This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, January 15
* Kennedy: Bobby’s Last Crusade solo play, written by & starring David Arrow, directed by Eric Nightengale, begins streaming here (and available through Jan. 21).
* Blue Ridge reading, by Abby Rosebrock, directed by Taibi Magar, featuring Marin Ireland, Kyle Beltran, Peter Mark Kendall, Nicole Lewis, Kristolyn Lloyd, and Chris Stack, streams at 7 PM ET here (and available through Jan. 19).
* In Concert at the Hollywood Bowl concert, with the LA Philharmonic, featuring Kristen Chenoweth, Audra McDonald, Bramwell Tovey, Sutton Foster, and Brian Stokes Mitchell, airs at 9 PM on PBS (check local listings).
* “One Night in Miami” soundtrack, featuring Terrence Blanchard, Leslie Odom Jr, L.C. Cooke, Billy Preston, Jeremy Pope, and Sam Cooke, released on iTunes.
Saturday, January 16
Relax, let go, let fly…
Sunday, January 17
* Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadel,“ with special guests Laura Benanti, Arielle Jacobs, Andy Karl, Orfeh, Lauren Patten, and Andrew Rannells, streams at 6 PM ET on NYC’s WPIX-TV.
* Under the Radar Festival, offering livestream and on-demand performances, concludes streaming at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
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Video: Stars in the House, a “Grey’s Anatomy Reunion,” with Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Kevin McKidd, Kelly McCreary, Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington, Jake Borelli, Chris Carmack, Greg Germann, Richard Flood and Anthony Hill. (1:42:00)
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Syracuse Stage has announced its updated digital 2020/21 season:
* Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Feb. 3-14), by Anna Deavere Smith, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III.
* Annapurna (Mar. dates TBA), by Sharr White, directed by Robert Hupp. 
After 25 years apart, Emma has tracked her ex-husband Ulysses to a trailer park high in the Colorado Rockies. He’s trapped to an oxygen canister: she’s toting a mountain of luggage. After so long a separation what can they say to each other
* I and You (April/May), by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Melissa Crespo. Isolated due to a life-threatening illness, Caroline hasn’t been to school in months. Confined to her room, she relies on Instagram, Facebook, and a stuffed turtle for company. That is until classmate Anthony bursts in — unexpectedly and bearing waffle fries, some Walt Whitman poetry and a literature project due the next day. He’s enthusiastic, athletic and charming in a nerdy sort of way, but Caroline is wary.
* Master Harold… and the Boys (June), by Athol Fugard, directed by Gilbert McCauley.
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Be an #ArtsHero,” the non-partisan grassroots coalition working to mobilize all disciplines and regions of the Arts and Culture sector has announced its “Dear Mr. President and Madam Vice President,” a nationwide letter writing campaign (organized in partnership with The Dramatists Guild of America).
Letters will implore the incoming administration to prioritize commitment to the Arts. Hundreds of America’s most esteemed Playwright, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists are participating by writing their ow missives to the President and Vice President Elect, which are now being sent en masse to kick of “Be An ArtsHero’s Arts Workers Unite: 100 Days of Art and Activism,” which asserts that the Arts are vital to our nation’s soul and our collective humanity, as well as being an essential driver of the economy.
Among other priorities, the letters urge the establishment of the Secretary of Arts & Culture and vow to serve President Biden’s mission to “build back better” and “heal the soul of America.”
Lynn Ahrens, Zakiyyah, Jaclyn Backhaus, Bekah Brunstetter, Carla Ching, Vichet Chum, Paul Downs, Colaizzo, Kevin Coval, Joe DiPietro, Rick Elice, Sara Gancher, Idris Goodwin, Amanda Green, Lauren Gunderson, Adam Gwon, Aleshea Harris, Jeremy O. Harris, David Ives, Rehana Lew Mirza, Craig Lucas, Ken Ludwig, Anaïs Mitchell, Marsha Norman, Robert O’Hara, Matthew Paul Olmos, Jihae Park, Theresa Rebeck, Sarah Ruhl, Nikkole Salter, Tina Satter, Robert Schenkkan, Heidi Schreck, Madhuri Shekar, V (formerly Eve Ensler), Bess Wohl, Doug Wright, and more.
Letters are available to read here.
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HBO Max is developing a drama based on the life of Julia Child. Timeline and additional information TBA.
Sarah Lancashire (Julia Child), David Hyde Pierce, Brittany Bradford, Fran Kranz, Fiona Glascott, Bebe Neuwirth, Isabella Rossellini, and Jefferson Mays.
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Additional casting has been announced for the upcoming Netflix musical film version of “Matilda,” which will begin filming in March in London, directed by Matthew Warchus.
Emma Thompson (Miss Trunchbull), Alisha Weir (Matilda), Lashana Lynch (Miss Honey), and more.
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Off-Broadway’s Keen Company has announced upcoming conversations in its popular “Keen After Hours,” which takes place every Monday at 6:30 PM ET.
Jan. 25: Michael Urie
Feb. 8: Valentine’s edition, with real-life couples Theresa Flanagan & Cary Donaldson, Joanna Muhfelder & Cory Schutzer (both couples met on Keen Company shows).
