GRACE NOTES: Friday, September 9, 2022

 

This Weekend’s Highlights:

Friday, September 9

  Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, adapted by Kate Hamill, directed by Jennifer Pennington, featuring Lipica Shah (Mina Harker), LaShondra Hood (Doctor Van Helsing), Nick Jordan (Dracula), Dara Jade Tiller (Marilla), Alanna Darby (Drusilla), Mark Mozingo (Doctor George Seward), Brittany “BeeBee” Patillo (Lucy Westenra), Justin Jackson (Jonathan Harker), and Abigail Bailey Mapuin (Renfield), opens at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

  The LA Writers Workshop Festival, featuring two new works from 10 women-identifying playwrights, opens at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.

  american (tele)visions, world premiere by Victor I. Cazares, directed by Rubén Polendo, featuring Clew, Raúl Castille, Ryan J. Haddad, Elia Monte-Brown, and Bianca “b” Norwood, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop.

  Speakeasy Stage‘s Heroes of the Fourth, by Will Arbery, directed by Marianna Bassham, featuring Karen MacDonald, Dayna Cousins, Jesse Hinson, Nathan Malin, and Elise Piliponis, begins previews at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.

Saturday, September 10

  Everybody, by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins, directed by Susan V. Booth & Tinashe Kaiese-Bolden, featuring Andrew Benator (Death), Shakirah DeMesier (Love), Skylar Ebron (Girl/Time), and Deidrie Henry (Usher/God), with Brandon Burditt, Chris Kayser, Courtney Patterson, Bethany Anne Lind, and Joseph J. Pendergrast, with Soleia Howington, Parris Sarter, and Dellan Short, opens at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

  Solo Flights festival of new solo shows opens at Theatre Aspen.

  Almost Maine, by John Cariani, directed by Stephanie A. Coltrin, featuring Leah Dalrymple, Tara Donovan, Joseph Fuqua, Brendan Kane, Katie Pelensky, and Patrick Vest, opens at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.

  Ghosts, adapted by Richard Eyre, directed by Bart DeLorenzo, featuring Pamela J. Gray (Helene Alving), Barry Del Sherman (Pastor Manders, Alex Barlas (Helene’s Son), Viva Hassis Gentes (Maid), and J. Stephen Brantley (Jacob Engstrand), opens at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

  Clyde’s, by Lynn Nottage, directed by Kate Whoriskey, featuring De’Adre Aziza (Clyde), Kevin Kenerly (Montrellous), Reza Salazar (Rafael), and Garrett Young (Jason), with Danielle Davis, Lewon Johns, Maya Vinice Prentiss, Arik Vega, and Gage Wallace, begins previews at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.

  Pasadena Pops: Broadway on Film outdoor concert, conducted by Michael Feinstein, with special guests LaChanze, Lillias White, and Tony Yazbeck, at 7:30 PM PT at the the LA Arboretum.

  Into the Woods, directed by Terry Gilliam & Leah Hausman, featuring Alex Young (Baker’s Wife), Audrey Brisson (Cinderella), Nicola Hughes (Witch), Julian Bleach (Mysterious Man), and Rhashan Stone (Baker), Gillian Bevan (Jack’s Mother), Nathanael Campbell (Wolf / Cinderella’s Prince), Maria Conneely (Rapunzel), Lauren Conroy (Little Red Riding Hood), Phoebe Fildes (Lucinda), Samuel Holmes (Steward), Charlotte Jaconelli (Florinda), Henry Jenkinson (Rapunzel’s Prince), and Barnet Wilkinson (Jack), closes at London’s Theatre Royal Bath.

  The Seagull, newly adapted by Anya Reiss, directed by Jamie Lloyd, featuring Emilia Clarke. (Nina), Tom Rhys Harries (Trigorin), Daniel Monks (Konstantin), Indira Varma (Arkadina), Sophie Wu (Masha), Jason Barnett (Shamray), Robert Glenister (Sorin), Mika Onyx Johnson (Medvedenko), Gerald Kyd (Dorn), and Sara Powell (Polina), with Katie Bucholz, Tina Harris, Joseph Langdon, and David Lee-Jones, closes at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre.

