This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, May 31
The World According to Micki Grant, compiled, adapted & directed by Nora Cole, featuring Matelyn Alicia, April Armstrong, Patrice Benn and Shawn Bowers, opens at Off-Broadway’s New Federal Theatre (new address: 55 West End Ave.)
Now That’s What I Call Broadway concert, celebrating Broadway’s favorite musical theater moments and performances, with music direction by by Wes D’Alelio, featuring Kaelee Albritton, Rickens Anantua, Olivia Lacie Andrews, Ryan Byrne, Wes D’Alelio, Sydney Kamel, Gabriel Kearns, Liisi La Fontaine, Jaelle Laguerre, Aaron James McKenzie, Ricky Moyer, angel Sigala, and Ayanna Nicole Thomas, opens at NYC’s 54 Below.
Evita, directed by José Zayas, featuring Gaby Albo (Evita), Samuel Druhora (Juan Peron), Jorge Echeverría (Augustin Magaldi), and Madison Figueroa (Peron’s Mistress), with Gabriel Argate, Libby Blubaugh, Maggie Cantwell, Ricky Cardenas, Daniella Castoria, Jerrod Ganesh, Abby Harnum, Olivia Jones, Jadon Lopez, Olivia Miranda, Elle Ouimet, Max Sherman, Justin Sudderth, Ryan Torres, and Carly Garcia Walton, opens at NJ’s Axlerod Theatre.
Yellow Face, by David Henry Hwang, directed by Ted Hewlett, featuring J.B. Barricklo (HYH), Michael Hissamoto (DHH), Alexander Holden (Marcus G. Dahlman), Jupiter Lé (Nwoaoc), Jenny S. Lee (Jane Krawkowski, and Mei Macquarrie (Leah Anne Cho), opens at Boston’s Lyric Stage.
Steel Magnolias, directed by Paige Price, featuring Amy Loui (M’Lynn), Taylor Quick (Shelby), Jilanne Marie Klaus (Truvy), Abigail Isom (Annelle), Zoe Vonder Haar (Ouiser), and Kari Ely (Clairee), with Lari White, Lexy Witcher, and Meme Wolff, opens at Stages St. Louis.
Private Parts, a collection of personal true stories, directed by Laura James, featuring David Baer, Apurv Khanna (A.K.), Mimi Kmet, Christopher Landis, Pamela Najera, Alexandria Sanders, Rick Simone-Friedland, Megan Smith, and Monika Vidakovic, opens at LA’s Theatre West.
Group Rep‘s You Can’t Take It With You, by Kaufman & Hart, directed by Leota Rhodes, featuring Linda Alznauer (Gay Wellington), Patrick Anthony (De Pinna – shared role), Cynthia Bryant (Rheba – shared role), Matthew Clair (Mr. Kirby – shared role), Rebecca Del Sesto (Alice- shared role), Lareen Faye (Mrs. Kirby – shared role), Theresa Ford (Rheba – shared role), Christian George (FBI Agent), Brenda James (Penny), Paul Anthony Kelly (Tony-shared role), Jessica Kent (Alice -shared role), Koushik (De Pinna-shared role), Tom Kramer (Henderson), Cassidy Le Clair (Essie – shared role), Kevin Michael Moran (Mr. Kirby – shared role), Lloyd Pedersen (Grandpa), Ryan Rathbun (Tony – shared role), Danny Salay (Kolenkhov), Tack Sappington (Ed – shared role), Holly Seidcheck (Essie – shared role), Vansh Sha (Ed – shared role), Sara Shearer (Duchess Olga – shared role,), Suzan Solomon (Duchess Olga – shared role), Lawrence Toffler (Paul), and Sammie Wayne, IV (Donald), opens at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre Theatre.
The Little Mermaid, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Leianna Weaver (Ariel), Coleman Cummings (Prince Eric), Trent Mills (King Triton), Dana Orange (Sebastian) Kevin Kulp (Flounder), Quintan Craig ((Scuttle), Regina Le Vert (Ursula), Mitchell Lam Hau (Flotsam, Christopher Diem (Jetsam, Jeff Skowron (Chef Louis/Pilot), and Kevin Symons (Grimsby), with Kevin Corte, Katie Cruz, Cristyn Dang, Daniel Dawson, Andrea Dobbins, Christopher Ho, Michael James, Kurt Kemper, Edgar Lopez, Tayler Mettra, Neema Muteti, Madison Miyuki Sprague, Candace J. Washington, Josh Zacher and Helen Tait, previews at CA’s La Mirada Theatre.
