This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, August 1
Jesus Christ Superstar in concert, directed & choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, featuring Cynthia Erivo (Jesus), Adam Lambert (Judas), Raul Esparza (Pilate)Phillipa Soo (Mary Magdalene), and Josh Gad (Herod), Milo Manheim, Zachary James (Caiaphas), Tyrone Huntley (Simon), and Brian Crum (Annas), with Isaiah Bailey, Brad Sharp, John E. Lucas (Pries), Summer Greer (Soul Singer), and Emily Goglia (Maid by the Fire), with John Krause, Nathan Madden, Chris Hernandez, Morgan Marcell, Jennifer Fionentino, Brandan Leffler, Damian Caraballo, Ayana Haviv, Gracie Laboy, Natalie Taylor, and Sara Gome, opens at the Hollywood Bowl.
Committed: A Ritual for Robbie, written & performed by Lisa Robins, directed by Mitch Levine, opens at LA’s Beverly Hills Playhouse. Call: 310 – 620-1134.
Saturday, August 2
Giant, by Mark Rosenblatt, directed by Nicholas Hytne, featuring John Lithgow and Elliot Levey, closes at London’s Royal Court Theatre.
Sunday, August 3
Honky Tonk Angels, by Ted Sweindly, directed by David Ellenstein, featuring Darcy Rose Byrnes (Darlene), Alexandra Melrose (Angela), and Shelley Regner (Su Ellen), opens at CA’s Laguna Playhouse.
Trophy Boys, by Emmanuelle Mattana, directed by Danya Taymor, featuring Emmanuelle Mattna (Owen), Terry Hu (David), Louisa Jacobson Jared), and Esco Jouléy (Scott), closes at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theatre.
Beth Leavel Sings Sondheim concert closes at NYC’s 54 Below.
Jesus Christ Superstar in concert, directed & choreographed by Sergio Trujillo,featuirng Cynthia Erivo (Jesus), Adam Lembert (Judas), Raul Esparza (Pilate)Phillipa Soo (Mary Magdalene), and Josh Gad (Herod), Milo Manheim, , Zachary James (Caiaphas), Tyrone Huntley (Simon), and Brian Crum (Annas), with Isaiah Bailey, Brad Sharp, John E. Lucas (Pries), Summer Greer (Soul Singer), and Emily Goglia (Maid by the Fire), with John Krause, Nathan Madden, Chris Hernandez, Morgan Marcell, Jennifer Fionentino, Brandan Leffler, Damian Caraballo, Ayana Haviv, Gracie Laboy, Natalie Taylor, and Sara Gome, closes at the Hollywood Bowl.
The Color Purple, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, featuring Brittney Mack (Celie), Aeriel Williams (Shug Avery), Evan Tyrone Martin (Mister), Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia), Gilbert Domally (Harpo), Shantel Renee Cribbs (Nettie), Daryn Whitney Harrell (Squeak), Jos N. Banks (Grady), Curtis Bannister (Buster), Sean Blake (Ol Mister), Sharriese Hamilton (Darlene), Ariya Hawkins (Olivia), Reneisha Jenkins (Jarene), Eric Lewis (Bobby), Michael Earvin Martin (Pa), and Juwon Tyrel Perry (Preacher), with Aalon Daeja Smith, Marta Bady, Richaun Shamar Stewart, and Shelbi Voss, closes at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
The 2025 Williamstown Theatre Festival concludes. Click here for complete information.
Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Rob Ruggiero, featuring Michael Fabisch (Evan Hansen), Jackie Burns (Heidi Hansen), Maggie Lakis (Cynthia Murphy), Rob McClure (Larry Murphy), Afra Sophia Tully (Zoe Murphy), Joshua Bess ( Connor Murphy), Bryan Munar (Jared Kleinman), and Savy Jackson (Alana Beck), with Kaley Bender, Vera Brown, Alex Daspit, Samuel Gerber, Josh Hoon Lee, Spencer Davis Milford, Zoë Brooke Reed, Gabi Stapula, Essence Anisa Tyler, and Oscar Williams, closes at the St. Louis Muny.
The 2025 Young Playwrights Festival concludes at LA’s Skylight Theatre.
**********************
Ted Swindly’s Honky Tonk Angels continues through Aug. 17 at CA’s Laguna Playhouse, directed by David Ellenstein.
