Theatre is having a commercial moment, and this page follows it on both sides of the Atlantic. In London, West End attendance tops 17.6 million — outselling Broadway — as a packed summer of openings arrives, headlined by Sam Ryder's debut in a starry Jesus Christ Superstar revival at the Palladium, and Sandra Oh brings star power to the National Theatre with her Misanthrope run. On Broadway, Schmigadoon! is crowned Best Musical at a P!nk-hosted Tony Awards, and Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis announce a Warriors musical for 2027.
The celebrated creative duo are extending the life of their stage adaptation, adding another high-profile title to a theatre market hungry for recognisable stories.
Rowan Atkinson will return to the West End with Mr Bean, Blackadder and other characters in Rowan Live. The 30-performance run will also feature newly written material.
Michael Ball will play Willy Wonka at the London Coliseum in 2027, with a new Pure Imagination music video released alongside the announcement.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will return as a single three-hour West End show after rising costs ended its original two-part format.
Sandra Oh is leading a National Theatre production of The Misanthrope in London from 16 June to 1 August 2026, a sharp reimagining of Moliere's social satire that anchors a high-profile season.
From Sam Ryder taking on Jesus at the Palladium to Stephen Mangan in The Truth and a free weekend of musicals in Trafalgar Square, London theatre is heading into a blockbuster summer.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera returns to the West End for a limited summer run, with a rotating cast of celebrity Herods and a Drury Lane transfer already booked.
The stage version of the Apple TV comedy took the top prize, while a revival of Death of a Salesman led the night with six wins and Pink made her hosting debut.
Death of a Salesman set a record with six wins and Ragtime took Best Revival, but it was the stage adaptation of the cult comedy that claimed Broadway's top musical prize.
Society of London Theatre data shows record footfall in 2025 even as average ticket prices held steady, with theatre outperforming football and cinema for audience growth.