This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 12
Spamalot, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring Alex Brightman (Sir Lancelot), James Monroe Iglehart (King Arthur), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Lady of the Lake), Rob McClure (The Historian/Prince Herbert), Harvey Guillén (Patsy), Michel Urie (Sir Robin), Jimmy Smagula (Sir Bedever), and Nik Walker (Sir Galahad), with Phillip Attamore, Daniel Beeman, Maria Briggs, Michael Fatica, Ryan Kasprzak, Eloise Kropp, Damiel May, Shina Ann Morris, Kaylee, Olson, and Kristin Piro, opens at DC’s Kennedy Center.
Tanglewood‘s Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert, directed by Jason Danieley, featuring Elizabeth Stanley (Mother), Nikki Renée Daniels (Sarah), A.J. Shively (Mother’s Younger Brother), David Harris (Father), and Klea Blackhurst (Emma Goldman). Alton Fitzgerald White (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), and more, opens at MA’s Symphony Hall.
The Prom, directed & choreographed by Karen Azenberg, featuring Anne Tolpegin (Dee Dee Allen), Josh Adamson (Trent Oliver), Bernard Dotson (Mr. Hawkins), Mia Cherise Hall (Alyssa Greene), Celeste Rose (Emma Nolan), Wendy Waring (Angie Dickinson), Erin Wilson (Mrs. Greene), and Branch Woodman (Barry Clickman), with Lucy Anders, Kyle Caress, Howard Kaye, Micki Martinez, JP Qualters, Lenny Daniel, Jordan Cruz, Evan Latta, Fynn White, Chelsea P. Freeman, Michael Hartman, Olivia Hellin, Jalen Michael Jones, Resa Mishina, Kennedy Perez, Lila Prince, Brynoch Rammell, Hannah Staudinger, and Weston Wright, opens at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theatre Company.
Jack Craddock Is Having a Party, world premiere by Harrison Harvey, directed by Rachel McBath, featuring Eric Patrick Harper, Sally Hughes, Andy Schirmeister, and Morgan Thompson, Moving Arts Theatre, opens at LA’s Moving Arts Theatre.
Aspects of Love, directed by Jonathan Kent, featuring Michael Ball (George), Laura Pitt-Pulford (Rose), Jamie Bogyo (Alex), Danielle de Niese (Giulietta), Rosemary Ashe (Elizabeth), Vinny Coyle (Hugo), , Soophia Foroughi (Alternate Giulietta), Dickon Gough (Barker), Ben Heathcote (Co-Barker, Eu Jin Hwang (On Stage Swing), Daniel Jagusz-Holley (On Stage Swing), Natasha O’Brien (On Stage Swing), Michael Matus (Marcel), Anna Unwin (Jenny) and Indiana Ashworth, Millie Gubby & Katie Mitton (sharing the role of Young Jenny), begins previews at London’s Lyric Theatre.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, directed by Georgie Rankcom, with gender-swapped leads, Gabrielle Friedman (J. Pierrpont Finch), Tracie Bennett (J.B. Biggley), Annie Aitken (Hedy LaRue), Taylor Bradshaw (Mr. Bert Bratt), Allie Daniel (Rosemary Pilkington), Elliot Gooch (Bud Frump), Grace Kanyamibwa (Miss Jones), Danny Lane (Mr. Twimble/Mr. Wally Womper) Milo McCarthy (Mr. Milton Gatch), and Verity Power (Smitty), with Michelle Visage (Narrator), begins previews at London’s Southwark Playhouse.
Mrs. Doubtfire, by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell & Wayne Kirkpatrick, directed by Jerry Zaks, featuring Gabriel Vick (Daniel Hilard), Carla Dixon-Hernandez (Lydia Hillard, Cameron Blakely (Frank Hillard), Marcus Collins (Andre), and Ian Talbot (Mr. Jolly), with Joshua Dever, Samuel Wilson-Freeman, Maria Garrett, Kiera Haynes, Adam Lyons, Lisa Mathieson, Ellie Mitchell, Matt Overfield, Tom Scanlon, Vicki Lee Taylor and Rebecca Donnelly, Amy Everett and Paulo Teixeira, begins previews at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre.
