NEW ORLEANS THEATER LISTINGS - WHAT'S ON STAGE IN NEW ORLEANS, SEPTEMBER 2025
Big Freedia and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
New orleans on stage - SEPTEMBER 2025
We are so back! After a slower summer, there's a full line up of exciting stage shows in the city this September. Plays, classical concerts, ballet, comedy - you name it, it's on a stage near you this month. Here are our highlights:
Through September 14th
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B
Marquette Theater at Loyola University
Crescent City Stage's darkly comic, feminist twist on the world's greatest detective duo. Pandemic fatigue and quirky codependence collide as these oddball roommates solve mysteries and kick butt. More info
READ OUR REVIEW
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CAST MEMBER JARROD SMITH
4th
The Witcher in Concert
Mahalia Jackson Theatre
Witness the open-world RPG’s timeless score brought to life with a live orchestra performance, featuring special appearances by Polish folk metal band Percival, the original co-composers of the game’s soundtrack. More info
4th-7th
International Dance Festival
New Marigny Theatre
A festival celebrating contemporary dance in the American Gulf South. More info
5th
Stephen Ho: Is It An Emergency?
Joy Theatre
Steven Ho is a comedian, content creator, and former ER technician best known for his viral videos that hilariously bridge the gap between healthcare and pop culture. More info
6th
LPO: 2025 Benefit Concert: A Tribute to Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Orpheum Theatre
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra proudly invites you to an unforgettable evening honoring the life and enduring legacy of the legendary Ellis Marsalis Jr. This special concert will feature the world premiere of a new composition by acclaimed New Orleans composer Roger Dickerson, with special guest performances by Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Jason Marsalis. More info
10th
Outcry
Lower Depths Theatre, Loyola University
Tennessee Williams’ plaintive and poetic cry of the heart. The stage is set in darkness when Clare and Felice arrive to perform their act, but they’ve been performing the show for so long that they struggle to determine where the play ends and their true lives begin. As they gaze out to the pitch dark maw of the theatre, they can’t be sure whether the audience is there or not, so they determine to present the show. More info
12th-21st
Waitress
Jefferson Performing Arts Center
Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop…until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town's handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. More info
12th-28th
Dear Evan Hansen
Rivertown Theatres
All his life, Evan Hansen has felt invisible. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the center of a rapidly evolving controversy, Evan is given the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to be somebody else. More info
18th
LPO: The Music Of John Williams
Orpheum Theatre
Immerse yourself in the music of iconic composer John Williams. Experience nostalgia, adventure, and excitement with an evening of music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and more—performed live by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. More info
18th-20th
Batture Contemporary
A three-day new music festival showcasing the diverse array of composers and performers based in Louisiana. The festival includes concerts, workshops, and rehearsals free and open to the public in various venues (New Marigny Theatre, Hotel Peter & Paul, Dixon Hall, The Domino). More info / READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDER MENDEL LEE
18th-21st
OVO by Cirque du Soleil
Smoothie King Center
A dazzling production by the world famous Cirque du Soleil, featuring 53 acrobats and musicians who bring to life a fantastical insect colony. This reimagined version includes new acrobatic acts, original characters, updated costumes, and reinvented music. More info
19th-29th
Critical Mass: A Dark and Caustic Comedy
Marigny Opera House
A narrator – artist, mother, investigator of society’s foibles – takes us on an absurd and darkly humorous exploration of humanity’s impulse towards criticism, from its most elevated to its most base. Meanwhile, a troupe of actors desperately works to prove their worth to a theater critic, and the Critic himself goes through an existential crisis about his role in these actors’ lives and the value of his work. In the end, the only choice left is to dive desperately into human connection. More info
24th
Not Dead Yet! – John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50
Mahalia Jackson Theatre
This once-in-a-lifetime event features a special screening of the beloved cult classic, followed by an uproarious conversation and audience Q&A with Cleese. More info
26th
LPO: With Big Freedia
Orpheum Theatre
The Queen Diva returns to the Orpheum for one explosive night with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. This is the third epic collaboration between Big Freedia and the LPO, following two sold-out shows and a live album that shook the city. More info
26th - Oct 4th
As You Like It
Robert E. Nims Theatre
UNO School of the Arts present the Shakespeare classic. More info
27th-28th
Prodigal Son
Civic Theatre
A world premiere: the ballet Prodigal Son by resident choreographer Oliver Halkowich, and Cluedo by celebrated choreographer Julia Adam. Prodigal Son riffs on the familiar biblical parable. The son, in his desire to be free, asks for his inheritance and embarks on a journey that comes with its set of trials and tribulations. In his darkest hour, the son returns home in the hopes of returning to the open arms of his mother. More info
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B
Marquette Theater at Loyola University
Crescent City Stage's darkly comic, feminist twist on the world's greatest detective duo. Pandemic fatigue and quirky codependence collide as these oddball roommates solve mysteries and kick butt. More info
READ OUR REVIEW
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CAST MEMBER JARROD SMITH
4th
The Witcher in Concert
Mahalia Jackson Theatre
Witness the open-world RPG’s timeless score brought to life with a live orchestra performance, featuring special appearances by Polish folk metal band Percival, the original co-composers of the game’s soundtrack. More info
4th-7th
International Dance Festival
New Marigny Theatre
A festival celebrating contemporary dance in the American Gulf South. More info
5th
Stephen Ho: Is It An Emergency?
