This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, October 17
Hello Dolly, directed by Cheryl Baxter, featuring Tami Tappan Damiano (Dolly Levi) and David Engel (Horace Vandergelder) with Camren Hamm, Brandon Halvorsen, Sydney DeMaria, Bar Daniel, Ryan Cody, Roger Castellano, Janna Cardia, Ricky Bulda, Jane Papageorge, Landen Starkman, Rachel Beard, Andy Wissink, Matt Wiley, Helen Tait, and Grace Simmons, previews at CA’s Musical Theatre West.
Once upon a One More Time, by Jon Hartmere, directed by Colin Tracy, featuring Jill Marie Burke (Stepmother), Michelle Hakala Wolf (O.F.G), Jeremy Lucas (Clumsy), & Brian Whisenant (Narrator), begins previews at LA’s Jaxx Theatre.
Miracle on Fifty Fifth Street, by Greg Ostrin, directed by Emily Chase, featuring Michael Rothaa (Zero Mostel), Amar Levi (Jerome Robbins), and Josh Odsses-Rubin (Hal Prince), closes at Venice Ca’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
Saturday, October 18
Hello Dolly, directed by Cheryl Baxter, featuring Tami Tappan Damiano (Dolly Levi), with Camren Hamm, Brandon Halvorsen, Sydney DeMaria, Bar Daniel, Ryan Cody, Roger Castellano, Janna Cardia, Ricky Bulda, Jane Papageorge, Landen Starkman, Rachel Beard, Andy Wissink, Matt Wiley, Helen Tait, and Grace Simmons, opens at CA’s Musical Theatre West.
The Joni Project concert, featuring band members Katie Pearlman, Dave Berg, Dan Ehrlich, Alan Lerner, Mark Mancini, Steve L. Finkelstein, Premik Russell Tubbs, and Victoria Faiella, at 8 PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
Sunday, October 19
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, created and performed by Julia Masli, opens at Pasadena Playhouse.
Foundation for New American Musicals‘ Woman of the Year in concert, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Sandy Bainum (Tess), Jason Graae (Gerald), Vicki Lewis (Jan), and Norm Lewis (Sam Craig), with Joe Abraham, Sarah Chaney, Jared Certner, Gordon Goodman, Mark Miller, Kevin Simons, and Michael James, at Santa Monica’s Broad Stage.
Not Ready for Prime Time, The unauthorized, unsanitized, and slightly unhinged story of how a small group of lunatics made Saturday night unmissable, by Erik J. Rodriguez & Charles A. Sothers, directed by Conor Bagley, featuring Ryan Crout (John Belushi, Jared Grimes (Garrett Morris), Caitlin Houlahan (Jane Curtin), Nate Janis (Bill Murray), Kristian Lugo (Dan Ackroyd), Woodrow Proctor (s(Chevy Chase), and Taylor Richardson (Laraine Newman), with Gilbert L. Bailey. II (Broadway: Beetlejuice), Jacob Millman (New York: Singfield), Jake Roberson, closes at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater.
Million Dollar Quartet, by Craig Lucas, directed by Jame Moye & Kim Martin-Cotten, featuring Andrew Montgomery Coleman (Taylor), Jonathan Gillard Daly (Julius), Julie Garnyé (Leah), Caitlin Houlahan (Rita) Chris McCarrell (Peter), James Moye (Rita’s Dad), Keirsten Hodgens (Angie), and (Karen Ziemba (( Rita’s Mom), with Bella Hicks, Robert Zelaya, Caroline Pernick, Scott Redman, with Rachel Lykins and Marcel Werder, closes at CA’s South Coast Rep.
Our Town, directed, by Courtney O’Connor, featuring Will McGarrahan (Stage Manager), Thomika Bridwell (Mrs. Gibbs), Marie Bridwell, Amanda Collins ((Mrs. Webb), Josephine Moshiri Elwood (Emily Webb), Dan Garcia (George Gibbs), De’Lon Grant (Mr. Webb), John Kuntz (Professor Willard/Simon Stimson), Will McGarrahan, Robert Najarian (Doc Gibbs), and Darren Paul (Constable Warren/Wally), with Kathy St. George, and Jacob Less, closes at Boston’s Lyric Stage.
I’ll Give You My Heart, by Tamara Stern, directed by James Mellon, featuring Jacqueline Emerson, Jeremy S. Walker, Emily Nash, Heather Lee, Jonah Robinson, Jon Root, and Jennifer Cannon, closes at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, directed & choreographed by Jennifer Werner, featuring Brianna Kothari Barnes (Carole King), Zachary Freier-Harrison (Gerry Goffin), Kailey Boyle (Cynthia Weil), David Socolar (Barry Mann), with Amy Loui (Carole’s Mother Genie) and Jeff Cummings (Don Kirshner), closes at Stages St. Louis.
WestFest 2025, a series of new shows, closes at LA’s Theatre West.
Rome, Sweet Rome, by Jac Godfrey, directed by Ellie Coote, featuring Charlie McCullagh, Evelyn Hoskins, Daniel Assetta, Kailin Brown, Devin Cortez, Cameron Anika Hill, Josh Hoon Lee, Minju Michelle Lee, Austin Nelson Jr., Morgan Schoeneker, Lucia Spina, Lucia Spina, Akron Watson, Julia Bain, Lacey Jack, Joshua Messmore, and Luke Nowakowski, closes at Chicago’s Q Brothers Collective.
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Reviews for Ragtime at Broadway’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre:
Click here to read all the reviews.
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Musical Theatre Guild will present No Tricks Just Treats on Thurs. Nov. 20, at 8:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Director, music director & performers TBA.
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Much Ado About Nothing will run Nov 18‑Dec. 21 at Chicago Shakespeare, directed by Selina Cadel.
Deborah Hay (Beatrice) and Craig Bierko s(Benedick), with Debo Balogun, Mark Bedard, Joey Chelius, Sean Fortunato, Kevin Gudahl, Suzanne Hannau, Colin Huerta, Samuel B. Jackson, Mi Kang, Jaylon Muchison, Felicia Oduh, Yona Moises Olivares, Jeff Parker, and Tiffany Scott.
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Guac, by Manuel Oliver & James Clements, directed by Michael Cotey, continues through Nov. 2 at LA’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Manuel Oliver.
A fearless, funny, and deeply moving theatrical tour-de-force about a father turned activist. Seven years after his son Joaquín “Guac” Oliver was killed in the Parkland shooting, Manuel Oliver channels his love, loss, and rage into a powerful force for change. From pepperoni bacon pizza to air guitar solos, Oliver paints a vivid, unforgettable portrait of a vibrant life cut short—and a father’s relentless fight for a better future. Both a celebration and a rallying cry, GUAC pulls zero punches and speaks to anyone who has ever loved, lost, or dreamed of making a difference.
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The Comedy Series continues through Nov. 23 at Off-Broadway’s Claire Tow Theatre, directed by Zhailon Levingston.
Line-up TBA.
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Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia, A Rock Ballet will return Nov. 14-16 at NY City Center, directed by Rob Ashford, with choreography by Paul Roberts.
TBA.
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Levi Holloway’s Paranormal Activity continues through Dec. 7 at the Ahmanson Theatre, directed by Felix Barrett.
Melissa James and Patrick Heusinger
James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape the past…but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are. An original story set in the world of the terrifying Paranormal Activity film franchise, this thrilling new play is from celebrated playwright Levi Holloway. This world premiere play will haunt you long after the lights go out. We can’t say anything else.