This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, Sept. 13
Leopoldstadt, by Tom Stoppard, directed by Carey Perloff, featuring Samuel Adams, Aaron Rosenbaum, Firdous Bamji, Sara Corey, Anna Theonni Digiovanni, Samuel Douglas, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh, Rachel Felstein, Nellie Jakobovicz Rosenbaum, BiRebecca (Hilde), and Rosa Kloster (Wilma & Ernst’s daughter), and many more, opens at Bostons’ Huntington Theatre.
Prelude to a Kiss, world premiere by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé & Sean Hartley, directed by Kenneth Ferrone, featuring Karen Ziemba (Rita’s Mom) Andrew Montomery Coleman (Taylor), Jonathan Gillard Daly (Julius), Julie Garnyé (Leah), Caitlin Houlahan (Rita), Chris McCarrell (Peter), and James Moye (Rita’s Dad), with Bella Hicks, Caroline Pernick, and Robert Zelaya, opens at Milwaukee Rep.
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, opens at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble.
Yellow Face, by David Henry Hwang, directed by Leigh Silverman, featuring Daniel Dae Kim (DHH), Kevin Del Aguila (Actor A,) Ryan Eggold (Marcus), Francis Jue (HYH), Marinda Anderson (Actor B), Greg Keller (Reporter), and Shannon Tyo (Leah), begin previews at Broadway’s Roundabout Theatre.
Waiting for Godot, directed by James Macdonald, featuring Lucian Msamati and Ben Whishaw, begins previews at Theatre Royal Haymarket.
SpeakEasy Stage‘s Laughs in Spanish, by Alexis Scheer, directed by Mariela López-Ponce, featuring Dominic Daniel (Walter Lee Younger), Jaquai Wade (Beneatha Younger), Kathy Tyree (Lena Younger), Vanessa R Butler (Ruth Younger), Judah Asher (Travis Younger), Tony N. King (Joseph Asagai), Jordan Williams (George Murchison), Justin Fletcher (Mr. Karl Lindner), and Justin Stewart (Bobo), begins previews at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
Now That’s What I Call Broadway concert, celebrating Broadway’s favorite musical theater moments and performances, with music direction by Wes D’Alelio, featuring Kaelee Albritton, Rickens Anantua, Olivia Lacie Andrews, Ryan Byrne, Wes D’Alelio, Sydney Kamel, Gabriel Kearns, Liisi La Fontaine, Jaelle Laguerre, Aaron James McKenzie, Ricky Moyer, angel Sigala, and Ayanna Nicole Thomas, closes at NYC’s 54 Below.
Saturday, Sept. 14
The Beacon, by Nancy Harris, directed by Marc Atkinson, featuring Kate Mulgrew (Biev), Zach Appelman (Colm), Sean Bell (Donal), David Mattar Merten (Ray), and Ayana Workman (Bonnie), opens at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.
Blood of the Lamb, by Arlene Hutton, directed by Margot Bordelon, featuring Johanna Day and Meredith Garretson, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Kill Move Paradise, by James Ijames, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, featuring Ulato Sam, Aheki Togun, Jonathan P. Sims, and Cedric Joe, opens at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.
The Big Gay Jamboree, world premiere by Marla Mindelle, directed & choreographed by Connor Gallagher, featuring Marla Mindelle, Alex Moffat, Paris Nix , Constantine Rousouli, and Natalie Walker, with Jaden Dominique, Brad Greer, Jeremiah Ginn, Amanda Lee, Jillian Mueller, Olivia Puckett, Melvin Tunstall, Clyde Voce, Cortney Wolfson, and John Yi, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Orpheum Theatre.