“Great Performances at 50: Broadway’s Best” concert, featuring Chita Rivera, Sara Bareilles, Vanessa Williams, Shoshana Bean, Raúl Esparza, Ledisi, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Patina Miller, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Mamie Parris, Solea Pfeiffer, Britton Smith, andJessica Vosk, airs at 8 PM on PBS (check local listings).
Saturday, May 13
Asolo Rep‘s Man of La Mancha, directed by Peter Rothstein, featuring Mauricio Martínez (Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote), Aaron De Jesus (Sancho), Janely Rodriguez (Aldonza), Reese Britts (Anselmo/The Barber), Sydney Chow (Antonia/Fermina), Javier Ignacio (Pedro), C. Mingo Long (The Governor/The Innkeeper), Brian Kim McCormick (Paco/The Padre), Cathy Newman (Maria/The Housekeeper), Rodolfo Nieto (The Duke/Jose/Dr. Carrasco), Edward Staudenmayer (The Captain/Tenorio), Peter S. Raimondo (The Custodian/Juan), Sydney Story (Summoned Person), and Jerald Wheat (The Guard), with Bevin Bell-Hall, Christian Douglass, Pedro Ka’Awaloa, Celena Vera Morgan, and Robert Quiles, opens at Sarasota’s FSU Center for the Performing Arts.
Otello, conducted by James Conlon, featuring Russell Thomas (Othello), Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Desdemona), Igor Golovatenk (Iago), Anthony Ciaramitaro (Cassio), Sarah Saturnino (Emilia), Morris Robinson (Lodovico), Anthony León (Roderigo), Alan Williams (Montano), and Ryan Wolfe (Herald), opens at LA Opera.
Once Upon a One More Time, by Jon Hartmere, directed & choreographed by Keone & Mari Madrid, featuring Briga Heelan (Cinderella), Justin Guarini (Prince Charming), Aisha Jackson (Snow White), Jennifer Simard (Stepmother), Adam Godley (The Narrator), Brooke Dillman (The O.F.G), Ryan Redmond (Stepsister Belinda), Tess Soltau (Stepsister Betany), Gabrielle Beckford (Rapunzel), Ashley Chiu (Sleeping Beauty), Nathan Levy (Clumsy), Ryan Steele (Prince Erudite), Morgan Whitley (Princess Pea), Lauren Zakrin (Little Mermaid), Liv Battista Belle), Karissa Bruno (Little Girl), Pauline Casiño (Esmerelda), Selene Haro (Gretel), Joshua Daniel Johnson (Prince Brawny), Amy Hillner Larsen (Goldilocks), Justice Moore (Red), Kevin Trinio Perdido (Prince Mischievous), Mikey Ruiz (Prince Gregarious), Josh Tolle (Prince Suave), Stephen Scott Wormley (Prince Affable), and Isabella Ye (Little Girl), with Matt Allen, Jacob Burns, Salisha Thomas, and Diana Vaden, begins previews at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre.
Amanda McBroom: Up Close and Personal concert, at 7 PM at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.
Red Bull Theater & Fiasco Theater’s The Knight of the Burning Pestle, by Francis Beaumont, directed by Noah Brody & Emily Young, featuring Jessie Austrian, Royer Bockus, Tina Chilip, Paul L. Coffey, Devin E. Haqq, Teresa Avia Lim, Darius Pierce, Ben Steinfeld, Paco Tolson, and Tatiana Wechsler, closes at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre.
The Good Person of Szechwan, adapted by Nina Segal, directed by Anthony Lau, featuring Leon Wan, Nick Blakeley, Melody Brown, Aidan Cheng, Jon Chew, Callum Coates, Togo Igawa, Suni La, Camille Mallet de Chauny, Louise Mai Newberry, Tim Samuels, Ami Tredrea, and Leon Wan, closes at London’s Lyric Hammersmith.
