Galileo (musical)
| Galileo | |
|---|---|
| A New Musical | |
 | |
| Music |
|
| Lyrics |
|
| Book | Danny Strong |
| Basis | Galileo Galilei |
| Premiere | May 15, 2024: Berkeley Repertory Theatre |
Galileo is a rock musical that premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2024, following scientist Galileo Galilei's defense of his findings against the church. It is set to open on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in December 2026.
Plot
When scientist Galileo Galilei makes discoveries about the universe, he must defend his work against the church.[1]
Production history
In June 2019, Raúl Esparza led a single-performance workshop reading at the Susan Stein Shiva Theatre in Poughkeepsie, New York.[2] Galileo made its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in May 2024.[3] It has a book by Danny Strong, music and lyrics by Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarnak, and is directed by Michael Mayer with choreography by David Neumann.[4][5] The production won six 2025 San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards, including Best Production, from 16 nominations.[6][7]
Variety's review was headlined, "Grafting ’80s-Style Power Ballads onto the Story of a Renaissance Visionary Yields Assertive but Awkward Results."[8]
Galileo is set to begin previews at Broadway's Shubert Theatre on November 10, 2026, with a December 6 opening night.[4]
Characters and cast
| Character | Berkeley Rep[9] | Broadway[10][11] |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2026 | |
| Galileo Galilei | Raúl Esparza | |
| Bishop Maffeo Barberini | Jeremy Kushnier | |
| Virginia Galilei | Madalynn Mathews | Joy Woods |
| Cardinal Morosini | Javier Muñoz | TBA |
| Bishop Grasso | Bradley Dean | TBA |
| Alessandro Tarantola | Christian Magby | TBA |
Awards and nominations
2024 Berkeley Rep production
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards | Best Production | Won | [12][13] | |
| Best Principal Performance | Raúl Esparza | Won | |||
| Madalynn Mathews | Nominated | ||||
| Best Featured Performance | Jeremy Kushnier | Nominated | |||
| Bradley Dean | Nominated | ||||
| Best Stage Direction | Michael Mayer | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Direction | Roberto Sinha | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Music | Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarnak | Won | |||
| Best Original Script | Danny Strong | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | David Neumann | Nominated | |||
| Best Specialties Design | Tom Watson | Nominated | |||
| Best Projection Design | Jason H. Thompson and Kaitlyn Pietras | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound Design | John Shivers | Won | |||
| Best Set Design | Rachel Hauck | Nominated | |||
| Best Lighting Design | Kevin Adams | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Anita Yavich | Won | |||
References
- ↑ "GALILEO A New Musical Will Premiere on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre". The Shubert Organization. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ Kravitz, Jamie (10 February 2026). "Raúl Esparza-Led Galileo Musical Coming to Broadway This Fall". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ Chávez, David John (2024-05-17). "A Battle Between Science and Religion, With Galileo Caught in the Middle". KQED. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- 1 2 Russo, Gillian (2026-02-10). "'Galileo' musical to come to Broadway this fall". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ Harvey, Dennis (2024-05-17). "'Galileo: A Rock Musical' Review: Grafting '80s-Style Power Ballads onto the Story of a Renaissance Visionary Yields Assertive but Awkward Results". Variety. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ 2023/24 Season Report (PDF) (Report). Berkeley Repertory Theatre. p. 3, 8. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "48th SFBATCC Awards". San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
- ↑ https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/galileo-musical-review-berkeley-rep-1236007154/
- ↑ "Galileo A Rock Musical". The Berkley Rep Magazine. May 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Galileo Musical Is Coming to Broadway With Raúl Esparza, Joy Woods, Jeremy Kushnier". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2026-02-12. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ Paulson, Michael (2026-02-10). "What Rhymes With Heretic? A Galileo Musical Is Broadway Bound". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ↑ "2024 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards". About The Artists. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "48th SFBATCC Awards". San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Retrieved 17 June 2026.