Fall Preview 2019: Get to Know the 15 New Shows Gearing Up for Broadway

Ready for sweater weather and some unforgettable nights of theater on Broadway? Here’s the full run-down of the 15 new hard-rockin’ musicals, emotionally-rich plays and one-of-a-kind special events worthy of your attention.

THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM
DRAMA; OPENS 9/24
Two-time Tony winner Jonathan Pryce and Dame Eileen Atkins go toe to toe in Florian Zeller’s poignant play about a couple’s 50-year relationship and the havoc wreaked by dementia. In a mysterious drama that blends reality and memory, British acting royalty Pryce and Atkins give a master class in the power of chemistry. / In previews now / Opens Sept. 24 / Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 

THE GREAT SOCIETY
DRAMA; OPENS 10/1
Mid-century history comes to life in this sequel to All the Way, Robert Schenkkan’s Tony-winning stage bio of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Brian Cox (Succession) plays LBJ during the period between his landslide victory in 1964 and his decision not to seek re-election amid the turmoil of the Vietnam War. Stage faves Richard Thomas, Marc Kudisch and Bryce Pinkham turn up as politicians surrounding the president. / In previews now / Opens Oct. 1 / Vivian Beaumont Theatre

FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME
SPECIAL EVENT; OPENS 10/2
There’s nothing on Broadway quite like Freestyle Love Supreme, an action-packed evening of hip-hop, improvisational comedy and even full-scale musical numbers, created on the spot from suggestions shouted from the audience. Each performance is different, and you might even see a Tony-winning guest star (James Monroe Iglehart, Daveed Diggs or co-conceiver Lin-Manuel Miranda) take the stage! / In previews now / Opens Oct. 2 / Booth Theatre

SLAVE PLAY
DRAMA; OPENS 10/6
The most audacious play of the season makes the jump to Broadway after creating a sensation during its off-Broadway debut last fall. Set at the MacGregor Plantation in the Old South, Jeremy O. Harris’ R-rated look at race, gender and sex in America is filled with surprises, as three couples introduced at the start of the play end up…well, we can’t reveal more than that. / In previews now / Opens Oct. 6 / Golden Theatre

Below: Playwright Jeremy O. Harris on how he hopes to bring audiences together with the bold new play.

LINDA VISTA
COMEDY; OPENS 10/10
The midlife crisis of a know-it-all philanderer becomes comic fodder in the latest play by Tony-winning author (August: Osage County) and actor (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) Tracy Letts. Linda Vista is named for the apartment complex where 50-year-old underachiever Dick Wheeler (Steppenwolf Theatre star Ian Barford) lands after his divorce, entering a new world of blind dates and—maybe—self-discovery. / Previews Sept. 19 / Opens Oct. 10 / Helen Hayes Theatre

THE ROSE TATTOO
DRAMA; OPENS 10/15
A rich stew of passion, grief, and lust for life animates Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo, and now this Tony-winning 1951 drama returns to Broadway with Oscar winner Marisa Tomei as lovestruck Sicilian widow Serafina Delle Rose. Tomei and Scottish actor Emun Elliott form a more glamorous than usual pairing as Serafina and her sexy young suitor Alvaro. / Previews Sept. 19 / Opens Oct. 15 / American Airlines Theatre

THE LIGHTNING THIEF
MUSICAL; OPENS 10/16
All hail demigod Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and hero of a family-friendly new musical based on the bestselling YA novel by Rick Riordan. Les Miz alum Chris McCarrell stars as the conflicted half-blood high schooler, whose struggle to stop a war between pesky grownup Greek gods is accompanied by a critically praised original rock score by Rob Rokicki. / Previews Sept. 20 / Opens Oct. 16 / Longacre Theatre

Below: Star Chris McCarrell on the musical's unlikely journey to Broadway.

