Seth Meyers, Rachel Maddow, Audra McDonald and actor Alan Cumming are on the lineup at this year’s the New Yorker Festival, the magazine announced on Wednesday.
The 25th edition of the festival will take place from Oct. 25-27 at Webster Hall and the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. As in previous years, it will feature live conversations, comedy screenings, musical performances, and more from influential artists and thinkers.
The full schedule will be released in coming weeks, but highlights from the initial announcement include Cumming speaking with the magazine’s Pulitzer prize-winning television critic Emily Nussbaum, and MSNBC host Maddow in conversation with David Remnick, the New Yorker’s editor.
“It’ll be an especially interesting time to have that conversation,” said festival director Katherine Stirling, noting that this year’s event takes place about a week before the election.
Musical performances include indie balladeers The National and singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.
All the artists will be featured in conversation with New Yorker writers and critics in addition to their performance.
“Late Night” host Meyers will answer questions after a screening of his new HBO comedy special, and the author and former New Yorker staff writer Atul Gawande will speak with the magazine’s health care writer Dhruv Khullar, who is also a physician.
Stirling said she is is excited to welcome back Gawande, who she said had to step away from the magazine due to his recent role as a global health administrator in the Biden administration.
New Yorker subscribers have access to pre-sale tickets on Wednesday, whereas tickets are available to the general public on Aug. 8 here. Ticket prices start at $49, with magazine subscribers receiving a 20% discount.
Select events will also be livestreamed on the magazine’s website and YouTube channel.