This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, October 13
The Rocky Horror Show, directed by Hunter Foster, featuring Frankie Grande (Frank-N-Furter), Jason Forback (Brad), Kristen Martin (Janet), Tim Shea (Riff Raff), Alyssa Wray (Magenta), Larkin Reilly (Columbia), Benjamin Howes (Narrator/Dr. Scott), and Stanley Martin (Eddie), with July Joy, Natalie Welch, and Mike Bindeman, opens at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.
An Evening with Jason Robert Brown concert, opens at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Steve Ross Sings Cole Porter: From List to Lust concert opens at London’s The Pheasantry.
Roundabout Theatre‘s I Need That, world premiere by Theresa Rebeck, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, featuring Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, and Ray Anthony Thomas, begins previews at Broadway’s American Airlines Theatre.
POTUS, by Selina Fillinger, directed by Margot Bordelon, featuring Naomi Jacobson (Harriet), Natalya Lynette Rathnam (Jean), Felicia Curry (Margaret), Kelly McAndrew (Bernadette), Megan Hill (Stephanie), Yesenia Iglesias (Chris), Sarah-Anne Martinez (Dusty), and Peregrine Teng Heard, Jasmine Joy, and Janet Greer, begins previews at DC’s Arena Stage.
Private Jones, written & directed by Marshall Pailet, featuring (deaf, hearing, and hard-of-hearing actors) Johnny Link (Private Gomer), Claire Neumann (Jack King), Leanne Antonio (Gwenolyn/Evans), and Vincent Kenpski (Edmund), with David Aron Damane, Alex De Bard, Brandon Espinoza, Dickie Hearts, Amelia Hensley, George Psomas, Jon-Michael Reese, and Emily Steinhardt, begins previews at CT’s Goodspeed.
In the Trenches: A Parenting Musical industry readings, by Graham Fuller & Kristina Fuller’s, directed & choreographed by Jen Wineman, featuring Kara Lindsay, Max Crumm, Christine Dwyer, Arbender Robinson, JJ Caruncho, and Vidushi Goyal, at 11 AM & 3 PM at NYC’s Pearl Studios. 
(industry only): contact@visceral-
5th annual #LightUpMBC livestreamed benefit event, in support of the National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, with special guests Ali Stroker, Marc Roberge, Bianca Marroquín, Christine Dwyer, and Matt DeAngelis, at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT here.
Broadway Bound: The Musicals That Never Came to Broadway concert, both live & livestreamed, co-hosted by Rob Schneider & Charles Kirsch, featuring Major Attaway, Allison Belinkoff, John Bolton, Mary Callanan, John Cariani, Lori Tan Chinn, Kevin Dolan, Rachel Dratch, Eric Michael Gillett, Lena Marano, Richard Maltby Jr., Eric Millegan, Estelle Parson, Christine Pedi, Michele Ragusa, Sean Stephens, and Talia Suskauer, at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
Saturday, October 14
Rogue Machine‘s Baby Foot, written & directed by directed by Tim Venable, featuring Daniel Dorr, French Stewart, Hope Lauren, and Paul DeBoy, opens at at LA’s Matrix Theatre.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott, featuring Zach Kenny (Theseus & Oberon), Tricia Miller (Hippolyta & Titania), Jeanne Syquia (Helena), Kasey Mahaffy (Puck), Cassandra Marie Murphy (First Fairy), Frederick STuart (Nick Bottom), Veralyn Jones (Peter Quince), Ed F. Martin (Flute), and Brendan Mulligan (Snug), with Hakop Mkhsian and Erick Valenzuela, opens at Pasadena’s A Noise Within.
Joan of Arc: The Opera performance, directed by JA Diaz & Andrew Bell, featuring Victor Starsky, Michael Nansel, LA Rivers, Michael Rudko, JA Diaz, Ashley Galvani Bell, Liana S. Afuni, Jan Mizushima, and Liana S. Afuni, at 8 PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
Infinite Life, by Annie Baker, directed by directed by James Macdonald, featuring Marylouise Burke, Kristine Nielsen, Mia Katigbak, Christina Kirk, Brenda Pressley, and Pete Simpson, closes at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre.
