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Broadway’s 2024-25 season got off to a rather fine start, from the wildly popular and hysterically funny Oh, Mary! to the fabulous splash of Death Becomes Her and the wonderful left-field sleeper Maybe Happy Ending, and wrapped up with some equally excellent season closers like Just In Time and Dead Outlaw.

This compendium of Deadline’s Broadway reviews takes a look at all of them. Use it as a guide for your theater-going, or a sneak peek at what this year’s Tony Awards might have in store on Sunday, June 8.

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical

Opening Night: April 27

Venue: Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre

Direction & Choreography By: Sergio Trujillo

Book: Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, based on the play by Josefina López and the HBO screenplay by Josefina López and George Lavoo

Music & Lyrics By: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

Cast: Tatianna Córdoba, Justina Machado,...

In a pivotal scene from the Netflix backstage documentary Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, released a week before the Broadway opening of The First Shadow, playwright Kate Trefry breaks some bad news to her collaborators. It’s early in rehearsals for the play’s 2023 West End premiere, and she’s going to have to do a big rewrite, as the Duffer Brothers, creators of Netflix’s Stranger Things, want to save a major plot reveal for the fifth and final season of the series (scheduled for release later this year) and they’ve decided the play gives far too much away. It’s back to work on an umpteenth draft for Trefry.

Therein lies the paradox that may make The First Shadow, no matter how mesmerizing it is to witness, frustrating for fans of the series. The play, a 1950s-set prequel to the sci-fi saga, which is set in the ’80s,...

Walking into Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway, theatergoers are greeted by a giant replica of the Creel house at the center of the Netflix series, plush demogorgons for sale and ominous music from the 1950s playing as signs welcome them to Hawkins, Ind.

“You’re going to be right in front of the Mind Flayer!” an attendee in the front few rows says upon taking his seat at an April preview performance.

The show, which is opening at the Marquis Theatre April 22, comes to New York after opening in London’s West End in December 2023 and marks the streaming giant’s biggest foray onto Broadway to date. For Netflix, bringing this show to the stage allows the streaming giant to connect with the large fandom around one of its most popular series, in the same way the company has been launching immersive experiences around Bridgerton and Squid Game.

Break out your Dungeons & Dragons dice and heat up those Eggo waffles! Broadway is about to be taken over by the Upside Down. After winning the U.K.'s Olivier Award for Best New Play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is opening in New York City at the Marquis Theatre on April 22.

This prequel story, which is set decades prior to the events of the Netflix series, packages the sci-fi storytelling that has thrilled millions of fans with a visual-effects heavy spectacle of stagecraft. There are also Easter eggs aplenty, as the production is chock-full of references to all four seasons of the hit show. Since Stranger Things hasn’t released a new episode since 2022, you'll be forgiven if you forgot why Christmas lights are so important or why anyone was “Running Up That Hill.” Here's a quick catch-up guide on everything you need to know.

Help! It’s...

​In the vibrant world of Apple TV+’s new animated series Be@Rbrick, music isn’t just background noise—it’s a transformative force. At the helm of this sonic journey is none other than legendary producer Timbaland, who serves as the show’s Executive Music Producer.

We had a chance to catch up with Timbaland to shed some insight into his work on the new series​, how music continues to speak to him and just what he may look like as a “Be@Rbrick” himself!

1. What attracted you to working on the Be@Rbrick series?

“The creativity, man. Be@Rbrick is about breaking boundaries, about art, music, and storytelling coming together. That’s exactly what I do in music, so it felt like the perfect fit.”

2. What challenges did you face with creating the music for the series? Did you have a lot of creative freedom with the songs?

“The challenge was making...

Louis McCartney isn’t entering the Upside Down alone. The Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow has announced the cast who will be joining the award-winning performer, who originated the role of Henry Creel on the West End.

The play’s Broadway cast includes Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as Victor Creel, Alex Breaux (American Primeval) as Dr. Brenner, Emmy Award nominee Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby, Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper Jr.

Breaux isn’t just joining the stage production, though — he’ll also be a series regular in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

The cast also includes Ayana Cymone(Broadway debut) as Sue Anderson, Dora Dolphin(Broadway debut) as Karen Childress,...

Apple TV+ has announced the programming that will be added to the streaming service next month. The Apple TV Plus March 2025 lineup includes the kids & family series Be@Rbrick, the crime drama series Dope Thief, the Mythic Quest spinoff Side Quest, and the comedy series The Studio.

