This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, August 7
* Godspell, outdoor production, directed by Alan Filderman, featuring Nicholas Edwards (Jesus), Tim Jones (Judas) and Hanna Koczela (Host), with Alex Getlin, Najah Hetsberger, Kimberly Immanuel, Isabel Jordan, Emily Koch, Brandon Lee, Dan Rosales, Michael Wartella, and Zach Williams, opens at MA’s Berkshire Theatre Group.
* Ballots Over Broadway benefit concert, hosted by Chris Mann, featuring Bradford Anderson, Laura Benanti, Christina Bianco, Deborah Craig, André De Shields, Juan Pablo di Pace, Eden Espinosa, Santino Fontana, Melissa Fumero, Jared Gertner, Tamyra Gray, Daheli Hall, Andy Karl, Mykal Kilgore, Jessie Mueller, Orfeh, Sabrina Sloan, John Tartaglia,Shanice Williams, June Diane Raphael, Michaela Watkins, the cast of Hash(tag) America: Kyle Carter, Anthonty Federov, Diana Huey, Kay-Ta Matsuno, Jennifer Paz, AJ Rafael, Christina Sajous, Heath Saunders, and Nik Walker, and the UCLA Musical Theater Class of 2020, streams at 8 PM ET here.
* Grace Notes for God: A Musical Feast virtual benefit concert (no connection to this newsletter), with music direction by Sam Kriger, hosted by Diane Vincent, featuring Mary Hylan, Jami Lula, Susan Edwards Martin, Tina Meeks, Joanne O’Brien, and Dean Regan, streams at 7:30 PM PT here.
Saturday, August 8
* Dutchman, by Amiri Baraka, directed by Robert Barry Fleming, starring Dule Hill and Jennifer Mudge, with Chris Myers, streams at 7 PM ET here.
* LA’s Blank Theatre‘s Young Playwrights Festival opens online.
Sunday, August 9
* The Road Theatre‘s Turbulence reading (a collection of short plays), by William Mastrosimone, directed by Christina Carlisi, Kari Hayter, and Mary Lou Belli, featuring Allison Blaize, Chase Cargill, Christina Carlisi, Jesse Einstein, Stephanie Erb, David Gianopolos, Michelle Gillette, Liz Herron, Stephen Tyler Howell, Kacie Rogers, Albie Selznick, and Bart Tangredi, streams at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.
*The Seth Concerts, with special guest Liz Callaway, streams at 8 PM ET here (also Mon. Aug.10 at 3 PM ET).
* Sing Happy! The Songs of Kander and Ebb FREE concert, hosted by Bruce Kimmel, featuring Brent Barrett, Debbie Gravitte, Peyton Kirkner, Karen Mason, Kerry O’Malley, Hartley Powers, Jennifer Simard, Sami Staitman, Adrienne Stiefel, Robert Yacko, and Karen Zimba, with Michael Gabiano, Chloe Hayen, Ellie Oliver, Cott Senior, John Schroeder, and Mackenzie Wrap, streams at 8 PM ET here.
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Video: “Stars in the House,” a Forbidden Broadway reunion, with guest host Christine Pedi, and special guests Gerard Alessandrini, Bryan Batt, Fred Barton, Brad Ellis, Jason Graae, Gina Kreiezmar, Bill Selby, Jenny Lee Stern, and Michael West. (1:23:37)
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RIP: Brent Carver died on Aug. 4 at the age of 68 at home in “his favorite place on Earth,” his birthplace of Cranbrook, British Columbia.
Brent made his U.S. debut in 1979 as Ariel in The Tempest (starring Anthony Hopkins) at LA’s Mark Taper Forum. He became attached to The Kiss of the Spider Woman in June 2992, first in Toronto, then in the West End later that year. Of course Brent starred in the Broadway production in 1993, and won a Tony for his performance, along with Chita Rivera and Anthony Crivello.
His next Broadway appearance was in Parade (as Leo Frank), where he was nominated for a Tony. Mr. Carver continued on Broadway in the 2004 production of King Lear (with Christopher Plummer), and most recently in the 2013 revival of Romeo and Juliet (as Friar Laurence).
In addition, Carver frequently appeared on the Canadian stage, including Fiddler on the Roof (2000), Bent, and Lord of the Rings (musical version).
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Director Kristin Hanggi will release her new book, “God, Sex, and Musical Theater: Meditations for Unlocking the Powerful Self,” will be released in paperback on a date TBA. 
here.
Hanggi reveals never-before-seen poetry, thoughts, and musings on communing with the unseen, expressions of love, and the nuances of desire.
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Streaming Musicals is offering 6 new short musicals here.
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The world premiere of Jason Howland, Nathan Tysen & Kait Kerrigan’s A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical, is now available for streaming all 9 episodes here ($12.99 for the entire series).
