This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, December 1
A Very Bad Cinderella, by Neil Hurst & Jodie Prenger, directed by Lizzy Connolly, featuring Veronica Green (Fanny), Imelda Warren-Green (Vajayjay), May Tether (Cinderella), and Keanna Bloomfield (Buttons/Prince Charming), opens at London’s The Other Palace.
The Sound of Music, directed & choreographed by Anthony C. Daniel, featuring Emilie Kouatchou (Maria), Robert Lenzi (Captain von Trapp), Allison Blackwell (Mother Abbess), Barrett Foa (Max Detweiler), Spencer LaRue (Rolf), Kate Loprest (Elsa Schraeder), and Elizabeth Teeter (Liesl von Trapp), with Jade April, Tommy Betz, Alexander Brown, Ella Capetta, Carlyn Connolly, Nathaniel Cummons, Clara Curtis, Chloe Ferraro, Alyssa Giannetti, Jack Hogan, Benjamin Howes, Sophia Kaiafas, Mary Malaney, Josie Marzilli, Jack Mastrianni, Cassie Maurer, Cassi Mikat, Isabella Pike, Casey Ross, Emily Royer, Paul Scanlan, Molly Scott, Gabriyel Thomas, Scarlett Thomas, Stephen Joshua Thompson, Christina Tompkins, Charlotte Van Ledtje, and Rhys Williams, opens at Me’s Ogunquit Playhouse.
Irving Berlins White Christmas, directed by David Armstrong & James A. Rocco, featuring Ashley Day (Bob Wallace), Phillip Atmore (Phil Davis), Cayman Ilika (Betty Haynes), and Taryn Darr (Judy Haynes), Reginald André Jackson, Candice Song Donehoo, Gia Pellegrini, Beatrice Cramer, Brandon O’Neill, Seán G. Griffin, Ty Willis, Cristin Hubbard, Ania Briggs, Trina Mills, Shelby Willis, Ashley Lanyon, Carolyn Willems Van Dijk, Katy Tabb, Jaclyn Wheatley, Kristin Burch, Richard Peacock, John David Scott, Charlie Johnson, Rico Lastrapes, Jonathan Luke Stevens, Davione Gordon, Eric Polani Jensen, Michael Sharon, Cayel Tregeagle, Miranda Antoinette, Mallory Cooney King, Ann Cornelius, Jordan King, Christopher Sweet, Katie Marshall, and Maggie Darago, opens at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre.
Having Our Say, by Emily Mann, directed by Laiona Michelle, featuring Inga Ballard (Sadie) and Rosalyn Coleman (Bessie), opens at NJ’s George Street Playhouse.
Christmas in Connecticut, by Amanda Yesnowitz, Jason Howland & Patrick Pacheco, directed by Shelley Butler, featuring Alyse Alan Louis (Liz Sandor), David Girolmo (Felix Bassenak), Eric William Morris (Victor Beecham), RJ Vaillancourt (Dudley Beecham), Gerry McIntyre (Alexander Yardley), Tiffamy Denise Hobbs (Gladys Higgenbottom), Christian Magby (Jefferson Jones), Linda Mugleston (Norah O’Connor), and Jamen Nathakumar (Mario De Luca), with Andy Frank, Tyler Symone, Sophia Campagna, Evan Latta, Lila Prince, and Myles Tracy, opens at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theatre Company.
Megan Hilty in Concert opens at NYC’s Paradise Club.
A Holiday Evening with John Lloyd Young opens at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Bob’s Holiday Office Party, by Rob Elk & Joe Keyes, directed by Matt Roth, featuring Peter Breitmayer, Rob Elk, Mark Fite, Judy Heneghan, Andrea Hutchman, Sirena Irwin, Joe Keyes, J.P. Manoux, Johanna McKay, Chloe Taylor, and Pat Towne, opens at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
A Christmas Carol, directed by directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott, featuring Geoff Elliott (Ebenezer Scrooge), Frederick Stuart (Narrator), Trisha Miller (Ghost of Christmas Past), Anthony Adu (Ghost of Christmas Present), Jeremy Rabb (Marley), Kasey Mahaffy (Mr. Cratchit), Emily Kosloski (Mrs. Cratchit), Mitch Connelly (Fred), Suzen Baraka (Fred’s Wife), Nicole Javier (Belle), Aarush Mehta (Tiny Tim), and Annalise Morris (Tiny Tim), with Clifton Adams, Jose Donado, Stelle Bullock, Brendan Burgos, Amalia Ann Morris, Kway Grimstad Ndjamen, Scarlett Ray, Estella Stuart, and Julian Wilkes, begins previews at Pasadena’s A Noise Within.
