This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, October 4
Oedipus, adapted & directed by Robert Ick, featuring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville, opens at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, by Nathan Englander, directed by Patrick Marber, featuring Joshua Malina (Phil), Caroline Catz (Debbie), Dorothea Myer-Bennett (Shoshana), Simon Yadoo (Yerucham), and Gabriel Howell (Trevor), opens at London’s Marylebone Theatre.
Babbitt, world premiere by Joe DiPietro, directed by Christopher Ashley, featuring Matthew Broderick (George F. Babbit), Mara Davi (Storyteller #5), Ann Harada (Storyteller #1), Nehal Joshi (Storyteller #2), Judy Kaye (Storyteller $6), Matt McGrath (Storyteller #3), Chris Myers (Storyteller #7) and Ali Stroker (Storyteller #4), opens at DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Trouble in Mind, by Alice Childress, directed by Hébert Gregory, featuring Rodrick Jean-Charles (Sheldon Forrester), Larry Eisenberg (Henry), Freedom (John Nevins), Sophia Kalugin (Judy Sears), JohnMarzilli (Bill O’Wray), Spencer Rowe (Al Manners), Brendan Shannon (Eddie Fenton), Lorinda Hawkins Smith (Millie Davis), and Kimi Walker (Wiletta Mayer), opens at Hollywood’s Actors Co -op.
Group Rep‘s The Orphan’s Revenge (or Abandoned at Cooper’s Crossing), by Suzanne Buhrer, Gene Casey & Jan Casey, directed by Stan Mazin, featuring shared roles: Sean Babcock & Jackson Bethel (Orphan), and George Bufford & Eas Bufford (Benjamin Cox) & Joseph Eastburn (Victor Van Rooper), with Lareen Faye, Brad Kahn, Jessica Kent, Hisato Masuyama, Casey Murry Belle, Tack Sappington, Rob Schaumann, Kyra Schwartz, Arden Shia, Suzan Solomon, Abigail Stewart, Melissa Strauss, Scarlett Strauss, Hannah Sun, Kristin Towers Rowles, and Janet Wood, opens at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre.
Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Brian Kite, featuring Jared Goldsmith (Seymour), Emily Goglia ((Audrey) ,Tyler Matthew Burk (Orin Scrivello, DDS), Jay Brian Winnick (Mr. Mushnik), Rezia Landers (Crystal, Naya Ramsey-Clarke (Chiffon, Luz Rodríguez (Ronnette), and Mitchell Gerrard Johnson (Audrey II), with Sammy Linkowski, and Corinne Miller, opens at CA’s Thousand Oaks’ Bank of America Performing Arts Center.
York Theatre Company‘s InunDATEd, by Alice Scovell & Christine Lavin, directed by Christine Pedi, featuring Kate Rockwell and Taylor Crousore, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Jean’s.
Saturday, October 5
Reefer Madness The Musical presentation, by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney, directed by David Lamoureux, featuring Jason Alexander, Anthony Norman, Darcy Rose Byrnes, J. Elaine Marcos, Nicole Parker, Thomas Dekker, Bryan Daniel Porter, Andre Joseph Aultmon, Claire Crause, Jane Papageorge, Alex Tho, David T. Crane, and Natalia Holt MacDonald, at at Hollywood’s Whitley Theatre (6555 Hollywood Blvd.)
One Night Stand with Stormy Daniels solo show, 9:30 PM at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room.
Jason Robert Brown in concert, conducted by Jason & Georgia Stitt, with special guests Shoshana Bean, Ja. Harrison Ghee, Heather Headley, and Ben Platt, at 8 PM at Carnegie Hall.
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Sunday, October 6
York Theatre Company‘s InunDATEd, by Alice Scovell & Christine Lavin, directed by Christine Pedi, featuring Kate Rockwell and Taylor Crousore, opens at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Jean’s.
