This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 26
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, opens at London’s Old Vic.
The Darkness: Goddess Revealed, written by & starring Nick Gillie, opens at LA’s Actor’s Gang.
“Being Mary Tyler Moore” documentary debuts on HBO and HBO Max.
Love + Science, by David J. Glass, directed by Allen MacLeod, featuring Jonathan Burke and Matt Walker, with Thursday Farrar, Ryan Knowles, Tally Sessions, Imani Pearl Williams, and Adrian Greensmith, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s New York City Center.
Patriots, by Peter Morgan, directed by Rupert Goold, featuring Tom Hollander (Boris Berezovsky), Will Keen (Vladimir Putin), Luke Thallon (Roman Abramovich), Matt Concannon (Assistant/Daniel Kahneman / Russian Captain), Ronald Guttman (Professor Perelman), Sean Kingsley (Voloshin/Nurse), Paul Kynman (Korzhakov /Yeltsin/ FSB Boss/ Reporter/ Bodyguard), and Jessica Temple (Anna Berezovsky / Newscaster/ Journalist/ Secretary /Pianist), Josef Davies (Alexander Litvinenko, Ashley G Gerlach (Lawyer / Home Office), Howard Goddington (Teacher /Compromised Newscaster), Stefani Martini (Marina Litvinenko / Nina Berezovsky), and Evelyn Miller (Taaianna / Katya / Judge / Lover), begins previews at London’s Noel Coward Theatre.
Marti Cummings: Drugs, Drag, and Divorce concert, directed by Michael LaMasa, with special guests Michelle Dowdy, Jamie Cepero, Mike Rosengarten, and Joshua Roberts, at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Joe’s Pub.
Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway: Broadway the Calla-Way! concert, at 6 PM at Palm Spring’s Purple Room.
Saturday, May 27
“Mr. Saturday Night” screening & conversation, with special guest Billy Crystal, in-person & online at 6 PM NYC’s 92Y.
Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, by Jonathan Hogue, featuring (original Off-Broadway cast): Jamir Brown (Lucas), Shawn Smith (Hopper, Jeremiah Garcia (Dustin), Caroline Huerta (Joyce/Will), Jeffrey Laughrun (Mike), Garrett Paladin (Steve/Jonathan/Harley Seger (Eleven/Nancy), and SLee (Barb), streams at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on Stellar Live.
Millennials Are Killing Musicals developmental production, by Nico Juber, directed by Ciara Renée, featuring Max Crumm (Nate/Atlas), Tiffany Engen (Jake’s Mom), Jakeim Hart (Dylan), Diana Huey (Katrina), Sheri Sanders (Nana Marie), Jae W.B. (Luna), and Brinie Wallace (Pacifica), with Jessie Alagna and Kathel Griffin, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre 71 (152 W. 71st St.)
Dancing at Lughnasa, by Brian Friel, directed by Josie Rourke, featuring Siobhán McSweeney, Ardal O’Hanlon, Alison Oliver, Louisa Harland, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Bláithín Mac Gabhann, Justine Mitchell, Tom Riley, Sean Donegan, Lauren Farrell, George Turner, and Caitríona Williams, closes at London’s Olivier Theatre.
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, closes at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theatre Company.
Sunday, May 28
Broadway World’s 20th Anniversary Concert, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, hosted by Chita Rivera & Richard Ridge, featuring Shoshana Bean, Laura Benanti, Liz Callaway, Mario Cantone, Jenn Colella, Kurt Domoney, Myles Frost, Debbie Gibson, Olivia Hardy, Brittney Johnson, Constantine Maroulis, Howard McGillin, Donn McKechnie, Orfeh, Seth Rudetsky, Marc Shaiman, Christopher Sieber, Blair St. Clair, Paulo Szot, Elizabeth Teeter, Natalie Toro, Jessica Vosk, Josh Walden, and some special surprises, at 8 PM at NYC’s Sony Hall.
“National Memorial Day Concert,” conducted by Jack Everly, hosted by Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, featuring Trace Adkins, S. Epatha Merkerson, Megan Hilty, John Slattery, Dulé Hill, Yoland Adams, Jo Dee Messina, Mary McCormack, The War and Treaty, Chosen Jacobs, and Phillip Phillips, will air at 8 PM on PBS (check local listings) or watch the livestream here.
Shadow/land, world premiere by Erika Dickerson-Despenza, directed by Candis C. Jones, featuring Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lynnette R. Freeman, Perri Gaffney, Lizan Mitchell, Christine Shepherd, and Joy-Marie Thompson, closes at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
The Beautiful Lady, by Elizabeth Swados & Paula Schmidts, adapted by Jocelyn Clarke, featuring Tom Nelis, Henry Stram, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Andrew Polec, Kate Fulgei, George Abud, Starr Busby, Djore Nance, Paula Gaudier, Red Guhde, Jacob Lousheim, and Maya Sharpe, closes at Off-Broadway’s La Mama.
