Discover a complete roundup of theatre-related panels and events, and find answers to FAQs about the massive pop culture convention at the Javits Center.
Theatre nerds always had a home at New York Comic Con, since acclaimed theatre stars have always found their way into major Hollywood franchises. Just last month, for one, Death of a Salesman’s Christopher Abbott and & Juliet’s Maya Boyd were announced to star in the next X-Men film.
On the flip side, Broadway and Off-Broadway shows adapt movies (Paranormal Activity), comics (You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), cartoons (The Lion King), literature (Wicked), and even manga (Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen). Theatre nerds can live out their dream crossovers at New York Comic Con: The Lost Boys cosplayers can hang out with Interview with the Vampire cosplayers, while an Elsa can chat with an Elphaba.
If you’re a Broadway fan dropping into New York Comic Con, check out our roundup of all the theatre-relatd panels taking place, listed in chronological order. Some center on plays and musicals you can get tickets to right now, if you want to catch a Broadway show while you're in NYC for the convention! Additionally, at the bottom of this article, we've answered frequently asked questions about New York Comic Con to help plan your visit.
Guests and additional panels are TBA and will be updated.
Get Broadway tickets on New York Theatre Guide.
Spotlight on Idina Menzel
Masquerade: Celebrating 40 Years of The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway To Hollywood: A Look at the New Age of Musicals
Playbill presents: Schmigadoon! on Broadway Panel
Inside the Saja Boys: Beyond KPop Demon Hunters
Prime Video's Helluva Boss Q&A & World Premiere Screening
Beyond the Emerald City: An Interactive Ultimate OZ Game Show
Helluva Hangout!
Wayne Brady: Improv Nerdvana (18+)
Playbill presents: Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway Panel
Supergay! with Frankie Grande
Inside Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Rocky Horror Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again!
Rocky Horror Cosplay Contest
ToughPigs Presents: The Muppet Art Challenge
Do You Hear the People Sing... About Broadway and Manga?!
SLAYYY! Dressing to Kill: The Iconic Costumes of FX’s American Horror Story
The NYCC Talent Show
Playbill presents: The Big Broadway Nerd Panel
Showbiz! Murray Hill in Conversation with Peppermint
Young, Gifted, and Whack
World Premiere! The Leaked Bootleg of BALLS: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy (18+)
Playbill presents: Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway
American History, The Latin Remix
Spotlight on Idina Menzel
Date and time: October 8 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at North-Room 405
The Tony-winning Idina Menzel is a beloved queen of musicals and Guest of Honor at Comic Con. Her Spotlight conversation will reflect on her career as Frozen's Elsa, Wicked's Elphaba, Rent's Maureen, and more.
Masquerade: Celebrating 40 Years of The Phantom of the Opera
Date and time: October 8 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at North-Room 408
The music of the night never dies. Although Phans wept for the closure of the long-running The Phantom of the Opera, the sumptuous immersive revival Masquerade revitalized the classic story. Attendees can bring their Masquerade-provided masks or their own to celebrate four decades of The Phantom of the Opera.
Get Masquerade tickets now.
Broadway To Hollywood: A Look at the New Age of Musicals
Date and time: October 8 from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at North - Room 406.1
Creatives behind Wicked, The Lost Boys, The Notebook, and more Broadway musicals are opening the curtain to chat about the collaborations responsible for success. Guests include music director Stephen Oremus, orchestrators Ethan Popp and Charlie Rosen, choreographer Katie Spelman, and orchestrator/music supervisor Bryan Carter.
Get The Lost Boys tickets now.
Get Wicked tickets now.
Playbill presents: Schmigadoon! on Broadway Panel
Date and time: October 8 from 12:45-1:45 p.m. at North-Room 408
Schmigadoon!, a Broadway adaptation of the same-named Apple TV+ series, took home the Best Musical Tony Award earlier this year. What better way to celebrate the musical comedy than with this panel? Unlike Josh and Melissa, who get stuck in a magical Golden Age musical-esque town, you won't want to escape.
Get Schmigadoon! tickets now.
Unlock your exclusive guide, full of the best attractions, food, free events and more.
Regularly named one of the city’s best bagel shops, the unassuming Liberty Bagels is the perfect spot to get a classic NYC breakfast sandwich.
One of the world’s largest stores, Macy’s is a sight to behold, especially when it’s decked out for the holidays.
Inside the Saja Boys: Beyond KPop Demon Hunters
Date and time: October 8 from 2-2:45 p.m. at North-Room 406.2
If you’re addicted to the animated movie musical, check out this panel with Andrew Choi (the singing voice of Jinu) and Neckwav (the singing voice of Abby) discussing K-culture and the global success that elevated this sleeper hit. Maybe we'll find out more about Netflix's possible KPop Demon Hunters stage musical...
