Masquerade
Playing through Sunday, January 31, 2027.
I am, decidedly, not a Phantom of the Opera fan. The musical is Andrew Lloyd Webber at his most maximal with its larger than life rock opera numbers accompanied by a heavy pour of stage fog and burping pyrotechnics for good measure. But in yet another instance of ALW revisiting his greatest hits, Masquerade surprised me. An immersive theatrical experience à la Sleep No More, being placed right in the heart of Christine and the Phantom’s tortured dynamic transformed my skepticism into understanding. Somewhere between the masked ball dress code and conspiring with the musical’s comic relief characters in the opera dressing room, I really fell into the extravagance of it all and the infectious charm of the ensemble cast. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the show is the stage management between multiple floors and sets—they really made an immaculately run, fully realized world from the sandbox of an abandoned art supply store. I encourage all Phantom fanatics and any haters open to becoming converts alike to pay a visit (stage fog and pyrotechnics can be cool), though for those among us that are a bit queasy, be forewarned that there is a portion of the show with a human blockhead. —Kat Chen, editorial assistant, destinations
Matthew Murphy
Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody
Playing through Sunday, November 1st.
Left feeling bereft by the fact that we won’t get a second season of Heated Rivalry until 2027? While it may not scratch the exact same itch, this unauthorized musical parody is just the hero the fandom needs during the hiatus. I’ll confess—I did not watch Heated Rivalry, and it’s a testament to just how good this musical is that knowledge of the original source material isn’t some unspoken prerequisite for enjoying it. Framed as a retelling of the first season through the aperture of three wound-up moms all named “Susan,” the 75-minute musical speed runs through Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s steamy decade’s long affair with the help of ear worm numbers, a fair share of puppets, and an old family recipe for a concoction known as the “Ambien margarita.” The deep cut, NSFW humor of the show thrives in its Off-Broadway format, and its smaller venue inside Chelsea’s Culture Club ensures that there’s plenty of great seats. If you’re a fan of gay hockey players with big butts, this show was literally made for you. —K.C.
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Matthew Murphy
