GRACE NOTES: Friday, March 25, 2022

 

This Weekend’s Highlights:

Friday, March 25

  Musical Theatre West‘s Spamilton, directed & choreographed by Gerry McIntyre, featuring Dedrick Bonner, Marqell Edward Clayton, Summer Greer, Cornelius Jones Jr., Andrew Puente, and Trisha Rapier, opens at Long Beach’s Carpenter Center.

  New Age, world premiere by Dael Orlandersmith, directed by Jade King Carol, featuring Blair Medina Baldwin (Libery), Lisa Harrow (Cass), Courtney Rackley (Candy), and Delissa Reynolds (Lisette), opens at Milwaukee Rep.

 Celebration Theatre‘s Buyer & Cellar, by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Katie Lindsay, featuring Mike Millan, opens at Hollywood’s Broadwater Second Stage.

  Sam Harris: Openly Gray concert, with special guest Brenna Whitaker, opens at Hollywood’s Catlina Jazz Club.

 A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, by Lucas Hnath, directed by Peter Richards, featuring Kevin Ashworth (Walt Disney), Thomas Piper (Roy Disney), Brittney Bertier (Diane), and Cory Washington (Ron), previews  at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

Saturday, March 26

  Heartland, by Gabriel Jason Dean, directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, featuring Mari Vial-Golden, Mark Cuddy, and Owais Ahmed, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.

  Jesus Christ Superstar, directed by Daniel C. Levine, featuring Caitlin Kinnunen (Mary), Brett Stoelker (Jesus), and Avionce Hoyles (Judas), with Chris Balestriere, Corinne Broadbent, Reggie Bromell, Susie Carroll, Ben Cherington, Randy Donaldson, Courtney Long, Marlena Hilderly Lopez, Kelly MacMillan, Michael McGuirk, Val Moranto, Ariel Neydavoud, Andrew Stevens Purdy, Isaac Ryckeghem, Sonya Venugopal, Cole Wachman, and Caitlin Witty, opens at Ridgefield’s A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut.

  A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, by Lucas Hnath, directed by Peter Richards, featuring Kevin Ashworth (Walt Disney), Thomas Piper (Roy Disney), Brittney Bertier (Diane), and Cory Washington (Ron), opens  at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

  Funny Girl, directed by Michael Mayer, featuring Beanie Feldstein (Fanny Brice), Ramin Karimloo (Nicky Arnstein), Jane Lynch (Mrs. Brice), Peter Francis James (Florenz Ziegfeld), Ephie Aardema (Emma / Mrs. Nadler), Debra Cardona (Mrs. Meeker), Toni DiBuono (Mrs. Strakosh), Martin Moran (Tom Keeney), and Julie Benko (Fanny Brice Standby), with Amber Ardolino, Daniel Beeman, Colin Bradbury, Kurt Thomas Csolak, Leslie Donna Flesner, Afra Hines, Masumi Iwai, Aliah James, Jeremiah James, Danielle, Kesley, Stephen Mark Lukas, Alicia Hadiya Lundgren, John Thomas Manzari, Liz McCartney, Katie Mitchell, Justin Prescott, Mariah Reives, and Leslie Blake Walker, begins previews at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre.

  Wall to Wall Selected Shorts, a FREE all-day event of play readings   written by Rabih Alameddine, Jenny Allen, Aimee Bender, Marie-Helene Bertino, Jai Chakrabarti, Patrick Cottrell, Elizabeth Crame, Michael Cunningham, Patrick Dacey, Edwidge Danticat, Dave Eggers, Omar El Akkad, Lauren Groff, Jacob Guajardo, A.M. Homes, Mira Jacob, Jac Jemc, Etgar Keret, Lisa Ko, Victor LaValle, J. Robert Lennon, Ben Loory, Carmen Maria Machado, Juan Martinez, Maile Meloy, Joe Meno, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Susan Perabo, Helen Phillips, Namwali Serpell, Rivers Solomon, Elizabeth Strout, Luis Alberto Urrea, Jess Walter, and Weike Wang, and performed by Cynthia Nixon, Anika Noni Rose, Kelli O’Hara, Kathleen Chalfant,  Hugh Dancy, Liev Schreiber, Krystina Alabado, Joan Allen, Raffi Barsoumian, Wyatt Cenac, Deborah S. Craig, David Cross, Mia Dillon, Mike Doyle, Santino Fontana, Dion Graham, Zach Grenier, Julie Halston, Michael Hartney, Zainab Jah, Vanessa Kai,  Patricia Kalember, Kennedy Kanagawa, Javier Muñoz, Alysia Reiner, Dawn Akemi Saito, Michael Shannon, Miriam Shor, Calvin Leon Smith, Sarah Steele, Amber Tamblyn, TL Thompson, Sam Underwood, Tony Shalhoub, Edie Falco, BD Wong, Holly Hunter, Brandon J. Dirden, Stephen Lang, Purva Bedi, Arian Moayed, Maulik Pancholy, Becca Blackwell, Jane Curtin, Crystal Dickinson, Jane Kaczmarek, Fred Hechinger, Sonia Manzano, Emily Skeggs, James Naughton, and Rita Wolf, available both in person & streaming from 11 AM – 11 PM ET at NYC’s Symphony Space.

