Theatr Insiders | AI, Trees, and Marlon Brando
Including recs from Theatr Insiders and closing shows; seeking UX researcher; fill out a short survey to help us improve Theatr
👋 Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the Theatr App newsletter! Today, we’re sharing reflections from our Theatr Insiders on new On and Off-Broadway shows, including The Antiquities, Redwood, Kowalski, Liberation, and more. Our newsletter is delivered every other Monday to share with you the latest shows that you should know. Find this helpful? Forward to a friend!
📝 Recommendations from Theatr Insiders
The Theatr Insiders are a young and diverse cohort of the most knowledgeable and avid theatergoers in NYC. Trying to figure out what to get a ticket for? Follow along as they uncover and review the best live performance that the city has to offer.
Liberation
📍Laura Pels Theatre
👍 Recommended by Matthew
@NotesofNassida | Music Director, Theatre Maker & Performer based in NYC
The amazing complexity of this play cuts right to the heart of you as an audience member. It brings you fully into the conversation that it’s having and poses multiple layers of brilliant difficulty that we live with as humans but specifically stands so well for women of all kinds. I was deeply moved by how kindly it treats you, as a participant almost, while it takes you through a very gripping struggle of time periods and change. I’m so glad I saw it and if you can, please take the chance to experience this play and really listen. It speaks so eloquently and so loudly that it’s almost deafening which is exactly why it feels so necessary right now. Read more
The Antiquities
📍Playwrights Horizons
👍 Recommended by Andie
@ampersand_ie | A New York-based multidisciplinary theatre artist and graduate of Marymount Manhattan College’s BFA Acting and Directing programs
At face value The Antiquities seems like a play about AI, when in fact it is a play about Humans. While many stories that interact with this theme focus on HUMANITY and whether that can be found within technological inventions, this play skirted that topic and really focused on humans, including form. The play opens with an introduction to the piece by two AI’s in which we as the audience are instructed to imagine we are humans, with bodies that get tired and sore etc. I found the focus on the body as opposed to solely the mind to be an interesting topic that appeared in many unique ways throughout the production. In addition, this introduction was super intriguing because it placed us as AI as well. This imbued a level of voyeurism and intrigue that might not have been apparent if we watched it simply as ourselves, humans in New York City in 2025. Read more
Redwood
📍Nederlander Theatre
👍 Recommended by Wei
@broadwei | Content Creator. New to the city. New broadway fan
It’s nice to be reminded of the good things we still have in this world, reasons to keep on living despite the bad things that have happened to us, and Redwood successfully delivers that message. It’s a beautiful musical that explores how one processes grief and loss. Idina Menzel was phenomenal, performing the role with so much heart that I was deeply moved by her acting and especially her singing. It was magical to see her perform live! What I love about this show is its meaningful message, which not only celebrates resilience but also reminds us to appreciate the beauty of nature. Read more
Kowalski
📍The Duke on 42nd Street
👍 Recommended by Sandy
@SandyG | Theater artist, educator, lover, human.
A play! An honest to goodness NEW play. Robin Lord Taylor as Tennessee Williams is truly confronting and enchanting. Brandon Flynn dropped into young Marlon Brando, no caricature necessary. Just true embodiment. The supporting cast were all very endearing. I’ve loved Colin since submissions only. Thrilled to see him in the directors seat. Gregg Ostrin’s writing is strong- I love a little more than a snarky gay hypothetical loosely adapted from truth with a balance of comedy and drama! Read more
Hugh Jackman: From New York, With Love
📍Radio City Music Hall
👍 Recommended by Wei
@broadwei | Content Creator. New to the city. New broadway fan
What made this concert great was how interactive and funny Hugh Jackman was. He engaged with the audience and delivered hilarious punchlines, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I also liked that he always showed gratitude to everyone performing on stage. As a fan of Hugh Jackman’s movies, it was nice to listen to him talk about his career and the people who helped him get to where he is now. His performances may not have been flawless, but it was such a joy to see him having fun on stage. What a performer! Read more
Producing a show in NYC in 2025?
Here’s how you can invite Theatr Insiders to cover your show:
If you’re interested in inviting a group of Insiders to attend your show, please email partnership@theatr-app.com how many tickets you would like to offer and for which performances.
We will then hand-select Insiders based on their preferences and invite them to sign up for one of the available days. A live sign up sheet will be shared with your team so you can have direct access to the Insider names.
💨 Closing in Two Weeks
Hans Zimmer Live | Barclays Center | Closing on 2/6
Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent | Lucille Lortel Theatre | Closing on 2/8
Radio Downtown: Radical ‘70s Artists Live on Air | 59E59 Theaters | Closing on 2/9
Dead as a Dodo | The Baruch Performing Arts Center | Closing 2/9
Pecking Order | 59E59 Theaters | Closing on 2/15
Tanz | NYU Skirball | Closing on 2/15
A Knock on the Roof | New York Theatre Workshop | Closing on 2/16
Dear Jack, Dear Louise | 59E59 Theaters | Closing on 2/16
Urinetown | New York City Center | Closing on 2/16
Eureka Day | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | Closing on 2/16
All In: Comedy About Love | Hudson Theatre | Closing on 2/16
🌟 Listing Highlight
Special shoutout to the seller Angela whose buyer could no longer attend so they both decided to give away the two Wicked tickets to the community for $1 each, with the intention that they go to someone who could use the lift from accessible theatre.
🕵️♀️ We are hiring a UX Researcher!
This candidate will help us conduct user interviews and usability tests, analyze qualitative and quantitative data, and propose effective design improvements. We are looking for individuals who are deeply empathetic, curious, analytical, passionate about theater/performing arts and interested in redefining the theatergoing experience in New York, across the US, and globally. Past experience growing a two-sided marketplace is a plus.
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