Due to the COVID-19 virus, 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 Weekends Highlights:
Friday, May 8
* The Actors Fund FREE livestream of the West End’s The King and I, starring Kelli O’Hara and Ken Watanabe, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on BroadwayHD (available for free only on this date & time, and using this link).
* By Jeeves (2001) FREE livestreamed reading, by Lloyd Webber & Alan Ayckbourn, featuring John Scherer (Bertie), Martin Jarvis (Jeeves), James Kall (Gussie Fink-Nottle), Heath Lamberts (Sire Watkyn Bassett, Bech Watson (Madeline Bassett, Emily Loesser (Stiffy Byng), Ian Knauer (Harold “Stinker” Pinker), and Steve Wilson (Cyrus Budge III Junior), at 2 PM ET (for 24 hours only) here.
* Gruesome Playground Injuries FREE livestreamed reading, by Rajiiv Joseph, featuring Rose Byrne and Ewen Leslie, at 8:30 PM ET here.
Saturday, May 9
* Steppenwolf Theatre Company‘s “Pants Optional: A Steppenwolf Soirée.” a FREE virtual event, with special guests Joan Allen, Gary Cole, John Malkovich, Sandra Marquez, Laurie Metcalf, and more, at 6:30 PM CT.
Sunday, May 10
* “Broadway Does Mother’s Day” digital benefit variety show, in support of BC/EFA, featuring Jill Abramovitz, Kate Baldwin, Jenni Barber, Laura Benanti, Betty Buckley, Carolee Carmello, Victoria Clark, Chuck Cooper, Claybourne Elder, Eden Espinosa, Beanie Feldstein, Harvey Fireststein, Mandy Gonzalez, Celia Rose Gooding, Molly Griggs, James Monroe Iglehart, Judy Kaye, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Raymond J. Lee, Lesli Margherita, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Alexis Michelle, Vanessa Williams, Betsy Wolfe, and La Chanze, and sketches from from Moulin Rougue! The Musical, Jagged Little Pill, Company, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Chicago, Diana, Mean Girls, Girl from the North Country, Six, Mrs. Doubtfire, and more, at 3 PM ET. here. CHECK LINK: https://www.broadwaydoesmothersday.com/
* A Classic Broadway Mother’s Day, Actors Fund benefit concert, featuring Owen Bakula, Scott Bakula, Paige Befeler, Roger Befeler, Karen Benjamin, Molly Chapman, Dante Damiano, Tami Tappan Damiano, Brad Ellis, Chelsea Field, Dianne Fraser, Jason Graae, Chelsy Gray, Larry Grossman, Kim Huber, Bill A. Jones, Samantha DV Jones, Kelly Lester, Julia Lester, Skye LaFontaine, Benny Lipson, Jack Lipson, Valerie Perri, Todd Schroeder, Hayley Silver, and Nita Whitaker, livestreamed at 10 AM PT on Facebook.
* “The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II” concert, featuring Idina Menzel, Ben Platt, Chloe x Halle, Billy Eichner, Hayley Erbert, Josh Gad, Donald Glover, Halsey, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Miguel, Keke Palmer, Seth Rogen, Anika Noni Rose, Walter Russell III, Shakira, Rebel Wilson, Merle Dandridge, Heather Headley, Adam Jacobs, Caissie Levy, Kara Lindsay, Kevin Massey, Josh Strickland, The Muppets, Christina Aguilera, Tituss Burgess, Sabrina Carpenter, Jennifer Hudson, Lang Lang, John Legend, Katy Perry, Lindsay Arnold, Alan Bersten, Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Sasha Farber, and Emma Slater, at 7 PM on ABC.
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Video: “Stars in the House” — “Variety Thursday,” with Lesli Margherita, Brenda Braxton, and Anne Steele. (1:01:18)
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Video: “Stars in the House,” a “White Collar” reunion, with Matt Bomer, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins, Hilarie Burton, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Marsha Thomason. (1:23:34)
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“Bully. Coward. Victim: The Story of Roy Cohn” will premiere June 19 on HBO (link TBA), directed by Ivy Meeropol (whose grandparents are Ethel and Julius McCarthy).
The film will feature archival footage of the contentious litigator, plus interviews with Tony Kushner, Nathan Lane, John Waters, Cindy Adams, and Alan Dershowtiz.
The film covers Cohn’s time as Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel in the ’50s to his mentorship of Donald Trump in the ’80s, and attempts to find out more about the man who defined American social conservatism, despite the proof of his homosexuality.
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Ryan Murphy’s film adaptation of Broadway’s The Prom may still open during the holidays this year. Apparently almost all the filming was completed before the pandemic arrived.