Prime Video's Helluva Boss Q&A & World Premiere Screening
Date and time: October 8, 2026 from 5:15-6:45 p.m. at the Hall 1D: Main Stage
The adult animated musical TV series Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel sharing the same universe — and an impressive cast of Broadway stars. Before season 3 of Helluva Boss starts October 14, you can catch the premiere screening with stars Bryce Pinkham (Chess) and Harvey Guillén (The Rocky Horror Show) in attendance.
Learn more about Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel stars who have been on Broadway.
Beyond the Emerald City: An Interactive Ultimate OZ Game Show
Date and time: October 8 from 6:45-7:30 p.m. at Room 1C03
Spend one short Thursday in the Emerald City with an interactive Ozian trivia game show, hosted by Oz Vlog historian Tori Calamito and Down the Yellow Brick Pod podcast hosts EmKay Shrader and Tara Tagliaferro. Wicked and The Wizard of Oz fans will delight in this trivia.
Get Wicked tickets now.
Helluva Hangout!
Date and time: October 8 from 9-9:45 p.m. at South Concourse Cosplay Meetups
Hellaverse fans can mix, mingle, and dress up like their favorite Hazbin Hotel-iers or Helluva Boss Murder Professionals at this meetup.
Wayne Brady: Improv Nerdvana (18+)
Date and time: October 9from 11-11:45 a.m. at North-Room 409
This music-fueled improv show combining concert, sketch comedy, and cosplay elements is led by stage and screen star Wayne Brady, a La Cage aux Folles and Moulin Rouge! The Musical alum who's starring in Ms. Blakk for President off Broadway this fall.
Playbill presents: Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway Panel
Date and time: October 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at North-Room 408
Maybe Happy Ending sparked love, laughter, and heartbreak when it won the Best Musical Tony Award in 2025. This panel celebrates the science fiction/romance musical about two HelperBots going on a road trip and learning how to love.
Get Maybe Happy Ending tickets now.
Supergay! with Frankie Grande
Date and time: October 9 from 12-1:30 p.m. at Room 1C02 Pride Lounge
Sail on over to see Titanique's Frankie Grande discuss spilling his origin story in his memoir Supergay!. Grande will also be available for book signings.
Get Titanique tickets now.
Inside Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Date and time: October 9 from 12:45-1:30 p.m. at North-Room 408
Jim Henson’s Creature Shop has enchanted a variety of stage productions, from My Neighbour Totoro in the West End to the recent Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets on Broadway. At this panel, New York Creature Shop creative supervisor Jason Weber, shop director Melissa Crichton, and puppeteers and builders answer questions about the handicraft behind their puppets.
Rocky Horror Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again!
Date and time: Friday, October 9, 2026 from 1:45 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at North-Room 406.2
Fans of the 1975 Rocky Horror movie, the original stage musical, or both won’t want to miss LGBTQ+ stars of the current Broadway revival talk about representation and the culture that shaped them.
Get The Rocky Horror Show tickets now.
Rocky Horror Cosplay Contest
Date and time: October 9 from 3-4 p.m. at Room 1C02 Pride Lounge
In honor of the late Tim Curry, the original onscreen Dr. Frank-N-Furter, throw on your fishnets, stilettos, and corsets for the Rocky Horror cosplay contest. Don’t dream it, be it — and go for the prizes!
Get The Rocky Horror Show tickets now.
ToughPigs Presents: The Muppet Art Challenge
Date and time: October 9 from 5:15-6 p.m. at Hall 1E: Community Stage
The Muppet Art Challenge features talented puppeteers and designers drawing live from memory and audience prompts. It's puppetry, art, and improv all in one!
Do You Hear the People Sing... About Broadway and Manga?!
Date and time: October 9 from 5:15-6 p.m. at North-Room 406.3
Many manga creators, including Osamu Tezuka, were influenced by theatre. This panel explores the fusion dance between manga, anime, and musicals, and we can no doubt expect the off-Broadway premiere of Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, the first American, English-language musical based on a manga, to be discussed.
Learn more about the history of manga- and anime-based theatre.
Get Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen tickets now.
SLAYYY! Dressing to Kill: The Iconic Costumes of FX’s American Horror Story
Date and time: October 9 from 8-9 p.m. at North-Room 405
Join American Horror Story costume designers Lou Eyrich (Glee and The Prom movie musical) and Catherine Crabtree (Fosse/Verdon) for a conversation of what goes into the show's scarily superb wardrobe. Other guests include Tony and Emmy-winning AHS star Sarah Paulson, who's coming back to Broadway this spring in Small Mouth Sounds.
