GRACE NOTES: Friday, August 23, 2024

 

This Weekend’s Highlights:

Friday August 23

  Maggie, by Matt Murray & Bob Foster, directed by Mary Francis Moore, featuring Christine Dwyer (Maggie), Terra C. Macleod (Betty), Sophia Clarke (Sadie), Kenney Cuaghell (Jean), Wes Williams (Tommy), Jeffrey Kringer (Shug), Sam Primack (Wee Jimmy), Ryan Duncan (Uncle Charles) and Matt Faucher (Tam), with  Jodi Bluestein, Anthony Festa, Lyda Jade Harlan, Brian Michael Hoffman, Joshua Kring, Emma McGlinchey, Paul Scanlan, Sonya Venugopal, Nick Ziobro. Jenna Bienvenue and Nathan Quay Thomas, opens at CT’s Goodspeed.

  Vienna Philharmonic’s “Summer Night Concert 2024” airs at 9 PM on PBS (check local listings).

  Pre-Existing Condition, by Marin Ireland, directed by Maria Dizzia, featuring Tatiana Maslany, Maria Dizzzia & Tavi Gevinson, Deirdre O’Connell & Julia Chan (rotating as “A”), with Sarah Steele, Dael Orlandersmith, Greg Keller, Raquel Chavez, and Gregory Connors, closes at Off-Broadway’s Connelly Theatre.

  The Light and the Dark, world premiere by Kate Hamill, directed by Jade King Carroll, featuring Kate Hamill (Artemisia Gentileschi), with Joey Parsons, Wynn Harmon, Matthew Saldivar, Jason O’Connell, Carlo Albán, Kimberly Chatterjee, and Chris Thorn, closes at NY’s Chautauqua Theater Company.

Saturday, August 24

  The Royal Pyrate, by Jason Landon Marcus & Chas LiBretto, directed by Hunter Bir, featuring Jordan Kai Burnett (Mary Hallet, Eddie Cooper (Blackbeard), Lauren Molina, Paulsgrave Williams, and  Scott Stangland (Black Sam Bellamy), opens at Brooklyns’ Red Hook’s Waterfront Barge Museum.

  Love Letters presentation, by A.R. Gurney, directed by Jules Aaron, featuring Juliet Mills and Maxwell Caulfield, at 2 PM at LA’s Theatre 40 (241 S, Moreno Drive).

  Skeleton Crew, by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Matthew Xia, featuring Tobi Bamtefa (Reggie), Branden Cook (Dez), Pamela Nomvete (Faye), and Racheal Ofori (Shanita), closes at London’s Donmar Warehouse.

  I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, by Samantha Hurley, directed by Tyler Struble, featuring Tessa Albertson (Shelby), Kyle Birch (Brenda Dee Cankles), and Anders Hayward (Tobey Maguire), closes at London’s Southwark Playhouse.

Sunday, August 25

   Six Characters, by Phillip Howze, directed by Dustin Wills, featuring GG, Will Cobbs, Seven F.B. Duncombe, Claudia Logan, Julian Robertson, and Seret Scott, closes at Lincoln Center’s LCT3.

  The Royal Pyrate, by Jason Landon Marcus & Chas LiBretto, directed by Hunter Bir, featuring Jordan Kai Burnett (Mary Hallet, Eddie Cooper (Blackbeard), Lauren Molina Paulsgrave Williams, and  Scott Stangland (Black Sam Bellamy), closes at Brooklyn’s Red Hook’s Waterfront Barge Museum.

  The Meeting: The Interpreter, by Catherine Gropper, directed by Brian Mertes, featurng Frank Wood and Kelley Curran, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Clements.

  Clue, by Sandy Rustin, Hunter Foster & Eric Price, directed by Foster, featuring Mariah Burks (The Cook), John Treacy Egan (Colonel Mustard), Michelle Elaine (Miss Scarlet), Joanna Glushak (Mrs. Peacock), Tari Kelly (Mrs. White), Mark Price (Wadsworth), John Startzer (Mr. Green), Jonathan Spivey (Professor Plum), Alex Syiek (Mr. Boddy), Teddie Trice (The Cop), and Elisabeth Yancy (Yvette), with Greg Balla, Alison Ewing, Mary McNulty, and James Taylor Odom, closes at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.

