Shubert Theatre Unveils 2026-2027 Broadway Season in New Haven

The Shubert Theatre announced its 2026-2027 Broadway Series Tuesday at a proper event on College Street in New Haven, and whoever planned the evening understood one thing clearly: nobody buys a season subscription because of a slide deck.

Guests filled the historic hall for free charcuterie, open drinks, and live performances. By the midpoint of the night, the room wasn’t sitting anymore.

Standout Moment

The first performer came out without a word of introduction. No name, no bio, nothing. He walked to the mic and started singing.

What followed was one of those moments that makes a room go quiet without anyone deciding to.

He performed “What Would I Do If I Could Feel?,” the Tin Man’s number from The Wiz, and his voice reached every corner of the Shubert’s ornate hall without apparent effort. People leaned over to their neighbors trying to place him. Nobody could. That didn’t stop several audience members from developing what one attendee described, charitably, as a small crush on a man they couldn’t identify.

He wasn’t in costume. Didn’t need to be. The lyrics carry their own weight: I could cry/I could smile/I might like that for a while. His name, dropped later in the evening, is Phillip Johnson Richardson. He’ll play the Tin Man when The Wiz runs at the Shubert from October 1 through October 4, 2026. Four nights. If that song is any indication of what Richardson brings to the full production, don’t wait on tickets.

The Season

After Richardson left the crowd buzzing, Shubert executive director Anthony McDonald came out to walk through the lineup, a screen cycling through show clips behind him.

Here’s what’s coming:

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical runs November 18 through 22, 2026. Beetlejuice follows February 26 through 28, 2027. The Book of Mormon arrives April 30 through May 2, 2027. Heathers The Musical closes the Broadway run June 1 through 6, 2027.

The Grinch didn’t just show up on the promotional screen. He showed up in person, full green regalia, and delivered a short bit that was intentionally terrible and genuinely funny. “That was a huge inconvenience for me. And you’re welcome,” he told the crowd, then walked off.

That’s the right tone for a Grinch who knows what he’s doing.

Heathers Gets a Standing Ovation

The second showstopper of the night was Sara Al-Bazali performing “I Say No” from Heathers The Musical. Her delivery was commanding enough that a significant portion of the audience stood up in the middle of a marketing presentation. That’s worth noting. People don’t stand at previews unless something cuts through.

Heathers runs June 1 through 6, 2027. The show follows the brutal social politics of high school life, familiar to anyone who grew up with the 1988 film or caught the 2018 TV adaptation. Al-Bazali’s performance Tuesday suggested the stage version has teeth.

By the Numbers

The full Broadway Series spans eight months. The Wiz runs October 1 through 4, a four-night engagement. The Grinch gets the longest run at five nights, November 18 through 22. Beetlejuice and The Book of Mormon each get three-night runs. Heathers closes things out with six nights in June 2027.

The New Haven Independent’s coverage of an earlier April 8 Shubert preview event gave readers a first look at what the theater was building toward. Tuesday’s announcement filled in the full picture.

For a complete look at the 2026-2027 season, visit the Shubert’s website. Or go back and listen to whatever Phillip Johnson Richardson does with that Tin Man number one more time. It doesn’t get old.