This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, April 5
Gunter, by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan & Rachel Lemon, directed by Rachel Lemon, featuring Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Norah Lopez Holden, opens at London’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.
Ride, by Freya Catrin Smith & Jack Williams, directed by Sarah Meadows, featuring Alex Finke (Annie), and Livvy Marcus (Martha), with Aubrey Matalon, opens at San Diego’s Old Globe.
The Drowsy Chaperone, directed & choreographed by Larry Sousa, featuring Joy Clark, Yasmeen Duncan, Kristian Espiritu, Danny Feldman, Maureen Keiller, Mark Linehan, Cristhian Mancinas-García, Paul Melendy, Katie Pickett, Nick Potts, Ilyse Robbins, Kathy St. George, Carolyn Saxon, Damon Singletary, Jared Troilo, and Todd Yar, opens at Boston’s Lyric Stage Company.
Dinner with Friends, by Donald Margulies, directed by Peter Allas, featuring Jack Esformes (Gabe), Marieh Delfino (Karen), Lieth Burke (Tom), and Amy Mottoa (Beth), with Chala Savino and Rick Segall, opens at LA’s Zephyr Theatre.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, directed by Rob Ruggiero, featuring Lenny Wolpe (Chairman/William Carwright), Liz McCartney (Princess Puffer/Angela Prysock), Mamie Parris (Alice Nutting), Paul Adams Schaefer (Jasper/Clive Paget), Levin Valayil (Neville Landless/Victor Grinstead), Riley Noland (Rosa Bud/Jetta Juriansz), Paul Slade Smith (Crisparkle/Cedric Moncreiff), David Beach (Durdles/Master Nick Cricker), Marcus Montgomery (Deputy/Mister Nick Cricker), and Jamie LaVerdier (Bazzard/Phillip Bax), with Jon Cooper, Benjamin Howes, Albert Jennings, Miyuki Miyagi, Jacqueline Petroccia, Jesse Swimm, Natalie Welch, Megan Arseneau and Noah Rubeck, begins previews at CT’s Goodspeed.
Prelude to a Kiss, by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé & Sean Hartley, directed by David Ivers, featuring Hannah Corneau (Rita), Jonathan Gillard Daly (Julius), Julie Garnyé (Leah), Jimmie “J.J.” Jeter (Taylor), James Moye (Rita’s Dad), DeAnne Stewart (Angie), and Karen Ziemba (Rita’s Mom), with Bella Hicks, Robert Knight, Caroline Pernick, Tristan J. Shuler, Rachel Lykins, and Robert Zelaya, begins previews at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Rep.
Saturday, Apr.6
The Poisoner, world premiere by M.M. Haney, directed by Lee Sunday Evans, featuring Shawn Randall (Ron Finder), Brett Diggs (Dwayne Davis), Gregory Connors Jack Burden), and Lizbeth Mackay (Olive Gaines), opens at Off-Broadway’s La MaMa’s Downtown Theatre.
LA Opera‘s La Traviata, conducted by James Conlon, featuring Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Violetta), Liparit Avetisyan (Alfredo,) and Kihun Yoon (Father), opens at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
A Thousand Maids, by Tony Meneses, directed by Aneesha Kudtarkar, featuring Deonna Bouye (Butterfly), Natalie Woolams-Torres (Cordelia), Kate Rigg (Vivian), and Maria Elna Ramiriz (Lupe), opens at NJ’s Two River Theater.
The Lehman Trilogy, by Stefano Massini, directed by Oánh Nguyễn, featuring Troy Blendell, Chris Butler and Leo Marks, opens at Santa Barbara’s New Vic.
Avaaz, written & performed by Michael Shayan, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, closes at VA’s Olney Theatre.
Sunday, April. 7
The Fabulous Invalid readings, by Drew Droege, performed by Drew Droege, Eric Patrick Harper, Max Jenkins, Matthew Wilkas, and Pete Zias, begin at Off-Broadway’s SoHo Playhouse.
Faithless, world premiere by John Klein, directed by Maria Gobetti, featuring John Idakitis, Jon Sprik, Melissa Ortiz, and Josee Gourdine, opens at Burbank’s Victory Theatre Center.
