Today’s Highlights:
MCC Theatre‘s MisCast 23 gala, featuring Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Groban, Denée Benton, Lorna Courtney, Josh Groban, LaChanze, André De Shields, Bonnie Milligan, Ben Platt, Eleri Ward, Jordan E. Cooper, Dylan Mulvaney, Jordan Donica, Natasha Yvette Williams, Jose Llana, and Rachel Zegler, begins live at 6 PM at NYC’s Edison Ballroom. 
Reminder: the event will be broadway digitally on Mon. Apr. 10 at 7 PM ET HERE.
VA’s Signature Theatre‘s 12th annual Stephen Sondheim Award Gala, honoring Chita Rivera, with special guests Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Austin Colby, Natascia Diaz, Vincent Kempski, David Merino, Katie Mariko Murray, and Nova Y. Payton, at 6 PM at VA’s Embassy of Italy.
Red Bull Theater‘s Kit Marlow reading (in person only) by David Grimm, directed by Emma Rose Went, featuring Helen Cespedes, Amy Jo Jackson, Merritt Janson, Rami Margron, B Norwood, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Yasmin Pascall, Sushma Saha, Han Van Sciver, and Ching Valdes-Aran, at 7:30 PM at Brooklyn’s Polonsky Center.
Hang Time, written & directed by Zora Howard, featuring Akron Watson (Slim), Cecil Blutcher (Blood), and Dion Graham (Bird), with Aaron Morton, closes at Off-Broadway’s The Flea.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Murder! by Jim Bernhard
1. In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, who murders Agamemnon? …Orestes…Electra…Clytemnestra…Aegisthus
2. In Witness for the Prosecution, who murders Emily French?…Leonard Vole…Sir Wilfred Robarts…Janet McKenzie… “The Other Woman”
3. In And Then There Were None, who murders all the guests and then commits suicide?…Doctor Armstrong…Judge Wargraves…Blore, the former policeman…Rogers, the butler
4. Who is murdered in Sleuth?…Andrew Wyke…Milo Tindle…Inspector Doppler…Wyke’s wife
5. What is unusual about the jury in the murder trial inNight of January 16?…the actual murderer is a member of the jury…the jurors are all circus clowns…the jury is composed of members of the audience…there is no jury
6. In Hamlet, which of the following is not killed by Hamlet? …Polonius…Horatio… Claudius… Laertes
7. The crucial clue inDial M for Murder, which identifies the guilty party is a…paperweight…antique sword…latchkey…fountain pen
8. Othello kills Desdemona owing to his jealousy over a lost…handkerchief… engagement ring… gold piece…dog
9. Medea murders Jason’s new wife and…Jason…her own two sons…Jason’s mother…an innocent passerby
10. In West Side Story, Riff and Bernardo are killed with…home-made guns…rocks…tire irons…switchblade knives
Scroll down for the answers…
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2023 Olivier Awards. Click here for the complete list of winners.
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NAATCO will present Hansol Jung’s modern verse adaptation of Romeo and Juliet May 9 – June 3 (opening May 14) at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater (136 E. 13th St.), directed by Jung & Dustin Wills.
Purva Bedi, Major Curda, jose Gamo, Brian Lee Huynh, Zion Jang, Mia Katigbak, Rob Kellogg, Dorcas Leung, and Daniel Liu.
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Strangers! has extended its run again, now through Aug. 13 at Off-Broadway’s Playhouse 46.
Jamir Brown (Lucas), Nickolaus Colon (Hopper), Jeremiah Garcia (Dustin, Caroline Huerta (Joyce/Will), Nicolas Hermick (Mike), and SLee (Barb), with Jean Christian Barry, Dashiell Gregory, and Hannah Clarke Levine.
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Aspects of Love will begin previews May 12 and open May 25 at the Lyric Theatre, directed by Jonathan Kent, with choreography by Denni Sayers, and music direction by Cat Beveridge.
Michael Ball (George), Laura Pitt-Pulford (Rose), Jamie Bogyo (Alex), Danielle de Niese (Giulietta), Rosemary Ashe (Elizabeth), Vinny Coyle (Hugo), , Soophia Foroughi (Alternate Giulietta), Dickon Gough (Barker), Ben Heathcote (Co-Barker, Eu Jin Hwang (On Stage Swing), Daniel Jagusz-Holley (On Stage Swing), Natasha O’Brien (On Stage Swing), Michael Matus (Marcel), Anna Unwin (Jenny) and Indiana Ashworth, Millie Gubby & Katie Mitton (sharing the role of Young Jenny).
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Baltimore Center Stage has announced its 2023-24 season. Casting and creative teams TBA.
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Sept.14 – Oct. 8), directed by Nikkole Salter.
Cinderella (Nov. 25 – Dec. 23), adapted by Tom Briggs, directed by Kevin S. McAllister, with choreography by Shalyce Hemby, and music direction by Cedric D. Lyles.
Mexodus (Mar. 14 – Apr. 7), world premiere by Brian Quijada & Nygel D. Robinson, directed by David Mendizábal, and starring Brian Quijada. 
The piece blends hip-hop and history to tell the story of the Underground Railroad.
The Hot Wing King (Apr. 11-28, 2024), by Katori Hall, directed by Christopher D. Betts.
The Importance of Being Earnest (May 9-26), adapted & directed by Jenny Koons.
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Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses will run Apr. 26 – May 14 (opening Apr. 30) at Laguna Playhouse, directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett.
Faline England (Pony), Sorcha Fox (Jennifer), Conor Lovett (John), and Joe Spano (Bob).