Jessica Keenan Wynn (Detective Justine Case), Michael James Scott (Yarthur McArthur), Krystina Alabado (Lily Wright), Carolee Carmello (Justine Case), Drew Gehling (Cameron Mitchelljohn), Jackie Burns (Joan McArthur), Laura Osnes (Vivika OrsonWelles), Jarrod Spector (George Murderer), Alex Newell (Shea Crescendo), Miguel Cervantes (Clarke Stapes), and Jeremy Jordan (as Jeremy Jordan).
When Yarthur McArthur, the artistic director of a failing theater in Duluth, invites his troupe of disgruntled actors and collaborators to the first read of an “immersive” murder mystery dinner party, no one knew that he would be the victim. Or did they? Enter eager, determined, and untested Detective Justine Case). After sequestering the guests into separate rooms (because, you know, social-distancing), she gets down to finding the whodunnit, uncovering secret affairs, life-long grudges, backstage drama, and a lot of musical theater song and dance. Sifting through lies and red herrings and a truly baffling murder mystery script left by the deceased, Case vows to find the truth and secure her future as a great detective.
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NYC’s 92Y presents a 3-part program exploring some of the musicians, composers, and lyricists that helped create the Great American Songbook (all at 1 PM ET), hosted by Harvey Granat:
Aug. 10: Rodgers & Hammerstein, with a special focus on Carousel and The King and I, with special guest Daryl Sherman.
Aug. 17: Harold Arlen and Marvin Hamlisch, with special guest Emma McGahan.
Aug. 24: Dorothy Fields and Sammy Cahn, with special guest Lisanne Lyons.
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Video: Kennedy Caughell performs “Fragmented,” from the new musical SuperYou, by Lourds Lane.
The story of a woman who learns to reconnect to her dreams and value her voice when her own superheroine creations come to life.
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Hulu‘s new series, “Nine Perfect Strangers,” is currently in development, with a release date TBA.
Bobby Cannavale, Michael Shannon, Regina Hall, Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Manny Jacinto, Tiffany Boone, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg, Grace Van Patten, Asher Keddie, and Samara Weaving.
The series is set at a boutique health-and-wellness resort where nine stressed out city dwellers are hoping to take a path towards better living.
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Lin Manuel Miranda and Hamilton‘s original Schuyler sisters (Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jasmine Cephas, and Phillipa Soo) will celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage on Tues. Aug. 25 at 8:30 PM ET on Zoom, moderated by Soledad O’Brien. The event is open to donors who pledge $10 or more here. Donations will support the Latino Victory Fund. 
here.
The 3 women will discuss the role of women in Hamilton, the rehearsal process, and their perspectives on performing in the show as women of color — who were not allowed to vote until 1965 with the passing of the Civil Rights Act.
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Amazon’s series adaptation of “A League of Their Own” is in development, and will premiere on a date TBA.
Abbi Jacobson, Chante Adams, D’Arcy Carden, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Kelly McCormack, Roberta Colindrez, and Priscilla Delgado, Molly Ehpraim, Kate Berlant, and Melanie Field.
Like the film, the hour-long series will tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show will also explore race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the League and outside of it.
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MA’s Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced complete casting for 4 productions, which will be released on Audible on dates TBA.
* Photograph 51, by Anna Ziegler, directed by Susan Stroman, featuring Anna Chlumsky, David Coreswet, Stephen Kunken, Aasif Mandvi, Omar Metwally, and Ben Rosenfield.
* Animals, world premiere by Stacy Osei-Kuffour, directed by Whitney White, featuring Madeline Brewer, Jason Butler Harner, William Jackson Harper, and Aja Naomi King.
* A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Robert O’Hara, starring Audra McDonald, Carla Gugino, Joel Reuben Ganz, Joe Goldammer, Carmen Herlihy, Sullivan Jones, Brian Lucas, Stacey Raymond, Cesar J. Rosado, and Ariel Sharif.
* Chonburi International Hotel & Butterfly Club, world premiere by Shakina Nayfack, directed by Laura Savia. featuring Shakina Nayfack, Ivory Auqino, Kate Bornstein, Liz Lark Brown, Annie Golden, Bianca Leigh, Telly Leung, Dana Levinson, Pooya Mohseni, Angelica Ross, Ita Segey, Jason Tam, and Samy Nour Younes.
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“Coastal Elites,” by Paul Rudnick, will premiere Sept. 12 on HBO at 8 PM ET (check local listings), directed by Jay Roach.
Bette Midler (Miriam Nessler), Kaitlyn Dever (Sharynn Tarrows), Dan Levy (Mark Hesterman), Sarah Paulson (Clarissa Montgomery), and Issa Rae (Callie Josephson)
The film spotlights five distinct and impassioned points-of-view across the U.S. Whe the shutdown forces these characters to cope in isolation, they react with frustration, hilarity, and introspection.