“My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert” album, featuring Joanna Ampil, Michael Ball, Daniel Dae Kim, Maria Friedman,Audra McDonald, Julian Ovenden, Lucy St. Louis, Aaron Tveit,Marisha Wallace, and Patrick Wilson, with Anna-Jane Casey, Lily Kerhoas, Jonny Labey, and Jordan Shaw, and more, released on all platforms.
Saturday, June 1
Wonder of Wonders: Celebrating Sheldon Harnick concert & conversation, with Ted Sperling, Adam Heller, Adam Kantor, Anna Zavelson, Sam Gravitte, and Alysha Umphress, begins at NYC’s 92NY.
The Subject was Roses, directed by Scott Wittman, featuring (real-life family) John Slattery, Talia Balsam, and Harry Stattery, opens at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Little Mermaid, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Leianna Weaver (Ariel), Coleman Cummings (Prince Eric), Trent Mills (King Triton), Dana Orange (Sebastian) Kevin Kulp (Flounder), Quintan Craig ((Scuttle), Regina Le Vert (Ursula), Mitchell Lam Hau (Flotsam, Christopher Diem (Jetsam, Jeff Skowron (Chef Louis/Pilot), and Kevin Symons (Grimsby), with Kevin Corte, Katie Cruz, Cristyn Dang, Daniel Dawson, Andrea Dobbins, Christopher Ho, Michael James, Kurt Kemper, Edgar Lopez, Tayler Mettra, Neema Muteti, Madison Miyuki Sprague, Candace J. Washington, Josh Zacher and Helen Tait, opens at CA’s La Mirada Theatre.
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara‘s Alice, Formerly of Wonderland, world premiere by Mark Saltzman, directed by Jim Fall, featuring Matthew Greenwood (Caterpillar/Alfred Rowston), Margie Mays (Alice Liddell), Bree Murphy (Queen Victoria/Mrs. Pettigrew/Victor), Sam O’Byrne (Prince Leopold) Sawyer Patterson (Edward Brockett), and Brent Schindele (Dean Henry Liddell), opens at Santa Barbara’s New Vic.
The Sandwich Ministry, by Miranda Rose Hall, directed by Katie Lindsay, featuring Jayne Taini, Jordan Hull, and Maha Chehlaoui, opens at LA’s Skylight Theatre.
David, A New Musical, by Martha Rosenblatt, Gary Glickstein & Al Tapper, directed & choreographed by Kyle Pleasant, featuring Danny Arnold (Saul), Jay Aubrey Jones (Achish), Jacob Louchheim (Jonathan), Caleb Mathura (Solomon), Kenny Morris (Nathan), Timothy Warmen (David), Olivia Vadnais (Michal), and Ethan Zeph (Young David), with Ashley Marie Arnold, Blair Alexis Brown, Bruce Blanchard, Scott Harrison, Garland Ray, and Jodi Snyder, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s AMT Theatre.
Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra concert, at 7:30 PM at Pittsburgh CLO.
The Complete History of the American Musical Theatre of the 1960s concert, narrated by Dan Fishbach & Mark D. Kaufmann, featuring Mary Gordon Murray, Scott Harlan, Sharon McNight, Sophie Beck and Hayden Kharrazi, at 8 PM at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
The Actors, by Ronnie Larsen, directed by Stuart Meltzer, featuring Jason Guy, Jeni Hacker, Ronnie Larsen, Allen Lewis Rickman, and Gabriell Salgado, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Distractions at the Crash Site: Short Plays by Steve Yockey, directed by Ryan Bergmann, featuring Lisa Clifton, Krista Conti, Henry Cruz, Cat Davis, Grace Eboigbe, Sierra Marcks, Ron Morehouse, Trevor Olsen, Gabby Sanalitro, and Joel Scher, with Rebecca Light, closes at Hollywood’s Theatre of NOTE.
Write Act Rep‘s Write of Spring 2024, by Susan C. Hunter, Thomas J. Misuraca, Rochelle Perry, Jorge A. Pulido & Darrin Yalacki, directed by Alicia Marie Agramonte, Susan Eiden, Roxie Lee, Anne Mesa, and Darrin Yalacki, featuring Oraldo Austin, Leticia Carrasco, Taylor Dam, Dorian Frankel,Mary Nakanishi, Shawn Plunkett, Yvette Price, Matt Roussel,Courtney South, Adam Wasser, and Annie Zhang, closes at North Hollywood’s, Brickhouse Theatre.
