Playtime 11
March 23-29, 2026
This is PLAYTIME, a weekly email of theater shows in New York City, put together by me (Nora) and consisting of what I’m paying attention to and excited about.
This week, I went to see The Fever, written and performed by Wallace Shawn at the Greenwich House Theater. It is a one-man show examining class privilege, the elite who travel to far-off lands to experience culture at the expense of the locals, and serves as a scathing critique of global capitalism. Shawn plays an affluent man recounting various scenes from his “comfortable” life, whilst violently sick in a hotel room in a “poor country”.
Though it was written in 1991, it is, of course, still depressingly relevant today. I highly recommend seeing it; Wallace Shawn’s writing is a delight to the senses, and his performance is as charming as ever. He’ll always be Mr. Hall to me (Clueless, duh), but I am so pleased with his current reign in the off-Broadway world.
I also saw The Reservoir at Atlantic Theatre Company, about a kid who returns home and tries to get sober, and attempts to help his ageing grandparents in the process. I’m not partial to in-depth stories about people getting sober; it’s just not my cup of tea. Much of the crowd was laughing along, but the jokes weren’t hitting for me. Take it with a grain of salt.
Instead, you could see BODYCOUNT written and performed by Issy Knowles at Soho Playhouse through March 29. I’ve recommended it before on Playtime, but it deserves another shout. I also have tickets to see Calf Scramble at 59E59 Theaters, which I’m very excited about. A friend saw it recently and said it was one of the more inventive productions she has seen lately. I’ll report back.
Week of March 23, 2026
59E59 Theaters Calf Scramble (through April 12)
Barbaralee Theater at The Public Antigone (This Play I Read in High School) (through March 29)
The Brick Brave Prince (March 26 - 29)
Cherry Lane Theatre You Got Older (through April 12)
Culture Lab LIC Liberty Scrap (through March 29)
Greenwich House Theater What We Did Before Our Moth Days (through May 10)
Greenwich House Theater Wallace Shawn performs “The Fever” (Sunday and Monday nights through April 20)
Irish Repertory Theatre Ulster American (through May 10)
Joe’s Pub Jane Wickline & Liva Pierce: Dukes (Sat, Mar 28th at 9:30PM)
Lincoln Center Theater Night Side Songs (through March 29)
Minetta Lane Theatre Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (through April 30)
New York Theatre Workshop My Joy Is Heavy (through April 5)
Playwrights Horizons (The Peter Day Sharp Theater) No Singing in the Navy (through April 19)
The Shed The Other Place (through April 4)
Soho Playhouse The Amazing Sex Lives of Rabbits (through March 28)
Soho Playhouse BODYCOUNT (through March 29)
The Public Theatre/Shiva Theatre JESA (through April 12)
Vineyard Theatre BUGHOUSE (through April 5)
A bit about the listings:
The events are listed in alphabetical order of theatres. When a show is listed as “through” a certain date, the show has already opened.
For festivals, I’ve only highlighted certain shows and there’s usually a lot more happening. Check the full lineups on their websites.
I’ve done my best to get everything right, but details can change. Always double-check the official event page for the latest times, dates, and any updates.
If you’d like to submit a show to be added to Playtime email playtime@substack.com
Read my personal thoughts and god knows what else on my other Substack here.