This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, April 30
Home virtual reading, by Samm-Art Williams, directed by Kenny Leon, featuring Rob Demery, Joanquina Klaukango, Brittany Inge, and Christina Sajous, begins FREE streaming at Roundabout Theatre Company.
Midnight at the Never Get, by Mark Sonnenblick, directed by Matthew Gardiner, featuring Sam Bolen, Christian Douglas, and Bobby Smith, begins streaming on demand at DC’s Signature Theatre.
The Who’s Who’s Next 50th anniversary concert celebration, with special guests Constantine Maroulis, Lana Gordon, Justin Matthew Sargent, and Michael Wartella, begins streaming at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever, by James Ijames, directed by Pascale Forestale, featuring Dru Sky Berrian, Jordan Pearson, Tah-Janay Shayone, Sadiyah Dyce Stephens, and Jared Troilo, begins streaming at Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage Company.
An Evening with Sheldon Harnick & Friends (from 2020), featuring Sheldon Harnick, with Liz Callaway, Rebecca Luker, Karen Ziemba, Margery Grey Harnick, and Jim Morgan, begins streaming at 7 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s York Theatre (and continues on demand through May 14).
Beyond the Veil, drive-in theatre production, a live immersive ghost thriller audio play, written & directed by Steve Wargo, featuring Montego Glover and Quentin Earl Darrington, with Alyssa Fox, Siho Ellsmore, Mary Jo McConnell, and John Stimac opens, both in person (at socially distanced picnic tables) or virtually (from your car), opens at 8 PM ET NYC’s Radial Park.
Stars in the House presents a Mystery of Edwin Drood reunion, with special guests Donna Murphy, Judy Kuhn, Patti Cohenour, Betty Buckley, Rupert Holmes, Howard McGillina, and John Herrera, streams for FREE at 8 PM ET here.
The Sound Inside, by Adam Rapp, directed by Rob Ruggiero & Pedro Bermúdez, featuring Maggie Bofill and Ephraim Birney, concludes streaming on demand at TheaterWorks Hartford.
This Bitter Earth, by Harrison David Rivers, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, featuring Matthew Hancock (Jesse) and Chase Cargill (Neil), concludes livestreaming at North Hollywood’s Road Theatre Company.
Saturday, May 1
The Importance of Being Earnest (2011 Roundabout Broadway production), directed by Brian Bedford, featuring Brian Bedford (Lady Bracknell), Dana Ivey (Miss Prism), Charlotte Parry (Cecily Cardew), Sara Topham (Gwendolyn), Paxton Whitehead (Reverend Chausible), Santino Fontana (Algernon Moncrief), David Furr (Jack Worthing), Tim MacDonald (Merriman), and Paul O’Brien (Lane), begins streaming here.
Take Me Back to Manhattan, a virtual tribute concert filmed at NYC’s Carlyle Hotel, featuring Alysha Umphress, Kyle Taylor Parker, Peter Cincotti, Champian Fulton, Molly Ryan, Isaac Mizrahi, Catherine Russell, and Peter Cincotti, begins streaming on demand here.
We Have to Hurry benefit production, by Dorothy Lyman, directed by Patricia Vanstone, featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Elliott Gould, and Jean Lauren Smith, begins streaming at 5 PM ET at Broadway on Demand (also tomorrow at 2 PM ET).
End of Plays reading series, featuring excerpts from new works by Wendy Biller, Diana Burbano, David Datz, Angela J. Davis, Tom Everett, Makena Metz, Rick Mitchell, Brett Ryback, Patrick Satcher, Gina Shaffer, and Leda Siskind, streams for FREE at 5 PM PT at LA’s Fountain Theatre.
“Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal” talk show, with special guests Ethan Hawke, LaChanze, Tariq Trotter, Wallace Shawn, Rob McClure, and Maggie Lakis, streams here.
“Help Is On The Way,” by David Friedman, released in Paperback here and on Kindle here.
Pete ‘n’ Keely, by James Hindman, Mark Waldrop & Patrick Brady, featuring George Dvorsky and Sally Mayes, concludes streaming at NJ’s Paper Mill Playhouse.