  After the End, by Dennis Kelly, directed by Lyndsey Turner, featuring Nick Blood (Mark) and Amaka Okafor (Louise), closes at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford.

  The Drifters Girl, by Ed Curtis, directed by Jonathan Church, featuring Beverley Knight, Adam J. Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry, and Tosh Wanogho-Maud, closes at London’s Garrick Theatre.

  Saturday Night Fever, directed by Bill Kenwright, featuring Richard Winsor (Tony Manero), Olivia Fines (Stephanie), Kevin O’Dwyer (Bobby C), James Brice (Gus), Paul French (Double J), Michael Cortez (Joey), Jasmin Colangelo (Annette), Tosca Fischer (Connie), Lydia Bradd (Linda), Philip Aiden (Frank Senior), Marios Nicolaides (Frank Junior), Melody Jones (Flo Manero), and Faizal Jaye (DJ Monty), with Celeste Zollino,, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Luca Rapisarda, James Wilkinson-Jones, Helen Gulston, and James Cohen, closes at London’s Peacock Theatre.

  Huntington Theatre‘s The Bluest Eye, by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Awoye Timpo, featuring Ramona Lisa Alexander (Mama), Brittany-Laurelle (Claudia), Hadar Busia-Singleton (Pecola), Brian D. Coats (Soaphead Church), McKenzie Frye (Mrs. Breedlove), Lindsley Howard (Maureen), Alexandria King (Darlene/Frieda), and Greg Alverez Reid (Cholly), closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.

  Play-Per-View‘s Jane Anger, by Talene Monahon, directed by Jess Chayes, featuring Michael Urie, Ryan Spahn, Talene Monahon, and Amelia Workman, closes in person at Off-Broadway’s New Ohio Theatre.

  Antigone, newly adapted by Emily Mann, directed by Lauren Keating, featuring Isaac Baker, Maria Burks, Kristina Gabriela, Steve Gladstone, Sierra Grabowska, Bridget Kim, Gustavo Márquez, Vanessa Morosco, Fabio Polanco, Christopher Portley, Laura Stanik, Jordan Taylor, and Noah Williams, closes at Cleveland Playhouse.

  To Steve with Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim concert closes in person, and also livestreams at 6 PM ET, at NYC’s 54 Below.

  Sam Harris: Openly Gray concert closes at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.

  Branwell (and the other Brontës): An Autobiography Edited by Charlotte Brontë, by Stephen Kaplan, directed by Sarah Nilsen, featuring Marc Leclerc, Maia Luer, Naomi Phyl, Calvin Picou, Natasha Renae Potts, and Sarah Sommers, closes at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble.

Sunday, March 27

  Anything Goes, London production, directed & choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, starring Sutton Foster, begins screening nationwide (through Mar.30 only). here.

  A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, by Lucas Hnath, directed by Peter Richards, featuring Kevin Ashworth (Walt Disney), Thomas Piper (Roy Disney), Brittney Bertier (Diane), and Cory Washington (Ron), opens at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

  Black Theatre Coalition’s Building New Pathways FREE virtual benefit gala, directed by directed by Daniel Calderon, featuring LaChanze, Wynton Marsalis, Kenneth Overton, Norm Lewis, Britton Smith, Christiani Pitts, Alex Newell, Aisha Jackson, T. Oliver Reid, Rashidra Scott, Brandon Michael Nase, and Vanessa Williams, at 7 PM ET. Click here to register.

  Lauren Patten in concert with Seth Rudetsky, livestreams at 2 PM  ET here.

  Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Prayer for the French Republic, world premiere by Joshua Harmon, directed by David Cromer, featuring Betsy Aidem, Yair Ben-Dor, Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinette, Jeff Seymour, Kenneth Tigar, and Richard Topol, closes at Off-Broadway’s NY City Center.

