2025 NYT Critics' Picks

A darkly funny and tender family drama about guilt, loss, and love in lockdown-era Idaho. Laurie Metcalf gives a “riveting” and “deeply moving” performance that anchors this heartfelt look at the struggle to reconnect.

Set in 1970s Ohio, this sharp and funny play follows women discovering their power. The New York Times called it “ferociously acted and brimming with life,” celebrating its humor, heart, and spirit of rebellion.

The story of a man who thinks he’s making the right choices only to discover his life is a disaster waiting to happen.

This revival follows three turn-of-the-century families chasing the American dream. Critics called it “glorious” and “inspiriting,” praising its emotional power and standout performances

A glitzy new musical where Kristin Chenoweth shines as a Florida socialite chasing her dream palace. The New York Times praised her “spectacular comic energy” and called the show “gleefully over-the-top” and “impossible to resist”

A powerful revival about immigrant women rebuilding their lives in Queens, praised by The New York Times as “beautifully acted and deeply empathetic,” and celebrated for its honesty about starting over in America.