Bob and Jennifer and their new neighbors John and Pony, two suburban couples who discover they have more in common that their identical homes their their surnames. Spare, suggestive, slyly hilarious, and strangely maddening, this profound play explores what is said and what is unsaid and the role that denial plays in helping us navigate life’s chaos.
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Elena Bennet & Fred Barton’s Bennett & Barton Song Salon will run on Tuesdays Apr. 11 & 18 at NYC’s Pangea (link TBA). The event will run for 2 hours each night beginning at 8:30 PM. No cover and no minimum.
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The world premiere of Madeline Myer’s Double Helix will run May 30 – June 18 (opening June 3) at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre, directed by Scott Schwartz.
Rosalind Franklin
The story of the race to discover the structure of DNA in the 1950s and follows the brilliant young researcher, Rosalind Franklin, as she contends with adversity, anti-semitism, and love to uncover one of life’s great mysteries. The premiere coincides with the 70th anniversary of that discovery, in which Franklin’s contributions played an integral role.
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The King and I will run Apr. 21 – May 14 (opening Apr. 22) at CA’s La Mirada Theatre, directed by Glenn Casale, with music direction by Dennis Castellano, and choreography by Rumi Oyama.
Paul Nakauchi (King), Anastasia Barzee (Anna), Joan Almedilla (Lady Thiang), Alan Ariano (The Kralahome), Eric Badiqué (Phra Alack), Richard Bulda (The Interpreter), Cristyn Dang (Simon of Legree), Arielle Dettmer (Angel George), Emma Gong-Koiso (Princess Ying Yaowalak),Luke Naphat (Prince Chulalongkorn), Ethan Le Phong (Lun Tha), Michael Rothhaar (Captain Orton), Callula Sawyer (Topsy), Oliver Stewart (Louis Leonowens) Angel Srittmater (Little Eva), Kevin Symons (Sir Edward Ramsey), Chad Takeda (Uncle Thomas), Michiko Takemasa (Eliza), and Paulina Yeung (Tuptim), with Johnisa Breault, Joven Calloway, Harry Cho, Andrea Dobbins, Lauren Han, Eleen Hsu-Wentlandt, Linda Igarashi, Jonathan Kim, Kevin Kulp, Francesca Ling, Saki Masuda, Jee Teo, Bernice Wang, and Ryan Wong, and many more.
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Moments from the recent Ragtime reunion concert
Video 1 Compilation
Video 2 Audra McDonald
Video 3 “Wheels of a Dream on “The Today Show”
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Complete casting has been announced for Julissa Contreras’ Vámonos, to run Apr. 22 – May 21 (opening May 1) at Intar Theater, directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo.
Cindy Peralta, Yohanna Florentino, Angela Reynoso, Kiara Lauren, Cesar J. Rosado, Denzel Rodriguez, and Ansi Rodriguez.
The Torres family of the Bronx are gathering at Juana’s apartment to celebrate the christening of her grandson, Christopher. It’s November 2002 and a year after 9/11, this hilarious, fun close-knit Dominican family is navigating a new reality that challenges their sense of security – is America waging a war in Iraq? When it’s time to party, the Torres’ still deliver – and yet the comforts of home fall short. Something is up.
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Alexandra Silber has announced upcoming concert dates, with music direction by Ben Moss
Apr. 16: Hollywood”s Catalina Jazz Club at 7:30 PM
Apr. 22: San Francisco’s Feinstein’s at the Nikko at 8 PM
Apr. 28: St. Louis’ Blue Strawberry at 7:30 PM
Apr. 29: Carmel, Indiana’s Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael at 7:30 PM
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Baltimore Center Stage has announced its 2023-24 season:
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill Sept. 14 – Oct. 8, directed by Nikkole Salter.
Cinderella (Nov. 25 – Dec. 23), adapted by Tom Briggs, directed by Kevin S. McAllister, with music direction by Cedric D. Lyles, and choreography by Shaylce Hemby.
Mexodus (Mar. 14 – Apr. 7, 2024), world premiere written & performed by Brian Auijada & Negel D. Robinson, directed by David Mendizábal.
The Hot Wing King (Apr. 11-28)), by Katori Hall, directed by Christopher D. Betts
The Importance of Being Earnest (May 9-26) world premiere adaptation by Jenny Koons, directed by Koons.
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Win a ticket to the 2023 Tony Awards ceremony, dress rehearsal, and more! The VIP experience includes roundtrip airfare for you and a guest, hotel accommodation for two nights, and more. Each entry is only $10 and will help raise funds for The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League Foundation.
Win access for two at the Tony Awards on June 11, 2023
Attend the Tony Awards dress rehearsal
Experience an exclusive VIP photo-op
Take home the “Wall of Inspiration” signed by Broadway’s best, like Ariana DeBose, Lea Michele, and Jonathan Groff
Roundtrip airfare for you and a guest and hotel accommodation for 2 nights.
Donation not required to win.
Sweepstakes closes May 21.
Click here to learn more and to enter.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Murder!
- In Aeschylus’Agamemnon, Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon.
- In Witness for the Prosecution, Leonard Vole murders Emily French.
3. In And Then There Were None, Judge Wargraves murders all the guests and then commits suicide.
4. In Sleuth, Milo Tindle is murdered.
5. In Night of January 16, the jury is composed of members of the audience.
6. In Hamlet, Horatio is not killed by Hamlet.
7. The crucial clue in Dial M for Murder, which identifies the guilty party, is a latchkey.
8. Othello kills Desdemona owing to his jealousy over a lost handkerchief.
9. Medea murders Jason’s new wife and her own two sons.
10. In West Side Story, Riff and Bernardo are killed with switchblade knives.