BroadwayRadio: Today on Broadway – Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026

Episode Theme:
A shifting Broadway season: the unexpected closing of “Hell’s Kitchen,” major casting news, and speculation on what will fill the iconic Shubert Theater next.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major Announcements Reshaping Broadway’s Spring Season

• Recap of Recent Announcements:
  • Over two days, Broadway receives news altering the spring season lineup.
• “Fear of Thirteen” Announced at the James Earl Jones Theater
  • What’s Happening:
    • “Liberation” to be followed by the Broadway premiere of Lindsey Ferrentino’s The Fear of Thirteen (00:40).
    • Play stars Adrien Brody (making his Broadway debut) and Tessa Thompson.
    • David Cromer directs; based on the true story of Nick Yarris, a man falsely convicted and on death row.
    • Partners with the Innocence Project for audience engagement and activism.
    • Performances begin March 19; opening night April 15; no set closing date yet, but will run into July.
  • Plot Summary:
    • “The Fear of Thirteen tells the extraordinary true story of Nick Yaris… through a series of prison visits with a volunteer named Jackie… By turns devastating, darkly funny, and life affirming, the fear of 13 is a powerful exploration of truth and trust, conscience and connection.” (02:41)
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Both Brody and Thompson will be making their Broadway debuts in the show and they will be directed by David Cromer, who is never not in demand but always excited to have him looking at a new piece of work.” — Matt Tamneti (01:56)

2. Breaking News: “Hell’s Kitchen” to Close at the Shubert Theater

• Unexpected Closure:
  • Announcement received Thursday morning; "Hell’s Kitchen" closes at the Shubert on February 22, 2026 (04:10).
  • Show will have played nearly 800 performances.
  • Brandon Victor Dixon returns to the role of Davis on January 27 for the final 3-4 weeks.
  • Cast at closing: Amanda Reed (Ali), Kelsey Kimmel (Jersey), Yolanda Adams (Ms. Liza Jane), Lamont Walker II (Nuck).
• Context and Trends:
  • Recent grosses reported at $828,000—below weekly operating costs (05:25).
  • “It has been going downwards recently. Last week, with the grosses that I talked about yesterday, it did only $828,000, which is reportedly under its weekly operating cost as of now unless something changes between today and the end of the run...” — Matt Tamneti (05:23)
• Inferred Reason for Closure:
  • This late closure suggests the Shuberts are preparing for a new, as-yet-unannounced tenant.
  • “With a closing date on February 22, you look at that, and what that means to me is that the Shuberts are likely kicking them out of the Shubert Theater.” (06:13)

3. Speculation: What Comes Next for The Shubert?

• Potential Shows Mentioned:
  • “Wanted” (known interest in Broadway), “Dolly” musical, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” “Griswold’s Broadway Vacation,” “The Heart” and “Three Summers of Lincoln” (recent La Jolla runs), “Galileo” (with Raúl Esparza) (07:30).
  • Most buzz: “Galileo.”
  • “The one that I've heard most often discussed is Galileo, which I believe Raul Esparza did out in California for a tryout in the last year or so as well. That's the one that I'm hearing popping up quite a bit.” (08:09)
• Broadway Power Plays & Precedents:
  • Some speculation about Scott Rudin possibly angling for the space, echoing previous “house takeovers” (08:30).
• What Kind of Show Will Likely Fill the Slot?
  • “I would imagine that a musical is going to go in there… with so much volatility in the musical categories for this season, anything that comes in really has a fairly decent shot of getting some nominations and if it's good, potentially even snagging some awards.” (09:38)
  • Best Musical category is “wide open,” leading to strategic positioning (10:06).

4. Procedural Rarity & Prediction

• Uncommon Timing:
  • Announcing a closure 5 weeks out—rare at this point in the season—signals urgency for transition to a new show.
  • “A fairly unusual thing here to announce a closing five weeks out… but that generally means that there is something coming in and we will just have to wait and see what happens.” (11:38)
• Predicted Timeline:
  • Announcement of the Shubert Theater’s next show expected as soon as Monday, January 19 (11:15).

5. Other Broadway News Teased

• Upcoming Coverage:
  • Big casting news and the onstage reunion of a famous Broadway duo—event set for summer 2027.
  • Additional casting updates at “Hadestown” and an original cast reunion for another production (12:10).
  • “If it wasn’t going to be a year and a half from now, I would have done a special standalone episode that earlier this week. But since that is not going to happen until summer of 2027, I will save that for this week on Broadway, along with casting at Hadestown and original Hadestown stars reuniting in another show together.” (12:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Both Brody and Thompson will be making their Broadway debuts in the show and they will be directed by David Cromer, who is never not in demand...” – Matt Tamneti (01:56)
• “With a closing date on February 22, you look at that, and what that means to me is that the Shuberts are likely kicking them out of the Shubert Theater.” (06:13)
• “The one that I've heard most often discussed is Galileo, which I believe Raul Esparza did out in California for a tryout in the last year or so as well.” (08:09)
• “I would imagine that a musical is going to go in there… with so much volatility in the musical categories for this season, anything that comes in really has a fairly decent shot of getting some nominations and if it's good, potentially even snagging some awards.” (09:38)
• “A fairly unusual thing here to announce a closing five weeks out, you know, halfway through January. But that generally means that there is something coming in and we will just have to wait and see what happens.” (11:38)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:31 – Show and host introduction, context for the episode
• 00:40 – Spring 2026 season reshaping; “Fear of Thirteen” announcement
• 02:41 – Official plot description for “Fear of Thirteen”
• 04:10 – “Hell’s Kitchen” to close announcement
• 05:23 – Discussion of “Hell’s Kitchen” grosses and cast for closing weeks
• 06:13 – Industry implications of the closure, Shubert Theater speculation
• 07:30 – Potential shows and producers likely to move into the Shubert
• 09:38 – Analysis of awards season strategic moves
• 11:15 – Predicted timeline for new show’s announcement
• 12:10 – Teaser for this Sunday’s episode and more casting news

Tone & Style

The host, Matt Tamneti, maintains an insider, analytical, and slightly playful tone—peppering industry insights (e.g., “the never ending acceptance speeches” for Adrien Brody) and engaging speculation alongside solid reporting.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for Broadway fans tracking 2026’s spring season shakeups. It offers inside scoop on two major openings and closings, possible industry maneuvers, and what may be a very unpredictable race for Best Musical. The episode closes with promises of more casting news and reunions on the next “Last Week on Broadway.”