This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, November 17
Family Business, world premiere by Matt Chait, directed by Brian Shnipper, featuring Eric Stanton Betts, Alli Brown, Michelle Jasso, Lindsay G. Merrithew, Bruce Nozick, and Julie Pearl, opens at Hollywoods’ Hudson Mainstage Theatre.
Little Shop of Horrors in Concert, directed by Michael Matthews, featuring Lesli Margherita (Audrey), Justin Huertas (Seymour), Jason Veasey (Orin), Terren Wooten (Audrey II), Jason Briggs (Mushnik), Arielle Crosby (Crystal), Lulu Fall (Ronnette), and Bryana Hall (Chiffon), opens at MI’s Flint Repertory Theatre.
TheBuena Vista Social Club, world premiere by Marco Ramirez, directed by Saheem Ali, featuring Skizzo Arnedillo, Renesito Avich, Natalie Belcon, Angélica Beliard, Kenya Browne, Danaya Esperanza, Carlos Sanchez Falú, Jared Machado, Hector Juan Maisonet, Ilda Mason, Marielys Molina, Julio Monge, Leonardo Reyna, Mel Semé, Olly Sholotan, Jainardo Batista Sterling, Nancy Ticotin, and Luis Vega, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre.
Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, by Gordon Greenberg & Steve Rosen, directed by Greenberg, featuring Christopher Sieber (Ebenezer Scrooge), Josh Brekenridge (Bob Cratchit / Jacob Marley / Charles / Mr. Fezzi), Dan Rosales (Young Scrooge / Medium Scrooge / Tiny Tim), Cathryn Wake (Prudence / Saint / Lavinia / Ghost of Christmas Present / Archibald), Jacque Wilke (Gertrude Saint / Ghost of Christmas Past, / Mrs. Cratchit / Jennie), Dan Rosales (Fred / Young Scrooge / Medium Scrooge / Tiny Tim), Cathryn Wake (Prudence Saint / Lavinia / Ghost of Christmas Present / Archibald), and Jacque Wilke (Gertrude Saint / Ghost of Christmas Past / Mrs. Cratchit / Jennie), begins previews at San Diego’s Old Globe.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, directed by Hunter Foster, featuring Jeremiah James (Bob Wallace), Jarran Muse (Phil Davis), Ashley Blanchet (Betty Haynes), Kaitlyn Frank (Judy Haynes), Nathan Lucrezio (Ralph Sheldrake), Richard E. Waits (General Waverly), and Ruth Gottschall (Martha), with Caitlin Belcik, Michael Harp, Jay Aubrey Jones, Kat Katona, Lauralyn McClelland, Stephanie Eve Parker, Joey Socci, Jesse Swimm, Renell Taylor, Tara Rajan, and MacKenzie Reff, previews at PA’s Buck’s County Playhouse.
An Evening with Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara concert, at 8 PM at Carnegie Hall.
Deja Vu: A tribute to the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young concert, at 7 PM at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
Saturday, November 18
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, directed by Hunter Foster, featuring Jeremiah James (Bob Wallace), Jarran Muse (Phil Davis), Ashley Blanchet (Betty Haynes), Kaitlyn Frank (Judy Haynes), Nathan Lucrezio (Ralph Sheldrake), Richard E. Waits (General Waverly), and Ruth Gottschall (Martha), with Caitlin Belcik, Michael Harp, Jay Aubrey Jones, Kat Katona, Lauralyn McClelland, Stephanie Eve Parker, Joey Socci, Jesse Swimm, Renell Taylor, Tara Rajan, and MacKenzie Reff, opens at PA’s Buck’s County Playhouse.
Frozen Fluid, world premiere by Fly Jamerson, directed by Amanda McRaven, featuring Michael Budd, Nicole Delsack, J Valerione, Yvonne Cone, Steph LeHane, and Jalana Phillips, opens at Hollywood’s LGBT Center.
