Welcome to the Broadway Insider, tickadoo's weekly read on what is really happening in New York theatre. The week of Monday 13 to Sunday 19 July 2026 is the theatre district at its summer peak: around 31 shows lit, tourists filling every lobby, and one genuinely significant closing to plan around. Below is the insider view of the week, which shows are running, what is ending, and where the smart money goes, with live prices we verified on tickadoo on Monday 13 July.
Broadway this week, at a glance
- Shows running: around 31, including Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King, Six, MJ, Hadestown and Aladdin.
- Closing this week: the revival of Proof plays its final performance on Sunday 19 July.
- Last full week: Joe Turner's Come and Gone runs all week before closing 26 July.
- Not this week: Free Shakespeare in the Park is dark. The Winter's Tale opens at the Delacorte on 25 July.
- Best-value booking: Cats: The Jellicle Ball from $63.30, verified this week.
The story of the week: catch Proof before it closes
The one piece of unmissable theatre news this week is a closing. The Broadway revival of David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize winning play Proof, directed by Thomas Kail and starring Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle, plays its final performance at the Booth Theatre on Sunday 19 July. It has been one of the talked-about straight-play draws of the spring and summer, and its last week lands squarely inside these seven days. If a mathematics-and-family drama with a screen-famous cast is your idea of a great night out, this is your final chance, and interest tends to spike in a show's closing week, so it is worth sorting your seats early.
Just behind it, Taraji P. Henson's revival of August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone at the Ethel Barrymore plays its full slate this week before closing on 26 July, so this is one of your last two weeks for that one too. Looking a little further out, Every Brilliant Thing and Death of a Salesman run to 9 August and Ragtime to 16 August, so there is no rush on those, but the clock is ticking.
One trap to avoid: Shakespeare in the Park is not on
Here is where an insider saves you a wasted evening. Free Shakespeare in the Park is a New York summer institution, but it is dark this exact week. The Public Theater's production of Romeo and Juliet closed at the Delacorte on 28 June, and the second show of the season, The Winter's Tale, directed by Daniel Sullivan, does not begin previews until 25 July. So if you have read an evergreen list telling you to head to Central Park for free Shakespeare, hold off. Come back the following week and it will be one of the best free things in the city.
The crowd-pleasers, and what they cost this week
Summer is when the long-runners earn their reputation, and tickadoo shows the live price so you can plan properly. The jukebox joy of & Juliet is from $88.20 this week. The gorgeous, Tony-winning Hadestown is from $67.80. The sharp-suited spectacle of Moulin Rouge! The Musical is from $112.20, and the ever-reliable Chicago, Broadway's longest-running American musical, is from $81. Families with older children gravitate to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (from $68.16) and Aladdin (from $97.20).
The word-of-mouth hits worth chasing
If you have seen the obvious ones, this is the week to gamble on the shows the city is actually talking about. Oh, Mary! (from $93.84) is the wickedly funny cult comedy that graduated from downtown to a full Broadway phenomenon. Operation Mincemeat (from $63.84) is the ingenious British import that turns a real World War Two deception into one of the most inventive musicals in years. Buena Vista Social Club (from $66.72) puts live Cuban music at the heart of a genuine feel-good night, and Just in Time (from $80.58) is the Bobby Darin story told with real style.
For something bolder still, Cats: The Jellicle Ball reinvents the Lloyd Webber warhorse through the lens of ballroom culture and is, at from $63.30 this week, the best-value ticket on this whole list. And the two-hander charmer Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) (from $75.24) is a lovely, low-key alternative to the big machines.
New this season, and the quieter gems
Summer is also when the newer arrivals settle into their runs, and a few are worth a look before the crowds fully catch on. The Great Gatsby (from $68.40) gives the Jazz Age the full lavish Broadway treatment, all glitter and heartbreak. Maybe Happy Ending (from $55.68) is the tender, inventive robot love story that quietly became one of the most admired shows of the season, and at that price it is one of the smartest bookings on the board this week. For a raucous, unapologetic night, Titanique (from $72) reimagines the film through the songs of Celine Dion, and Little Shop of Horrors (from $118.80) keeps its cult status intact off-Broadway.
