Today’s Highlights:
* Songs from an Unmade Bed, re-conceived by BD Wong & Richard Schnorr, a collection of music videos reflecting life during Covid-19, streams at 8 PM ET here.
* The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour Live, Episode 4, offering songs, dance, film clips, and much more, streams for FREE at 8:15 PM CT here.
* The Seth Concerts, with special guest Liz Callway, streams at 3 PM ET here.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: They Wrote the Book, by Jim Bernhard
Match these authors with the musicals of which they were the book-writers:
| 1. Abe Burrows | A. She Loves Me |
| 2. Marsha Norman | B. Gypsy |
| 3. Peter Stone | C. Ragtime |
| 4. Winnie Holzman | D. City of Angels |
| 5. Joe Masteroff | E. 1776 |
| 6. Larry Gelbart | F. Can-Can |
| 7. Arthur Laurents | G. Wicked |
| 8. Jessie Nelson | H. Where’s Charley? |
| 9. Terrence McNally | I. Waitress |
| 10. George Abbott | J. The Secret Garden |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Video: “Stars in the House,” a #SavetheArts special #3, with LaChanze, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, and Jessie Mueller. (1:17:59)
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Video: “Stars in the House,” with guest host and birthday girl Brenda Braxton, featuring Donna Marie Asbury and Amra-Faye Wright. (59:28)
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A reading of Lynn Nottage’s Crumbs From the Table of Joy will take place Wed. Aug. 12 at 7 PM ET here, in support of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, directed by Adrienne D. Williams.
(reuniting the 2016 Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse production): Dria Brown, Lawrence Evans, Danielle Hopkins, Elijah Jones, Abigail Rose Solomon, and Nikki E. Walker.
Set in 1950, Ernestine Crump and her family are divinely led to Brooklyn in this beautiful memory play.
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A re-imagined “Mostly Mozart” festival will air Aug. 10-16 on WQXR.
* A contemplative program that weaves together Mozart’s “Requiem” with transcendent music by Arvo Pärt.
* A musical documentary on the groundbreaking opera Blue, about race and violence in 21st century America.
* An epic recreation of Beethoven’s 1808 “Academie” concert – a breathtaking display of symphonic, sacred, and theatrical works, with pianist Inon Barnatan, soprano Dorothea Röschmann, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, led by Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director Louis Langrée.
* Terrence McKnight hosts a conversation about the Black experience in the concert hall.
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Video: Broadway & Beyond presents Marin Mazzie & Jason Danieley, in support of BC/EFA.
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Actors’ Equity has released the following statement regarding continued inaction in the U.S. Senate on the HEROES Act.
“What on earth is the Senate waiting for?” said AEA president Kate Shindle. “Our members have lost the weekly $600 that was their lifeline. Those who have lost health care are struggling to pay for COBRA coverage. Arts instituions are on the brink of shuttering without arts funding. The senate is standing in the way literally life-saving aid. The Senate must act now, and should make the unemployment benefits retroactive to cover that lapse in payments.”
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Houston’s Alley Theatre has announced programming changes for its 2020-21 season:
* Sweat, by Lynne Nottage, has been added to the 2020-21 season (dates TBA)
* Noir, by Duncan Sheik & Kyle Jarrow, will be presented in a future season.
* Amerikin, by Chisa Hutchinson, will be presented in a future season.
* What-a-Christmas!, by Isaac Gómez, will be presented in a future season.
For all remaining productions:
* Dates have changed
* All productions will now take place in the Hubbard Theatre, to allow for social distancing.
* A flexible set will be designed to use all season with multiple variations and elements that can be changed for each show.
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Ghostlight Records has announced the release of 2 new albums from the Michael Friedman Collection, both set to be released on Aug. 14:
“(I Am) Nobody’s Lunch” (2006), a result of extensive interviews conducted by The Civilians about American public culture and the politics of information, delving into how we can know when everyone in power seems to be lying, featuring Rebecca Naomi Jones, Adam Chanler-Berat, Mary Testa, Nick Blaemire, Kate Buddeke, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Brad Heberlee, Daoud Heidami, Osh Ghanimah, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Jennifer R. Morris, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, and Brian Charles Rooney, Stephen Schapero and Jacob Keith Watson. 
here.
