Have a spectacular Holiday.
GRACE NOTES will return Tues. May 28
This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 24
Bluets, by Maggie Nelson, adapted by Margaret Perry, directed by Katie Michell, featuring Emma D’Arcy, Kayla Meikle, and Ben Whishaw, opens at London’s Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.
222: A Ghost Story, by Danny Robbins, directed by Matthew Dunster & Isabel Marr, featuring Stacey Dooley (Jenny), James Buckley (Ben) and Donna Air, opens at London’s Gielgud Theatre.
The Lion King Live to Film Concert, featuring Heather Headley, Lebo M, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, and more, opens at the Hollywood Bowl.
A Night With an Indigo Girl benefit presentation, by Beth Malone, Emily Saliers, and Mary Ann Stratton, featuring Emily Saliers, Beth Malone, Elizabeth Stanley, and Claybourne Elder, at 7 PM at Off-Broadway’s Out of the Box Theatrics (154 Christopher Street).
Flayed solo show, written & performed by Josiah Blount, directed by David Bridel, at 9:30 PM at LA’s Lyric Hyperion Theater & Café.
Purlie Victorious, Broadway production, by Ossie Davis, directed by Kenny Leon, featuring Leslie Odom Jr. (Purlie), Kara Young (Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins), Heather Alicia Simms (Missy Judson), Billy Eugene Jones (Gitlow Judson), Noah Robbins (Charlie Cotchipee), Vanessa Bell Calloway (Idella Landy), Jay O. Sanders (Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee), Bill Timoney (The Sheriff), and Noah Pyzik (The Deputy), airs at 9 PM on PBS (check local listings).
Staff Meal, by Abe Koogler, directed by Morgan Green, featuring Jess Barbagallo (Server), Susannah Flood (Mina), Hampton Fluker (Waiter), Greg Keller (Ben), Erin Markey (Vagrant), and Coral Peña (Server), with Stephanie Berry, closes at Off-Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons.
Saturday, May 25
222: A Ghost Story, by Danny Robbins, directed by Matthew Dunster & Isabel Marr, featuring Donna Air (Lauren), Stacey Dooley (Jenny), James Buckley (Ben), and Joe McFadden (Sam), opens at London’s Gielgud Theatre.
The Lehman Trilogy, adapted by Ben Powers, directed by Sam Mendes, featuring Aaron Krohn, Howard W. Overshown, and Adrian Schiller, with Rebekah Bruce and Ravi Aujla, opens at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre.
Long Way Down, world premiere by Dahlak Brathwaite & Khiyon Hursey, directed by Ken-Matt Martin, featuring Tyrese Shawn Avery (Will), IO Browne (Shari), and Victor Musoni (Shawn), Frick (Colin Carswell), Buck Parris (Mone’t Lewis), Dani (Cheryse Dyllan), Quincy Vicks (Mike), and Naiqui Macabroad (Uncle Mark), with Ciara Hargrove and Bryan Archibald, opens at MD’s Olney Theatre.
The Motive and the Cue screening, by Jack Thorne, directed by Sam Mendes, featuring Mark Gatiss (John Gielgud) and Johnny Flynn (Richard Burton), at 3 PM at UCLA’s James Bridges Theatre.
Theater Breaking Through Barriers‘ I Ought to Be in Pictures, directed by Nicholas Viselli, featuring Makenzie Morgan Gomez, Pamela Sabaugh, and Chris Thorn, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
The Lion King Live to Film Concert, featuring Heather Headley, Lebo M, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, and more, closes at the Hollywood Bowl.
Speak Easy Stage Company‘s A Strange Loop, by Michael R. Jackson, directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, featuring Kai Clifton (Usher), with Grant Evan, De’Lon Grant, Jonathan Melo, Zion Middleton, Davron S. Monroe, and Aaron Michal Ray, closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, directed & choreographed by Karen Azenberg, featuring Kevin Earley (Pierre), Ali Ewoldt (Natasha), Lucy Anders (Princess Mary/Opera Singer) Ginger Bess( Hélène), Mary Fanning Driggs (Marya/ Accordion), and Edward Juvier (Balaga Bolkonsky), Melanie Fernandez (Sonya), Justin Luciano (Dolokhov), and Aleks Pevec (Anatole), with Troy Valjean Rucker, Tyler Simone, Lenny Daniel, James Wong, Evan K. Beesley, Bennett Chew, Faith Driggs, Cameron Nies, Natalie Ruthven, and Jazmin Viquez, closes at Utah’s Pioneer Theatre Company.
