Theater Update: TikTok is the new home for musical theater fans
‘Moulin Rouge!’ is closing; ‘Galileo’ is Broadway bound
Theater Update
February 11, 2026

Dear Theater Fans,

The great thing about having a small child at home is that you can flash a jazz hand or do a little shimmy and that little one will usually think it’s magical. But then there are those people — much braver than I am — who are posting precise renditions of whole theatrical scenes for all to see.

In a delightful multimedia feature, Jesse Green introduces us to some of the theater fans “making TikTok a theater of their own” by sharing their re-creations of original numbers — “step for step, smile by smile, in bursts of 30 seconds or so.” See for yourself as Chris Ramos delivers a rendition of the “New Money” number from “The Great Gatsby” from home, the tap twins Michael and Matthew Gardiner dance en plein air to “Splish Splash” from “Just in Time” and many more.

Also this week: Douglas Corzine went on what turned out to be a rather blustery stroll with Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts, the stars of “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York); Helen Shaw reviewed an illuminating “King Lear,” rich with twilight revelation; Elisabeth Vincentelli reviewed the charming Encores! production of “High Spirits”; and Michael Paulson reported that “Moulin Rouge!” will close this summer and that Raúl Esparza will make his return to Broadway in December in a new musical about “Galileo.”

Please reach out to me at theaterfeedback@nytimes.com with suggestions for articles or to offer your thoughts about our coverage. And urge your friends to subscribe to this newsletter.

Have a wonderful week,
Nicole Herrington
Theater Editor

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Kevin Berne

What Rhymes With Heretic? A Galileo Musical Is Broadway Bound.

The musical, called “Galileo,” will star Raúl Esparza, and is scheduled to open in December at the Shubert Theater.

By Michael Paulson

Pitts and Tutti walk in the rain, near a sign that reads 5 Columbus Circle.

Marissa Alper for The New York Times

They Carry a Cake Onstage, and Share Dumplings Off

Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty, the stars of the new musical “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” meet for a stroll one blustery afternoon.

By Douglas Corzine and Marissa Alper

Wallace Shawn, wearing a black top, sits at a table in a restaurant with a glass of juice and a red place mat in front of him.

Sean Donnola

Is Wallace Shawn the Only Avant-Garde Artist Who Gets Stopped in Times Square?

He’s most commonly recognized for his screen roles as a plotting hit man and an unlikely Lothario, but it’s his work as a playwright that shows more of his true self.

By Susan Dominus

Dancers in brightly colored dresses lean forward as they dance in a line in front of a heart backdrop.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

‘Moulin Rouge!’ Musical Will End Its Broadway Run This Summer

The final New York performance will be July 26, seven years after it opened; international and touring productions continue.

By Michael Paulson

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Gilles Sabrié for The New York Times

Rethinking Shakespeare in Shanghai

A recent production of “Othello” proves that small creative flowers can grow between the dreary slabs of cultural concrete laid by the Communist Party.

By Andrew Higgins and Gilles Sabrié

THEATER REVIEWS

A woman in a blue suit and a man in plaid jacket sing behind music stands.

Joan Marcus

‘High Spirits’ Review: A Ghostly Delight From Encores!

A revival of a 1964 musical, which puts a supernatural spin on a Noël Coward play, features a starry cast: Andrea Martin, Phillipa Soo, Steven Pasquale and Katrina Lenk.

By Elisabeth Vincentelli

In a production image, a woman stands with her hands on her head screaming, while a man, also screaming, kneels with his arms outstretched.

Shin Kurokawa

Critic’s Pick

A Stunning ‘King Lear’ That Reveals, Finally, a King in Full

Ten actors wear the crowns in Karin Coonrod’s production, which is rich with twilight revelation, at La MaMa in Manhattan.

By Helen Shaw

Two people dance together on a stage where other actors are standing or sitting on either side.

Manuel Harlan

theater Review

Tom Stoppard Is Gone. In ‘Arcadia,’ His Wit Still Sparkles.

A new London production of the playwright’s masterpiece has extra poignancy just months after his death.

By Houman Barekat

THEATER GUIDES

In a production image, a man in a raincoat and fedora drives a car while his passenger, a woman, holds a baby.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Broadway Shows to See This Winter: ‘Ragtime’ and More

A guide to every show on Broadway, including Tony-winning musicals, new dramas, quirky hits and veterans like “Hamilton.”

By Laura Collins-Hughes

In a production image, a man and a woman are entangled in an embrace while sitting on the floor.

Emilio Madrid

18 Off Broadway Shows (and Some Puppets) to Defrost Your February

Sean Hayes performs a new solo thriller, Alia Shawkat leads a play revival and Ethan Slater stars as Marcel Marceau in a world premiere.

By Laura Collins-Hughes