A Christmas Carol, directed by Jessica Thebus, featuring Larry Yando (Ebenezer Scrooge), Austin Tichenor (Ebenezer Scrooge for 8 performances), Christian Lucas (Tiny Tim), Kareen Bandealy (Marly/Young Marley/Topper), Dee Dee Batteast (Frida), Dee Dee Batteast (Frida), Thomas J. Cox (Bob Cratchit/Wreath Seller), Amira Danan (Belle), Tafadzwa Diener (Martha Cratchit), Susaan Jamshidi (Mrs. Cratchit), Daniel José Molina (Young Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Future), Rika Nishikawa (Belinda Cratchit), Robert Schleife (Mr. Fezziwig), Lucky Stoff (Ghost of Christmas Past), Leighton Tantillo (Peter Cratchit), Bethany Charwoman/Ghost of Christmas Present), Austin Tichenor (Alternate Ebenezer Scrooge), Penelope Walker (Crum/Mrs, Fezziwig), Andrew White (Narrator), and Wai Yim (Ortle), with Adeoye, Hillary Bayley, Viva Boresi, Mark Bedard, Viva Boresi, Jalbelly Guzmán, Amir Henderson, Detra Payne, begins previews at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Joshua Henry: Get Up Stand Up concert, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.
Rogue Artists Ensemble‘s Cowboy Elektra reading, by Ramona Pilar, Meghan Brown & Zach Lupetin, directed by Sean Cawelti, featuring Ariella Amar, Amir Levi, Mari King, Amy Judd Lieberman, Therese Olson, Sarah Kay Peters, Darryl Reed, and Sabina Varela, at 3 PM at LA’s Julian Dixon Library (4975 Overland Ave. in Culver City).
Rock, Rhythm and Doo Wop!: MUSIC OF THE COASTERS, THE DRIFTERS & THE PLATTERS concert, at 7 PM at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theater.
Blue Mist, by Mohamed-Zain Dada, directed by Milli Bhatia, featuring Salman Akhtar, Omar Bynon, and Arian Nik, closes at London’s Royal Court Theatre.
Rebecca, by Michael Kunze & Sylvester Levay, directed by Alejandro Bonatto, featuring Richard Carson (Maxim de Winter), Lauren Jones (Second Mrs. de Winter), and Kara Lane (Mrs. Danvers), with Alex James-Ward, Piers Bate, Sarah Harlington, David Breeds, Shirley Jameson, Neil Moors, Nicholas Lumley, Nigel-Joseph Francis, Elliot Swann, Scott McClure, Emily Apps, Melanie Bright, Gail MacKinnon, Tarisha Rommick, James Mateo-Salt, and Rosie Glossop, closes at London’s Charing Cross Theatre.
King of the Jews, by Leslie Epstein, directed by Alexandra Aron, featuring Richard Topol, Rachel Botchan, David Deblinger, John Little, Daniel Oreskes, Allen Lewis Rickman, JP Sarro, Dave Shalansky, Jonathan Spivey, Erica Spyre, Wesley Tiso, and Robert Zukerman, closes at Off-Broadway’s HERE Arts Center.
Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Arms and the Man, directed by David Staller, featuring Shanel Bailey, Delphi borich, Ben Davis, Keshay Moodliar, Thomas Jay Ryan, Evan Zes, and Karen Ziemba, with René Thornton Jr,and Matthew Zimmerman, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Sanctuary City, by Martyna Majok, directed by Steph Paul, featuring Kennedy Lewis, Brandon Rivera and Jocelyn Zamudio, closes at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
Little Shop of Horrors in Concert, directed by Michael Matthews, featuring Lesli Margherita (Audrey), Justin Huertas (Seymour), Jason Veasey (Orin), Terren Wooten (Audrey II), Jason Briggs (Mushnik), Arielle Crosby (Crystal), Lulu Fall (Ronnette), and Bryana Hall (Chiffon), closes at MI’s Flint Repertory Theatre.
Love Kills, a night of one act plays by Don Nigro, directed by Kevin Kittle, featuring Midori Francis, Rebecca Mozo, Justin Chatwin, Briana Buoco, Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey, closes at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.
