Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be limited theatre news for the foreseeable future. I will continue to search for anything meaningful and/or fun to report. Stay safe and healthy.
This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 29
* The Glass Menagerie Actors Fund benefit reading, directed by Alison Tanney, featuring Emily Skinner (Amanda), Erika Henningsen (Laura), Tim Realbuto (Tom), and Nick Rehberger (Gentleman Caller), at 6 PM ET here.
* “Laughter in Lockdown” comedy fundraiser, in support of The Actors Fund, hosted by Mo Amer, and featuring Wanda Sykes, Judd Apatow, Ray Romano, Roy Wood Jr., Carl Reiner, Craig Robinson, Dave Attell, Gary Gulman, Gina Yashere, Ian Edwards, Jeff Ross, Jim Norton, John Fisch, Keith Robinson, Marina Franklin, Moody McCarthy, Peter Holmes, Robert Kelly, Ronny Chieng, Ted Greenberg, Sal Vulcano, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Vanessa Hollingshead, Starrkeisha’s Cheer Squad, Piff The Magic Dragon, Mr. Piffles, Jade Simone, and more, at 8 PM ET here.
* The Broadhurst at 100! 54 Celebrates the Broadhurst Theatre (2017) FREE concert, offering songs from Fiorello!, Cabaret, Dancin’, and Anastasia, hosted by Robert W. Schneider & Jennifer Ashley Tepper, featuring Jerry Adler, Eli Bolin, Jim Brochu, Carole Demas, Wayne Cilento, Josh Franklin, Marcy Harriell, Sarah Charles Lewis), Howard McGillin, John Miller, Bonnie Milligan, Christiane Noll, Alice Ripley, Don Scardino, Ruby Shadley, Rebecca Spigelman, and a Trivia Contest Video with Jason Alexander, at 6:30 PM ET here.
* Chita: A Legendary Celebration (2013) FREE benefit concert, featuring Chita Rivera, Tommy Tune and Ben Vereen, plus an interview with Richard Ridge, livestreamed at 8 PM ET here.
* Musical Theatre West‘s FREE Bright Star Reunion Concert, featuring performers TBA at 7 PM PT. Not positive this link is correct.
* “Hairspray Live,” (NBC 2016), featuring Maddie Baillio (Tracy Turnblad), Harvey Fierstein (Edna Turnblad), Dove Cameron (Amber Von Tussle), Kristen Chenoweth (Velma Von Tussle), Garrett Clayton (Link Larkin), Ariana Grande (Penny Pingleton), Derek Hough (Corny Collins), Jennifer Hudson (Motormouth Maybelle), Shahadi Wright Joseph (Little Inez), and Martin Short (Wilbur Turnblad), streamed at 2 PM ET here.
* “Mr. Belvedere Zoom Reunion,” with Rob Stone, Tracy Tofte Wells, Brice Beckham, Ilene Graff, and Bob Uecker, at 5 PM PT here.
* Frankie! The Musical concept album, by Elise Marra, featuring Caitlin Kinnunen, Jason Gotay, Jason Sweet-Tooth Williams, Autumn Hurlbert, Allie Trim, Delphi Borich, and Jacquelene Acevedo, released digitally here.
Saturday, May 30
* [title of show] Vineyard Virtual Variety Show livestreamed benefit, directed by Michael Berresse, featuring Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, and Jeff Bowen, with special guests Bill Irwin, Cheyenne Jackson, Linda Lavin, Leslie Odom Jr. & Nicolette Robinson, Steven Pasquale & Phillipa Soo, Zachary Quinto, Brooke Shields, The Lopez Family singers (Bobby Lopez, Kristin Anderson-Lopez, and family), Courtney Balan, Benjamin Howes, Laura Benanti, Jeff Blumenkrantz, David Cale, Victoria Clark, Billy Crudup, Micaela Diamond, Rachel Dratch, Barrett Foa, Ryan J. Haddad, Christopher J. Hanke, John Kander, Judy Kuhn, Rick Lyon, Audra McDonald, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joe Morton, Julia Murney, Alex Newell, Kelli O’Hara, Nathan Salstone, Douglas Sills, Ryan Spahn, and Michael Urie, at 8 PM ET. 
