8 Broadway Shows to See This Summer in NYC

There’s nothing like summer in the city, and as temperatures soar, there’s never been a better time to take in an (air-conditioned) night at the theater.

Summer is the perfect opportunity to discover your new favorite show on Broadway — from recent Tony Award winners like Maybe Happy Ending and Death Becomes Her to family-friendly Disney classics like The Lion King and Aladdin.

Scroll through the discovery guide and check out our picks for this season’s can’t-miss shows. You can also find some frequently asked questions about Broadway towards the end.

Death Becomes Her

Want perfection? Take a sip and drink Death Becomes Her all the way down! The wickedly funny Broadway adaptation of the beloved cult classic is a riotous escape starring Megan Hilty as Madeline Ashton, a fading Broadway starlet and Jennifer Simard as Helen Sharp, an aspiring writer and Madeline’s oldest and very best frenemy. Locked in a battle for Christopher Sieber as Dr. Ernest Melville — Helen’s ex-fiancé-turned-Madeline’s husband — the two women stumble upon the promise of immortality in the hands of Michelle Williams’ mysterious Viola Van Horn.

In an exclusive interview with Ticketmaster, the Destiny’s Child member opened up about her devious role, which was inspired by Isabella Rossellini in the original film: “[Am I] a sorcerer? [Am I] a witch?…Viola’s a good saleswoman. She’s an influencer, you know?”

Get Broadway tickets for Death Becomes Her and get box office info for the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

Maybe Happy Ending

Maybe Happy Ending follows Oliver and Claire, two robots created to help humans in late-21st century Seoul. When both are abandoned by their owners, the pair develop a connection that pushes against their programming about love and what to expect from their battery-charged lives before they’re made obsolete. The futuristic new musical first premiered in South Korea in 2016 before making its way to Broadway starring Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen.

Get Broadway tickets for Maybe Happy Ending.

SUNSET BLVD.

Mr. DeMille, she’s ready for her close-up. SUNSET BLVD. has been a certifiable smash since it arrived on Broadway last fall following an acclaimed run on London’s West End. Now, the transfixing revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation of the classic 1950 film has won three Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. Nicole Scherzinger, who portrays faded Hollywood starlet Norma Desmond, also took home the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Get tickets for SUNSET BLVD and get box office info for the St. James Theatre.

Hell’s Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen, the new musical based on the life of Alicia Keys, raked in 13 Tony nominations (including Best Musical) and won two. Part jukebox musical, part biopic, Hell’s Kitchen features beloved hits from Keys’ acclaimed discography including “No One,” “Fallin’,” “Girl on Fire” and “Empire State of Mind” to tell the story of Ali, a young music prodigy growing up in the storied Manhattan Plaza in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.

Find tickets for Hell’s Kitchen.

Aladdin

There’s a party going on in Agrabah, and it’s happening eight times a week at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The Broadway re-telling of the 1992 animated Disney classic brings the story of Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Genie and more to vivid life with favorite songs like “A Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali,” and “A Whole New World,” plus multiple musical numbers written by the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice that were cut from the original film like sentimental tearjerker “Proud of Your Boy.”

Find tickets for Aladdin on Ticketmaster.

The Lion King

Hakuna matata! Now the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time, The Lion King has enchanted generations of kids since it first debuted on the Great White Way in 1997. The lavish production incorporates giant puppets and mind-boggling costuming as the actors on stage transform into Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Scar, Timon, Pumbaa, Mufasa and more. It’s a perfect show to introduce kids to the magic of Broadway, and the whole family will recognize songs like “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Circle of Life.”

Get tickets for The Lion King and get box office info for the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Return to the Wizarding World as the next generation of Harry Potter stars make their mark at Hogwarts…and the very history of magic. Albus Severus Potter may be the younger son of the Boy Who Lived, but his experience at school is far from his famous father’s glory days. Not only does Albus get sorted into Slytherin, his only friend is Scorpius Malfoy — son of Harry’s old rival Draco — and the pair find themselves relentlessly bullied at the very bottom of Hogwarts’ social hierarchy. Getting their hands on a powerful prototype of a Time-Turner, Albus and Scorpius are determined to rewrite the past and travel back to a time filled with familiar faces like Cedric Diggory, Dumbledore, Snape and even the return of He Who Must Not Be Named.

Buy tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Hadestown

Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Hadestown tackles themes of romance, tragedy, politics, freedom and even climate change as the ill-fated lovers travel to hell and back and face off against Hades, god of the underworld. With music by Anais Mitchell, the tragic tale won eight Tony Awards — including Best Musical — in 2019 and has been playing at the Walter Kerr Theatre ever since.

Purchase tickets for Hadestown.

What’s the best show on Broadway right now?

While the absolute best Broadway show is of course a matter of personal opinion, Wicked, The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!, Aladdin and Hamilton are just some of the top shows you can see on Broadway this season.

What is the most popular Broadway show?

The popularity of a show can be determined by a number of factors, including tenure and star power. Shows like Aladdin, Hamilton and Wicked continue to be bestsellers into 2025, along with The Lion King, which sits at the top of the list of highest-grossing musical theater productions of all time.

What are some new Broadway shows?

Operation Mincemeat is one of the top new Broadway shows that you’ll be able to see this year, along with Buena Vista Social Club; both opened in March 2025.

How much is a Broadway show in NYC?

Ticket prices for Broadway shows depend on a variety of factors, including the show, seat location, performance date and time, and when the tickets are purchased. The average ticket for a Broadway show can cost between $50 and $300.

What is the longest-running show on Broadway?

The Phantom of the Opera was the longest-running show on Broadway, playing at the Majestic Theatre from 1988 to 2023. The longest-running current Broadway show and musical is Chicago (1996 revival).