The Acting Company‘s Holiday benefit reading, directed by Robert Falls, featuring Rachel Brosnahan, Ella Beatty, Lilli Cooper, Hiram Delgado, Chris Perfetti and John Slattery, at 7 PM at NYC’s Gerald W. Lynch Theater (524 W 59th St.)
Broadway Acts for Abortion 2024 benefit concert, featuring Bonnie Milligan, Miriam Silverman, Ann Dowd, Michael Emerson, Amanda Green, John Cameron Mitchell, Javier Muñoz, and Carrie Preston, at 6:30 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
York Theatre Company & the Noel Coward Foundation’s I Like America benefit concert, directed by Barry Day & Joseph Hayward, featuring Steve Ross, KT Sullivan, and Simon Jones, at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s St. Jean’s. 
boxoffice@yorktheatre.org.
The Civil Twilight, by Shem Bitterman, directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, featuring Taylor Gilbert and Andrew Elvis Miller, begins previews at LA’s Broadwater Studio Theatre.
The 5th Annual Black Film Festival, in support of The Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center, at 3 PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Goldberg Variations, by George Tabori, directed by Manfred Bormann, featuring Jeff Burchfield, Jee Duman, Derrick Peterson, Alyssa Simon, Matt Walker, and Dana Watkins, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theater for the New City.
The Witness Room, by Pedro Anontio Garcia, directed by Will Blum, featuring Dave Baez, Moe Irvin, JD Mollison, Tricia Small, and Jason SweetTooth Williams, closes at Off-Broadway’s AMT Theatre.
Romeo and Juliet, directed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, featuring Terence Archie (Lord Capulet) Jason Bowen (Prince), Sharon Catherine Brown (Nurse), Bradley Dean (Lord Montague/Friar John), Brandon Dial (Benvolio) Adi Dixit (Paris), Terrence Mann (Friar Laurence), Abiola Obatolu (Lady Montague, Rudy Pankow (Romeo), Alex Ross (Tybalt), Will Savarese (Abraham), Adam Shaukat (Sampson,), Clay Singer (Mercutio), Emilia Suárez (Juliet), and Nicole Villamil (Lady Capulet), closes at Cambridge’s A.R.T.
Dragon Lady, by Sara Porkalob, directed by Andrew Russell, featuring Sara Porkalob, with Pete Irving, Jimmy Austin & Mickey Stylin, closes at LA’s Geffen Playhouse.
Empire Records: The Musical, by Zoe Sarna & Carol Hiekkinen, directed by Trip Cullman, featuring Lorna Courtney (Corey), Damon Daunno (Rex Manning), Taylor Iman Jones (Max), Michael Luwoye (Joe), Tyler Donovan McCall (Lucas), Liam Pearce (AJ), Sam Poon (Warren), Analise Scarpaci (Debra), Eric Wiegand (Mark), and Samantha Williams (Gina), with Hoke Faser, Alex Lugo, Leah Read, Maximilian Sangerman, Andrew Cekala, and Jarynn Whitney, closes at NJ’s McCarter Theatre.
The Coast Starlight, by Keith Bunin, directed by Mark Clements, featuring Jack Ball (TJ), Emily S. Chang (Jane), Yadira Correa (Anna), Kelley Faulkner (Liz), Justin Huen (Noah) and Jonathan Wainwright (Ed), closes at Milwaukee Rep,
Once, directed by Michael Michetti, featuring Shawn W. Smith (Guy), Maddie Eaton (Girl), Linda Bard (Emcee), Max Bartos (Svec), Linda Bard (Emcee), Max Bartos (Svec), Matt Foyer (Da), Julia Hoffman (Réza), Brian Maillard (Bank Manager), Cynthia Marty (Baruška), Leota Rhodes (Ex-Girlfriend), Sam Saint Ours (Eamon), andAdam Huell Potter (Billy), with Will Huse, closes at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.