Sunday, November 19
Hell’s Kitchen, world premiere by Alicia Keys & Kristoffer Diaz, directed by directed by Michael Greif, featuring Shoshana Bean (Jersey), Chad Carstarphen (Ray), Brandon Victor Dixon (Davis), Vanessa Ferguson (Tiny), Crystal Monee Hall (Crystal), Jakeim Hart (Q), Chris Lee (Knuck), Jackie Leon (Jessica), Kecia Lewis (Miss Liza Jane), Maleah Joi Moon (Ali), Mariand Torres (Maria, (Understudy), and Lamont Walker II (Riq), with Reid Clarke, Chloe O. Davis, Nico DeJesus, Timothy L. Edwards, Desmond Sean Ellington, Badia Farha, David A. Guzman, Gianna Harris, Raechelle Manalo, Jade Milan, Onyxx Noel, Susan Oliveras, Sarah Parker, William Roberson, Niki Saludez, Donna Vivino, opens at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical, world premiere by David Foster, Susan Birkenhead & Bob Martin, directed & choreographed by directed & choreographed by Jerry Mitchel, featuring Jasmine Amy Rogers (Betty Boop), Faith Prince (Valentina), Ainsley Melham (Dwayne), Eric Bergen (Raymond), Stephen DeRosa (Grampy), Angelica Hale (Trisha), and Anastacia McCleskey (Carol), with Lawrence Alexander, Tristen Buettel, Colin Bradbury, Joshua Burrage, Gabi Campo, Dan Castiglione, Rebecca Corrigan, Josh Drake, RJ Higton, Phillip Huber, Nina LaFarga, Aubie Merryless, Morgan McGhee, Ryah Nixon, Christian Probst, Ricky Schroeder, Gabriella Sorrentino, Brooke Taylor, Courtney Arango, Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald, Sydney Jones, Derek Jordan Taylor, and Amy Van Norstrand, opens at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre.
Frozen Fluid, world premiere by Fly Jamerson, directed by Amanda McRaven, featuring Michael Budd, Nicole Delsack, J Valerione, Yvonne Cone, Steph LeHane, and Jalana Phillips, opens at Hollywood’s LGBT Center.
Manhattan Theatre Club’s Prayer for the French Republic, world premiere by Joshua Harmon, directed by David Cromer, featuring Betsy Aidem, Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Anthony Edwards, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinetter, Aria Shahghasemi, and more, begins previews at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Abingdon Theatre Company‘s Til Death, by Elizabeth Coplan, directed by Chad Austin, featuring Judy Kaye, Robert Cuccioli, Michael Lee Brown, Whitney Morse, Dominick LaRuffa Jr., and Amy Hargreaves, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
A Little Time with Cy Coleman concert, featuring Linda Purl, Nicolas King, and Mar Vilaseca, at 7:30 PM at at 5 PM at NYC’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The Graduates: The Music of Simon & Garfunkel concert, at 7 PM at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Whitney White, featuring Brittany Adebumola, Maechi Aharanwa, Rachel Christopher, Kalyne Coleman, Somi Kakoma, Lakisha May, Nana Mensah, Michael Oloyede, Dominique Thorne, and Zanai Williams, closes at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
The Shark is Broken, by Ian Shaw & Joseph Nixon, directed by Guy Masterson, featuring Ian Shaw (Robert Shaw), Alex Brightman (Richard Dreyfuss), and Colin Donnell (Roy Scheider), closes at Broadway’s Golden Theatre.
Melissa Etheridge: My Window on Broadway, directed by Amy Tinkham, closes at Broadway’s Circle in the Square.
Daphne, world premiere by Renae Simone Jarrett, directed by Sarah Hughes, featuring Jasmine Batchelor (Daphne) and Keilly McQuail (Winona), with Denise Burse, Naomi Lorrain, and Jeena Yi, closes at Lincoln Center’s Claire Tow Theater.
Merry Me, by Hansol Jung, directed by Leigh Silverman, featuring Marinda Anderson, Cindy Cheung, Esco Jouléy, David Ryan Smith, Ryan Spahn, Nicole Villamil, and Shaunette Renée Wilson, closes at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop.
