This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, July 22
The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Transport Group’s Off-Broadway cast album, directed by Susan Stroman, featuring Beth Malone, David Aron Damane, Whitney Bashor, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Alex Gibson, Paolo Montalban, Paula Leggett Chase, Lauryn Ciardullo, Karl Josef Co, Kaitlyn Davidson, Tyrone Davis, Jr., Gregg Goodbrod, Michael Halling, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Keven Quillon, and CoCo Smith, released digitally here.
Man of God, by Anna Ouyang, directed by Maggie Burrows, featuring Shirley Chen (Samantha), Emma Galbraith (Jen), Erin Rae Li (Mimi), Albert Park (Pastor), and Ji-young Yoo (Kyung-Hwa), closes at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Sweeney Todd, directed by Rob Ruggiero, featuring Ben Davis (Sweeney Todd), Carmen Cusack (Mrs. Lovett), Robert Cuccioli (Judge Turpin), Jake Boyd (Anthony Hope), Lincoln Clauss (Tobias), Stephen Wallem (Beadle), Julie Hanson (Beggar Woman), Riley Noland (Johanna), and Hernando Umana (Pirelli), with Lee H. Alexander, Nick Berninger, Leah Berry, Patrick Blindauer, Brandon S. Chu, Rheaume Crenshaw, Steve Czarnecki, J.D. Daw, Delaney Guer, Michelle Beth Herman, Omega Jones, Beth Kirkpatric, Debby Lennon, Jonelle Margallo, Jacqueline Petroccia, Tim Quartier, Grant James Reynolds, Liz Shivener, Nicklaus Smith, Celia Snow, Veronica Stern, April Strelinger, Pirce Waldman, and Andy Zapata, closes at the St. Louis Muny.
Saturday, July 23
Primary Stages‘ On That Day in Amsterdam, by Clarence Coo, directed by Zi Alikhan, featuring Waseem Alzer, Brndon Mendez Homer, Glenn Morizio, Liz Ramos, and Jonathan Raviv, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theatres.
If I Forget, by Steven Levenson, directed by Jason Alexander, featuring Leo Marks (Michael Fischer), Síle Bermingham (Ellen Fischer), Valerie Perri (Holly), Samantha Klein, (Sharon), Jerry Weil (Howard), Jacob Zelonky (Joey), and Matt Gottlieb (Lou Fischer), opens at LA’s Fountain Theatre.
Remembering the Future, world premiere by Peter Lefcourt, directed by Terri Hanauer, featuring Michael Corbett, Fatima El-Bashir, David Jahn, Andrew Neaves, and Tarina Pouncy, opens at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
The Panic of ’29, by Graham Techler, directed by Max Friedman, featuring Will Roland, Olivia Puckett, Erik Lochtefeld, Joyelle Nicole, Johnson, Jaela Cheeks-Lomax, Rachel B. Joyce, Julia Knitel, Jared Loftin, Jack Maloney, Will Turner, and RJ Vaillancourt, with Devin Kessler, Brian Morabito, Jacob Presson, and Rachel Ravel, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Mint Theatre‘s Chains, by Elizabeth Baker, directed by Jenn Thompson, featuring Jeremy Beck, Anthony Cochrane, Christopher Gerson, Olivia Gilliatt, Laakan McHardy, Ned Noyes, Brian Owen, Claire Saunders, Peterson Townsend, Amelia White, and Avery Whitted, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Prince Charming, You’re Late, written by & starring Billy Hipkins, directed by Perry Dell’Aquila, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Sunday, July 24
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Joe Rosario, featuring Sonoya Miczuno Maggie), Matt de Rogatis (Brick), Christian Jules Le Blanc (Big Daddy), Alison Fraser (Big Mama), Spencer Scott (Gooper), Tiffany Borelli (Mae), Jim Kempner (Doc Baugh) Austin Pendleton (Doc Baugh beginning July 25), Milton Elliott (Rev. Tooker), and Carly Gold (The No Neck Monsters), opens at Off-Broadway’s Theater at St. Clements.
Notre Dame de Paris, adapted by Richard Cocciante & Luc Plamondon, directed by Gilles Maheu, featuring Angelo Del Vecchio (Quasimodo), Hiba Tawaji (Esmeralda), Daniel Lavoie (Frollo), Gian Marco Schiaretti (Gringoire), Yvan Pedneault (Phoebus), Jay (Clopin), and Emma Lépine (Fleur de Lys), closes at Off-Broadway’s Lincoln Center Koch Theatre.
