A trio of terrifically tuneful musicals are set to open Off-Broadway this fall: a show for kids based on a best-selling book by Julianne Moore, an a cappella tribute to the city that never sleeps, and a category-defying show featuring three dueling pianists (each with his own piano) and their passionate musings on the genius of Schubert.

FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY Freckleface Strawberry was just like every other girl – except she had bright red hair and something worse…FRECKLES! Now in the brand new family musical, FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY, based on the beloved, New York Times Best Selling book by celebrated actress Julianne Moore, you and your family step inside the book’s pages with Freckleface and friends as they learn to love the skin they’re in. And what a story you’ll see! With soaring live music, awesome dancing…and a freckleface full of laughs, your whole family will love this brand new musical for all ages . . . freckles or not! New World Stages. Previews begin September 10, opens October 1.

IN TRANSIT In this fresh take on the modern musical, seven performers take on multiple roles and create every note with their own voices for a rich theatrical experience unlike anything you've ever seen (or heard) on stage before. Inspired by the rhythms and sounds of life on the subway, In Transit follows an aspiring actress, a fledgling financier, a street-savvy beatboxer, a cab driver, and others as they find their way in New York City. The result is a vivid tapestry of characters and music in the City that never stands still. Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Previews begin September 21, opens October 5.

THREE PIANOS
The OBIE wining hit music-theatre event that wowed audiences and critics alike in its sold-out run at the Ontological-Hysteric Theater in March is a theatrical explosion of Franz Schubert’s Winterreise song cycle. Filled with fantastical touches and inventive arrangements, THREE PIANOS is a colorful and imaginative evening of chaos that explores Schubert’s music, life, and times. Written, arranged, and performed by Rick Burkhardt (Nonsense Company), Alec Duffy (Hoi Polloi) and Dave Malloy (Banana Bag & Bodice), the play is set in a rustic cabin on a blustery winter night where three friends – each manning a piano – lead the audience through their perspective passions for Winterreise, Schubert’s famous song cycle on winter heartbreak. Performing the song cycle while drinking and grappling with fundamental questions about the nature of music, the three pianists slip into the skins of Schubert and friends during one of the famous “Schubertiads.” Compositional mayhem, shifting rivalries, and some unfortunate butchery of the German language ensue. New York Theatre Workshop. Previews begin December 7, opens TBA.