mrs. Doubtfire (2nd national tour), Oct 13–25 at the Hobby.
  • Opened Oct 22 — UH Moores Carousel, Oct 22–25.
  • Closed Oct 17 — Theatre Suburbia About Noah; Alvin College And Then There Were None.
  • Closed Oct 18 — Stages Come From Away (end of extended run); Baytown Little Theater One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest; Cypress Stage Gloria: A Life.
  • Closing Oct 24 — Company OnStage’s We Only Come Out At Night (world premiere, Oct 2–24) and Maricela De La Luz Lights The World (Oct 3–24).
  • This Week — HGO season opens Oct 23 with Susannah (Oct 23–Nov 8; Sylvia D’Eramo replaced Angel Blue; James Gaffigan’s first engagement as Music Director Designate — Summers stepped down end of 25–26, now Emeritus).
  • This Week — Alley All New Festival free readings, Oct 23–25 (casts announced Oct 19).
  • This Week — Stages The Roommate previews begin Oct 23 — run confirmed Oct 23–Nov 22 (supersedes the season-announced Oct 22–Nov 15).
  • This Week — Classical Theatre Co Arms And The Man: Oct 22 preview, opens Oct 23, through Nov 7 (DeLuxe).
  • This Week — Anarkali Reimagined final Houston perfs Oct 22–25 (Luxtrium); Gente de Teatro’s El Test (in Spanish) Oct 22–Nov 1 (MATCH).
  • This Week — Rocky Horror 40-City Spooktacular (Nell Campbell) at House of Blues Oct 23 — film/Q&A event, not the Art Factory stage production.
  • This Week — Waitress 10th Anniversary tour one night Oct 24 (Lutcher, Orange); Miller Outdoor (free): UNITE Oct 23 + 3rd Annual Louisiana in Texas Oct 24 (time disputed between Miller listing and Houston Press previews).
  • This Week — Main Street Theater: Equity EPA for spring-2027 Arcadia Oct 24 + free An Irish Carol first read-through Oct 26 (show runs Nov 21–Dec 20); Ars Lyrica Haunted Spirits Oct 31.
  • Continues — TUTS Mrs. Doubtfire through Oct 25 (final 2 pm); Alley’s Uhuru through Nov 8.
  • Just Ahead — HGO Faust opens Oct 30 (Oct 30–Nov 15; Pretty Yende company debut; John Relyea replaced D’Arcangelo as Méphistophélès — family emergency); Broadway at the Hobby Beetlejuice Nov 3–8; Hell’s Kitchen singles go on sale Fri Oct 23, 10 a.m.; Theatre Suburbia Christmas Belles Nov 6–Dec 5; Sankofa Frankenstein Oct 30–Nov 2 (venue changed to Sterling Theatre); Theatre Southwest Anthropology Oct 30–Nov 21; Manual Cinema’s The 4Th Witch Oct 28–29 (Cullen, Wortham); TUTS next: The Little Mermaid Dec 8–24; 4th Wall next: Are The Bennet Girls Ok? Nov 20; Ensemble next: A Motown Christmas Nov 13–Dec 20; Alvin College next: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Dec 5–12; Baytown next: The Christmas Carol Live Dec 4–13; Alley next: A Christmas Carol Nov 15–Dec 27 + The Night Shift Before Christmas Dec 4–24; Catastrophic dark until Murder Murder Kill Kill Kill Feb 12–Mar 6, 2027; Houston Ballet dark until Nutcracker Nov 27.
  • Quiet — Ensemble: Purpose closed Oct 11; CORRECTION — Akeelah And The Bee ran Sep 19–Oct 12, 2025, not this fall. No new season announcements from Houston’s major houses this week — explicitly none found.