Sunday, May 14
NAATCO‘s Romeo and Juliet, with a modern verse translation by Hansol Jung, directed by Jung & Dustin Wills, featuring Purva Bedi, Major Curda, jose Gamo, Brian Lee Huynh, Zion Jang, Mia Katigbak, Rob Kellogg, Dorcas Leung, and Daniel Liu, opens at Off-Broadway’s Lynn F. Angelson Theater.
East West Players‘ On This Side of the World, world premiere by Noam Shapiro, directed by Noam Shapiro, featuring Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Zandi De Jesus, Michael C. Palma, Cassie Simone, Andrea Somera, Shaun Tuazon, Melvin Biteng, and Justine Rafael, opens at LA’s David Henry Hwang Theater.
Steven Brinberg: Simply Barbra Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Yentl concert, with special guest George Krissa, at 7 PM at NYC’s Chelsea Table & Stage.
Bob Fosse’s DANCIN’, directed & musically staged by Wayne Cilento, featuring Ioana Alfonso, Yeman Brown, Peter John Chursin, Dylis Croma, Jovan Dansberry, Karli Dinardo, Tony d’Alelio, Aydin Eyikan, Pedro Garza, Jacob Guzman, Manuel Herrera, Afra Hines, Gabriel Hyman, Kolton Krouse, Mattie Love, Krystal Mackie, Yani Marin, Nando Morland, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Ida Saki, Ron Todorowski, and Neka Zang, closes at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre.
Oliver, directed by Lear deBessonet, featuring Lilli Cooper (Nancy), Raúl Esparza (Fagin), Tam Mutu (Bill Sikes), Brad Oscar (Mr. Bumble), Benjamin. Pajak (Oliver Twist), and Mary Testa (Widow Corney), with William Thhomas Colin, Charity Angel Dawson, Julian Marcus DeGuzman), Zachary Downer, Sam Duncan, William Foon, Ethen Green-Younger, Jeff Kready, Jenny Laroche, Devin Miles Lugo, Morgan Marcell, Lindsay Roberts, Eliseo Roman, Michael Cash Savio, and Jacob Keith Watson, closes at NY City Center.
Creditors, by August Strindberg, newly translated & directed by Robert Greer, featuring Natalie Menna (Tekla), Brad Fryman (Adolf), and Mike Roche (Gustav), closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre for the New City.
Last Night and the Night Before, by Donnetta Lvinia Grays, directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, featuring Namir Smallwood, Ayanna Bria Bakari, Sydney Charles, Kylah, Renee Jones, Aliyana Nicole, and Jessica Dean Turner, closes at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
Murder on the Orient Express, adapted by Ken Ludwig, directed by Casey Hushion, featuring Leanne Antonio (Mary Debenham), Gisela Chípe (Countess Andrenvi), anthony Cochrane (Hercule Poirot), Donna English (Princess Dragomiroff), Stephanie Gibson (Greta Ohlsson), Alex Mandell (Hector MacQueen), Graham Stevens (Michel/Headwaiter), Mark Jude Sullivan (Col. Arbuthnot/Samuel Ratchett), Evan Zes (Monsieur Bouc), and Karen Ziemba (Helen Hubbard, with Emily Harvey, Kelsey Rainwater, Alex Syiek, and Price Waldman, closes at NJ’s Paper Mill Playhouse.
The Rembrandt, by Jessica Dickey, directed by Maria Mileaf, featuring Ephraim Birney (Dodger/Titus), Bill Buell (Simon/Homer), Michael Chenevert (Henry/Rembrandt), Brandon Espinoza (Jonny/Martin), and Amber Reauchean Williams (Madeline/Henny), closes at TheaterWorks Hartford.
Sweeney Todd, directed by Jay Woods, featuring Yusef Seevers (Sweeney Todd), Anne Allgood (Mrs. Lovett), Deon’te Goodman (Anthony Hope), Leslie Jackson (Johanna), Nik Hagen (Tobias Ragg), Sean David Cooper (Judge Turpin), Jason Weitkamp (The Beadle), Porscha Shaw (Beggar Woman), and Anthony Webb (Adolfo Pirelli), with Ethan Carpenter, John Coons, Ann Cornelius, Alyza Delpan-Monley, Joel Domenico, Eric Jensen, Alexander Kilian, Cassi Q Kohl, Trina Mills, Bianca Raso, Cameron Widmark, Brandon O’Neill, Beth DeVries, Mark Emerson, Miranda Antoinette, Kooper Campbell, and Casey Raiha, closes at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre.