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VA’s Signature Theatre has announced its filmed production of Simply Sondheim, to stream Feb. 2 – Mar. 26 on Marquee TV (an on-demand streaming platform dedicated to global arts and culture), directed & choreographed by Matthew Gardiner, with music direction by Jon Kalbfleisch. The event was filmed over three days in Signature’s MAX Theatre, with multiple safety protocols in place. 
on sale as of Feb. 2 here.
Norm Lewis, Solea Pfeiffer, Conrad Ricamora, Emily Skinner, Nicholas McDonough, Donna Migliaccio, Christopher Mueller, Katie Mariko Murray, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Paul Scanlan, Awa Sal Secka, and Bobby Smith.
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A reboot of “Doogie Howser” is in development for Hulu, and will star Peyton Elizabeth Lee in the title role. No word yet on the premiere date.
Titled “Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.,” the 10-episode series will focus on the mixed race 16-year-old girl who works as a doctor in Hawaii, as she juggles her budding medical career and life as a teenager. Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things), is her family, including her spit-fire Irish mother who’s also her supervisor as the hospital, and her Hawaiin “Local Boy” father struggling to accept that his daughter is no longer his little girl.
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Lincoln Center Theatre’s Spotlight Series will present a conversation about The Light in the the Piazza on Thurs. Jan. 28 at 7 PM ET, hosted by Ira Weitzman. 
here.
Kelli O’Hara, Victoria Clark, Matthew Morrison, and Bartlett Sher.
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A reading of Martin Yousif Zebari’s Layalina will livestream Sat. Jan. 30 at 7 PM CT at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, directed by Azar Kazemi.
Casting TBA.
In 2003, newlywed Layal plans a future with her family as they prepare to immigrate to the U.S. from Baghdad. Living just outside of Chicago 18 years later, Layal’s life and responsibilities look unimaginably different from what she had envisioned two decades before.
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ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway, in support of BC/EFA, will stream Thurs. Feb. 11 at 8 PM ET here.
Bobbie Eakes, Melissa Claire Egan, Vincent Irizarry, Eva La Rue, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Eden Riegel, Chrishell Stause, Walt Willey, Kristen Alderson, BethAnn Fuenmayor, Kathy Brier, Kassie DePaiva, David Gregory, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Catherine Hickland, Mark Lawson, Hillary B. Smith, Jason Tam, Brittany Underwood, Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash, and Anthony Geary.
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Filming has wrapped for the Netflix production “tick, tick, BOOM!,” directed by Lin Manuel Miranda. The release date is TBA.
Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Robin de Jesus, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, Bradley Whitford, and Noah Robbins.
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Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company will present Guadalís Del Carmen’s African Caribbean MixFest reading series, to run Jan. 19-19, directed by Kwame Kwei Armah.
Michael Luwoye, L Morgan Lee, Mirirai Sithole, Russell G. Jones, Kevin Mambo, and more.
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Hollywood’s Blank Theatre is now seeking submissions from playwrights 19 and younger for its 29th Annual Young Playwrights Festival.
Submission must be made online or postmarked by Mar. 15, 2021. The winning plays will be presented (4 performances each) by professional actors and directors in June of this year. Each playwright whose work is accepted will be assigned a mentor, professionals who will help the young playwrights hone their work for performance. The festival is a nationwide competition that produces the work of 12 young writers each year.
* Playwrights must be 19 or younger on Mar. 15, 2021.
* Original plays and musicals can be any length on any subject
* Scripts must be legible and pagers numbered and unbound.
* Submit to ypfsubmissions@theblank.com or send hard copies to YPR, c/o The Blank Theatre, PO Box 1094, Los Angeles, CA, 90078 (and must be postmarked by Mar. 14, 2021
* Limit of three plays per playwright.
* All plays must include a cover sheet with the play’s title, playwright’s name, date of birth, school (if applicable), mailing address, contact phone number, and email address.
* Scripts will not be returned.
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DC’s Arena Stage has announced “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” a unique storytelling experience delivered directly to mailboxes across the country.
Inspired by playwright Ken Ludwig, patrons will receive a series of nine letters in the mail that follow the love story of Ludwig’s parents, Jacob S. Ludwig and Louise Rabiner. The intimate journey via post includes letter, personal photos and telegrams, specifically designed and handcrafted with period details by Arena Stage’s Properties Director Jenn Sheetz and Assistant Properties Director Lance Pennington.
The enchanting experience makes the perfect gift for your love ones. For $35, patrons will receive nine individual letters with special keepsakes related to the story. The limited time experience is available for purchase now for a limited time by visiting here. Mailings will start in early March, with new letters placed in the mail twice a week. Recipients should expect to receive all nine packets within a six-week period.
This love story brings audiences back to an era when handwritten letters were the most important form of communication when physically separated. While audiences cannot gather and are isolated at home, this devised form of theater revitalizes a sense of personal connection to theatergoers’ mailboxes.
This love story brings audiences back to an era when handwritten letters were the most important form of communication when physically separated. While audiences cannot gather and are isolated at home, this devised form of theater revitalizes a sense of personal connection to theatergoers’ mailboxes.