Remember the Ribbon: A Tribute to World AIDS Day benefit concert is now available to stream, in support of BCEFA, and is available to stream for 72 hours on Playbill’s YouTube channel here (as of 12 AM this morning), featuring Shoshana Bean, Julie Halston, Victor Garber, and many more.
GMT All-Stars Benefit Concert, conducted by Anthony Lucca, featuring Joey McIntyre, Rory O’Malley, Ana Ortiz, Christine Lakin, Jackie Seiden, Cynthia Ferrer, Heather Lindell, Philip Dean Lightsone, James Shyder, Matt Walker, Fred Applegate, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Maylynda Hale, Connie Jackson, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, Natalie Lander, Josey Montana McCoy, Aubrey Trujillo, Crystal Lewis, and more, at 7 PM at Burbank’s Garry Marshall Theatre.
Saturday, December 2
An Axemas Story, by Patrick Spencer, Charlie O’Leary & Anthony De Angelis, directed by Mackenna Goodrich, featuring Charissa Bertels, Alex Canty, RJ Christian, Cat Greenfield, John Alejandra Jeffords, Isabel Julazadeh, Lucy Rossi, Brandon Roth, Brooke Searcy, Atticus Shaindlin, and Chris Trombetta, opens at Off-Broadway’s Players Theatre.
Darius de Haas: Song in the Key of Life: The Genius of Stevie Wonder concert, with special guests Richard Basking, Jr. and Helen White, opens at NYC’s 92NY.
So Many Stars cabaret, conceived & directed by Victoria Lavan, featuring Alyssa Rupert, Constance Mellors, Harleigh Ford, Michal Van Duzer, Paul Cady, Rick Simone-Friedland, Scottie Nevil, and Victoria Lavan, opens at LA’s Theatre West.
Ensemble Theatre Company‘s Ring of Fire: the Music of Johnny Cash, directed by Rand Redd, featuring Glenn Stanton, Valarie Larson, Sammy Linkowski, Kasper, and LJ Benet, opens at Santa Barbara’s New Vic.
The 43rd Annual John Lennon Tribute Concert, in support of Theatre Within, featuring Rosanne Cast, Marc Cohn, Judy Collins, Bettye LaVetter, and more, at 8 PM at NYC’s Town Hall.
Sally Mays – Now and then: The Teaser concert (both live & livestreamed), with music direction by Ron Abel, at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42.
Audra McDonald in Concert, at 7:30 PM at LA’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Two’s Company concert, featuring Jason Graae & Tregoney Shepherd, at 8 PM at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
Anthony Davis & Thulani’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, directed by Robert O’Hara, featuring Will Liverman (Malcolm X), Leah Hawkins, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Victor Ryan Robertson, and Michael Sumuel, closes at NYC’s Metropolitan Opera.
A Holiday Evening with John Lloyd Young concert closes at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Sunday, December 3
A Christmas Carol, directed by directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott, featuring Geoff Elliott (Ebenezer Scrooge), Frederick Stuart (Narrator), Trisha Miller (Ghost of Christmas Past), Anthony Adu (Ghost of Christmas Present), Jeremy Rabb (Marley), Kasey Mahaffy (Mr. Cratchit), Emily Kosloski (Mrs. Cratchit), Mitch Connelly (Fred), Suzen Baraka (Fred’s Wife), Nicole Javier (Belle), Aarush Mehta (Tiny Tim), and Annalise Morris (Tiny Tim), with Clifton Adams, Jose Donado, Stelle Bullock, Brendan Burgos, Amalia Ann Morris, Kway Grimstad Ndjamen, Scarlett Ray, Estella Stuart, and Julian Wilkes, opens at Pasadena’s A Noise Within.