  Follies, directed by Bill English, featuring Natascia Diaz (Sally Durant Plummer), Samantha Rose Cárdenas (Young Sally), Maureen McVerry (Phyllis Rogers Stone), Danielle Cheiken (Young Phyllis), Ryan Drummond (Buddy Plummer), Chachi Delgado (Young Buddy), Chris Vettel (Benjamin Stone), Cameron La Brie (Young Benjamin), Cindy Goldfield (Carlotta Campion), Lucinda Hitchcock Cone (Hattie Walker), Jill Slyter (Solange LaFitte), Caroline Louise Altman (Stella Deems), Louis Parnell (Dimitri Weismann), Frederick Winthrop (Roscoe), Eiko Yamamoto (Emily Whitman), and Rene Collins (Theodore Whitman), with Emily Corbo, Anthony Maglio, Catrina Manahan, and Anne Warque, closes at the San Francisco Playhouse.

  If I Forget, by Steven Levenson, directed by Jason Alexander, featuring Leo Marks (Michael Fischer), Síle Bermingham (Ellen Fischer), Valerie Perri (Holly), Samantha Klein, (Sharon), Jerry Weil (Howard), Jacob Zelonky (Joey), and Matt Gottlieb (Lou Fischer), closes at LA’s Fountain Theatre.

  Group Rep‘s Normal Noises, world premiere of 6 short plays written & directed by Clara Rodriguez, featuring Melissa Bontempt, Cynthia Bryant, Cheryl Crosland, Michael Gabiano, Mareli Mitchel-Shields, Lloyd Pedersen, Alec Reusch, Neil Thompson and Sascha Vanderslik, closes at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre.

Sunday, September 11

  Speakeasy Stage‘s Heroes of the Fourth, by Will Arbery, directed by Marianna Bassham, featuring Karen MacDonald, Dayna Cousins, Jesse Hinson, Nathan Malin, and Elise Piliponis, opens at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion.

  Rachel Bay Jones with Randy Redd and the (Ir)Regulars concert, with special guests Jennifer Laura Thompson, Ben Levi Ross, Martha Graham Cracker, and Fra Fee, at 9:30 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s Joe’s Pub.

  Erich Bergen concludes his run as Billy Flynn in Chicago at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre.

  The Public Theater‘s FREE As You Like It, adapted by Shaina Taub & Laurie Woolery, directed by Woolery, featuring Damion Allen (William), Tristan Andre (De Boys/Attendant), Ato Blankson-Wood (Orlando), Lori Brown-Niang (Agent), Brianna Cabrera (Silvia), Darius de Hall (Duke Senior), Bianca Edwards (Phoebe), Pierre Harmony Graves (De Boys/Young Orland Dad), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Rosalind), Jonathan Jordan (Andy), Bobby Moody (De Boys), Renrick Palmer (Oliver), Eric Pierre (Duke Frederick), Idania Quezada (Celia), Christopher M. Ramirez (Touchstone), Edwin Rivera (De Boys), and Shaina Taub (Jacques), with Amar Atkins, Sean-Michael Bruno, Danyel Fulton,  Emily Gardner Xu Hall, Trevor McGhie, Mike Millán, Kevin Tate, and Claudia Yanez, closes at Central Park’s Delacorte Theatre.

  The Butcher Boy, adapted by Asher Muldoon, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly, featuring Nicholas Barasch (Francie Brady), Joe Cassidy (Alo/William), Kerry Conte (Mary/Mary/Mary), Andrea Lynn Green (Ma), Daniel Marconi (Phillip Nugent), Michele Ragusa (Mrs. Nugent/Kathleen), Scott Stangland (Da), with Teddie Trice (Pig 1), Carey Rebecca Brown Pig 2), Polly McKie (Pig 3), and David Baida (Pig 4), closes at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.

  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, directed by John Tiffany, featuring John Skelley (Harry Potter), Steve O’Connell (Ron Weasley), Lily Mojekwu (Hermione Granger), Lucas Hall (Draco Malfoy), Abbi Hawk (Ginny Potter), Jon Steiger (Scorpius Malfoy), Folami Williams (Rose Granger-Weasley), closes after 393 performances at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre.

  Between the Lines, by Timothy Allen, Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson, directed by Jeff Calhoun, featuring Arielle Jacobs (Deliah), Jake David Smith (Prince Oliver), Vicki Lewis (Ms. Winx/Jessamyn Jacobs/Mrs. Brown/Kyrie), Hillary Fisher (Allie/Princess Seraphima), Will Burton (Frump/Ryan), Jerusha Cavasos (Janice/Marina), John Rapson (Dr. Ducharme/Rapskulio), Wren Rivera (Jules/Ondine), Sean Stack (Martin/Troll/Dad/Delivery Person), and Julia Murney (Grace/Queen Maureen), with Heather Ayers, Dan Hoy, Martin Landry, and Aubrey Matalon, closes at Off-Broadway’s Tony Kiser Theatre.

