New Off-Broadway shows 'Hospital Hour,' 'The Conversation' explore dark humor and love

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT New Off-Broadway shows 'Hospital Hour,' 'The Conversation' explore dark humor and love Joelle Garguilo has the details. WABC By Joelle Garguilo Tuesday, November 10, 2026 7:12PM Share Follow abc7NY on Google NEW YORK (WABC) -- Two new Off-Broadway productions are bringing distinctly different stories to New York audiences, from a dark comedy about a hospital experience to a musical about the complexities of a relationship. Rachel Kaly recently made her New York debut in "Hospital Hour," the show she wrote and which is now playing at the Culture Club. The production, which was produced by Bob Odenkirk, uses dark humor to tell its story. "Rachel's story about going to the hospital is about a person just sharing their embarrassing personal inner life with you and knowing you're gonna laugh at it," said Odenkirk. Kaly described her approach to the material by saying, "I have something I wanna say about this thing that happened to me that is bad objectively, I guess, but is really funny." Meanwhile, Tony Award winner Joshua Henry is bringing a new musical, "The Conversation," to the stage. Henry wrote the music and lyrics alongside fellow Hamilton tour cast member Julia Harriman. "That's how the seed got planted. The more songs we wrote, the more we realized, hey maybe there's something here," Henry said. The show follows a couple from their first date through major milestones in their relationship and takes an intimate look at love. "That was all we kept saying. It has to be a conversation between the two of them," Harriman said. "That's why there's just two of us on stage. I think audiences are really gonna connect and see themselves," Henry said. Director Kenny Leon said the themes of the production reflect the focus of much of his career. "I've given all my professional life telling stories, and most of them center on love," Leon said. Nick Green, who wrote the book for the show, said, "It's a show about love and relationships. It's really a piece that's meant to speak to everyone." Leon added, "What's that real conversation where you both go so deep that it's grounded in real truth." The two productions represent some of the newest additions to the Off-Broadway theater scene, offering audiences stories that range from personal trauma turned into comedy to an exploration of love and relationships. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Download our connected TV app Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Central Park rape suspect arrested while working in Miami, linked to 2 others 2 hours ago Tour helicopter makes hard landing on pier in Bayonne 1 hour ago Long Island man accused of faking Purple Hearts, stealing $81K from veterans group 3 hours ago Report a correction or typo Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved. Related Topics ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NEW YORK CITY THEATER DISTRICT MANHATTAN OFF BROADWAY THEATER Watch Live ON NOW Central Park rape suspect arrested at Miami Burger King 2 hours ago Tour helicopter makes hard landing on pier 1 hour ago Man accused of posing as war hero, stealing $81K from veterans 3 hours ago Grand jury votes to indict man accused in jogger's killing 2 hours ago Brooklyn man beaten in wrongful NYPD arrest files lawsuit 2 hours ago Bob Boone, MLB All-Star and father of Yankees manager, dies at 78 Car smashes into Long Island brewery 41 minutes ago AccuWeather: Breezy beauty and what to know about a late week storm