Introducing Billy Barnes: A Benefit Concert for the Billy Barnes Foundation, with special guests Eileen Barnett, Kay Cole, Nancy Dussault, Shelly Goldstein, Jane A. Johnston, Jackie Joseph, Roslyn Kind, Karen Morrow, Shawn Ryan, Todd Sherry, Joanne Tatham, and Jo Anne Worley, plus young artists from YATC, at 1 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Rehearsal Club’s It’s a Woman’s World! concert, directed & hosted by Francine Mancini & Michele Mais, featuring Kaylan Bradford, Shawnee Fierros, Casas Richberger, Jaimee Lee Gaston, Abiageal Mangum, Alyssa Payne, Sophie Sarnacki, Oksana Veres, Chelsea Weaver, and Genevieve Wisdom, at 3 PM at NYC’s Don’t Tell Mama.
Spamalot, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring Taran Killam (Lancelot), Christopher Fitzgerald (Patsy), James Monroe Iglehart (King Karthur), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (The Lade of the Lake), Ethan Slater (The Historian/Prince Herbert), Jimmy Smagula (Sir Bedevere), Michael Urie (Sir Robin, and Nik Walker (Sir Galahad), with David Josefsberg, Graham Stevens, Daniel Beeman, Maria Briggs, Gabriella Enriquez, Michael Fatica, Denis Lambert, Shina Ann Morris, Kaylee Olson, Kristin Piro, Drew Redington, Tyler Roberts, Anju Cloud, Darrell T. Joe, Lily Kaufmann, and Charlie Sutton, closes at Broadway’s St. James Theatre.
The Ally, world premiere, by Itamar Moses, directed by Lila Neugebauer, featuring Josh Radnor (Asaf), Cherise Boothe (Nakia), Elijah Jones (Baron), Michael Khalid Karadsheh (Farid), Joy Osmanski (Gwen), Ben Rosenfield (Reuven), and Madeline Weinstein (Rachel), closes at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
King James, by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Justin Emeka, featuring Joshua Echebiri (Shawn) and Caleb Foote (Matt), with Danny Adams and Kevin Alicea-Minor, closes at San Diego’s Old Globe.
One of the Good Ones, world premiere by Gloria Calderón, directed by Kimberly Senior, featuring Lana Parrilla (Ilana), Carlos Gomez (Yoli), Nico Greethman (Marcos), and Santino Jimenez, closes at Pasadena Playhouse.
The Spy Who Went Into Rehab, by Gregg Ostrin, directed by Cyndy Fujikawa, featuring Satiar Pourvesi, Jill Renner, Rachel Townsend, Stuart W. Howard, Alondra Andrade, and Cyndy Jujikawa, closes at Venice’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein comedy show, closes at Hollywood’s 905 Cole Theatre.
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Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick…BOOM will run Apr. 23 – May 19 (opening Apr. 26) at NJ’s George Street Playhouse, directed by David Saint.
Daniel Marconi (Jon), Cathryn Wake (Susan), and John Yi (Michael).
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2024 Lucille Lortel Award Nominations.
Click here for the complete list.
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A screening of Tim Price’s Nye, directed by Rufus Norris, starring Michael Sheen, will take place Sun. May 26 at at 3 PM at UCLA’s James Bridges Theatre.
Nye Bevan (Michael Sheen) is in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the National Health Service, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence over the UK without ever being Prime Minister. Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill.
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Ronald Keaton’s Churchill will run Apr. 12-14 atSt. Louis’ Westport Playhouse.
David Payne
Winston Churchill has just been awarded honorary US citizenship by President John F. Kennedy. In recognition of this unprecedented occasion, The American-Oxford Society has asked the former Prime Minister to address them and discuss what this honor means to him.
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Peter Ritt’s High Maintenance will run Apr. 12 – May 19 at North Hollywood’s Road on Magnolia, directed by Stan Zimmerman.
Ivy Khan (Laura), Christian Prentice (Roger), Merrik McCartha (Gus), Krist Frost (Alan), Amy Tolsky (Vera), and Tommy Dickie (Thesbot Prime).
An unfairly disgraced actor makes her comeback in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House – opposite a robot that may bring about the end of the acting profession. The play raises the question about the relationship between art and AI, and how the status quo can turn both against each other, but really, it’s just funny. After all, a robot built to act is “the product of theatre and big tech, an ego is inevitable.
