Broadway

The family's all here! Take a first look at [*Mother Play*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/31354-mother-play-on-broadway) on Broadway, a new [family drama](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/learn-about-all-the-family-dramas-on-broadway-this-season) starring [Jessica Lange](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/all-the-times-jessica-lange-did-theatre), [Jim...

See photos of Jessica Lange, Jim Parsons, Celia Keenan-Bolger in 'Mother Play'

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The world-premiere family drama by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel is currently playing on Broadway at the Hayes Theater for a limited run through June 16.

Oh, Broadway! Following its critically acclaimed, extended run off Broadway this spring, [Cole Escola](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/cole-escola)’s [*Oh, Mary!*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/37743-oh-mary) will play a limited Broadway engagement this summer. Performances will run at the [Lyceum Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/lyceum-theatre-ny) from June 26 to September 15, with opening night on July 11.

*Oh, Mary!* is a wacky, largely...

‘Oh, Mary!’ to transfer to Broadway this summer

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The critically acclaimed play, written by and starring comedian Cole Escola, puts a humorous spin on the story of former First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

Every rom-com needs a great song list. In the Huey Lewis and the News jukebox musical [*The Heart of Rock and Roll*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/36584-the-heart-of-rock-and-roll), the band's hit songs from the '80s are seamlessly threaded into the lighthearted love story of coworkers Bobby (Corey Cott) and Cassandra (McKenzie Kurtz), who team up to make their dreams of success come true.

“The Power of Love,” “Stuck With You,” “If This Is It,” and more fan-favorite ear candy appears...

All the Huey Lewis songs in 'The Heart of Rock and Roll' on Broadway

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The critically acclaimed jukebox musical rom-com rocks with dozens of Huey Lewis and the News hits including "The Power of Love" and "Stuck With You."

April 23 is World Book Day, and Broadway is a feast for book lovers this season. There are numerous [new play and musical adaptations of novels](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/from-page-to-stage-how-bestselling-books-became-broadway-blockbusters) on stage this season: [*The Wiz*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/27115-the-wiz-tickets), [*The Great Gatsby*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/38749-the-great-gatsby-on-broadway), [*Water for...

Broadway shows to see based on your favorite book

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We're celebrating World Book Day by providing play and musical recommendations for fans of hot new bestsellers, classic novels, and popular authors.

Nominees for the 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards have been announced. The annual awards ceremony honors the best of both Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre, with both types of shows competing against each other in many categories.

The Off-Broadway musical *Dead Outlaw* received the most nominations with nine. Tied for second, with seven awards each, are the Off-Broadway musical *The Connector* and the currently running Broadway play...

2024 Outer Critics Circle nominations announced

Outer Critics Circle

The annual awards honor the best of both Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre from the previous years, and numerous currently running shows were recognized.

Step right up and see [*Water for Elephants*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/34684-water-for-elephants-on-broadway) on Broadway! Circus and theatre meet in the stage adaptation of Sara Gruen's bestselling historical romance novel, which captivated audiences on the page and screen and now does so live.

*The Flash*'s [Grant Gustin](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/grant-gustin) stars as Jacob Jankowski, who runs away with the Benzini Bros. Circus and falls in love with...

Everything you need to know about 'Water for Elephants' on Broadway

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Grant Gustin and Isabelle McCalla currently star in the critically acclaimed musical adaptation of Sara Gruen's bestselling circus-themed novel from 2006.

The circus is staying in town! *Water for Elephants* on Broadway has released a new block of tickets for performances through February 2, 2025 at the [Imperial Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/imperial-theatre). Get [*Water for Elephants* tickets](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/34684-water-for-elephants-on-broadway) now.

Adapted from the [bestselling 2006 book by Sara...

'Water for Elephants' tickets now on sale through February 2025

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The critically acclaimed, circus-themed Broadway musical, which stars *The Flash*'s Grant Gustin, is based on the bestselling 2006 novel by Sara Gruen.

Take a first look at [Rachel McAdams](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/rachel-mcadams) on Broadway! The Oscar-nominated actress known for films like [*The Notebook*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/33744-the-notebook-the-musical), *Mean Girls*, and *Spotlight* is making her Broadway debut in the title role of [*Mary Jane*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/6955-mary-jane-tickets), playing at the [Samuel J. Friedman...

See photos of Rachel McAdams and the cast of 'Mary Jane' on Broadway

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The Academy Award nominee makes her Broadway debut in the title role in Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominee Amy Herzog's drama about a single mother.