Michael Feinstein: Coming Home – The Holiday Celebration concert, at 7 PM at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
Christmas Countdown concert, featuring Nathan Madden and Brenna Yeary, at Venice’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Poor Yella Rednecks, by Qui Nguyen, directed by May Adrales, featuring Jon Hoche, Ben Levin, Samantha Quan, Paco Tolson, Jon Norman Schneider, and Maureen Sebastian, closes at Off-Broadway’s New York City Center.
Roundabout Theatre‘s Covenant, by York Walker, directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, featuring Crystal Dickinson (Mama), Chaundre Hall-Broomfield (Johnny ‘Honeycomb), James, Ashley Hildreth (Violet), Jade Payton (Avery), and Lark White (Ruthie), closes at Off-Broadway’s Steinberg Center.
Waiting for Godot, directed by Arin Arbus, featuring Michael Shannon (Estragon), Paul Sparks (Vladimir), Jeffrey Biehl (Lucky) and Ajay Naidu (Pozzo), closes at Off-Broadway’s Polonsky Shakespeare Center.
Mamma Mia! national tour, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, featuring Christine Sherrill (Donna), Alisa Melendez (Sophie Sheridan), Carly Sakolove (Rosie), Victor Wallace (Sam Carmichael), Jalynn Steele (Tanya), Rob Marnell (Harry Bright), Jim Newman (Bill Austin), and Grace Reynolds (Sky), with Louis Griffin, Patrick Park, L’Oréal Roaché, Haley Wright, Gabe Amato, Adia Olanethia Bell, Emily Croft, Madison Deadman, Jordan De Leon, Nico DiPrimio, Patrick Dunn, Stephanie Genito, Tassy Kirbas, Danny Lopez-Alicea, Makoa, Faith Northcutt, Jasmine Overbaugh, Gray Phillips, Blake Price, Dorian Quinn, Xavi Soto Burgos, and Amy Weaver, closes at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre.
Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee, directed by directed by Michael Michetti, featuring Alfred Molina (Henry Drummond), John Douglas Thompson (Matthew Harrison Brady, Chris Perfetti (E.K. Hornbeck), Abubakr Ali (Bertram Cates), David Aaron Baker (Reverend Jeremiah Brown, Jared Bybee (Dunlap/Reporter/Radio Man), Brian Calì (Meeker/Photographer/Townsperson), Marlene Forte (Mrs. Brady), Matt Gomez Hidaka (Howard Blair), Thomas Hobson (Tom Davenport/Reporter), Michael Kostroff (Mayor/Reporter), John W. Lawson (Bannister/Reporter), Philip J. Lewis (Sillers/Reporter), Gabriella Pizzigoni (Melinda Loomis), Rene Rivera (Judge/Reporter/Townsperson), and Pam Trotter (Mrs. Krebs), closes at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Twelfth Night, directed by Tyrone Phillips, featuring Jaeda LaVonne (Viola), Paul Oakley Stoball (Malvolio), Christiana Clark (Olivia), Ronald L. Conner (Sir Toby Belch), Yao Dogbe (Orsinio), Danielle Davis (Maria), Alex Goodrich (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Adam Poss (Antonio), Israel Erron Ford (Feste), Justen Ross (Sebastian), Shelby Lynn Bias (Fabian), and Arielle Leverett (Gentlewoman), with Christian Andrews, closes at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, directed by David Ruttura, featuring Sara Sheperd (Carole King), Miles Jacoby (Gerry Goffin), Sara King (Cynthia Weil), Trevor James (Barry Mann), Valerie Perri (Genie Klein), and Brian Ibsen (Don Kirshner), with Briana Brooks, Fatima El-Bashir), Rsosharra Francis, David Ginlet, Cornelius Jones. Jr., James Larsen, Jazz Madison, Kenneth Mosley, Melissa Musial, Monet Sabel, Mictchell Lam Hau, Keturah McIntyre, and Michael Swain Smith, closes at CA’s La Mirada Theatre.
