Broadway Beat: Lin-Manuel Miranda buys the Drama Book Shop and what to see during Off-Broadway week

Here are the shows about to open on Broadway (and if three seems meager, just wait for March when about a zillion shows rush to open before the April 25 cutoff for Tony consideration):

Kiss Me Kate (starts 2/14). Cole Porter’s irresistible musical comedy, based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, stars the wondrous Kelli O’Hara. The show’s famous, flirty songbook includes “Too Darn Hot,” “So in Love” and “Always True to You in My Fashion.” It should be interesting to see how the play’s vexed gender politics play out in our hashtag world. At Studio 54, 254 W. 54th St. www.roundabouttheatre.org

Be More Chill (in previews, opens 3/10). Providing musical comfort to losers everywhere, the premise of the plot is the invention of a popularity pill. It asks that ever-popular question: What could go wrong? Yeah, right. At the Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St. www.bemorechill.com

King Lear (previews begin 2/28; 4/4-7/17) Glenda Jackson returns to Broadway after her spectacular performance in Three Tall Women, now to play the title role in Shakespeare’s towering tragedy. At the Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St. www.kinglearonbroadway.com

First some good news as the drama of the Drama Book Shop continues: Remember when the sad news came that the DBS was closing because its midtown rent was too high? Remember that Lin-Manuel Miranda, who spent much of his young career working in the store’s basement, then tweeted “Nope”? Now comes the good news: He, along with three Hamilton collaborators, bought the store and made a deal with New York City to find an affordable and appropriate new location.

NYC Off-Broadway Week 2-for-1 tickets (through 2/24). Thirty-four shows participate in this bi-annual program. Find the full list here: www.nycgo.com/off-broadway-week

Many of the shows I mentioned in the January column are included in this deal, including The Play That Goes Wrong (now to probably forever), Boesman and Lena (through 3/17) and lots more.

Other Off-Broadway plays with big marquee names are:

“Daddy” (through 3/31). Alan Cumming stars in this world premiere by Jeremy O. Harris about a young black artist and his passionate relationship with an older white art collector. It’s intriguingly described: “Basquiats and Birkins, gospel and pop, and fantasy and reality collide around a Bel Air swimming pool.” signaturetheatre.org

The Mother (2/20 to 4/7). French grande dame Isabelle Huppert stars with Chris Noth (Sex and the City’s Mr. Big) in a play about an aging woman trying to cope with the loss of her past life. Time marches on, but some people manage to stay gorgeous. atlantictheatre.org

ADVICE from somebody who spends a ridiculous amount of time trying to find running times of shows so as not to miss the last bus home: Easy access info is at playbill.com. If you click on the upper left corner “menu” option, you can choose “shows” and then follow the prompts.

AND FINALLY if you’re not in a rush to get home after a show, there’s Broadway Sessions, every other Thursday night at the Laurie Beechman Theatre (inside and underneath the West Bank Cafe at 42nd St. & 9th Ave.). Doors open at 10 p.m. for a preshow and then actors from one or another Broadway show entertain and interact with the audience, and generally carry on under the auspices of host Ben Cameron. Showtime is at 11 p.m. Reservations recommended. There are $5 drink specials all night. $10 advance/ $15 at door cover includes a donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. bencameron.nyc/sessions.html.