Choir Boy, by Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Kent Gash, featuring La Shawn Banks, Sheldon D. Brown, Richard David, William Dick, Gilbert Domally, Tyler Hardwick, and Samuel B. Jackson. Samuel B. Jackson, closes at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
Where We Belong, written & performed by Mei Ann Teo, closes at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
1776, directed by directed by Jeffrey L. Page & Diane Paulus, featuring (all identify as female, non-binary, and trans): Gisela Adisa (Robert Livingston), Nancy Anderson (George Read), Becca Ayers (Col. Thomas McKean), Tiffani Barbour (Custodian / Andrew McNair), Allison Briner Dardenne (Stephen Hopkins), Allyson Kaye Daniel (Abigail Adams / Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon), Elizabeth A. Davis (Thomas Jefferson), Mehry Eslaminia (Charles Thomson), Joanna Clushak (John Dickinson), Shawna Hamic (Richard Henry Lee), Eryn LeCroy (Martha Jefferson / Dr. Lyman Hall), Crystal Lucas-Perry (John Adams), Liz Mikel (John Hancock), Patrena Murray (Benjamin Franklin), Oneika Phillips (Josheph Hewes), Lulu Picart (Samuel Chase), Sara Porkalob (Edward Rutledge), Sushama Saha (Judge James Wilson), Brooke Simpson (Roger Sherman), Salome Smith (Courier), Sav Souza (Dr. Josiah Bartlett), Jill Vallery (Caesar Rodney), and Grace Stockdale (Standby), closes at Cambridge’s A.R.T.
Lempicka, by Carson Kreitzer & Matt Gould, directed by Rachel Chavkin, featuring Eden Espinosa (Tamara de Lempicka), Amber Iman (Rafaela – June 14 – July 12), Ximone Rose (Rafaela – July 12-24), George Abud (Marinetti), Victor E. Chan (Baron), Natalie Joy Johnson (Suzy Solidor), Jacquelyn Ritz (Baroness), Andrew Samonsky (Tadeusz Lempicki), and Jordan Tyson (Kizette), with Leanne Antonio, Lauren Blackman, Leovina Charles, Milena J. Comeau, Michael Louis Cusimano, Alexa Jane Lowis, David Merino, Luke P. Monday, Devin L. Roberts, Morgan Nicholas Scott, Joey Taranto, and Mariand Torres, closes at La Jolla Playhouse.
A Wicked Soul in Cherry Hill, world premiere by Matt Schatz, directed by Mike Donahue, featuring Jahbril Cook (The Son, and others), Zehra Fazal (The Lady on the Radio, and others), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (The Junior Rabbi/The Private Investigator, and others), Rivkah Reyes (The Daughter/The Reporter, and others), Danny Rothman (The Rabbi, and others), and Jill Sobule (The Canor/The Rabbi’s Wife, and others, closes at LA’s Geffen Playhouse.
Anna in the Tropics, by Nilo Cruz, directed by Marcos Santana, featuring Christian Barillas (CheChe), Maria Isabel Bilbao (Marela), Serafin Falcon (Santiago), Iliana Guibert (Ofelia), Gullermo Ivan (Paloma/Eliades), Anthony Michael Martinez (Juan Julian), and Christine Spang (Conchita), closes at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Music Man, directed by Sandra Mae Frank & Michael Baron, featuring deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing artists James Caverly (Harold Hill), Adelina Mitchell (Marian), Vishal Vaidya (Marcellus) Florrie Bagel (Ethel Toffelmeier), Heather Marie Beck (Alma Hicks), Amelia Hensley (Eulalie Shinn), Matthew August (Tommy), Gregor Lopes (Olinn Britt), Andrew Morrill (Mayor Shinn), Anjel Piñero (Woman #1), Mervin Primeaux-O’Bryant (Maude Dunlap), Nicki Runge (Mrs. Paroo), Christopher Tester (Oliver Hicks), and Dylan Toms (Ewart Dunlop) with Jay Frisby, Sarah Ann Sillers, Sophia Early, Aarron Loggins, Jane Enabore, and Stephen Russell Murray, closes at MD’s Olney Theatre Center.
Grease, directed by Snehal Desai, featuring Monika Pena (Sandy), Jonah Ho’okano (Danny), Stephanie Bull (Jan), Janaya Jones (Marty), Rachel Kay (Frenchy), Isa Briones (Rizzo), Brian Whiteall (Kenickie), Kris Bona (Doody), Laura Leo Kelly (Sonny), Jalon Mattews (Roger), Austin Owens Kelly (Eugene), Devan Watring (Patty Simcox), Aurelia Michael (Cha-Cha), and AJ Rafael (Johnny Casino), with Quintan Craig), Kurt Kemper, Anyssa Navarro, Max Torrez, and Virginia Trent, closes at Long Beach’s Musical Theatre West.
