On the Town With Orpheus and LBJ! 5 Must-Do Events for the Week of September 2 to 8

A president, a magician, a theater legend and a fan favorite kick off the fall season on NYC stages this week. Here are our top five events for the week of September 2 through 8.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
EVENING WITH AN ICON
In the six decades between his 1956 Broadway debut in Saint Joan and 2017 stint in Waitress, the great John Cullum won two Best Actor Tonys (for Shenandoah and On the Twentieth Century) and showed off his rich baritone in Camelot, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Urinetown, The Scottsboro Boys and many more. The 89-year-old Tennessee native has always been modest about his talent, so it’s no surprise that Cullum’s first-ever solo show at Feinstein’s/54 Below is subtitled “An Accidental Star.” Don’t miss the chance to hear his tales of celebrated co-stars such as Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, plus songs from 60 years of Broadway hits.
UPDATE: Due to illness, Cullum has rescheduled these performances to March 22-28, 2020. Click for more info.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
SING OUT, PLASTICS!
Just in time for a singalong with frenemies, 16 vocal selections from the hit Broadway musical Mean Girls are headed your way on September 4 in a perfectly fetch hot-pink songbook. The Tony-nominated score by composer Jeff Richmond and lyricist Nell Benjamin includes Janis’ defiant “I’d Rather Be Me” (2018 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award winner for Favorite New Song), Gretchen’s bittersweet “What’s Wrong With Me?” and Cady’s triumphant “I See Stars.” Whether you’re a Regina, a Damian, a Karen or an Aaron, there’s a Mean Girls song to fit your personality—and you don’t have to wait until October 3 (#MeanGirlsDay) to practice your favorites.
INFO: $19.99, to order from Amazon.com, click here

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
LBJ ON THE GREAT WHITE WAY (AGAIN!)
As America hurtles toward a tumultuous election year, it’s an ideal time to look back at another chaotic political era: the mid-1960s, after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s landslide victory. The team behind the Tony-winning drama All the Way returns to Broadway on September 6 with The Great Society, starring Brian Cox (HBO's Succession) as LBJ. Robert Schenkkan’s epic drama balances Johnson’s immense legislative achievements (the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, Medicare and more) with the quagmire of the Vietnam War, culminating in the president’s decision not to seek re-election in 1968. The vast stage of Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater provides the perfect setting for this theatrical event.
INFO: Limited run through November 30 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65th Street). Tickets start at $99.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
A MAGICAL SECRET
British-born magician and mentalist Derren Brown enjoyed a sold-out off-Broadway run two summers ago, and now Broadway audiences can match wits with the Olivier Award-winning star during his 16-week engagement in Derren Brown: Secret, starting September 6. Hailed by the New York Times as “enthrallingly baffling,” the show includes hypnosis, mind-reading and psychological illusions that leave audiences amazed. (For a preview of his mysterious methods, check out the Netflix special Derren Brown: Sacrifice.) Brown himself doesn’t claim to have supernatural abilities, but his expert use of the power of suggestion yields startling results, even in a Broadway-size house. To say more would constitute a spoiler, so grab a seat and get in on the Secret.
INFO: Limited run through January 4, 2020, at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). Tickets start at $49.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
CHARISMATIC CARNEY
On nights off from playing golden-voiced Greek heartthrob Orpheus in Hadestown, Reeve Carney loves making music at The Green Room 42, the chic cabaret space located in the sky lobby of YOTEL Times Square. He’ll be back at the club on two Mondays in September performing selections from his award-winning album Youth Is Wasted, plus favorite musical theater songs and American Songbook classics. (His rock cover of “Over the Rainbow” is worth the price of admission.) Carney’s one-man show has the feel of an intimate party, giving fans an up-close experience with the star and his guitar—not to mention that heavenly tenor.
INFO: 9:30PM on September 8 and 22 at The Green Room 42 in YOTEL (Tenth Avenue and 42nd Street, 4th Floor). Tickets start at $32.50. Click for more info.

Illustrations by Tug Rice for Broadway.com