amBroadway | ‘Les Miz’ to storm Radio City in arena spectacular form, Michael Cerveris to play Scrooge and more

For a musical that has already played Broadway three times, “Les Miz” keeps finding new ways to reinvent itself. “Les Misérables: The Arena Concert Spectacular,” a globe-trotting, amped-up concert staging of the musical, will make its North American premiere at Radio City Music Hall next summer, running July 23 through August 2, 2026. According to producer Cameron Mackintosh, the cast will include “an incredible array of ‘Les Miz’ alumni.”

The production first opened in Belfast in 2024 before touring internationally, promises to be a larger-than-life hybrid of concert and theater, designed for massive venues rather than traditional theaters. It combines a full symphonic orchestra, a cast of several dozen, and enormous LED projections that turn Victor Hugo’s revolution into a full-blown sensory spectacle.

The show evolved from “Les Misérables: The Staged Concert,” a semi-staged London version that became a pandemic-era hit and was later filmed for cinema release.

New York audiences have not seen the show since a 2014 Broadway revival. The original 1987 Broadway production ran for over 6,600 performances, followed by a short-lived Broadway revival in 2006. Nearly a decade later, the barricades are set to rise again—this time on a scale even Jean Valjean might find overwhelming.

Cosette (Beatrice Penny-Touré)Photo: Danny Kaan

Michael Cerveris to Star as Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’

Ebenezer Scrooge is about to get a serious Broadway upgrade. Two-time Tony winner Michael Cerveris—whose wide body of work includes “Fun Home,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “Tommy”—will headline “A Christmas Carol” at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC), the new Lower Manhattan venue where “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” premiered last year.

The Old Vic’s acclaimed, Tony-winning adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic—by “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” playwright Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus—will play a limited holiday run beginning November 23.

This immersive, music-filled take on Dickens’ classic premiered at London’s Old Vic in 2017 and has since become a holiday staple, returning annually and earning five Tony Awards for its 2019 Broadway run. The candlelit staging surrounds audiences with carolers, bells, and festive treats as Scrooge is guided toward redemption on Christmas Eve.

Betsy Wolfe to Replace Megan Hilty in ‘Death Becomes Her’

Betsy Wolfe will soon be Broadway’s newest eternal diva. The “& Juliet” and “Waitress” star is set to take over the role of Madeline Ashton in “Death Becomes Her” beginning January 16, following Megan Hilty’s final performance on January 4.

Hilty, who originated the role, earned a Tony nomination for her performance as the self-absorbed starlet who refuses to age gracefully. Her run, however, was interrupted by a vocal injury that caused her to step away from the show for several weeks over the summer before returning on a reduced schedule.

Based on the 1992 dark comedy film starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, “Death Becomes Her” is a lavish, unapologetically over-the-top musical comedy that has divided critics but drawn strong crowds. The show continues to be one of Broadway’s top-grossing hits, buoyed by its campy spectacle, high-gloss design, and gleefully morbid sense of humor. The cast also includes Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber, and Michelle Williams.