Artists and Actors You Can See on Broadway This Summer

Elizabeth Gillies and Milo Manheim

Forget quiet theatregoers and tucked‑away performances: Broadway is roaring back in 2025, and it’s doing so with star power. From A‑list actors to icons of theater, this season is stacked with big names grabbing the mic, dusting off scripts and diving head‑first into the stage. Whether they're Broadway first‑timers or veterans returning after decades, these artists are transforming the Great White Way into a playground of possibility.

A-List Celebrities

This spring, Oscar winners and Hollywood heavyweights are lighting up Broadway. George Clooney makes his stage debut in the adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck at the Winter Garden Theatre, stepping into his own screenplay‑turned‑play .

Not to be outdone, Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal takeover Othello at the Barrymore Theatre. Washington revisits Shakespeare’s tragic Moor, while Gyllenhaal plays Iago in a tightly limited run.

Come fall, Keanu Reeves joins Alex Winter in Waiting for Godot at the Hudson Theatre, marking his own Broadway debut in a haunting, existential classic

Returning Broadway Icons

Broadway favorites are returning with style. Lea Michele leads the revival of Chess this fall alongside Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher, revisiting her musical roots with a fresh creative team.

Meanwhile, Tony‑winner Jonathan Groff brings Bobby Darin to life in Just in Time, an immersive jukebox musical at Circle in the Square Theatre. Groff transitions from screen to live performance in a venue transformed into cabaret territory.

Plus, Billy Porter comes home—he’ll return as the Emcee in Cabaret this summer for a limited engagement from July to October. And Nicole Scherzinger glams up Sunset Blvd. in her Tony‑winning turn, even making an extra splash performing “Buttons” live during Broadway Bares in June.

First-Timers

Celebrity casting isn't just a cameo; it’s a season‑long trend. The revival of Glengarry Glen Ross stars Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr—both making their Broadway debuts—alongside Kieran Culkin at the Palace.

Elizabeth Gillies brings a fresh take to Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors—her powerful, layered voice and a subtle accent make her performance emotionally resonant and utterly captivating. Plus, Orville Peck delivers a “masterful and confident” Emcee in Cabaret, blending gruff, punk‑infused energy with chilling nuance—and his first unmasked Broadway performance still feels like a haunting revelation

The Last Five Years, starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren, gets its first major Broadway staging this spring, offering fans a musical love story with a modern twist .

Drag fans, take note: Jinkx Monsoon joins Oh, Mary! this August for an eight‑week run, continuing a vibrant trend of queer and drag representation on Broadway.