THE NEW BROADWAY season kicks in next month and there is no shortage of Hollywood star power from film and TV appearing on the boards to delight the faithful, attract fans and boost ticket sales.

Al Pacino and Shakespeare devotees will have to cough up more than a “pound of flesh” for today’s Broadway ticket prices when the Oscar/Emmy/Tony-winning actor starring as Shylock in the “The Merchant of Venice” in Central Park for free until August 20th (if you can stand waiting in line in the heat), transfers with the acclaimed production to Broadway for a limited engagement in October.

Speaking of transfers, “La Bete” will cross the Atlantic in September with its London cast intact, including “Frasier’s” David Hyde Pierce, Tony winner Mark Rylance (“Boeing Boeing”) and Joanna Lumley (TV’s “Absolutely Fabulous”). Directed by Tony-winner Matthew Warchus (“God of Carnage”), this revival of the Moliereflavored play set in the 17th century is about an epic clash of theatrical egos.

“A Life in the Theatre” by David Mamet begins previews in late September and stars Patrick Stewart (“Star Trek”) and T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy). The two-person comedy “describes life in the footlights from an actor’s point of view.” An older actor mentors a younger actor with funny and insightful results.

The first Broadway production of Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “Driving Miss Daisy” will bring together two giants of film and stage: James Earl Jones plays the African-American chauffeur to Vanessa Redgrave’s Miss Daisy, a Jewish, 72-year old widow living in mid-century Atlanta who is deemed too old to drive. The searing play observes two people normally at-odds who are thrust together and ultimately develop a lasting friendship that transcends societial boundaries. Broadway’s favorite four-time Tony winner, Boyd Gaines co-stars.

“The Pee-wee Herman Show” begins previews in October with the man-boy star and his cast of remarkable playhouse friends. The 80-minute show opened in Los Angeles earlier this year, selling out immediately. (Reviewed here in 2/11/2010.)

Jumping ahead to the second half of the season, Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter”) will add musical star to his achievements in a second revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” about a young window washer whose advancement in the corporate world comes easy with his use of a self-help manual and a lot of luck. Radcliffe drew enormous stateside-attention two years ago as he began to redefine his career by appearing “au naturel” in a revival of “Equs.” This is a young star who is eager to shed his boyish Potter-image.

It’s last call to see Ken Ludwig’s Tony-nominated revival of “Lend Me a Tenor” starring Tony Shaloub (TV’s “Monk”), Anthony LaPaglia (TV’s “Without a Trace”) and Justin Bartha (2009 blockbuster “The Hangover”). The madcap screwball comedy takes place when a hottempered Italian opera star about to makes his debut goes missing before a performance. “Tenor” closes on August 15th.

The Tony-winning Best Revival of a Musical “South Pacific” also closes (August 22nd) with its two original stars, Paolo Szot (Tony Award) and Kelli O’Hara, having returned for the show’s last weeks of “enchanted evenings.” Fear not Rodgers & Hammerstein fans; the production will be taped live and broadcast on PBS this year.