A Permanent Image, by Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Andrew Weyman, featuring Phil Cass (Martin), Terry Davis (Carol), Scott Jackson (Bo), and Dalia Vosylius (Ally), closes at Venice, CA’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
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The 2023 Oscar Awards ceremony, to ensure the show wraps within primetime hours, will start one hour earlier for the first time (7 PM EST / 4 PM PT) on Sun. Mar. 10, 2024.
A 30-minute pre-show will lead into the live ceremony. After the Oscars’ live presentation, the telecast will be re-broadcast in the Pacific Time zone.
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Manhattan Theatre Club‘s world premiere of Amy Herzog’s Mary Jane will run Apr. 2 – June 2, 2024 (opening Apr. 21) at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, directed by Anne Kauffman.
Rachel McAdams
The story of a single mother in an impossible family situation. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, Mary Jane relies on unflagging optimism and humor, along with the wisdom of the women around her who have become a makeshift family, to take on each new day. But will inner strength and newfound friendships be enough to see her through?
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A private industry reading of Erk J. Rodruguez & Charles A. Sother’s Not Ready for Prime Time will take place Thurs. Dec. 7 at 3 PM and Fri. Dec. 8 at 1 PM in NYC, directed by Conor Bagley.
PrimeTimePlayRSVP@gmail.com.
Jordan Kai Burnett (Gilda Radner), Sara Chase (Jane Curtain), Gary-Kayi Fletcher, Keri RenéFuller (Laraine Newman), Drew Gehling (Chevy Chase), Nate Janis (Bill Murra), Kristian Lugo (Dan Aykroyd), Zack Myers (John Belushi), and John Skelley (Lorne Michaels).
A fictionalized account about the origins of “Saturday Night Live” that launched on Oct. 11, 1975, and revolutionized American political and cultural satire. The play follows their turbulent journey as they create comedic television history, producing a show that is still going strong after almost 50 years.
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Musical Theatre Guild‘s Live Laugh Love: A Sondheim Celebration will offer 2 performances, directed by Lewis Wilkenfeld, with musical direction by Michael Collum & Brad Ellis, and hosted by Jason Graae. Proceeds will support Musical Theatre Guild’s Youth Outreach Programs.
Thurs. Jan. 18, 2024, at 7 PM, at Rancho Mirage’s Galen PAC.
Sun. Jan. 21, 2024 at 7 PM, at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.
Eydie Alyson, Eileen Barnett, Jennifer Bennett, Doug Carfrae, Barbara Carlton Heart, Will Collyer, Susan Edwards Martin, Melissa Fahn, Joshua Finkel, Tal Fox, Julie Garnye, Ron Christopher Jones, Melissa Lyons, Tonoccus McClain, Kevin McMahon, Dana Meller, Lisa Picotte, Teri Ralston, Glenn Rosenblum, Brent Schindele, Leslie Stevens, Mary Van Arsdel, Paul Wong, Robert Yacko and David Zack. Live Laugh Love was lovingly conceived & written by the late Duane Poole, as one of his final projects. Poole has crafted a very special original revue that features material from virtually every produced Sondheim project. from Broadway shows to television and films. The chosen songs will find a perfect balance between the familiar classics and the forgotten gems, a Musical Theatre Guild specialty.
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LA’s Interact Theatre has announced it’s upcoming reading series at the Studio City Branch Library (12511 Moorpark Street). Reservations are not required. Casting TBA.
Clybourne Park (Jan. 13 at 2 PM), by Bruce Norris, directed by Rob Adler.
Driving Miss Daisy (Feb. 10 at 2 PM), by Alfred Uhry, directed by Barry Heins.
Disgraced (Mar. 9 at 2 PM), by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Amie Farrell.
Between Riverside and Crazy (Apr. 13 at 2 PM), by Stephen Adly Guirgis, directed by Kenneth Meseroll.
Dinner with Friends (May 11 at 2 PM), by Donald Bargulies, directed by Chrstinia Carlisi.
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Tadeusz Slobodzianek’s Our Class will run Jan. 12 – Feb. 4, 2024 (opening Jan. 18) at the BAM, directed by Igor Golyak.
Gus Birney (Dora), Andrey Burkovskiy (Menachem), Jack DiFalco (Zygmunt), José Espinosa (Rysiek), Tess Goldwyn (Zocha,) Will Manning (Heniek), Stephen Ochsner (Jakub Katz), Alexandra Silber (Rachelka/Marianna), Richard Topol (Abram), and Ilia Volok (Władek).
