Welcome to GRACE NOTES – the industry standard for daily theatre news since 1999.
Published every Monday-Friday morning, GRACE NOTES is the only global theatre newsletter targeted specifically to successful, savvy theatre professionals, providing the most comprehensive, concise and up-to-date theatre information around. It’s the one-stop resource for all your theatre news.
GRACE NOTES newsletters offer something for everyone:
* New shows in development
* Casting announcements
* Workshops
* Openings & Closings
* Broadway, Off-Broadway, London and Regional reviews
* Awards (Broadway, London, Off-Broadway, major regional, TV & film)
* Benefits, Concerts, Readings, Galas & Cabarets
* Upcoming events
* Relevant Film & Television news
* Video & Audio clips
* Cast album releases
* Graae Notes: Jason Graae interviews some of Broadway’s finest
* A weekly theatre quiz and theatre quote
* And so much more!
Below is a recent issue of GRACE NOTES. The newsletter is available only by paid email subscription, and includes exclusive access to GRACE NOTES Archives, where you can access back issues for the past three years.
To see what folks have to say about GRACE NOTES, check out the Testimonials on the menu above.
If you like what you see, please SUBSCRIBE above. AEA Members only – 15% discount!!
********************************************************************************
SAMPLE ISSUE: Thursday, May 23, 2019
Today’s Highlights:
* Roundabout‘s Toni Stone, by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Pam MacKinnon, featuring April Matthis (replacing Uzo Aduba as Toni Stone), Eric Berryman, Harvy Blanks, Phillip James Brannon, Daniel J. Bryant, Jonathan Burke, Toney Goins, Kenn E. Head, and Ezra Knight, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Laura Pels Theatre.
* Ms. Blakk for President, world premiere by Tina Landau & Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Landau, featuring Tarrell Alvin McCraney (Ms. Joan Jett Blakk), Patrick Andrews, Molly Brennan, Daniel Kyri, Jon Hudson Odom, and Sawyer Smith, begins previews at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
* Kiss My Aztec, world premiere by John Leguizamo, Tony Taccone, Benjamin Velez & David Kamp, directed by Taccone, featuring Joél Pérez, Angelica Beliard, Chad Carstarphen, Katherine “KC” Dela Cruz, Richard R. Henry, Zachary Infante, Yani Marin, Jesús E. Martínez, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Desiree Rodriguez, and Al Rodrigo, begins previews at CA’s Berkeley Rep.
* All About Dogs… in Song concert, written & hosted by Deborah Grace Winer, directed by Mark Waldrop, with special guests Karen Ziemba, Kenita Miller, and Ross Lekites, at 9:30 PM at 54 Below.
* My Beloved: A Ted Bundy Musical concert presentation, by Clint Edwards, directed by Richard Ridge, featuring James T. Kelly (Ted Bundy), Andrea Goss (Elizabeth Kloepfer), and Daniel Dunlow (Det. Keppel), at 7 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42.
* The Hello Girls cast album, by Peter Mills & Cara Reichel, featuring Ellie Fishman, Arlo Hill, Chanel Karimkhani, Andrew Mayer, Matthew McGloin, Ben Moss, Lili Thomas, Skyler Volpe, Cathryn Wake, and Scott Wakefield, released on CD. 
Order here.
* An Evening with Lea Salonga closes at Northridge’s The Saroya.
* Redefining American Music concert, with special guest Rhiannon Giddens, closes at the Boston Pops‘ Symphony Hall.
**********************
2019 Off Broadway Alliance Award winners:
New Musical: Ranascence
New Play: What the Constitution Means to Me
Play Revival: Uncle Vanya
Musical Revival: Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish
Unique Theatrical Experience: Nassim
Solo Performance: Accidentally Brave
Family Show: Pip’s Island
**********************
Andy Karl (Edward) and Samantha Barks (Vivian Ward) will depart Broadway’s Pretty Woman on July 21 at the Nederlander Theatre.
The pair will be replaced by Jillian Mueller and Brennin Hunt on July 22.
**********************
Off-Broadway’s Public Theater has announced its Spotlight Series of invitation-only staged readings of new plays by the Emerging Writers Group, to run Monday evenings June 10 – Dec. 9.
* Lime-a-Rita Racist (June 10), by Joshua Young, directed by Tyne Rafaeli. Is it right to punch a Nazi? When a mild-mannered buy knocks the ever-loving crap out of a racist scumbag, it causes his coworker to wonder if toxic masculinity is still toxic if it’s use for good.
* Good Time Charlie (July 1), by Ryan J. Haddad, directed by Danny Sharron. Charlie is Cleveland’s most glamorous dentist, destined for the stage, but afraid of what happens when he gets there.
* My Hate Letter to the Great American Theatre (July 29), written & directed by Diana Oh. There is a before and after of this play and liberation is on the other side of it.
