Thinking of Seeing Billy Crystal's 860? A Quick Guide Before You Book

Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Billy Crystal's new Broadway show, 860, opened on October 21, 2026, and if you're thinking about going, here's what I'd want to know before buying a ticket.

First, what does the title mean?

860 was the street address of the Pacific Palisades home where Crystal and his wife Janice lived for 46 years. It burned down in the January 2025 wildfires, along with his office full of keepsakes, family heirlooms, photos and his famous baseball collection. That sounds like a heavy premise for an evening of comedy, and it is. But the clever thing about the show is how he uses each lost object as a doorway into a story, rather than a reason to mourn.

Crystal himself described it as "a joyous and heartfelt visit." From what the reviews say, that's a fair description.

What you'll actually see

Expect a walk through the career most of us know: his breakthrough on Soap, the "You look marvelous" days on Saturday Night Live, When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, Analyze This, and those nine turns as Oscar host. The set, designed by Tony winner Scott Pask, recreates his lost home office down to the framed photos and baseball memorabilia, which is a lovely touch. There are home movies and old clips worked in too.

The quieter parts are about his father, whom he lost as a teenager, and friends like Robin Williams and Rob Reiner. Reviewers say the passages about Reiner hit hardest.

Is it any good?

Mostly yes. Deadline called it fine, funny and emotional, and singled out his old routine playing both Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. amNewYork was a little cooler, finding it less tightly built than his earlier solo work. That seems fair to me. If you saw 700 Sundays, his Tony-winning 2004 show about his dad, think of 860 as a natural third chapter after that and Mr. Saturday Night. Older, more reflective, shaped by grief.

The practical bits

It's playing at the Imperial Theatre in New York. Previews began October 1, the official opening was October 21, and it's scheduled to run through January 3, 2027. It lasts roughly an hour and 35 to 40 minutes with no intermission, so plan your bathroom break before the lights go down.

Entry-level tickets were reported at about $82 around opening, but popular dates will cost a lot more. The Imperial holds around 1,450 people, which sounds like plenty until you remember holiday crowds in Manhattan. My advice is to book early if you want a December date. The official site, BillyCrystal860.com, lists performance times.

Should you go?

If you grew up on his movies or his Oscar nights, I'd say yes. Plenty of celebrity shows look back on a career. Very few start from real loss and come out the other side generous and funny. For the full background on the creative team and the critics' reactions, see Global Celebrity Meter's guide to Billy Crystal's 860 on Broadway.