This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday, September 17
David Byrne’s American Utopia, featuring David Byrne, Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman, Christ Giarmo, tim Keiper, Tendayi Kuumba, Karl Mansfield, Mauro Refosco, Stéphane San Juan, Angie Swan, and Bobby Wooten III, resume performances at Broadway’s St. James Theatre.
Shining City, by Conor McPherson, directed by Nadia Fall, featuring Brendan Coyle, Curtis-Lee Ashqar, Michelle Fox, and Rory Keenan, opens at London’s Theatre Royal East.
Cabaret, directed by Evan Pappas & Sara Brians, featuring Dana Costello (Sally Bowles), Jon Peterson (The Emcee), Andy Tighe (Cliff Bradshaw), Brian Owen (Ernst Ludwig), and Lilly Robin (Fräulein Kost/Fritzie), with Luke Bernier, Nikki Rinaudeo-Concessi, Nicole Forde, Zoe Gillis, LeVane Harrington, Kelley Anne McCormick, Carter Sabuda, Conor Stepnowski, and Alexis Semevolos Velazquez, resumes performances at Babylon’s Argyle Theatre.
Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers, by Kyle Bass, directed by Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., featuring Peter Callender (James Baldwin), Wyn Harmon (William F. Buckley Jr.), Reynaldo Piniella (Heycock), Robbie Simpson (Burford), Simon Moody (Announcer), and Emily Hernandez (Union President), opens for FREE at Syracuse Stage.
Beth Leavel: It’s Not About Me concert opens at 54 Below (also available by livestream).
“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” directed by Jonathan Butterell, featuring Max Harwood (Jamie), Richard E. Grant (Hugo/Loco Chanelle), Sharon Horgan (Miss Hedge), Adeel Akhtar (Iman Masood), Samuel Bottomley (Dean Paxton), and Sarah Lancashire (Margaret New), premieres on Amazon Prime.
SIX, by Toby Marlow & Lucy Mos, directed by Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage, featuring Adrianna Hicks (Catherine of Aragon), Andrea Macasaet (Anne Boleyn), Abby), and Mueller (Jane Seymour), Brittney Mack (Anna of Cleves), Samantha Pauly (Katherine Howard), and Anna Uzele (Catherine Parr), with Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert, Courtney Mack, Mallory Maedke, and Keirsten Hodgens, resumes previews at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
The Last Five Years, directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, featuring Molly Lynch and Oli Higginson, begins previews at London’s Vaudeville Theatre.
A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, world premiere by Alex Wyse & Ben Fankhauser, directed by Marshall Pailet, featuring lex Wyse, Ben Fankhauser, and Bryonha Marie Parham, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s DR2 Theatre.
A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz concert, directed by Fabian Aloise, featuring Louise Dearman, Christine Allado, Stewart, Melanie La Barrie, Cedric Neal, Anthony Starr, Danny Becker, Kayliegh Thadani, M-Jae Cleopatra Isaac, Vicki Lee Taylor, and the cast of London’s Charing Cross Theatre production of Pippin, begins streaming on London’s The Theatre Channel.
“An Intimate Conversation with Chita Rivera,” at 6 PM PT at Anaheim’s Grand California Hotel (at Disneyland).
An Evening with Audra McDonald concert, at 8 PM PT at Anaheim’s Grand California Hotel (at Disneyland).
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes ballet, featuring Ashley Shaw, Adam Cooper, Dominic North, Michela Meazza, Liam Mower, and Glenn Graham, airs at 9 PM on PBS (check local listings).
Saturday, September 18
Camp Siegfried, world premiere by Bess Wohl, directed by Katy Rudd, featuring Patsy Ferran and Luke Thallon, opens at London’s Old Vic.
Il Trovatore, conducted by James Conlon, featuring Guanqun Yu (Leonora), Limmie Pulliam (Manrico), Raehann, Raehann Bryce-Davis (Azucena), Vladimir Stoyanov (Count Di Luna), Morris Robinson (Ferrando), Anthony Ciaramitaro (Ruiz), Tiffany Townsend (Ines), and Orson Van Gay II (Messenger), opens at LA Opera.
American Mariachi, by José Cruz González, directed by Henry Godinez, featuring Gloria Vivica Benavides (Soyla), Gigi Cervantes (Amalia), Lucy Godínez (Boli), Ricardo Gutiérrez (Federico), Molly Hernández (Isabel), Fréndira Izguerra (Tia Carmen), Amanda Raquel Martinez (Gabby), Bobby Plasencia (Mino), Christopher Llewyn Ramirez (Mateo), Tiffany Solano (Lucha), opens at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
The Wolfe & The Bird, world premiere by Rachel Parker, directed by Alina Phelan, featuring Rachel Parker, with the voices of James Heaney, Dagney Kerr, Ivory Tiffin, Madeleine Townsend, Phil Ward, and Silvie Zamora, opens at LA’s Matrix Theatre.
Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers, by Kyle Bass, directed by Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., featuring Peter Callender (James Baldwin), Wyn Harmon (William F. Buckley Jr.), Reynaldo Piniella (Heycock), Robbie Simpson (Burford), Simon Moody (Announcer), and Emily Hernandez (Union President), closes at Syracuse Stage.
Beth Leavel: It’s Not About Me concert closes at 54 Below.
Sunday, September 19
Amy Spanger Sings Her Face Off concert, with special guests Lana Gordon, at 7 PM ET at 54 Below.
An Octoroon, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Judith Moreland, featuring Leea Ayers, Matthew Hancock, Mara Klein, Hazel Lozano, Rob Nagle, Kacie Rogers, Vanessa Claire Stewart, and Pam Trotter, closes at LA’s Fountain Theatre.
**********************
A brand new production of Billy Elliot will run July 7 – Aug. 27 at the Curve Leicester, newly directed by Nikolai Foster, with new choreography by Lucy Hind.
Casting, link, and additional information TBA.
**********************
The Foundation for New American Musicals Annual Benefit will take place Sun. Oct. 24 at 4 PM PT at a private residence in Pacific Palisades, hosted by Steven Webber.
Marc Shaiman and Robert Klein.
Megan Hilty, Matthew Morrison, Bruce Vilanch, Marsha Wallace, and Marissa Jaret Winokur.
**********************
Chess in Concert will run Sept. 24-26 at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon, directed by Daren A.C. Carollo & Danny Cozart, with music direction by Daniel Thomas.
Trixie Aballa, Jillian Bader, Faustino Cadiz, Sean Doughty, Nathanael Fleming, Katie Francis, Will Giammona, Cate Hayman, Lauren Jiang, Christopher Juan, Kamren Mahaney, Jennifer Martinelli, Nick Rodrigues, Johann Santos, B Noel Thomas, Katie Trim, and Jaron Vesely.
**********************
RIP: Jane Powell has died of natural causes at the age of 92.
Powell is best know for her film roles in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: (1954), “Hit the Deck” (1955), “Song of the Open Road” (1944), “Delightfully Dangerous” (1945), “A Date with Judy” (1948), “Rich, Young and Pretty” (1951), and “Three Sailors and a Girl” (1953), “Royal Wedding” (1951), “Holiday in Mexico” (1946), “Luxury Liner” (1948), “Hit the Deck” (1955), and “The Most Likely” (1958.
Jane also starred in many MGM musicals during the 1940s and ’50s, including “Royal Wedding” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”
In the 1960s, Jane set her sights on the stage and began in national touring production, which included My Fair Lady, Carousel, and The Sound of Music.
She made her Broadway debut in 1973 in Irene (in the title role), and in 1995, she played the queen in a New York City Opera production of Cinderella.
She returned to the stage in 2000, starring in an Off-Broadway production of the play Avow, followed by a short run of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Bounce.
With the musical group Pink Martini, Jane performed as a vocalist as prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl. She also had numerous television credits, including “The Love Boat” and “Growing Pains.”
**********************
The pilot of “Career Opportunities in Murder & Mayhem” is in development for Hulu, written by Mike Weiss & Heidi Cole McAdams, and directed by Marc Webb. The release date is TBA.
Mandy Patinkin, Lauren Patten, Violett Beane, Hugo Diego Garcia, Angela Zhou, and Rahul Kohli.
The series asks how one can solve a murder in a post-fact world. While on an ocean liner sailing the Mediterranean with wealthy and powerful figures, everyone is hiding something. The “World’s Once Greatest Detective” (Patinkin), sets to uncover which of the passengers onboard committed a recent murder.
**********************
“The Grotto,” written & directed by Joanna Gleason, has announced principal casting. Shooting will begin Sept. 19.
Betsy Brandt (Alice), Jonathan Del Arco (Victor), Dan Bucatinsky (Kip), Steve Kazee, Susan Sullivan, Lindsay Mendez, Kevin Chamberlin, Caroline Aaron, Michael Nouri, Miguel Sandoval, and Amy Aquino.
A woman uncovers the secret past of her deceased fiancé when she inherits part ownership of a forgotten nightclub in the Mojave Desert.
