Oct 18, 2026New trend every two hours

Trend of the day · Culture & creatorsCulture & creators

A Stranger Things star opens tonight on Broadway with four famous actors

A sold-out family play with TV stars nearly matched The Lion King, but at concert prices.

USA7.4:China7.2

average of its strongest AIs · today's answers, scored out of 10 by other AIs acting as judges — not who will guess the future← Previous trend: Sitcom star who beat cancer twice joins Detroit hockey fans' charity night

Forecast before the AIs ↓

All 10 answers ↓▶ Watch how it came together

On October 18, 2026, Joe Keery, the actor who played Steve in the Netflix series Stranger Things, opens on Broadway, New York's main theater district. He stars in the family drama Other Desert Cities beside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Allison Janney and Ed Harris.

In its last week of early shows it sold every seat (source).

What does it mean when the stars of streaming series move onto the live stage? What will it change for theaters, for actors and for audiences around the world? What should people who love these shows, or who work in film and theater, do now?

In plain words: Broadway — New York's main district of big theaters; Stranger Things — Netflix science-fiction series about teenagers, 2016–2026; Netflix — a paid service for streaming films and series; The Hollywood Reporter — an American film and TV news magazine; Hudson Theatre — a Broadway theater in New York; The Broadway League — trade group that publishes Broadway ticket sales; Variety — an American show-business news magazine; Critic's Pick — The New York Times' label for recommended shows

A sold-out family play with TV stars nearly matched The Lion King, but at concert prices.

What to do

Enter the $49 lottery from noon, a day before the show you want.

A TV star's play cost $277 a seat and sold out; the cheap door is a $49 lottery.

Who should do what

Fans of the cast: Enter the lottery from noon today for Monday or Tuesday shows, or try the 9am rush on the day.
People in theater or film: Compare this play's weekly takings with the musicals' on October 20 to see if the sellout holds.

What not to do: Don't pay resale prices or count on an extension; none has been announced.

Live shows with screen stars now cost like concerts. The average seat was $276.87, about twice Broadway's season average. The run is strictly limited and ends January 17, 2027.

Cheap tickets exist, but only through two official doors. Enter the $49 lottery from noon; entries close at 10:30am the day before, or Friday for weekend shows. The $49 rush opens at 9am on show day.

Fans near New York should read Monday's reviews, then decide. If you want a seat, enter the lottery a day ahead or try the 9am rush. If you can't travel, skip resale prices and wait for news of a tour.

This is what most AIs advise. Each AI explains it in its own words below.

What the world's 10 leading AIs think

They agree: Most answers: a streaming name fills a play at musical prices.
They split: Z.ai and Kimi say buy before reviews; Claude says read them first.
Not obvious: Runs are short by design, so the profit ends when the stars leave.
What to watch: If the next weekly sales sheet shows full houses again, the star effect holds.
Only one AI: Only Claude: star-led plays lifted play attendance 14% this season.

Read in full

Most of the ten agree on the main point: a streaming face can sell a small play like a big musical. In its last week of early shows, Other Desert Cities filled every seat, took $2,157,355 and averaged about $277 a ticket. That is roughly double the Broadway average, and the price is the real change for fans.

The answers split on how much this proves. Some read it as a lasting new model for producers. ChatGPT and a few others note that the show still finished behind The Lion King, so fame fills seats without guaranteeing first place. Several also warn that name-led plays can crowd out actors who have no big following, and that fans outside New York are priced out.

The answers also disagree on timing. Some say buy now, before opening reviews and holiday demand push prices up. Others say wait for Monday's reviews before paying resale prices. Claude brought the one season-wide number: star-led plays raised play attendance by 14%, which suggests a pattern rather than a one-off.

Several answers got details wrong. They gave a wrong ticket-lottery time, a cumulative total of $8.7 million that the weekly figures cannot support, and a pre-opening sellout claim with no source. The safe core is the first week's numbers, the $49 cheap-ticket door, and the hard close on January 17, 2027.

They split: Z.ai and Kimi say buy before reviews; Claude says read them first.
What settles the dispute: Reviews on Monday and the October 20 sales sheet will show who is right.

No clear split: both sides saw a star-driven sellout; the USA answers added season data and ticket-lottery detail.

What is confirmed and what is not

Confirmed by a source Last early-show week: $2,157,355, every seat sold, $276.87 average ticket.
Confirmed by a source It earned about $60,000 less than The Lion King that week.
The AIs' conclusion Star casting is now a lasting model for plays on Broadway.

The AIs read 32 sources

Ask any AI yourself

I live near New York. How do I get cheap tickets to Other Desert Cities before January 17?

Copy it and paste it into a chat with any AI

Ask several AIs at once — in our app

Who wins, who loses: Producers and star actors gain; fans on a budget and unknown stage actors lose.

The final answer, by Claude Opus

Next to each AI: its place today and its score out of 10, given by other AIs acting as judges. Under each answer: its model — the exact version of the AI. Tap an answer to read it.