Apple TV+ offers drama and comedy series, feature films, documentaries, and kids and family entertainment. It is available on the Apple TV app on the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Tcl and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and at the Apple site.

The Studio Apple TV Plus March 2025 Schedule

Available March 14

Dope Thief (Crime Drama Series)

“Dope Thief” is an eight-episode crime drama executive-produced by Academy Award nominee Ridley Scott, who also directs the first episode.

The series is created and executive produced...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow astonished the West End, winning the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. Critics hailed it as “a game-changing experience” (Daily Telegraph) that makes the unimaginable real and “takes theatre to the next dimension” (The Observer). From Netflix and multi-award-winning Broadway producer Sonia Friedman Productions, and directed by three-time Tony Award® winner Stephen Daldry alongside Justin Martin, this pulse-racing new adventure will turn Broadway upside down.

Are monsters born… or made?

In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past. Initially, things go well — he finds friendship and joins the school play. But when a wave of shocking crimes strikes the town, Henry is forced to confront a terrifying truth: is there something inside him that connects him to the horrors unfolding around him?

As this thrilling mystery races forward, shadows of the past are unleashed,...

Amazon Prime Video has released a premiere date and first look images for “#1 Happy Family USA,” a new adult comedy series from Ramy Youssef and A24. All eight episodes of the new series will premiere April 17 on Prime Video.

Co-created by Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady, “#1 Happy Family USA” follows “the maniacally upbeat Husseins – the most patriotic, most peaceful, and most definitely-not-suspicious Muslim family in post-9/11 ‘Amreeka,'” according to a press release. “With satire and absurdity, it redefines finding humor in hardship as they navigate the early 2000s under the watchful eyes of their terrified neighbors.”

The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios, A24 and Cairo Cowboy, and stars Youssef, Alia Shawkat, Mandy Moore, Chris Redd, Salma Hindy, Randa Jarrar, Akaash Singh and Whitmer Thomas.

Also in this week’s TV News Roundup:

First Looks/Trailers

The new trailer for the Apple TV+ series “Dope Thief” has been unveiled,...

Apple TV+ has revealed a first look at Be@Rbrick, a new CG animated comedy series for kids and families set to debut globally on Friday, March 21.

Based on the iconic Be@Rbrick figures from Medicom Toy, the 13-episode series, produced and animated by DreamWorks Animation and Dentsu Inc., features upbeat, original songs and aims to empower kids and families to embrace their true selves through the universal language of music.

Be@Rbrick follows Jasmine Finch and her bandmates as they pursue their dreams and inspire others to do the same. But it won’t be easy to do when living in a world where everyone’s role is chosen for them and where the painted-on look you receive when you graduate from high school determines who you’ll be for the rest of your life.

Jasmine realizes that in order for her world to change, she and her friends...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End in December of 2023. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and this year, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. In anticipation of the show’s Broadway debut, Entertainment Weekly has shared a look at the Broadway version of the Mind Flayer creature! You can check it out at the bottom of this article.

A while back, Deadline heard that Stranger Things: The First Shadow “will be the first instalment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins,...

We’re about halfway through the 2024-25 Broadway season, and there are eight productions of plays set to open this spring. Could any of them contend at this year’s Tony Awards? Below, find a summary of the plot of each play as well as the author, director, and cast, plus the opening and (where applicable) closing dates.

Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions English

Opened: Jan. 23

Closes: March 2

Official synopsis: The comedy unfolds in an Iranian classroom where adult English learners practice for their proficiency exam. As they leapfrog through a linguistic playground, their wildly different dreams, frustrations, and secrets come to light. This production presented by Roundabout Theatre Company follows a successful premiere with off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre Company. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Written by Sanaz Toossi

Directed by Knud Adams

Starring Tala Ashe, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Pooya Mohseni, Marjan Neshat, and...

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” the upcoming Broadway play based on the hit Netflix sci-fi drama, has added 24 performers to its company.

Among the new cast members are Ta’Rea Campbell (“The Hills of California”) as Patty’s mom, Juan Carlos (making his Broadway debut) replacing previously announced star Nicholas Eldridge as Bob Newby, Robert T. Cunningham (Broadway debut) as Charles Sinclair, Ayana Cymone (Broadway debut) as Sue Anderson, Ian Dolley (“The Holdovers”) as Walter Henderson, Dora Dolphin (Broadway debut) as Karen Childress, Logan Gould (“The Corps”) as Lonny Byers, Shea Grant (Broadway debut) as Claudia Yount, Ted Koch (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) as Chief Hopper, Jamie Martin Mann (Broadway debut) as Ted Wheeler and Eric Wiegand (“Plaza Suite”) as Alan Munson.