5 Star Theatricals‘ Newsies, directed by Richard J. Hinds, featuring Wes Williams (Jack Kelly), Jonalyn Saxer (Katherine), Frankie Zabilka (Davey), Nolan Almeida (Crutchie), Gregory North (Joseph Pulizter), Ray Mastrovito (Governor Roosevelt), Amanda Baily (Medda Larkin), and Zachary Michael Thompson (Les), with Kevin Corte, Joah Ditto, Craig First, Chase Graham, Cheyenne Green, Callum Gugger, Christopher Ho, Gerry Kenneth, Drew Lake, Tyler Luff, Ryan Marks, TJ McCarthy, Chase McFadden, Tristan Michael McIntyre, Zachary Quinn Neiman-Macak, Luke Pryor, Tyler Rhoades, Callula Sawyer, Michalis Schinas, Craig Sherman, Michael Swain Smith, John Wallis, and Isaac Yescas, closes at Thousand Oaks Bank of America Performing Arts Center (formerly the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza).
The Colored Museum, by George C. Wolfe, directed by Jazmine Nichelle, featuring Antwan Alexander II, Cassandra Carmona, Bahasi Chapman, Dorothea Saint Fleur, Sean James, Zenarra James, Matt Lorenzo, Bianca Ostojich, Ravyne Demyra Payne, Jessica Perkins, Twon Marcel Pope, Quan ‘Darius, Jefferson Reid, and Katisha Sargeant, closes at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble.
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Reviews for The Kite Runner at Broadway’s Hayes Theatre:
NY Times (Maya Phillips): Unsurprisingly, the most memorable image in The Kite Runner…is of the kites. They’re miniature, attached to thin poles that several actors wave, white tissue-paper flitting, birdlike, over their heads. The paper crinkles as the kites part the air with a soft swish. If only the rest of this stiff production, adapted by Matthew Spangler from the popular 2003 novel by Khaled Hosseini, exuded such elegance… Under Giles Croft’s direction, [Amir] Arison’s Broadway debut proves spotty… Onstage the play shuffles along, and it’s hard to stay invested in this unpalatable hero with Hassan in the rearview mirror… there are more compelling ways to tell a story…
NY Daily News (Chris Jones): …the show, previously seen in London’s West End, is mostly an overly prosaic, sincerely acted disappointment. There is a strange flatness to Matthew Spangler’s adaptation… Seeing everything through one pair of narrative eyes limits what the show can achieve on stage… we are told about a scene rather than shown. Sure, there’s an imperative to be honest to the novel and the protagonist’s journey through guilt is easily understood by a broad audience. But this is now a play and it’s a different time… It’s clear that Sirakian is a deeply moving actor; but the show never gives him enough power in his own part of the story to fully demonstrate.
New York Post (Johnny Oleksinski): …The Kite Runner has no shortage of terrible traumas: deaths, beatings, a rape, the disastrous takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. To say the very least, it’s a lot. All that immense pain could prove overwhelming for the reader, yet the author’s gift for writing sumptuous imagery and tender, nuanced relationships softens the blow… the sheer number of tragedies makes The Kite Runner an especially tough story to adapt without turning it into a soap opera — an emotional shellacking… That treacherous trap, however, is shrewdly avoided on Broadway, where a moving stage adaptation of the book opened Thursday night, because of the actors’ radiating warmth and the production’s generosity of spirit.
Theatrely (Juan A. Ramirez):…Whether Hosseini’s fault — I’ve not read his book — or that of playwright Matthew Spangler, I cannot say, but the results are an unwelcome throwback to the Bush era’s inelegant emotional manipulation… As the narrator-lead, Arison admirably does not leave the stage once, and has an impressive speaking voice that’s invitingly easy to follow. But his acting is stretched melodramatically thin in most of the play’s too-few book scenes… Spangler’s work, which struggles to translate the book’s first person narration into compelling drama… The monologues, as capably delivered by Arison, feel sturdier and more developed than the scene-heavy ones…
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This year’s Fire Island Dance Festival raised $655,090 for Dancers Responding to AIDS.
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Douglas Carter Beane, Jeff Lynne & John Farrar’s Xanadu will run Aug. 3-21 (opening Aug. 7) at Laguna Playhouse, directed & choreographed by Paula Hammons Sloan, with music direction by Ricky Pope.