Henry V, directed by Edward Hall, featuring Elijah Jones (King Henry V), Scott Aiello (Duke of Salisbury/Williams/Nym), Donté Bonner (Duke of Exeter), Ronald L. Conner (Bardolph/Duke of Orleans), Rachel Crowl (Fluellen/Grey), Alejandra Escalante (Dauphin of France/Bishop of Ely/Nell), Sean Fortunato (King of France/Erpingham/Duke of York), Kate Fry (Duke of Westmoreland/Monsieur le Fer/Alice), Courtney Rikki Green (Katherine, Princess of France/Lad), Gregory Linington (Archbishop of Canterbury/Bates/Governor of Harfluer), Jaylon Muchison (Mountjoy/Scroop), Adam Poss (Constable of France/Cambridge), and Demetrios Troy (Pistol/Duke of Burgundy), closes at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
Standing By, by Norman Barasch, directed by Wolfgang Bodison, featuring Erin Hadfield (Ellen) and Abraham Arias (Jeffery), closes at North Hollywood’s Playhouse West – Magnolia Studio.
The Polycule: A Comedy of Manners, world premire by Jillian Blevins, directed by Sean Alan Mazur, featuring Bita Arefnia, Andres Garcia Arriola, Macedonia Bullington, Alejandro Mungaray, Ignacio Navarro, Rosie Ryden, Matthew Scheel, and Josh Thrower, with Andrea Casamitjana, Madylin Sweeten Durrie, and Silas Jean-Rox, closes at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble.
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Video: Highlights from No Love Songs at Goodspeed.
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Off-Broadway’s Intar Theatre has announced its 2024-25 season:
A Boy Called Lobo workshop presentation (Nov. 22-24), by David Anuelo & Nate Dobson, directed by Rudy Ramírez. 
Kissing Cowboys, flying horses and wolf spirits abound. A Cutting Man wants to save Lobo even if it kills him. A curandera sometimes speaks through a microphone and sometimes through her grandson’s corpuscles. Set in the desert, a mysterious White Room and the Tigua Reservations. part interactive Ted Talk and part musical fable about a boy who is on a quest to recover his languages and make peace with his dual nature.
The Irrepressible Magic of the Tropics (Feb. 15 – Mar. 23, 2025, opening Feb. 24), world premiere by Julián Mesri, directed by Kathleen Capdesuñer. Welcome to the Buenos Cruces, a town in a magical forest in the heart of Latin America—and the latest manufacturing location for Cantilever Inc., a multinational corporation that specializes in everything from diapers to cigarettes. But as his family settles into their new lives in the jungle, Cantilever Vice President, John C. Dulk is mysteriously absent, leaving his wife, Julie, to navigate the challenges of keeping their family, and the factory, afloat in this strange and surreal setting.
O.K. (May 10 – June 8), world premiere by Christin Eve Cato, directed by Melissa Crespo. Inside the dressing room of a regional theater in Oklahoma, it’s 90 minutes until curtain for the all-new production of O.K.!, a bilingual parody of some other musical the producers couldn’t get the rights for. Melinda receives a disturbing phone call that sends her spiraling like a tornado. Due to the state’s recent abortion ban, her upcoming appointment has been canceled indefinitely. Melinda’s meltdown captures the attention of her wisecracking New York Latina cast mates who come to her rescue. Together, they navigate a post-Roe America with grievances, fears, necessary humor, and even some tarot cards. As the minutes go by, and with the show starting soon, the women become desperate to know: what will Melinda do next?
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Video: Highlights from rehearsals of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center, featuring Bonnie Milligan, Kevin McHale, Beanie Feldstein, and Alex Joseph Grayson).
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A reading of Jen Silverman’s Witch will take place Mon. Oct. 7 at 7 PM at CT’s Westport Country Playhouse.
Jonathan Burke (Cuddy Banks), Alison Cimmet (Elizabeth Sawyer), Santino Fontana (Scratch), Ana Cruz Kayne (Winnifred,) Michael McCorry Rose (Frank Thorney), and Thom Sesma (Sir Arthur Banks).
The play follows a charming devil, who arrives in Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their deepest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought.