* No Wahala (Aug. 5), by Obehi Janice. A Nigerian marriage. An American divorce. Polygamy, jufu, and Jesus haunt four siblings in The Highlands of Lowell, MA.
* Happy Happy Joy Joy (Sept. 16), by Brittany K. Allen. Izz, a fabulist journalist who’s been the subject of a recent national disgrace, returns to her Texas hometown seeking safe harbor, but her former-Panther grandmother is not here to absolve.
* Pa’ti Tengo De Todo (Oct. 28), by Daniella De Jesús, A bickering, expecting couple take a cruise through the Bermuda Triangle for their “baby moon.”
* Jordans (Nov. 11), by Ife Olujobi. In a workplace where appearance is everything, two young, black career-minded strivers are forced together and torn apart by their race, racism, and otherworldly circumstances.
* Kidnapping Jane Doe (Nov. 25), by David Zheng. Gentrification is about to pop off in The Bronx, but not if these three friends got anything to say about it.
* May You Should Just (Dec. 9), by Oscar A.L. Cabrera. Mateo’s dreams are haunted by a long stretch of dirt road behind the hospital of his Texas hometown. Even with the disguise of his New York apartment and liberal girlfriend, he can’t from the feeling of never truly fitting in.
**********************
The Acting Company has announced complete casting for its final two productions of the 2018- 2019 season, to run in rep July 14 – Aug. 24 (opening July 28) at the Duke on 42nd Street.
* Native Son, directed by Seret Scott, features Anthony Bowden (Jan), Jason Bowen (Black Rat), Rebekah Brockman (Mary), Rosalyn Coleman (Hannah), Laura Gragtmans (Mrs. Dalton), Lorenzo Jackson (Buddy), Henry Jenkinson (Mr. Britten), Galen Ryan Kane (Bigger Thomas), Keshay Moodliar (Shop Owner/Reporters), and Katherine Turner (Bessie).
* Measure for Measure, directed by Janet Zarish, features Anthony Bowden (Lucio), Jason Bowen (Escalus), Rebekah Brockman (Isabella), Laura Gragtmans (Mariana/Mistress Overdone), Lorenzo Jackson (Claudio), Henry Jenkinson (Provost), Sam Lilja (Angelo), Galen Ryan Kane (Friar), Keshay Mookliar (Duke), Katherine Turner (Juliet/Francesca).
**********************
Video: When Mary Testa lost it in Broadway’s 42nd Street.
**********************
The Same & Tony Show & Tony Regullano’s Supportive White Parents will run June 9-28 at Hollywood’s Broadwater Black Box, directed by Frank Caeti, with music direction by Tony Gonzalez, and choreography by Ally Vega.
: Joan Almedilla, Earl Baylon, Gina D’Accriaro, Scott Palmason, Joy Regullano, Greg Smith, and Giselle “G” Tongi.
When an Asian girl tells her parents that she doesn’t want to be a doctor anymore, she wishes on a shooting star for supportive white parents.
**********************
54 Sings Miley Cyrus, in support of the Happy Hippie Foundation (which fights the injustice facing homeless youths, LGBTQ youth, and other vulnerable populations), will take place Sun. July 7 at 9:30 PM at 54 Below, directed by Russell McCook & Benjamin Nissen.
: Kristolyn Lloyd, Lauren Marcus, Gab Cinque, Jennifer DiNoia, F. Michael Haynie, Charlotte Maltby, Elliott Mattox, Isabelle McCalla, Christian Thompson, and Talia Suskauer.
**********************
James Kettle’s The Life I Lead will run Sept. 16-21 at the Wyndham’s Theatre, directed by Selina Cadell & Didi Hopkins.
: Miles Jupp (David Tomlinson)
Best remembered for play Mr. Banks in “Mary Poppins,” David Tomlinson was renowned for playing the classic English gent. His meeting with Walt Disney came to encapsulate his incredible life full of adventure and heartbreak.
**********************
The Sherie Rene Scott / Norbert Leo Butz Project will run July 9-28 at 7 PM at 54 Below, with music direction by Todd Almond.
In an evening of story and song, the pair explores their professional and personal relationship of the past 23 years.
**********************
BC/EFA‘s 2019 Broadway Bares will take place Sun. June 16 at 9:30 PM & Midnight at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom, directed by Laya Barak, with choreography by Barak, John Alix, Al Blackstone, Olivia Cipolla, Hope Easterbrook, Armando Farfan Jr., Bobby Hedglin-Taylor, Jonathan Lee, Ray Mercer, Justin Prescott, Luis Salgado, Michael Lee Scott, Kellen Stancil, Andrew Turteltaub, and Sidney Erik Wright.