A Little Night Music, directed by David Lee, featuring Merle Dandridge (Desirée Armfeldt), Michael Hayden (Fredrick Egerman), Jodi Long (Madame Armfeldt), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Countess Charlotte Malcolm), Chase Del Rey (Henrik Egerman), Makara Gamble (Frederika Armfeldt), Adam James King (Frid), Ruby Lewis (Petra), Ryan Silverman (Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm), Kaley Ann Voorhees (Anne Egerman), Georgia Belmont (Mrs. Nordstrom), Jared Bybee (Mr. Lindquist), Kimberly Dawson (Mrs. Segerstrom), Oriana Falla (Mrs. Anderssen), Arnold Geis (Mr. Erlanson), Brandon Borkowsky (Bertrand), Mikaela Celeste (Osa), and Danny Cron (Ingmar), Audrey Williams (Mala), with Christianna Rowader, closes at Pasadena Playhouse.
Rent, directed by Ty Defoe, featuring Scott Redmond (Mark), Adrian Lopez (Roger), Teresa Zimmerman (Maureen), Simone Gundy (Joanne), Tomas Matos (Angel), Will Mann (Tom), Isabella De Souza Moore (Mimi), and Jamall Houston (Benjamin), with Kahlil Cabble, Dwayne Cook, Jack Gereski, Jayson Kolbicz, Stephanie Jones, Tyler Lewis, Miles Marmolejo, Dominick Pecikonis, Gemini Quintos, Sarah Sachi, Yasmyn Sumiyoshi, and Raven Justine Troup, closes at Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars.
The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Whitney Houston Tribute, created & directed by Mark Clements, featuring Alesia Miller, Alina Cherone, and Charlotte Odusanya, closes at Milwaukee Rep.
Ebony Rep‘s Ain’t Misbehavin’, directed by Wren T. Brown, featuring Yvette Cason (Nell), Wilkie Ferguson III (Andre), Connie Jackson (Armelia), Marty Austin Lamar (Ken), and Natalie Wachen (Charlayne), closes at LA’s Nate Holden PAC .
Picnic, directed by John Farmanesh-Bocca, featuring Monti Washington (Hal Carter), Mattie Harris Lowe & Caitlin O’Grady (alternating as Madge Owens), Symphony Canady (Millie), Yolanda Snowball (Flo), Ahkei Togun (Alan Seymour), Sydney A. Mason (Rosemary Sydney), Ronin Lee & Derrick Parker (alternating as Howard Bevans), Rosemary Thomas (Helen Potts), and Erika L. Holmes (Irma Kronkite), closes at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
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Reviews for Roundabout’s Primary Trust at Off-Broadway’s Laura Pels Theatre:
NY Times (Naveen Kumar): …director Knud Adams’s graceful production… Mordant subtext and typically empty sentiments are among the ways Booth demonstrates that language can convey deep pain one minute and ring utterly hollow the next, usually in the service of capitalism. In contrast to Kenneth’s confessional narration are the rote greetings of a carousel of servers at Wally’s … Harper, who is onstage for nearly all of the production’s 95 minutes, performs with astonishing ease and vulnerability…
Daily Beast (Tim Teeman): … New York City’s best new play—truly, it is five-star exceptional… as beautifully written by Eboni Booth as it is directed by Knud Adams, is a 95-minute, intermissionless, buffed-to-gleaming jewel, following the life of a handsome, charming man named Kenneth (Emmy-nominated The Good Place star William Jackson Harper), who—capsized early in life by a horrifically traumatic event—struggles, mulls, deflects, and cheerfully and not-so-cheerfully interrogates how to progress with his life in the suburb of Cranberry, New York.
Theatermania (Zachary Stewart): …Booth makes us privy to his internal life through a series of direct address monologues that reveal a thoughtful, kind, extremely lovable person who has found some level of contentment in his solitude — at least as far as he is willing to admit… Harper delivers a captivating performance as Kenneth, seizing and holding our attention with his magnetic delivery, which ranks up there with some of the best storytellers and stand-up comedians… Knud Adams…once again proves why he is one of the smartest directors working in the theater.
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Pasadena Playhouse has announced its 2023-24 season:
The Sound Inside (Sept. 6 – Oct. 1), by Adam Rapp. 
Not everything is as it seems behind the ivy-covered walls of Yale, where an unlikely bond leads to an unthinkable favor. Writing professor Bella Baird is looking for answers, but a fateful encounter with a mysterious student could lead to life-changing consequences for both of them. Nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Play, Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp’s haunting 90-minute thriller will leave you wondering who you can trust and remind you everyone has a story — the question is how it ends.
Inherit the Wind (Nov. 1–26), by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee.
Pasadena Playhouse Holiday Variety Show (Dec. 9 – 23), created by Sam Pinkleton.
Kate (Jan. 17 -Feb. 11, 2024), written & performed by Kate Berlant. Kate explores the events of her life that have brought her to this moment. Embodying many characters in this tour de force performance, she expertly morphs before our eyes and exposes a truth she has, until now, kept hidden.
One of the Good Ones (Mar. 13 – Apr. 7), world premiere by Bloria Calderón Kellett. When the “perfect” Latina daughter brings her boyfriend home to meet the parents, her family’s biases and preconceptions are put on full display. As tensions run high and hilarity ensues, everyone must navigate the ins and outs of family dynamics and the boundaries of acceptance — all while tackling the age-old question: what does it truly mean to be an American?