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Steve Ross & Karen Murphy: Best Of The Versed will take place Fri. Oct. 19 at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Don’t Tell Mama.
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A podcast presentation of Melissa Marie Watson’s Monsters Anonymous, which will be available beginning Oct. 23 at Open Door Playhouse, directed by Bernadette Armstrong.
Kevin Carr, Monique Gonsalves, Gina Elaine, and Larry Coleman.
Dracula wants to be a better monster. He feels guilty for the people he’s killed and he wants to make sure he doesn’t kill again. However, he realizes his urge to kill is an addiction. He can sustain himself on animal blood, but he’s addicted to human blood and the rush of drinking it after a kill. He decides to join Monsters Anonymous, MA, a group dedicated to monsters and their addictions, but he pretends he is addicted to alcohol. In the group he meets Gaywolf, who is addicted to bulking up, Frankenstein, who is addicted to plastic surgery, and Ghost Girl, who is addicted to love and stalking her ex-girlfriend. Will he find inspiration and companionship from the group? Or will he continue to cave to his addiction and kill again?
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The Merchant of Venice will run Nov. 22 – Dec. 22 (opening Nov. 25) at Classic Stage Company, adapted & directed by Igor Golyak.
T.R. Knight (Antonio), Richard Topol ( Shylock), Alexandra Silber (Portia), Gus Birney (Jessica), Tess Goldwyn (Nerisa), José Espinosa (Bassanio), Stephen Ochsner (Launcelot Gobbo), and Noah Pacht (Lorenzo), with Delilah Napier and Elan Zafir.
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Sunday in the Park with George, the 1981 original Broadway production, starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, is now streaming on Amazon.
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The 39 Steps, adapted by Patrick Barlow, will run Oct. 22 – Nov. 9 at CT’s Westport Country Playhouse, directed by Mark Shanaha.
Joe Delafield (Richard Hannay), Patrick Halley (Clown 1), Sharone Sayegh (Annabella, Pamela, Margaret), (Annabella), and Evan Zes (Clown 2).
An international spy ring trying to steal British military secrets in the 1930s. Unflappable hero Richard Hannay goes on the run from dangerous enemy agents and femme fatales in a surprising and hilarious adventure that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The story is told through highly inventive stagecraft – a daring police chase over tops of high-speed trains, a frightening jump from a bridge, a thrilling plane pursuit in the Scottish highlands. Four actors play over 100 characters with rapid changes of costumes, wigs, mustaches, and accents.
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Ensemble Theatre Company‘s production of Gordon Greenberg & Steve Rosen’s A Comedy of Terrors will offer pay-what you can performances on Oct. 6, 9, and 24 at Santa Barbara’s New Vic, directed by Jamie Torcellini. The run continues through Oct. 27.
Casey J. Adler (Actor 1), Jann Cardia (Actor 2), Regina Fernandez (Actor 3), Adam Hagenbuch (Dracula), and Josh Odsess-Rubin (Actor 4)
Ever wondered what would happen if you took Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale and put in into a blender with the comedic influences of Mel Brooks, Monty Python and The 39 Steps? That’s just what happens in this lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud 90-minute gender-bending, quick-change magical romp. Famed female vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and her motley company chase Count Dracula from the English countryside to Transylvania to “other frightening places.”
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Nancy Harris’ The Beacon has been extended through Nov. 24 at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep, directed by Marc Atkinson.
Kate Mulgrew (Beiv), Zach Appelman Colm), Sean Bell (Donal), David Mattar Merten (Ray), and Ayana Workman (Bonnie).
Beiv, a renowned artist, has left her suburban Dublin home for a secluded cottage on a rugged island off the coast of West Cork, Ireland. Here, there is no escaping the rumors of her shadowy past, and Beiv lets everyone see right in. Her relative peace is disrupted when her estranged son, Colm, returns home with his new wife, searching for answers about his father’s mysterious death. Prying into the past comes with a cost, however, and returning to the island will leave some people searching for a light – and others avoiding its glare.