Access to the show is available with a minimum $25 donation here before Noon the day of.
Sunday, May 31
* 65th annual Drama Desk Award winners livestreamed at 7:30 PM here.
* 50th Anniversary of Pride’s The Lavender Effect event, featuring Lily Tomlin, Judith Light, Bradley Whitford, Kathryn Hahn, Amy Landecker, Sally Kirkland, Lady J, Lindsay Pearce, Bruce Vilanch, Michael Musto, Jason Stuary, Chad Michaels, Miss Barbie-Q, Kay Sedia, and Diane Anderson, at 12 PM PT here.
* Sordid Lives FREE benefit reading, by Del Shores, featuring Newell Alexander, Rosemary Alexander, Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, Emerson Collins, Dale Dickey, David Cowgill, Beth Grant, Debby Holiday, Leslie Jordan, Caroline Rhea, playwright Shores, and Ann Walker, with celebrities from the Sordid Lives franchise, including Carson Kressley, Georgette Jones, Alec Mapa, Aleks Paunovic, David Steen, Levi Kreis, and Olivia Newton-John, at 7 PM ET here.
* Kings of Broadway 2020 livestreamed concert, featuring Liz Callway, Michael Colbourne, Deborah Crowe, Jordan Lee Davies, Louise Dearman, Janie Dee, Fra Fee, Rob Houchen, Damian Humbley, Ramin Karimloo, Claudia Kariuki, Emma Kingston, L Morgan Lee, Rebecca Lock, Nadim Naaman, Anna O’Byrne, Fiona O’Carroll, Jamie Parker, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Clive Rowe, Jenna Russell, Lucy Schaufer, Celinde Schoenmaker, Caroline Sheen, Samantha Spiro, Laura Tebbutt, Michael Xavier, and Alex Young, at 8 PM ET here. Not sure this link is accurate.
* Bucks County Playhouse‘s Virtual Variety Show, with Marilu Henner, Julie Halston, cardiologist Harlan Weisman, vocalist Carter Calvert, and more, at 7 PM ET.
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Ryan Murphy is planning to run Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart and The Destiny of Me …in rep.
Dates, casting, and additional information TBA.
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Video: “Stars in the House,” Variety Thursday, with Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf, Rob McClure, and Anneliese van der Pol. (1:07:44)
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Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater has announced upcoming events:
June 1: The Revenger’s Tragedy FREE reading, adapted & directed by Jesse Berger, featuring Cecil Baldwin, Denis Butkus, Jason C. Brown, Aaron Clayton, Saudia Davis, Ryan Farley, Daryl Lathon, Claire Lautier, Matthew Maher, Paul Niebanck, Christopher Oden, Howard Overshown, Petronia Paley, Naomi Peters, Matthew Rauch, Russell Salmon, Marc Vietor, and Yaegel Welch, at 7:30 PM ET here. 
A searing examination of humankind’s social need for justice and our animal desire for vengeance.
June 8: “Beware the Green-eyed Monster” conversation with Patrick Page and Nathan Wilkelstein, at 7:30 PM here.
June 15: The Government Inspector FREE reading, featuring Arnie Burton, Stephen DeRosa, Michael McGrath, Mary Testa, and Michael Urie, at 7:30 PM ET here.
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Due to Covid-19, the UK/Ireland tour of The Phantom of the Opera has been cancelled.
No word yet on whether or not the tour will be rescheduled.
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The NT Live re-broadcast of James Graham’s This House (2012) is now available for free through June 4 at 12 PM ET, directed by Jeremy Herrin. (2:39:03)
Charles Edwards, Matthew Pidgeon, and Giles Taylor, with Vincent Franklin, Lauren O’Neil, Julian Wadham, Ed Hughes, Gunnar Cauthery, Christopher Godwin, Andrew Havill, Helena Lymbery, Tony Turner, and Rupert Vansittart.
