Leigh Scheps

On her dinner break from tech rehearsals for Cabaret, Gayle Rankin is eating what she calls a “picnic”: grape leaves and chicken from the Westerly Natural Market in midtown. It’s a far cry from what audiences will be eating if they opt for one of the unique dining experiences in the latest Broadway revival of the John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff’s classic 1966 musical.  The 34-year-old Scottish actress stars as Sally Bowles, a singer at a decadent Berlin dive in the early 1930s, as the Nazis rise to power. This new production is staged in the round: The August Wilson Theatre has been transformed into the Kit Kat Club, and audiences can arrive early to watch a 75-minute preshow from tables and chairs set up around the stage. Some packages include champagne and a light three-course meal. “I have not seen the menu yet, but look, it’s gonna be very fancy I’m sure,” Rankin says over the phone. (The menus are available online.)  Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, the production originated in London’s West End, where it earned seven Olivier Awards in 2022—including one for Eddie Redmayne, who stars in the Broadway cast as the Kit Kat Club’s sinister Emcee. “It’s extraordinarily immersive, more so than any theater I’ve ever seen or been a part of,” Rankin says.  Photograph: Courtesy of the artistGayle Rankin “There’s something about when you enter this space: You’re like, I’m gonna leave everything outside of this space behind,” adds Ato Blankson-Wood, who plays Sally’s lover, t

Laughter rings out from a three-way phone call as Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells talk about their new Broadway show, Gutenberg! The Musical! This limited-run production, which begins performances on September 15 at the James Earl Jones Theatre, reunites the actors on a Broadway stage for the first time since their Tony-nominated star turns as Elder Cunningham and Elder Price in the original cast of 2011’s The Book of Mormon. And their conversation, peppered with comic banter, could be a tease for what audiences can expect onstage.  “It is that rare thing where every time I’m on stage with Rannells, I get giddy like going to school on the first day,” says Gad. “I’m full of excitement and anxiety about what's going to come out of his mouth.” Written by the Beetlejuice team of Scott Brown and Anthony King and directed by Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!), Gutenberg! takes a comedic look at two guys struggling to write a not-quite-historically-accurate Broadway musical about Johannes Gutenberg, the 15th-century German inventor of the printing press. Time Out New York spoke with Gad and Rannells all about their Broadway comeback and places Gutenberg might have visited in New York City if he was alive today.  Are you both in the same place right now or two separate locations? Andrew Rannells: We are in different locations. We’re just getting ready to head to the theater in a little bit. We are only blocks away but we did not organize ourselves to actually be in the same place. Josh Gad:

Shakespeare in the Park’s latest Hamlet may have finished its run, but there’s one more production coming up this summer at Central Park’s outdoor Delacorte Theater: a large-scale musical adaptation of The Tempest, the Bard’s epic tale of a sorcerer exiled to an isolated isle. As with every show produced by the Public Theater’s communitarian Public Works division, its cast will include noted theater stars alongside dozens of nonprofessional performers from all five boroughs of New York City. This version of The Tempest, which features music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez, is staged by Public Works director Laurie Woolery, and will run from August 27 through September 3. (Free tickets are distributed on each performance day as well as through a lottery on TodayTix.)  RECOMMENDED: How to get free Shakespeare in the Park tickets While many of the key parts are played by seasoned actors—led by Hamilton’s Renée Elise Goldsberry in the central role of Prospero—the show also features a diverse array of 83 performers, ranging widely in age, who rehearse in the evenings after many of the adults are done with their full-time jobs. The result is a joyful celebration of inclusivity. “They understand what the community is about,” says Hunter College English professor Naomi Leimsider, a member of the ensemble. “It's a special thing to be a part of, no matter who you are.”  Time Out New York spoke with three of the community cast members—Leimsider (of Queens), recreation therapist Suzie Celis

It’s been a milestone year for African-American Hamlets. On Broadway, James Ijames’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play Fat Ham is slathering Shakespeare’s tragedy in barbecue sauce until it falls from its old bones. Meanwhile, farther uptown, rising star Ato Blankson-Wood is playing the torn prince in the latest spin on the Bard’s original text: Shakespeare in the Park’s free outdoor production, which runs through August 6.  “I'm really excited for New York to see this Hamlet. It's a very Black Hamlet,” says Blankson-Wood of director Kenny Leon’s production, which co-stars John Douglas Thompson, Solea Pfeiffer and Lorraine Toussaint. “I think there is something exciting about that fusion. I hope folks who come out and see it respond to it and feel something." Blankson-Wood is no stranger to Shakespeare in the Park’s Delacorte Theater: He made his New York debut there in the ensemble of the 2008 revival of Hair, which later moved to Broadway, and has returned to play the major roles of Orlando in As You Like It and Orsino in Twelfth Night. His Broadway credits include the musical Lysistrada Jones and a Tony-nominated supporting turn in the controversial Slave Play. That path has led Blankson-Wood to perhaps the biggest challenge of his career: the central role in what may be the best play of all time, in a production that aims to hold a mirror up to modern life. Time Out New York chatted with him about the show and about his favorite spots near the theater.  Photograph: Joan Marcu