The NYCC Talent Show
Date and time: October 9 from 8:30-10:45 p.m. at North-Room 408
Catch a live performance right at Comic Con! Talented fans will strut their stuff at Friday's talent show before guest judges, many of whom have stage experience.
Playbill presents: The Big Broadway Nerd Panel
Date and time: October 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at North-Room 408
Hosted by Playbill for the fifth year at Comic Con, this panel explores how fantasy, comics, and sci-fi inspire Broadway creatives. Confirmed guests include Hannah Solow (Oh, Mary!) and Justin Sargent (Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark).
Showbiz! Murray Hill in Conversation with Peppermint
Date and time: October 10 from 12-1:30 p.m. at Room 1C02 Pride Lounge
Fans of the jukebox musical Head Over Heels can catch its star, the glamorous drag queen Peppermint, in a conversation with her friend Murray Hill (creator and star of This is Burlesque) to discuss his new book.
Young, Gifted, and Whack
Date and time: October 10 from 12:15-1 p.m. at North-Room 409
Stage and screen star Wayne Brady (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Kinky Boots, Ms. Blakk for President) sits down with other Black creatives for a conversation on hip-hop, fantasy, comics, and improvisation in the Black community.
World Premiere! The Leaked Bootleg of BALLS: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy (18+)
Date and time: October 10 from 8:30-10 p.m. at Hall 1E: Community Stage
Are you a Pokémon nerd who wants to see “Avenue Q for Pokémon fans”? Winner of 8 BroadwayWorld Awards, the Poké-parody musical Balls returns to NYCC with a filmed proshot and live performances.
Playbill presents: Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway
Date and time: October 11 from 11-11:45 a.m. at North-Room 408
Little Shop of Horrors is still thriving off Broadway by cultivating a rotation of buzzy casts, with Betsy Wolfe and Ethan Slater currently starring as Audrey and Seymour. Celebrate the man-eating plant and humans of Skid Row, now that the current revival has just become the longest-running Little Shop of Horrors production of all time.
Get Little Shop of Horrors tickets now.
American History, The Latin Remix
Date and time: October 11 from 12:15-1 p.m. at Room 1B02
Fans of John Leguizamo’s playwriting and stage acting in Freak, Sexaholix, Ghetto Klown, and Latin History for Morons can join the Tony Award-winning actor, writer, and comedian for his perspective on Latin history, which informs his upcoming graphic novel.
New York Comic Con is a convention where television, movie, literary, comic, music, and theatre artists discuss past and current projects and deliver updates on upcoming projects. It's also a massive meetup of people from different fandoms, and many come in cosplay.
New York Comic Con 2026 runs for four days, from October 8-11.
New York Comic Con is located in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at 429 11th Ave., stretching between 34th and 38th Streets. The 7 subway line is the most direct way to get to the Convention Center by public transit.
Be prepared for large crowds and congestion in the subway station and in and around the venue. The Javits Center is massive, with many different rooms and event spaces; discover a map of the venue and vendors.
The venue contains accessible ramps and restrooms, and elevators are available throughout the venue. For additional accessibility information, visit the Javits Center website.
The New York Comic Con schedule spans hundreds of panels, signings, screenings, meet-and-greets, fan meetups, and more events across the four days of the convention. Browse the full schedule of events.
While most of the celebrities at Comic Con will be promoting their film and TV projects, many have performed in major Broadway shows. They include Sarah Paulson (Small Mouth Sounds), John Leguizamo (Latin History for Morons), Wayne Brady (Kinky Boots), Frankie Grande (Titanique), and more.
The Javits Center, where New York Comic Con is held, is located near the Hudson Yards neighborhood of midtown Manhattan, which boasts various popular restaurants. Our guide to the nearby performance venue The Shed has plenty of recommendations for restaurants near the Javits Center.
New York Comic Con, at the Javits Center in midtown Manhattan, is located a short distance from the heart of the Theatre District and Times Square, and staying there will put you right in the bustling heart of the city. Read our guide to where to stay in the Theatre District to find hotel recommendations in Midtown.
A Broadway fan's guide to New York Comic Con 2026
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‘& Juliet’ sets Broadway closing date
'Now You See Me Live' to play limited holiday run on Broadway
Horror stories are bone-chillingly big on and off Broadway this season
Gina Torres to star in 'Buena Vista Social Club' on Broadway
One-night-only 'Bill Pay' Broadway musical to star Billy Porter, Billy Zane, Jessica Vosk