  Bina’s Six Apples, world premiere by Lloyd Suh, directed by Eric Ting, featuring Olivia Lampert (Bina), Albert Park (Father), Sun Mee Chomet (Mother), Elizabeth Pan (Hamee), Joseph Pendergrast (Jinsoo), Sheeli Delgado (Youngsoo), and Jayden Ham (Boy), closes at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

  The Power of Sail, by Paul Grellong, directed by Weyni Mengesha, featuring Bryan Cranston (Charles Nichols), Hugo Armstrong (Frank Sullivan), Amy Brenneman (Amy Katz), Donna Simone Johnson (Quinn Harris), Tedra Millan (Maggie Rosen), Seth Numrich (Lucas Poole) and Brandon Scott (Baxter Forrest), closes at LA’s Geffen Playhouse.

  The Bridges of Madison County, directed by Hunter Foster, featuring Kate Baldwin (Francesca Johnson) Aaron Lazar (Robert Kincaid), Bart Shatto (Bud Johnson), Thomas Cromer (Michael Johnson), and Emily Pellecchia (Carolyn Johnson), with Giuliana Augello, Sealth Grove, Lara Hayhurst, Mark Megill, Natalie Myrick, Rutledge Varley, and Nikki Yarnell, closes at NJ’s Axelrod PAC.

  A Grand Night for Singing, directed & choreographed by Cindy Goldfield, featuring Alison Ewing, Edu González, Jacqueline DeMuro, Joel Champman, and Keith Pinto, closes at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon.

  The Book of Will, by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Courtney O’Connor, featuring Ed Hoopman, Joshua Wolf Coleman, Will McGarrahan, Shani Farrell, Sarah Newhouse, Scot Colford, Grace Experience, Lewis D. Wheeler, Hector Toledo Jr., and Fred Sullivan Jr., closes at Boston’s Lyric Stage.

  Marvin’s Room, by Scott McPherson, directed by directed by James O’Leary,, featuring Tara Battani, Justin Bowles, Francesa Casale, Kane Filbeck, Brian Habicht, Crystal Jackson, Marek Meyers, and Kimi Walker, closes at Hollywood’s Actors Co-op.

  The Revue, written & directed by Matt Walker, featuring Matt Walker, Rick Batalla, Katie DeShan, Tiffany Daniels, Isaac Robinson-Smith, and Travis Leland, closes at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.

  When Monica Met Hillary, world premiere by Winter Miller, directed by Margot Bordelon, featuring Kyra Kennedy (Monica Lewinsky), Danielle Skraastad (Hillary Clinton), Mia Matthews (Marcia Lewis), and Rasha Zamamiri (Huma Abedin), closes at Miami’s Colony Theatre.

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The world premiere of Selina Fillinger’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive will begin previews as originally scheduled on Apr. 14, but will now open Apr. 27 at the Shubert Theatre, directed by Susan Stroman. The musical will close as planned on Aug. 14.

  Lilli Cooper (Chris), Lea DeLaria (Bernadette), Rachel Dratch (Stephanie), Julianne Hough (Dusty), Suzy Nakamura (Jean), Julie White (Harriet), and Vanessa Williams (Margaret), with Anita Abdinezhad, Gisela Chípe, Jennifer Fouché , and Lisa Helmi Johanson,

One four-letter word is about to rock 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crises, the seven brilliant and beleaguered women he relies upon most will risk life, liberty and the pursuit of sanity to keep the Commander in Chief out of trouble.

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  The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center‘s 2022 Gala will take place Mon. Apr. 11 at 6 PM ET at NYC’s Gotham Hall, directed by Sarah Cameron Hughes, with music direction by Cynthia Meng.

Founder George C. White (with the Monte Cristo Award)

Norm Lewis, Heidi Blickenstaff, Joshua Henry, Tom Kitt, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Tyler Bunch, Scott Richards, Paulette Haupt, and Ellie Ellsworth.

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 Industry workshop presentations of Anna Miriam Brown’s His Story, The Musical will take place Apr. 7 & 8 at NYC’s 42 Studios, directed by Jeff Calhoun, with choreography by Eamon Foley, and music supervision by Rick Hip-Flores.  Inquiries: HisStoryTickets@gmail.com

Joshua Bess, Sam Brackley, Blake DuBois, Travis Flynt, Emilee Hassandzadeh, Gigi Hausman, Jataria Heyward, Madeline Hudelson, Lauren Johnson, Casey Lamont, Jared Mazeika, Bryan Munar, Kaitlin Niewoehner, Alexa Renee, Jonathan Reyes, Cameron Sirian, Sean Stack, and Charles P. Way.