King John, adapted & directed by Rosa Joshi, featuring Sarah Harlett (Hubert), Brenda Joyner (Arthur), Jessicaa Ko (Constance / Executioner/ French Soldier), Rami Margron (Bastard), J. Molière (Blanch / Pembroke), Mollie Murk (Robert Faulconbridge / Lady Faulconbridge / Melun), Dianalis Arocho Resto (Duke of Austria / Prince Henry), Carmen Roman (Queen Eleanor / Execution / English Soldier), Betsy Schwartz (Lewis The Dauphin ), Vilma Silva (King Philip / Salisbury), Lisa Tejero (Cardinal Pandulph / Chatillon), and Kate Wisniewski (King John), closes at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Sunset Boulevard, directed by Daniel C. Levine, featuring Pearl Sun (Norma Desmond), Michael Burrell (Joe Gillis), and Helen J. Shen (Betty Schaefer), with William Aaron Bishop, Pragun Bhardwaj, Claire Fossey, Jasmine Gobourne, Gary Harger, Amanda Hunter-Finch, Conor McGiffin, Victoria Madden, Matthew Marvin , Val Moranto, Mac Myles, Daniel Pahl, Emily Solo, Liz Schmitz, Will Stone, and Andrew Winans, closes at CT’s A Contemporary Theatre.
Mame directed by Becky Potter, featuring Cindy Goldfield (Mame), Pam Drummer-Williams (Vera), Azzy David (Young Patrick), Elise Youssef (Agnes Gooch), Kurt Tijamo (Patrick), Joey Alvarado (Beau/Mr. Upson), Jessi Caldwell (Babcok), Nick Ishimaru (Ito), Tania Johnson (Mother Burnside/Mrs. Upson), and Larissa Kelloway (Sally Cato), Nick Nakashima (Lindsay), Joel Ochoa (Junior Babcock), and Sara Schori (Pegeen), with Lillian Kurtz (Lindsay),and Jillian A. Smith, closes at Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon.
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Reviews for Spamalot at Broadway’s St. James Theatre:
NY Times (Jesse Green): …beloved silliness in the blissful Broadway revival… the loosely assembled collection of skits has become holy writ, not to be messed with. If a production dared to change anything, it would surely face an audience of originalists screaming “ni!” — though to be fair, it faces them anyway, as Spamalot has become a kind of Python karaoke… This one, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, gives the “ni”-sayers what they want. As far as I can tell, the best original bits are all preserved verbatim… Michael Urie as Robin puts a differently delightful comic spin on them. Throughout, Rhodes has encouraged the cast to personalize the material and, in many cases, enhance it. Taran Killam, expert as Lancelot and several of the quirkiest supporting characters, gives the French taunter not only the requisite outrageous accent but also a raspberry aria worthy of Mozart… this mostly excellent production… The key to the comedy is not after all replication but individuation. The Pythons were each their own kind of oddball, and the bits are only funny with fresh bite…
Daily News (Chris Jones): … I wish the revival, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, had more of an explicit and distinct point of view, put itself in more interesting conversation with the original production and offered a deeper dive into the Python aesthetic, maybe as a bit of a necessary history lesson. There are times when the cast’s exuberance adds too much moisture to the sandpaper-dry humor and even gets in the way of Du Prez and Idle’s lyrics. As one example, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, fun as she is, would get more laughs if her Lady of the Lake focused first and foremost on the character, rather than the vocal pyrotechnics… Idle’s comic genius remains entirely evident here and he and Du Prez came up with the kind of brassy, swirling score that screamed Big Night Out On Broadway, even as it lampooned everything from scantily clad choruses to divas devolving in Act Two. And the Idle philosophy of always looking on the bright side of life, a song he even got to sing in the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, has hardly met a world where such a determination is any easier to make…
Variety (Naveen Kumar): It may be appropriate for a musical with “spam” in the title to feel canned. But it’s a shame that the first Broadway revival of Monty Python’s Spamalot, now playing at the St. James Theatre, struggles to find anything fresh about material covered in a half-century of dust… Like a pile of corpses that bursts into song, some tenants of comedy never die. But they do lose their vigor… Director and choreographer Josh Rhodes’ production, which originated at the Kennedy Center this spring, is more frenzied regurgitation than reinvention, opting at every turn for showy bells and whistles over original interpretation. The result suggests insecurity about whether the show holds up when what we need is an argument that it does… Taran Killam, an “SNL” alum, is a riot, bringing vocal panache to a variety of roles in which he’s visible only from the neck up… Michael Urie lends an elastic face and sing-songy intonations to Sir Robin, and Ethan Slater’s dexterous physical humor, as a French mime, an effete prince and a naked puppeteer, is always welcome. If only Christopher Fitzgerald had much more to do than click together coconuts…
New York Theatre Guide (Gillian Russo): …Spamalot being a tasting flight of Broadway’s past and present hits is one of the best reasons to recommend it… This Broadway revival… feels like a proclamation that the musical’s heyday is not dead yet… Monty Python’s trademark, silly sketch comedy is all but entirely intact… Brief bits of man-in-dress humor from 2005 haven’t aged well, but the few script updates are similarly hit and miss… The other strength of Spamalot is that it gives every one of its principal cast members a chance to shine. And shine they do. Ethan Slater proves himself one of the best physical comedians on Broadway right now in a variety of bit parts, making each one feel larger than life. Michael Urie makes a meal of the showstopping “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” as Sir Robin, and Christopher Fitzgerald does the same with “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” as Patsy, though his best moment is his silent comedic acting in the background of Arthur’s “I’m All Alone.”
