Highlights from Broadway

Chinglish David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) has written this tale of an American businessman in China who hits unexpected barriers of both the cultural and linguistic kind. Longacre Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge).

Death of a Salesman (previews begin Feb 13, opens March 15) Arthur Miller’s legendary American tragedy returns to Broadway with Academy Award-winning film star Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead. The new production, directed by Mike Nichols, is slated for a limited run, through June 2. Barrymore Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), deathofasalesmanbroadway.com.

Evita (previews begin March 12, opens April 5) “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” is just one of the Andrew Lloyd Webber gems heard in this pop opera, which returns to Broadway for the first time since its 1979 premiere. Pop star Ricky Martin is featured as Che Guevara. Marquis Theater, 800-745-3000 (Ticketmaster), evitaonbroadway.com.

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess This renowned folk opera returns to Broadway in a daring, controversial production that replaces most of the recitative with dialogue that breathes new life into the title characters. Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier star. Rodgers Theater, 800-745-3000 (Ticketmaster) porgyandbessonbroadway.com.

Godspell For the first time since its 1976 debut, this dearly loved, funkadellic musical retelling of the Gospel according to St. Matthew—a staple of high school and community theaters—returns to Broadway. The catchy score, by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), includes the big hit “Day by Day.” Circle in the Square Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), godspell.com.

Ghost (previews begin March 15, opens April 23) Based on the same-named film, this new musical tells of a murdered stockbroker desperate to communicate with his still-living girlfriend. With a pop-inflected score by Dave Stewart (of the Eurythmics), the show arrives on Broadway after a successful run in London. Lunt-Fontanne Theater, 800-745-3000 (Ticketmaster), ghostonbroadway.com

Gore Vidal’s The Best Man (previews begin March 6, opens April 1) Just in time for presidential-election season comes this revival of the play about secrets, scandal and ruthlessness among two candidates on the campaign trail. The star-studded cast includes Candace Bergen, James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, John Larroquette, Eric McCormack and Michael McKean. Schoenfeld Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge).

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying In this revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1961 musical comedy, New Jersey’s own Nick Jonas stars as an ambitious window washer who climbs the corporate ladder with the aid of a self-help book. Hirschfeld Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), howtosucceedbroadway.com.

Jesus Christ Superstar (previews begin March 1, opens March 22) This 70s rock opera recounting the last days of Jesus Christ’s life comes back to the Great White Way. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the score, produces the production, which got raves in its Stratford [Ontario] Shakespeare Festival debut. Neil Simon Theater, 800-745-3000 (Ticketmaster), superstaronbroadway.com.

Lysistrata Jones (Previews begin Nov. 12, opens Dec. 14) A retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata (411 B.C.), this hilarious new musical tells of a sassy university student who challenges her fellow cheerleaders to stop “giving it up” until their basketball-player boyfriends end their losing streak. Kerr Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), lysistratajones.com.

Newsies (previews begin March 15, opens March 29) If you didn’t catch the premiere of this feel-good new musical at the Paper Mill Playhouse this past fall, you won’t want to miss it in its Broadway transfer. A stage adaptation of Disney’s same-named cult-classic film, the story follows a group of plucky young newspaper sellers in the early 1900s. Nederlander Theater, 800-866-2717 (Ticketmaster), newsiesthemusical.com.

Once (previews begin Feb. 28, opens March 18) The sweet 2007 film about an Irish guy and a Czech gal falling in love over music in Dublin is now a romantic tuner by the same duo who wrote the movie. The intimate show makes a quick move to Broadway after an Off-Broadway debut at the end of last year. Jacobs Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), oncemusical.com.

Seminar In this new comedy, Alan Rickman (aka Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films) portrays a legendary and temperamental author who pits student against student while conducting a seminar for four promising writers. Jerry O’Connell and Lily Rabe costar. Golden Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), seminaronbroadway.com.

Sister Act This big musical version of the classic Whoopi Goldberg nuns-and-fun comedy boasts a catchy disco and soul-inflected original score by Alan Menken, famous for Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and many others. Goldberg produces. Broadway Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), sisteractbroadway.com.

Stick Fly Set in the Martha’s Vineyard vacation home of a well-to-do family, this comedy concerns the secrets revealed and old wounds opened when two sons introduce their significant others to their parents. Cort Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), stickflybroadway.com.

Venus in Fur (performances resume Feb 7) Originally scheduled to end its run at the end of last year, this red-hot ticket headlined by Broadway’s biggest new star, Nina Arianda, gets a stay at a new theater. In the kinky comedy, Arianda plays an actress who goes through shocking lengths to land the leading role in a stage adaptation of the titular erotic novel. Hugh Dancy costars. Lyceum Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), venusinfurbroadway.com.

Wit (closes March 11) Tony Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) brings this renowned play to Broadway for the first time. Nixon plays a hard-nosed professor who finds herself fighting for her life when she’s diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Friedman Theater, 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge), manhattantheatreclub.com. —Liam Correll