“Paris Commune” (2012), which centers on 1871 as working-class Parisians are overthrowing the French government, marking the first socialist revolution in Europe. featuring Kate Buddeke, Aysan Celik, Charlotte Dobbs, Rebecca Hart, Nina Hellman, Daniel Jenkins, Brian Sgambati, and Sam Breslin Wright, with an ensemble comprising Randy Blair, Ally Bonino, Pfeifer, and Jonathan Raviv. here.
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NEWSIES: The Broadway Musical will stream in its entirety (filmed on tour at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre), on Fri. Aug. 21 at 7 PM ET, in support of The Actors Fund. Link TBA.
Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly), Kara Lindsay (Katherine), Ben Fankhauser (Davey), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Crutchie), Steve Blanchard (Joseph Pulitzer), Aisha de Haas (Medda Larkin), Ethan Steiner (Les), and more.
The event will also feature video appearances by cast members, and will conclude with a brand-new video, featuring cast members from the Broadway and National Tour productions.
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Fritz Coleman’s new podcast features Henry Winkler, who discusses his obsession with Hamilton:
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Ann Hampton Callaway’s The Callway Hideaway presents The Bergmans and Beyond on Sun. Aug. 30 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT here.
Early bird tickets are $20 (through Aug. 23). Thereafter tickets are $25. In addition, season tickets (Aug. – Dec.) are available for $100. Reserve your tickets here.
“The Way We Were”|
“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”
“Where Do You Start”
“Nice ‘N’ Easy”
“It Might Be You”
“The Summer Knows”
“You Must Believe in Spring”
“Fifty Percent
…and more…
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RIP: Benjamin Vereen Jr., the son of Ben Vereen, has died. He had been missing for two weeks.
Ben’s statement about his son’s passing: “I am sorry to announce my son, Benjamin A Vereen Jr., affectionately known as “Benji” passed away. Benji was a dancer and a choreographer with an extraordinary artistic talent and we will hold him in our hearts forever. Thank you to the public for loving my son. We would appreciate allowing our family to mourn this privately.”
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Arts4LA presents its State of the Arts Summit, all from 10-11 AM PT:
Sept. 3: Affordable Spaces for Artists and Arts Organizations
Sept. 10: Equitalbe Arts Education
Sept. 17: Creative Career Pathways
Sept. 24: Equitable Arts Funding
Oct. 6: State of the Arts Summit
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Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming is launching a series of virtual variety shows.
Reports Cumming: “I’m so excited that we are starting series of virtual variety shows so the spirit and talent of the Club Cumming family will live on even though we can actually open our doors in reality.”
The lineup for the first show will be unveiled next week and ticket details are coming soon.
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Broadway Records will release a digital cast recording of Jason Howland & Nathan Tysen’s 9-episode project, A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical on Aug. 21. The entire series was created on the actors’ iPhones. Link to order TBA.
Jeremy Jordan, Alex Newell, Carolee Carmello, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Krystina Alabado, Michael James Scott, Jackie Burns, Drew Gehling, Laura Osnes, Jarrod Spector, and Miguel Cervantes.
Video: Preview
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Have you been writing while homebound? Want a chance to get feeedback on your songs, win cash prizes, get attention, or earn a chance to play your original songs in Nashville? Enter the Spring 2020 Music City SongStar songwriting competition here (deadline Aug. 15). $5 OFF promo code:ascap20spring
The grand prize winner will win $2,500 in cash, a Blueman Vintage guitar and an invitation to play in our Music City SongStar Awards Showcase in Nashville. Additional cast prized are available for the top 25 winners as well. Each song submitted will receive a detailed song evaluation from our judges.
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Video: The full opening number of Titanic in concert (2014) at Avery Fisher Hall, featuring Michael Cerveris, Brian d’Arcy James, David Garrison, Becky Ann Baker, John Cunningham, and company.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers – They Wrote the Book:
1-F. Abe Burrows – Can-Can
2-J. Marsha Norman – The Secret Grden
3-E. Peter Stone – 1776
4-G. Winnie Holzman – Wicked
5-A. Joe Masteroff – She Loves Me
6-D. Larry Gelbart – City of Angels
7-B. Arthur Laurents – Gypsy
8-I. Jessie Nelson – Waitress
9-C. Terrence McNally – Ragtime
10-H. George Abbott – Where’s Charley?