1ClaudeUSA8.2Average seat cost $277, about double Broadway's season average of $131
When a streaming star walks onto a stage, the cheapest seat in the house goes up in price, but the art itself does not disappear. In its last week of early shows, Other Desert Cities took in $2,157,355 with every seat sold. That is only about $60,000 behind The Lion King and puts it fourth on all of Broadway (broadwayworld.com).
The average ticket cost $276.87 (same source), roughly twice the season-wide average of about $131 (sherwood.news). For an ordinary fan this is a rare chance to see Steve from Stranger Things live in a serious family drama. It is a short window, though: the run is limited and ends January 17, 2027 (ibdb.com).
For theaters, this is a business plan that works. In the 2025–26 season, star-led plays raised play attendance by 14%, and 21 new plays together earned about $463 million, more than twice what plays earned two seasons earlier (sherwood.news). For actors, the stage is still where they prove their skill.
Keery told The Hollywood Reporter Japan that he studied theater as a child, said yes at once, and that the stage "strips away titles and makes everyone equal." He has about 105 shows to play (news.yahoo.co.jp). The catch for producers is that stars have other jobs waiting, so these runs are short by design.
Check the reviews tomorrow morning, Monday, October 19, fans. Then make your choice. If you live near New York or are going there before January 17, look today for the show's lottery or same-day cheap tickets (the official listing is at playbill.com).
Don't wait for an extension, because nothing has been announced. If you can't get there, follow the cast interviews and save your money for the next streaming star's play. If you work in film or theater, look at the numbers above. One stage play with known faces can earn as much as the biggest musical in town.
Sources
Its own forecast: In BroadwayWorld's weekly grosses for the week ending November 15, 2026, Other Desert Cities' average ticket price is above $300 — 40% chance by Nov 17, 2026
2MiMoChina7.8A Broadway play now averages $277 a seat — only Hamilton charges more
Streaming stardom now sells a small play like a hit musical, and fans pay musical prices for it. In its first full week this family drama took $2,157,355 at the box office, filled 100 percent of its seats and averaged $277 a ticket — second on Broadway only to Hamilton's $287 (yahoo.com; broadwayleague.com).
For an ordinary viewer that is the whole change: your TV favorites now cost concert money live, and the only cheap door is a $49 lottery seat (otherdesertcitiesbroadway.com).
For people who work in film and TV, Joe Keery marks a new route: he took a stage role to be challenged, learned a long speech by walking and muttering, and joked that his goal across about 105 performances is to save Christmas (news.yahoo.co.jp).
For theaters and producers the whole market is tilting: Broadway took about $35.3 million across 29 shows last week, up 27 percent in seven days, with star-led shows doing the lifting (broadwayleague.com; broadwayworld.com).
Book before the reviews come out, fans: if you can reach New York before the run ends January 17, enter the $49 lottery at noon today for the next show (broadwayleague.com). If you cannot travel, wait for tomorrow's reviews before paying resale prices.
Sources
Its own forecast: Broadway League figures for the week ending October 25, 2026 show Other Desert Cities grossing above $2.2 million for the first time — 50% chance by Oct 27, 2026
3Z.aiChina7.6Sadie Sink is why Joe Keery is on Broadway tonight
A streaming salary now buys a full Broadway house: before anyone had reviewed it, this play filled every seat for two straight weeks, first taking $1.9 million, then about $2.16 million in ticket money at roughly $277 a seat.
For an ordinary viewer, the meaning is simple — the cast you binge on a couch is now something you can watch in person, but you have to plan for it like a concert, not a TV night. For star plays, the walk-up ticket is disappearing; sold out is the new normal when a familiar face is above the title.
The people whose math changes first are theater producers and investors: a TV name fills a play at premium prices without a movie star's fee, and a 105-show run banking over $2 million a week from day one is the kind of business case that keeps houses booking streaming actors.
Actors feel the pull too — Keery says the stage 'leaves your ego at the door' and credits his Stranger Things co-star Sadie Sink with nudging him into it — so expect more young screen names to follow him onto the boards. For theaters everywhere, the lesson is that a beloved series can refill a house faster than any advertising.
Decide today, Sunday October 18, fans: if you want to see Keery on stage, book a November or December date now, before tonight's opening reviews and the holidays push $277 tickets higher; if that is too rich, try January, because the run ends January 17, 2027, with no extension promised, so the final weeks may be your only remaining chance.
Producers, do the same math before November 26: if your theater has a streaming star, get the casting news out before Thanksgiving buying starts. The window is this week, while opening-night talk is loudest.
Sources
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities' Thanksgiving-week take (the Broadway week ending Sunday, November 29, 2026) tops $2.3 million in The Broadway League's weekly figures as reported by BroadwayWorld on or before December 1, 2026. — 65% chance by Dec 1, 2026
4ChatGPTUSA7.5A sold-out week still couldn’t beat The Lion King
For fans, a familiar face on stage offers a different kind of closeness: the performance happens live, and the actors share the room with the audience.
Joe Keery and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are both making their Broadway debuts in this revival, according to [PEOPLE](people.com); the show’s official site lists the five-person cast, including Allison Janney, Ed Harris and Lily Rabe: [Other Desert Cities](otherdesertcitiesbroadway.com).
For actors and theater producers, a screen following can help fill seats, but the weekly figures show that star power does not guarantee the top spot: Other Desert Cities grossed $2,157,355, while The Lion King earned $2,217,835 for the week ending October 11, according to [The Broadway League](broadwayleague.com).
That is a useful reminder for film and theater workers: audiences may come for a known name, but each show still competes on its own appeal and ticket demand.
Check the Hudson Theatre schedule today, October 18, fans: if you want to see this cast live, compare dates and ticket prices now; if not, follow the reviews and weekly grosses to see whether the early sellout lasts. The official box office lists the engagement through January 17, 2027, at the Hudson Theatre: [ATG Tickets](us.atgtickets.com).
Sources
Its own forecast: The production will report at least one week with fewer than 90% of seats sold before its scheduled closing date. — 70% chance by Jan 17, 2027
5MetaUSA7.5From Netflix bedroom to $277 ticket: same kid, live, no second take
Live stage is now the meet-and-greet for streaming fandom. When a play can bank $2,157,355 in eight previews at the Hudson and join the $2.16 million club at 100% full with an average ticket of $276.87, it proves fans will pay concert money to breathe the same air as the kid they watched on Netflix.
For show makers it means a streaming name is not a risk but a bank. A limited run that began previews September 29 and is set to run through January 17, 2027 with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe can stay limited or stretch if the numbers hold, and it gives TV actors a fast lane to live credibility. For audiences worldwide it shifts entry from a monthly subscription to a $49 lottery ticket.
Check today fans: if you want the live gasp, enter the $49 Lucky Seat lottery this morning before 10:30am for tonight at the Hudson; if not, wait for the Oct 20 gross sheet and reviews tomorrow and watch clips instead of paying resale.
Sources
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities sets a new house record at the Hudson Theatre above $2.2 million in a single week — 62% chance by Nov 2, 2026

