Broadway revivals, world premieres and a 100-year-old block party—the city’s fall arts calendar is stacked.
New York City doesn’t do modest. When it comes to arts and culture, the city is an embarrassment of riches, but it also poses a unique challenge: what to see and do with limited time or resources.
From Broadway to the outer boroughs, these can’t-miss NYC fall arts events bring legendary talents into the spotlight while also challenging our assumptions about what is art, and who has access to it.
Themes of societal unrest, family drama, and economic disparity have emerged, but so have unbridled joy and celebration. Here are 15 picks worth clearing your calendar for.
Theater
“Other Desert Cities,” Broadway
When: Sept. 29, 2026-Jan. 17, 2027
An all-star cast, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, and Allison Janney, assembles for a revival of “Other Desert Cities,” Jon Robin Baitz’s Tony-winning play about a politically connected family on the cusp of self-destruction.
“I had, more or less, talked myself out of imagining “Other Desert Cities” back in New York,” says playwright Baitz. But [director] John Hickey is family to me, and I trust him completely. And with this company of actors, a playwright dreams about, I thought that if there were still something alive in it, they would find it. Nearly 20 years later, through all the fractures and divisions, the questions remain the same: how to live with who we are and what we’ve done and call that a life.”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” The Public Theater
When: Oct. 8-Nov. 22
Following a successful run on the West End, The Public Theater presents the musical adaptation of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
The musical is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story about a man who ages in reverse, beginning his life as an elder. As the years go on, Benjamin (played by Tony nominee Andrew Durand) must come to terms with a world rarely prepared for a love that grows younger by the day.
A company of 15 actor-musicians brings the story to life, with co-creators Jethro Compton (book and lyrics) and Darren Clark (music and lyrics) trading its original Baltimore setting (New Orleans in the film) for a Cornish coastal village.
“Imitation of Life,” The Shed
When: Nov. 21, 2026-Jan. 3, 2027
EGOT winner John Legend (music and lyrics) joins forces with Lynn Nottage (book) for this world premiere at The Shed and is co-produced with the National Black Theatre. “Imitation of Life,” based on Fannie Hurst’s 1933 novel and subsequent films of the same name, follows an unlikely friendship between two single mothers, one Black and one white.
Spanning the 1920s and 30s from Atlantic City to New York City, “Imitation of Life” examines the women’s pursuit of love and success in a world polarized by racial inequities. Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren was just announced to star in the role of Delilah.
“‘Imitation of Life’ tells a deeply emotional story of a remarkable woman’s journey, and I’m thrilled to know that Adrienne Warren will bring Delilah to life! Adrienne is an incredibly gifted performer who brings heart, humanity, and radiance to every character she plays,” says Legend. “I’m so excited that the world will hear her magnificent voice on the first musical that I’ve composed.”
Music
Phoebe Bridgers, Barclay Center
When: Sept. 24-26
Phoebe Bridgers has come a long way since busking at the Pasadena Farmers Market in the late 2000s. This fall, she’s headlining Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with three sold-out shows. (Resale is available through Ticketmaster’s verified platform and StubHub.)
“Phoebe Bridgers: The Lost Tour” accompanies her new album “Lost Weekend,” released this summer. “The sound design is a marvel,” writes Pitchfork, “subtle and dynamic, suited for the sold-out arenas where she’ll be touring the material.”
Like Sara Bareilles’s new album, “Good Grief,” Bridgers also taps into deep emotional territory on her latest release and plans to create a device-free environment. Concertgoers will be asked to secure phones, watches, and other filming or recording devices in Yondr pouches upon arrival.
The effort has earned raves from critics, with Variety writing of her recent Madison Square Garden concert, “For all the corny comments one could make about What Really Matters when experiencing art in the Instagram age, it was a welcome change to enjoy a show without trying to impress the internet.”