Meryl Streep (Dee Dee Allen), Nicole Kidman (Angie), James Corden (Barry Glickman), Andrew Rannells (Trent Oliver), Ariana DeBose (Alyssa Greene), Kevin Chamberlin (Sheldon Saperstein), Keegan-Michael Key (Mrs. Hawkins), and Jo Ellen Pellman (Emma).
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54 Below’s “I Wish…The Roles That Could Have Been” will be livestreamed on Fri. May 22 at 6:30 PM ET here, conceived by Ben Caplan, and hosted by Alexandra Silber.
Elizabeth Stanley, Jelani Remi, Drew Gehling, Nicholas Barasch, Robyn Hurder, Samantha Massell, Isabelle McCalla, Julia Murney, Kirsten Scott.
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When Off-Broadway theatres are safe to open, look for Bob & Toby McSmith’s Parks & Rec! The Unauthorized Musical Parody.
here.
Leslie, America’s favorite Deputy Director of the Parks and Rec Department, feels a higher calling to run for President.
“Snake Juice Gets You Loose”
“Whatever Tammy Wants…”
“I Awesomesauce You”
“What Would Nancy Pelosi Do?”
…and more
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Video: Kate Baldwin, “Hold On,” from The Secret Garden. Stunning.
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London’s National Theatre has announced upcoming livestreams of the following productions on YouTube.
All productions will begin at 2 PM ET, and will be available to stream for free seven days following its premiere.
May 14: Barber Shop Chronicles (2018),by Inua Ellams, directed by Bijan Sheibani, featuring Fisayo Akinade, Hammed Animashaun, Cyril Nri and Sule Rimi.
May 21: A Streetcar Named Desire (2014), directed by Benedict Andrews, starring Gillian Anderson (Blanche), Ben Foster (Stanley), and Vanessa Kirby (Stella).
May 28: This House (2013), by James Graham, directed by Jeremy Herrin, featuring Phil Daniels, Reece Dinsdale, Charles Edwards, and Vincent Franklin.
June 4: Coriolanus (2013), directed by Josie Rourke, featuring Tom Hiddleston, Alfred Enoch, Deborah Findlay, and Mark Gatiss.
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Video: Jen Malenke sings all 3 roles in “Sing for Your Supper”
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Bernstein’s Mass will premiere Fri. May 15 at 9 PM on PBS, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and featuring Paulo Szot.
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November, Actors Fund reading, written & directed by David Mamet, starring (original 2008 Broadway cast) John Malkovich, Patti LuPone, Dylan Baker, Ethan Phillips, and Michael Nichols (1:41:37). I’m not sure how long this will be available.
Set a few days before the election, the play follows the misadventures of a day in the life of U.S. president Charles Smith.
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Video: “I Don’t Care Much,” from Cabaret, featuring Alex Brigthtman, with Liam Fennecken, Brendan Jacob Smith, and Jim Hogan.
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Manhattan Concert Productions (link TBA) will present Jekyll & Hyde Feb. 14, 2021, featuring a chorus of over 200 singers from across the United States, directed by Tony Yazbeck, with music direction by Jason Howland.
Casting and additional information TBA.
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San Diego’s Old Globe (link TBA) presents the world premiere of Bill Irwin‘s 10 minute play, In-Zoom, on Thurs. May 14 at 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT, and will be available only through May 16.
Bill Irwin and Christopher Fitzgerald.
Two comic minds convene a meeting on Zoom and surprise themselves as they look at the pandemic and the virtual way we’re living it.
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NYC’s 92Y presents a reading of Nora Efron’s “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” (2017) through May 25. Tickets are $10.
Lucy DeVito, Tracee Ellis Ross,Carol Kane, Natashay Lyonne, and Rosie O’Donnell.
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Elyssa Samsel, Kate Anderson & Timothy Allen McDonald’s Between the Lines, originally scheduled to open today at Off-Broadway’s 2econd Stage, has been postponed to Spring 2021 (dates TBA), directed by Jeff Calhoun, with choreography by Paul McGill.
Arielle Jacobs, Vicki Lewis, Will Burton, Jerusha Cavzos, Pierre Marais, John Rapson, Morgan Siobhan Green, Carrie St. Louis, Julia Murney, and Jake Davis Smith (replacing the originally announced Jason Gotay, due to scheduling conflicts).
Delilah, an outsider in a new town, seeks comfort in the pages of her favorite book, where she feels heard and understood. As the lines between the worlds of reality and fantasy begin to blur, she has to confront whether she has the power to rewrite her own story.
Video: “Dot It For You,” with Morgan Siobhan Green
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Video: Tommy Tune performs “Fascinating Rhythm” from Encore’s Lady, Be Good (2015). Scroll down…
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Video: Liz Callaway & Ann Hampton Callaway perform “You’ve Got a Friend”
Video: Kerry Ellis, “Your Song” and “I Loved a Butterfly.” Scroll down…