Our Top 10 Picks for What’s Exciting This Autumn

10 Cultural Highlights to Look Forward to This Fall

Music: Dolly Parton Returns to Vegas

Few announcements could rival the excitement of Dolly Parton returning to Las Vegas for her first extended residency in more than three decades. The country icon will light up the Colosseum at Caesars Palace with six performances in December. Tickets vanished almost instantly, with resale prices soaring, but the mere thought of Parton’s sparkle meeting the neon desert makes the season brighter.

Dec. 4–13, Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

Theater: Spelling With Heart

Musical comedy often struggles to balance humor with depth, but “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” manages both. Its revival this fall brings back a 2005 gem that mixes offbeat wordplay with tender explorations of childhood loneliness and courage. With songs by the late William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin, the show offers clever laughs and surprising warmth.

Begins Nov. 7, New World Stages

Art: Helen Frankenthaler Retrospective

The Museum of Modern Art shines a spotlight on Helen Frankenthaler with A Grand Sweep, showcasing decades of experimentation from the 1950s through the 1980s. Her luminous abstract works often appear to shift before the viewer’s eyes, rewarding multiple visits with fresh discoveries. This exhibition promises to reintroduce her bold creativity in a new light.

Opens Oct. 25, MoMA

TV: Netflix’s “Wayward”

Netflix debuts Wayward, a drama-thriller created by Mae Martin and starring Toni Collette. Set in the fictional Vermont town of Tall Pines, the series promises intrigue and unease inspired by works like Fargo, Get Out, and Girl, Interrupted. Drawing from Martin’s own adolescence, the show blends personal storytelling with suspense and style.

Begins Sept. 25, Netflix

Books: Helen DeWitt’s New Novel

After years of anticipation, Helen DeWitt returns with Your Name Here, written with Ilya Gridneff. Known for her fearless experimentation in The Last Samurai and Lightning Rods, DeWitt once again challenges expectations. Early previews suggest an expansive, inventive work that could surprise even her most devoted readers.

Out Oct. 21

Comedy: Kumail Nanjiani’s Stand-Up Special

Kumail Nanjiani, long admired for his sharp stand-up before Hollywood took center stage in his career, releases his first comedy special in ten years. Since Beta Male, Nanjiani has built a broader profile, but he returns to the stage with new stories that reveal both vulnerability and humor.

On Hulu in December

Dance-Theater: Jack Ferver’s “My Town”

Director and choreographer Jack Ferver reimagines Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in a surreal and haunting piece titled My Town. Drawing from Ferver’s upbringing in Wisconsin and his artistic life in New York, the work explores small-town existence through a darker lens. Enhanced by video art from Jeremy Jacob, it promises unsettling beauty.

Nov. 21–22, NYU Skirball

Music: Michael Hurley’s Final Album

The folk singer and gentle eccentric Michael Hurley, who passed away in April, left behind one last record: Broken Homes and Gardens. Following the success of his 2021 album The Time of the Foxgloves, the new release carries extra weight, with early single “Fava” already resonating deeply.

Out Sept. 12

Books: John Updike’s Letters

For readers who savor literary correspondence, Selected Letters of John Updike arrives this fall. At more than 900 pages, the collection reflects how vital letter-writing was to Updike’s creative life. The book promises both personal insight and a sweeping record of a career spent in conversation with the world.

Out Oct. 21

Art: The David Bowie Center

London’s new David Bowie Center opens with access to roughly 90,000 pieces from the musician’s archives. Visitors can view stage costumes, notebooks, lyric sheets, and personal artifacts, customizing their own Bowie exhibition by request. Whether exploring Ziggy Stardust-era outfits or handwritten pages from “Heroes,” fans will find a treasure trove of history.

Opens Sept. 13, V&A East Storehouse, London