Discover where [Alicia Keys](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/all-the-times-alicia-keys-did-theatre)'s own dreams were made. The 16-time Grammy Award-winning musician has been working on the new Broadway musical [*Hell's Kitchen*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/37579-hells-kitchen-broadway) for over a decade, but its origins reach back to the '90s.

[Loosely inspired by her formative...

How 'Hell's Kitchen' reflects and differs from Alicia Keys' life

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Keys's song catalog makes up this new musical about a young girl coming of age in Manhattan — a story inspired by, but not identical to, Keys's own upbringing.

Rock on! And on! And on! Broadway currently sports three very different shows featuring rock music, a diverse and exciting genre that never gets old. Not to mention, the shows feature rock legends like Pete Townshend, Huey Lewis, and (sort of) Fleetwood Mac.

These shows include the new musical [*The Heart of Rock and Roll*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/36584-the-heart-of-rock-and-roll) at the [James Earl Jones...

Rock music takes the stage in three Broadway shows this spring

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Songs by rock bands The Who and Huey Lewis and The News appear in high-energy musicals alongside a new play with music inspired by the 1970s rock scene.

Dive in! Mike Birbiglia's latest comedy show, [*The Old Man and the Pool*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26356-mike-birbiglia-the-old-man-and-the-pool-tickets), has released tickets for "True Fan seats" ahead of the show's first performance on October 28.

The ticket release coincides with [Birbiglia's guest appearance in the newly released Taylor Swift music video, "Anti-Hero,"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1kbLwvqugk) from her latest album, *Midnights*.

The True Fan seats are front-row seats exclusively priced at $55 each. [True Fan seats for *The Old Man and the Pool* can be purchased on the TodayTix app](https://www.todaytix.com/nyc/shows/26356-mike-birbiglia-the-old-man-and-the-pool-on-broadway) or website and are subject to availability.

*The Old Man and the Pool* is Birbiglia's second Broadway comedy show, following his critically acclaimed *The New One* in 2018. In *The Old Man and the Pool*, Birbiglia talks about "coming of middle age" and discovering he has heart problems, which means reluctantly adopting some healthy habits — and facing the YMCA pool, which he's avoided since childhood. Birbiglia faces questions of life and death with comic storytelling and jokes.

*The Old Man and the Pool* plays the [Vivian Beaumont Theater](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/vivian-beaumont-theater) through December 30.

Get *The Old Man and the Pool* tickets now.

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26356-mike-birbiglia-the-old-man-and-the-pool-tickets)

'Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool' offers True Fan Seats on TodayTix

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Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool on Broadway - NYC

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Comedian Mike Birbiglia returns to Broadway for two months only with *The Old Man and the Pool*, following hit runs in California and Chicago. Get *Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool* tickets on New York Theatre Guide now.

*The Old Man and the Pool* is a play written and performed by Birbiglia, which he describes as a "coming-of-middle-age story." Birbiglia learns he's inherited his family's history of heart problems, and his doctor recommends plenty of healthy habits to help. Birbiglia unpacks why he's reluctant to do any of them — particularly swimming, thanks to a childhood encounter at a YMCA pool — and how that doesn't mesh well with his fear of death. But yes, *The Old Man and the Pool* is a comedy show, and though there are profound reflections on life and mortality, there's plenty of Birbiglia's signature comic storytelling about growing older, and perhaps wiser. Dad jokes and other clever punchlines also abound — even the title of the show is a riff on the classic Ernest Hemingway novel *The Old Man and the Sea*.

## Who is Mike Birbiglia?

Mike Birbiglia is a comedian known for stage and screen specials like *The New One* and *Sleepwalk With Me*. Birbiglia's first, and most recent, Broadway show was [*The New One*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/mike-birbiglias-the-new-one), about a different life milestone: becoming a father. That show premiered off Broadway at the [Cherry Lane Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/cherry-lane-theatre), a popular comedy venue in Greenwich Village, in 2018 and moved to Broadway's Cort (now [James Earl Jones](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/james-earl-jones-theatre)) Theatre later that year for a two-month stint. That show earned Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance.

His last New York gig before *The Old Man and the Pool* on Broadway was behind the scenes, as presenter for fellow comedian Alex Edelman's hit show [*Just For Us*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/alex-edelman-just-for-us) off Broadway. Birbiglia himself has also performed other specials off Broadway including *My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend*, *Thank God for Jokes* and *Sleepwalk with Me*. *My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend* and *Thank God for Jokes* were filmed for Netflix, and *My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend* earned Birbiglia a Lucille Lortel Award. *Sleepwalk With Me* became an indie film which Birbiglia wrote, directed, and starred in.