Beyond the Veil, drive-in theatre production, a live immersive ghost thriller audio play, written & directed by Steve Wargo, featuring Montego Glover and Quentin Earl Darrington, with Alyssa Fox, Siho Ellsmore, Mary Jo McConnell, and John Stimac opens, both in person (at socially distanced picnic tables) or virtually (from your car), closes at 8 PM ET NYC’s Radial Park.
Sunday, May 2
Broadway Acts for Women 2021, an online event and virtual auction performed LIVE, hosted by Martha Plimpton, featuring Ariana Debose, Eden Espinosa, Kathryn Brody, Danny Burstein, Ever Carradine, Garret Dillahunt, Eden Espinosa, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sara Bareilles, Kathryn Brody, Danny Burstein, Ever Carradine, Ariana DeBose, Garret Dillahunt, Eden Espinosa, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kelli O’Hara, Michelle Hurd, Howard McGillin, Mandy Patinkin, Annabella Sciorra, Cecily Strong, Jessica Vosk, Shannon Woodward, and more, livestreams at 8 PM ET here.
We Have to Hurry benefit production, by Dorothy Lyman, directed by Patricia Vanstone, featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Elliott Gould, and Jean Lauren Smith, streams at 2 PM ET at Broadway on Demand.
The Who’s Who’s Next 50th anniversary concert celebration, with special guests Constantine Maroulis, Lana Gordon, Justin Matthew Sargent, and Michael Wartella, concludes streaming at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
We Have to Hurry benefit production, by Dorothy Lyman, directed by Patricia Vanstone, featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Elliott Gould, and Jean Lauren Smith, concludes streaming at Broadway on Demand.
Sitting and Talking, by Lisa Romeo, directed by James Glossman, featuring Dan Lauria and Wendie Malick, concludes streaming at Laguna Playhouse.
Perfect Hermany: A Musical Tribute to Jerry Herman concert, starring Jason Graae, with special guests Jackie DeMuro, Kelley Dorney, Katrina Lauren McGraw, and Lauren Louise, concludes streaming at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon.
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to fully reopen New York City on July 1.
Broadway is expected to return in September.
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Video: Stars in the House presents “Celebrating “Becca”: A Tribute to Rebecca Luker,” with special guests Danny Burstein, Howard McGillin, and Sally Wilfert. (1:07:53)
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TDF Gift Certificates just might be that perfect gift. Click here for more information and to purchase.
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Victoria Wood’s Talent will run in person June 30 – July 24 at the Crucible Theatre, directed by Paul Foster, with music supervision by Sarah Travis.
Richard Cant, Daniel Crossley, Jamie-Rose Monk, Jonathan Ojinnaka, James Quinn, and Lucie Shorthouse.
It’s 1978. Bunter club is hosting its Friday Talent Night – the acts on the bill hope that it’s a stepping stone to New Faces or Opportunity Knocks. 24-year-old Julie dreams of stardom, escape from her dead-end job and the chance to leave the drudgery of living at home with her mother. Her less worldly-wise friend Maureen has come along to offer support.
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Bill Gunn’s The Forbidden City continues streaming through May 23 at Lincoln Center Theater (and all podcast platforms), directed by Seret Scott.
James T. Alfred, Spencer Scott Barros, Derrick Baskin, Kyle Beltran, Ato Blankson-Wood, Jason Bowen, Alfie Fuller, John Benjamin Hickey, Roscoe Orman, Brenda Pressley, and Ray Anthony Thomas.
Set in Philadelphia circa 1936, the play examines how the bonds of a middle-class Black family are tested by the specter of a tragedy that occurred many years prior in the Jim Crow South.
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The recent Stage and Screen Auction raised $138,625 for The Actors Fund.
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Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre has announced its 2021-22 season, which includes both virtual and in-person productions:
VIRTUAL PRODUCTIONS:
An evening of 3 short works (title TBA), by Tracy Letts (September): “The Old Country,” an animated short directed by Patrick Zaken, and starring William Peterson, Karen Rodrguez, and Mike Nussbaum…… Night Safari monologue, directed by Patrick Zakem, starring Rainn Wilson….. and The Stretch monologue, directed by Anna D. Shapiro.