UNITED KINGDOM

  • West End openings: The Cherry Orchard (Harold Pinter, Conor McPherson/Ian Rickson) — press night Oct 13, mixed-to-warm (★★★★ from some, a First Night Magazine savaging), through Jan 9, 2027. The Lives Of Others (Adelphi) — first preview Oct 14 cancelled for technical issues; previews began Oct 15; opens Oct 29 (Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane, Luke Thompson), through Jan 9. Jesus Christ Superstar transfer began Oct 16 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane (Sam Ryder, Tyrone Huntley; rotating Herods: Matt Bomer Oct 16–31, Rob Brydon Nov 2–7, Reece Shearsmith Nov 9–14, Bob the Drag Queen Nov 16–21, Michael Ball Nov 23–Dec 5, Simon Russell Beale Dec 7–12, Omid Djalili Dec 14–19, Layton Williams Dec 21–Jan 2, Glenn Close closing week Jan 4–9), through Jan 9, then UK tour Feb–Oct 2027. Ilford Boy (Donmar) — press Oct 13, warm-positive (“one of the best new plays of the year so far” — Monstagigz), through Nov 28. Martin Guerre (Old Vic) — press night Oct 20, Matthew Warchus’s farewell production (radically revised, 90 min, in the round); mixed-positive (Times ★★★), through Oct 31. The Pianist (world-premiere Szpilman musical, Park Theatre) — press night Oct 22, through Nov 28. (WhatsOnStage, WET, londontheatre.co.uk, BWW)
  • West End closings: CORRECTION — Jamie Lloyd’s Evita (London Palladium) did not end Oct 14; it played its final performance Sept 6, and a Broadway transfer to the Winter Garden (spring 2027) is now confirmed. Thelma & Louise (Young Vic), Jane Eyre (Southwark Elephant), and Tilda Swinton’s Man To Man (Royal Court) all end Oct 24 — Man to Man then goes to Edinburgh (Oct 29–Nov 7), Berlin (premieres Feb 9, 2027), and New York (spring 2027). The Story, Tartuffe (Remixed), Darkling, The Urmetazoan also end Oct 24; Fences, Cirque Berserk, ENO’s Angel’s Bone end Oct 31. Gate Theatre ceases operations end of October after nearly 50 years — loss of Arts Council NPO status (funding cut April 2023), rising costs, loss of permanent home (WhatsOnStage, Arts Professional).
  • Extensions/announcements: Cursed Child (Palace, one-part staging since Oct 9) extended booking to Sep 5, 2027 — 110,000+ new tickets, announced Oct 15. Rent (Duke of York’s) booking to Mar 27 (full principal cast: Gaten Matarazzo, Travis Ross, Bella Brown et al.). The Play That Goes Wrong to Jan 2028. Hadestown to Dec 12, 2027. Paranormal Activity sixth extension to Feb 27, 2027, plus a Halloween late-night performance Oct 31 at 10:30 pm. White Rabbit Red Rabbit Monday residency to Dec 14. NEW: Trevor Nunn’s Speculations (Marylebone) extended to Jan 17, 2027 (announced ~Oct 19). One Day — The Musical (Garrick) full cast (Jamie Muscato, Sharon Rose) — performances begin Nov 17, booking to Mar 14, 2027. Looking ahead: Beetlejuice final performance Jan 2, 2027; My Neighbour Totoro closes Jan 3; Titanique final voyage Jan 3 then UK tour; the Grande/Bailey Sunday In The Park With George revival cancelled (rights retained for 2028); a Traitors stage show opens at the Gillian Lynne in 2027; Death Note The Musical returns to the Barbican March 2027.
  • UK touring: Back To The Future opened its first UK tour Oct 8 in Bristol (split reviews: “the DeLorean is the star” — WhatsOnStage) through Nov 21; Roger Bart plays Doc Brown through Manchester, Brian Conley takes over Feb 9–27, 2027 at Milton Keynes (BWW, Oct 15); 12-city itinerary runs through Nov 2027. Regent’s Park Cats launched its 23-stop UK & IRELAND tour Oct 6 in Plymouth (to Oct 17); this week Hull New Theatre Oct 20–24, then Birmingham Oct 27–Nov 7, Manchester Nov 10–21, Bristol Nov 24–28, Llandudno, Glasgow (through Jun 2027). Mamma Mia! at Milton Keynes Oct 13–24, Wolverhampton Oct 27–Nov 7, then Bradford, Cardiff, Liverpool (to Jan 3), Plymouth. The Haunting Of Hill House played Brighton one night Oct 20. Burlesque The Musical first UK tour at Birmingham Alexandra Oct 6–17.
