2025 NYT Critics' Picks
These are the heavy hitters. Every show in this collection has been named a New York Times Critics’ Pick, so you can trust you’re seeing some of the most praised and talked-about productions on Broadway right now.
Little Bear Ridge Road
84%
263 ratings
A darkly funny family drama set in Idaho that explores guilt, love, and loss, with Laurie Metcalf giving a “riveting” and “deeply moving” performance that anchors this heartfelt story.
Liberation on Broadway
90%
200 ratings
A sharp and vibrant play set in 1970s Ohio about women discovering strength and independence, called “ferociously acted and brimming with life” by The New York Times.
Oedipus
90%
325 ratings
Critics praised this as a modern political thriller with “superb” performances from Mark Strong and Lesley Manville. Set over a single election night, the story follows Oedipus as troubling questions about his past surface and the truth closes in. The New York Times highlighted how the production builds dread with every new clue.
Ragtime
93%
219 ratings
A stirring revival of Ragtime following three families chasing the American dream, described by critics as “glorious” and “inspiriting,” with standout performances and emotional depth.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
94%
123 ratings
These kids show up to win a trophy but end up sharing their messiest, funniest, and most honest growing-up moments, which critics praise for being both wildly entertaining and unexpectedly tender.
The Queen of Versailles on Broadway
A dazzling new musical starring Kristin Chenoweth as a Florida socialite chasing her dream palace, praised by The New York Times for her “spectacular comic energy” and called “gleefully over-the-top” and “impossible to resist.”
Meet the Cartozians
80%
61 ratings
A layered comedy drama that moves between a 1920s citizenship battle and a modern reality TV world, using what the New York Times calls a story filled with a “barrage of jokes” and “comically sharp parody” to explore how families chase recognition, legitimacy, and a sense of belonging.
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
89%
208 ratings
On paper, it’s a rom-com about cake and New York, but really it’s about connection, emotional baggage, and the surprising turns two strangers can take. With “sharp comic timing and emotional depths,” its two leads make a simple cross-town mission feel like a journey of growth and connection.
Queens
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.
