This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, October 16
* ” What the Constitution Means to Me,“ written by & starring Heidi Schreck, premieres on Amazon Prime.
* “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” written & directed by Aaron Sorkin, featuring Mark Rylance (William Kunstler), Eddie Redmayne (Tom Hayden), and Frank Langella (Judge Julius Hoffman), with Alex Sharp (Rennie Davis). Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Bobby Seale), Jeremy Strong (Jerry Rubin), Sacha Baron Cohen (Abbie Hoffman), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Richard Schultz), Michael Keaton (Ramsey Clark), and John Carroll Lynch, premieres on Netflix.
* Shipwreck, 4-part radio play production, by Anne Washburn, directed by Saheem Ali, starring Raúl Esparza, and Joe Morton, with Mia Barron, Brooke Bloom, Phillip James Brannon, Bill Camp, Rob Campbell, Sue Jean Kim, Jenny Jules, Bruce McKenzie, Jeremy Shamos, and Rich Topol, premieres at 12 PM ET here.
* Reconnected, starring mentalist Jason Suran, begins previews (virtually) on Broadway here.
* Joe Biden fundraiser, featuring the entire original Hamilton cast — Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Renee Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Digges, Jonathan Groff, Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Okieriete Onadown, and Javiar Muñoz, streams at 9 PM ET here.
* Sticks & Bones benefit concert presentation, by John McDaniel & Scott Logsdon, featuring Joshua Colley (David), Audra McDonald (Nizevet), Javier Muñoz (Jesse), George Salazar (King Saul), Mykal Kilgore (The Prophet Samuel), Gabriella Gonzalez (Zeruiah), Cassie Donegan (Abigail), Jackson Hurt (Eliab), Dylan Bivings (Abinadab), Drew Elhamalawy (Shimea), James Ignacio (Nethanel), Marcus M. Martin (Raddai), Chase Tucker (Ozem), and Delaney Horton (The Traveler), along with actors from 34 states, streams at 8 PM ET here, and available through Oct. 20.
* Arts for LA‘s Annual State of the Arts Summit 2020 streams at 10 AM PT.
* “Grammy Salute to Music Legends” concert, featuring Leslie Odom, Jr., Cynthia Erivo, Laurie Anderson, Philip Bailey, Brandi Carlile, Chris Isaak, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Cyndi Lauper, Sam Moore, and Yola, airs at 9 PM on PBS.
* Alfie Boe: Bring Him Home FREE concert, streams at 2 PM ET here (and will remain available for 48 hours).
* Milwaukee Rep‘s Curtain Call Ball FREE celebration, honoring Mark Clements, featuring Michael Doherty, Kelley Faulkner, Gavin Gregory, Alex Keiper, Jeffrey Kringer, Nova Y Payton, Matt Rodin, Nicholas Rodriguez, Bethany Thomas, Zonya Love, and more, streams at 7 PM CT.
* All About Evil mystery game, by David Carpenter with Kevin Hammons, Caroline Prugh, and Jacob Thompson, featuring Samantha Blain, Kim Morgan Dean, Michael Indeglio, Tricia Matthews, Michael Pilato, and Olivia White, livestreams at 8 PM ET here.
Saturday, October 17
* Westport Country Playhouse‘s “Playhouse at the Drive-in,” offered in person & virtual, featuring Kate Baldwin, Britney Coleman, Tina Fabrique, The Naughton Family (James Naughton, Greg Naughton, Kelli O’Hara, and Keira Naughton), Brenda Pressley, Amanda Robles, André De Shields, Jane Alexander, Lissy Newman, Christopher Plummer, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Thomas, and more, streams at 6:30 PM ET.
* David Byrne’s “American Utopia” premieres on HBO.
* Pippin open-air production, directed by Steven Dexter, featuring Ryan Anderson (Pippin), Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (Leading Player), Tanisha-Mae Brown (Catherine), Joanne Clifton (Fastrada/Bertha), Harry Francis (Lewis/Theo), and Dan Krikler (Charles), closes at London’s Garden Theatre at The Eagle.
Sunday, October 18
* Broadway Potluck benefit concert, featuring Broadway hopefuls, and inspirational messages from Joel Grey, Joanna Gleason, Tonya Pinkins, Liz Callaway, Kevin Chamberlin, Adam Pascal, Ann Harada, Jonah Platt, Donna Vivino, and Rachel York, streams at 7 PM ET here.
* Divas For Democracy: United We Slay virtual benefit, with special guests Allison Janney, Andrew Rannells, Annaleigh Ashford, Stephanie J. Block, Lea Salonga, Nikki M. James, Beth Leavel, Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Jenn Collela, Chilina Kennedy, Keala Settle, Tamika Lawrence, L Morgan Lee, Our Lady J, and Chita Rivera, and featuring Drag Divas Jinkx Monsoon, Jujubee, Valentina, Peppermint, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Shuga Cain, Honey Davenport, Brita Filter, Marti Gould Cummings, and Pixie Aventura, streams at 8 PM ET here.
* Bucks County Playhouse‘s Playhouse Live! 30-min virtual variety show, featuring Hunter Foster, Elena Shaddow, Brandi Chavonne Massey, Danielle Diniz, and Nick Cearly & Lauren Molina, streams at 7 PM ET.