Inherit the Wind, directed by Henry Godinez, featuring Harry Lennix (Attorney Henry Drummond), Alexander Gemignani (Matthew Harrison Brady), Charín Álvarez (Mrs. Brady), Terry Bell (Sillers), Hamid Dehghani (Storekeeper), William Dick (Mayor), Meighan Gerachis (Elijah), Lawrence Grimm (Dunlap), Kevin Gudahl (Judge), Presley Rose Jones (Melinda), Christopher Kale Jones (Tom Davenport), Mi Kang (E.K. Hornbeck), Ryan Kitley (Reverend Jeremiah Brown), Tyler Meredith (Rachel Brown), Thomas Murphy Molony (Howard), Christopher Llewyn Ramirez (Bertram Cates), Robert Schleifer (Meeker), Eric Slater (Mr. Bannister), and Penelope Walker (Mrs. Krebs), with Chase Clevenger, Theo Gyra, Hannah Kato, John Lister, Michael Milligan, Kailey Danielle Morand, Aila Peck, Alex Benito Rodriguez, Eric Slater, and Cedric Young, begins previews at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
The Best Is Yet to Come benefit concert, honoring Kristin Chenoweth and Mary-Mitchell Campbell, featuring Laura Benanti, Bonnie Milligan, Debra Monk, Lillias White, Kristin Chenoweth, F. Murray Abraham, Raúl Esparza, and Norm Lewis, at 7 PM at CT’s Westport Country Playhouse.
Kiss Me Kate, directed by Bartlett Sher, featuring Stephanie J. Block (Lilli Vanessi & Katharine), Adrian Dunbar (Fred Graham & Petruchio), Charlie Stemp (Bill Calhoun & Lucentio), Georgina Onuorah (Lois Lane & Bianca), Josie Benson (Hattie), Jack Butterworth (Paul), Jude Owusu (Harry Trevor & Baptista), Carl Au (Hortensio), Jordan Crouch (Gremio), Gary Milner (Ralph), and James Hume (Pops), with Alisha Capon, Shani Cator, Maya de Faria, Amelia Kinu Muus, Jacqui Jameson, Lucas Koch, Alex Lodge, Nell Martin, Anna McGarahan, John Stacey and Harrison Wilde. Swings are Robin Kent, Barry Drummond, Emily Goodenough, and Maddie Harper, closes at London’s Barbican Theatre.
The Baker’s Wife, directed by Gordon Greenberg, featuring Lucie Jones (Genevieve), Clive Rowe (Baker), Bobbie Chambers (Niece), Mark Extance (The Teacher), Josefina Gabrielle (Denise), Jack Gardner (Philippe), Hana Ichijo (Niece), Michael Matus (Marquis), Robyn Rose (Niece), David Seadon-Young (Antoine), Matthew Seadon-Young (Priest), Joaquin Pedro Valdes (Dominique). Sutara Gayle (Therese), Norman Pace (Claude), Liam Tamne (Barnaby), and Finty Williams (Hortense) with Bart Lambert, David Pendlebury, and Annabelle Williams, closes at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory.
The Grapes of Wrath, adapted by adapted by Frank Galati, directed by Carrie Cracknell, featuring Cherry Jones (Ma Joad), Zoë Aldrich, Afolabi Alli, Rhys Bailey, Rachel Barnes, Brandon Bassir, Lin Blakley, Morgan Burgess, Tom Bulpett, Ryan Ellsworth, Amelia Gabriel, Christopher Godwin, Valentine Hanson, Greg Hicks, Harley Johnston, Natey Jones, William Lawlor, Mirren Mack, Maimuna Memon, Matthew Romain, Anish Roy, Michael Shaeffer, Robyn Sinclair, Tucker St Ivany, Emma Tracey, Harry Treadaway and Cath Whitefield, closes at London’s Lyttelton Theatre.
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), and Leota Rhodes (Ex-Girlfriend), and Sam Saint Ours (Billy), with Adam Huell Potter, closes at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.
Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin conclude their runs in Cabaret at the Kit Cat Lub at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre.