An Evening with Jason Robert Brown concert, closes at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Sunday, October 15
5 Star Theatricals‘ Oliver, directed by Kati Hayter, featuring Kayden Alexander Koshelev (Oliver), Mark Capri (Fagin), Monika Peña (Nancy), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (Bill Sikes), Alkaio Thiele (The Artful Dodger), Andrew Metzger (Mr. Bumble), Janna Cardia (Widow Corney), Alex Boling (Mr. Sowerberry), Clare Snodgrass (Mrs. Sowerberry), Rianny Vasquez (Charlotte Sowerberry), Zander Chin (Charley Bates), Harry Cho (Noah Claypole), Kirsten Adler (Bet) K.J. Rasheed (Mr. Brownlow) Jesus A. Chavarria (Dr. Grimwig), Randi DeMarco (Mrs. Bedwin), and Analia Romero (Old Sally), and many more, opens at CA’s Thousand Oaks’ Bank of American Performing Arts Center.
The Foundation for New American Musicals‘ 2023 FNAM Benefit event, honoring Jason Robert Brown & Georgia Stitt and Marcia Seligson, with special guest Billy Crystal, featuring Anastasia Barzee, Wayne Brady, Therese Curatolo, Chris Mann, and Cheeyang NG, at 2 PM at a private home in the Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
Darren Criss in concert at 2:30 & 8 PM at the London Palladium.
Antaeus Theatre Company‘s SHE, world premiere by Marlow Wyatt, directed by Andi Chapman, featuring Camille Ariana Spirlin (Sojourner Freeman), Lorenz Arnell (Davie Mansaw), Karen Malina White (Bernice), John Chaffin (Mr. Lonnie), Veronica Thompson (Miss Jane), and Gerard Joseph (Othalee), begins previews at Glendale’s Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center.
New York Theater Festival‘s Musical Chairs, by Steve Fogelman, directed by Stewart Harrison, featuring Kurt Bantilan, Anna Benoit, Corinne Britti, Steve Fogelman, Alvaro Francisco, and Danielle Erin Rhodes, closes at Off-Broadway’s Teatro Latea (10 7 Suffolk St.).
Cabaret, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring Lincoln Clauss (Emcee), Joanna A. Jones (Sally Bowles), Alan Chandler (Clifford Bradshaw), Abby Church (Fräulein Kost/Fritzie), Christian Douglass (Max), Alex Gibson (Ernst Ludwig), Yoni Haller (Herman), Brandon Halvorsen (Victor), Leeds Hill (Hans), Karma Jenkins (Texas), Celeste Lanuza (Frenchie), Kelly Lester (Fräulein Schneider), Trina Mills (Helga), Natalia Nieves-Melchor (Lulu), Bruce Sabath (Herr Schultz), Michael Seltzer (Bobby), and Amy Smith (Rosie), with Christine Hewitt,John Rosen, Emily Bordley and John Viso, closes at San Diego’s Old Globe.
Hadestown national tour, featuring Matthew Patrick Quin (Hades), J. Antonio Rodiguez (Orpheus), Amaya Braganza (Eurydice), Lana Gordon (Persephone) and Will Mann (Hermes), Matthew Patrick, Marla Louissaint (Fate), Lizzie Markson (Fate), (Hannah Schreer (Fate), with Sevon Askew, Jamal Lee Harris, Courtney Lauster, Daniel Tracht, Racquel Williams, Ian Coulter-Buford, KC Dela Cruz, Colin LeMoine and Cecilia Trippiedi, closes its LA run at the Ahmanson Theatre.
Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard, world premiere by Pearl Cleage, directed by Seema Sueko, featuring Billie Krishawn (Witness,) Kim Bey (Citizen 1), Doug Brown (Citizen 3), Derek Garza (Citizen 9), Shubhangi Kuchibhotla (Citizen 8), Alina Collins Maldonado (Citizen 7), Susan Rome (Citizen 5), Shaquille Stewart (Citizen 4), Tom Story (Citizen 6), and Constance Swain (Citizen 2), closes at DC’s Ford’s Theatre.
Speakeasy Stage‘s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, by Selina Fillinger, directed by Paula Plum, featuring Marianna Bassham, Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda, Catia, Crystin Gilmore, Laura Latreille, Monique Ward Lonergan, and Lisa Yuen, closes at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Every Brilliant Thing, by Duncan Macmillan & Jonny Donahoe, directed by Colm Summers, featuring Daniel K. Isaac, closes at LA’s Geffen Playhouse.