6KimiChina7.3Five TV stars, one living room set, $2.16 million a week
Streaming fame has become Broadway's surest box-office engine. Other Desert Cities sold 100% of its seats in its last preview week and grossed $2,157,355 — with an average ticket of $276.87, the second-priciest show on Broadway after Hamilton, and a top price of $799 (broadwayworld.com).
For an ordinary fan, a screen star stepping onto a stage turns a play into an "event": one room, no second takes, and you pay event prices to be there.
For theaters and producers, the lesson is that casting from streaming beats almost any marketing — this one play nearly out-earned The Lion King's $2,217,835 (broadwayworld.com) and has already taken about $8.7 million in roughly three weeks of performances (broadwaystars.com).
For people in film and TV, the stage has flipped from a career detour into a career boost: both Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Joe Keery made their Broadway debuts in this same play (playbill.com), and preview audiences rate it 4.5 out of 5 (broadway.com). Expect more streaming stars on stages worldwide, and higher ticket prices wherever they land.
Fans, decide today, Sunday October 18: if you can get to New York before the show closes on January 17, 2027, buy seats now at the Hudson Theatre box office, 141 W 44th St, or at us.atgtickets.com before opening-week buzz pushes prices higher; if you can't, watch for a tour or West End transfer announcement, because sold-out star vehicles like this rarely stay in one city.
People who work in theater elsewhere should note the formula — five famous faces, one family living room — and start courting streaming names for their own seasons.
Sources
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities' average ticket price tops $300 in the Broadway League week ending October 18, 2026, as reported by BroadwayWorld on October 20 — 45% chance by Oct 20, 2026
7GrokUSA7.3Keery’s 105-show Christmas save starts tonight
Streaming stars stepping onto a live stage means everyday fans can see the people they know from the screen in the same room, but only if they can get a ticket and pay the price. Other Desert Cities sold every seat in its last preview week and took in about $2.16 million, with average tickets near $277 — the kind of money that draws new audiences to Broadway yet keeps many people out.
Theater producers and investors gain a short, high-return window when TV names fill a 970-seat house like the Hudson, but the limited run through January 17, 2027, also means the money stops when the stars leave.
Fans, check tonight’s opening and the next few nights for remaining seats or the $49 lottery; if you cannot reach New York before mid-January, watch Playbill or BroadwayWorld for any later extension news instead of waiting on rumors.
Sources
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities average paid admission stays above $250 in the Broadway League figures for the week ending November 8, 2026 — 65% chance by Nov 10, 2026
8DeepSeekChina6.8Joe Keery's stage debut already grossed $1.88 million in previews
The move of streaming stars like Joe Keery onto the live stage is not a passing curiosity — it is a business model shift that turns screen fame into immediate box-office heat.
For an ordinary fan, it means the actors you love from Netflix are now in a room with you, live, but at a steep price: Other Desert Cities charged an average of $275.66 per ticket during its first week of previews (playbill.com).
The people whose next step changes are theater producers and investors. A streaming name brings a built-in audience that fills seats and drives up prices, as Other Desert Cities did by selling out all seven previews and grossing $1.88 million (playbill.com).
That same star power lifted the show to the second-highest gross on Broadway, behind only Hamilton (broadwayworld.com).
Fans of Stranger Things should check ticket availability for the remaining run at the Hudson Theatre before prices rise further or the limited engagement sells out (news.yahoo.co.jp).
Producers and casting directors should scout the next wave of streaming leads now — the actors who already have a devoted following and are hungry for stage work (trillmag.com).
Sources
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities will gross more than $2.5 million in a single week on Broadway. — 55% chance by Nov 10, 2026
9StepFunChina6.5One TV star's play nearly outsold The Lion King
For someone who watched Steve Harrington on a laptop, this changes what a night out costs and feels like: the same face, live, in a room of strangers. The early shows already sold every seat and took in about $2.16 million in one week, and that is money from people who wanted to be in the room, not on a screen. It shows the pull of a streaming star is strong enough to fill a Broadway house.
Theaters and the people who put up the money are the next to feel it: a name known from a hit series lowers the fear that nobody will come, so producers can take chances on serious plays.
Film and streaming actors gain a second path — a stage role can raise their standing and their pay after a series ends — while hotels, restaurants and shops around the Hudson Theatre count on weeks of full houses. Cities beyond New York gain too, because a show that starts this strong often moves on to other towns.
Check the Hudson Theatre box office today, October 18, fans: if you can get to New York before the run ends on January 17, 2027, buy tickets now while the good seats remain; if not, watch for a filmed or streamed version, which shows like this often get.
People who work in film or theater should act this week: if you produce plays, look at casting a streaming name; if you act, treat a season on stage as a way to raise your price. The door between the screen and the stage is open, and the money is already walking through it.
Sources
1. news.yahoo.co.jp
Its own forecast: The production announces an extension of Other Desert Cities past January 17, 2027, with the announcement made between November 18 and December 31, 2026. — 50% chance by Dec 31, 2026
10GeminiUSA6.5A family drama with no songs now makes $2.16 million a week
Streaming stars moving to live theater turn quiet plays into huge hits, meaning ordinary fans now face much higher ticket prices and sold-out shows (news.yahoo.co.jp).
A drama with no music like Other Desert Cities just pulled in $2.16 million in one week and filled every single seat because young viewers came to see Joe Keery in person alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Allison Janney, Ed Harris, and Lily Rabe (news.yahoo.co.jp). While this brings fresh, younger crowds into theater seats, it also means fans outside New York miss out unless they pay for travel and costly tickets.
For theater owners and play producers, casting famous screen actors is now the safest way to pay the bills without building big, costly musical sets.
Instead of taking risks on unknown writers or new actors, stage bosses will lock in short runs built around five-star screen names that guarantee every seat sells before opening night (news.yahoo.co.jp). Meanwhile, working stage actors who do not have millions of online followers will find it much harder to get hired for leading roles on big stages.
Check the official Hudson Theatre ticket page today, October 18, 2026, if you are a fan who wants to see this cast before the show closes on January 17, 2027: if you can travel to New York this winter, buy a weekday seat right away before tonight's opening reviews push prices even higher; if not, sign up for morning rush ticket alerts or save your money for Joe Keery's next screen project (news.yahoo.co.jp).
Theater producers planning their 2027 season should call talent agents by Monday, October 19, 2026, to check which streaming stars have open schedules for twelve-week stage runs.
Sources
1. news.yahoo.co.jp
Its own forecast: Other Desert Cities grosses over $2,250,000 in a single week according to The Broadway League weekly box office report — 65% chance by Nov 17, 2026