  Anything Goes, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, featuring Jeanna De Waal (Reno Sweeney), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Billy Crocker), Kevin Chamberlin (Moonface Martin), George Abud (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh), Kimeberly Immanuel (Hope Harcourt), Adrianna Hicks (Erma), Ann Harad (Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt), Lara Teeter (Elisha J. Whitney), Eric Jordan Young (Captain), Danny Gardner (Ahip’s Purser), Spencer Jones (Spit), and Joe Capstick (Dippy), with Colin Bradbury, Kristen Grace Brown, Lamont Brown, Alaman Diadhiou, C.K. Edwards, Marjorie Failoni, Kaitlyn Frank, Michael Harp, Candice Hatakeyama, Danielle Jackman, Madison Hilligoss, Ryan Lambert, Carina-Kay Louchiey, Nathaniel Mahone, John Manzari, Lauralyn McClelland, Alex Hayden Miller, Cole Newburg, and Bethany Ann Tesarck, closes at the St. Louis Muny.

  West Side Story, directed by Rob Ruggiero, featuring Cristian Douglas (Tony), Kanisha Feliciano (Maria), Jerusha Cavazos (Anita), Yurel Echezarreta (Bernardo), Ken Page (Doc), Kyle Coffman (Riff), Drew Battles (Gladhand), James A. Butz (Officer Krypke), Cedric leiba (Chino), Michael James Reed (Lt. Schrank), Ethan David Zeph (Action), Caylie Newcom (Anybodys), Ethan Van Slyke (Baby John), Daiel Assetta (A-Rab), Tanner Ray Wilson (Big Deal), and RJ Higton (Snowboy), closes at Kansas City Starlight.

  Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, directed by Anders Corcoran, featuring Natalie Weiss (Carol King), Michael Perrie Jr. (Gerry Goffin), Nikki Mirza (Cynthia Weil), Calvin McCullough (Barry Mann), Bobby Smith (Don Kirschner), Kaiyla Gross (Chirelle), Jay Frisby (Drifter), Donna Migliaccio (Genie), Connor James Reilly  (Righteous Brother), Ian Anthony Coleman (Drifter), Kalen Robinson (Janelle), Quadry Brown (Drifter), Ariana Caldwell (Little Eva), Tori Gomez (Betty), Montel B. Butler (Drifter), Kurt Boehm (Righteous Brother), Lily Burka (Marilyn), Simone Brown (Shirelle), and  Christian Montgomery, closes at MD’s Olney Theatre.

  The Queen of Versailles, by Lindsey Ferrentino, directed by Michael Arden, featuring Kristin Chenoweth (Jacqueline “Jackie” Siegel), F. Murray Abraham (David Siegel), Melody Butiu (Sofia), Stephen DeRosa (John, Greg Hildreth) (Gary, Tatum Grace Hopkins (Jonquil), Isabel Keating (Debbie), and Nina White (Victoria Siegel, with Anna Bakun, Stacie Bono, Yeman Brown, Amanda Jane Cooper, David Aron Damane, Drew Elhamalawy, Sara Esty, KJ Hippensteel, Diana Huey, Cassondra James, Andrew Kober, Jesse Kovarsky, Pablo David Laucerica, Travis Murad Leland,Michael Mulheren, Michael McCorry Rose, and Grace Slear, closes at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre.

  Are You Listening, world premiere by Mary Leeholland, directed Chloe Babbes & Mary Leeholland, featuring Mary Lee Holland (Ruth), Daniel Kim (Jason), FREEDOM (Dalton), Tony Deaver (Mom/Cheryl), Randahl Briscoe (Abby), Jonas Grosserhode (Erik/Peter), Jessica Woehler (Jessica/Rachel), and Michael T. Kachingwe (Erik/Peter final weekend), closes at Hollywood’s Actors Co-op.

  Hershey Felder: Rachmaninoff and The Tsar, world premiere by Hershey Felder & Jonathan Silvestri, featuring Felder (Sergei Rachmaninoff) and Jonathan Silvestri (Tsar Nicholas II), closes at Santa Monica’s Broad Stage.

  SkyPilot Theatre Company‘s Honeymoon Suite (with Apologies to Neil Simon), by Kelli Bowlden, directed by Jenna Hoffman, featuring Jerry Campisi, Whitney Montgomery, Chris Periko, Lilly Weak, Lindsay Shelton, Piper Major, Grace Neiswander, Pete Navis, Stevie Kincheloe, Lindsay Gentile, Erin Astin, and Alex Borja, closes at Hollywood’s 905 Cole Theater.

  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.

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  Graham & Kristina Fuller’s That Parenting Musical will begin previews Sept.4 and open Sept. 12 at Theatre Row, directed by Jen Wineman.

  Natalie Bourgeois, Max Crumm, McKenna OGrudnik, Brian Owen, Dwayne Washington, Mia Gentile, and Branden R. Mangan.

  The hilarious, chaotic world of a new Mom and Dad, two sleep-deprived parents who navigate their new reality, juggling a danger-prone toddler, an overlooked younger sibling, and the ever-present “official mom uniform”—yoga pants.