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Liz Callaway: To Steve With Love will take place Sat. Jan. 20, 2024 at the Kennedy Center (link TBA), with music direction by Alex Rybeck.
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NY’s Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival has announced its 2024 summer season. Dates, casting, and additional information TBA. 
All 3 productions will run in rep.
By the Queen, by Whitney White (adapted from Henry VI and Richard III, directed by Shana Cooper.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, world premiere by Heidi Armbruster, directed by Ryan Quinn.
Medea: Re-Versed, world premiere by Luis Quintero, adapted from Euripides’ Medea, directed by Nathan Winkelstein
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A concert presentation of John Hodges, Geordy Wells, Francesca Peppiatt & Whit Cook’s Golden will take place Wed. Dec. 6 at 7 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42, directed by Madsie Flynn, with music direction by Robert Frost.
Major Attaway, Bryonha Marie Parham, Kevin Massey, and more TBA.
A contemporary reimagining of “Rumplestiltskin,” which follows 9 year-old Alexa as she tries to save her kingdom and reconcile the grief of her past.
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Video: Highlights from London’s Sunset Boulevard, starring Nicole Scherzinger
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Pasadena Playhouse‘s Holiday Spectacular will run Dec. 14-23, created & directed by Sam Pinkleton & Randy Blair.
MaryAnn Hu, Lesli Margherita, George Salazar, and Jason Michael Snow.
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Drew Lachey & Lea Lachey: label•less will take place Mon. Nov. 20 at at 8 PM at Off Broadway’s Theatre Row.
The new musical is inspired by an empathy exercise both Lacheys led at a 2018 theatre class. The work features a diverse cast of 17-27 year-olds telling true stories combined with evocative choreography and contemporary music. Both Lacheys say the musical is part of their larger movement, an effort to spread “heart, humanity, and hope.”
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Video: Highlights From London’s Sunset Boulevard, Starring Nicole Scherzinger.
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Graciela Daniel & Michael John Lachiusa’s The Gardens of Anuncia , currently in previews, will open Nov. 20 and continue through Dec. 31 at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, directed by Graciela.
Mary Testa (Daniele’s Grandma), Priscilla Lopez (Anuncia), Kaylin West (Daniele’s Younger Stand-in) Andréa Burns (Tía), and Eden Espinosa (Daniele’s Mami).
Before she was the director/choreographer of Once On This Island and Annie Get Your Gun, and the choreographer of Ragtime, The Pirates of Penzance, The Rink, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood… Before she was a dancer in the original Broadway companies of Follies, Chicago, and Promises, Promises… Before all of that, Graciela Daniele was a young girl growing up in 1940s Buenos Aires in the shadow of the Perón regime. The Garden os Anuncia is her coming-of-age story in the form of a gorgeous, tango-infused new musical written by her longtime collaborator and friend, Michael John LaChiusa. With wit and wisdom, the show follows Anuncia as she tends the garden of her country house and reflects on her life, looking back on her girlhood in Argentina and paying homage to the family of women whose love and sacrifices allowed her to become the legendary creative force she is today.
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In the Key of Life: the Genius of Stevie Wonder will run Dec. 2-4 at NYC’s 92NY, starring Darius de Haas, directed by Kenneth L. Roberson, with music direction by Henry Hey.