This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, February 10
Into the Woods: a Two-Part Celebration of Stephen Sondheim, directed by Bill Berry, featuring Joshua Miller (Jack), Shermona Mitchell (Jack’s Mother), Sarah Garcia (Little Red), Miranda Antoinette (Rapunzel), Mari Nelson (Narrator/Mysterious Man/Granny/Giant/Cinderella’s Father/Cinderella’s Mother), Sarah Russell (Cinderella), Eric Ankrim (The Baker), Cayman Ilika (Baker’s Wife), Shauynce Omar (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Trina Mills (Florinda), Shanelle Leonard (Lucinda), Porscha Shaw (Witch), Antonio Mitchell (Rapunzel’s Prince), Louis Hobson (Cinderella’s Prince/The Wolf), and Brian Lange (Steward), with Simone Alene, Rebecca Cort, Kate Jaeger, CJ Lorentz, Casey Raiha), and Melyssa Stone, opens at Seattle’s Fifth Avenue Theatre.
Kinky Boots, directed by Jason Loewith, featuring Vincent Kempski (Charlie Price), Soloman Parker III (Lola), Candice Shedd-Thompson (Nicola), Stephen Schmidt (Charlie’s dad), Chris Genebach (Don), Alex De Bard (Lauren), Ricardo Blagrove (Simon Sr.), Karl Kippola (George), Calvin McCullough (Harry), Stephen Murray (Richard), Kaiyla Gross (Pat), and Sarah Anne Sillers (Trish), with Shane Hall, Connor Reilly, Robbi Duncan, Quadry Brown, David Singleton, Malachi Alexander, Henry Harleston, Grayden Goldman, Dustin Sardella, Alexis Krey, Catrina Brenae, and Tyrell Stanley, opens at MD’s Olney Theatre.
The Heart Sellers, world premiere by Lloyd Suh, directed by Jennifer Chang, featuring Narea Kang (Jane) and Nicole Javier (Luna), opens at Milwaukee Rep.
NIMROD, world premiere by Phinneas Kiyomura, directed by Alina Phelan, featuring Kirsten Vangness (Nimrod), Hiwa Chow Elms, Isaiah Alexander, Lisa Clifton, Shayne Eastin, Asha Noel Iyer, Sarah Lilly, Chloe Madriaga, Sierra Marcks, Edward Moraycski, Josh Odess-Rubin, Robert Paterno, Joel Scher, Niall Sulcer, and Dan Wingard, opens at Hollywood’s Theater of Note.
9 to 5, directed by Cynthia Ferrer, featuring Ashley Moniz (Judy Bernley), Madison Claire Parks (Doralee Rhodes), Daebreon Poiema (Violet Newstead), Ed Staudenmayer (Franklin Hart), and Chelle Denton (Roz Keith), with Josh Alvarez, Leonel Ayala, Keith Bearden, Michael Bullard, Michael Cavinder, Brandon Dubuisson, Erin Dubreuil, Kurt Kemper, Edgar Lopez, Missy Marion, Marissa Ruth Mayer, Isabella De Souza Moore, Amelia Prochaska, Alyssa Simmons, Nikki Elena Spies, and Chris Tuck, previews at Long Beach’s Musical Theatre West.
Saturday, February 11
9-5, directed by Cynthia Ferrer, featuring Ashley Moniz (Judy Bernley), Madison Claire Parks (Doralee Rhodes), Daebreon Poiema (Violet Newstead), Ed Staudenmayer (Franklin Hart), and Chelle Denton (Roz Keith), with Josh Alvarez, Leonel Ayala, Keith Bearden, Michael Bullard, Michael Cavinder, Brandon Dubuisson, Erin Dubreuil, Kurt Kemper, Edgar Lopez, Missy Marion, Marissa Ruth Mayer, Isabella De Souza Moore, Amelia Prochaska, Alyssa Simmons, Nikki Elena Spies, and Chris Tuck, opens at Long Beach’s Musical Theatre West.
Come Get Maggie, world premiere by Diane Frolov & Susan Justin, directed by Michael Pressman, featuring Phillip Casnoff (Ziskin), Beth Egan (Little Ruthie), Melissa Jove (Mrs. Wyberry), Nicole Ledous (Kwee), Melanie Neilan (Maggie), Bruce Nozick (Gen Winthrop/Mr. Myberry), Chase Ramsey (Hugh), Dennis Renard (Varex), Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield (Auntie Ruthie), and Eddy Vona (President/Rodney), with Alan Tranci, opens at LA’s Matrix Theatre.
Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos, featuring Erika Soto (Beatrice), Joshua Bitton (Benedick), Alexandra Hellquist (Hero), Stanley Andrew Jackson III (Claudio), Rafael Goldstein (Don John), Wes Mann (Dogberry), Tony Pasqualini (Leonato), Nick Petroccione (Balthasar), Frederick Stuart (Don Pedro), Randy Thompson (Friar Francis), Jeanne Syquia (Margaret), and Michael Uribes (Borachio), with Alejandro Hernandez, and Arely Vianet, opens at Pasadena’s A Noise Within.
Love Letters benefit presentation, by AR Gurney, directed by Jed Bernstein, featuring Judd Hirsch and Marilu Henner, at 6 PM at Theatre Aspen.
Eileen Barnett: Love Is In The Air concert, directed by Kirsten Chandler, at 7 PM at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
David Dean Bottrell Makes Love solo show, at 8 PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s The Collaboration, by Anthony McCarten, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, featuring Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope, closes at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed by Lindsay Posner, featuring Elizabeth McGovern (Martha), Dougray Scott (George), Charles Aitken (Nick), and Gina Branhill (Honey), closes at London’s Theatre Royal Bath.
Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, adapted by Mark Izzard, directed by Selina Cadell, starring Eddie Izzard, closes at Off-Broadway’s Greenwich House Theatre.
Colin Quinn: Small Talk closes at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre (moving to the Greenwich House Theatre Mar. 30 – May 6)
A Distinct Society, world premiere by Kareem Fahmy, directed by Giovanna Sardelli, featuring Vaneh Assadourian (Shirin), Corey Jones (Bruce), Abdullah Khalil (Peyman), Carrie Paff (Manon), and Emmet Smith (Delcan), closes at Utah’s Pioneer Playhouse.
Sunday, February 12
The Trees, world premiere by Agnes Borinsky, directed by Tina Satter, featuring Jess Barbagallo (David), Marcia DeBonis (Sheryl), Crystal Dickinson (Sheila), Sean Donovan (Jared), Xander Fenyes (Ezra), Nile Harris (Julian), Max Gordon Moore (Saul), Pauli Pontrelli (Tavish), Ray Anthony Thomas (Norman), Danusia Trevino (Grandmother), Sam Breslin Wright (Terry/Vendor), and Becky Yamamoto (Charlotte), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons.
Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, written by & starring Kristina Wong, directed by Chay Yew, begins previews at Culver City’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.
The Labyrinth Theatre Company‘s 23rd annual Barn Series Free Reading Festival closes at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theatres.
The Huntington Theatre‘s The Art of Burning, world premiere by Kate Snodgrass, directed by Melia Bensussen, featuring Adrianne Krstansky (Patricia), Michael Kaye (Mark), Viva Font (Katya), Rom Barkhordar (Jason), Clio Contogenis (Beth), and Laura Latrielle (Charlene), closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Staged, world premiere by Martin Bergman & Rita Rudner, directed by Bergman, featuring Rita Rudner (Fenella Fennington) and Mike McShane (Jarvis Haverly), with Annie Abrams, Kelly Holden Bashar, Brian Jones, Brian Lohmann, Patrick Vest, and Lindsey Young, closes at Laguna Playhouse.
the ripple, the wave that carried me home, by Christina Anderson , directed by Jackson Gay, featuring Brianna Buckley (Gayle/Young Chipper/Ambitious Black Woman0, Christiana Clark (Janice), and Aneisa J. Hicks (Helen), closes at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Grease, directed by Karie Hayter, featuring Jenna Lea Rosen (Sandy Dumbrowski), Ryan Reyes (Danny Zuko), Dominque Paton (Betty Rizzo), Bella Hicks (Frenchy), Melissa Musial (Marty, Rianny Vasquez (Jan), Grant Hodges (Kenickie), Steven-Adam Agdeppa (Doody), Max Torrez (Sonny LaTieri), Jalon Matthews (Roger), Suzanna Guzmán (Miss Lynch), Todd Adamson (Vince Fontaine), Desmond Newson (Johnny Casino/Teen Angel), Monika Peña (Patty Simcox), James Tolbert (Eugene), and Taleen Shrikian (Cha-Cha DeGregorio), with Kristen Daniels and Adrian Villegas, closes at CA’s La Mirada Theatre.