Stranger Things Cast Singing: Who Has the Best Voice?

Rankings

The two rankings for this trend are still being made by the AIs — they will appear here later.

Forecast before the AIs

Your forecast first — then we show what 10 AIs forecast.

Which sells more tickets this week: this play or The Lion King?

Why this question: the play's own ticket money, compared with a rival show's

We’ll know the answer on Tuesday

This question’s own page →

The result of the last question

Will Netflix's share price be higher on Wednesday than on Tuesday?

Result: «Yes»

6 of 10 AIs’ forecasts came true:

Meta AIKimiDeepSeekGeminiQwenZ.ai

Checked on: finance.yahoo.com

More to explore

Did you knowPast Tony glory for Aunt SildaJudith Light won a Tony Award for this play in 2012.

In 2012, Judith Light won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for originating Aunt Silda on Broadway, the role now played by Allison Janney. (2012)

Other Desert Cities is a play by Jon Robin Baitz. It opened Off-Broadway in January 2011 and moved to Broadway in November 2011. It was the first Baitz play to reach Broadway. It was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The story is about a family that disagrees about politics and hides a secret.

The title comes from a road sign on eastbound Interstate 10 in California. The sign says the freeway leads to Indio and to "Other Desert Cities," meaning the rest of the Coachella Valley and the road on toward Phoenix, Arizona.

The action takes place around Christmas Eve 2004 in Palm Springs, California. Polly and Lyman Wyeth are hosting their family. Their daughter Brooke comes home after six years in New York, where she wrote magazine pieces. Polly's sister Silda is also there, after a stay in rehab. Polly and Lyman are Republicans. Silda is a liberal who has become an alcoholic. In the 1960s the two sisters wrote a series of MGM comedies together. Later they drifted apart, mostly because Silda resented how Polly's views on society changed over time.

Brooke tells the family she has written a memoir. It is about a sad turning point in their history: the suicide of her brother Henry. Henry had been part of a radical underground scene in Venice, and something terrible happened because of the cause he supported.

As the play goes on, Brooke is torn. She wants to understand things on her own and stand on her own feet. Her parents love her and fuss over her, but they also keep things from her. She also faces how hard her family has found it to cope with her depression after her divorce, which has lasted even years after Henry vanished. Even so, once she has heard their side, Brooke insists she needs the memoir to move on with her life. She says so whether or not her family stays close to her.

Then Lyman gives in. He and Polly finally explain what happened with the bombing of a recruitment center, which Henry was linked to. The family had clashed with Henry for years, and he had felt rejected by both parents. He turned up one night, messy and desperate, begging for help. He said he had not known his friends were terrorists. Lyman still told him to turn himself in. That led to another fight, and Lyman slapped him. Henry ran off into the night. Three weeks went by before Polly found him. She says she then travelled with Lyman and her son to the northern border, to the ferry from which he disappeared. Lyman painfully admits something more. The parents themselves had altered Henry's suicide note and left it in his shoes with a tearful goodbye. With the worst secret out, Lyman and Polly face their grief and let Brooke publish.

Near the very end, Brooke throws the pages of her memoir into the air. She screams about the pain she has carried since Henry left. She also says she has tried to spare her parents the hurt that her own suicide might cause, even though her grief never stops. Lyman holds her, full of regret. An epilogue shows Brooke when the memoir is published, years after Polly and Lyman have died, as they had asked. She remembers her brother and wonders when she will see him again.