Joy Theatre
Steven Ho is a comedian, content creator, and former ER technician best known for his viral videos that hilariously bridge the gap between healthcare and pop culture. More info
6th
LPO: 2025 Benefit Concert: A Tribute to Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Orpheum Theatre
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra proudly invites you to an unforgettable evening honoring the life and enduring legacy of the legendary Ellis Marsalis Jr. This special concert will feature the world premiere of a new composition by acclaimed New Orleans composer Roger Dickerson, with special guest performances by Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Jason Marsalis. More info
10th
Outcry
Lower Depths Theatre, Loyola University
Tennessee Williams’ plaintive and poetic cry of the heart. The stage is set in darkness when Clare and Felice arrive to perform their act, but they’ve been performing the show for so long that they struggle to determine where the play ends and their true lives begin. As they gaze out to the pitch dark maw of the theatre, they can’t be sure whether the audience is there or not, so they determine to present the show. More info
12th-21st
Waitress
Jefferson Performing Arts Center
Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop…until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town's handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. More info
12th-28th
Dear Evan Hansen
Rivertown Theatres
All his life, Evan Hansen has felt invisible. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the center of a rapidly evolving controversy, Evan is given the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to be somebody else. More info
18th
LPO: The Music Of John Williams
Orpheum Theatre
Immerse yourself in the music of iconic composer John Williams. Experience nostalgia, adventure, and excitement with an evening of music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and more—performed live by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. More info
18th-20th
Batture Contemporary
A three-day new music festival showcasing the diverse array of composers and performers based in Louisiana. The festival includes concerts, workshops, and rehearsals free and open to the public in various venues (New Marigny Theatre, Hotel Peter & Paul, Dixon Hall, The Domino). More info / READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDER MENDEL LEE
18th-21st
OVO by Cirque du Soleil
Smoothie King Center
A dazzling production by the world famous Cirque du Soleil, featuring 53 acrobats and musicians who bring to life a fantastical insect colony. This reimagined version includes new acrobatic acts, original characters, updated costumes, and reinvented music. More info
19th-29th
Critical Mass: A Dark and Caustic Comedy
Marigny Opera House
A narrator – artist, mother, investigator of society’s foibles – takes us on an absurd and darkly humorous exploration of humanity’s impulse towards criticism, from its most elevated to its most base. Meanwhile, a troupe of actors desperately works to prove their worth to a theater critic, and the Critic himself goes through an existential crisis about his role in these actors’ lives and the value of his work. In the end, the only choice left is to dive desperately into human connection. More info
24th
Not Dead Yet! – John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50
Mahalia Jackson Theatre
This once-in-a-lifetime event features a special screening of the beloved cult classic, followed by an uproarious conversation and audience Q&A with Cleese. More info
26th
LPO: With Big Freedia
Orpheum Theatre
The Queen Diva returns to the Orpheum for one explosive night with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. This is the third epic collaboration between Big Freedia and the LPO, following two sold-out shows and a live album that shook the city. More info
26th - Oct 4th
As You Like It
Robert E. Nims Theatre
UNO School of the Arts present the Shakespeare classic. More info
27th-28th
Prodigal Son
Civic Theatre
A world premiere: the ballet Prodigal Son by resident choreographer Oliver Halkowich, and Cluedo by celebrated choreographer Julia Adam. Prodigal Son riffs on the familiar biblical parable. The son, in his desire to be free, asks for his inheritance and embarks on a journey that comes with its set of trials and tribulations. In his darkest hour, the son returns home in the hopes of returning to the open arms of his mother. More info