This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 19
The Public Theater’s Richard III, directed by Robert O’Hara, featuring Dania Gurira (Richard III), Wyatt Cirbus (Prince of Wales), Sanjit De Silva (Buckingham), Sam Duncan (Duke of York), Monique Holt (Duchess of York), Gregg Mozgala (King Edward IV/ Richmond), Paul Niebanck (George), Michael Potts (Lord Stanley), Ariel Shafir (Lord Hastings), Heather Alicia Simms (Queen Elizabeth), Ali Stroker (Anne), Sharon Washington (Queen Margaret), and Daniel J. Watts (Catesby Ratcliffe), with Maleni Chaitoo, Thaddeus Fitzpatrick, Skyler Gallun, Sarah Nina Hayon, Matthew Jeffers, Matt Monaco, Xavier Pacheco, Marcus Raye Pérez, Grace Porter, N’yomi Stewart, and Joe Mucciolo plus understudy Thomas DellaMonica, premieres on PBS.
Tommy and Me, by Ray Didinger, directed by Nick Corley, featuring Gordon Clapp, William Bednar, Jacob Beser, and Matthew Lamb, with Bruce Sabath and John Brodsky, previews at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.
Complete History of Musical Theatre in the 20th Centery (with examples) concert, featuring Britanny Anderson, Sophie Beck, Jason Graae, Emily Kinney, Kevin Matsumoto, Jonah Platt, Diane Vincent, and Robert Yacko, at 8 PM at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
Saturday, May 20
No Place Like Gandersheim, by Elizabeth Dement, directed by Randee Trabitz, featuring Lauren Gaw, Shannon Holt, Jamey Hood, and Charrell Mack, opens at LA’s Skylight Theatre.
The Connie Converse Universe, by Connie Converse & Hope Levy, featuring Hope Levy, opens at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
Groundhog Day, by Danny Rubin & Tim Minchin, directed by Matthew Warchus, featuring Andy Karl (Phil Connors), Rita Hanson (Tanisha Spring), Kamilla Fernandes (Debbie), Aimée Fisher (Joelle), Nick Hayes (Ralph), Jacquiline Hughes (Piano Teacher), Ashlee Irish (Larry), Chris Jenkins (Gus), Andrew Langtree (Ned Ryerson), Bill Nevers (Fred), Eve Norris (Nancy), Mark Pearce (Sheriff), Ben Redfern (Buster), Tanisha Spring (Rita Hanson), Durone Stokes (Deputy), Alex Stoll (Billy), Jez Unwin (Jenson), and Annie Wensak (Mrs. Lancaster), with Jasman Colangelo, Kelly Ewins-Prouse, Zack Guest, and Matthew Whennell-Clark, begins previews at London’s Old Vic.
A Transparent Musical, by MJ Kaufman, Joey Soloway & Faith Soloway, directed by Tina Landau, featuring Adina Verson (Ali Pfefferman), Daya Curley (Maura Pfefferman), Liz Larsen (Shelley Pfefferman), Zachary Prince (Josh Pfefferman), Sarah Stiles (Sarah Pfefferman), Kasper (Ezra), Peffermint (Davina), and Murphy Taylor Smith (rabbi Raquel), with Samora la Perdida, Justin Rivers, Futaba Shioda, Natalie Weiss, Robert Pieranuzi, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Pat Towne, and Dahlya Glick, begins previews at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
Double Helix, world premiere by Madeline Myers, directed by Scott Schwartz, featuring Samantha Massell (Rosalind Franklin), Anthony Chatmon II (Maurice Wilkins), Matthew Christian (Jacques Mering), Max Chulmecky (James Watson), Anthony Joseph Costello (Raymond Gosling), Amy Justman (Adrienne Weill), Austin Ku (Francis Crick), Thom Sesma (John Randal), and Tuck Sweeney (William Bates), with Kate Fitzgerald and Ethan Yaheen-Moy Chan, begins previews at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Lehman Trilogy, directed by Sam Mendes, featuring Michael Balogun (Emanuel Lehman), Hadley Frase (Mayer Lehlem), and Nigel Lindsay (Henry Lehman), with pianist Yshani Perinpanayagam, with Ravi Aujla, Will Harrison-Wallace, Leighton Pugh, and Erika Gundesen, closes at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre.