Rachel McAdams giggles after flubbing a request to say her name into the camera and identify herself as a Tony Award nominee. “I’m not used to saying it yet!” she explains, directing a gleaming smile at playwright Amy Herzog, her boothmate at a Meet the Nominees event at the Sofitel Hotel.  McAdams is currently making her Broadway debut in Herzog’s Mary Jane. She plays the title character: a single mother caring for her chronically ill young son, with support from a variety of other women. (“The play does not dwell in helplessness,” wrote Time Out’s Adam Feldman in his five-star review. “It’s more interested in how people try to help.”) “I am honored to play this part every day,” says McAdams, who moved with her husband and two young children to New York City for the opportunity. “I’m so happy this beautiful play has been received positively by so many people. It fills me up.”  The subject of the play is a personal one for Herzog, who is a double Tony nominee this year for Mary Jane and her adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People: When she wrote it, she was tending to a daughter who was born with the muscular disease nemaline myopathy. Carrie Coon starred in the play’s 2017 runs at Yale Repertory Theatre and New York Theatre Workshop. In casting the role for Broadway, director Anne Kauffman was looking for a very particular quality. “Mary Jane is an unusual character: She is sunny in a way that's actually sincere,” Kauffman says. “I don't think you get that kind

It’s a busy season on Broadway with nearly 20 new shows opening by April 25th, the Tony Award eligibility cutoff date. With so much to choose from on stage, Time Out New York put together a guide of some of the best theater district pre-fixe menus to help get you to the theater on time. From fine French dining to steakhouses, most restaurants offer a three-course meal that rival restaurant week menus. Tip: At most restaurants, you’ll need to carve out at least 90 minutes before curtain time.  RECOMMENDED: The best Broadway shows you need to see Le Rivage Photograph: Jenny Bermudez | Le Rivage Le Rivage’s prix fixe theater menu has been a staple on Restaurant Row (46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) for decades. Its staff knows how to get diners in and out on time to make their show while still allowing a calm, leisurely and elegant atmosphere for dining. From 4:30 to 7:30pm, the French bistro offers three courses for $70 with many choices for an appetizer, entree and dessert. I always get the bisque, gambas le rivage and the peach melba. Other huge hits are the trout almondine and the French onion soup burger. There’s also a lunch pre-fixe for $46.  The Lamb’s Club Photograph: courtesy of The Lamb’s Club Enter the dining room for The Lamb’s Club and feel like you’re far away from the bustle of midtown. If you look around closely, sometimes you might spot a celebrity or two before showtime. It’s been a hot spot before Merrily We Roll Along, which is across the street

The opening sequence of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story shows rival 1950s gangs prowling the ruins of the residential buildings that were demolished to make way for the creation of Lincoln Center. On Saturday, April 8, Ariana DeBose—who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita in the film—will make her solo concert debut at David Geffen Hall, which stands on the ground of that very space. In many ways, it’s a Broadway homecoming celebration for a star who has more recently taken a seat at the Hollywood table. When she booked West Side Story, DeBose was one of three women playing disco icon Donna Summer at different stages in her life in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, for which she earned a Tony nomination; prior to that, she had risen from ensemble roles in four shows, including the original cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, to a lead role in A Bronx Tale The Musical.  DeBose is now in London to rehearse her concert, titled Authenticity, for its debut at the London Palladium on April 1, a week before its New York performance as part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. The actress, singer and dancer has collaborated with her longtime musical director, Benjamin Rauhala, on a set list that includes songs by Dionne Warwick, Judy Garland, Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ray Charles and ABBA—and even a nod to the opening number she performed at BAFTA Film Awards ceremony earlier this year to much amusement (and some criticism) on social media. Tim

A New York City summer tradition returns in person for the first time since 2018—Broadway Barks, the dog and cat adoption spectacular and fundraiser co-founded by Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore, is back at Shubert Alley this Saturday. The adoption event, celebrating its 24th anniversary, was canceled in 2019 due to construction renovations in Shubert Alley, which is the pedestrian walkway between Broadway and Eighth Avenue and connects 44th and 45th Streets. For the last two years, Broadway Barks was held virtually and featured dozens of animal shelters across the country in addition to New York City’s. RECOMMENDED: Bernadette Peters shares her favorite pet-friendly NYC spots Peters, who most recently starred in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway has been busy the last few months filming a new series called High Desert starring Patricia Arquette for AppleTV+. Last month, she also performed a tribute to the late composer Stephen Sondheim at the Tony Awards. But perhaps her biggest and most important role in the last two decades has been helping place 2,000 rescue dogs and cats into loving homes. This year, Peters co-hosts with The Music Man star Sutton Foster. The afternoon kicks off at 3pm with the big adoption event featuring adoptable animals from 21 New York City area adoption agencies and rescue groups along with Broadway’s biggest names who use their star power to help them find loving homes. Hugh Jackman, Jane Lynch, Donna Murphy and Randy Rainbow are among the celebriti