Sunday, June 2
Jelly’s Last Jam, directed by Kent Gash, featuring John Clarence Stewart (Jelly Roll Morton), Cress Williams (Chimney Man), and Jasmine Amy Rogers (Anita), Karole Foreman (Gran /Mimi), Wilkie Ferguson III (Jack the Bear), Grasan Kingsberry (Buddy Bolden), Summer Nicole Greer (Miss Mamie), Doran Butler (Young Jelly), Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill (Hunnie), Naomi C. Walley (Hunnie), Janaya Jones (Hunnie), Hannah Yosef (Too Tight Nora), Joe Aaron Reid (Foot-In-Yo-Ass Sam), and Eric B. Anthony (Three Finger Jake), with Davon Rashawn, Amber Liekhus, and Chante Carmel, opens at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Holmes & Watson, by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by David Ellenstein, featuring Richard Baird (Watson), Matt Koenig (Holmes #2), Matthew Floyd Miller (Holmes #1), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (Dr. Evans), Mike Peebler, (Orderly/Moriarty/Inspector), Alice Sherman (The Matron/The Woman), and Christopher M. Williams (Holmes #3), opens at Laguna Playhouse.
Broadway Bets, benefit game night, in support of BC/EFA, at 6 PM at NYC’s Sardi’s.
The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers, by Alex Brightman & Drew Gasparini, directed by Chad Rabinovitz, closes at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages.
York Theatre Company‘s A Sign of the Times, by Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Petula Clark, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, and other 1960s artists, directed by Gabriel Barry, featuring Chilina Kennedy (Cindy), Ryan Silverman (Brian), Justin Matthew Sargeant (Matt), and Crystal Lucas-Perry (Tanya), with Cassie Austin, Erica Simone Barnett, Shawn Bowers, Alyssa Carol, Jeremiah Ginn, Kuppi Alec Jessop, Lena Matthews, Maggie McDowell, J Savage, Michael Starr, Edward Staudenmayer, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Jeans.
Death Becomes Her, world premiere by Julia Mattison, Noel Carey & Marco Pennette, directed by Robert Zemeckis & Christopher Gattelli,, featuring Megan Hilty (Madeline Ashton) Jennifer Simard (Helen Sharp), Christopher Sieber (Ernest Menville) and Michelle Williams (Viola Van Horn), with Marija Abney, Sarita Colon, Kaleigh Cronin, Natalie Charle Ellis, Taurean Everett, Michael Graceffa, Kolton Krouse , Josh Lamon, Sarah Meahl, Diana Vaden, Sir Brock Warren, Bud Weber, Ryan Worsing, Ericka Hunter Yang, Warren Yang, Beau Harmon, Johanna Moise, Amy Quanbeck, and Zach Williams, closes at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre.
Sally & Tom, by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, featuring Sheria Irving (Luce/Sally), Gabriel Ebert (Mike/Tom), Sun Mee Chomet (Scout/Polly), Leland Fowler (Devon/Nathan), Kristolyn Lloyd (Maggie/Mary), Alano Miller (Kwame/James), Kate Nowlin (Ginger/Patsy), and David Petzold (Geoff/Cooper/Colonel Carey/Mr. Tobias), closes at Off-Broadway’s Public Theatre.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, directed by Rob Ruggiero, featuring Lenny Wolpe (Chairman/William Carwright), Liz McCartney (Princess Puffer/Angela Prysock), Mamie Parris (Alice Nutting), Paul Adams Schaefer (Jasper/Clive Paget), Levin Valayil (Neville Landless/Victor Grinstead), Riley Noland (Rosa Bud/Jetta Juriansz), Paul Slade Smith (Crisparkle/Cedric Moncreiff), David Beach (Durdles/Master Nick Cricker), Marcus Montgomery (Deputy/Mister Nick Cricker), and Jamie LaVerdier (Bazzard/Phillip Bax), with Jon Cooper, Benjamin Howes, Albert Jennings, Miyuki Miyagi, Jacqueline Petroccia, Jesse Swimm, Natalie Welch, Megan Arseneau and Noah Rubeck, closes at CT’s Goodspeed.
A Complicated Woman, by Ianne Fields Stewart, Jonathan Brielle & Sam Salmond, directed & choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, featuring Nora Brigid Monahan (John/Jean), L Morgan Lee (Nina Mae), Christian Brailsford (L Morgan Lee), Klea Blackhurst (Myrtle), Danny Rutigliano (Lee Shubert), Dashiell Gregory (Carl), Zachary A. Myers (Muhlaysia), and Arewà Basit (Diamond), with Bryan Munar and Siena Rafter, closes at CT’s Goodspeed.