THE SOUND INSIDE
DRAMA; OPENS 10/17
Playwright Adam Rapp is a master of surprises, and his latest drama is a taut, 90-minute exploration of what happens when a creative writing professor facing a grim diagnosis feels compelled to reach out to one of her students. The Sound Inside boasts a wrenching performance from Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker in Rapp’s long overdue Broadway debut. / In previews now / Opens Oct. 17 / Studio 54

AMERICAN UTOPIA
MUSICAL; OPENS 10/20
Talking Heads icon David Byrne ditches the gigantic business suit he made famous in the 1980s and dons a fitted version for his Broadway performance debut in American Utopia. Sharing the stage with 11 identically outfitted musical artists, Byrne mines his catalog to create a unique theatrical concert event, with help from production consultant Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!) and choreography and musical staging by Annie-B Parson. / Previews Oct. 4 / Opens Oct. 20 / Hudson Theatre

TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
MUSICAL; OPENS 11/7
No one deserves a Broadway bio more than Tina Turner, especially when Tony nominee Adrienne Warren (Shuffle Along, Bring It On) is available to play the title role. In a musical that won raves in London, director Phyllida Lloyd—who got the jukebox trend rolling with Mamma Mia!—sensitively presents the ups and downs of Turner’s life and career. But it’s Warren’s shimmy-tastic performance that makes Tina an event. / Previews Oct. 12 / Opens Nov. 7 / Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Below: Adrienne Warren on the first time she met Tina Turner, and the icon's enduring inspiration.

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW
SPECIAL EVENT; OPENS 11/13
A decade after its smash hit off-Broadway run, the surrealistic clown extravaganza Slava’s Snowshow returns for a holiday engagement on Broadway. Inspired by his childhood in the Russian countryside, creator Slava Polunin creates thrilling stage pictures and magical effects, most famously a wave of giant balloons and a gigantic web that covers the audience. / Previews Nov. 11 / Opens Nov. 13 / Stephen Sondheim Theatre

THE INHERITANCE
DRAMA; OPENS 11/17
This highly anticipated drama encompasses three generations of gay life in New York City and seven sweeping hours (in two parts) of stage time. The Inheritance arrives on Broadway as the winner of London’s Olivier Award, but Matthew Lopez has created something much more exciting than a “prestige drama.” The play digs deep into its characters’ experiences of love, heartbreak, and enduring connections. / Previews Sept. 27 / Opens Nov. 17 / Ethel Barrymore Theatre

Below: Playwright Matthew Lopez explains how E.M. Forster's "Howard's End" inspired his acclaimed play.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
DRAMA; OPENS 11/20
Playing Ebenezer Scrooge on Broadway provides a full circle moment for Campbell Scott, whose famous father, George C. Scott, portrayed the miserly banker in a much-loved 1984 TV movie. The acclaimed new stage adaptation by Tony winner Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) adds 12 Christmas carols to Dickens’ classic tale and features gorgeous staging by Tony winner Matthew Warchus. / Previews Nov. 7 / Opens Nov. 20 / Lyceum Theatre

THE ILLUSIONISTS
SPECIAL EVENT; OPENS 11/29
Subtitled “Magic of the Holidays,” The Illusionists gets its fourth Broadway engagement, bringing together seven world-famous magicians for a spectacular six-week run. Every style of magic is represented in this fast-moving show, including daring escapes, mind-reading, sleight-of-hand and eye-popping illusions. Fun for all! / Previews Nov. 29 / Neil Simon Theatre

JAGGED LITTLE PILL
MUSICAL; OPENS 12/5
Grammy winner Alanis Morissette’s oh-so-theatrical 1995 album Jagged Little Pill has been transformed into a musical about frayed family ties, thanks to a book by Oscar winner Diablo Cody (Juno) and the magic touch of Tony-winning director Diane Paulus (Pippin, Waitress). Get ready to rock out with the troubled Healy clan as Morissette’s hits illuminate issues still relevant today. / Previews Nov. 3 / Opens Dec. 5 / Broadhurst Theatre

Below: Leading lady Elizabeth Stanley on the power of the ever-popular album.