Ophelia, written & directed by Stefan Marks, featuring Deborah Geffner (Mom), Tatus Langton (Her), and Stefan Marks (Son), with Amy Braddock, closes at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
Sunday, May 26
Nye screening, by Tim Price, directed by Rufus Norris, starring Michael Sheen, at 3 PM at UCLA’s James Bridges Theatre.
The Keep Going Songs, by The Bengsons, directed by Caitlin Sullivan, featuring Abigail Bengson and Shaun Bengson, closes at Off-Broadway’s Claire Tow Theater.
tick, tick…BOOM, by Jonathan Larson, directed by David Saint, featuring Daniel Marconi (Jon), Cathryn Wake (Susan), and John Yi (Michael), closes at NJ’s George Street Playhouse.
A Final Toast, world premiere by Michele A Miller, directed by Kathy Curtiss, featuring Jana Robbins, Jolie Curtsinger, Diane J Findlay, and Sachi Parker, closes at Off-Broadway’s Chain Theatre.
Shakespeare, Inc., by Joe Tyler Gold, directed by Kiff Scholl, featuring Marwa Bernstein, Frank Demma, Anthony Foux, Linda Lodge, Jay Paulson, Penny Safranek, William Salyers, Sharron Shayne, Carole Weyers, Susan Wilder, and Lesley Williams, closes at LA’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
The Sabbath Girl, world premiere by Cary Gitter & Neil Berg, directed by Joe Brancato, featuring Marilyn Caserta (Angie), Diana Di Marzio (Sophia), Rory Max Kaplan (Blake), Lauren Singerman (Rachel), and Max Wolkowitz (Seth, closes at Stony Point, NY’s Penguin Rep.
Monday, May 27
The Life & Slimes of Marc Summers, by Alex Brightman & Drew Gasparini, directed by Chad Rabinovitz, featuring Marc Summers, opens at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages.
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The 2024 Drama Desk Awards will take place Mon. June 10 at 6:15 PM at NYC’s NYU Skirball Center, written by Steve & David Rossmer, and directed by Lorin Latarro, with music direction by Annbritt duChateau, hosted by Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveit. 
here.
Nathan Lane and André Bishop.
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Red Bull Theater‘s Short New Play Festival 2024 – Renewal will take place Mon. June 24 at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Classic Stage. Note: This event is in person only.
The Skull of Elizabeth Bathory (by Luke Brett) ….. You Know What They Say About Scorned Women (by Amy Jo Jackson) ….. daphne and laurel (by Fleurette Modiza) ….. Semillas (by Paloma Nozicka) ….. The Purgatory for Women Who Commit Suicide (by Emma Schillage) ….. and Lady Macbeth’s Hand Soap (by Madison Stranahan) …..
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Open Door Playhouse will present F.J. Hartland’s TED, which debuts on June 12, directed by Matt Ritchey.
Matthew Scott Montgomery and Kevin Phan
Two fellows encounter each other at a party. One insists they have recently been lovers. The other denies anything of the kind, to the irritation of the other man. The story has a conclusion that you won’t see coming.
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Anything Goes will run Aug. 19-25 at the St. Louis Muny, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, with choreography by Jared Grimes and music direction by Ben Whiteley.
Jeanna De Waal (Reno Sweeney), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Billy Crocker), Kevin Chamberlin (Moonface Martin), George Abud (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh), Kimberly Immanuel (Hope Harcourt), Adrianna Hicks (Erma), Ann Harada (Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt), Lara Teeter (Elisha J. Whitney), Eric Jordan Young (Captain), Danny Gardner (Ahip’s Purser), Spencer Jone (Spit),… and more TBA.
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Master Class will run June 25 – July 20 (opening June 29) at Sag Habor’s Bay Street Theatre, directed by Lisa Peterson.
Vicki Lewis (Maria Callas), Stell Kim, Olivia Hernandez, Rodney Ingram, Brett Ryback, and more TBA.
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Happily Divorced, written & performed by Ruth Brant, will run June 9-29 (opening June 16) at the Actors Company Little Theatre (916 N. Formosa), directed by Mark Hatfield.
Ruth had married for love, had a husband, a home, three kids, and an outlet for her creativity in her masterful abilities in cooking. She thought she had it all. Then she discovered her husband had interests outside the home that were not compatible with marriage. Coming to grips with the fact that her life was not going according to plan, she confronted her husband. She knew that sheneeded to make a change, and now she’s….Happily Divorced.
