Theater Update: Daniel Radcliffe reflects on ‘Every Brilliant Thing’

February 18, 2026

Dear Theater Fans,

This week we’ve been previewing some of the people, plays and musicals coming to stages in New York and beyond this spring.

Michael Paulson spent time with Daniel Radcliffe as he was preparing to star in “Every Brilliant Thing,” an interactive monologue, which, he told Michael, has a message of hope “that might be vital for somebody to hear.” And Elisabeth Vincentelli strolled down memory lane with André De Shields and Junior LaBeija, who are starring in the Broadway transfer of “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” LaBeija, who is making his Broadway debut alongside the Tony-winning De Shields, said he had never wanted to be an entertainer, even though he was drawn to drama at an early age. “Look where the universe sent me,” he told Elisabeth.

Helen Shaw shared her thoughts about the season, which has a much more downtown vibe than those of the more recent past. She wondered: “Is this the influence of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!,’ which received two Tonys last year? Possibly. Success begets success.” Laura Collins-Hughes has delivered a roundup of the intriguing works that are percolating in New York and across the country, including “Brokeback Mountain” in Chicago; “The Lunchbox” in Berkeley, Calif.; “Black Swan” in Boston; and, on Broadway, “The Fear of 13,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “The Lost Boys.”

And there’s still more to come, so be sure to check out our coverage at nytimes.com/theater and be on the lookout for next week’s newsletter!

A few more things: In addition to reviews of “The Unknown,” “The Other Place” and “The Tragedy of Coriolanus,” Helen wrote an insightful piece on the work of the Swiss director Milo Rau, whose company has been examining episodes of historical violence. Making its New York debut at St. Ann’s Warehouse is Rau’s “Hate Radio,” a chilling re-creation of a 1994 radio broadcast that directed attacks against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority during the 100-day genocide.

For this month’s streaming guide, Rachel Sherman’s picks include Rosamund Pike in “Inter Alia,” Irish Rep’s “The Honey Trap,” and much more. And if you’re looking to do a deep dive into Broadway offerings this spring, “The Lost Boys” has been releasing plenty of videos on its YouTube channel.

Have a wonderful week,
Nicole Herrington
Theater Editor

SPRING PREVIEW

Radcliffe is shown in close up with a pensive expression.

Daniel Radcliffe Wanted a Break From Broadway. Then He Read This Play.

The Tony winner returns to the stage in “Every Brilliant Thing,” an interactive monologue with a message of hope “that might be vital for somebody to hear.”

By Michael Paulson and Lucia Bell-Epstein

Marcus Maddox for The New York Times

Two Icons of New York, Ready for Broadway’s ‘Jellicle Ball’

Fifty years ago, Junior LaBeija couldn’t afford to see André De Shields in “The Wiz.” Now, they’re starring together in a reimagining of “Cats.”

By Elisabeth Vincentelli and Marcus Maddox

An illustration shows a range of characters from the stage and screen, including, clockwise from top: Dr. Frank-N-Furter from “The Rocky Horror Show,” the backpacking couple from “Schmigadoon!,” André De Shields as Old Deuteronomy from “Cats,” a disco ball and dancers on a stage, and a woman singing from the bow of the Titanic.

Antoine Maillard

A Downtown Vibe Comes to Broadway This Spring

Without the usual flood of new musicals, the playwrights of works like “Becky Shaw,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Giant” are getting a chance to shine.

By Helen Shaw

A production image shows a colorful mix of yellow and purple lights shining on performers who are dancing on a runway set.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

spring preview

What to See in New York This Spring

Onstage, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and Adrien Brody in “The Fear of 13.” Plus: Cardi B goes on tour, Lise Davidsen takes on Isolde at the Met, 100 years of Martha Graham and more.

In a production images, two actors sit up in bed looking in the distance. One of the actors appears to have white makeup on her face, and the other has his arms wrapped around her. They are both wearing white sleeping gowns and are in a bed with white sheets.

Kyle Flubacker

‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ‘Hamnet’ and 14 More Shows to See This Spring

Across the country, a flurry of theater productions, including “Black Swan” and “The Lunchbox,” are mining the movies for material.

By Laura Collins-Hughes

NEWS AND FEATURES

A man leans onto seats in a theater as he poses for a portrait.

Aliona Kardash for The New York Times

Critic’s Notebook

‘Hate Radio’ and Other Transmissions From the Theater of the Real

Milo Rau’s examination of the infamous broadcast that preceded the Rwandan genocide is onstage now. Two other works, including “The Pelicot Trial,” arrive in March.

By Helen Shaw

A man in a suit sits in a chair onstage as mounds of bath bubbles threaten to engulf him.

Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times

‘Kramer/Fauci’ Revisits a Sparring Match During the AIDS Crisis

At the heart of Daniel Fish’s verbatim staging of a C-SPAN segment is a complex relationship, between Larry Kramer and Anthony Fauci, that “goes from ‘I hate you’ to ‘I love you’ and back.”

By Juan A. Ramírez

THEATER REVIEWS

In a production image, Mickey Sumner and McKinley Belcher III are entwined, staring at each other intensely while in a seated position. Mickey is wearing a jean jumper and has a knife holstered on her hip, and McKinley is wearing a gray hat and a gray shirt.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Review: ‘The Tragedy of Coriolanus’ Swerves Off Course

Theater for a New Audience’s reimagining of the Shakespearean tragedy misses an opportunity to engage the play’s many echoes with our own tense era.

By Helen Shaw

Four people in casual modern dress gather around a kitchen table onstage.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

‘The Other Place’ Review: A Psychosexual Update for a Sophocles Tragedy

In Alexander Zeldin’s naturalistic adaptation of “Antigone,” Tobias Menzies and Emma D’Arcy star as a feuding uncle and niece.

By Helen Shaw

A woman in a red bandanna and black shirt stares at a man in a gray shirt in front of a dirty set of windows.

T. Charles Erickson

Critic’s Pick

‘The Monsters’ Review: A Redemptive Sibling Rivalry

Ngozi Anyanwu’s searing two-hander follows a brother and sister who train in boxing, side by side.

By Brittani Samuel

A man in gray shirt and blue sweatshirt stands on a blackened stage.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

‘The Unknown’ Review: Sean Hayes Turns One Man Into a Mystery

The chameleonic actor takes on several characters in David Cale’s solo play about a writer in pursuit of his stalker. Or is it all in his mind?

By Helen Shaw

LONDON THEATER

A person in a long coat performs on a stage in front of a large blue projection of three faces.

Daniel Boud

Theater Review

In Cynthia Erivo’s ‘Dracula,’ There’s Mirth Amid the Horror

The “Wicked” actress plays 23 roles in a one-woman show on London’s West End.

By Houman Barekat

STREAMING GUIDE

A woman in a judge’s wig and robe lunges while holding a microphone on a stage where two musicians are playing.

Manuel Harlan

Rosamund Pike in ‘Inter Alia’ and More Theater to Stream

Other picks include Leo McGann’s thriller “The Honey Trap” for Irish Rep; Anne Gridley’s “Watch Me Walk”; and a Jodi Picoult stage adaptation.

By Rachel Sherman

OBITUARY

via National Theater of the Deaf

David Hays, 95, Dies; Top Broadway Designer and Theater of Deaf Founder

He created sets and lighting for dozens of productions, including “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” and established a new art form with his theater of the deaf, combining sign and spoken language.

By Howard Fishman