There’s never a shortage of spectacular plays and musicals to see in New York City’s theater district. But joining the legacy shows we love to see again and again (The Lion King, Book of Mormon, Hamilton and others) are a flurry of theatrical debuts we can’t wait to see this year.

These are the riotous comedies, timeless tragedies and masterful interpretations of beloved films and novels that should absolutely be on your to-do list if you’re traveling to New York City this year.

To Kill a Mockingbird

If you missed it when it debuted at the end of 2018, it’s not too late to see this literary masterpiece brought to life on Broadway. Aaron Sorkin’s interpretation of Harper Lee’s classic novel is a worthwhile splurge and, like The Lifespan of a Fact, hits the stage at an extremely felicitous time. Affordable tickets are hard to come by, but if you can, expect poignant performances by Jeff Daniels, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Will Pullen and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, among others. Expect to spend a few hundred dollars per ticket.

Be More Chill

In February, we’re looking forward to seeing Will Roland (Dear Evan Hansen) and the entire off-Broadway cast of Be More Chill return to take the musical adaption of Ned Vizzini’s young-adult novel onto the Broadway stage. Be More Chill explores what happens when a teenage boy takes a pill to become more cool. Balcony tickets are available from $49.

True West

Opening in late January, True West has secured Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano, who will portray two brothers who, in the 1980s, reunite at their mother’s house. It’s an award-winning drama by the late Sam Shepherd with plenty of star power, and we’re excited to see how the revival measures up to the original Broadway debut that starred Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly. Tickets from $59.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

If you loved the Baz Luhrmann film starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, we’re betting you’ll adore the reimagined story when it makes its Broadway debut this summer. After all, could there be a better venue for the whimsical and wildly theatrical story? Tickets went on sale at the end of 2018, and are available from $100. The show will debut at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 45th Street on July 25, 2019.

King Lear

The Shakespearean tragedy is resurrected for just 19 weeks this year, when Tony and Academy Award-winning actor Glenda Jackson takes the stage on Feb. 28 as the titular monarch. Though the story is a well-known classic, theatergoers can look forward to an original score by Philip Glass. Catch it at the Cort Theatre before it closes in early July.

A NOTE ON PRICING

Sure, seeing a Broadway show may sound like a pricey way to spend an afternoon or evening in the Big Apple, but it doesn’t have to be. Travelers can drop by any one of the trio of TKTS booths in Manhattan to score discounted day-of tickets (up to 50% off), or sign up for a spin with Broadway Roulette. With the latter, you can’t choose the show you see, but tickets are a fixed rate of $49 or $59 per person, depending on the day of the week — and you can reserve yours up to three months in advance. And of course, you can always vie for standing room tickets, head to the box office early for general rush tickets, or drop your name into a digital lottery, when available.