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Video: Bye Bye Birdie in rehearsal at the Kennedy Center, with Christian Borle, Krysta Rodriguez, and Ephraim Sykes.
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Colman Domingo & Patricia McGregor’s Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole will run in Spring 2025 (dates TBA), directed by McGregor.
Dulé Hill (Nat King Cole), Daniel J. Watts (Sammy Davis, Jr. and more TBA.
The play takes place on the final night of Nat King Cole’s variety show, and features the crooner’s signature songs, including “Nature Boy,” “It’s a Good Day” and “Smile.”
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Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will run July 3 – Aug. 25 (opening July 6) at MD’s Olney Theatre, directed by Amy Anders Corcoran, with choreography by Ashleigh King, and music direction by Christopher Youstra.
Natalie Weiss (Carol King), Michael Perrie Jr. (Gerry Goffin), Nikki Mirza (Cynthia Weil), Calvin McCullough (Barry Mann), Bobby Smith (Don Kirschner), Kaiyla Gross (Chirelle), Jay Frisby (Drifter), Donna Migliaccio (Genie), Connor James Reilly (Righteous Brother), Ian Anthony Coleman (Drifter), Kalen Robinson (Janelle), Quadry Brown (Drifter), Ariana Caldwell (Little Eva), Tori Gomez (Betty), Montel B. Butler (Drifter), Kurt Boehm (Righteous Brother), Lily Burka (Marilyn), Simone Brown (Shirelle), and Christian Montgomery.
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Dancers Responding to AIDs‘ 2024 Fire Island Dance Festival will run July 19-21 at NY’s Fire Island Pines.
Beth Leavel
Schedule TBA.
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An invitation-only reading of Nina Kethevan’s Dress of Fire will take place Thurs. May 30 in NYC, directed by Knud Adams.
Kate Hamill, Austin Pendleton, Atra Asdou, Maxim Bouffard, Onye Eme-Akwari, Jacob Fishel, Rory Kulz, Lena Pepe, Haris PerPervaiz, T. Ryder Smith, and Marguerite Stimpson.
As the conflict rages around the walls of the city, the characters of Dress of Fire are as much preoccupied by their own personal dramas as by the impending disaster that will sweep it all away.
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An Evening with Maltby & Shire and Friends will take place Mon. June 10 at 7 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space, in celebration of Joshua Rosenblum’s new book, “Closer Than Ever,” about the writing team, moderated by Rosenblum.
Kate Baldwin, Liz Callaway, Daniel Jenkins, Joanne Lessner, Christiane Noll, and Bryonha Marie.
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New York Theatre Workshop has announced its 2024-25 season:
We Live in Cairo (Fall 2024), by The Lazours, directed by Taibi Magar. The play follows six student activists using their street art, photography and song to overthrow a regime older than they are.
A Knock on the Roof (Winter 2025), written by & starring Khawla Ibraheem, directed by Oliver Butler. Set the timer. The everyday existence of a mother during a sweltering summer vacation: prepare meals, pack the bag, run the drill, repeat. With a dry wit and the determination of an Olympian, Mariam meticulously practices for the run of her life—the dreaded knock on the roof.
Lights out: Nat “King” Cole (Spring 2025), by Colman Domingo & Patricia McGregor, and featuring Dulé Hill & Daniel J. Watts. Despite being the voice that built Capitol Records, Nat “King” Cole’s groundbreaking NBC variety show faced cancellation as they could not find a sponsor. Now, on the night of his final broadcast, Nat must decide whether to quietly step out of the spotlight, or, as his friend Sammy Davis Jr. urges, “go out with a bang.”
One more production TBA.
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King Nigel’s Nervous Breakdown, written & performed by Satu, will run June 9, 15, 19, 22 & 28 at The Art of Acting Studio Blackbox (1017 N. Orange Drive), directed by Rantz A. Hoseley.
Voices: Anzu Lawson, Farida Rautaharju, Siobhan Doherty, Steve J. Palmer, Jon Kita, Zach Tirone, Lola Darzens, and Bushra Laskar.
New York City, 1981: Punk is eclipsed by ‘post-punk’ as Bowery musicians experiment with genre fusion and the avant-garde. Reluctantly admitted to a psychiatric hospital after a shocking public meltdown, post-punk singer King Nigel recounts the painful truth of being abandoned by her vagabond parents as a child. Searching for community, she dives into the Bowery music scene where she defiantly remakes herself into a new entity that is more of a tempered suit of armor than an honest reflection of who she is inside.