God of Carnage, by Yasmina Reza, directed by Ryan Quinn, featuring Heidi Amrbruster (Veronica), Makha Mthembu (Annette), Adam Poss (Michael), and Elan Zafir (Alan), closes at Milwaukee Rep.
The King and I, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Paul Nakauchi (King), Anastasia Barzee (Anna), Joan Almedilla (Lady Thiang), Alan Ariano (The Kralahome), Eric Badiqué (Phra Alack), Richard Bulda (The Interpreter), Cristyn Dang (Simon of Legree), Arielle Dettmer (Angel George), Emma Gong-Koiso (Princess Ying Yaowalak),Luke Naphat (Prince Chulalongkorn), Ethan Le Phong (Lun Tha), Michael Rothhaar (Captain Orton), Callula Sawyer (Topsy), Oliver Stewart (Louis Leonowens) Angel Srittmater (Little Eva), Kevin Symons (Sir Edward Ramsey), Chad Takeda (Uncle Thomas), Michiko Takemasa (Eliza), and Paulina Yeung (Tuptim), with Johnisa Breault, Joven Calloway, Harry Cho, Andrea Dobbins, Lauren Han, Eleen Hsu-Wentlandt, Linda Igarashi, Jonathan Kim, Kevin Kulp, Francesca Ling, Saki Masuda, Jee Teo, Bernice Wang, and Ryan Wong, and many more, closes at CA’s La Mirada Theatre.
Sister Act, directed by Leigh Barrett, featuring Kara Chu Nelson, Beth Gotha, Jackson Jirard, Joelle Lurie, Amie Lytle, Cristhian, Mancinas-García, Cherly MacMahon, Davron Monroe, Yewande Odetoyinbo, Meghan Rose, Kathey St. George, Carolyn Saxon, Damon Singletary, Kira Cowan Troilo, James Turner, and Todd Yard, with Alan Cid, Jenn Bubriski, and Lilian Salazar, closes at Boston’s Lyric Stage.
Missed Opportunities, by Jillian Leff’, directed by Ignacio Navarro & Madylin Sweeten Durrie, featuring Bridget Avildsen, Macedonia Bullington, Kathleen Guevara, Silas Jean-Rox, Sydney Jenkins, Benjamin Marshall, Sean Mazur, and Nate Thurman, closes at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble.
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Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre & Tricia Paoluccio’s Here You Come Again, featuring songs written or recorded by Dolly Parton & others, will run July 26 – Aug. 27 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed & choreographed by Barre.
Casting TBA.
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Video: Sutton Foster performs “Being Alive”
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Audio: “Satisfied,” from Hamilton, in German.
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Alan Menken, Nell Benjamin, and Sarah Kernochan’s Nancy Drew and the Mystery at Spotlight Manor: A Musical is currently in development.
No further information is available at this time.
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Vassar has announced its 37th Powerhouse Season:
Musical Workshops:
Skyward: An Endling Elegy (July 7-9), by Truth Future Bachman, directed by Zhailon Levingston, with music direction by Josh Kight. 
Aria is a seasoned birder on the brink of a new discovery. After sighting a flock of rare birds during a great migration, she recognizes each as an extinct species. Even more curious are the physical shifts in Aria’s body as the flock’s ghostly birdsongs awaken an avian adaptation that transforms her life forever.
We Start in Manhattan: A New Queer Musical (July 14-15), by Areille Serur & Say Souza, directed by Ellie Heyman. A slutty, romantic comedy written by and starring real life couple Ariella Serur and Sav Souza. Filled with humor and heart, this two-person musical tells the story of a one night stand turned month-long road trip, exploring relationships with a looming expiration date, and the ways that brief intimacy can profoundly impact our lives.