God of Carnage, by Yasmina Reza, directed by Nicholas Viselli, featuring Christiane Noll, David Burtka, Carey Cox, and Gabe Fazio, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
the ripple, the wave that carried me home, by Christina Anderson, directed by Tamilla Woodard, featuring Jennean Farmer, Marcus Henderson, Chalia La Tour, and Adrienne S. Wells, closes at Yale Rep.
44 – THE unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL (As Told through the Hazy Recollection of Joe Biden), by Eli Bauman & Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, directed by Bauman, featuring T.J. Wilkins (Barak Obama) Shanice (Michelle Obama), Kevin Bailey (John Boehner), Larry Cedar (Mitch McConnell), Chad Doreck (Joe Biden), Kelly Dorney (Hillary Clinton), Kitten Kuroi (Voice of the People), Jane Papageorge (Sarah Palin), Dino Shorté (Herman Cain), Jeff Summer (Lindsay Graham), and Michael Uribes (Ted Cruz), closes at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room.
Sunday, May 21
20th Anniversary Celebration Concert Benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, directed by directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, featuring Michael Arden, Shoshana Bean, Laura Benanti, Liz Callway, Jenn Colella, Deborah Cox, Debbie Gibson, Oliva Elease Hardy, Brittney Johnson, Howard McGillin, Donna McKechnie, Orfeh, Christopher Sieber, Blair St. Clair, Paulo Szot, Elizabeth Teeter, Natalie Toro, Michael Urie, and Jessica Vosk, at 8 PM at NYC’s Sony Hall.
Red Bull Theater‘s Medea: Re-versed benefit reading, adapted & directed by Nathan Winkelstein, featuring Jason Bowen, Mark Martin, Luis Quintero, David Ryan Smith, Debbie Tjong, Skyler Volpe, and Sarin Monae West, at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Shadow/Land, world premiere by Erika Dickerson-Despenza, directed by Candis C. Jones, featuring Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Ruth), Lizan Mitchell (Magalee), and Christine Shepard (Grand Marshal), with Lynette R. Freeman, Perri Garrney, and Joy-Marie Thompson, closes at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
The Goodbye Girl, by Neil Simon, Marvin Hamilsch & David Zippel, directed by Zippel, featuring Santino Fontana (Elliot), Sierra Boggess (Paula), Christopher Seiber (Character Actor), Debra thais Evans (Cosby), Lena Joshephine Marano (Lucy), Tara Radha Rajan (Melanie), Honor Blue Savage (Cynthia), Alyssa Isihara (Jenna), Emma Kantor Rhonda), and Jessica Ann Lawyer (Donna), with Daniel Pahl, Tony Collins, and Dan DeLuca, closes at Off-Broadway’s J2 Spotlight Theatre.
John Gallagher in concert closes at Lincoln Center‘s Claire Tow Theater.
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, closes at the Kennedy Center.
The Scottsboro Boys, directed by Brandon Jackson, featuring Michael Patrick Gaffney (Interlocutor), Jaiden Griffin (Eugene), Albert Hodge (Mr. Bones), Elizabeth Jones (The Lady), Kahlil Leneus (Andy), Miles Meckling (Willie), Royal Mickens (Leroy), Marcus Pagie (Haywood), Jon-David Randle (Charlie), Anthony Rollins-Mullens (Mr. Tambo), Mercury Van Sciver (Olien), Dedrick Weathersby (Clarence), and Alegandro Eustaquio (Ozzie), closes at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon.
Murder on the Links, written & directed by Steven Dietz, featuring Kim Morgan Dean, Jennifer Erdmann, Brian Mackey, Jessica Mosher, Omri Schein, and Matthew Salazar-Thompson, closes at CA’s North Coast Rep.
Joy and Pandemic, world premiere by Taylor Mac, directed by Loretta Greco, featuring Ella Dershowitz (Young Pilly), Stacy Fischer (Joy / Pilly), Breezy Leigh (Melanie / Marjorie), Marceline Hugot (Rosemary), and Ryan Winkles (Bradford), with Thomika Bridwell, Rebecca Whitney Klein, Alexander Platt, and Marina Re, closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Group Rep‘s The Laramie Project, by Moises Kaufman & Leigh Fondakowski, directed by Kathleen Delaney, featuring Landon Beatty, Paul Cady, Roslyn Cohn, Julie Davis, Marc Antonio Pritchett, Jackie Shearn, Margaret Rose Staedler, Cathey Diane Tomlin, Amelia Vargas, and Kay Vermeil, closes at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theater.