Darcy Rose Byrnes (Darlene), Alexandra Melrose (Angela), and Shelley Regner (Su Ellen).
This feel-good, boot stompin’ musical celebrates the enduring power of music and friendship. Armed with only their dreams and a bus ticket, three sassy gals leave their thankless lives behind and head to Nashville to become country music singers. Revisit dozens of pop-country favorites like “Stand By Your Man,” “Ode To Billy Joe”, “Delta Dawn,” and many more.
**********************
Manhattan Theatre Club will present David Lindsay-Abaire’s The Balusters begining in Spring 2026 (dates TBA) at the Friedman Theatre, directed by Kenny Leon.
Casting and additional information TBA.
The play centers on a small-town neighborhood association experiencing some big drama—namely, the concept of installing a new stop sign on the neighborhood’s most bucolic block.
**********************
LA’s Theater Forty will present a series of play readings (Aug. 20, Aug. 27 & Sept. 3) at the historic Greystone Mansion ( 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills).
Click the link above for the complete schedule.
Sharron Shayne, Scott Facher, Larry Eisenberg, and Miss Eliot Hambsch.
**********************
Joel Sinensky’ Slam Frank will run Sept 27 – October (closing date TBA) at Asylum NYC, directed by Sam LaFrage.
TBA.
Inspired by a real 2022 Twitter thread asking, “Did Anne Frank ever acknowledge her white privilege?”, Slam Frank takes aim at the intersection of art, absurdity, and identity. The show reimagines Anne Frank’s life through a self-aware lens of overzealous inclusivity: Anita Franco is now a pansexual Latinx girlboss with a hip-hop diary flow; Peter Van Daan is a non-binary dancer struggling against gender norms; and Mister Van Daan, the lone cishet male, is literally worse than the Nazis. Slam Frank takes aim at the intersection of art, absurdity, and identity. The show reimagines Anne Frank’s life through a self-aware lens of overtzealous inclusivity: Anita Franco is now a pansexual Latinx girlboss with a hip-hop diary flow; Peter Van Daan is a non-binary dancer struggling against gender norms; and Mister Van Daan, the lone cishet male, is literally worse than the Nazis.
**********************
MJ has announced complete casting for the 3rd year of its national tour. Click here for the tour’s website and additional information.
Jordan Markus (MJ), Melvin Gray Jr. (MJ Alternate), Quentin Blanton Jr. (Little Michael), Bryce A. Holmes (Little Michael), Erik Hamilton (u/s MJ, u/s Michael), Brandon Lee Harris (Michael), Devin Bowles (Joseph Jackson/Rob), Kevin Cruz (Alejandro), J. Daughtry (Berry Gordy/Nick), Rajané Katurah (Katherine Jackson/Kate), Michael Nero (Tito Jackson/Quincy Jones), Austin Rankin (Little Marlon), Jed Resnick (Dave), and Kristin Stokes (Rachel), with an ensemble that includes Omarion BurkeKolby Colmary, Joshua Dawson , Ghrai DeVore-Stokes (Swing), Zuri Noelle Ford, Ui-Seng François, Andy Golden, Treston J. Henderson, Jahir L. Hipps, Skye Jackson-Williams, Faith Jones, Jacobi Kai, Rachel Lockhart, Michaela Marfori, Matteo Marretta, Kendrick Mitchell, Zion Mikhail Pradier, Daria Pilar Redus, Tyrone Reese, Avilon Trust Tate, and Brion Marquis Watson.
**********************
A Chorus Line will run Sept. 5 – Oct. 26 (opening Sept. 17) at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Rob Ruggiero, with choreography by Parker Esse, and music direction by Adam Souza.
Trante S. Baker (Larry), Haley Bjorn (Kristine) Aaron Patricrick Craven )Don), Karli Dinardo (Cassie), Alex Drost (Al), Lisa Finegold (Bebe), Diego Guevara (Paul), Patrick Higgins (Mark), Beatrice Howell (Val), Caroline Kane (Judy), Liesie Kelly (maggie), Ryan Mulvaney (Bobbie), Jonah Nash (Richie), Emma X. O’Loughlin (Connie), Mario Rizzi (Mike), Clifton Samuels (Zach), Sammy Schechter (Greg), Mikeaela Secada (Diana), and Scarlett Walker (Shelia), with Maggie Mergman, Christian Feliciano, Abbey Friedmann, and Erica Peréz-Gotay.