Holiday Gift Guide 2021: The Best Broadway Tickets For Theater-Lovers

Broadway is back! After a year and a half of dark stages across New York City, theaters roared back to life this fall with a steady schedule of reopenings that began in September and will continue through the end of the year. From classics celebrating major milestones to new productions for the whole family, here are the best Broadway tickets to gift this season.

Mrs. Doubtfire

For the 90s kids and their entire families, Mrs. Doubtfire returned to Broadway on October 21 with a gently updated telling of the same story from the 1993 film favorite, satisfying both nostalgic hearts and modern minds. Expect nonstop laughs for all ages (yes, your favorite Doubtfire lines and moments remain!), impressive quick-changes and contemporary inclusions that don’t detract from treasured original.

Hadestown

Winner of the 2019 Tony for Best Musical, Hadestown kicked off the Broadway rebound when it resumed performances in early September, bringing back with it the spellbinding performance of André De Shields in his Tony-winning role of Hermes, as he tells the tortured tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. With lighting and set designs nearly as integral as the characters and music themselves, Hadestown is unforgettable from start to finish.

Dear Evan Hansen

Delicately exploring the sensitive subjects of mental health and teen suicide, Dear Evan Hansen returns to Broadway in December with the story and songs that have captivated audiences since its 2016 debut and its six Tony wins, including Best Musical, in 2017. Some tragic themes in this tale may not be suitable for the youngest audiences, but all will find themselves among the nuanced depictions of identity and relationships portrayed in this emotional experience.

Chicago

The longest running American musical in Broadway history celebrates is 25^th anniversary this fall as Chicago hosts a special commemorative performance on November 16. The well-known story of murderers-turned-celebrities Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly is as relevant as ever in an age of social media mania and true crime obsession, and the razzle dazzle of Jazz-era Chicago has never gone out of style. If you’ve been looking for a great excuse to catch this old favorite again, the 25^th anniversary is what you’ve been waiting for.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child resumes performances tonight with great news for wizards who were logistically stymied by the previous production’s two-part telling: the Broadway show’s new presentation is a single event. Don’t worry: The combined play still contains as much magical spectacle as you can shake a wand at with a longer-than-usual runtime that tells the full story without sacrifice.

Come From Away

September 11, 2001 is not a date that inspires many merry memories, but the story of this fateful day and its immediate aftermath, as told through the small-town residents of Gander, Newfoundland, manages to uplift and inspire without mitigating or disregarding any of the date’s profound tragedy. Despite a considerably shorter-than-average running time, Come From Away quickly converts you to an honorary Canadian and will have you yearning for honorary residency in a remote and meteorologically challenging locale like no other show could.

Jagged Little Pill

Inspired by Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill dives into the oft-hidden world of drug addiction in seemingly perfect American suburbia, propelled by powerful performances (particularly from Tony-winner Lauren Patten) and haunting choreography. Despite the seriousness of the subject and its treatment, the musical remains upbeat and uplifting with the feelgood vibes you hope to take away from any great Broadway show.

Company

After a sold-out pre-Covid run in the West End, Company brings Patti Lupone back to Broadway next week in a retelling of the Sondheim story with a serious twist: notorious bachelor Bobby is now bachelorette Bobbie, navigating romance in Manhattan as a 35-year-old who won’t settle down. While the gender flips update the show for a new century and abandon much of the misogyny found in the original, the revival maintains all the laughs and merriment of the classic.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

Reopened in October, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is back with the rags-to-riches story of the Queen of Rock. The bio musical spans decades of the superstar’s up-and-down life, packed with more than 20 of her hits and closing with a literal concert scene that exceeds the expectations of any superfan who attends a musical bio of their favorite star, and is just as exciting and energizing to the casual theatergoer.