The Connie Converse Universe, by Connie Converse & Hope Levy, featuring Hope Levy, closes at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
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VA’s Signature Theatre has announced its 2023-24 season:
The Bridges of Madison County (Aug. 8 – Sept. 17), directed by Ethan Heard, with choreography by Kelly Crandall d’Amboise, and music direction by Laura Bergquist.
Ragtime (Oct. 24 – Jan. 7, 2024), re-imagined & directed by Matthew Gardiner, with choreography by Ashleigh King, and music direction by Jon Kalbfleisch.
Private Jones (Feb. 6 – Mar. 10), world premiere written & directed by Marshall Pailet, with 
Young Gomer Jones hides his hearing loss and enlists in the army.
Penelope (Mar. 5 – Apr. 21), by Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean & Eva Steinmetz, directed by Steinmetz. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, takes the microphone to chronicle those 20 years waiting in Ithaca.
Hair (Apr. 16 – July 7), directed by Matthew Gardiner, with choreography by Rickey Tripp, and music direction by Mark G. Meadows.
Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (May 21 – July 7), by Jeff Augustin & The Bengsons, directed by Timothy Douglas, with music direction by Rob Morrison. . A son re-creates the cross-country trip his Haitian immigrant parents took before he was born.
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Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man will run June 18 – July 16 (opening June 25) at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, directed by Debbie Allen.
Ray Fisher (Muhammed Ali), Edwin Lee Gibson (Stepin Fetchit), Wilkie Ferguson II Rashid), Alexis Floyd (Sonji Clay), and Bruce Nozick (William Fox).
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Industry presentations of Michael Roberts’ The Days Beyond today will take place on Wed. May 24 (5 PM) and Thurs. May 25 (3 PM) at Off-Broadway’s Theater 555, directed by Eric Krebs. 
Boxoffice@theater555.com.
Dale Badway, Anne Brummel, Nikita Burshteyn, Andrew Robin Cekala, Katie Emerson, Anya Fox, Rosemary Loar, Troy Rucker, and Kathy Voytko.
It’s 1966 and London is swinging. Into this world of artists and hedonists comes Helen on her 40th birthday, direct from a privileged Long Island life. Amid the swingers and the high flyers, the musicians and the pleasure seekers, Helen seeks to discover her right place.
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Love is a Battlefield, written & directed by Barry Brisco, will run June 10-25 at Hollywood’s The Limbic Arthouse (6640 Santa Monica Blvd.).
Arielle Thomas, Ian James, Jamarr Tillman, Navene Shata, Roy Fowler, Johnny Manibusan, and Michael Morello.
The play takes place in the 1990’s at a college campus in Pennsylvania, and focuses on a group of friends, sex, and accountability for that sex.
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Evita in Concert will take place July 31 & Aug. 1 at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, directed by Bill Deamer.
Auli’i Cravalho (Evita), Matt Rawle (Che), and more TBA.
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Principle casting has been announced for Rent, to run Aug. 4-10 at the St. Louis Muny, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with choreography by Carollette Phillips, and music direction by Jermaine Hill.
Lincoln Claus, Vincent Kempski, Ashley De La Rosa, Tré Frazier, Adrian Villegas, Evan Tyrone, Anastasia McCleskey, and Lindsay Heather Pearce, with more TBA.
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Mike Birbiglia will work on new jokes and stories on Sat. July 29 at 7:30 PM PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
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The world premiere of SoundTrip, created by Luca Malacrino, Caitlin Morris, Alex Hanno, and Bill Prokopow, will run June 4-25 at The Broadwater (6322 Santa Monica Blvd.
Created by Luca Malacrino, Caitlin Morris, Alex Hanno, and Bill Prokopow, this audio experience is a revolutionary interactive audio show that is destined to be a game-changer in the live theatre, captivating audiences with its immersive approach and intriguing narrative. The show seamlessly weaves immersive audio experiences with live performances, inviting audience members to step into roles without rehearsal. Guided by wireless headphones providing dialogue, inner thoughts, and physical cues, participants transform from spectators into active contributors to the narrative. This innovative format promises a riveting and unforgettable experience.
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CA’s Coachella Valley Rep has announced its upcoming Summer Cabaret Series:
Our Broadway: A Memoir in Song (Thurs. June 8), featuring Terri Ralston & Alex Korey.
Broadway Showstoppers: The Musicals of 1959 (Thurs. June 15), with Glenn Rosenblum, and special guests Jackie Joseph and Alix Korey.
Chisitanne Noll (June 22)