BroadwayRadio: Last Week on Broadway – Monday, Feb. 2, 2026
Host: Matt Tanani
Date: February 2, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of "Last Week on Broadway" dives into the latest news and updates from the New York theater scene, with particular focus on the 2026 Tony Awards key dates, major Broadway and Off-Broadway casting announcements, box office milestones, notable show extensions, Off-Broadway award winners, and the upcoming theatrical schedule. Host Matt Tanani brings his trademark enthusiasm, reporting from a cruise ship, and offers insights, analysis, and his personal highlights for the week.
Key Discussion Points
1. 2026 Tony Awards Announcements
[00:02 – 05:20]
- The 2026 Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.
- Tony eligibility cutoff: Shows must open by Sunday, April 26 to be considered.
- Currently, "The Lost Boys" is set to open on the deadline.
- Notably, this year there’s a longer gap between the cutoff and the nomination announcement:
- Nominations will be unveiled on Tuesday, May 5, giving a week and a half for voters to see eligible shows.
- This shortens the usual campaign season between nominations and awards.
- Matt speculates on potential last-minute show openings at the Shubert Theatre but “I do not think it is a show that will need to have an opening night. But one thing that will be different is that there will be a fairly decent amount of time between when the Tony eligibility deadline wraps up and then we get the official nominations.” (05:01)
Notable Quote:
“...it does eat into that normal period and gives us just a little over a month between nominations and the awards. So we will see how that impacts things over that month's time from May to June.” (04:51 – Matt)
2. Grammy Awards Brief: Theatre Connections
[05:21 – 06:10]
- Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande won a Grammy for “Defying Gravity” from the Wicked film.
- Matt promises a separate episode for comprehensive theater-related Grammy results.
3. Major Casting Updates
a) "Rocky Horror Show" at Studio 54
[06:11 – 09:13]
- Full Broadway cast has been announced; Matt calls it "...a veritable who's who of like super cool actors..."
- Headliners:
- Luke Evans as Dr. Frank N. Furter
- Rachel Dratch as The Narrator
- Andrew Durand as Brad
- Stephanie Hsu as Janet
- Juliette Lewis as Magenta (“this one just kind of blew my mind... Juliette Lewis playing Magenta is wild to me.” (07:44))
- Amber Gray as Riff Raff (“I am so giddily excited to see Amber Gray play Riff Raff...” (08:14))
- Harvey Guillen as Eddie/Dr. Scott
- Josh Rivera as Rocky
- Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Columbia
- Ensemble includes Andres Quintero, Larkin Riley, and more.
- Previews begin March 26 at Studio 54, for a limited run through June 21.
b) "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" at Broadhurst Theatre
[09:14 – 10:51]
- Many actors return from Off-Broadway run, but Ken Page (from the original 1982 cast) joins as DJ Griddlebone.
- Other highlights:
- Leiomy (from "Legendary") as McKenzie Cavity
- Kia Azine ("Pose") as ETC
- Bryson Battle as JellyLorem
- Previously announced: André De Shields, Jonathan Burke, and more.
- Previews start March 18.
c) "The Great Gatsby" Recurring Cast Shifts
[10:52 – 12:13]
- Eva Noblezada’s return as Daisy Buchanan is delayed to March 4 due to vocal injury.
- Will play with Jeremy Jordan for three days only, then with Ryan McCarten until March 29, followed by Reeve Carney on March 30.
- Temporary Daisy coverage TBD (possibly Aisha Jackson or a standby).
4. Show Extensions and Possible Moves
[12:14 – 15:25]
- "Bug" (play by Tracy Letts, starring Carrie Coon & Namir Smallwood, directed by David Cromer) at Samuel J. Friedman Theater has extended through March 8.
- Matt speculates about a potential move to Shubert Theatre, citing the financial/size challenges:
“That’s a huge jump… from a financial decision, that seems wild unless they know something that I don’t know. But that is the word on the street…” (14:36)
- The Shubert seats over twice as many as the Friedman: 1,460 vs. 650.
- Matt speculates about a potential move to Shubert Theatre, citing the financial/size challenges:
5. OBIE Awards Winners
[15:26 – 17:16]
- Outstanding New Play: Nazareth Hassan for "Bull Ep."
- Playwriting: Morgan Bassakis for "Can I Be Frank", Sarah Ganter for "The Wind in the Rain"
- Directing: Sam Pinkleton ("Tada" & "Can I Be Frank"), Abigail Jean-Baptiste ("Chiaroscuro"), Paul Laser ("The Barbarians")
- Sustained Achievement in Directing: David Herskovitz ("Show/Boat: A River"), Whitney White ("Walden", "Liberation")
- Performance: Bubble Chakraborty ("Rheology"), Quincy Tyler Bernstein, Crystal Lucas Perry ("Pericles"), Stephanie Weeks ("Showboat")
- Sustained Achievement in Performance: Paul Sparks ("Grangeville"), Stephanie Berry ("A Gospel at Coriolanus")
- Full list in show notes.
6. Regional Theater News
[17:17 – 19:44]
- "Starstruck" (inspired by "Cyrano de Bergerac") premieres in Bucks County, PA, on Feb 19.
- Book by Beth Malone & Mary Ann Stratton, music/lyrics by Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls).
- Cast led by Beth Malone (Sid Deburg), Krista Rodriguez (Roxanne), Sam Gravett (Chris), Danielle Lee Greaves, Scott Stangland, and others.
