Valentine’s Day Broadway Guide

By Ben Lerner 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner on February 14, and if you’re looking to find a Broadway show to level up your basic date night, look no further! Broadway’s Best Shows presents a guide to current theatrical offerings that could make a great Valentine’s Day date — as in, not devastating, traumatic, or full of heartbreak! 

Note: these all apply to “Galentine’s Day” and friend dates for the singles — this writer is right there with you.

FOR ROMANCE: musical romcoms that will leave your heart warmed!

• TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK)

A super-sweet new musical romantic comedy direct from the UK, Two Strangers is full of catchy tunes and two terrific lead performances by Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts — the only cast members! It’s funny, heartwarming, and very NYC-centric. (Okay, maybe the city is the third character.)  

• MAYBE HAPPY ENDING

Another delightful musical romcom — but they’re robots! With a wholesome plot and sharp use of technology, Maybe Happy Ending is both innovative and romantic. Darren Criss stars in the role he originated and won him the 2025 Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award. It also won Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Direction. 

FOR THE LAUGHS: less romantic, but guaranteed smiles throughout!

• DEATH BECOMES HER

This hilarious adaptation of the 1992 cult classic satire starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn boasts a top-tier score and a remarkably clever script. It’s straight-up comedy with an element of the supernatural — plus a stunning set, delicious costumes, and a fabulous ensemble of dancers. The brilliant Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard were both Tony-nominated for their roles as Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp. Betsy Wolfe has since replaced Hilty. Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child costars as Viola Van Horn. 

• OH, MARY!

Cole Escola’s 80-minute one-act absurdist comedy took the New York theatre scene by storm, becoming an unlikely hit by word of mouth. Escola won the Tony for their performance as Mary Todd Lincoln in this fictionalized account of the former First Lady’s life before her husband’s assassination. Yes, here she’s an alcoholic washed-up cabaret singer, and icons like Jane Krakowski and Jinkx Monsoon have since stepped into the role. Outrageous and deeply silly, Oh, Mary! currently stars Hedwig and the Angry Inch’s John Cameron Mitchell and Marvel’s Simu Liu.

FOR THE POP MUSIC STANS: if one partner is skeptical of traditional musical theatre, they’ll recognize these songs!

• & JULIET

A reimagining on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet that is far less tragic, & Juliet has become a Broadway hit. It’s a jukebox musical featuring the pop music of songwriter Max Martin, who has penned hits for almost every major pop star. Expect to hear tunes by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, and more. 

• MOULIN ROUGE!

If you’ve seen Baz Luhrmann’s musical film, you know Moulin Rouge! mixes lush romance, comedy, and tragedy. But regardless of a leading character’s fate, we recommend it for a fun theatre date. The stage adaptation is far less of a bummer, with superb concert-esque production value. This Tony-winning jukebox musical features original songs written for the film (“Come What May”), many of the pop songs covered in the film (“Lady Marmalade”), and plenty of new pop and rock selections from this century that are delightfully mashed up — sometimes with dozens of songs featured in one number. Moulin Rouge! has a dazzling set and choreography that make a supremely entertaining theatrical experience for pop music and theatre lovers alike.