BOOP! announces closing, Vineyard Theatre’s 2025–2026 Off-Broadway season, Diane Paulus lassos Phantom, Lynne Meadow steps down after 53 years at MTC, Thursdays lunch in Bryant Park, plus Birthdays, Closers, and Recommendations.

Since 2016, “Today on Broadway” has been the first and only daily podcast recapping the top theatre headlines every Monday through Friday.

Any and all feedback is appreciated:
Grace Aki: [email protected] | @ItsGraceAki
Matt Tamanini: [email protected] | @BroadwayRadio

Patreon: BroadwayRadio
https://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio

For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the episode name.

Support our sponsor, SurfShark, and use code TOB:
Go to https://surfshark.com/tob or use code tob at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Pre: Matt is in Vegas working on musical adaptation of ROUNDERS.

https://playbill.com/article/broadways-boop-sets-final-bow

1) BOOP! The Musical, the award-winning Broadway show, will conclude its run on July 13 after 25 previews and 112 performances. Hailed as “the feel-good musical of the year,” it stars Jasmine Amy Rogers in a breakout role as Betty Boop, supported by an acclaimed cast and creative team. Directed by Jerry Mitchell with music by David Foster, the show has earned multiple accolades, including Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Inspired by Max Fleischer’s iconic cartoon, the musical follows Betty’s quest for a simple day off that turns into a colorful, music-filled adventure of love and self-discovery in NYC.
The production dazzled with eye-popping choreography, standout costume design by Gregg Barnes, and a vibrant book by Bob Martin. Jasmine Amy Rogers earned a Theatre World Award and multiple honors for her sensational performance. Featuring a talented ensemble and beloved characters, BOOP! brought the classic animated icon to life with modern flair and heart.
 
https://playbill.com/article/eisa-davis-anne-washburn-world-premieres-headed-to-vineyard-theatre

2) Vineyard Theatre’s 2025–2026 Off-Broadway season will feature the world premieres of two bold new works. Anne Washburn’s The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire, directed by Steve Cosson and co-produced with The Civilians, opens the season this fall. Set in Northern California, the play explores an off-the-grid community thrown into existential crisis after a sudden death. Described as a mix of “death, a pageant, a rescue, a resurrection, pigs, and the act of saying grace,” it reunites Washburn and Cosson following their collaborations on Mr. Burns and A Devil at Noon. In spring 2026, Eisa Davis’ ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||—a Vineyard commission—debuts under the direction of Pam MacKinnon. The play centers on four gifted teens in a Berkeley music program, blending coming-of-age themes with live, improvisatory music as they confront personal and global upheavals. A winter production is yet to be announced. Tickets are available through Vineyard memberships.
 
https://playbill.com/article/diane-paulus-will-direct-nyc-the-phantom-of-the-opera-revival

3) The Phantom of the Opera, now titled Masquerade, is set to arrive in New York under the direction of Tony winner Diane Paulus. Known for her visionary work on Pippin, Hair, and Jagged Little Pill, Paulus will bring an immersive reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical to a venue on 57th Street. Revealed through a mysterious letter from the “Opera Ghost,” the production promises a radical departure from Harold Prince’s original staging, incorporating interactive elements in the style of Sleep No More. Guests will be masked, encouraged to dress extravagantly in black, white, or silver, and to expect a dynamic, movement-friendly experience. Ticket access begins June 30, but only for those who sign the Phantom’s Ledger at MasqueradeNYC.com. The show will feature six weeks of previews and is described by the Opera Ghost as an event “like no other,” performed by a cast of “exceptional ability.”

https://playbill.com/article/longtime-manhattan-theatre-club-artistic-director-lynne-meadow-to-step-down-from-the-company

4) Lynne Meadow, artistic director of Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) since 1972, has announced she will step down, marking the end of a historic 53-year tenure. Under her leadership, MTC grew from a small Off-Off-Broadway space into a major institution with multiple Off-Broadway theaters and a Broadway house, producing over 600 shows and earning 31 Tony Awards, including for Eureka Day in 2025. Meadow will remain as artistic advisor during the leadership transition. Renowned for championing living American and international writers, she helped launch landmark works like Doubt, Proof, and Ruined. Meadow’s departure follows the exit of longtime collaborator Barry Grove and comes amid a generational shift in New York theatre leadership, with recent exits at Lincoln Center, Roundabout, and Second Stage. Meadow, a Tony-nominated director and Theater Hall of Fame inductee, now plans to focus on directing and teaching. MTC continues its Broadway run with Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends through June 29.

https://playbill.com/article/broadway-in-bryant-park-will-feature-death-becomes-her-maybe-happy-ending-gypsy-more

5) Broadway in Bryant Park, the free lunchtime concert series featuring current Broadway productions, will return July 10 at the famed Manhattan park.

Presented by iHeartRadio Broadway, the weekly concerts take place 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM on the Bryant Park stage each Thursday through July 31.

Birthdays:
Michael Mayer
Directed 22 productions on Broadway

Eric Simonson
Writer and Director

JJ (Jeffrey Jacob) Abrams
Star Wars and Broadway Producer

 
The Closers:

Glengarry Glen Ross Jun 28, 2025 @ Palace Theatre
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends Jun 29, 2025 @ Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
The Picture of Dorian Gray Jun 29, 2025 @ Music Box Theatre
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical Jun 29, 2025 @ James Earl Jones Theatre
Dead Outlaw Jun 29, 2025 @ Longacre Theatre

Recommendations

Watch 2 Songs From Joe Iconis’ Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical
Christopher Ashley directs Iconis and Gregory S. Moss’ musical at Virginia’s Signature Theatre.

“Kaboom” from THE UNTITLED UNAUTHORIZED HUNTER S THOMPSON MUSICAL at Signature Theatre

“Nixon’s Big Number” from THE UNTITLED UNAUTHORIZED HUNTER S THOMPSON MUSICAL