The Realistic Jones, by Will Eno, directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett, featuring Joe Spano (Bob), Faline England (Pony), Conor Lovett (John), and Sorcha Fox (Jennifer), closes at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.
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The world premiere of Lauren Gunderson, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart & Kait Kerrigan’s The Time Traveller’s Wife: The Musical will begin previews Oct. 7 and open Nov. 1 at the Apollo Theatre, directed by Bill Buckhurst, with choreography by Shelley Maxwell, and music supervision by Nick Finlow.
David Hunter (Henry) and Joanna Woodward (Clare), and more TBA.
Henry and Clare’s relationship is like no other. And yet, it’s like all others. Clare is a talented sculptor and Henry is – well – a time traveller. They meet, fall in love, and marry – but not in that order. Flung apart by time but united by love, Henry is always trying to get back to Clare. Their journey is one of resilience, impossibilities, and trying to hold on to each other when everything else is pulling you apart.
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Musical Theatre Guild‘s final staged concert presentation at Glendale’s Alex Theatre (after 20 years) will be Grey Gardens, on Mon. Feb. 17 at 7:30 PM, directed by Kirsten Chandler, with music direction by Anthony Zediker.
Eileen Barnett (“Big” Edith Bouvier Beale), Trisha Rapier (Edith Bouvier Beale/”Little” Edie Beale), Zachary Ford (Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr./Jerry), Tal Fox (Young “Little”Edie Beale), Robert Yacko (J.V. “Major” Bouvier/Norman Vincent Peale), Glenn Rosenblum (George Gould Strong), Phillip Brandon (Books Sr./Jr.), and Sophie Peterson (Jacqueline “Jacki” Bouvier).
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The world premiere of Randy Rogel’s Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today? will run Mar. 16 – Apr. 2 (opening Mar. 18) at CA’s La Mirada Theatre, directed by BT McNicholl, with choreography by Connor Gallagher, and music supervision by Kimberly Grigsby.
Steven Booth (Walter Paisley), Vanessa Sierra (Carla), Ross Hellwig (Maxwell Brock), Kingley Leggs (Leonard DeSantis), Kathy Fitzgerald (Mrs. Swickert), Janna Cardia (Lili Von Vondergraff), Ashley Nomiz (Beatnik Girl), Josh Adamson (Detective Lou Raby), James Caleb Grice (Beatnik Guy), and Jamir Brown (Clive).
A “beatnik” horror comedy musical. When a strugging beatnik sculptor in San Francisco stumbles upon a new style of art that thrusts him into fame, fortune, and perhaps some big trouble, well – you’ll just have to see what Walter Paisley did today. A delightfully varied score of cool jazz, Petulia Clark-like knockouts, Neil Sedaka bubble-gum pop, and more. It’s Little Shop meets Sweeney Todd meets Avenue Q!
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SoHo Rep’s Wolf Play, currently in previews, (and opens Feb. 14), has been extended through Mar. 19 at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater, directed by Dusting Wills.
Christopher Bannow (Peter), Esco Jouléy (Ash), Brian Quijada (Ryan), Nicole Villamil (Robin), and Mitchell Winter (Wolf).
When an off-the-record adoption goes awry, Jeenu’s new parents learn just jow far a wolf will go to defend its pack.
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Video: Watch this musical short film, “Trouble,” by Jacob Chase, Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner, featuring Anthony Rapp, John Rubenstein, Gwen Hollander, Chace Castle, Joshual Pelatzky, and Traci Swartz. (11:29)
Set in 1952, this musical thriller is what happens when a traveling salesman shows up on the doorstep of a dying old man and can’t contain the song within his hear. A dark riff on a classical musical.
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An industry sneak peek reading of Celeste Makoff’s Crashlight will take place Mon. Feb. 13 at 6 PM at Broadway Plus (260 W. 39th St., Suite 202), directed by Hunter Bird, with music supervision by Macy Schmidt.
crashlightrsvp@gmail.com
Mykal Kilgore, Lianah Sta. Ana, Kerstin Anderson, Jesse Weil, Elijah Caldwell, and Cori Jaskier.