“From Cuba to the Crescent City: The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis,” Frederick P. Rose Hall
When: Oct. 23-24
Wynton Marsalis concludes his tenure as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s (JALC) managing and artistic director—a nearly 40-year legacy that’s kept the art form at the forefront of New York City’s music scene. (Don’t worry, he’ll be sticking around in an advisory role.)
Marsalis’s programming for JALC’s 26-27 season runs the gamut, from vocalist Dianne Reeves (Feb. 12-13) to Paquito D’Rivera’s tribute to Chick Corea (March 12-13). The lineup also includes plenty of opportunities to hear Marsalis himself.
Accompanied by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Marsalis will explore the connection between jazz and the African diaspora, including several of his own suites: “Ochas,” “Afro!,” and “Congo Square.” Pedrito Martinez, Weedie Braimah, and Shenel Johns join Marsalis and the orchestra for an evening that promises to pulsate with musical inspiration.
“Tosca,” New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall
When: Nov. 13 and 15
Nothing says New York City like Carnegie Hall. The New York Philharmonic’s new music and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel, raises the baton for a new opera-in-concert series at the famed venue.
Puccini’s “Tosca” will take center stage at Stern Auditorium for an unforgettable evening of classical music and soaring arias, featuring Marina Rebeka in the title role.
“This is not a job—it is a mission,” Dudamel told the New York Times. “We will have the chance to develop the core repertoire, which is crucial, but also be flexible and open to do these wonderful things with great artists from other fields from other styles.”
Dance
Limón Dance Company, Joyce Theater
When: Oct. 6-11
Limón Dance Company returns to the Joyce Theater to continue the celebration of its 80th anniversary. Founded by José Limón with mentor Doris Humphrey, the company has been at the forefront of modern dance, driven by expansive athleticism and a unique physical poetry.
This fall program at The Joyce includes Limóon’s “Mazurkas” (1958), featuring live piano and inspired by the choreographer’s post-World War II trip to Poland. Also showcased is Aszure Barton’s “Join” (2025), created with composer Ambrose Akinmusire.
“Oscar,” The Australian Ballet, New York City Center
When: Oct. 8-11
For over 80 years, New York City Center has been an epicenter for performing arts, welcoming global creatives from theater, dance, and music to its stages.
Tony-winning director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon (“MJ”) reimagines the life of Oscar Wilde in “Oscar©,” a sweeping work he created for The Australian Ballet. Using elements of Wilde’s writing, including “The Nightingale” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” Wheeldon stages what he believes is the first ballet depicting gay love.
“What’s wrong with normalizing same-sex intimacy on stage?” Wheeldon told The Guardian. “There shouldn’t be anything shocking about that.”
“In Conversation with Merce: New RainForest(s),” Baryshnikov Arts Center
When: Nov. 19-21
Mikhail Baryshnikov launched his namesake arts center in 2005 as a hub for multidisciplinary artists. Over more than 20 years, the center has hosted performances, residencies, and educational programming.
Since 2021, the Merce Cunningham Trust has collaborated on “In Conversation with Merce”—interdisciplinary exchanges that explore the choreographer’s work in dialogue with contemporary artists.
“New RainForest(s)” is the centerpiece of the series’ latest addition. Using Cunningham’s “RainForest” (a work that premiered in 1968 and also featured design elements by Andy Warhol), dance artists Claude “CJ” Johnson, Chalvar Monteiro, and Chaery Moon, with filmmaker Alex Munro, reexamine the work with new choreography and video design.
Art
“Teresa Margolles: en el lugar de los hechos (At the Scene),” MoMA PS1
When: Sept. 24-spring 2027
Head to MoMA PS1 in Queens for Teresa Margolles’s first large-scale exhibition in the U.S. “Teresa Margolles: en el lugar de los hechos (At the Scene)” features several large-scale installations, drawing upon the artist’s expertise as a forensic pathologist and photographer.
Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, Margolles has long explored the violence and societal impact on marginalized communities, particularly femicide.