The play was first called Love and Mercy. It had a staged reading at the Ojai Playwrights Conference in California in August 2010. The Off-Broadway run began on January 13, 2011, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center Theater. It was a limited run and closed on February 27. Stockard Channing played Polly, Linda Lavin played Silda Grauman, Stacy Keach played Lyman, Thomas Sadoski played Trip Wyeth and Elizabeth Marvel played Brooke. The Outer Critics Circle named it Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play.

The play moved to the Booth Theatre on Broadway on November 3, 2011. Judith Light took over from Lavin, and Rachel Griffiths took over from Marvel. Joe Mantello, Baitz's former romantic partner, directed both the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions. At the 66th Tony Awards it earned five nominations: Best Play, Best Actress in a Play for Stockard Channing, Best Featured Actress in a Play for Judith Light, Best Scenic Design for John Lee Beatty, and Best Lighting Design for Kenneth Posner. Judith Light won Best Featured Actress in a Play.

On May 26, 2026, a first Broadway revival was announced. John Benjamin Hickey will direct. The cast will be Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Lily Rabe and Joe Keery. Performances start September 29 at the Hudson Theatre, with opening night on October 18.

In 2011, producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald bought the film rights. Baitz was to write the script and co-produce, and no studio was named. Nothing more has been announced since.

Critics liked the Broadway version. Ben Brantley of The New York Times called the Off-Broadway play Baitz's most thoroughly integrated and sustained work. He said Mantello's direction mixed shadow and shimmer. He wrote that the play emerged "stronger, more sincere and more credible in its Broadway reincarnation." He felt it showed off less and that the cast worked better together.

The Hollywood Reporter reviewer said the play had grown richer on Broadway. The writer praised "a riveting center in the raw performance of Rachel Griffiths," who made her New York stage debut. Small changes to the text and deeper acting from the whole cast improved the balance of comedy and intense family drama.

Text and photos: en.wikipedia.org · 10.06.2012 — original →

Talked about nowTheater fans love the cast but grumble about the priceOne fan wrote they would not pay $250 to sit in the back mezzanine or balcony.

A preview-night fan on the BroadwayWorld forum said the cast already feels like a real family. BroadwayBen
Another poster said the price is the sticking point: "i just cannot bring myself to spend $250 to sit in the back of that horrible mezzanine or balcony." PipingHotPiccolo
A third fan blamed ticket pricing that moves with demand: "with this insane dynamic pricing, I won't be able to see it a third time without taking out a mortgage." WithoutATrace

Other Desert Cities is back on Broadway for the first time since its original run. Previews began at the Hudson Theatre on September 29. The show officially opens on October 18 and plays through January 17. Jon Robin Baitz wrote it, and it was a 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist. John Benjamin Hickey directs a cast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve at the sunny Palm Springs home of a family with political connections. A daughter comes home with a memoir that could expose the truth the family has kept hidden. The play asks what really happened, who owns a family's story, and what it costs to tell it. The official website lists the running time as about 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. Sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman is credited with the original music.

Before the first night, one poster hoped someone would post a report that evening. Another said they paid full price even though they are a devoted user of the discount ticket service TDF. They felt the mix of people involved was too good to miss. They also thought the play might hit in new ways in 2026, because it links political resistance and its consequences across several eras, starting with Vietnam.

Two posters joked about the official merchandise images. They wondered why, in a time when anyone can make lifelike pictures with a few keystrokes, the product photos still do not look like real art printed on a curved object.

After a first report from a poster called BroadwayBen, one fan said Louis-Dreyfus seems to have the role in her bones. They pointed to her recent film work, where she showed hidden depths inside a comedy-drama. Without giving away plot, they said the second act moves her character, Polly, into Ibsen-style territory and shows a woman with a special kind of backbone. This fan was most excited about Louis-Dreyfus and Lily Rabe. They called Rabe's part the hardest, with the biggest journey, and said it is arguably her play.

A large argument then broke out over standing ovations. One poster from Australia said they miss the days when a standing ovation was saved for something breathtaking. Another poster told them to get over it, saying nobody forces them to stand and that audiences who paid a lot are free to react as they like. A third said Americans give too many standing ovations, and that saying so is not snobby. Others answered that a first preview of a loved play with a star cast deserves a warm welcome, and that this was a poor moment to argue against the habit. One more poster said every Broadway show gets a standing ovation, so it no longer means anything. Another poster said the thread already had plenty of grumpiness that did little good.

A fan who was there the night before agreed with BroadwayBen. They had seen the original production eight times and still call it the best-written play of the last 15 years. They said the new cast was excellent, though the rhythm and pacing still need some polishing. They think it deserves to be a smash. Even if people first come for Louis-Dreyfus or Janney, they are glad more people will see the work. They bought two sets of tickets on the first day of the presale and will see it again in a couple of weeks. They complained that the dynamic pricing is so steep that a third visit would be like taking out a mortgage. They still recommend it highly.

The thread also had a few side moments. One poster was scolded for an earlier post about Duncan Sheik. Another said to let it go, since the poster surely knows it was in poor taste, especially given what is known now. Someone asked about the sound and guessed that everyone wears a body microphone, as in Oedipus and Salesman.