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Chicago’s Goodman Theatre has announced its 2024-25 season:
Inherit the Wind (Sept. 14 – Oct. 13), directed by Henry Godinez.
Primary Trust (Oct. 5 – Nov. 3), by Eboni Booth, directed by Malkia Sstampley.
A Christmas Carol (Nov. 16 – Dec. 30), adapted by Tom Creamer, directed by Jessica Thebus, starring Larry Yando (Scrooge).
Fat Ham (Jan. 11 – Feb. 23, 2025), by James Ijames, directed by Tyrone Phillips.
Betrayal (Feb. 8 – Mar. 16, 2025), directed by Susan V. Booth, starring Helen Hunt.
Bust: An Afrocurrentist Play (Apr. 18 – May 18), by Zoro Howard, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz.
New Play TBA (May/June), by Jordan Harrison, directed by David Cromer.
The Color Purple (June 21 – July 27), directed by Lili-Anne Brown.
…and more TBA…
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Maia Novi’s Invasive Species will run May 7 – June 30 (opening May 15) at the Vineyard Theatre, directed by Michael Breslin.
Raffi Donatich, Sam Gonzalez, Alexandra Maurice, and Julian Sanchez.
Following the journey of an Argentinean actor as she tests the limits of her American dream, Invasive Species is an outrageous dark comedy about how immigrating to the US may be the role of a lifetime.
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Lyrics & Lyricists will presents An Evening with Jason Robert Brown on Thurs. May 9 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Mykal Kilgore.
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Lydia Diamond’s Toni Stone will run May 17 – June 16 at Boston’s Huntington Theatre, directed by Diamond.
Ryan Vincent Anderson (King Tut), Bobby Cius (Jimmy), Anthony T. Goss (Elzie), Stanley Andrew Jackson (Millie), Jonathan Kitt (Alberga), Al’Jaleel McGhee (Woody), Jennifer Mogbock (Toni Stone), Omar Robinson (Stretch), and Blake Anthony Morris (Spec), with Olutayo Bosede Dominic Carter, Todd McNeel, James Ricardo Milord, Hassiem Muhammad, and Eunice Woods.
The play follows the experiences of Toni Stone, an ace ballplayer who knows her stats and has a great arm. Rejected by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League because of her race, she becomes the first woman to play professional baseball on a man’s team in the Negro Leagues, shattering expectations and creating her own set of rules. Filled with humor and the love of the game, Huntington favorite Diamond knocks it out of the park with this beautiful, rich portrait of a trailblazing woman.
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LA Opera has announced its 2024-25 season:
Madame Butterfly (Sept. 21 – Oct. 13), directed by Mario Gas.
Dracula (the Spanish version) (Oct. 25-27)
Romeo & Juliet (Nov. 2-23)
Benjamin Bermheim (Nov. 9)
Les Talens Lyriques (Nov. 13)
Kristin Chenoweth Holiday Concert (Dec. 14)
Ryan Speedo Green concert(Jan. 19, 2025)
Kelli O’Hara in Concert (Feb. 1)
Adoration (Feb. 19 – 23)
Cosi Fan Tutte (Mar. 8-30)
Ainadamar: The Fountain of Tears concert (Mar. 26 – May 18))
Angel Blue in Concert (Mar. 15)
Rigoletto (May 31 – June 21)
Joshua Guerrero in Concert (June 7)
Renée Flemming and Friends in Concert (June 15)
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LA’s Celebration Theatre has canceled its presentation of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World.
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Suzan-Lori Parks’ Sally & Tom, currently in previews, will open Apr. 16 and continue through May 5 at The Public Theater, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III.
Sheria Irving (Luce/Sally), Gabriel Ebert (Mike/Tom), Sun Mee Chomet (Scout/Polly), Leland Fowler (Devon/Nathan), Kristolyn Lloyd (Maggie/Mary), Alano Miller (Kwame/James), Kate Nowlin (Ginger/Patsy), and David Petzold (Geoff/Cooper/Colonel Carey/Mr. Tobias).
Founding father Thomas Jefferson returns to his Monticello plantation home as his relationship with Sally Hemings, sister of his enslaved valet and chef, begins to unfold. Parks has set the story inside a modern theatrical framing device that allows exploration into the parallels between 1790 and today.