Best of the Week: Real Women Goes Big on Broadway, Hugh Jackman Goes Small Downtown and Wonderful Town Reboots

Drama in the classroom, harmonies in the city and a brand-new musical about women, family, and finding your voice. This week, Hugh Jackman and Ella Beatty heat up the Minetta Lane, Real Women Have Curves officially opens and Wonderful Town gets an Encores! glow-up. Illustrations by Tug Rice for Broadway.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 27
REAL WOMEN TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT
Josefina López’s little-known 1990 play finally hits Broadway as a heartfelt, high-energy new musical—and it’s arriving with joy, sweat, heart and a whole lot of fabric. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Sergio Trujillo, the story unfolds in a 1990s East L.A. sewing factory, where Ana García, a first-generation Mexican-American teen, balances her family’s expectations with her own dreams. With a vibrant score by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez and a breakout performance by newcomer Tatianna Córdoba, this is a warm, funny and deeply human celebration of ambition, identity and community.
INFO: Open run at the James Earl Jones Theatre (138 West 48th Street). Get Tickets

MONDAY, APRIL 28
HUGH JACKMAN WALKS THE LINE IN SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES
Hugh Jackman returns to the stage in Hannah Moscovitch’s unsettling two-hander, playing a celebrated novelist and professor whose relationship with a student—played by Ella Beatty—raises questions about consent, power and narrative control. Directed by Ian Rickson, this intimate production unfolds entirely in conversation, tension and silences at the Minetta Lane Theatre, where Audible is once again bringing high-wattage talent to downtown audiences. If you’re used to Jackman’s musical theater grandeur, this sharp, quiet turn might catch you off guard—in the best way.
INFO: Through June 18 at Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane). Get Tickets

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
ENCORES! RETURNS TO A WONDERFUL TOWN
Anika Noni Rose and Aisha Jackson are the latest dynamic duo to take on the roles of Ruth and Eileen, the Ohio sisters trying to make it in the Big Apple in Wonderful Town. With a fizzy Leonard Bernstein score, lyrics by Comden and Green, and a book that balances slapstick with sweet sentiment, this Encores! revival brings new life to the 1953 musical comedy classic. Directed by Zhailon Levingston, this version promises a fresh, joyful and diverse take on a show that still sings about life, love and “One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man.”
INFO: Through May 11 at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street). Get Tickets

MONDAY, APRIL 28

• Broadway stars take the stage to perform songs from roles they've always dreamed of playing—but never have. Broadway Dream Roles, a one-night-only benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, promises unforgettable performances and heartfelt moments. | Al Hirschfeld Theatre | Get Tickets
• The 2024 Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress, which played at the Hudson Theatre, finally gets its cast album release. Starring two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster as Princess Winnifred and Michael Urie as Prince Dauntless, this recording captures the charm and wit of the production that delighted audiences last year. | Listen Now

SUNDAY, MAY 4
The 2025 Lucille Lortel Awards celebrate the best of off-Broadway, with top nominees including Drag: The Musical, Our Class and Three Houses. The ceremony takes place at NYU Skirball. More Info