If you are choosing a straight play rather than a musical, this is a strong week for it. Beyond the closing Proof, the revival of Death of a Salesman (from $206.40) runs to 9 August, and the comic chaos of The Play That Goes Wrong (from $103.20) is the most family-friendly laugh in the district, a farce that plays just as well for teenagers as for adults.
An insider note on summer prices
Here is the sort of thing only a live price feed can tell you. Mid-July is peak tourist season, so the headline musicals sit at their summer highs, which is exactly why the value this week clusters around the newer and the bolder shows rather than the household names. Verified on tickadoo on Monday 13 July, the spread ran from Maybe Happy Ending at $55.68 and Operation Mincemeat at $63.84 up to Death of a Salesman at $206.40, with the long-running blockbusters generally landing in the middle. The lesson for a savvy visitor: if budget matters more than title recognition, the most rewarding seat in the house this week is very often at a show you have not already heard a hundred times.
How to choose, and where to sit
Not sure which of these fits your group? Our personality-based guide to choosing a Broadway show is the fastest way to narrow it down, and if you are set on the Harry Potter epic, our Lyric Theatre seating guide tells you exactly where to sit for the magic. First Broadway trip in a while? A quick read of Broadway etiquette in 2025 covers the small things that make the night smoother. Every ticket in this guide is bookable through tickadoo, built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, so you are buying from a team that has sold theatre tickets for a very long time.
A word on seeing Broadway in peak summer
Mid-July is the busiest the theatre district gets all year, which shapes how you should plan. Weekend evenings and the marquee titles are in heaviest demand, so if your dates are fixed, book as far ahead as you can and keep an open mind on which show, since the newer hits often have better availability and better value than the household names. Matinees are your secret weapon in the heat: a Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon performance gets you into a cool, dark theatre during the hottest part of the day, then frees your evening for a rooftop, a park concert or a harbour cruise. And if you are building a multi-show week, alternate a big musical with a straight play or a smaller off-Broadway gem so the nights do not blur into one another. Every show above is bookable through tickadoo with the live price shown up front, so you can weigh title, price and date in one place before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Which Broadway show is closing the week of 13 to 19 July 2026?
The revival of Proof, starring Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle, plays its final performance at the Booth Theatre on Sunday 19 July. Joe Turner's Come and Gone plays its full week before closing the following Sunday, 26 July.
Is Free Shakespeare in the Park running this week?
No. The Delacorte is between productions: Romeo and Juliet closed on 28 June and The Winter's Tale begins on 25 July, so there are no Free Shakespeare performances during 13 to 19 July.
How many shows are playing on Broadway this week?
Around 31, the full summer roster, from the long-running blockbusters like Hamilton, Wicked and The Lion King to newer hits and limited runs.
What is the best-value Broadway ticket this week?
Of the shows on this list, Cats: The Jellicle Ball is the most accessible at from $63.30, verified on tickadoo this week, closely followed by Operation Mincemeat from $63.84.
Is Broadway dark on Mondays?
Most shows are, which is the standard Broadway schedule, though a few play Monday performances. Always check the specific show's times when you book, and note that Monday 13 July is a strong free-culture night elsewhere in the city.
That is the theatre week. For the wider picture, from the World Cup final to the free outdoor concerts, see our guide to what's on in New York this week, and if you are travelling with children, our roundup of things to do with kids this week pairs the family shows with the zoos, museums and attractions. Prices verified on tickadoo on Monday 13 July 2026.
Built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, with 25 years of expertise in theatre ticketing. The tickadoo editorial team covers West End and Broadway shows, attractions, tours and experiences across 700+ cities.
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