Newsies, directed by Ryan Scarlata, featuring Pierre Marais (Jack Kelly), Calien Fu (Katherine Plumber), Ben Diamond (Davey), Christina Wells (Medda Larkin), Graham Rowat (Pulitzer), Luis-Pablo Garcia (Crutchie), Bret Shuford (Snyder), Michael Alonzo (Oscar Delancey), and Hunter Burke (Morris Delancey) with Alex Aponte, Armani Brown, Ben Chavez, Sebastian Martinez, Cameron Sirian, Chris Tipps, Cole Zieser. Daniel Karash, Madeleine Bourgeois, Chase Fontenot, Trey Harrington, Mark Ivy, Miles Marmolejo, Chris Scurlock, Braden Tanner and Holland Vavra, closes at Houston’s TUTS.
Judgement Day, world premiere by Rob Ulin, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, featuring Jason Alexander (Sammy Campo), Daniel Breaker (Father Michael) and Candy Buckley (Angel), with Maggie Bofill (Tracy), Olivia Denise Dawson (Della), Joe Dempsey (Jackson), Michael Kostroff (Monsignor), Ellis Myers (Sammy/Casper), and Meg Thalken (Edna), closes at Chicago’s Shakespeare Theater.
Singularities or the Computers of Venus, written & directed by Laura Stribling, featuring Blaire Chandler (Julia), Avery Clyde (Caroline), Susan Diol (Maria), Kate Huffman (Lena), Noelle Mercer (Elizabeth, and Krishna Smitha (Sophia), closes at North Hollywood’s Road on Magnolia.
Private Parts, a collection of personal true stories, directed by Laura James, featuring David Baer, Apurv Khanna (A.K.), Mimi Kmet, Christopher Landis, Pamela Najera, Alexandria Sanders, Rick Simone-Friedland, Megan Smith, and Monika Vidakovic, concludes at LA’s Theatre West.
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The Negro Ensemble Company (link TBA) will present Charles Fuller’s Zooman and the Sign June 27 – July 7 at the American Theatre of Actors (314 West 54th Street), directed by Phyllis Yvonne Stickney.
Wadiah Brown, Ashlee Danielle, Isaiah Joseph (as Zooman), Salif Kone, Isaiah Martinez, Benjamin Rowe, Constance Thompson and Reginald L. Wilson.
A twelve year old girl was killed by a stray bullet from Zooman’s gun during a gang shootout. The title character — a young slum-shaped sociopath — became one of the signal individual dramatic creations of the American theater. The play explores the effects of gun violence on a family and its struggle to convince apathetic neighbors to take a stand together to achieve justice.
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Troubadour Theater Company‘s Duran Durantony & Cleopatra, adapted & directed by Matt Walker, will run June 6-17 at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.
Beth Kennedy, Rick Batalla, Mike Sulprizio, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, John Paul Batista, Katie Kitani, Mark McCracken, Philip McNiven, and Suzanne Jolie.
Watch the Troubies COME UNDONE as they tell the twisted tale of love, lust, and sharp objects where the RIO GRANDE becomes the Nile.
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Musical Theatre Guild will present Broadway Time Capsule: 1996 on Tues. June 25 at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club, directed by Will Collyer & Susan Edwards Martin, with music direction by Jeff Hoeppner.
Eileen Barnet, Roger Befeler, Jennifer Bennett, Teri Bibb, Bryan Chesters, Will Collyer, Susan Edwards Martin, Joshua Finkel, Tal Fox, Julie Garnyé, Kim Huber, Maura Knowles, Melissa Lyons Caldretti, Kevin Matsumoto, Tonoccus McClain, Dana Meller, Barbara Minkus, Chelsea Morgan Stock, Gabriel Navarro, Trance Thompson, Diane Vincent, Paul Wong, Robert Yako, and David Zak.
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David McDonald’s Ella The Ungovernable will run June 29 – July 7 at Theater for the New City (155 First Ave.), directed by David McDonald & Michele Baldwin.
Christian Neal (Ella), Tyra Hughes (Alice), Ebony Nixon (Althea), Shadenia Sivad (Marie) and Michele Baldwin (Tempie).
The play is about 15 year-old Ella Fitzgerald’s incarceration in Hudson, NY, in 1933 and the escape that launched her singing career.
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Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate has been extended for the final time, and will now close June 30 at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre, directed by Lila Neugebauer.
Sarah Paulson, Corey Stoll, Natalie Gold, Elle Fanning, Alyssa Emily Marvin, Graham Campbell, Lincoln Cohen, Michael Esper, and Everett Sobers.