The musical is about the last nation on Earth and a young woman’s risky mission to expose its government brutal ban on artistic expression. The story is set as the nationa’s Centennial Celebration approaches – an opportunity for the regime to legitimate its control. But Rian, a young composer whose dissident-parents suffered at the regime’s hands, has a different plan.
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“Caste: The Origins of our Discontents” written & directed by Ava DuVernay, is currently in development. A release date is TBA.
Audra McDonald, Myles Frost, Jamine Cephas-Jones, Aunjanue Ellis, Niecy Nash, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman, Connie Nielse, and Jon Bernthal.
Based on Isabel Wilkerson’s book, the film examines racism in America through the prism of social, economic, and cultural delineation and “pillars” of exclusion.
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Once will run Mar. 8-26 (opening Mar. 12) at Laguna Playhouse, directed by Steve Steiner, with choreography by Paula Hammons Sloan, and music direction by Julia hoffmann,
Grace Belt (Girl), Grant Brown (Andrej), Mary Ann Carlisle DiPietro (Baruska), Keaton Echhoff (Guy), Morgan Hollingsworth (Eamon), Will Huse (Billy), Becca last (Ivonka), Chris McGraw (Svec), James Michael McHale (Bank Manager), Michael Naishtut (Da), Caitlin Ort (Emee), and Laufen Witman (Ex-Girlfriend).
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Jonathan Hogue’s Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical has been extended through Apr. 30 at Off-Broadway’s Playhouse 46 at St. Luke’s.
Jamir Brown (Lucas), Jeremiah Garcia (Dustin), Carolie Huerta (Joyce/Will), Jeffrey Laughrun (Mike), Harley Seger (Eleven/Nancey), and SLee (Barb), with Jean Christian Barry, Dashiell Gregory, and Hanna Clarke Levine.
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A site-specific, multi-media staged reading of Natal’ya Vorozhbit & Oksana Savchenko’s Just Tell No One, translated by Sasha Dugsdale, John Freedman & Natalia Bratus, will take place Mon. Mar. 6 at 7:30 PM (both in person & streaming) at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium, directed by Igor Golyak.
Jessica Hecht, Bill Irwin, David Krumholtz, Nathan Malin, Will Manning, and Tedra Millan.
Revealing the human consequences of war, the piece illuminates a part of the world where the incomprehensible set of rules is at play, and people struggle to make sense of the complexity of one another with life and death consequences. This site-specific reading immerses the audience in these human stories using dark humor, intimate moment, and images of conflict so exquisitely painful they can no longer be perceived as real.
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The national tour of Mean Girls will run Mar. 7-19 at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center.
English Bernhart (Cady Heron), Nadina Hassan (Regina George), Jasmine Rogers (Gretchen Wieners), Morgan Ashley Bryant (Karen Smith), Lindsay Heather Pearce (Janis Sarkisian), Eric Huffman (Danian Hubbard), Adante Carter (Aaron Samuels), Caleb Mathura (Keving G.), Heather Ayers (Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George), Lawrence E. Street (Mr. Duvall), and Adriance Scalice (Standby – Cady, Regina and Janis), with Wesley J. Barnes, Erica Simone Barnett, Noah Blessing, Mary Beth Donahoe, Sky Flaherty, Michael Samarie George, Samuel Gerber, Megan Grosso, Dan Horn, Maya Imani, Lily Kaufmann, Milan Magaña, Chelsea Mitchell-Bonsu, Grace Romanello, Sydney Mei Ruf-Wong, Kyra Smith, Avilon Trust Tate, Kevin Wang, and Iaian Young.
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Kinky Boots, directed by Jason Loewith, has been extended through Mar. 26 at MD’s Olney Theatre.
Vincent Kempski (Charlie Price), Soloman Parker III (Lola), Candice Shedd-Thompson (Nicola), Stephen Schmidt (Charlie’s dad), Chris Genebach (Don), Alex De Bard (Lauren), Ricardo Blagrove (Simon Sr.), Karl Kippola (George), Calvin McCullough (Harry), Stephen Murray (Richard), Kaiyla Gross (Pat), and Sarah Anne Sillers (Trish), with Shane Hall, Connor Reilly, Robbi Duncan, Quadry Brown, David Singleton, Malachi Alexander, Henry Harleston, Grayden Goldman, Dustin Sardella, Alexis Krey, Catrina Brenae, and Tyrell Stanley.