  The Prom national tour, directed & choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, featuring Kaden Kearney (Emma), Kalyn West (Alyssa Greene), Courtney Balan (Dee Dee Allen), Patrick Wetzel (Barry Glickman), Emily Borromeo (Angie Dickinson), Bud Weber (Trent Oliver), Sinclair Mitchell (Mr. Hawkins), Ashanti J’Aria (Mrs. Greene), And Shavey Brown (Sheldon Saperstein), Gabrielle Beckford, Ashley Bruce, Maurice Dawkins, Jordan De Leon, James Caleb Grice, Megan Grosso, Marie Gutierrez, Chloe Rae Kehm, Braden Allen King, Brandon J. Large, Alexa Margo, Christopher McCrewell, Adriana Negron, Marcus Phillips, Lexie Plath, Zoë Brooke Reed, Thad Turner Wilson, and Josh Zacher. closes at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.

  Dames at Sea, directed & choreographed by Randy Skinner, featuring Lesli Margherita (Mona Kent), Daisy Wright (Ruby), Julie Kavanaugh (Joan), Bryon St. Cyr (Captain/Hennessy), Daniel Plimpton (Dick), and Drew King (Lucky) with Anna Louizos and David C. Woolard, closes at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.

  In the Works~In the Woods festival concludes at NY’s Forestburgh Playhouse.

  Valley Song, by Athol Fugard, directed by caryn desai, featuring Michael A. Shepperd and Belle Guillory, closes at Long Beach’s International City Theatre.

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  Patti LuPone: Songs From a Hat, originally scheduled for Dec. 20-30, has now added performances Jan. 2-8, 2023 at NCY’s 54 Below.

All December dates are now sold out.

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  Titanic The Musical will run Sept. 20 – Oct. 23 at Milwaukee Rep, directed by Mark Clements, with music direction by Dan Kazemi, and choreography by Jenn Rose.

  Mark Aldrich (Murdoch), Emma Rose Brooks (Kate McGowan), Matt Daniels (Pitman/Etches), Kelly Faulkner (Caroline), Cooper Grodin (Andrews), David Hess (Captain Smith), Carrie Hitchcock (Ida Straus), Alex Keiper (Alice), Stavros Koumbaros (Fleet), Jeffrey Kringer (Barrett), Brian Krinsky (Jim Farrell), Steve Pacek (Bride), Tim Quartier (Charles), Andrew Varela (Ismay), Joe Vincent (Isidor Strauss), and Steve Watts (Edgar), with Rána Roman, Jamey Feshold, Jared Brandt Hoover, Kyle Johnson, George Lorimer, Kelty Morash, Sophie Murk, Max pink, Ogunde Snelling Jr., and Vivian Yaeth.

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 & NYC’s 92Y presents “Death of a Salesman: A Conversation,” about the upcoming Broadway revival, to take place Mon. Oct. 3 at 7:30 PM ET at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

  Wendell Pierce, Sharon D Clarke, Andre De Shields, and Salamishah Tillet, with director Miranda Cromwell.

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The Board of Directors is all that’s left at the embattled Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, following the firing of the entire staff after the attempts to unionize with IATSE. The development is the latest outcome of ongoing struggles between the Tony-winning theatre’s board of directors and its staff and artists. With this latest round of firings, the entire staff has either been fired or resigned.

Click here to read the entire article.

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  “The Dramatist Guild Presents: An Evening with John Weidman” will take place  Thurs. Sept. 15 at 6 PM ET at NYC’s Bruno Walter Auditorium (at the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts), moderated by Jeanine Tesori.

  Weidman will discuss his body of work, including Assassins, Pacific Overtures, and Road Show, as well as his upcoming projects. He will also discuss his longtime collaboration with Steven Sondheim.

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  Rogue Machine will present Samuel D. Hunter’s A Great Wilderness  Sept. 24 – Oct. 31 at the Matrix Theatre, directed by Elina de Santos.

  Jeffrey Delfin (Daniel), John Perrin Flynn Walt), Tony Pasqualini (Tim), Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield (Eunice), Rachel Sorsa (Abby), and Tania Verafield (Janet).