York Theatre Company‘s When We Get There, by Robert P. Young III, Richard Lasser & Charlie Barnett, directed by Janeece Freeman Cark, featuring Cicily Daniels, Ashley LaLonde, Cal Mitchell, Julius Thomas III, Michael D. Turner, and Lori Wilner, closes at Off Broadway’s Theater at St. Jean’s.
LA Opera‘s Don Giovanni, conducted by James Conlin, featuring Lucas Meachem (Don Giovanni) and Isabel Leonard (Donna Elvira), with Craig Colclough, Guanqun Yu and Isabel Leonard, closes at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Assassins, directed by Courtney O’Connor, featuring Christopher Chew, Shonna Cirone, Teddy Edgar, Kristian Espiritu, Daniel Forst Sullivan, Arthur Gomez, Jackson Jirard, Lisa Kate Joyce, Jacob Less, Darren Paul, Dan Prior, Robert St. Laurence, Kayla Shmizu, Jeffery Song, Phil Taylor, and Caleb Chew, closes at Boston’s Lyric Stage Company.
Evita, directed by Sammi Cannold, featuring Shereen Pimentel (Evita), Gabriel Burrafato (Magaldi), Omar Lopez-Cepero (Che), Caesae Samayoa (Perón), Naomi Serrano (Mistress), and Eddie Gutiérrez (Young Cadet), with Melissa Parra, Ariadne Rose, Martin Almiron, Julian Alvarez, Adrienne Balducci, Leah Barsky, Bianca Bulgarelli, Camila Cardona, Melody Celatti, Esteban Domenichini, Rebecca Eichenberger, Sean Ewing, Nicole Fernandez-Coffaro, David Michael Garry, Eric Anthony Lopez, Jonatan Luján, Caleb Marshall-Villareal, Ilda Mason, Jeremiah Valentino Porter, Leonay Reina, Alysia Velez, Marissa Barragán, Jorge Guerra, Isabella Bria Lopez, and Ángel Lozada, closes at DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Steve Ross Sings Cole Porter: From List to Lust concert closes at London’s The Pheasantry.
Group Rep‘s Room Service, by John Murray & Allen Boretz, directed by Mareli Mitch-Shields, featuring Fox Carney, Joe Clabby, Joseph Eastburn, Tommy Jacobs, Jessica Kent, Sam Logan, Will Maizel, Matthew McLaughlin, Jackie Shearn, Bonnie Snyder, Axel Truitt, Sal Valletta, Grant Velarde, Timothy Willard, and Chris Winfield, closes at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre.
The Latino Theater Company‘s The Travelers, by Luis Alfaro, directed by Sean San José, featuring Sean San José (Brother Santo), Daniel Duque-Estrada (Brother Daniel), Kinan Valdez (Brother Nancho), Guillermo Yiyo Ornelas (Brother Yiyo), Ogie Zulueta (Brother Ogie, and Juan Amador (Brother Juan), closes at the LA Theatre Center.
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Reviews for Gutenberg! The Musical! at Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre:
NY Times (Jesse Green): …In the two-man, 20-character skit of a show that opened Thursday evening on Broadway, the jokes are abundant, interchangeable and lightweight: comedy as packing peanuts…. the writers…with the help of two expert farceurs, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, they do hit the silliness bull’s-eye. The satire, I’m not so sure… Gad plays Bud Davenport and Rannells is Doug Simon, loserish 40-something co-workers at a nursing home in New Jersey. Bitten by the Broadway bug, they decide to collaborate on a musical, despite a rudimentary knowledge of the genre and an advanced lack of talent… What we see on the stage of the Jones is the deliberately horrible result… Gad and Rannells, a Mutt and Jeff team since they starred in The Book of Mormon in 2011, couldn’t be better… Gutenberg! The Musical!” as just another satire of musical theater and its eternal hopefuls. Here the problem is not excess but triteness; the tropes of sincere incompetence and pathetic ambition are too familiar, if expertly carried out….
Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones): …the double act of Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad, a self-aware reprise of Elder Price and Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon… The main gag here is that we all are attending a backer’s audition at which the neophyte authors will performing every role in the show, all while dreaming that an actual producer might be attendance and thus allow them to achieve their dreams of moving to a Broadway theater… Gutenberg! The Musical relies for its appeal mostly on the rapport of its two contrasting stars… Rannells and Gad are, of course, consummate pros very much in their mutual and collective wheelhouses here… I also thought the comedy overly crude in some spots; the humor is likely to divide audiences, as was the case with Beetlejuice… Gutenberg! The Musical! certainly knows how to structure narrative gags, replete with little bits of emotion immediately followed by jokes structured so as to cut the treacle. And it does have a little scenic climax that’s well worth waiting for…
Theatermania (Zachary Stewart): …It’s a belated and improbable arrival that perfectly illustrates the adage, “Be careful what you wish for.”… It has the potential to be an uproarious tour de force for two very talented actors (which Gad and Rannells unquestionably are). Unfortunately, it proves to be a heavy lift on Broadway… a comedic chemistry that seems ideally suited for this kind of show… They impressively sing every number, creating distinct characters for each role… Timbers’s staging is solid, if lacking in the kind of convention-breaking originality for which this show seems to beg… That those lyrics are now being sung on Broadway doesn’t justify their existence, and the charm of witnessing self-consciously bad theater wears off over the course of two hours, 15 minutes (including intermission). Gutenberg! feels a lot like beating a horse that has been dead for years.
Variety (Frank Rizzo): As backers’ auditions go, Gutenberg! The Musical! — a wildly delusional conceit… It greatly helps that this starry-eyed writer-composer duo from Nutley, New Jersey who are desperately selling their show — emphasis on desperately — are played by Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells… But meta-musicals have lost a bit of their winking novelty since this show began nearly 20 years ago… Scott Brown and Anthony King, who wrote the book and songs for the show…fill their outlandish premise with loopy humor, insider jokes and simple silliness from the get-go — up to the sweet and surprising twist of the ending… The serviceable songs and uninspired lyrics never rise to any comedic heights; the schtick of the actors wearing dozens of caps — with the names of the multiple characters emblazoned on them — quickly grows tiresome; and the faux Gutenberg story, for all its wackiness, is just not that engaging… The real fun, however — and there is much of it — lies in simply watching Gad and Rannells run riot, riff with each other, play with the audience…
Video: Nathan Lane‘s surprise cameo in the role of ‘The Producer’
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The world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane & Lewis Flinn’s musical adaptation of Two Wong Foo will run Oct. 21 – Dec. 17 (opening Oct. 26) at the the UK’sHope Mill Theatre, directed by Beane.
Peter Caulfield (Vida Boheme), Gregory Haney (Noxeema Jackson), Pablo Gómez Jones (Chichi Rodríguez), Carolyn Maitland (Carol Ann), Duncan Burt (Sheriff Dollard), Alexander Kranz (Bobby Ray), Arthur Boan (Tommy Paul), Ayesha Maynard (Beulah June), Emily Ooi Bobby Lee), Jermaine Woods (Willie Joe/John Jacob), Lee Harris (Ed Earl/Crazy Elijah), Natalie Day (Mary Lou), Scott Hunter (Billy Budd), Susie Fenwick (Clara Pearl), Samantha Bingley (Rose of Sharon), and Theo Maddix (Rachel Tensions/Jimmy Jack).
Set in 90s New York, this is the story of 3 Drag Queens, Vida, Noxeema and Chichi, who embark on a trip across America to attend the Drag Queen of the Year Finals in Hollywood. When their car breaks down in Middle America, their lives, as well as those in the town, are turned upside down, in this joyous, heartfelt and high camp musical extravaganza!
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Abingdon Theatre Company‘s Til Death, by Elizabeth Coplan, will run Nov. 19 – Dec. 23 (opening Nov. 30) at Theatre Row, directed by Chad Austin.
Judy Kaye, Robert Cuccioli, Michael Lee Brown, Whitney Morse, Dominick LaRuffa Jr., and Amy Hargreaves.
The play, inspired by Coplan’s own story of personal loss, centers on a mother’s choice that uncovers some hidden family secrets.
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Mamie Parris Surrender: An Andrew Lloyd Webber Thrill Ride will take place Thurs. Oct. 19 & Mon. Nov. 6 (both at 7 PM) at NYC’s Green Room 42, directed by Ben Rimalower, with music direction by Brian J. Nash. Both concerts will also be livestreamed.
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Jo Ivester’s Always a Boy, adapted from the memoir, “Never Once a Girl”)), will have an industry presentation today in NYC, directed by JJ Maley.
