Playtime 19
May 17-24, 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.
Here are my picks for this week:
Free Shakespeare in the Park returns to the Delacorte on May 22 with Romeo and Juliet: the lovers speak in Spanish to each other while the rest of the play stays in English. Couldn’t imagine something more romantic for the star-crossed lovers to do.
The Maids just opened at St. Ann’s Warehouse and at CSC, Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium opens tomorrow. It is a production of Wilder’s unfinished final play, completed by Kirk Lynn and directed by Rob Melrose.
Can I Be Frank? returns to Soho Playhouse for another run with Morgan Bassichis performing and channeling the late comedian Frank Maya. I saw this last year and was entranced by the balance of Bassichis’ impeccable comic timing and the beauty and melancholy of Maya’s life story. It’s directed by Sam Pinkleton of Oh, Mary! fame.
Week of May 18, 2026
59E59 Theaters / Theater A Cable Street (through May 24)
6th Floor Theater Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody (in previews, opens May 26)
Atlantic Theater Company / Linda Gross Theater Indian Princesses (opens May 19, through June 7)
Classic Stage Company / Lynn F. Angelson Theater Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium (opens May 18, through June 7)
Lucille Lortel Theatre KENREX (through June 27)
Minetta Lane Theatre New Born (through June 8)
Minetta Lane Theatre What Happened Was… (through June 14)
Playwrights Horizons / Judith O. Rubin Theater Jerome (in previews, opens June 2)
Second Stage / Irene Diamond Stage The Receptionist (through May 31)
Signature Theatre / Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre SMALL (first preview May 20, opens May 28)
Signature Theatre / Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre Animal Wisdom (opens May 18, through June 14)
SoHo Playhouse Can I Be Frank? (first preview May 21, through June 27)
St. Ann’s Warehouse The Maids (through June 14)
Studio Seaview Well, I’ll Let You Go (through June 20)
The Public Theater / Delacorte Theater Romeo and Juliet (first preview May 22, through June 28)
The Public Theater / Martinson Hall Girl, Interrupted (in previews, opens June 4)
The Tank A Cat in A Box (through May 21)
The Tank Mikey! (through May 31)
The Tank Phases of You (May 20 – 24)
Vineyard Theatre Girls Chance Music (in previews, opens May 28)
West End Theatre Othello (through May 31)
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 venues with rotating programming, 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