Mark Kaplan’s Broadway and Restaurant Picks for 2025

In each issue of our newsletter, Goldcrest’s Mark Kaplan shares his picks for the best shows on Broadway as well as hidden gems of the restaurant scene. Mark has a long history as a theater producer and sees hundreds of productions On and Off Broadway every season.

Here are his latest suggestions for a great night out:

Maybe Happy Ending is a rarity: a true original musical—one not based on a movie, a book, or a person’s life. It’s the best musical I’ve seen in countless years that wasn’t based on something else in any way, shape or form.

The show was created by Will Aronson and Hue Park (he’s from the US, she’s from South Korea) who met at NYU. It’s about two humanoid robots living on the outskirts of Seoul who are “retired” and considered obsolete. It’s a funny, offbeat story about friendship and love, one that made me think a lot about all we take for granted as humans.

It’s directed by Michael Arden and stars Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, both extraordinary. This show came out of nowhere and despite having no built-in audience has become a huge hit. I don’t know anyone who’s seen it and did not love it. A magical piece. Don’t miss it.

The best current play is Oh Mary, written, directed and starring Cole Escola (with Emmy Award-nominated actor Betty Gilpin taking over the role on January 21). It’s a fictional story of Mary Todd Lincoln, portrayed as an alcoholic who dreams of becoming a cabaret star. Needless to say, it’s full of surprises. Cole Escola’s writing and acting are equally brilliant. Conrad Ricamora is fantastic as Mary’s husband.

Oh Mary moved from Off Broadway to Broadway, a rare feat as producers today worry if a show isn’t pulling in a million dollars per week. In this case, they made a smart bet as the show is setting box office records. It’s smart. It’s funny. Wow!

Coming in a close second on the musical front is Death Becomes Her, based on the classic 1992 movie. Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard and Chris Siebert star in this fun, old-fashioned musical.

Upcoming shows of note:

Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, opening March 23 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

Redwood, an original musical starring Idina Menzel, opens January 24 at the Nederlander Theatre.

Buena Vista Social Club, based on the movie, opens March 19 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater.

Just in Time, a musical based on the life of Bobby Darin starring Jonathan Groff, opens April 23 at Circle in the Square Theatre.

Dead Outlaw, directed David Cromer, is transferring to Broadway with performances beginning April 27 at the Longacre Theatre. The show swept the major musical awards this past season with the exception of the Tonys where it didn’t qualify as an Off-Broadway production.

I’m also looking forward to the revival of Glengarry Glen Ross with Kieran Culkin, Michael McKean, Bill Burr and Bob Odenkirk coming to the Palace Theatre this spring and Good Night, and Good Luck with George Clooney (in his Broadway debut) which begins a limited engagement at the Winter Garden Theatre in March.

Dining Out

Sesamo, is a restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen that most people don’t know about, but one I highly recommend. My favorite dish is duck ragu. The interesting thing about this place is that it blends Italian and Asian cuisines—a fascinating and delicious combination.

My choice for dumplings is Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao. The soup dumplings are beyond imagination and reasonably priced.