Kristen Daniels (Kira/Clio), Dorian Quinn (Sonny), Jonathan Van Dyke (Danny/Zeus), Michelle Bendetti (Calliope/Aphrodite), and Judy Mina-Ballard (Melpomene/Medusa), with Daniella Castoria, Erika Harper, A.J. Love, Alec Mittenthal, Patrick Murray, and Ellery Smith.
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Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre Company has announced its 2022-23 season:
I’m Revolting (Sept. 8 – Oct. 16), world premiere by Gracie Gardner, directed by Knud Adams. 
At a skin cancer clinic in NYC (not the famous one), patients wait to find out how much of themselves they’re about to lose.
Heart Strings (Oct. 1-23), world premiere by Lee Cataluna, directed by Kat Yen. On a little island in the middle of the Pacific, two girls face a big storm, a clash of cultures, and the knots of sibling rivalry. Following the treasured Hawaiian tradition of adoption, the hanai children untangle what it means to be family and learn the commitments and responsibilities that come with loving someone.
The Far Country (Nov. 17 – Jan. 1), world premiere by Lloyd Suh, directed by Eric Ting. An intimate epic that follows an unlikely family’s journey from rural Taishan to the wild west of California in the wake of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
Cornelia Street (Jan. 14 – Feb. 19) world premiere by Simon Stephens & Mark Eitzel, directed by Neil Pepe. In a back street in the west village, Jacob Towney tries to save the restaurant that has been his home for longer than he can remember and release his daughter to the life he dreams she can have. His place is a home for the odd ghosts of the village. It is out of place and out of time and running out of luck.
Elyria (Feb. 9 – Mar. 26) world premiere by Deepa Purohit, directed by Awoye Timpo. 1982. Elyria, Ohio: Two mothers collide 20 years, 2 continents, and 2 oceans after making a deal of a lifetime, forcing them to face the knots of the past and the uncertainty of their inextricably linked future.
A Simulacrum (May 25 – June 25), world premiere by Lucas Hnath with Steve Cuiffo, directed by Hnath. Lucas is a playwright. Steve is a magician. Lucas asked Steve to show him some magic tricks. Steve did. And this is what happened.
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The world premiere of Moisés Kaufman & Amanda Gronich’s Here There Are Blueberries continues through Aug. 6 at La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Kaufman.
Scott Barrow, Charles Browning, Rosina Reynolds, Jeanne Sakata, Elizabeth Stahlmann, Charlie Thurston, and Grant James.
An album of never-before-seen World War II-era photographs arrives at the desk of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist Rebecca Erbelding. As Rebecca and her team of historians begin to unravel the shocking story behind the images, the album soon makes headlines around the world. In Germany, a businessman sees the album online and recognizes his own grandfather in the photos. He begins a journey of discovery that will take him into the lives of other Nazi descendants – in a reckoning of his family’s past and his country’s history.
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Beginning Aug. 9, the cast of Six will welcome new cast members at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre:
(new): Keri Rene Fuller (returning as Jane Seymour) Bre Jackson (Catherine of Aragon) and Brennyn Lark (Catherine Parr), along with new alternates Ayla Ciccone-Burton and Holli’ Conway.
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Aaron David Gleason: Come Hell and High Water will take place Tues. July 26 at 9:30 PM ET at NYC’s 54 Below, directed by his mother, Joanna Gleason.
The show will feature some of Aaron’s original songs, as well as covers of popular tunes to explore the challenges of the last year, combined with his own first-person narrative.
Video: Trailer
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The world premiere of Saheem Ali, Michael Thurber & Jocelyn Bioh’s Goddess will run Aug. 13 – Sept. 25 (opening Aug. 24) at CA’s Berkeley Rep, directed by Ali.
Abena (Rashida), Melessie Clark (Mosi-Grio Trio), Rodrick Covington (Ahmed), Zachary Downer (Sameer), Amber Iman (Nadira), Grasan Kingsberry (Jaali), Kindsley Leggs (Hassan), Kecia Lewis (Siti), Isio-Maya Nuwere (Safiyah), Aaron Patterson (Yusef), Destinee Rea (Che Che), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Omari), Awa Sal Secka (Sawadi), Lawrence Stallings (Madongo), Teshomech (Tisa), Quiantae Thomas (Amina), Wade Watson (Musa), and Reggie D. White (Balozi).
A mysterious singer arrives at Moto Moto, a steaming Afro-jazz club in Mombasa, Kenya. She casts an entrancing spell on everyone, including a young man who has returned home from studying in America. Will the big plans for his live – stepping into a political legacy and marrying his fiancée – be upended? Inspired by the myth of Marimba, the Goddess who created beautiful songs from her heartbreak, this is a rousing tale of romance, the supernatural, and the quest towards one’s truest self.