Hollywood stars are lighting up Broadway and beyond, creating a stargazing frenzy in New York theaters. With so many A-listers gracing the stage, why not turn it into a game? Think of it as “Broadway Bingo,” where spotting big names like Robert Downey Jr., Daniel Dae Kim, and Mia Farrow scores you major points. With George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Nick Jonas slated for spring appearances, you’ll need to be quick to catch them all.
For a fun twist, fans of Frasier can go “Frasier Bingo.” Bebe Neuwirth, unforgettable as Lilith, is captivating audiences in Cabaret, while Dan Butler, who played Bulldog, stars in Another Shot off-Broadway. Later this season, David Hyde Pierce will join the mix in The Pirates of Penzance. Butler jokes that if TV nostalgia draws people to his play, he’s all for it: “I love that it would bring people there… theater can do that thing no other medium can,” he says.
Casting pros like Laura Stanczyk know that a Hollywood name can make a production stand out. She’s currently producing Another Shot, starring Butler as a recovering radio DJ, a role he playfully calls “Bulldog goes to rehab.” Stars on Broadway may not be new, but their presence this season is especially striking. Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler are playing the iconic roles in Romeo & Juliet, Nicole Scherzinger is stunning in Sunset Boulevard, and Peter Gallagher and Julianna Margulies shine in Left on Tenth.
For many of these stars, the theater is a natural return. Margulies and Zegler began their careers on stage, and Scherzinger has formal musical theater training. “People forget that many great actors started in theater,” says Stanczyk. Directors often cast those who feel at home on stage, creating a blend of theater veterans and screen icons.
Broadway and off-Broadway alike are welcoming stars. Adam Driver leads Hold On to Me Darling, Marisa Tomei headlines Babe, and Kenneth Branagh takes on King Lear. This influx hasn’t crowded out theater icons—talents like Audra McDonald, Sutton Foster, and Jonathan Groff are also shining in New York productions.
Even TV fans can play along, with “Succession Bingo” a hit this spring: Jeremy Strong was on Broadway in An Enemy of the People, Kieran Culkin stars in Glengarry Glen Ross, and Sarah Snook commands the stage solo in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Whether it’s for love of the art or a quest to sharpen their skills, these stars are giving theater fans a once-in-a-lifetime season of show-stopping performances. As Stanczyk puts it, “There’s nothing else like it in the world.”