Also joining the show are ensemble actors Janie Brookshire (“The Philanthropist”), Kelsey Anne Brown (Broadway debut), Malcolm Callender (Broadway debut), Antoinette Comer (“Mamma Mia!”), Tom D’Agustino (“Dear Edward”), Victor...

Updated, January 24: Complete casting has been announced for the Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. In addition to the principal cast, previously announced, the 34-member cast will include Janie Brookshire, Kelsey Anne Brown, Malcolm Callender, Ta’Rea Campbell, Juan Carlos as Bob Newby (replacing Nicholas Eldridge), Antoinette Comer, Robert T. Cunningham, Ayana Cymone, Tom D’Agustino, Victor de Paula Rocha, Ian Dolley, Dora Dolphin, Nya Garner, Logan Gould, Shea Grant, Rebecca Hurd, Ted Koch, Timothy Lawrence, Jamie Martin Mann, Patrick Scott McDermott, Stephen Wattrus, Maya West, Eric Wiegand and Graham Winton.

Previously, December 4, 2024: T.R. Knight, Alex Breaux and Gabrielle Nevaeh will be among those joining the previously announced Louis McCartney in Broadway’s upcoming production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) will play Victor Creel, Breaux will be Patty Newby.

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End last December. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and in 2025, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. A couple of months ago, we learned that the actor who will be playing the character of Henry Creel in the Broadway production is the same actor who has been playing him in London’s West End, Louis McCartney. Now, Variety has revealed the names of his fellow cast members.

T.R. Knight of Grey’s Anatomy is playing Henry’s father Victor Creel,...

Tr Knight is headed back to Broadway in the upcoming production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow!

The 51-year-old actor was just announced to be playing Victor Creel in the Broadway transfer of the stage show based on the hit Netflix series, according to THR.

Tr was last on Broadway nearly 10 years ago in It’s Only a Play.

Keep reading to find out more…

He will be joined by just announced co-stars Rosie Benton as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson as Principal Newby, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green as Patty Newby, Alison Jaye as Joyce Maldonado and Burke Swanson as James Hopper Jr.

It was previously announced that Louis McCartney will reprise the role of Henry Creel, which he originated on the West End in London.

Here’s a synopsis: Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start,...

Try not to get whiplash from flipping into the Upside Down with the newly announced cast of Broadway’s Stranger Things: The First Shadow. We first learned back in August that the hit production, now running in London’s West End, will make its journey to the Great White Way in 2025, and now we have a better idea of how the cast is shaping up. Thanks to a social media post, viewers are invited to get up-close-and-personal with the new cast as they introduce themselves and reveal what parts they’ll be playing. Included in the main ensemble is a lineup that includes Emmy Award-nominee Gabrielle Nevaeh (That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby, Stranger Things Season 5 star Alex Breaux (Joe Pickett) as Dr. Brenner, Emmy Award-nominee T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as Victor Creel, Nicky Eldridge as Bob Newby, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, Burke Swanson (Back to the...

Grey’s Anatomy’s T.R. Knight will appear in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway this spring.

Knight will play the character of Victor Creel alongside cast members Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (who is set to appear in Stranger Things Season 5 on Netflix) as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr.

They joined previously announced Louis McCartney, who will reprise his role as Henry Creel on Broadway, after originating the part in the West End. Additional casting will be announced in January.

The production begins performances at the Marquis Theatre March 28, 2025, ahead of an April 22 opening night.

The play is set up as a prequel to the events in...

Broadway will be turned Upside Down this spring — and it’s bringing some familiar faces along for the ride.

Netflix announced on Wednesday that Emmy-nominated Grey’s Anatomy alum T.R. Knight will play Victor Creel in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which will open at the Marquis Theatre in Manhattan on April 22, 2025 (with preview performances beginning Friday, March 28, 2025).

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Robert Englund...