Our Class is based on real events, and follows 10 classmates — five Jewish and five Catholic — as they grow up as playmates, friends and neighbors, then turn on one another with life and death consequences. Inspired by real life events surrounding a horrific 1941 pogrom in the small village of Jedwabne, Poland, the play is about friendship, antisemitism and betrayal, and follows their lives from childhood through eight decades.
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The world premiere of Matthew Leavitt’s Sukkot will run Jan. 12 – Feb. 4 (opening Jan. 13) at the Skylight Theatre, directed by Joel Zwick.
Natalie Lander (Eden Sullivan), Andy Robinson (Patrick Sullivan), Liza Seneca (Mairead Sullivan), and Jonathan Slavin (Asher Sullivan).
An hilarious and heartwaring story of the Sullivan family, a half-Jewish-half Irish-Catholic family attempts to rejoice by celebrating an obscure Jewish holiday that no one has ever heard of. One year after losing his wife to cancert, Patrick Sullivan is stll unable to overcome his overwhelming grief, unti a rabbi introduces him to the little-known Jewish holiday of Sukkot – the only holiday where God directly commands us to rejoice! Suddenly energized by the holiday, Patrick builds a sukkah (a Jewis hut) in their yard and forces his three grown children to celebrate with him as they gather at the family house to attend their mother’s unveiling ceremony.
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Justin Peck & Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Illinoise will run Jan. 28 – Feb. 18, 2024 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, directed & choreographed by Peck.
Kara Chan, BenCook, Jeanette Delgado, Gaby Diaz, Robbie Fairchild, Christine Flores, Jada German, Zachary Gonder, Rachel Lockhart, Dario Natarelli, Tyrone Reese, Craig Salstein, Ahmad Simmons, Byron Tittle, Ricky Ubeda, and Alejandro Vargas.
Stevens‘ acclaimed 2005 concept album is known for its lush orchestrations and inventive portrayal of the state’s people, landscapes, and history—complete with UFOs, zombies, and predatory wasps. This work weaves together delicate folk narratives about blossoming queerness, orchestral anthems destined for cinematic montages, and jazz tunes about the state’s ghost towns.
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Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby will run Jan. 30 – Mar. 10 at the Signature Theatre, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III.
Russell Hornsby (Kenyatta), Moses Ingram (Nina), and J. Alphonse Nicholson (Damon).
East New York, Brooklyn. Nina’s estranged father Kenyatta, a former Black revolutionary and political prisoner, reappears to obtain a coveted piece of her late Mother’s legacy. While Kenyatta had visions of changing the world, his daughter became everything he feared. Now he’s at her mercy for his own redemption. This is a story about love, political action, and one woman’s journey from a brutal existence to her own liberation.
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Pacific Overtures, currently in previews, will open Dec. 4 and continue through Feb. 24 at the Menier Chocolate Factory, directed by Matthew White.
Jon Chew (Reciter), Kanako Nakano (Tamate), Saori Oda (Shogun/Madam), Takuro Ohno (Kayama), and Joaquin Pedro Valdes (Manjiro), with Luoran Ding, Masashi Fujimoto, Rachel Hayne Picar, Eu Jin Hwang, Abel Law, Ethan Le Phong, JoJo Meredith, Patrick Munday, Sario Solomon, Joy Tan, Lee V G, and Iverson Yabut.
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Private industry readings of Erik J. Rodriguez & Charles A. Sothers’ Not Ready for Prime Time, will take place Dec. 7 (3 PM) & Dec. 8 (1 PM) in NYC, directed by Conor Bagley. 
PrimeTimePlayRSVP@gmail.com.
Jordan Kai Burnett (Gilda Radner), Sara Chase (Jane Curtin), Gary-Kayi Fletcher (Garrett Morris), Keri René Fuller (Laraine Newman,) Drew Gehling (Chevy Chase), Nate Janis (Bill Murray), Kristian Lugo (Dan Aykroyd), Zack Myers (John Belushi), and John Skelley (Lorne Michaels).
A fictionalized behind-the-scenes look at the original SNL cast.