Concluding Jan. 3, 2015

Cinderella (Broadway at the Broadway Theatre). Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Cinderella arrived at the Broadway Theatre in early 2013 starring Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana, who were both Tony-nominated for their performances. The current cast features Keke Palmer as Ella, Joe Carroll as Topher, Judy Kaye as Marie and NeNe Leakes as Madame. The new production incorporates rarely-heard songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue, including "Loved and Learned," "Now Is the Time," "Me, Who Am I?" and "The Music in You." Also featured are standards from the original television version, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It's Possible," "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" Visit CinderellaOnBroadway.com.

Here Lies Love (Off-Broadway at The Public Theater). The immersive David Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical Here Lies Love originally began performances April 2, 2013, for a four-time extended run. It returned to The Public April 14. Tony nominee Alex Timbers staged the 90-minute, immersive musical, which centers around the First Lady of the Philippines. Set within a dance-club atmosphere, theatregoers stand and move with the actors for the duration of the show. Here Lies Love has music by David Byrne of The Talking Heads and DJ Fatboy Slim, with lyrics by Byrne. The cast features Jaygee Macapugay as Imelda Marcos, Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos alongside Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino and Tobias Wong as the DJ. Visit HereLiesLove.com.

Concluding Jan. 4

Pippin (Broadway at the Music Box Theatre). The Tony Award-winning Best Revival of Pippin was taken to new heights by director Diane Paulus, who re-imagined the piece for a circus troupe and a female ringleader. With a book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin features choreography in the style of Bob Fosse by Tony Award nominee Chet Walker and circus creations by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). The current cast features Josh Kaufman as Pippin, Carly Hughes as Leading Player, Tony Award nominee John Dossett as Charles, Tony Award nominee Charlotte d'Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine and Priscilla Lopez as Berthe. Pippin, according to press notes, "tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory?" Visit PippinTheMusical.com. Once (Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre). The Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical Once is based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning film and opened to critical acclaim March 18, 2012, following engagements at New York Theatre Workshop and in Cambridge, MA. Once features a book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, the Academy Award-winning music and lyrics of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, direction by John Tiffany, movement by Steven Hoggett and music supervision and orchestrations by Martin Lowe. The current cast features Paul Alexander Nolan as Guy and Jessie Fisher as Girl. "Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once," according to press notes, "tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights... but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, Once draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It's an unforgettable story about going for your dreams and the power of music to connect us all." Visit OnceMusical.com.

The Real Thing (Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre). Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Tom Stoppard's Tony Award-winning The Real Thing features Ewan McGregor as Henry opposite Maggie Gyllenhaal as Annie — both in their Broadway debuts. The cast also features Josh Hamilton as Max, Cynthia Nixon as Charlotte, Ronan Raftery as Billy, Alex Breaux as Brodie and Madeline Weinstein as Debbie. Here's how Roundabout bills the "stirring and sensual" new production of The Real Thing: "Henry is a playwright not so happily married to Charlotte, the lead actress in his play about a marriage on the verge of collapse. When Henry’s affair with their friend Annie threatens to destroy his own marriage, he discovers that life has started imitating art. After Annie leaves her husband so she and Henry can begin a new life together, he can't help but wonder whether their love is fiction or the real thing. Delectably witty and deeply affecting, The Real Thing takes a daring glimpse at relationships, fidelity, and the passions that often blur our perception of love." Visit RoundaboutTheatre.org.

This Is Our Youth (Broadway at the Cort Theatre). Kenneth Lonergan's 1996 drama This Is Our Youth stars Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin and Tavi Gevinson under the direction of Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro. The three-actor play played the Steppenwolf Theatre Company prior to its Broadway arrival. Here's how the play is billed: "Set in New York in 1982, This Is Our Youth follows forty-eight hours in the lives of three very lost young souls: Warren (to be played by Michael Cera), a dejected nineteen year old who has just stolen $15,000 from his abusive, tycoon father; Dennis (Kieran Culkin), his charismatic drug-dealing friend who helps Warren put the stolen money to good use; and Jessica (Tavi Gevinson), the anxiously insightful young woman who Warren yearns for. Funny, painful and compassionate, This Is Our Youth is a living snapshot of the moment when many young people go out into the world on their own, armed only with the ideas and techniques they developed as teenagers – far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine." Visit ThisIsOurYouthBroadway.com.

The Illusionists — Witness the Impossible (Broadway at the Marriott Marquis Theatre). The Illusionists – Witness The Impossible is conceived by Simon Painter and directed by Neil Dorward. The limited engagement is billed as such: "This mind-blowing spectacular showcases the jaw-dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth." The stars include The Manipulator, Yu Ho-Jin; The Anti-Conjuror, Dan Sperry; The Trickster, Jeff Hobson; The Escapologist, Andrew Basso; The Inventor, Kevin James; The Warrior, Aaron Crow; and The Futurist, Adam Trent. Visit TheIllusionistsLive.com.

Side Show (Broadway at the St. James Theatre). The reimagined production of the 1997 Tony-nominated musical Side Show was previously seen at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the La Jolla Playhouse. Erin Davie and Emily Padgett, who starred in both the La Jolla Playhouse and Kennedy Center engagements, reprise their leading roles as conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton. The two actresses are joined by Matthew Hydzik as Buddy Foster, Robert Joy as Sir, Ryan Silverman as Terry Connor and David St. Louis as Jake. The musical is inspired by the "remarkable true story of the Hilton twins, Daisy and Violet, who were legends in their time and the highest paid performers on the vaudeville circuit. Side Show is their heartwarming search for first love and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny under the spotlight." Visit SideShowBroadway.com.

The Temptations and The Four Tops (Broadway at the Palace Theatre). Motown legends The Temptations and The Four Tops play a special week-long engagement at Broadway's Palace Theatre. This limited engagement features 50 years of classic hit songs and is described as "a career retrospective as well as a celebration of the hit songs that defined a generation." Audiences can expect the groups' classic Top 10 Billboard hits, including "My Girl," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Bernadette," "Get Ready," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)," "Baby I Need Your Lovin'," "It's the Same Old Song (But With a Different Meaning Since You’ve Been Gone)," "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)." Visit Ticketmaster.com.

The Invisible Hand (Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop). New York Theatre Workshop's world-premiere production of Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar's The Invisible Hand is directed by two-time Obie winner Ken Russ Schmoll. Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Justin Kirk stars alongside Jameal Ali, Usman Ally and Dariush Kashani. Here's how the play from the Disgraced author is billed: "The Invisible Hand follows an American investment banker, kidnapped and held for ransom in Pakistan, as he trades for his life. This suspenseful new play is a chilling and complex look at how far we will go to save ourselves and the devastating ramifications of our individual actions on global power and politics." Visit NYTW.org.

A Particle of Dread (Oedipus Variations) (Off-Broadway at Signature Center's Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre). The U.S. premiere of A Particle of Dread (Oedipus Variations), a new take on the classic Greek tragedy exploring destiny and fate, is by award-winning Playwright-in-Residence Sam Shepard. Nancy Meckler directs a cast that includes Stephen Rea, who plays the canonical central role, with Brid Brennan, Lloyd Hutchinson, Jason Kolotouros, Matthew Rauch, Aidan Redmond and Judith Roddy. "This dark, fragmented, modern-day take on Oedipus Rex premiered in Derry, Ireland, and features a cast of actors from both sides of the Atlantic," press notes state. Visit SignatureTheatre.org.