Duration
1 hr 45 mins
Closing Date
Until November 24, 2024
Age requirement
Suitable for 16+
Why Watch McNEAL?
- Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr. makes his Broadway in Pulitzer-winner Ayad Akhtar’s one-act stage play, McNeal.
- A brilliantly existentialist story, it follows one man’s pursuit of literary notoriety, even as he stands atop the embers of his strained personal relationships.
- Akhtar uses the increasingly blurred lines between human and artificial intelligence to pierce the core of what defines modern literature.
- Playing for a limited run at the Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre, this is a sci-fi drama that will leave you questioning where McNeal’s unraveling humanity ends - and where yours begins.
Ayad Akhtar (Disgraced, Homeland Elgies) is no stranger to the modern debate that has gripped the literary world: what separates the human pen from an AI-generated one? Having himself dabbled in blending fact and fiction, Akhtar weaves his own approach to artistic freedom into McNeal, a man who finds himself on the cusp of a career-high only to have it tempered by the little artificially intelligent helper he has in his closet.
Storyline
Jacob McNeal has one life-long ambition: to win the Nobel Prize in literature. Even as he battles estrangement, grief, and the allure of vices - from alcohol to the modern muse of artificial intelligence - his eye remains on his prize.
Yet prizes often come at grave personal costs, and McNeal must now grapple with his reality. A reality that he is slowly but surely losing a firm grip on.
Show timings
- Show timings for McNEAL on Broadway may vary every week. You can check the show timings for your preferred date at the next stage of booking.
Cast & Crew
Leading roles: Robert Downey Jr. as Jacob McNeal, Rafi Gavron as his son Harlan, Brittany Bellizeare as New York Times writer Natasha Brathwaite, Melora Hardin as Francine Blake, Saisha Talwar as Dipti, Ruthie Ann Miles as McNeal’s doctor, and Andrea Martin as an agent.
Playwright: Ayad Akhtar
Director: Bartlett Sher
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
The Vivian Beaumont Theater, part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is a Broadway-designated venue. Designed by Eero Saarinen and Jo Mielziner, it opened in 1965 and remains New York’s only Broadway house situated within a performing arts complex. Over the decades, it has hosted acclaimed productions such as My Fair Lady, The Light in the Piazza, Carousel, South Pacific, and The King and I, making it one of Broadway’s most architecturally striking and artistically prestigious theaters. The Vivian Beaumont Theater seating chart will help you find the best seats in the theater.
Getting There
- Address: Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, USA
- By metro:
The nearest stations include 66th Street–Lincoln Center on the 1 (“red”) line.
- By bus:
The nearest stops are West 65 Street and Amsterdam Avenue on route M66 and Amsterdam Avenue and West 65 Street on route M11.
Facilities & Accessibility
Amenities: Cloak room, Toilets, Dining outlets, Souvenir shop
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Additional Information
- Security: Theater staff may run a few pre-entry security checks to ensure the safety and comfort of all patrons.
- Dress code: Smart casual or semi-formal attire are great choices if you’re unsure of what to wear.
- Outside Food: Most theaters do not permit outside food. Venues may offer in-house concessions and refreshments that you can purchase before or after a show.
Tickets Redemption
You will receive an email confirming your purchase.
You will receive your e-tickets via email within 3 hours from the time of the booking. You can access your tickets by clicking on the link available on the email.
If you book tickets more than 14 days in advance, you will receive the tickets 14 days prior to the show date.
The ticket can be presented digitally along with a valid photo ID at the entrance on the day of your visit.
Please note most of the theaters do not allow entry post the show start time and we recommend you reach the venue 10-15 minutes early.
Show timings may be subject to change every week/month. You can check the show timings for your preferred date at the next stage of booking.
Cancellation & Refunds
- These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.
Frequently asked questions
Tickets start from $352.50 and the cost will vary depending on the seats you choose.
The show is suitable for ages 16 and above. This production contains mature themes so viewer discretion is advised.
The show is playing at Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, located inside the Lincoln Center in New York.
The show is a nuanced exploration of literary authenticity and human folly, blending modern themes of artificial intelligence with a tale as old as time: the unraveling of man in the pursuit of greatness.
The running time is 1 hour and 45 minutes.