The sculpture “La Promesa” (2012) anchors the exhibition. The artist acquired an abandoned house, disassembled it, and transferred it to Mexico City, where she created a large barrier that participants further dissolved. The current installation includes 20 tons of rubble, archival materials, and further context for border violence.
Also opening this fall is “New York Fashion at PS1: 1980-1984,” which revisits the museum’s fashion program with both original objects and partial reconstructions. (Nov. 5, 2026 to March 15, 2027)
“Roy Lichtenstein: Like New,” Whitney Museum of American Art
When: Oct. 11, 2026-May 10, 2027
After just concluding the Whitney Biennial, the museum is opening even more impressive exhibitions this fall. “Roy Lichtenstein: Like New” offers a wide-ranging look at the artist’s influence on the Pop art movement, from the early 1940s through the 1990s.
The exhibit includes about 130 works, from paintings and prints to sculpture and film. Those familiar with the artist may recognize some of his more famous works, such as “Masterpiece” (1962) and “Drowning Girl” (1963). The exhibition also brings into conversation Lichtenstein’s entire body of work from his first exhibition of Pop-style work at Leo Castelli Gallery in 1962, offering an insider’s look at his artistic evolution.
Art Week NYC, various locations
When: Nov. 11-14
The first-ever Art Week NYC arrives this November, including art walks, artist interviews, and gallery openings. A midtown hub, programmed by ARTnews and Art in America, will host conversations with dynamic voices from the art world. Over 75 galleries, along with many of the city’s museums and cultural institutions, will participate.
Danielle McConnell, Publisher of Artforum, praised the new event as gallery-focused and celebrating New York as an “unparalleled ecosystem.”
“We’re profoundly grateful to the galleries, museums, and cultural partners for opening their doors to welcome audiences into the spaces where art is best experienced,” said Artforum publisher Danielle McConnell. “This week is a celebration of their commitment to keeping art at the center of our city’s cultural heartbeat.”
Festivals
Feast of San Gennaro, Little Italy
When: Sept. 17-27
Mangia! The Feast of San Gennaro returns to Little Italy’s Mulberry Street and the surrounding neighborhood for 10 days of cannolis and culture.
Since 1926, the festival has celebrated Italian American immigrants honoring St. Gennaro, the Bishop of Benevento, Italy. In addition to plenty of zeppole, arancini, and sausage and peppers piled high on an Italian hero, the San Gennaro also offers a feast of entertainment.
This year’s lineup includes Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch celebrating the Italian/American Songbook (Sept. 17), Sal Vivino singing American standards (Sept. 18), and the annual Grand Procession featuring the Clarity Festival Band, Giglio Band, Italian Fairy, and—of course—the Statue of San Gennaro (Sept. 26).
New York Film Festival, various locations
When: Sept. 25-Oct. 12
The New York Film Festival turns 64 this year with a lineup of Hollywood heavy hitters and emerging filmmakers. Most films screen at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side, with select additional programming throughout the five boroughs.
Standouts include James Gray’s “Paper Tiger,” a New York thriller starring Adam Driver; Chris Rock’s “Misty Green,” about a former actress trying to survive life in Hollywood; and “Once Upon a Time in Harlem,” started in 1972 by filmmaker William Greaves and only recently completed by his son David.
Open House New York Weekend, various locations
When: Oct. 16-18
Ever wonder what New York City’s most coveted addresses look like on the inside? Architect Scott Lauer founded Open House New York (OHNY) after 9/11, when many of the city’s storied buildings closed to the public for security reasons.
With a mission to retain “openness, accessibility, and civic dialogue, OHNY amplifies New York City’s urban landscape through film screenings, walking tours, and public events. The Open House New York Weekend offers rare access to the city’s infrastructure, with over 300 sites.
Although it’s free, some sites require tickets to manage capacity. This year’s lineup will be revealed on Sept. 25, and tickets will be released on Oct. 2.
