Top Broadway shows opening in 2021

Check out which Broadway shows we can't wait to see in 2021.

With a global pandemic, Broadway theatres have been shut for most of 2020. All the shows we'd been looking forward to were sadly postponed, with Broadway theatres currently shut to May 30, 2021. It's looking hopeful that Broadway theatres will reopen again in 2021, and there's lots of theatrical treats in store.

On February 9, early frameworks for a gradual reopening of Broadway theaters was announced, led by Governor Cuomo.

We can't wait to sit in the audience, listen to the orchestra tune up, and watch a brand new piece of theatre. Here are some of the top Broadway shows we're looking forward to seeing in 2021.

The Music Man

Tune up the "Seventy-Six Trombones" and get ready to ride "The Wells Fargo Wagon" as The Music Man finally comes to town. The greatest showman himself, Hugh Jackman, will play Harold Hill, a con man who tricks a Midwestern community buying his band instruments. It's only a local piano teacher, Marian, who isn't fooled by Harold. But, as they discover more about themselves, Harold and Marian become music to each other's ears.

Sutton Foster plays Marian Paroo, in a star-studded cast including Jayne Houdyshell, Jefferson Mays, Marie Mullen, and Shuler Hensley. As The Music Man was originally scheduled to open in October 2020, but after two postponements, we're hoping that third time's the charm for this long-awaited revival.

Winter Garden Theatre, previews from Dec. 20, 2021.

MJ The Musical

Michael Jackson is moonwalking to Broadway. Ephraim Sykes will play the titular King of Pop in this world premiere, dramatizing the life of this 19-time Grammy Award-winning artist. Not much is known about the musical's plot, however we're expecting to hear songs from The Jackson 5 days, as well as solo smash hits like "Beat It" and "Billie Jean." MJ The Musical will feature an original book by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, with direction and choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Whatever happens, this show is guaranteed to be a "Thriller."

Neil Simon Theatre, performances from September 2021.

Caroline, or Change

The three-time Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D. Clarke will make her Broadway debut in Caroline, or Change, which is returning to the Great White Way for the first time in 15 years. Clarke will reprise her Olivier-winning performance as Caroline Thibodeaux, an African-American maid who finds herself in a moral dilemma with the Jewish family she works for. Infusing folk rhythms, and blues, Caroline, or Change is sure to leave a mark in our minds in 2021.

Studio 54, performances from fall 2021.

Take Me Out

Originally scheduled to open in April 2020, Take Me Out is sure to hit a home run with Broadway audiences in 2021. Jesse Williams plays Darren Lemming, a professional baseballer who is met with great prejudice when he comes out of the closet. As he chases victory in their league, news of Lemming's sexuality rocks the entire team, both on and off the pitch. Mixing America's beloved pastime and theatre was highly praised when the play premiered in 2003, winning the Tony Award for Best Play. We're looking forward to the anticipated revival next year.

Helen Hayes Theater, performances from fall 2021.

Flying Over Sunset

Postponed by over a year, Flying Over Sunset will finally receive its Broadway premiere in 2021. Set in the 1950s, the production sees Aldous Huxley, Clare Boothe Luce, and Cary Grant all come together, thanks to their individual experiments with LSD. Set to blend reality and fiction, the new musical features a star-studded cast including Carmen Cusack, Harry Hadden-Paton and Tony Yazbeck.

Vivian Beaumont Theater, performances from fall 2021.

Trouble In Mind

In the 1950s, Alice Childress made history as the first Black female playwright to have their work produced professionally in New York. It seems fitting then that, for theatre's grand return in 2021, Childress' Trouble In Mind will be one of the stand-out plays, finally opening on Broadway. Exploring the impact of racism in theatre, Trouble In Mind follows Wiletta, an African-American actress who struggles when working with a predominantly white cast. Although this play is over 60 years old, Childress's work is sure to resonate with modern-day audiences.

American Airlines Theatre, performances from fall 2021. 

Lackawanna Blues

Born in Lackawanna, Ruben Santiago-Hudson celebrates his childhood years in a one-man play, titled Lackawanna Blues. He'll commemorate his nanny, Miss Rachel, in this heartfelt piece of theatre, reflecting on his formative years spent in a 1950s boarding house. Playing over 20 characters, Santiago-Hudson is sure to give a career-defining performance in his Broadway return.

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, performances from fall 2021. 

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