Groff, Tomei & More Hit the Stage! 5 Must-Do Events for the Week of September 16 to 22

A flesh-eating plant, a lusty Sicilian widow and a teenage demigod are just three of the intriguing characters taking the stage on and off Broadway this week. Check out our five must-do events for the week of September 16 through 22.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
LARSON'S MUSICAL LEGACY
Rent and tick, tick...BOOM! composer Jonathan Larson’s tragic death at age 35 robbed the American theater of a lifetime of great musicals. But his legacy lives on in the recipients of 22 years of Jonathan Larson Grants, including Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Joe Iconis, Kirsten Childs, Michael R. Jackson and Shaina Taub. The work of these talented composers and lyricists will be featured at the American Theatre Wing’s swanky black-tie gala on September 16, performed by Broadway stars Brandon Victor Dixon, Nikki M. James, Krysta Rodriguez, Jason Tam and Rent original cast members Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker. The pricey evening supports the Wing’s programming, including those career-changing Larson Grants.
INFO:  Cocktails, dinner and performance at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42nd Street); for details, click here.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
FEED ME!
Suddenly, Seymour the sad-sack plant store clerk is back where he belongs, off-Broadway, in the highly anticipated revival of Little Shop of Horrors. This irresistible musical combo of comedy, romance and horror debuted in 1982 at the appropriately grungy Orpheum Theatre in the East Village, directed by its genius lyricist/librettist Howard Ashman. The show ran for five years, as audiences couldn’t get enough of Seymour and his beloved co-worker Audrey, plus her sadistic dentist boyfriend and a ravenous plant named Audrey II. Don’t miss the chance to see the dream acting team of Jonathan Groff, Tammy Blanchard and Christian Borle tear into Ashman and Alan Menken’s delicious score down on Skid Row—or, more precisely, 40 blocks north of what used to be Skid Row.
INFO: Limited run through January 19, 2020, at the Westside Theatre Upstairs (407 West 43rd Street). Tickets start at $99.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
MARVELOUS MARISA
Tennessee Williams called The Rose Tattoo "my love-play to the world," with a magnetic heroine who reflected his own romantic yearning. Now this seldom-produced lyrical drama, winner of the 1951 Best Play Tony, is headed back to Broadway with Marisa Tomei as larger-than-life Sicilian widow Serafina Delle Rose. In what promises to be a passion-packed production, the Oscar-winning actress is paired with Scottish heartthrob Emun Elliott as Alvaro Mangiacavallo ("eat a horse"), a young truck driver who bursts into Serafina’s shabby home on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. Tomei took her first crack at the role in 2016 at Williamstown, where critics praised her skill at shifting from loathing to lust, with expert comic timing and an innate radiance perfect for making this mid-century Rose bloom anew.
INFO: Limited run through December 8 at the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd Street). Tickets start at $59.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
LIGHTNING STRIKES
Following in the fan-driven footsteps of Be More Chill, The Lightning Thief arrives on Broadway on September 20 with a more action-packed take on Greek mythology than its Tony-winning neighbor Hadestown. Adapted from the bestselling YA novel by Rick Riordan, composer Rob Rokicki and book writer Joe Tracz’s crowd-pleasing show made an unlikely five-year journey from hour-long kids’ musical to full-scale Broadway production. Les Miz alum Chris McCarrell polished his portrayal of demigod Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon) in a hit 2017 off-Broadway run and recent national tour. Can Percy get over his daddy issues and prevent war among the gods during a life-changing summer at Camp Half-Blood? As the Magic 8 Ball might say, signs point to yes.
INFO: Limited run through January 5, 2020, at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). Tickets start at $39.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
TO MARKET, TO MARKET
Treasures and star sightings await at the 33rd annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, the yearly shop-athon for theater fans with proceeds benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Step up to the autograph table where more than 60 celebs will appear throughout the day, then wander up and down 44th and 45th Streets in search of signed posters, memorabilia and collectibles. If you’re feeling flush, go online before the event to bid on a backstage visit at Hamilton, a walk-on role in Mean Girls or the chance to conduct exit music with the full orchestra after a performance at The Phantom of the Opera. The atmosphere is always festive at this Insta-worthy outdoor extravaganza (#BroadwayFlea), and every dollar spent helps those in need. Win win!
INFO: 10AM to 7PM in Shubert Alley and on West 44th and West 45th Streets between Broadway and Eighth Avenue; free admission. Click for more info.

Illustrations by Tug Rice for Broadway.com