Birbiglia also directed, wrote, and starred in the film *Don't Think Twice*, and he has appeared in films and TV shows like *The Fault in Our Stars*, *Trainwreck*, *Orange is the New Black*, and *Billions*.

## How long is the Mike Birbiglia Broadway show?

Mike Birbiglia's *The Old Man and the Pool* runs 75 minutes with no intermission.

Get tickets to *Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool* in New York.

Old Man and the Pool - NYC - NYTG

Find dates and book tickets to see the show Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool on Broadway at Vivian Beaumont Theater - Lincoln Center Theater from New York Theatre Guide.

Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool on Broadway Tickets | Vivian Beaumont Theater - Lincoln Center Theater | New York Theatre Guide

Comedian and storyteller Mike Birbiglia is making a splash on Broadway with hilarious tales of life, mortality, and a YMCA pool. His insightful and honest stories about growing pains and diving into one's fears resonate with audiences of all ages. Get a dose of relatable humor and get tickets to the funnyman's new special, *The Old Man and the Pool*.

In *The Old Man and the Pool*, when Birbiglia's doctor says he's inherited his family's history of heart problems, the doctor also tells him ways to lessen the effects. Only problem is: Birbiglia is initially reluctant to do them. Eating healthy is no fun, and exercising, particularly swimming, means getting back into a pool, which he swore off after one encounter at a YMCA in his childhood. He's left to contemplate his own mortality and share his findings, humorously, with all of us.

Birbiglia was on Broadway once previously in *The New One*, another autobiographical show about becoming a father. That show received critical acclaim and was filmed for Netflix. Birbiglia's other comedy specials, including *Sleepwalk With Me*, *Thank God for Jokes*, and *My Girlfriend's Boyfriend*, are also on Netflix, and he's performed them in Off-Broadway theatres as well.

Behind the scenes, Birbiglia has written and directed *Don't Think Twice* and a feature film adaptation of *Sleepwalk With Me*, starring in both as well.

For *The Old Man and the Pool* on Broadway, Birbiglia has handed the directorial reins to Seth Barrish, who directed previous productions of Birbiglia's show in Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Chicago.

## What to Watch For

- *The Old Man and the Pool* takes its name from Ernest Hemingway's classic novel *The Old Man and the Sea*.
- Birbiglia's most recent New York comedy venture was behind the scenes. He presented Alex Edelman's thrice-extended standup show *Just For Us*.
- [According to Birbiglia](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a41108866/mike-birbiglia-tour-the-old-man-and-the-pool-interview/), there’s one similarity between *The New One* and *The Old Man and the Pool*: The former is about how he never wanted marriage and kids, but ended up reversing that. The latter deals with how he never wanted to enter a pool again, but ended up doing that, too.
- Birbiglia has performed in movies and TV shows he hasn't written, like *Billions*, *Girls*, and *The Fault in Our Stars*. Maybe someday he'll act in a non-stand-up Broadway show!
- Birbiglia isn't just a comedian, actor, writer, and director. He's also a podcast host (of *Working It Out*), a talk show host (he stepped in for Jimmy Fallon when he was out with COVID-19), and an author (he adapted *The New One* into a memoir).
- “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me!” Just before starting Broadway performances, Birbiglia made waves online with a cameo in Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” music video. Coincidentally, Birbiglia is a kind of anti-hero in *The Old Man and the Pool*, undermining his own health. 

The Old Man and the Pool - NYC - TodayTix

Watching comedian Mike Birbiglia on stage is always a blast. It’s like reconnecting with an old friend, albeit one with infinite issues and a habit of taking the roundabout route to get to the point. 

Birbiglia is totally on brand in his largely delightful solo show, [*The Old Man and the Pool*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26356-mike-birbiglia-the-old-man-and-the-pool-tickets). The 44-year-old author and actor dives into the choppy waters of his own mortality and comes up not only with waves of laughs, but also deep reflections about love and appreciation for how lucky he is (and we are) to be alive. 

That will come as no surprise to anyone who’s seen this crafty performer’s previous pieces, in which he mined the funny from some dark situations. These include his dangerous sleep disorder (*Sleepwalk with Me*), bad dates (*My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend*), and parenting perils (*The New One*). 

Director and longtime collaborator Seth Barrish stages *The Old Man and the Pool* simply. Birbiglia wears blue street clothes and stands before a giant curved wall, designed by Beowulf Boritt, that recalls a pool and briefly doubles as a slip-and-slide. 