Play Workshops:
Call Fosse at the Minskoff (July 20-23), written & performed by Mimi Quillin, directed by Michael Berresse. There are “legends” and then there are legends. In this entirely true, middle age coming-of-age story, dancer and actor Mimi Quillin brings audiences along with her into the inner sanctum of two of the greatest giants the theater world has ever known: Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Quillin recounts her experience working with Fosse and Verdon on what would be their final collaboration, investigating the life-altering effects of proximity to true greatness, and revealing all the thrills and terrors of walking the high wire on the riskiest platform in entertainment.
The Chevalier (July 22), by Bill Barelay & Joseph Bolgne. Son of a slave and French aristocrat, Joseph Bologne has reached the top of his game – music teacher to Marie Antoinette and Europe’s fencer to beat. But when a bedridden Mozart is carried into his kitchen, he attracts the attention of a secret police force returning people of colour to slavery.
Behind the Attic Wall (July 28-30), byPeggy Stafford, conceived & directed by Meghan Finn, with music by Mike Cassedy. The title is the name of an adult novel by Sylvia Cassedy. When orphaned twelve-year-old Maggie Turner is sent to live with her two great-aunts in an old, empty boarding school she is bereft and alone. Soon she is called to the Attic by two, possessed china dolls, building a world that is at once intricate and theatrical—a place where she finds friendship and a sense of home.
Readings
Canaan Unremembered (Jun 25 at 7 PM), by Judson Jones, directed by Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy. After losing a difficult pregnancy, a young evangelical couple faces another tragedy when Jenn suffers a stroke that not only removes all memory of the relationship with her husband, Matt, but also removes all memory of the faith she has spent her life depending upon.
birthday birthday birthday (June 30 at 8 PM), by Johnny G. Lloyd. Marissa and Clark are best friends who share a birthday party. And Marissa and Clark plan on sharing that birthday party for the rest of their lives – and then some. If only the future doesn’t get in their way. A multi-decade romp through race, class, and time, birthday birthday birthday is about who we choose and how we change – and if we get any say in the matter.
Useful People (July 2 at 2 PM), by Peter Gil-Sheridan. The story of Susan and Ethel, two septuagenarians who turn to selling their prescription drugs to turn a profit. When Susan’s grandson, Patrick, returns in disgrace from the college he works for, it doesn’t take long for him to discover that his grandmother is a very different woman than she was before. The play takes a comic look at aging in America while examining each character’s longing for love and safety in a world that devalues the elderly.
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Mark Lamos will step down as Westport Country Playhouse artistic director after 15 seasons, effective Jan. 15, 2024.
From 2009 through the present, Lamos oversaw some 64 Playhouse productions, 25 of which he directed.
“I worked hard to raise its already formidable artistic standards through my collaboration with some truly world-class, American theater artists, staging the most physically beautiful productions our budgets allowed.” Lamos added that he took special pleasure in investing in the work of Black, Latinx, and AAPI artists, bringing their voices to the Playhouse stage, and serving larger communities.
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Tick, Tick … Boom! will run June 23 – July 15 at PA’s Buck’s County Playhouse, directed by Eric Rosen.
Andy Mientus, Krystina Alabado, and Noah J. Rickets.
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Barry Manilow & Bruce Sussman’s Harmony will begin previews Oct. 18 and open Nov. 13 at the Barrymore Theatre, directed & choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
Chip Zien (Rabbi), Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, Steven Telsey, and more TBA.
The tale of the most successful entertainers you’ve never heard of. . . until now. In the 1920s and 30s, The Comedian Harmonists sold millions of records, made dozens of films, and sold-out the biggest theaters around the world. Their heavenly harmonies and musical comedy antics catapulted these six talented young men from singing in the subway tunnels of Berlin to international superstardom.
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Private Jones, written & directed by Marshall Pailet, will run Oct. 13 – Nov. 5 at CT’s Goodspeed, with choreography by Misha Shields and music direction by Madeline Benson.
Casting TBA.
Inspired by the true story of a deaf soldier in World War I who displays remarkable skill as a sniper while hiding his profound hearing loss.