Finally, posters wondered whether Allison Janney could win a Tony the way Judith Light did for the same part in the original. One thought it depends on whether Janney commits to the character's scorn and dry humor, and avoids her familiar style. They described the character, Silda, as a rougher black sheep of the family, and called Light transcendent. Another noted the original was only 15 years ago, so many voters saw Light and may still prefer her. Janney would have to go well beyond that to overcome it.

Text and photos: forum.broadwayworld.com · 29.09 — original →

This page is a message board thread about the Broadway revival of the play Other Desert Cities. It is the first time the play has come back to Broadway. Previews begin on September 29 at the Hudson Theatre. The show opens officially on October 18 and runs through January 17.

The play is by Jon Robin Baitz, and it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012. The cast includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe. John Benjamin Hickey directs. The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a sunny Palm Springs home. A politically connected family lives there. Their daughter comes back with a memoir that could expose a secret they have kept buried. The big question is who owns a family's story, and what it costs to tell it.

The thread also notes that sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman is credited with the original music. The play's official website lists a running time of about two hours and fifteen minutes, with a fifteen-minute intermission.

Before the first performance, one poster said they were excited and hoped for reports that night. Another admitted they had paid full price, which was hard to say because they are a devoted user of discount tickets from TDF. They felt this mix of people was too good to miss. They also thought the play might feel fresh in 2026, since it links political resistance and its consequences across many eras, starting with Vietnam.

Someone then joked about the official merchandise images. They wondered why, when anyone can make a lifelike picture with a few keystrokes, the product photos still do not look like real graphics on a curved object. A second poster agreed and wondered what tools the makers use.

After the first preview, a poster praised an earlier review from a user called BroadwayBen. They thought Louis-Dreyfus had this role in her somewhere, and that the second act takes her character Polly into territory like an Ibsen heroine, showing a woman with real backbone. They were also looking forward to Lily Rabe, whose part they called the trickiest, with the biggest journey. They said it is arguably her play in the end.

A long argument followed about standing ovations. One poster from Australia said they miss when standing ovations were saved for something breathtaking. Another told them to get over it, saying nobody forces them to stand. A third said Americans are too quick to stand, and that saying so is not snobby. Another asked whether an admired play's first preview with a starry cast was the right place to argue about it. Others said every Broadway show gets one, so they no longer mean much. One poster said the thread had plenty of grumpiness that did little good.

Another fan said they saw the first night and loved revisiting the play. They had seen the original production eight times and call it the best-written play of the last 15 years. They felt the cast was excellent, though the rhythm still needs polishing, and they think it deserves to be a smash. They bought two sets of tickets on the first day of the presale and will see it again in a couple of weeks. They complained that with the dynamic pricing they could not afford a third visit without taking out a mortgage.

Some smaller points came up too. One person asked about the sound and guessed everyone wears a body microphone, after recent plays like Oedipus and Salesman. Another poster was scolded over an earlier post about Duncan Sheik, and a different poster told people to move on.

Finally, posters wondered whether Janney could win a Tony as Judith Light did for the same part. One said it depends on whether she commits to the character's disdain and dry humor instead of leaning on her usual style. Another said voters who saw Light may still love that version, so Janney would have to go well beyond it.

Text and photos: forum.broadwayworld.com · 29.09 — original →

Other Desert Cities is back on Broadway for the first time since the original run. Previews began on September 29 at the Hudson Theatre. The play is by Jon Robin Baitz, and it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012. The cast includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe. John Benjamin Hickey directs. The show opens officially on October 18 and runs through January 17.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve in the sunny Palm Springs home of a family with political connections. A daughter comes home with a memoir, and it could reveal a secret the family has kept hidden. The play asks what really happened, and also who owns a family's story and what it costs to tell it. Sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman is credited with the original music. The official website lists a running time of about 2:15, with a 15-minute intermission.

Before the first night, one poster said they were excited and hoped for reports. Another admitted paying full price, even though they usually buy cheap tickets through TDF. They said the mix of talent was too good to miss. They also thought the play might feel fresh in 2026, since it links political resistance and its results across many eras, starting with Vietnam.

Some posters joked about the show's merchandise pictures. They wondered why the images do not look like real graphics printed on curved objects.

After a first review came in, a poster said Louis-Dreyfus seemed born for the role of Polly. They said that in the second act Polly shows a spine of steel. They were most curious about her scenes with Lily Rabe. They called Rabe's part the trickiest, with the biggest journey, and said it may be her play in the end.

A long argument followed about standing ovations. One poster said they miss the days when a standing ovation was saved for something breathtaking. Another told them to get over it, because nobody forces them to stand. A third said Americans give standing ovations too easily, and that saying so is not snobbish. A fourth asked if a first preview of a loved play with a star cast was the right moment for that debate. A later poster said every Broadway show gets a standing ovation now, so they mean nothing. One more said the thread had plenty of bitterness that does little good.

A fan who saw the show the night before praised it warmly. They had seen the original production eight times and call the play the best written of the last 15 years. They said the new cast was excellent but still needs to polish its rhythm. They think it deserves to be a smash. They bought two sets of tickets on the first day of the presale and will go again in a couple of weeks. They then added: "with this insane dynamic pricing, I won't be able to see it a third time without taking out a mortgage." They still recommend the show highly.

One poster was scolded for an earlier post about Duncan Sheik. Another replied that people should move on. They said the poster surely knows it was in bad taste, given what is known now.

Someone asked about the sound, guessing that everyone wears a body microphone, as in Oedipus and Salesman.