It’s 1974, and Britain has a hung parliament. The corridors of Westminster ring with the sound of infighting and backstabbing as the political parties battle to change the future of the nation.
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Video: Gladys Knight, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” (1985)
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Broadway Cares has announced its Cares Virtual 5K race, to take place June 13-14.
The non-competitive sporting fundraiser can be completed anywhere, on socially distanced streets and trails, or even in living rooms. There is no fee to register, although each participant has a suggested minimum fundraising goal of $250.
Participants can run, walk, hike, bike, leap, or even jeté to reach the distance goal. Anyone venturing outdoors is encouraged to wear protective face masks, remain at least six feet apart from others, and follow all local health and safety directives.
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Video: In case you missed it, here’s the “Company Original Cast Album” documentary, with commentary by Hal Prince and Elaine Stritch. (52:36)
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Off-Broadway’s York Theatre has extended its 50th Anniversary Online Auction through June 30, although bidding on select items will conclude on May 31 at 8 PM ET.
Click here to view all items and to bid
Featured items:
* Private dance class with Randy Skinner and Gerry McIntyre
* Private voice lessons with Phil Reno
* Master classes with Steve Ross and Klea Blackhurst
* One-on-one session with casting director Michael Cassara
* CD of rare demo tracks from Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty
* Performance workshop with Gretchen Cryer
* Signed sheet music from Sheldon Harnick
* Original sketches and drawing by Harvey Schmidt
* You Choice of VIP theatre seats
* Lifetime York Plus! Membership
* Virtual Happy Hour with James Morgan
* The King & I original program with 6 autographs (which includes John Van Druten, Gertrude Lawrence, Yul Brynner, and more)
* Sheldon Harnick handwritten “Sunrise, Sunset” sheet music (Fiddler on the Roof)
* Alan Menken & David Zippel Hercules signed sheet music for “To Be Human”
* Handwritten lead sheet of a song cut from Nancy Ford & Gretchen Cryer’s I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road
* Mint condition copy of the original cast LP of Broadway’s 42nd Street, signed by the entire cast, including Tammy Grimes and Jerry Orbach
* Bette Davis’ art deco costume brooch worn in 1967 on set at NBC. Metal alloy and black enamel
* Private Zoom or Facetime with Lee Roy Reams, with his backstage stories and gossip of the greats, including Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Gower Champion, and David Merrick, and Lauren Bacall, and more.
and more…
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Video: Trailer for the “Freestyle Love Supreme” documentary, which will premiere June 5 on Hulu.
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Article: As the COVID-19 public health crisis continues, Actors’ Equity Association has released new guidelines for producing theatre in the future.
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Thomas Kail will direct a new film version of Fiddler on the Roof, with a new screenplay (based on the original musical) by Steven Levenson.
Casting, timeline, and additional information TBA.
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92Y presents a limited online release of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, written & performed by James Lecesne, to run Jun 1-30, directed by Tony Speciale,
Lecesne portrays every character in a small Jersey shore town as they unravel the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant 14-year-old boy who goes missing.
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Video: “Yvette Slosch, Agent,” Ep. 6, starring Linda Lavin.
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Billy Van Zandt’s “Get in the Car, Jane” is now available in Kindle and Paperback here. Part behind-the-scenes gossip, part textbook, all truth.
A behind-the-scenes memoir of Billy’s years making America’s favorite (and not so favorite) TV sitcoms, with first-hand observations of Lucille Ball, Brooke Shields, Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Martin Lawrence, Andrew Dice Clay, Richard Lewis, Bob Newhart, Jamie Lee Curtis, The Wayans Bros., Richard Mulligan, Alan Arkin, DL Hughley, Dorothy Lamour, Elaine Stritch, Rosie O’Donnell, Olympia Dukakis, Penny Marshall, Matthew Perry, and more.