Broadway Barks, the star-studded dog and cat adoption event, is celebrating its 24th anniversary in Shubert Alley this weekend. We recently caught up with the organization’s co-founder, Bernadette Peters, who shared all the highlights of Saturday’s festivities, which are in person for the first time in four years. Peters, with two rescue dogs of her own named Charlie and Rosalie, shared some of her favorite pet-friendly places in New York City. "Take your dog on an adventure," she told Time Out New York. "Better yet, let them take you on an adventure in New York!" 1. Central Park "The first that comes to mind is Central Park," she says. "It’s gorgeous any time of the year but very lush in the summer." 2. Riverside Park "Walking along the Hudson River in Riverside Park is also a lovely walk for you and your pups," she adds. 3. These Dog Runs "Battery Park has the Sirius Dog Run named after a Port Authority Labrador Retriever named Sirius that was killed during the September 11 attacks," she said. "There are paved hills and a cratered doggy pool for your pup. You can relax on the benches overlooking the Hudson while they play." "If you live near Tompkins Square Park, this run dubbed Tompkins Square Dog Run was a pioneer when it opened in 1990. It was redone in 2008 with a sandlike surface wading pool, picnic tables, tennis balls, lots of room for the dogs with two separate spaces for large and small canines," she says. "You can check out the runs that are in your neighborhood a

We recently caught up with beloved The Nanny star Fran Drescher, who recently told us all about her upcoming The Nanny musical and her new picture book with Australian author Rebecca Kelly, N is for The Nanny. She's been very busy, but she stopped to give us her favorite NYC spots, too. Drescher primarily lives in California but has a home here in the city, where she was born, and was more than happy to share the places that bring her joy. RECOMMENDED: Fran Drescher dishes on her upcoming 'The Nanny' musical and the show's lasting impact "I love New York!" she tells us. "Every time I arrive on what I lovingly call 'the rock,' I must see at least one show, one art exhibition, one new restaurant and several regular faves that make me feel each time like coming home again." She recently went to see the special, limited run of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods at New York City Center. "Heather Hedley has got it all and heads a superlative cast of this genius metaphor of life through the experiences of fairytale characters," she says. But all in all, walking the city always yields something good for Drescher. "If you do nothing else walk! And in New York, walking while eating a hot dog, a slice of pizza, a pretzel or a donut is perfectly acceptable." Below are six of Fran Drescher's favorite restaurants, museums and NYC spots that she recommends: 1. Avant Garden  "Peter and I tried a new (to us) vegan restaurant [in the East Village] called Avant Garden. No, we are not vegans bu

When Fran Drescher visits New York City, she embraces its fine foods. On the day that she spoke with us via Zoom from her NYC apartment, her cousin brought over a Zucker’s bagel topped with ricotta cheese and salt.  "When somebody generously brings something with the intention of trying to please me, I'm going to accept it graciously," she said off-camera to her cousin. Drescher, who was born in Queens, is no stranger to a good bagel—there were plenty eaten on The Nanny, her hit 1990s comedy sitcom that ran for six seasons on CBS. The show may have been off the air for more than two decades, but it is now more popular than ever. New audiences are discovering the hilarious show about Fran Fine, a Jewish nanny pining over Mr. Sheffield, her boss and widowed British Broadway producer while raising his three children at his Upper East Side townhome from streaming the series on HBO Max.  RECOMMENDED: Julianne Hough on her Broadway debut in POTUS Drescher, too, has been in the spotlight after securing the SAG-AFTRA presidency and raising awareness for her non-profit organization, Cancer Schmancer Movement. “I'm not married. I don't have children. But I do feel a responsibility towards people and leveraging my celebrity and my abilities for the greater good,” she said. With so many responsibilities at 64, she tries to take every other day to rest. On those “off-days,” she still does work virtually, doesn't have to go anywhere nor does she have to be in hair and makeup. “I have to ho

Julianne Hough is learning what it means to be a New Yorker. Following last month’s opening matinee performance of POTUS, Julianne Hough walked across the street with her co-star Julie White to Junior’s in Shubert Alley for a taste of Brooklyn’s finest delicacy: a pastrami sandwich. “I absolutely loved it. But the whole key is to get it on rye bread with mustard,” Hough told Time Out New York about her first bites of the traditional Jewish style nosh.  It’s not something the dancer and singer has ever tried while living in Los Angeles. Her mission after permanently moving to New York City has been all about new experiences. “I will say, I haven't had much of an opportunity to experience restaurants and stuff like that yet,” she said alluding to a busy few months rehearsing for her big Broadway debut. “I know once we get on a normal schedule, I'll start exploring a little bit more.” RECOMMENDED: Review: A starry cast lights up the Broadway comedy POTUS One of those new experiences is Broadway — something she’s been eyeing for years. It’s not surprising after countless years on Dancing With the Stars, starring in the films Footloose and Burlesque and playing Sandy in Grease Live! on FOX. Hough is currently making her Broadway debut as Dusty, a pregnant, slushing-drinking farm girl personally invited by the president to the Oval Office in POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive. It’s a new farce comedy by 28-year-old Selina Fillinger now pla