If your living room is always alive with The Sound of Music and you know exactly how many minutes there are in a year thanks to Rent, it’s safe to say you’ve mastered the Broadway classics. But the theatre world is ever-changing with exciting shows just waiting to capture your imagination and leave you humming new tunes.
Moving beyond the renowned classics doesn’t signify a step down, but rather an opportunity to embrace innovation and storytelling that push creative boundaries. From intimate and experimental shows to dazzling productions that explore new narratives, this guide will help you uncover Broadway’s newest gems that promise to expand your theatrical horizons. Get ready to experience a Broadway adventure that’s refreshingly novel and delightfully unpredictable!
Maybe Happy Ending
Broadway is famous for big showstoppers—glitzy costumes, high-kicking choruses, and tap-dancing thrills—but sometimes, it’s the quieter stories that leave the biggest mark. Consider the 2025 Tony-winning Best Musical, Maybe Happy Ending, for example. It doesn't need grandiose sets or flashy numbers to stir your soul. It's an intricately woven tale set in a world where robots have been left behind by technology's relentless march forward. In this touching show, we're introduced to Oliver and Claire, two outdated helper-bots who discover that even in a futuristic world, the core of connection and love remains timeless. Their journey of friendship and self-discovery resonates deeply as they redefine what it means to find meaning and companionship when the world thinks it's moved on.
What really makes Maybe Happy Ending special is how it swaps spectacle for intimacy, inviting you to lean in and lose yourself in its heartwarming story, where the relationship between the characters unfolds with honesty and humor. With voices that ache and charm in equal measure, and performances full of quiet vulnerability, the cast brings this futuristic love story to life in a way that feels deeply human. If you're craving a Broadway experience that leaves a lasting impression through subtlety and depth, this show is your ticket. It's a reminder that sometimes, the smallest stories carry the biggest emotional punch.
Operation Mincemeat
Broadway often dazzles with tales of heroics and intrigue, and Operation Mincemeat fits right in—just with a wildly unexpected twist. Based on the jaw-dropping true story of a 1943 British deception plan to mislead the Axis powers about the Allied invasion of Sicily, the plot hinges on a corpse carrying fake documents. Sounds more like a spy thriller than a musical, right?
But what truly sets Operation Mincemeat apart isn’t just its strange-but-true premise—it’s the genre-bending style. This is a show that fuses the suspense of wartime espionage with the bright, fast-paced wit of musical comedy. The result? A production that keeps audiences on their toes, blending laugh-out-loud moments with deeper reflections on bravery and ingenuity. With sharp dialogue, catchy tunes, and a chameleon cast playing dozens of roles, it flips historical storytelling on its head. Operation Mincemeat is a must-see for history buffs, musical lovers, or anyone craving something just a little offbeat.
Death Becomes Her
Where Maybe Happy Ending captivates through quiet intimacy and Operation Mincemeat reinvents history with genre-defying flair, Death Becomes Her fully embraces the joy of a Broadway spectacle With showstopping numbers and over-the-top camp, it takes the core themes of the beloved 1992 film and gives them a Broadway twist that's hard to resist.
The musical spins the story of Madeline Ashton, a glamorous actress with a volatile charm, and her frenemy Helen Sharp, a talented author. Their rivalry takes a supernatural turn when the mysterious Viola Van Horn offers them a potion for eternal youth and beauty, taking the women on a topsy-turvy journey where mortality becomes a mere inconvenience. It's anyone's guess who will be the last one (un)standing in this delightfully twisted tale.
Forget about your typical musical fare; this show infuses its narrative with a deliciously dark humor that’s both surreal and relatable. The production boasts a blend of savage comedy and catchy songs that keep audiences in stitches and tapping their feet throughout. It’s a night out that promises lavish costumes, outrageous twists, and an irreverent romp through the highs and lows of eternal youth that fully revels in its own fabulousness.
These are just a few of our new favorite shows from the 2024-25 Broadway season. For more show ideas and to keep your finger on the pulse of what's coming next, check out the full Broadway Collection. It includes some of the exciting new productions headed to the Main Stem for 2025-26, which are sure to become instant classics. If you’ve already seen the icons, it’s time to see the future.