**********************
Houston’s TUTS will present Rock of Ages Oct. 5-17, directed & choreographed by Jessica Hartman, with music direction by Alexander “Xander” Rovang.
Just Matthew Sargent (Drew), Diana Huey (Sherrie), Steven Bogard (Dennis), Justin Collette (Lonny), Brian Mathis (Hertz), Nicole Powell (Mother/Justice), Drew Redington (Franz), Brett Stoelker (Father/Stacee Jaxx), and Tersa Simmermann (Regina/Candi), with Austin Colburn, Alex Cruz, Karma Jenkins, Tracy Sokat, Ryan Winkler and Ricardo Zayas, Miles Marmolejo, and Emily Tanner.
**********************
BroadwayHD will present a newly filmed production of Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever starting Sept. 23.
Dalton Harris, Lee Mead, Kerry Ellis, and Grace Mouat.
Video: Kerry Ellis and Grace Mouat perform “It’s Never That Easy/I’ve Been Here Before.”
**********************
Santa Barbara’s Ensemble Theatre Company will present Janet Yates Vogt & Mark Friedman’s Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical Oct. 7-24 (opening Oct. 9) at the New Vic, directed by Jenny Sullivan, with music direction by George Friedenthal, and choreography by Jean Michelle Sayeg.
Linda Purl (Rosemary Clooney) and David Engel (Frank Sinatra, Jose Ferrer, Bing Crosby, and more).
**********************
Westport Country Playhouse has announced its 2022 season:
Next to Normal (Apr. 5-23), directed by Marcos Santana.
Straight White Men (May 24 – June 11), by Young Jean Lee, directed by Mark Lamos. It’s Christmas Eve, and Ed has invited his three grown sons back to their family home for Chinese takeout, pranks, and gossip. But when an impossible question threatens the cheery festivities, they’re forced to face their own identities.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (July 5-23), directed & choreographed by Camille A. Brown.
4000 Miles (Aug. 23 – Sept. 10), by Amy Herzog, directed by David Kennedy. After suffering a major loss while on a cross-country bike trip, 21-year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91-year-old grandmother in her Greenwich Village apartment. Over the course of a single month, these unlikely roommates infuriate, bewilder, and ultimately find each other.
From the Mississippi Delta (Oct. 18 – Nov. 5), by Endesha Ida Mae Holland, directed by TBA. The journey begins in Greenwood Mississippi — the Delta — where Phelia works in the cotton fields. Her experiences inspire her to dream, sweeping her into the momentum of the civil rights movement and attending college in the north.
**********************
Off-Broadway’s Live at The Lortel conversation series has announced its Fall 2021 line-up here, hosted by Eric Ostrow, with co-hosts Joy DeMichelle and John Andrew Morrison.
* Pylicia Rashad (Sept. 27)
* NaTasha Yvette Williams (Oct. 4)
* Reynaldo Piniella (Oct. 18)
* Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Oct. 25)
…and more TBA
**********************
NYC’s Metropolitan Opera (link TBA) will present Anthony Davis’ The Life and Times of Malcolm X (opens Nov. 3, with a closing date not reported), directed by Robert O’Hara, conducted by Kazem Abdullah, with choreography by Camille A. Brown.
Will Liverman Leah Hawkins, and Betty Shabazz.
**********************
It’s a Grand Night for Singing will run Oct. 15-31 at Long Beach’s Musical Theatre West, directed by Jason Graae, with music direction by Dennis Castellano, and choreography by DJ Grace.
Joan Almedilla, Richard Bermudez, Kelley Dorney, Jacob Haren, and Natalie Wachen.
**********************
Audible Theatre has announced its Fall 2021 season, to be staged live (and eventually released as audio plays) at the Minetta Lane Theatre.
The Fever (re-opens Oct. 8), by Wallace Shawn, starring Lili Taylor.
And So We Walked: An Artists Journey Along the Trail of Tears (Oct. 28-30), written & performed by DeLanna Studi. The play recounts the experience of a contemporary Cherokee woman who, with her father, embarks on a 900-mile journey along the Trail of Tears to truly understand her own identity and the conflicts of her nation.
An Evening with Solea Pfeiffer (Nov. 4-6), offering an inside look at the rising star’s career path.
Approval Junkie (Nov. 16 – Dec. 12), written & performed by Faith Salie, directed by Amanda Watkins.
Long Day’s Journey Into Night (begins Jan. 11, 2022), directed by Robert O’Hara, starring Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, and Ato Blankson-Wood.