Finally, two posters talked about Allison Janney and a possible Tony win like Judith Light's in the original. One said it depends on whether Janney leans into the character's scorn and dry humor and avoids her usual familiar rhythms. They said Silda is a hardscrabble black sheep, and Light was transcendent in the role. The other said Tony voters may still remember Light, since the original was only 15 years ago. Janney would have to go far beyond it to beat their fondness for the first performance.

Text and photos: forum.broadwayworld.com · 30.09 — original →

NumbersThe show has a short calendarThe limited run ends January 17, 2027.

what	value	as of
First preview	September 29, 2026	Broadway.org listing, checked Oct 18, 2026
Closing date	January 17, 2027	Broadway.org listing, checked Oct 18, 2026
Running time	2 hours 30 minutes, with 1 intermission	Broadway.org listing, checked Oct 18, 2026
Age recommendation	12 and up	Broadway.org listing, checked Oct 18, 2026

broadway.org — original →

If this is about youIf you’re planning a theater nightThe show runs about two and a half hours, including intermission.

Check the official schedule for a date and curtain time; the run ends January 17, 2027.
For a performance-day rush, check TodayTix from 9 a.m. ET; tickets are $49 while available.
For the digital lottery, entries open daily at noon ET; check the weekday or weekend deadline before entering.

Other Desert Cities is a play now running at the Hudson Theatre, at 141 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036. The page says it is a limited run of 16 weeks. It began on September 29th, 2026 and goes through January 17th, 2027.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a sunny Palm Springs home. The family who lives there is politically connected. Their daughter comes back with a memoir, and she has the power to reveal the truth the family has kept hidden. The page says the characters bring sharp insight and wit as they dig up old wounds and buried secrets. As the past becomes clearer, the question is not only what happened. It is also who owns a family's story, and what it costs to tell it.

The cast is led by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an 11-time Emmy winner. Ed Harris is a Tony nominee and a four-time Academy Award nominee. Allison Janney is a two-time Tony nominee, an Academy Award winner and a seven-time Emmy winner. Joe Keery, an Actor Award winner, and Lily Rabe, a Tony nominee, are also in the cast.

The show lasts about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and that includes one 15-minute intermission. It is recommended for ages 12 and up.

You can buy tickets online at ATGtickets.com or in person at the Hudson Theatre box office at 141 W 44th St. On Mondays the box office is open from 10am to 6pm. From Tuesday to Saturday it opens at 10am and stays open until one hour after the performance begins. On most Sundays it is open from 12pm to 6pm. On Sundays with no performance, it is closed. Groups of 10 or more should contact ATG Group Sales or call 888-811-5040, option 3.

There are two ways to get cheaper seats, both at $49. The first is a digital lottery on Lucky Seat. You need a Lucky Seat account, and entries open every day at 12pm ET. For weekday shows, you can enter until 10:30AM ET the day before. For weekend shows, you can enter until 10:30AM ET on the Friday before. Winners are picked starting at 11AM ET, and the drawing keeps going through the day if needed. Winners have only a limited time to buy and claim their tickets, so entrants should watch the drawing on the days they entered. Seat locations and ticket numbers depend on what is available, and seats may be partial view. Each person can get up to two tickets, and entries go through LuckySeat.com.

The second is rush tickets on the TodayTix app, for iOS or Android. They go on sale the morning of each performance, starting at 9AM ET, for that afternoon or evening's show. You can buy up to two tickets. There are only a limited number, they go first come, first served, and seats may be partial view. The app lets you set an alert so you know when rush tickets are available each day.

American Express Card Members also have ongoing access to Amex Reserved Tickets. These are offered while supplies last, so not every seat may be available, and terms apply.

Inside the theatre, you may not make any audio or video recordings, and you may not take photos, with or without flash. Several items are not allowed in. These are outside food and drinks, large professional cameras or video equipment (which can be left at the coat check), flashlights and laser pointers, illegal substances, noise-making devices or fireworks, firearms, weapons, and large luggage. Guests with oversized items are asked to make other plans before they arrive.

For access, there is an elevator to the Dress Circle level, but there are some steps to the Dress Circle bar and seating area. There is no elevator to the Balcony level. The Ambassador Lounge has elevator access and an ADA restroom. The theatre has a separate page with more on accessibility.

Text and photos: otherdesertcitiesbroadway.com — original →

This page is about buying tickets for the play Other Desert Cities on Broadway. The show is at the Hudson Theatre, 141 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036. It is already running, as a limited 16-week stay that started on September 29th, 2026 and ends on January 17th, 2027.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a sunny Palm Springs home. The family who lives there is tied to politics. Their daughter comes back with a memoir, and she has the power to reveal a truth the family has kept hidden. With sharp wit, the characters dig up old hurts and buried secrets. The big question is not only what happened, but who owns a family's story and what it costs to tell it.

The cast has five stars. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won 11 Emmys. Ed Harris has been up for a Tony and has four Academy Award nominations. Allison Janney has two Tony nominations, an Academy Award and seven Emmys. Joe Keery has won an Actor Award. Lily Rabe has been nominated for a Tony.

The show lasts about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and that includes one 15-minute intermission. It is recommended for ages 12 and up.

There are several ways to get cheaper seats. Digital Lottery tickets are sold on Lucky Seat for $49 each, and you need a Lucky Seat account. Entries open every day at 12pm ET. For a weekday show, you can enter until 10:30AM ET the day before. For a weekend show, the deadline is 10:30AM ET on the Friday before. Winners are picked starting at 11AM ET and the drawing goes on through the day as needed.