Call Jane Review — Call Jane (2022) Film Review from the 44th Annual Sundance Film Festival, a movie directed by Phyllis Nagy and starring Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Messina, Kate Mara, Wunmi Mosaku, Cory Michael Smith, Grace Edwards, Evangeline Young, Kristina Harrison, Rebecca Henderson, Aida Turturro, Alison Jaye, Bianca D’Ambrosio, Geoffrey Cantor, Brett [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Call Jane: Elizabeth Banks Stars in a Heavy Abortion Drama That Feels Lighter Than It Should [Sundance 2022]...

A suburban housewife falls in with a group of activists in Call Jane, a Sundance Film Festival premiere directed by Phyllis Nagy, the writer of Carol. Elizabeth Banks is a likeable lead in this story inspired by the network of women who arranged safer illegal abortions in 1960s and ’70s Chicago. Written by Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi, it strikes an upbeat, non-judgmental note while exploring the gender and body politics of the time.

Banks plays Joy, a smart, pregnant mother who helps her lawyer husband Will (Chris Messina) with his work, while assuming the duties of a traditional homemaker. After Joy collapses, the doctor discovers a medical condition that could be life-threatening if her pregnancy continues — but their petition for a “therapeutic termination” is denied by the all-male board. Desperate, Joy sees a flyer saying, “Pregnant? Anxious?… Call Jane.” She’s gradually drawn into the underground “Jane” collective lead...

Fans of the Room 104 TV show can get ready to check into this HBO series 12 more times. The Friday night anthology series will return for its fourth and final season on Friday, July 24th, at 11:00 Pm. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, Room 104 will have a dozen episodes in its last season.

Actors appearing in the final season of the anthology series include (in appearance order) Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley, Shannon Purser, Kendra Carelli, Benjamin Papac, Alison Jaye, Tim Granaderos, Oliva Crocicchia, Harvey Guillen, Gary Cole, Linda Lavin, Jennifer Kim, Kevin McKidd, Desean Terry, Suzanne Nichols, Leonardo Nam, Lily Gladstone, Jordyn Lucas, Natasha Perez, Jake Green, Ntare Mwine, Rebecca Hazlewood,...

It’s almost time for one last check-in to “Room 104.” Mark and Jay Duplass’ ethereal HBO anthology series will premiere its fourth and final season on July 24 and IndieWire is exclusively premiering the season’s first trailer.

The half-hour episodes, which hail from the “Togetherness” creators and centers on various travelers who pass through a room in a typical American chain motel, have been compared to “The Twilight Zone” for their deft blend of surreality, horror, and surprises. The series’ new trailer promises to explore a dizzying range of genres and characters for the series’ send-off and even teases a glimpse at the season’s original songs, one of which will be performed by Duplass.

Per HBO, Season 4 will also include the series’ first-ever animated episode, and the premiere entry will mark the first time that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs, and performs original music for the series. Stories...

Almost one month after the June 24th premiere of the new season of The Twilight Zone on CBS All Access, another mind-bending anthology series, Room 104, will return for its fourth and final season on HBO:

Press Release: Room 104 returns for its fourth and final season Friday, July 24 at 11:00 p.m. Et/Pt, exclusively on HBO. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s “Animals.” and “Togetherness”), the late-night, half-hour anthology series returns with 12 new episodes, each telling a unique and unexpected tale of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the setting stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment.

The series will also be available on HBO Now, HBO Go, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.

Exploring a variety of genres,...

The HBO anthology series “Room 104” will conclude after its upcoming fourth season.

The premium cabler revealed the new season would be the last in announcing the season premiere date Monday. The 12-episode fourth and final season of “Room 104” will bow on HBO on July 24 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt.

Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, the half-hour series tells the stories of an assortment of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain hotel. Season 4 will feature the series’ first ever animated episode, with the premiere episode marking the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.

The season four cast includes (in order of appearance): Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley,...

Mark and Jay Duplass’ horror anthology “Room 104” will end after its upcoming fourth season on HBO.

The show returns on July 24.

The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music. Stories and characters featured in season four include: an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse; transporting back in time; and more.

Room 104, the HBO anthology series created by Mark and Jay Duplass, is ending after its upcoming fourth season.

The late-night show, which features half-hour episodes of a variety of spooky happenings in a motel room, returns on July 24 at 11pm. The show was filmed last year, meaning that it was not hit by the Covid-19 production shutdown.

The series, which tells the stories of a cast of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel, features a variety of standalone episodes, from dark comedy to sci-fi as well as its first ever animated episode.

The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.

Other stories include an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse and transporting back in time.

The season four cast includes Hari Nef,...