Set in the Holy Land, the musical re-imagines the story of Jesus with a teenage girl asking God to send the Messiah and create a better kingdom and her wish coming true 30 years later when Jesus arrives in town defying traditional expectations.

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  Video: Funny Girl first sitzprobe, with Beanie Feldstein and Ramin Karimloo.

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 Encores! presentation of Into The Woods has announced updated casting, which will run May 4-15 at NYC City Center, directed by Lear deBessonet, with choreography by Lorin Latarro, and music direction by Rob Berman.

  Heather Headley (Witch), Sara Bareilles (Baker’s Wife), Christian Borle (Baker), Jula Lester (Little Red), Jordan Donica (Rapunzel’s Prince), Shereen Pimentel (Rapunzel), Cole Thompson (Jack), Dene Benton (Cinderella), Gavin Creel (Wolf / Cinderellas’ Prince),  Annie Golden (Cinderella’s Mother / Grandmother / Giant’s Wife), Ann Harada (Jack’s Mother), David Patrick Kelly (Narrator / Mysterious Man), Tiffany Denise Hobbs (Lucinda), Brooke Ishibashi (Florinda), Kennedy Kanagawa (Milky White), Lauren Mitchell (Cinderella’s Stepmother), and David Turner (Steward).

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 L.A. Now and Then, a new musical revue celebrating Los Angeles, its past and present, featuring all new songs written by L.A. based composers and writers, will run Apr. 1 – May 8 at North Hollywood’s Group Rep, directed by Bruce Kimmel, with music direction by Richard Allen, and choreography by Cheryl Baxter.

  Michele Brourman, Grant Geissman, Bruce Kimmel, Shelly Markham, Amanda McBroom, Wayne Moore, Adryan Russ, Richard M. Sherman, and the Sherman brothers.

Sketches & Monologues  Bill Fitzhugh, Doug Haverty, Bruce Kimmel, and David Wechter.

Bita Arefnia, Lottle Arnold, Lisa Dyson, Harrison Fahn, Liz Grannis, Tim Hearl, Harun Kajino, Marcel Licera, Danika Masi, Hisato, Masuyama, Alariza, Nevarez, Alec Reusch, Jeffrey Rockwell, Margaret Staedler, and Tamir Yardenne.

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  Illinois’ Ravinia Festival has announced its 2022 lineup, to run May 20 – Sept. 18, offering 50 artists debuts and more than 100 concerts

  Click here for the complete schedule

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  Nick Payne’s Constellations will run Apr. 6-24 at the Gene Frankel Theatre, directed by Kim T. Sharp.

  Francesca Ravera and Michael Chinworth

Marianne, a physicist, and Roland, a beekeeper, meet at a party. They hit if off, and go for a drink. Or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or may they go their separate ways. Perhaps Marianne is engaged to someone else, perhaps Roland is. Maybe she breaks his heart, maybe he breaks hers. Perhaps they come together and their love story can finally take rood and grow, or perhaps it will be tragically cut short.

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  The New York Pops 39th Birthday Gala will take place Mon. Apr. 25 at 7 PM ET at Carnegie Hall, conducted by Steven Reineke.

Kristen & Bobby Lopez

Kristen Bell, Jaime Camil, Nikki M. James, Jennifer Barnhart, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Santino Fontana, Jordan Gelber, Ann Harada, Mykal Kilgore, Caissie Levy, Rick Lyon, Patti Murin, John Tartaglia, Betsy Wolfe, and more TBA.

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Jon Robin Batz’s I’ll Be Seeing’ Ya will stream Mar. 31 – May 1 at LA’s Center Theatre Group, directed by Robert Egan.

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Complete casting has been announced for the NYC engagement of Bob McSmith, Tobly McSmith, and Assaf Gleizner’s Friends! The Musical Parody, to begin previews Mar. 29 and open Apr. 5 at the Jerry Orbach Theatre, directed by Tim Drucker, with choreography by Billy Griffin and music direction by Ethan Anderson.

Brooke Myers (Rachel), Payton Tevis (Phoebe), Emily Norah Samuelson (Monica), Cole Urso (Ross), Ian Allred (Chandler), Brett Mmiller (Joey), and Jacob Rosen (Gunther), with Caroline Portner and Corey Candelet.