• GRACE NOTES: Wednesday, July 15, 2026

     

    Today’s Highlights:

     

      Shifters, by Benedict Lomb, directed by Lynette Linton, featuring Heather Agyepong (Des) and Daniel Ezra (Man), opens at Off-Broadway’s Cherry Lane Theatre.

     

      Jazz in July: Echoes of Miles – Cool Jazz for hot Nights concert, featuring Terence Blanchard, Ron Carter, Ravi Coltrane, Nicole Glover, John Patitucci, Kate Kortum, Aaron Diehl, and more, opens at NYC’s 92Y.

     

       Hairspray, directed by Bill Fennelly, featuring Alex Michaels(Edna Turnblad),   Grace Carroll (Tracy Turnblad), Michael Brian Dunn (Wilbur Turnblad), Keisha Gilles Motormouth Maybelle), Ben Jackson Walker (Link Larkin), Maddy Le (Little Inez), Meaghan Maher(Penny Pingleton), Kate Marilley (Velma Von Tussle), Maya Musial (Amber Von Tussle), Lukas Poost (Corny Collins), and Jalen Xavier (Seaweed J. Stubbs), with  Taylor Colleton, Talia Cutulle, Zeth Dixon, Adena Ershow, Madeline Glave, Jordyn Jones, Laura Jordan, Natalie Lacy, Jack Mastrianni, Kevin B. McGlynn, Elexis Morton, Ryan Norton, Isaiah Reynolds, Alanna Rishaan Porter, and Drew Tremblay, opens at Mass’ Cape Playhouse.

     

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       Broadway Grosses for the week ending July 12.

     

    Click here for the complete analysis.

     

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      Live & livestream productions:

     

    Click here for the complete schedule.

     

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      The world premiere of Jeffrey Sweet’s A change of Position will run July 30 – Aug. 23 at New Jersey Rep, directed by James Glossman.

     

       Ephraim Birney, Èllis Cahill, Todd Cerveris, and Sandy Clancy.

       Set in a Pensylvania trailer park, the play follows a teenage girl whose difficult home life becomes even more complicated when one of her mothers regular “clients” presents an an unexpected proposition. Filled with with Jeffrey Sweet’s signature wit, compassion, and keen observations of human nature, this play explores family, resilience, and the choices that can alter the course of a life.

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      Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep has announced its Fall 2026 season.

     

    Casting TBA.

     

       The Hairy Ape (Sept 25 – Nov. 15), by Eugene O’Neill, directed by Ciaran O’Reilly.

     

       A holiday production TBA.

     

      The Good thief (Nov. 7 – Dec. 13), by Conor McPherson, directed by Justin Waldman, starring Christopher Fitzgerald.

     

      The Dead, 1904 (Nov. 21 – Jan. 3, 2027), adapted by Paul Muldoon & Jean Hanff Korelitz, directed by Carián O’reilly.

     

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      Cats: The Jellicle Ball will close Aug. 8 at the Broadhurst Theatre, after 164 performances. The production will be filmed and archived at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

     

    (current):  André De Shields Ken Ard, Kya Azeen, Bryson Battle, Jonathan Burke, Baby Byrne, Tara Lashan, Bryce Farris, Elisa Galindez,Sydney James Harcourt, Dava Huesca, Dudney Joseph Jr., Junior LaBeija ,Leiomy, Robert “Silk” Mason, Ernest Mingo, Chasity Moore, Primo Thee Ballerino, Xavier Reyes, Nora Schell, Bebe Nicole Simpson, Emma Sofia, Phumzile Sojola, Kendall Grayson Stroud, B. Noel Thomas, Kalyn West, Garnet Williams as, Teddy Wilson Jr., Darius Wright, and Donté Nadir Wilder.

     

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      Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Project Shaw will offer of a script-in-hand performance of Noël Coward’s This Was a Man on Mon. July 20 at 7 PM at NYC’s The Players, directed by David Staller.

     

       Jane Bruce (Lady Margot Butler), Setella Everett (Carol Churt), Vanessa Kai (Zoe. St. Merryn), Carman Lacivita (Harry Challoner), Carman Lacivita (Lord Robert Romford), A.J. A.J. Shively (Edward Chury), and Wesley Taylor (Evelyn Bathurst).

     

       Edward and Carol Churt are a prominent couple in the London art scene. While Edward is a highly successful portrait painter, Carol is driven by a strong appetite for sex and is notorious among their friends for having a string of affairs. Remarkably, Edward is completely aware of his wife’s infidelity but chooses to respond with sophisticated nonchalance, choosing to ignore the betrayals rather than cause a scandal. Things take a turn when Edward’s best friend and old army comrade, Evelyn, grows increasingly disturbed by Edward’s apathy. Evelyn decides to take matters into his own hands and attempts to police the couple’s morality by intervening in Carol’s affairs. His meddling, however, causes the carefully guarded facade of the Churt marriage to crack, forcing a confrontation about jealousy, social class, and what it truly means to “be a man.’ In a shocking and darkly comedic conclusion, Edward ends up bursting into laughter when he learns that Carol has ultimately slept with hisclosest friend.

     

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       How High the Moon, by Barbara Nell Beery, will run July 24 – Aug. 16 at Theatre West, directed by Asaad Kelada.

     

      Jennifer Ashe (Violet Thompson), Kathie Barnes (Millie), Lane Compton (Harrison), Mathew Gademeske (Russell), John Posey (Carl), Anya Profumo (Allison), Caroline Quigley (Amy), and Davis Than Schwartz (Walter).

     

       On July 4, 1952, the lives of neighboring families in the San Fernando Valley are forever changed. A young housewife questions her marriage, and an estranged son returns home. The play is about sibling conflict and family secrets during the housing boom in the San Fernando Valley.

     

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       The world premiere of Jeffrey Sweet’s A Change of Position will run July 30 – Aug. 23 (opening Aug. 1) at New Jersey Rep, directed by James Glossman.

     

      Ephraim Birney, Èilis, Todd Cerveris, and Sandy Clancy.

     

      Set in a Pennsilvania trailer park, the play follows a teenage girl whose difficult home life becomes even more complicated when one of her mother’s regular “clients” presents and unexpected proposition.

     

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       Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge will run Nov. 27 – Feb. 27, 2027  (opening Dec. 13) at La Mama, directed by Neil Pepe.

     

       Sam Rockwell (Eddie), Marin Ireland (Beatrice), and Alfred Molina (Alfieri).

     

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       Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, by August Wilson, will run Aug. 23  – Sept. 20 (opening Aug. 29) at  The Noise Within, directed by Gregg T. Daniel.

     

      Kai A. Ealy, Bert Emmett, Alex Morris, Gerald C. Rivers, Amber Liekhus, Jamar Gilbert, Francis Edemobi, Matt Moyer, Jim Nardina, and CJ Obilom.