Gabrielle Carteris, Rodd Cyrus, JJ Hawkins, Ash Spencer, TL Thompson, Parker Wingate, and Jessy Yates.
A boy named Joshua and his mother, Rachel, prepare for another big family wedding day. They reminisce about the last family wedding, when Joshua began his gender journey alongside his sister’s matrimony journey. Gender, binary thinking, and previously unspoken pain come to a head as the pair face the blunt truth of Joshua’s struggle.
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Video: Hugh Grant Sings a Bit of an Oompa-Loompa Song in the new “Wonka” film trailer, starring Timothée Chalamet.
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Sandra Tsing Loh’s Madwomen of the West will begin previews Nov. 11 – Dec. 31 (opening Dec. 11) at the Actors Temple Theater, directed by Thomas Caruso.
Caroline Aaron, Marilu Henner, Melanie Mayron, and Brooke Adams
Welcome to Jules’ stunning Brentwood mansion, where hangry (she’s on a sugar cleanse) Marilyn is throwing a surprise birthday brunch for Claudia, who hates birthdays. Champagne corks pop—and tempers flare—when their long-estranged celebrity friend Zoey crashes the party, fresh from her TED Talks. Expect hilarity, outrageous rants, and unexpected wisdom about what it means to be a woman (no matter what pronouns you use) in the 21st century.
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Complete casting has been announced for Arabian Nights, reimagined by Sonali Bhattacharyya, will run Nov. 23 – Jan. 6, 2024 at the Old Vic, directed by Blanche McIntyre.
Yasemin Özdemir, Sara Diab, Saikat Ahamed, Nicholas Karimi, Patrick Osborne, Ajjaz Awad, Arinder Sadhra, and Roxy Faridany.
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Classic Theatre of Harlem has announced its 2023-24 season (and celebrating its 25th aniversary. Casting and additional information TBA.
Right-Write to Heal (Nov. 2 at 6:30 PM) at Women Building Up (401 State Street, Brooklyn), which will include a staged reading (play TBA) and talkback. 
here.
Here For The Holidays concert (Dec. 18) at Ginny’s Supper Club at Red Rooster (Harlem), starring Brandon Victor Dixon. here.
Hold ‘Em In Harlem (May 23, 2024), a benefit poker tournament. here.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 6-28, 2024), directed by Carol Cofield, at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. This production is set at the height of the Harlem Renaissance and explores a tale of four young lovers, a troupe of rude mechanicals, and mischievous fairies all embroiled in romantic chaos within the mystical forest.
….and more TBA.
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Shucked will close Jan. 14, 2-24 at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre, after 28 previews and 327 regular performances.
But it’s not goodbye; it’s to be ‘corn-tinued!’ with, among other engagements, the North American “Kernels Tour” launching Fall 2024, and forthcoming international grain exports to London’s West End at a Cameron Mackintosh theater Winter of 2025, and Sydney, Australia in Spring of 2026.
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Complete casting has been announced for the world premiere of Marco Ramirez’s TheBuena Vista Social Club, to run Nov. 17 – Dec. 31 (opening Dec. 13) at Atlantic Theater, directed by Saheem Ali, with choreography by Patricia Delgado & Justin Peck, and music direction by Marco Paguia.
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.
Inspired by the Grammy-winning 1997 album of the same name, the musical tells the story of the artists involved in the album’s recording while featuring the Cuban music.
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The world premiere of Alicia Keys & Kristoffer Diaz’s Hell’s Kitchen, directed by Michael Greif, has been extended through Jan. 7, 2024 at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
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, closes at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
In a cramped apartment hanging off the side of Times Square, 17-year-old Ali is desperate to get her piece of the New York dream. Ali’s mother is just as determined to protect her daughter from the same mistakes she made. When Ali falls for a talented young drummer, both mother and daughter must face hard truths about race, defiance, and growing up. Ali feels trapped, until the sound of a neighbor playing piano opens the door to an unexpected friendship and a radically different future.
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Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Golden Shamrock Gala 2023 will take place Sun. Oct. 29 at 6 PM at NYC’s Robert Restaurant (2 Columbus Circle). Performers TBA.
Ethan E. Litwin, Dr. Brian R. Saltzman, and Dr. Wilma Bulkin Siegel