The story begins with a single breath that sets off recollections that dip in and out of the present. In his trademark style, Birbiglia packs his narrative with flashbacks, curlicues, non sequiturs, and one-liners. The story is here, there, everywhere. It’s how he rolls, and he overall ties things up, save for a few loose ends.

Firstly, a doctor’s test reveals Birbiglia has inherited his family’s cardiac issues. His dad and granddad both suffered heart attacks in their 50s. Physicians naturally advise him to eat healthy and swim regularly. Yeah, right. He gobbles pizza by the pie, not the slice. He’s a storyteller, not Michael Phelps. “I have a drowner’s body,” quips Birbiglia, who nevertheless reluctantly heads to a Brooklyn YMCA pool. 

From the heart doc’s office he travels back to his youth, when his distaste for sports took root. First it was wrestling, which he hated. Then it was swimming at a Massachusetts YMCA pool, a place he associates with pee and chlorine and an unshakable odor. 

“It had that smell like when you’re little and a kid lets you smell under their cast.” Gross, and hilarious. Seeing elderly naked women and men – especially one ancient manspreader – haunts his memory. 

Later traumas come via bladder cancer and Type 2 diabetes; Birbiglia has truly been through the wringer. More health concerns float up when Birbiglia and his wife discover black mold is lurking in their daughter's bedroom. That means moving into an Airbnb. This unresolved detour simply sets up a dad joke about the lack of breakfast: “There’s no b.” This *Pool* has a few of these shallow dips.

But this story also goes below the surface. Birbiglia shares that growing up, his family always said “Take care” instead of “I love you,” and decades later he still does that. But things change. He recalls being in a pool with his daughter, who said something unintelligible when they were goofing around underwater. When they popped up for air, he remembers, “She said, ‘I love you, Dad.’ I said, ‘I love you too, Oona.’” 

Birbiglia doesn’t bend toward sentimentality. When it comes to matters of the heart, poetic and cardiovascular, he simply suggests chains of family history can be broken.

[*The Old Man and the Pool* is at the Vivian Beaumont Theater through January 15. Get *The Old Man and the Pool* tickets on New York Theatre Guide.](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26356-mike-birbiglia-the-old-man-and-the-pool-tickets)

*Photo credit: Mike Birbiglia in The Old Man and the Pool. (Photo by Emilio Madrid)*

'The Old Man and the Pool' review — Mike Birbiglia dives into his mortality and earns waves of laughter

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Recommended for ages 12+. Children under 5 years old will not be admitted.

Uncle Vanya on Broadway - NYC [33211]

Uncle Vanya on Broadway

Designed by Eero Saarinen with the collaboration of Jo Mielziner, the Vivian Beaumont Theater opened on October 21, 1965, with a revival of *Georg Büchner's Danton's Death* starring James Earl Jones and Stacy Keach.

The venue was named after heiress Vivian Beaumont Allen, who donated $3 million for its construction but died in 1962 before its completion. The theatre shares a building with the Off-Broadway venue the [Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/lincoln-center-mitzi-e-newhouse-theater). Lincoln Center Theater has operated both since 1985. LCT's intimate [Clare Tow Theater](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/lincoln-center-claire-tow-theater), situated on the roof of the Vivian Beaumont, was added in 2012.

The Vivian Beaumont Theater is the only Broadway theatre not in the theatre district around Times Square. Located within Lincoln Center near 65th Street and 10th Avenue, it is the northernmost and westernmost Broadway house. The venue is also one of five Broadway theatres named for a woman.

## How to get to the Vivian Beaumont Theater on Broadway

The Vivian Beaumont Theater is nearest to the 66th St. - Lincoln Center subway stop on the 1 line. The nearest bus stop is W 66th St./Columbus Avenue on the M66 line.

## Restaurants near the Vivian Beaumont Theater

Popular restaurants near the Vivian Beaumont Theater include P.J. Clark's (American), The Smith (American), Boulud Sud (Mediterranean), Cafe Fiorello (Italian), Joanne Trattoria (Italian), and La Boite en Bois (French).

Vivian Beaumont Theater - Lincoln Center Theater - NY

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Vivian Beaumont Theater - Lincoln Center Theater

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Birbiglia's show starts performances October 28.

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Succession's Jeremy Strong returns to Broadway for the first time since 2008 in Ibsen's drama about small-town scandal. A doctor publicizes poison in the water and is punished for daring to threaten the town's prosperity. Find out more about tickets to this thrilling revival.

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