Kiss Me Kate, directed by Bartlett Sher, featuring Stephanie J. Block (Lilli Vanessi & Katharine), Adrian Dunbar (Fred Graham & Petruchio), Charlie Stemp (Bill Calhoun & Lucentio), Georgina Onuorah (Lois Lane & Bianca), Josie Benson (Hattie), Jack Butterworth (Paul), Jude Owusu (Harry Trevor & Baptista), Carl Au (Hortensio), Jordan Crouch (Gremio), Gary Milner (Ralph), and James Hume (Pops), with Alisha Capon, Shani Cator, Maya de Faria, Amelia Kinu Muus, Jacqui Jameson, Lucas Koch, Alex Lodge, Nell Martin, Anna McGarahan, John Stacey and Harrison Wilde, with Robin Kent, Barry Drummond, Emily Goodenough, and Maddie Harper, closes at London’s Barbican Theatre.
Hello Dolly, directed by Dominic Cooke, featuring Imelda Staunton (Dolly), Andy Nyman (Horace Vandergelder), Jenna Russell (Irene Molly), Tyrone Huntly (Barnaby Tucker), Harry Hepple (Cornelius Hackl), and Emily Lane (Minnie Fay), with Leo Abad, Craig Armstrong, Lindsay Atherton, Gemma Atkins, Alan Bradshaw, Jabari Braham, Kevin Brewis, Jenni Bowden, Daisy Boyles, Samara Casteallo, Olly Christopher, Brendan Cull, Hayley Diamond, Jacqueline Hughes, Ashlee Irish, Jodie Jacobs, Shirley Jameson, Paul Kemble, Emily Langham, Michael Lin, Amira Matthews, Laura Medforth, Matt Overfield, Tom Partridge, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Edwin Ray, Phil Snowden, Kraig Thornber, Gavin Wilkinson, and Liam Wrate, closes at the London Palladium.
Henry VI, Parts I, II, and III, adapted & directed by Barry Edelstein, featuring Elizabeth A. Davis (Margaret), William DeMeritt (York), Sofia Jean Gomez (Warwick), Mahira Kakkar (Eleanor/Mortimer/ Iden, Ian Lassiter (Gloucester/Edward), Jake Millgard (Charles/Bolingbroke/King Louis), Keshav Moodliar (King Henry), Victor Morris (Salisbury), Gregg Mozgala (Suffolk/Richard), Mike Sears (Cardinal/Old Clifford/Father), Ella Serrano (Rutland), Tally Sessions (Talbot/ Cade), and Cassia Thompson (Joan/Prince Edward), closes at San Diego’s Old Globe.
Sunday, Sept. 15
SpeakEasy Stage‘s Laughs in Spanish, by Alexis Scheer, directed by Mariela López-Ponce, featuring Dominic Daniel (Walter Lee Younger), Jaquai Wade (Beneatha Younger), Kathy Tyree (Lena Younger), Vanessa R Butler (Ruth Younger), Judah Asher (Travis Younger), Tony N. King (Joseph Asagai), Jordan Williams (George Murchison), Justin Fletcher (Mr. Karl Lindner), and Justin Stewart (Bobo), opens at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.
An Evening with Broadway Legend LaChanze benefit concert in support of NYC’s 54 Below, at 8 PM at the venue.
House on Fire, live & livestreamed concert, by Gracie Hyland & Gretchen Cryer, directed by DeMone Seraphin, featuring Kenita Miller, Michael McCorry Rose, Gabriella Joy Rodriguez,and Tyley Ross, at 7 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42.
York Theatre‘s Twist of Fate, by Lissa Levin & Ron Abel, directed by Bill Castellino, featuring David Baida, Joanna Carpenter, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Lianne Marie Dobbs, Ben Jones, Maya Lagerstam, Jillian Louis, Cal Mitchell, and Eric Phelps, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theater at St. Jean’s.
Soft Power, by Jeanine Tesori & David Henry Hwang, directed by Ethan Heard, featuring Steven Eng (DHH), Daniel May (Xue Xing), and Grace Yoo (Hillary Clinton), with Eymard Cabling, Andrew Cristi, Jonny Lee Jr., Quynh-My Luu, Christopher Mueller, Ashley D. Nguyn, Chani Werely, Nicholas Yenson, SumiéYotsukura, Olivia Clavel-Davis, Brian Dauglash, Emily Song Tyler, and Joey Urgino, closes at DC’s Signature Theatre.
