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SPARK’s Can’t-Miss NYC Event Picks for January 2026
SPARK’s Can’t-Miss NYC Event Picks for January 2026
From Oprah and Gayle at the 92nd Street Y to Jerry Seinfeld, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen at the Beacon; from Ian McKellen at The Shed to Joy Behar’s My First Ex-Husband, and major museum exhibitions, these are Spark’s must-see NYC events in January 2026.
Talks Worth the Ticket
Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff in Conversation With Gayle King: Enough
Jan. 13, 7.p.m.
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., NYC (at 92nd Street) 92ny.org
Oprah and Dr. Jastreboff sit down with Gayle King for a candid conversation about food, fulfillment and Dr. Jastreboff’s groundbreaking research on obesity, tied to their new book, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It’s Like to Be Free.
Patti Smith: Bread of Angels
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7 and 9 p.m.
Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, NYC
symphonyspace.org
Sold out, but join the waiting list. An intimate and poetic journey as Smith presents her new memoir, Bread of Angels (not a book signing). All tickets include a copy of the book.
Comedy Heavyweights
Jerry Seinfeld
Friday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 10, 5 and 9 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, NYC, NYC, 2124 Broadway, NYC (74-75th St.) msg.com
Seinfeld continues to make this intimate theater feel like home—a very good thing for New Yorkers.
An Intimate Evening With Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen
Friday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, NYC, NYC, 2124 Broadway, NYC (74-75th St.) msg.com
The A-team returns for more merriment and mischief, if that’s even possible after New Year’s Eve.
John Oliver & Seth Meyers
Sunday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, NYC, 2124 Broadway, NYC (74-75th St.) msg.com
Two seasoned late-night comics delivering sharp material and smart takes on current events and cultural nonsense.
Theater to Know
Joy Behar’s Off-B’way Play: My First Ex-Husband
Jan. 8-11. Five shows. Tickets start at $70.
MMAC Theater, 248 W.60th St., NYC
Joy Behar returns to NYC with her hit Off-B’way play of divorce monologues, My First Ex-Husband, for a limited run, starring Behar, Judy Gold, and Veanne Cox.
- Thurs., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
- Fri., Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.
- Sat., Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Sun., Jan. 11 at 3 p.m.
Tickets start at $70. For information, visit myfirstexhusband.com.
(Click here to read our feature story on Joy Behar.)
Ian McKellen in An Ark
Jan. 9–March 1 (tickets on sale Jan. 8)
The Shed, 545 W. 30th St., NYC
theshed.org
A seven-week run from Tony Award–winning playwright Simon Stephens, An Ark is the first mixed-reality theatrical production. The 47-minute show features Oscar nominee Ian McKellen in an ensemble cast and is billed as a “radically intimate reimagining of live theater” and a deeply personal exploration of what it means to live, to grieve and to connect.
Note: The actors are not physically present; audiences experience the entire play through mixed-reality headsets.
Broadway & Theater Culture
BroadwayCon
Palladium Times Square and the Westin New York at Times Square
Friday–Sunday, Jan. 23–25, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
broadwaycon.com
A three-day convention where fans meet and interact with Broadway stars from shows including Hamilton, MJ the Musical, Wicked and Rent.
→ See SPARK’s Top 5 Broadway shows to see right now
Concerts & Live Music
Lez Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same
Saturday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.
Gramercy Theatre, 127 E. 23rd St., NYC
gramercytheatre.com
What’s better than Zeppelin? This kick-ass all-female rock group performing Led Zeppelin classics comes pretty close.
Isabel Leonard and Friends
Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m.
Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave., NYC (at 57th Street)
carnegiehall.org
Multiple Grammy Award winner Isabel Leonard performs with special guests, including Metropolitan Opera singer Ryan Speedo Green and Broadway’s Jordan Donica, in a program featuring songs by Bernstein, Berlin and beyond. John Arida accompanies on piano.
Peabo Bryson
Saturday, Jan. 17, 6 and 9 p.m.
City Winery, 25 11th Ave., NYC
citywinery.com
The two-time Grammy Award winner brings his signature rich voice and decades-spanning catalog, including the classic duet “With You I’m Born Again” with Deniece Williams.
Rascal Flatts: Life Is a Highway Tour
Thursday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, N.Y.
ubsarena.com
The reunited country trio celebrates 25 years together, performing hits such as “Life Is a Highway” and “Bless the Broken Road,” with special guests Lauren Alaina and Chris Lane.
Must-See Art Exhibitions
Helen Frankenthaler: A Grand Sweep
Through Feb. 8
Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St., NYC
moma.org
Frankenthaler’s monumental approach to painting is celebrated in this focused MoMA exhibition, highlighting her decades-long experimentation with abstract expressionism.
Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers
Through Jan. 19
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave., NYC (at 88th Street)
A major solo exhibition spanning more than 30 years of Johnson’s career, featuring nearly 90 works and exploring themes of history, philosophy, literature and Black popular culture. Live performances and public programs accompany the show.
Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck
Through April 5
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., NYC (at 81st Street)
metmuseum.org
The first major U.S. exhibition devoted to the Finnish artist, celebrated in Nordic countries for her original style and psychologically powerful work.
Caravaggio: Boy With a Basket of Fruit
Jan. 16–April 19
The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., NYC
themorgan.org
On loan from Rome’s Galleria Borghese, this exhibition centers on Boy With a Basket of Fruit (circa 1593), a masterwork of realism known for its dramatic diagonal lighting.
William Eggleston: The Last Dyes
Jan. 15–March
David Zwirner, 19th Street Gallery, 533 W. 19th St., NYC
davidzwirner.com
New dye-transfer prints from the pioneer of color photography. A rare opportunity to see the final prints ever made using the analog process that defined Eggleston’s work.