Join a family reunion following the death of a patriarch, where reminiscing gives way to long-secret revelations and explosive tension.
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South Pacific will run June 14 – Aug. 11 (opening June 26) at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Chay Yew, with choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Adam Souza.
Danielle Wade (Nelli Forbush), Omar Lopez-Cepero (Emile deBecque), Sky Vaux Fuller (Nagana), Mejay Roa (Jerome), Joan Almedilla (Bloody Mary), Alex Humphreys (Liat), Keven Quillon (Luther Billis), and Cameron Royal (Lt. Cable), with Ethan Hardy Benson, Kelly Berman, Eric Briarly, Chloe Fox, Graham Keen, Hannah Jewel Kohn, Danny Lindgren, Alexa Jane Lowis, John Michael Peterson, James Michael Reilly, Eric Shawn, Nicolette Shin, Phil Sloves, Ethan Van Slyke, John Barsoian, Alyssa Sunew, and Phoenix Noelle
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Songbook Sundays: One for Johnny Mercer will take place Sun. June 9 at 5 & 7:30 PM at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club. hosted by Deborah Grace Winer, with music direction by Billy Stritch.
Klea Blackhurst, Gabrielle Stravelli, and Robbie Lee.
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The world premiere of Caroline Sherman & Robert Hull’s EMPIRE: The Musical will run July 1 – Sept. 22 at New World Stages, directed by Cady Huffman, with choreography byLorna Ventur, and music direction by Gillian Berkowitz.
Danny Iktomi Bevins, Monique Candelaria, Devin Cortez, Morgan Cowling, Kaitlyn Davidson, Joel Douglas, Joseph Fierberg, Alexandra Frohlinger, Matt Gibson, Albert Guerzon, Julia Louise Hosack, Kiana Kabeary, Howard Kaye, TJ Newton, April Ortiz, Kennedy Perez, Paul Salvatoriello, J Savage, Robbie Serrano, and Ethan Saviet.
This elevated new musical celebrates the world’s most iconic tower: The Empire State Building. Told through the lens of three generations of dreamers and doers spanning New York City in the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the Bicentennial Year of 1976, this original story shines new light on one of history’s greatest feats of will and desire. With a desperate city pinning its hopes on this seemingly impossible project, only skyscraper-high levels of grit and determination could keep it climbing. In EMPIRE, audiences will take the thrilling ride to the sky with the brave Mohawk Skywalkers, industrialist visionaries, and can-do immigrants, all of whom had the guts to go up when everyone else was down.
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Lion Eyes, written & performed by Tanna Frederick, will take place Fri. June 7 at 8. PM at Sherman Oaks’ Whitefire Theatre, directed by Levy Lee Simon.
The play is about the emergence of a young actress from Iowa and her journey into the world of Hollywood. After meeting an eccentric well-known director at the age of 21, her career takes off, but there are severe consequences, as she finds herself in a relationship with a man 40 years her senior. Surrounded by stars, celebrities, and people who want to posesses her life, she loses herself in drugs and alcohol when the real reality of her situation gradually sets in and collapses around her. Her rise and fall lead to life and death survival as she struggles to find redemption, and Lion Eyes.
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West Site Story will run July 11-16 at Pittsburg CLO, directed & choreographed by Baayork Lee, with music direction by Anthony T. Edwards.
Sabina Collazo (Maria), Spencer LaRue (Tony), Adriana Negron (Anita), Giuseppe Bausillio (Bernardo), Davis Wayne (Riff), Grace G. Arnold (Braziella), Jenniellen Beattie (Margarita), Ken Bolden (Doc), Bianca Bulgarelli (Consuelo), Emanuel Cologne (Pape), Ixchel Cuellar (Teresita), Joy Del Valle (Rosalia), Maggie McCown (Velma), Macy McKown (Anybody’s), J. Alex Noble (Krupke), Maile C. Oravitz (Pauline), Coty Perno (Toro), Eric Rivas (Luis), Ronan Ryan (Snowbaby), Maya Santiago (Francisca), Allan Snyder (Schrank), BB Stone (Minnie), and Dixie Surewood (Gladhand), Cole N. Zeiser (Diesel), and David Grindrod (John E. Viso), with Drew Tanabe, David Grindrod, and John E Viso.
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Ed. Weinberger’s The Journals of Adam and Eve will run July 10-28 (opening July 11) at the Sheen Center, directed by Anders Corcoran.
Hal Linden and Marilu Henner.
Inspired by the Biblical characters and the work of John Milton and Mark Twain, the new work follows the famous first couple, allowing them to tell their own story in their own words for the first time.