Velour: A Drag Spectacular, by Sasha Velour & Moses Kaufman, directed by Kaufman, featuring Sasha Velour, Ezra Reaves, Moscato Sky, and Amber St. James, with Shaun Tuazon, closes at La Jolla Playhouse.
Group Rep‘s Brent Beerman’s Mourning Song, world premiere by Brent Beerman, directed by Mareli Mitchel-Shields, featuring Brent Beerman, Kathi Chaplar, Amy Earhart, PaulAnthony Kelly, Lloyd Pedersen, Alex Scyocurka, and Bonnie Snyder, closes at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre.
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Reviews for The Roommate at Broadway’s Booth Theatre:
NY Times (Jesse Green): Most of what either woman says in The Roommate, which opened Thursday at the Booth Theater, is greeted by one or the other response. The two actors, old friends and old hands, play beautifully off each other, expertly riding the seesaw of a play, by Jen Silverman, that throws a Bronx grifter looking to reform herself into an unlikely alliance with a flyover frump looking to ditch her flannel ways. The actors’ intense focus and extreme contrast multiply the material exponentially, sending it way past the footlights to the back of the Booth. … But as we’ve learned, sustaining and expanding are two different activities. Indeed, the Broadway supersizing of The Roommate…does not necessarily represent progress, even as it no doubt reaps profit. Rather, under Jack O’Brien’s direction, it often feels like a 1970s throwback … Though LuPone and Farrow remain compelling throughout, they are not done any favors by O’Brien’s heavy underlining…
Theatermania (Zachary Stewart): …It should come as no surprise to Broadway regulars that LuPone excels in the role of the abrasive New York lesbian… It’s easy to see why LuPone is one of the most discussed stage actors of her generation. She supercharges even the simplest business (dialing the telephone, stirring a cup of coffee) with her own distinct dramatic flair, letting us know why Robyn is such a magnetic figure for Sharon… Silverman weaves a heartwarming yarn about an older woman who has been abandoned by the people who should love her most, but who finds a second act in a life of crime… The Roommate never veers into broad humor but remains grounded in real human stakes and always seems uncomfortably plausible…
Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones): It’s near-impossible to look away from Mia Farrow’s enveloping performance as a lonely but feisty Iowan in director Jack O’Brien’s staging of Jen Silverman’s quirky one-act, one-set play The Roommate. One fears looking down at the floor for a second and missing an implosion… Maybe “explosion” is the better word. It’s hard to know… That’s because Farrow’s organic fusing of externals and internals is so central to her work as an actress. … The show dances on the age of Eros and yet also effectively exploits a sense of dread, that things are not entirely as they seem with either of these women and that we’re all just waiting for stuff to blow up… a play that starts out with an interesting premise, runs into some credibility problems… LuPone is recognizably LuPone, which is not a problem and, indeed, is probably what most audiences are coming to see. As you might imagine, she never is dull for a single second, you’re always glad to see her make an entrance and her coiled energy and drive is such that I wondered at one point whether she might add a joke or some extra bit just to ratchet up the dramatic tension and keep herself, and us, better entertained…
New York Theatre (Jonathan Mandell): …The Roommate is like a female “The Odd Couple” that’s more odd and less funny, and worth a Broadway production for two reasons: Mia Farrow and Patti LuPone…The contrast between the two characters…is initially just as pronounced: Sharon seems a hyperbolically naïve country bumpkin, and Robyn a sophisticated city slicker with an outlaw aura…. I shouldn’t fully reveal the precise ways in which the odd couple template takes a turn. I’ll only say that Robyn has a mysterious past, which she refuses to divulge to the curious Sharon, until about halfway into the 100-minute play Sharon makes an accidental discovery on her own, the first of several… The Roommate does feel unfinished, its ending reworkable.