: Stephen DeRosa, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Nathan Lee Graham, Ashley Park, Ryann Redmond, Christopher Sieber, L. Steven Taylor, Christian Dante White, Abney, Andrés Acosta, Mila Adderley, Shernita Anderson, Fabio Angelo, Dave August, Michael Baerga, Casey Bagnall, Heather Lea Bair, David J. Baldwin, David Ballard, Alexis Beffer, Carleigh Bettiol, Jillian Bird, Cameron Bond, Matthew Borchers, Joanne Borts, Tislarm Bouie, Steve Bratton, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Karen Burthwright, Holly Ann Butler, Henry Byalikov, Claire Camp, Adam Chandler, Adrianne Chu, Savannah Cobb, Melanie Comeau, Chloe Corpuz, Josh Cotham, Jonté Culpepper, Lauren Dalal, Sarah Davis, Chloe Davis, Juan De La Torre, Nicolas de la Vega, Willie Dee, Nico DeJesus, Gina DePool, Erica Dorfler, Michelle Dowdy, Nathan Duszny, Lynann Escatel, Daniel Evans, Taurean Everett, Kristin Ewing, Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Carissa Fiorillo, Jennifer Florentino, Héctor Flores Jr., Judah Frank, David Gamboa, Lauren Gemelli, Les Gibbs, John Giesige, Shannon Giles, Mary-Angela Granberry, Steven Trumon Gray, Taylor Green, Yancy Greene, Willow Grey, Matthew Griffin, Jarvis Griggs, Ari Groover, Jorge Guerra, Logan Hart, Afra Hines, Kellie Hoagland, Beau Hutchings, Gabriel Hyman, Sabrina Imamura, Sasha Isaeva, Ryan Jackson, Jaimie Joseph, Emily Katz, Justin Keats, Jelani Kee, Ted Keener, Kimo Kepano, Mya King, Jesse Kramer, Nina Lafarga, John Paul LaPorte, Emily Larger, Colin Lee, Aaron Libby, Jaimie Linn, Glen Llanes, Michael Lubbers, Lipe Lucarelli, Mark MacKillop, Wayne “Juice” Mackins, Jonathan MacMillan, Rebecca Magazine, Nalina Mann, Stanley Martin, Elliott Mattox, Yoaldri Messina, Holly Morris, Jan Erik Navoa, Brayden Newby, Chris Newsome, Mark Osmundsen, Ian Paget, Jeffrey Parizotto, Javi Perez, Adam Perry, Bobby Pestka, Janice Picconi, Michael Pugliese, Steven Rada, Anthony Raimondi, Pedro Rangel, Madeline Reed, Drew Reese, Lanae Rhodes, Joseph Rivera, Katherine Roarty, Tyler Roberts, Annette G. Rodriguez, Paul Romero, Marissa Rosen, Courtney Ross, Constantine Rousouli, Avery Royal, Celia Mei Rubin, Chad Sapp, Courtney Sauls, Stephen Savage, MiMi Scardulla, Richard Schieffer, Bradley Schlagheck, Ray Sheen, Montana Sholars, Nick Silverio, Jaquez Andre Sims, Dillon Spicer, James Monroe Števko, Melissa Strain, Greg Sullivan, Jeff Sykes, Jeremy Thompson, Katie Thrasher, Amanda Ting, Hernando Umana, Morgan Unger, Alec Varcas, Mykel Vaughn, Zurin Villanueva, Cesar Villavicencio, Richard Waits, Robert Walters, Lincoln Ward, Erin Weinberger, Betty Weinberger, Steven Wenslawski, Kyle White, Julius Williams, Lena Wolfe, Jennifer Wolfe, Jody Wood, Darius Wright, Nicholas Yenson, and Lauren Zakrin.
**********************
Joe Orton’s The Ruffian on the Stair will run June 9, 13, 21 & 22 at Hollywood’s LGBT Center, directed by Mark Kemble.
: Sile Bermingham, Reed Michael Campbell, and Brian Foyster.
Sex. Murder. Goldfish. In 1964 London.
**********************
Charles Ludlam’s Galas will run June 13-28 (opening June 16) at Theatre at St. John’s, directed by Everett Quinton.
: Everett Quinton, Christopher Johnson, Maude Burke, Beth Dodye Bass, Géraldine Dulex, Jenne Vath, and Mark Erson.
**********************
: New casting has been announced for the world premiere of Women Beyond Borders, which has been extended through June 2 at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre, directed by Jenny Sullivan.
(through May 26): Susan Clark, Kimiko Gelman, Zilah Mendoza, Ulka Simone Mohanty, and Jennifer Leigh Warren.
(May 27 – June 2): Donna Simone Johnson, Sandra Tsing Loh, Zilah Mendoza, and Ulka Simone Mohanty.
Presented in the style of The Vagina Monologues and Love, Loss, and What I Wore, actors perform stories, poems, and songs about transcending geographical, emotional, and spiritual barriers.
**********************
Video: Beauty and the Beast in rehearsal at Paper Mill Playhouse.
**********************
Erich Bergen will rejoin the Broadway company of Waitress as Dr. Pomatter on June 4, replacing Jeremy Jordan (who departs on June 2) at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
