Broadway | ‘The People’s Filibuster’ turns the Public Theater into a civic stage; ‘Man of La Mancha’ at Lincoln Center, and more

The Public Theater hosted “The People’s Filibuster,” an eight-hour public event on Jan. 31 responding to recent immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota and situating them within a broader program of readings and performances focused on democratic process and civic responsibility.

Held outdoors in front of The Public’s Astor Place home, the event featured nearly 200 participants. Artists, Broadway actors, elected officials, and community members rotated continuously at the microphone, reading from founding-era American texts alongside contemporary writing and performing music. Structured as an open, pass-through gathering, the event allowed pedestrians to stop briefly or remain for longer stretches, with the audience shifting throughout the day as speakers changed.

Participants from the theater community included Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cynthia Nixon, Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christine Baranski, Ariana DeBose, John Leguizamo, Laura Benanti, Annaleigh Ashford, and dozens of others. Public officials also participated throughout the day, including state Attorney General Letitia James, Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Adriano Espaillat, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, and City Council Speaker Julie Menin.

Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks at “The People’s Filibuster” at the Public Theater on Jan. 31.Photo by HanJie Chow/Public Theater

Lincoln Center to present ‘Man of La Mancha’ for one night only

Lincoln Center Theater will present a one-night-only staged concert performance of “Man of La Mancha” at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on May 18 as its annual spring gala. The performance will star opera tenor Rolando Villazón as Cervantes/Don Quixote and will be directed by Bartlett Sher, who previously helmed the company’s Broadway revivals of “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” and “My Fair Lady.”

The gala performance is likely to prompt speculation about whether it could serve as an early step toward a full Broadway revival at Lincoln Center Theater. Sher previously directed a one-night concert presentation of “Camelot” for the company before it went on to receive a full-scale production. “Man of La Mancha,” one of the most frequently produced musicals in the Broadway canon, was last revived on Broadway in 2002, starring Brian Stokes Mitchell.

New outdoor Broadway festival this summer upstate

A new large-scale Broadway event is headed to the Hudson Valley this summer.

“The Festival,” billed as a first-of-its-kind three-day outdoor Broadway music festival, will take place Aug. 14-16 at the Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, New York. The waterfront event will feature performances by a wide range of Broadway artists, with additional programming and performers to be announced.

Programming is expected to blend concert performances with immersive fan experiences, including sing-alongs, themed piano bars, dance events, costume contests, panels, and late-night programming. Each evening will culminate in large-scale solo and ensemble performances. The event will be directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and D.B. Bonds.

The initial lineup includes Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norbert Leo Butz, Jenn Colella, Mandy Gonzalez, Eva Noblezada, and Adrienne Warren. The festival will also include a “Rent” 30th anniversary celebration featuring original Broadway cast members.

“The Festival” shares some conceptual overlap with “BroadwayCon,” a wintertime indoor convention in midtown centered on panels, workshops, and fan access.

‘The Outsiders’ recoups; original cast departing

The producers of the Tony Award–winning musical “The Outsiders” have confirmed that the production has fully recouped its $22 million capitalization, less than two years after opening at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. In an era of rising production costs, shortened runs, and increased competition for audiences, only a small fraction of Broadway musicals now return their initial investments, making the show’s financial success both notable and increasingly rare.

The recoupment announcement comes as the production prepares for a round of significant cast transitions. On Sunday, March 15, several original Broadway cast members will play their final performances, including Trevor Wayne (Ponyboy Curtis), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Johnny Cade), Brent Comer (Darrel Curtis), Jason Schmidt (Sodapop Curtis), Kevin William Paul (Bob), Renni Anthony Magee (Steve), SarahGrace Mariani (Marcia), and Melody Rose (Beverly).