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Joy Huerta, Benjamin Velez, Lisa Loomer & Nell Benjamin’s Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, following an acclaimed world premiere in 2023 at Cambridges’ A.R.T., will begin previews & open on dates TBA at a theatre TBA, directed & choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. 
Click here for the production’s website.
TBA.
Summer 1987, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. After eighteen years under the roof of her immigrant parents, Ana is ready to spread her wings. Her dreams of college and a career in New York City are bursting at the seams, but her family’s expectations would keep her home, working at their garment factory (and being driven crazy by her mother). Is it worth sacrificing the dreams of her family by Ana fulfilling her own? Based on the play by Josefina López that inspired the iconic hit film of the same name.
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Fiddler on the Roof will run Nov. 8 – Dec. 1 (opening Nov. 9) at CA’s La Mirada Theatre, directed by Lonny Price, with music direction by Alby Potts, and choreography by Lee Martino.
Jason Alexander (Tevye), Valerie Perri (Golde), Rachel Ravel (Tzeitel), Alanna J. Smith (Hodel), Emerson Glick (Chava) Cameron Mabie (Motel), Remy Laifer (Perchik,), Sawyer Patterson (Fyedka), Eileen T’Kaye (Yente(, Ron Orbach (Lazar Wolf), Gregory North (Constable), Catherine Last (Shprintze), Ava Giselle Field (Bielke), David Prottas (The Fiddler/ Yussel), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (sMordcha), Hayden Kharrazi Mendel), Ryan Dietz (Avram), Marc Moritz (Rabbi), Daniel Stromfeld (Nachum), Jean Kauffman (Grandma Tzeitel), Gwen Hollander (Fruma-Sarah), Dana Weisman (Shaindel). and Hannah Nicole Sedlacek (Fredel), with Anthony Cannarella , Michael James, Bruno Koskoff, Gavin Leahy, Mark C. Reis, Michalis Schinas, Chad A. Vaught, and Michael Wells. The Swings are Bailey Herskowitz, Charley Rowan McCain, and Donovan Mendelovitz.
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Manhattan Rep‘s Rawshock, by Rita Lewis, will run Oct. 18 – Nov. 3 at the Chain Theatre, directed by Ken Wolf.
Jennifer Pierro, Camber Carpenter, David Silberger, Nathan Cusson, Chelsea Clark, Christian Libonati and Theresa Della Valle.
The New drama Set in a psychiatric hospital as conflict erupts between vulnerable patients and the needs of the corporation that has recently acquired the facility.
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“The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal” has announced its special Fall 2024 preview Episode, which will air the weekend of Sept. 21. Click here for more information.
Featured productions: It’s a Wonderful World (James Monroe Igelhart) …. Death Becomes Her (Christopher Sieber) …. Gypsy (Audra McDonald) ….The Hills of California (Jez Butterworth) …. Left on Tenth (Delia Ephron) …. Maybe Happy Ending (Helen J. Shen) …. McNeal (Robert Downey Jr.) …. Our Town (Zoey Deuth, Kattie Holes, Jim Parsons, Ephraim Sykes) …. Romeo + Juliet (Gabby Beans) …. Sunset Boulevard (Nicole Scherzinger) …. Swept Away (Wayne Juvall, Adrian Blake Enscoe, John Gallagher Jr., and Stark Sands), …. Tammy Faye (director Rupert Goold) …. and Yellow Face (Daniel Dae Kim and Ryan Eggold.
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Ensemble Theatre Company will present Gordon Greenberg & Steve Rosen’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors Oct. 10-27 (opening Oct. 12) at Santa Barbara’s New Vic, directed by Jamie Torcellini.
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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Katori Hall’sThe Blood Quilt will run begin previews Oct. 20 and open Nov. 21 at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, directedb y Lileana Blain-Cruz.
Crystal Dickinson, Mirirai, Adrienne C. Moore, Arsema Thomas, and Susan Kelechi Watson.
Four sisters gather at their childhood island home off the coast of Georgia to create a family quilt to honor their recently deceased mother. When their reunion turns into a reading of their mother’s will, everyone must grapple with a troubling inheritance.