  • No centralized West End grosses are published — SOLT does not release per-show figures.

U.S. TOURING

  • The Bodyguard launched Oct 15 in Toledo (Crossroads Live, reimagined, non-union, ~50 cities year one; Brooke Bailey/Jonathan Blansfield; BWW review Oct 16 confirms strong start) — this week Elmira NY Oct 20–21 → Providence Oct 23–25 → Akron Oct 27–28, Reading Oct 30, Binghamton Nov 1, Worcester Nov 6–8, Norfolk Nov 10–15, North Charleston Nov 17–22. (BWW, Motif)
  • The Who’s Tommy — Tucson (Centennial Hall) Oct 20–25 → Pantages Oct 27–Nov 15 → Hobby Center Houston Feb 2–14, 2027 (thewho.com). (BWW Oct 19 tour photos)
  • Death Becomes Her — Fabulous Fox St. Louis through Oct 25 → Omaha Orpheum Oct 27–Nov 1 → Nashville TPAC Nov 3–8.
  • Operation Mincemeat — Emerson Colonial Boston Oct 13–25 → Toronto Royal Alexandra Oct 27–Dec 13 (BWW interview with dir. Robert Hastie, Oct 15).
  • Oh, Mary! — Curran SF Oct 13–Nov 1. J. Harrison Ghee will NOT return to the tour — announced Oct 16: after the medical leave (kidney disease, transplant list), Ghee exits permanently; John-Andrew Morrison continues as “Mary’s Husband” through the first year; Alaska Thunderf*ck stays as Mary Todd Lincoln through Jan 17, 2027; future Mary casting TBA. Next: Seattle Nov 3–8, LA Ahmanson Nov 10–Dec 6, Chicago CIBC Jan 19–Feb 7, 2027, Houston Hobby Center Apr 27–May 9, 2027 (BWW Jul 30 tour dates). Record note: week ending Oct 4 grossed $1,872,452 on 21,789 tickets at San Diego Civic — the venue’s highest-grossing play ever (BWW, Oct 5). Separately, a second-year Oh, Mary! tour announced (opens St. Louis fall 2027; SF return plus Buffalo, Dallas, Denver, Durham, Memphis, Providence, Richmond, Sacramento, Toronto Royal Alex — Toronto detail published Oct 13).
  • Boop! — Cincinnati (Aronoff) Oct 20–25 → St. Louis Fabulous Fox Oct 27–30 (NETworks producing). (Behind the Curtain Cincinnati, Sep 17)
  • Spamalot — Des Moines Civic Center Oct 20–25 (8 shows) → Memphis Orpheum Oct 27–Nov 1. (Playbill touring page)
  • Mystic Pizza — Erie PA Oct 21–22 → Scranton Oct 23–25 (Broadway in Scranton season opener) → Portland ME Oct 28–29 → New Bedford Oct 30 → Dayton Nov 6–7.
  • The Music Man (Big League Productions) — Ahmanson Oct 27–Nov 8 (Elliott Andrews, Elizabeth D’Aiuto, dir. Matt Lenz). (BWW)
  • Mrs. Doubtfire — Hobby Center through Oct 25 (2 pm ASL/audio-described final; non-union 2nd North American tour, Work Light Productions) → Ocean City MD Oct 29 → Durham DPAC Oct 30–Nov 1 → Indianapolis Nov 17–22 → Dec: Melbourne FL, Hershey PA, Waterbury CT, Atlanta Fox → CANADA Jan 2027 (Calgary Jan 5–10, Edmonton Jan 12–17, Vancouver Jan 19–24). Dublin Bord Gáis Dec 2026.