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  The Road Theatre Company (link TBA) will present Shem Bitterman’s The Civil Twilight Oct. 16 – Nov. 24 (opening Oct. 18) at the Broadwater Studio Theatre, directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky.

  Taylor Gilbert (Ann Carlson) and Andrew Elvis Miller (John Pine).

  The play takes place over a single night during a once-in-a-century storm when a popular radio personality winds up trapped in a motel room in the Midwest with his biggest fan and a deadly game of trust and recrimination is played.

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  Tadeusz Slobodzianek’s Our Class will run Sept. 12 – Nov. 3 (opening Sept. 17) at Classic Stage Company, directed by Igor Golak.

Gus Birney (Dora), Andrey Burkovskiy (Menachem), José Espinosa (Rysiek), Tess Goldwyn (Zocha), Will Manning (Heniek), Stephen Ochsner (Jakub Katz), Alexandra Silber (Rachelka/Marianna), Richard Topol (Abram), Ilia Volok (Władek) and Elan Zafir (Zygmunt).

  A story about a group of classmates – Poles and Jews – from 1925 up to our times. As they grow up, their friendly fun ends. The war breaks out, invading forces, first Soviet then Nazi, enter the town. Anti-Semitism erupts in a series of rapes, murders, torture, culminating in a mass pogrom. Almost all the local Jews are killed, burned in a barn or murdered in the town square. Very few manage to survive. The violence doesn’t end with the end of the war. A reckoning with the past begins, but this is an impossible task.

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   Common Ground 8: Stories of Transformation on Mon. Aug. 26 at 8 PM at North Hollywood’s Road on Magnolia Use code ONLY15 for $15 tickets.

Brian Graves & Lizzy Kimball, Allan Wasserman, Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, Jolene Kay, and Rob Brownstein

Maurie Gonzalez, Jason Culp, Michelle Gillette, Allan Wasserman, and Jolene Kay.

 Roadies take the stage and tell their own stories of transformation.

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  The national tour of Hamilton will run Sept. 4 – Oct. 13 at the Pantages Theatre.

  Michael Luwoye (Alexander Hamilton), Joshua Henrey (Aaron Burr), Rory O’Malley (King George), Solea Pfeiffer (Eliza Hamilton), Emmy Riaver-Lampman (Angelica Schuyler),  Isaiah Johnson (George Washington), Amber Iman (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds), Jordan Donica (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), and Mathenee Treco (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison).

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  Manhattan Theatre Club will present the world premiere of Erika Sheffer’s Vladimir, which will begin previews Sept. 24 and open Oct. 16 at New York City Center (Stage One), directed by Daniel Sullivan.

  Norbert Leo Butz (Sema), Francesca Faridany (Raya), Erik Jensen (Andrei), Olivia Deren Nikkanen (Galina), Jonathan Walker (Jim), Erin Darke (Chovka) and David Rosenberg (Yevgeny), Erik Jensen (Andrei, Olivia Deren Nikkanen (Galina, and  Jonathan Walker (Jim).

  This haunting world premiere unfolds in Moscow, where an independent journalist covering Putin’s first term struggles to maintain sanity and hope in increasingly hostile circumstances. She finds herself on the brink of an explosive story — but as danger mounts for her and her sources, she questions whether her bravery will make any difference at all. Written by Erika Sheffer, Vladimir is about standing up to immorality no matter the cost, when you know your nation is headed for disaster.

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  Roger Dipper & Rick Pearson’s I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical will run Sept. 11 – Oct. 12 at The Criterion Theatre, directed by Shiv Rabheru, with choreography by Arlene Phillips, with music direcction by Debbi Clarke.

  Diana Vickers (Gwyneth), Marc Antolin (Terry), Tori Allen-Martin (Kristen), and Idress Kargbo (Judge Jude).

  The parody revolves around the infamous celebrity trial of Gwyneth Paltrow vs Terry Sanderson, following a ski-slope collision.

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   LA’s Musical Theatre Guild has announced its 2024-025 concert season at Santa Monica’s Broad Stage.

   The Light in the Piazza (Sept. 29 at 7 PM), directed by Kirsten Chandler, with music direction by Brad Ellis. Casting TBA. here.

  Drowsy Chaperone (Mar. 23, 2025 at 7 PM). here. Creative team and casting TBA.

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  A 90-minute remix of The Marriage of Figaro will run Aug. 30 – Sept. 22 (opening Sept. 5) at Little Island, directed by Dustin Wills, with music direction by Dan Schlosberg.

Anthony Roth Costanzo, Avery Bayani, Kai Gelber-Higgins, Xavier Griffin, Noic Nguyen, Dean Riley-Driver, Nicholas Tanner, and Oliver Tanner, with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

 


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