The play navigates the complex terrain into gay conversion therapy. Walt has devoted his life to “curing” gay teenage boys, but his previously unwavering moral compass no longer points one way. How does one find their true north?

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  Concert performances of George C. Wolfe, Jelly Roll Morton, Susan Birkenhead & Luther Henderson’s Jelly’s Last Jam will take place Sept. 17 (2 & 8 PM ET) & 18 (2 PM ET) at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre, directed by Dennis Whitehead Darling, with choreography by Chris Bell, and music direction by David Freeman Coleman.

  Carmen Ruby Floyd (Anita), Sydney James Harcourt (Jelly Roll Morton), Bryan Terrell Clark (Jack the Bear/Buddy Bolden), Tina Fabrique (Miss Mamie/Gran Mimi), Iris Beaumier (Hunnie #3), Sharae Moultrie (Hunnie #2), Steve Routman (Melrose Brother #2), Julian Rozzell (Chimney Man), Justin Sudderth (Young Jelly), Amaya White (Hunnie #1), and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Melrose Brother #1), with Christian McQueen, Justin G. Nelson, and Jessica Hailey Reese.

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  The world premiere of Our Town… But Wilder, written & directed by Richard Krevolin, will begin previews Oct. 1 – Dec. 31 (opening Oct. 16) at the Actors Temple Theatre.

Robert Aloi, Frances Karagio, Chris Carmer, Anne Nadell, Isabell Sheehan, Caitlin Wells, Ben Elias, Scotty Kall, Joseph Monseur, Josh Manson, and Camber Carpenter.

Set in a small New England town in the 1980’s, the play tells the story of high school student Bentley Cramer, a sexually confused theater kid. When Bentley becomes the stage manager in his high school’s production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a series of comic mishaps lead him on a journey of self-discovery as he learns about the fragile co-existence of beauty/community and intolerance/divisiveness that often co-exist in small town America.

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Grease, directed by Nikolai Foster, will close Oct. 29 at the Dominion Theatre.

 Olivia Moore (Sandy), Dan Partridge (Danny), Peter Andre (Vince Fontaine at certain performances), Jason Donovan (Teen Angel at certain performances), Jocasta Almgill (Rizzo), Paul French (Kenickie), Mary Moore (Jan), Jake Reynolds (Doody), Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly (Marty), Damon Gould (Sonny), Eloise Davies (Frenchie), Jessica Croll (Patty Simcox), Katie Lee (Cha Cha), Ronan Burns (Johnny Casino), Corinna Powlesland (Miss Lynch), and Darren Bennett (Officer Mailie and Vince Fontaine at certain performances), with Jack Harrison-Cooper, Pearce Barron, Ben Culleton, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Ellie Kingdon, Kamilla Fernandes, Remi Ferdinand, Kalisha Johnson, Zack Guest, Imogen Bailey, Kevin O’Dwyer, and Carly Miles.

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 The Violet Hour, in support of Planned Parenthood, will take place Wed. Sept. 28 at 9:30 PM ET at NYC’s Chelsea Table and Stage, hosted by Mikayla Petrilla.

  Jelani Remy and Teal Wicks.

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  NYC’s 92Y will present “Death of a Salesman: A Conversation,” which will take place both in person & online on Mon. Oct. 3 at 7 PM ET at NYC’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (515 Malcolm X Blvd.), moderated by Salamishah Tillet.

Sharon D Clarke, Wendell Pierce, Andre De Shields, and Miranda Cromwell

The discussion will focus on the new Broadway production and the play’s legacy.

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  Rockers on Broadway: She Rocks, in support of The Path Fund, will take place Mon. Oct. 3 at 8 PM ET at NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge.

  Diane Warren

Amanda Green, Morgan James, Alexa Ray, Lauren Molina, Jim Newman, Max Sangerman, Justin Sargent, Joshua Torchin Jarrod Spector, Constantine Marouis, Ari Groover, Tamika Lawrence, and Ryann Redmond, with Bligh Voth, with Samantha Parrish, San Behr, The Braganza Sisters, Isabelle Gottfried, Gracie McGraw, Avery Rehl, Matteo Russo, and Gus Schonfeld.

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  Brad Oscar (Mushnik) and Bryce Pinkham (Dr. Orin Scrivello) will join the company of Little Shop of Horrors on Sept. 27 at the Westside Theatre.

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  Chita: The Rhythm of My Life will take place Sun. Dec. 11 at 2 PM PT at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Concert Hall.

 


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