  • The Sound Of Music — CORRECTION: not a new launch — NETworks production on the road since July (MEXICO City and Monterrey in August; Houston Sep 29–Oct 4). Minneapolis Orpheum Oct 20–25 this week → Appleton Nov 3–8 → Cincinnati Nov 10–15 → Boston Nov 17–22. Dir. Jack O’Brien. (networkstours.com)
  • The Wiz — all-new 75-city cast (Crossroads Live): Gabby Samone (Dorothy, American Idol S23), Bryan DeMond, Toni Lorene Baker (Glinda), Jose E. Figueroa Jr. (Scarecrow), Jaelen Spellman (Tinman), Asher HaVon (Lion); Penn State Eisenhower, University Park PA, Oct 22; new production photos Oct 13. (GantNews, Oct 17; BWW)
  • A Beautiful Noise — send-off concert at The Bitter End Oct 20 ($10 tickets, proceeds to Parkinson’s Foundation — the show has raised >$1M for it); relaunch Nov 3, Austin (Bass Concert Hall; Jesse Labelle; non-Equity, NETworks) → St. Louis Nov 13–15 → Auburn Nov 17–19 → Huntsville Nov 20–22. (BWW, Playbill Sep 25)
  • Elf The Musical holiday tour — Jack Ducat leads: Yakima Oct 31–Nov 1 (Trunk or Treat after the Oct 31 show) → Folsom → Tucson → Reno → Las Vegas → LA Pantages Dec 1–13 → SF Golden Gate Dec 15–20 → Denver Buell Dec 22–27 → San Diego Civic Dec 29–Jan 3. (BWW, Sep 30)
  • Buena Vista Social Club — first national tour at Fox Theatre Atlanta Oct 27–Nov 1 (student rush $36, Lucky Seat $44 — announced Oct 9). (BWW)
  • New announcements: Suffs North American tour announced Oct 7 (just before window): NETworks producing, non-Equity, launching fall 2027 at Proctors, Schenectady. (Playbill) The Outsiders year-two tour now playing (LA Pantages; new leads Nolan White, Bonale Fambrini, Anthony Garcia; year-one recouped $11M in 29 weeks). The Notebook year-two casting: John Rubinstein (originated Pippin) as Older Noah; Angela Birchett Older Allie. No new Troika or Crossroads announcements in-window beyond The Wiz photos. Equity status stated only where sources stated it (Bodyguard, Mrs. Doubtfire, A Beautiful Noise non-Equity).

INTERNATIONAL
TOURING

  • JAPAN 🇯🇵 — Shiki: Mamma Mia! Hiroshima run continues (opened Oct 4, 48 performances planned — first Shiki long run there in 16 years). Tokyo long runs stand (Lion King, Aladdin, Back To The Future — jasumo lists BTTF Tokyo through Mar 31, 2027). (BWW) Could not verify this week: Ghost & The Lady “through Nov 11”; Frozen “closing Jan 17, 2027” — carried forward as unverified. Toho: Rent opened Oct 15 at Theatre Crea (through Nov 13; Japanese re-staging by Andy Señor Jr.; incl. Fuku Suzuki, RIKU of THE RAMPAGE). Imperial Theatre: still closed — closed mid-Feb 2025, demolished, redevelopment; new theater planned FY2030. Spirited Away world tour — Toho announced the seven-Chihiro company Oct 15: Kanna Hashimoto, Mone Kamishiraishi, Momoko Fukuchi return, joined by Nagi Inoue (Nogizaka46), Hana Toyoshima, Kokoro Hirasawa; Marina Mori understudy (Essential Japan, Oct 17). Itinerary confirmed: Taipei National Theatre Dec 16, 2026–Jan 31, 2027 → Tokyo Meijiza Mar–May 2027 → Toronto Princess of Wales May 6–Aug 15, 2027 (North American stage premiere) → LA Ahmanson Sep 2–Oct 24, 2027 → Nagoya/Osaka/Fukuoka/Sapporo summer 2027 → London Coliseum Mar–Jul 2028. (CBR, Oct 16) Context: the 2024 West End run drew ~300,000 and won the 2025 WhatsOnStage Best New Play; 2025 Shanghai (42 shows) and 2026 Seoul (94 shows) sold out.
  • AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺: Six opened Sydney Oct 9 (Theatre Royal, all-new Australian company) through Dec 20; Sydney Lyric previews A Beautiful Noise (Will Swenson) from Nov 14. Lion King in final Sydney weeks — fastest-selling show in Capitol Theatre history — → Brisbane QPAC from November (record presale) → Melbourne Regent from Mar 25, 2027 (through Jun 13); general on-sale began Oct 15; the Oct 8–14 pre-sale broke the Regent’s all-time pre-sale record. Spamalot Australian tour: Sydney (The Star) Oct 15–18 → Coliseum, Rooty Hill, Oct 22–25 (Stephen Curry’s musical-theatre debut as King Arthur; Sydney reviews note a lean LED-driven staging). (aussietheatre, BWW, onlysydney)
  • SOUTH KOREA 🇰🇷: Hamilton Korean debut (announced Oct 12): Busan Dream Theater Dec 17, 2026–Jan 16, 2027 → Seoul Sejong Center Jan 21–Mar 20, 2027; performed in English; cast/on-sale TBA — presented as the launch of a new world tour (matches Crossroads Live UK 🇬🇧’s multi-year Hamilton world-tour recruitment “starting in Asia in late 2026”). (S&Co; Aju Press; KBS, Oct 14) CORRECTION — Mrs. Doubtfire Dec 3–Feb 21 Seoul is not the English tour: KOREA 🇰🇷 runs a licensed Korean-language production (S&Co); a third run is listed Dec 2026–Feb 2027 at GS Art Center, exact dates unverified. Cats returns to KOREA 🇰🇷 for the first time in three years: opens Dec 18 at Keimyung Art Center, Daegu, through Jan 3, 2027, then Busan, Sejong, Seoul. (Korea JoongAng Daily)
  • SINGAPORE 🇸🇬: Cats at Sands Theatre, Oct 29–Nov 22 confirmed (tickets S$68–S$238, dynamic pricing). Cast unveiled Oct 14: Cindy-Ann Abrahams (Grizabella), Dylan Janse van Rensburg (Rum Tum Tugger), Tatum Coleman (Bombalurina), Che-jean Jupp (Munskustrap), King B (Old Deuteronomy). (littlebigreddot, Oct 17; BWW)
  • CHINA 🇨🇳: Phantom 40th-anniversary farewell season at Shanghai Grand Theatre: trip.com lists Sep 28–Dec 26, 2026 (one-day variance from last week’s note); Ramin Karimloo; Lloyd Webber himself onstage at the launch curtain call (BWW, Sep 29; phantomoftheopera.com, Oct 14). Webber teased Shanghai as likely next home of Masquerade — no update in-window. The 40th-anniversary gala at His Majesty’s London (Oct 9; Brightman, Crawford) was filmed for 2027 global cinema release. CORRECTION — Les Mis Arena Spectacular has wrapped (finale at Radio City Music Hall ~Aug 2026; 2 years, 34 cities, 17 countries/regions, 1.3M fans; Alfie Boe’s final Valjean bow Aug 4) — the Taipei → Kaohsiung → JAPAN 🇯🇵 → Shanghai routing was last season’s itinerary.
  • GERMANY 🇩🇪: Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Das Phantom Der Oper — German premiere at Cologne’s Musical Dome, performances from Nov 5, 2026, opening Nov 15 (Anton Zetterholm, Lisanne Clémence Veeneman from the Vienna production). (LicenseGlobal, Oct 13)
  • No new MEXICO 🇲🇽 touring news in-window; Dublin’s Bord Gáis (Mrs. Doubtfire, Dec 2026) is the only other international stop found.

— End of report —

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