Title TBA (October) by Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Amy Morton.
The Light Remains (November), written & directed by Tina Landau
IN PERSON PRODUCTIONS:
Bug (Nov. 11 – Dec. 12), by Tracy Letts, featuring Carrie Coon, Namir Smallwood, Randall Arney, Jennifer Engstrom, and Steve Kay. In a seedy Oklahoma motel room, a lonely waitress begins an unexpected love affair with a young drifter. And then they see the first bugs.
King James (Feb. 24 – Apr. 23, 2022), by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, featuring Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti. An intimate exploration of the place that sports and athletes occupy in our emotional lives and relationships.
Seagull (Apr. 28 – June 12), adapted & directed by Yasen Pevankoy, featuring Ian Barford, Cliff Chamberlain, Francis Guinan, Tim Hopper, Sandra Marquez, James Vincent Meredith, Caroline Neff, Karen Rodriguez, and Namir Smallwood.
Choir Boy (June 16 – July 24), by Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Kent Gash, featuring James Vincent Meredith and Daniel Kyri.
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Chicago Shakespeare has announced has released two audio plays, which continue through May 16:
Measure for Measure, directed by Henry Godinez, featuring Yao Dogbe, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Kevin Gudahl, Timothy Edward Kane, James Vincent Meredith, Daniel José Molina, Monica Orozco, Lakeisha Renee, Paul Oakley Stovall, and Larry Yando. A searing exploration of sexual politics and social injustice is set against the backdrop of turbulent Cuba, just before Castro takes power.
Twelfth Night, directed by Barbara Gaines, featuring Yao Dogbe, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Kevin Gudahl, Timothy Edward Kane, James Vincent Meredith, Daniel José Molina, Monica Orozco, Lakeisha Renee, Paul Oakley Stovall, and Larry Yando. Gorgeous songs by Joriah Kwamé and immersive sound accentuate the lyrical verse, tracing the journeys of loves and lost souls
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The 2021 Hollywood Fringe Festival will stream Aug. 5-29.
Additional information and link TBA.
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NY’s Bard Summerscape will present he world premiere of Most Happy, a new adaptation of The Most Happy Fella, to run Aug. 5-7 at Stage at Montgomery Place, directed by Daniel Fish.
Presenting the songs from The Most Happy Fella, performed by seven female and non-binary vocalists (TBA).
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“Revolution Rent,” a new documentary about bringing Jonathan Larson’s Rent to Cuba, will premiere Tues. June 15 at 9 PM ET on HBO, directed by Andy Señor Jr. and Victor Patrick Alvarez.
The film follows Señor Jr.’s journey as he’s tasked with bringing a stage production of Rent to his exiled parents’ homeland. This is a personal journey to explore his Cuban heritage while staging the country’s first Broadway musical produced by an American company in more than 50 years.
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Glendale’s A Noise Within continues its streaming filmed production of Lisa Peterson & Denis O’Hare’s An Iliad through May 16, directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, and featuring Geoff Elliott and Deborah Strang.
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New Faces Sing Broadway 1979 will take place Sat. June 12 at 8 PM ET at Chicago’s Porchlight Music Theatre, directed by Brianna Borger, with music direction by Linda Madonia, and hosted by Alexis J. Roston.
Micah Beauvais, Adia Bell, Chloe Belongilot, Wesly Anthony Clergé, Haley Gustafson, Drew Mitchell, Mia Nevarez, Laura Quiñones, Christopher Ratliff, Nathe Rowbotham, and Brianna Borger.
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The upcoming Netflix film adaptation of Jason Robert Brown’s “13: The Musical,” directed by Tamra Davis & Jason Robert Brown, has found its cast. Filming is expected to begin in June in Toronto. The premiere date is TBA.
Eli Golden, Gabriella Uhl, JD McCrary Frankie McNellis, Lindsey Blackwell, Jonathan Lengel, Ramon Reed, Nolen Dubuc, Luke Islam, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Keyleigh Cerezo, Wyatt Moss, Liam Wignall, and Khiyla Aynne.
Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents’ divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.