It’s hard to come up with a comprehensive list for July — not because there is so little to see, but so much — summer theater festivals, FREE theatrical concerts like the weekly Broadway in Bryant Park, and countless Shakespeares in the parks.
There are also plays and musicals just like you’d see the rest of the year.
Below is a list, organized chronologically by opening date in July, of a selection of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, with descriptions. Each title is linked to a relevant website.
Nothing, of course, is guaranteed about any of these shows, even those that seem the most promising. (This is why I write reviews.) There are always surprises.
Color key: Broadway: Red. Off Broadway: Purple. Off Off Broadway: Green.
July 3
Araberlin (Horizon Theatre Rep at 4th Street Theater)
The U.S. Premiere of a play about identity by Tunisian Jalila Baccar. When Mokhtar, an architecture student, disappears without a trace, his family and friends discover that he is suspected of belonging to a terrorist organization.
July 7
Penn and Teller (Marquis)
The duo returns for six weeks with their familiar mix of magic and comedy.
July 8
Skippyjon Jones Snow What & the 7 Chihuahuas (Theatreworks USA at Lucille Lortel Theatre)
Adapted from the children’s book by Judy Schachner, this new FREE musical marks the 27th anniversary of free summer children’s theater from Theatreworks USA.
July 9
The Weir (Irish Rep @ DR2)
A revival of the well-received play by Conor McPherson: “In a remote country pub in Ireland, newcomer Valerie arrives and becomes spellbound by an evening of ghostly stories told by the local bachelors who drink there… Then Valerie reveals a startling story of her own.”
Sayonara (Pan Asian Repertory at Theatre Row)
Tisa Chang directs this re-imagining of a musical (adapted from a novel by James Michener) of US military in post-WWII Japan
July 12
Bad Kid (Axis Theatre)
David Crabb’s funny and moving one-man show tells his story, that of a Goth boy who dreamed of being anywhere but the middle of Texas in 1991.
July 13
Ruthless (St. Luke’s)
A revival of the “campy cult favorite” about a performer with killer ambition, who is eight years old. Spoofing shows like Gypsy and movies like All About Eve, the musical boasts such alumna as Britney Spears and Natalie Portman.
July 15
Scenes from an Execution (Potomac Theater Project at Atlantic Stage 2)
In what she says is her last role in the theater, Jan Maxwell portrays Galactia in a revival of Howard Barker’s play about the 15th century Venetian painter who is “commissioned by the State of Venice to portray the Battle of Lepanto, a naval battle described as “the greatest triumph of Venetian history.” However, her 1,000 square feet of canvas contains quite a different interpretation. Thus the battle over truth, freedom and responsibility is engaged.”
July 16
Amazing Grace (Nederlander Theatre)
A new musical starring Josh Young and Chuck Cooper about the creation of the spiritual song ‘Amazing Grace’ by John Newton, the son of a slave trader.
July 18
I Know What Boys Want (Theatre Row- Lion)
A prep school girl discovers that this week’s Internet sensation is a video of her having sex.
July 20
Mrs. Smith’s Broadway Cat-tacular! (47th Street Theater)
Mrs. Smith is a woman on the verge of a cat-based breakdown — in search of her missing cat, Carlyle. “Featuring classic Broadway hits like “Cabaret,” “One Night in Bangkok,” “The Cat That Got Away” and many more, this cat-tacular is a deftly executed character comedy with tap dancing, puppetry, video flashbacks, and virtuosic electric guitar.”
July 22
Threesome (59E59)
Leila and Rashid, Egyptian Americans with ties to Cairo, attempt to solve their relationship issues by inviting a relative stranger into their bedroom to engage in a threesome. What begins as a hilariously awkward evening soon becomes an experience fraught with secrets
July 23
Colin Quinn The New York Story (Cherry Lane Theater)
“Colin bemoans the rise and fall of his hometown, the city formally known as NY, from its modest beginnings as Dutch outpost to the hipsters of modern Williamsburg to the vermin below and above ground” Directed by Jerry Seinfeld.
July 26
Happy 50ish Musical (Theatre Row – Beckett)
“Baby boomer Bob is facing the big five-o with fear, beer and a letter from the AARP.”
July 27
The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey (Westside Theatre)
James Lecesne portrays every character in a small Jersey shore town as they unravel the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant 14 year old boy
King Liz (Second Stage Uptown)
“Sports agent Liz Rico has money and an elite client roster but a woman in a man’s industry has to fight to stay on top…Enter Freddie Luna, a high school basketball superstar with a troubled past.”
July 30
The Dreamer Examines His Pillow (The Attic at The Flea)
A revival of John Patrick Shanley’s play about the often bizarre byways that love between men and women can follow, told in three related scenes