* The Seth Concert Series, with special guest Keala Settle, streams at 8 PM ET here.
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2020 Tony Award nominations
Click here for the complete list of nominations.
In categories with only one nominee listed, such as Leading Actor in a Musical, an affirmative vote of 60% of the total ballots cast will grant an award in that category
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Rebecca Luker and Danny Burstein will host a livestream letter writing event to drive support for accessible treatment for ALS patients, on Mon Oct. 19 at 6 PM ET on Zoom, where the pair will walk viewers through the process of writing to their own US representatives.
Several Broadway friends and representatives from I AM ALS (an online resource for patients, families, and supporters). BC/EFA is also a co-organizer of the event.
The letters will either encourage or thank elected officials for supporting ACT of ALS, which would allow early access to funding for successful treatments discovered in clinical trials helping patients with neurodegenerative illnesses, like ALS.
Click here to sign up. The RSVP is required, but the event is free to participate and open to all.
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The Comeback, a live production, written by & starring Ben Ashenden & Alex Owen, will run Dec. 8 – Jan. 3, 2021 at the Noël Coward Theatre, directed by Emily Burns.
Up-and-coming comics Alex and Ben have been booked in the warm-up spot for a fading double act’s comeback tour. Neither duo is delighted to be playing to a sparse crowd in a sleepy, seaside town, but when it’s revealed that a Hollywood director is in the audience, both acts glimpse a final chance for their big break.
Each night, the cast will be joined by a surprise celebrity guest star playing a cameo role.
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A reading of Joe DiPietro’s Conscience will stream Oct. 27-30 at NJ’s George Street Playhouse, directed by David Saint. Due to Covid-19 the world premiere was canceled just 2 days after it opened last March.
Harriet Harris (Margaret Chase Smith), Lee Sellars (Senator Joseph McCarthy), Mark Junek, and Cathryn Wake.
On June 1, 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith stood on the Senate floor and delivered her “Declaration of Conscience” in a historic moment of political courage. This sharply written play takes you behind the scenes of 1950s Washington in the days leading up to and following the singular speech that rattled McCarthyism, Congress, and the nation itself.
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Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” has announced principal casting.
Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Himesh Patel, Timothée Chalamet, Ariande Grande, Kid Cudi, Matthew Perry, and Tomer Sisley.
The film follows two low-level astronomers who embark on a media tour to warn mankind of an approaching asteroid that will destroy Earth.
Additional casting, timeline, and release date are TBA.
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“Dexter,” again starring Michael C. Hall, will return to Showtime for a 10-episode limited series. Production will begin in early 2021, with a tentative premiere expected in Fall 2021.
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Will Arbery’s Heroes of the Fourth Turning will stream Oct. 21-24 here, directed by Danya Taymor.
(original Off-Broadway cast): Zoe Winters, Julia McDermott, John Zdrojeski, Jeb Kreager, and Michele Pawk.
Set in Wyoming, the play depicts a homecoming of four conservatives as they toast their mentor and spiral into spiritual chaos and clashing generational politics.
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Video: Telly Leung sings “Climb Every Mountain” on “R&H Goes Pop — at Home.”
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Broadway’s Death of a Salesman (1999), starring Brian Dennehy, will stream Oct. 21-25 at 8 PM ET only on Playbill.com (link TBA).
The cast also featured Chelsa Altman (Letta), Kevin Anderson (Biff), Kate Buddeke (The Woman), Barbara Eda-Young (Secretary), Elizabeth Franz (Linda), and Allen Hamilton (Uncle Ben).
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House Seats: Women of Color on Broadway will stream Wed. Oct. 21 at 8 PM ET here, directed by Ann Benjamin. Women of Color on Broadway is a non-profit dedicated to supporting women of African, Latin, and Asian descent pursuing careers in musical theatre.
LaChanze and Melba Moore
Celia Rose Gooding (La Chanze’s daughter), Kuhoo Verma, Kimberly Marable, Kayla Davion, Aléna Watters, Darlesia Cearcy, Linah Sta. Ana, Genesis Collado, Barbara Douglas, and Vanisha Gould.
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To celebrate its 50th anniversary, PBS Masterpiece has announced its Masterpiece 50 season.
Click here to read all about the new season.
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Audio: “Eve,“ from Grace McLean’s In the Green.
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Laguna Playhouse will livestream a reading of Susan Glaspell & George Cram Cooke’s Suppressed Desires on Tues. Oct. 20 at 6:30 PM PT, directed by Andrew Barnicle. This was the first show produced by Laguna Playhouse 100 years ago.
French Stewart, Vanessa Claire Stewart, and Jennifer Shelton.
In this comedic satire of psychoanalysis, a woman addicted to therapy learns that a little self-delusion may not be a bad this. Henrietta’s obsession with psychoanalysis leads to a completely off-the-wall interpretation of a dream and very nearly to divorce before the absurdity of the situation is realized.
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“Grease: Rydell High,” the Grease prequel series, is currently in development for Paramount+, with a premiere date TBA.
Casting and additional information TBA.
The series will explore how Rizzo, Frenchy, Marty, and Jan came together before ruling Rydell High in their senior year.