New York spring preview

Theater: 'Next to Normal'

If a show tours the U.S. with its director, writer and crew watching nightly for problems and working daily to fix them, it should be ready for the Rialto. Once upon a time, this was the well-worn path to Broadway. Now, only two shows take that route. “Next to Normal” has been retooled and refined since it visited Off-Broadway last season. Advance word is, it'll be great.

More on Broadway shows: “9 to 5: The Musical”, a musical adaptation of the hit ‘80s movie comedy, may not win any Tonys, but it should tempt the tourists who want to have a little fun on vacation. And why not? There's something for everyone on Broadway this spring!

Off-Broadway: Off-Broadway is often synonymous with downtown, but there are plenty of theaters in Hell's Kitchen. New World Stages, a sort of theater-plex, hosts an eclectic menu of pop operas and stage freaks. These genres fuse in “The Toxic Avenger”, a musicalized version of the cult flick about a superhero from Jersey.

More Off-Broadway must-sees: David Cromer's version of “Our Town,” now at the Barrow Street Theater in the West Village, strips away the decades of drama school cliché to reveal a spare, almost Zen drama about distinctly American neuroses. The superb drama has an open run, but don't dawdle: It's too good to miss.

Check out our full Broadway and Off-Broadway previews.