7. Financial Milestone: "The Outsiders"
[19:45 – 21:02]
- The Outsiders is the first Broadway musical to recoup its $22M capitalization since "& Juliet".
- Opened April 2024; profitable as of the week ending December 28, 2025.
- Director Donya Taymor to direct the John Proctor is the Villain film adaptation, with Sadie Sink producing (possibly starring).
8. Streaming & Miscellaneous
[21:03 – 21:56]
- The Honey Trap (Irish Repertory Theatre) returns to streaming Feb. 15–28 ($39 for 72-hour access); Irish Rep members get a 20% discount.
9. Upcoming Theatrical Schedule
[24:03 – 31:29]
Off-Broadway Premieres and Previews
-
Signature Theatre ("Mother Russia"): Previews begin Tuesday, Feb 3.
- By Lauren Yee, directed by Teddy Bergman. Set in post-Soviet St. Petersburg. Cast: Steven Boyer, Adam Chandler-Berat, Rebecca Naomi Jones, David Turner.
- “The cast is amazing, Lauren Yee is amazing and this is certainly one to keep an eye on this spring.” (24:53 – Matt)
-
New York City Center ("High Spirits"): Encore run begins Wednesday, Feb 4.
- Musical adaptation of Blithe Spirit, starring Phillipa Soo, Steven Pasquale, Rachel Dratch, Katrina Lenk, Andrea Martin, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Sanchez.
-
Playwrights Horizons ("The Dinosaurs"): Previews Wednesday, Feb 4.
- By Jacob Perkins, directed by Les Waters. Cast includes Elizabeth Marvel, April Mathis, Maria Elena Martinez, Mallory Portnoy, Kathleen Chalfont, Kylie McQuail.
-
Greenwich House Theater ("What We Did Before Our Moth Days"): Previews Wednesday, Feb 4.
- By Wallace Shawn, directed by André Gregory. Cast: Hope Davis, Maria Dizzia, John Early, Josh Hamilton.
-
Roundabout ("Chinese Republicans"): Starts Thursday, Feb 5.
- By Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew. Cast: Jennifer Ikeda, Julie Lee, Anna Zavelson, Ben Langhorst, Jodi Long.
-
Classic Stage Company ("Marcel on the Train"): Previews Thursday, Feb 5.
- By Marshall Pailet & Ethan Slater (who stars), about Marcel Marceau's early life.
-
Atlantic Theater Company ("The Reservoir"): Previews Thursday, Feb 5.
- By Jake Brash, directed by Shelley Butler. Cast: Noah Galvin, Peter Maloney, Mary Beth Peil, Matthew Saldivar, Chip Zien, Caroline Aaron, Heidi Armbruster.
Broadway Closings
- "Oedipus" (by Robert Icke, starring Mark Strong & Lesley Manville) closes Feb. 8.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Weather & Cruises:
"...I'm coming to you high above Central Park. Well, at least the Central Park that is on the Icon of the Seas because I am out on a cruise this week." (00:08 – Matt)
-
On "Rocky Horror Show" Casting:
"Juliet Lewis playing Magenta is wild to me." (07:44 – Matt)
"I am so giddily excited to see Amber Gray play Riff Raff..." (08:14 – Matt)
-
On "Bug" Possibly Moving to a Larger Theater:
"From a financial decision, that seems wild unless they know something that I don’t know." (14:36 – Matt)
-
On "The Outsiders" Recoupment:
"...to recoup in less than two years is pretty impressive. So congratulations to everybody over at The Outsiders." (20:51 – Matt)
-
On "Oedipus" Closing:
"One of my favorite things that I saw last year. So if you have an opportunity to get over and check out the show before it closes this weekend, I recommend it." (31:11 – Matt)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Main Theme & Introduction | 00:02–03:15 | | 2026 Tony Awards Details & Analysis | 03:16–05:20 | | Grammy Awards Musical Theater Updates | 05:21–06:10 | | "Rocky Horror" Full Broadway Cast Announced | 06:11–09:13 | | "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" Complete Cast | 09:14–10:51 | | Eva Noblezada – "Gatsby" Return Delayed | 10:52–12:13 | | "Bug" Extension & Shubert Theater Rumors | 12:14–15:25 | | Obie Awards Highlights | 15:26–17:16 | | "Starstruck" Bucks County Casting | 17:17–19:44 | | "The Outsiders" Recoups / Danya Taymor Film News | 19:45–21:02 | | "The Honey Trap" Streaming News | 21:03–21:56 | | Upcoming NYC Theatrical Openings | 24:03–31:29 | | Final Broadway Closing: "Oedipus" | 31:11–31:29 |
Tone and Style
Matt keeps the episode conversational, informed, and occasionally wry, using first-person insights and plenty of showbiz warmth. He is clearly an enthusiastic theatergoer, highlighting both big industry shifts and smaller delights off the beaten Broadway path.
Summary
This episode is a comprehensive roundup of the biggest Broadway and Off-Broadway stories from late January into early February 2026, including everything from Tony Awards strategy shifts to high-profile castings ("Rocky Horror Show," "Cats: The Jellicle Ball"), show extensions, recoupment milestones, and can't-miss openings in New York and beyond. For listeners seeking a thorough catch-up on what's hot and what's next in the world of theater, Matt’s coverage is packed with insights, rumors, and personal recommendations.