Jelly’s Last Jam (May 28 – June 23), directed by TBA.
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Private industry readings of Chris Ceraso & William Zeffiro’s Houdini Among the Spirits will take place June 5 & 6 in NYC, directed by Eric Parness, with music direction by Matthew Martin Ward.
Robert Cuccioli (Harry Houdini) and Gordon Stanley (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), with David Arthur Bachrach, Kieran Brown, William Thomas Colin, Jeremy Crothers, Shana Farr, Jim Ferris, Sadie Greenberg, Abby Hase, Leonard Joseph, Déa Julien, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Kristian Perez, Sarah Rice, Laura Shoop, and Jonathan Randall Silver.
In the years following World War I, magician Harry Houdini and Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became great friends in search of a world-healing truth. In the half-dozen years leading to Houdini’s mysterious premature death, they became bitter rivals in a supernatural quest.
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Irish Rep‘s inaugural New Works Summer Festival will run June 20-24, all at 7 PM, and will spotlight the work of LGBTQ+ artists.
Drip Feed (June 20), by Karen Cogan, directed by Nicola Murphy Dubey
ERIS (June 21), by John King, directed by Nicola Murphy D
Once Before I Go (June 22), by Phillip McMahon, directed by Nicola Murphy D
Irishtown (June 23), by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, directed by Colm Summers.
Motherland (June 24), by May Treuhaft-Ali, directed by Colm Summers.
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Dial “M” for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, will run June 27 – July 23 at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre, directed by Walter Bobbie.
Mamie Gummer, Rosa Gilmore, Erich Bergen, Max Gordon Moore, and Red Rogers.
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The next Songbook Sundays concert, Savin’ My Love for Fats Waller, will take place June 11 at 5 PM & 7:30 PM at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s, created & hosted by Deborah Grace Winer, with music direction by Richard Cummings.
Karrin Allyson, Aisha de Haas, and Tyreek McDole.
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The world premiere of Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Laundry, written & directed by John Patrick Shanley, will run in Winter 2024 at Ncw York City Center.
Dates, link, casting and additional information TBA.
Sometimes big things start from little things; in this case, a bag of laundry. Shanley’s latest is about three sisters and a guy who runs a laundry in Brooklyn, and the sometimes savage tricks life plays on them. Tragic and funny by turns, this story will remind you what is important in life… and the sorrow and joy of fully embracing adulthood.
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The Fire Island Dance Festival, in support of Dancers Responding to AIDS, will return July 14-16 to Fire Island Pines.
Alan Cumming and Ari Shapiro
Raja Featuer Kelly, Ray Mercer, Skyla Schreter, Jonathan Lee, Paul McGill, Benjaman Freemantle, Juliano Nunes, David Parsons,
serpentwithfeet, Taylor Stanley, Alec Knight, Ashley Hod, Craig, Wasserman, Ahmad Joudeh, Gaby Diaz, Derek Dunn, Shale Wagman, Allen Toussaint, **********************
5 Star Theatricals will present Cinderella July 14-23 at Thousand Oaks’ Kavli Theatre, directed by Yvette Lawrence, with choreography by Cheryl Baxter, and music direction by Anthony Lucca.
Camryn Hamm (Ella), Tyler Burk (Topher), Emily King Brown (Madame), Kevin Bailey (Sebastian), Regina Fernandez (Marie), Sarah Hinrichsen (Gabrielle), Kelsie Piini (Charlotte), Frankie Zabilka (Jean-Michel), and Landen Starkaman (Lord Pinkleton), with Georgia Bresnillian, Lucy Bollier, Aaron, Camites, Mary Kate Chapman, Anna Dreslinksi, Lila Dunham, Andrew Ge, Kayla Goldsberry, Matthew San Jose, Bruno Kosskoff, Kailyn Leilani, Sharon Logan, Laufen Lorati, Sammy Linkowski, Rachel McLaughlan, Andrea Pantazis, Luke Prynor, Coby Rogers, Cole Sisser, Joshua Tanenbaum, and Abigail Thompson.
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Wonderful Town 70th Anniversary All-Star Concert! will take place Wed. June 21 at 9:30 PM at NYC’s 54 Below, directed by Robert W. Schneider.
Erin Davie, Amanda Green, Sean McDermott, Raymond Jaramillo McLoed, Lauren Molina, Lee Roy Reams, J Savage, Seth Sikes, and Karen Ziemba.
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Click here to listen to the complete Ragtime concert (1:44:35), which took place May 12-13 with the Boston Pops, directed by Jason Danieley), made possible by a radio broadcast on Classical Radio Boston.
Phumzile Soiola (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Elizabeth Stanley (Mother), John Cariani (Tateh), Nikki Renée Daniels (Emma Goldman), David Harris (Father), A.J. Shively (Mother’s Younger Brother), Klea Blackhurst (Emma Goldman), Julia Little (The Little Girl), and Quinn Murphy (The Little Boy).