Lottery winners only have a short time to buy and claim their tickets, so people who enter should watch the drawing on the days they entered. Seat spots and ticket numbers depend on what is available, and seats may be partial view. Each person can get at most two tickets. Entries are made at LuckySeat.com.

Rush tickets cost $49 and go on sale the morning of each show, from 9AM ET, in the TodayTix app. The app works on iOS and Android. You can buy up to two tickets for that afternoon or evening's show. Only a limited number are offered, first come, first served, and seats may be partial view. You can set an alert in the app to hear when rush tickets open each day.

American Express Card Members can always buy Amex Reserved Tickets. These are offered while supplies last, and not every seat may be included. Terms apply.

Regular tickets can be bought online at ATGtickets.com or at the Hudson Theatre box office at 141 W 44th St. The box office is open Monday from 10am to 6pm. From Tuesday to Saturday it is open from 10am until one hour after the show begins. On most Sundays it is open from 12pm to 6pm, but it is closed on Sundays with no show. Groups of 10 or more should contact ATG Group Sales or call 888-811-5040, option 3.

Inside the theatre, you may not record audio or video, and you may not take photos, with or without flash. Some items are not allowed: outside food and drinks, large professional cameras or video gear (which can be left at coat check), flashlights, laser pointers, illegal substances, noisemakers, fireworks, firearms, weapons and large luggage. Guests should arrange for big items before they arrive.

For access, an elevator goes to the Dress Circle level, but there are some steps to the Dress Circle bar and seating area. There is no elevator to the Balcony. The Ambassador Lounge has elevator access and an ADA restroom. More details on accessibility at the Hudson Theatre are on the theatre's site.

Text and photos: otherdesertcitiesbroadway.com — original →

This page is about Other Desert Cities, a play on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre, 141 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036. It is on stage right now. The run is limited to 16 weeks, from September 29th, 2026 to January 17th, 2027.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a sunny home in Palm Springs. The family who lives there has political connections. Their daughter comes back with a memoir, and she has the power to reveal a truth the family has kept hidden. The play is sharp and witty. The characters dig up old hurts and buried secrets. The big question is not only what happened, but who owns a family's story and what it costs to tell it.

The cast includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an 11-time Emmy winner. Ed Harris is a Tony nominee and a four-time Academy Award nominee. Allison Janney is a two-time Tony nominee, an Academy Award winner and a seven-time Emmy winner. Joe Keery is an Actor Award winner, and Lily Rabe is a Tony nominee.

The show lasts about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and that includes one 15-minute intermission. The page recommends it for ages 12 and up.

You can buy tickets online at ATGtickets.com or in person at the Hudson Theatre box office. The box office is open Monday from 10am to 6pm. From Tuesday to Saturday it opens at 10am and stays open until one hour after the performance begins. On most Sundays it is open from 12pm to 6pm. If there is no show on a Sunday, it is closed. Groups of 10 or more should contact ATG Group Sales or call 888-811-5040, option 3.

There are cheaper ways to get seats. The first is a digital lottery on Lucky Seat, where tickets cost $49 each. You need a Lucky Seat account, and you enter at LuckySeat.com. Entries open every day at 12pm ET. For a weekday show, you can enter until 10:30AM ET on the day before. For a weekend show, the deadline is 10:30AM ET on the Friday before. Winners are picked starting at 11AM ET and the drawing goes on through the day if needed.

Winners only have a short time to buy and claim their tickets, so the page tells entrants to watch the drawing on the days they entered. Seat locations and the number of tickets depend on what is available. Some seats may have a partial view. Each person can get at most two tickets.

The second way is digital rush on the TodayTix app. Rush tickets also cost $49. They go on sale the morning of each show, starting at 9AM ET. You can get the app on an iOS or Android device and buy up to two tickets for that afternoon or evening. There are only a limited number, and they go first come, first served. Seats may have a partial view. You can set an alert in the app to hear when rush tickets are out each day.

American Express card members can also buy Amex Reserved Tickets at any time. This lasts while supplies last, and not every seat may be offered. Terms apply.

There are some house rules. You may not record audio or video inside the theatre. You also may not take photos, with or without flash.

Some items are not allowed inside. These are outside food and drinks, large professional cameras or video gear, flashlights, laser pointers, illegal substances, noise-making devices, fireworks, firearms, weapons and large luggage. Big cameras and video gear can be left at the coat check. For oversized items, guests should make other plans before they come.

For access, an elevator goes up to the Dress Circle level. Note that there are a few steps to the Dress Circle bar and seating area. There is no elevator to the Balcony level. The Ambassador Lounge has elevator access and an ADA restroom. The page links to more details about accessibility at the Hudson Theatre.

Text and photos: otherdesertcitiesbroadway.com — original →

What nextKey calendar dates ahead for the revivalOpening night arrives today, leading toward a scheduled January 17, 2027 closing date.

First official reviews land following tonight's curtain at the Hudson Theatre, testing whether critical acclaim matches the early audience rush.
The production reaches its scheduled final curtain; any extension would require the starry cast to postpone their next film and television commitments.

news.yahoo.co.jp · 18.10 — original →

news.yahoo.co.jp · 17.01.2027 — original →

Previous trends

All trends by date

You can have your own trends

You choose the topic — several AIs prepare solutions

Free learning app →

A Stranger Things star opens tonight on Broadway with four famous actors

What to do

Who should do what

What the world's 10 leading AIs think

Stranger Things Cast Singing: Who Has the Best Voice?

Rankings

Forecast before the AIs

The result of the last question

More to explore

More on this topic

Previous trends

You can have your own trends