Today’s Highlights:
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, featuring Adia Alli (Gifty), Kyrie Courter (Ericka Boafo), Ashley Crowe (Nana), Ciera Dawn (Paulina Sarpong), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Mercy), Adhana Reid (Ama), Tania Richard (Headmistress Francis), and Lanise Antoine Shelley (Eloise Amponsah), opens at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Conversations with Patrick Cassidy, with special guest Audra McDonald, livestreams for FREE at 7 PM CT here.
Sanctuary, by Billy Porter & Kurt Carr, featuring Deborah Cox, Bryan Terell Clark, Ledisi, and Virginia Woodruff, with Broadway Inspirational Voices, concludes streaming at NY Stage and Film.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Last Name Please, by Jim Bernhard
Provide the missing last names in these titles of plays and musicals:
| 1. Carmen ____, musical by Oscar Hammerstein II and Georges Bizet | A. Thompson |
| 2. Hedda ____, play by Henrik Ibsen | B. Jones |
| 3. Hazel ____, musical by Jule Styne, Ben Hecht and Bob Hilliard | C. Johnson |
| 4. Anna ____, play by Eugene O’Neill | D. Borkman |
| 5. Johnny ____, play by Paul Green | E. Gabler |
| 6. Billy ____, play by Louis O. Coxe and Robert Chapman | F. Christie |
| 7. Sadie ____, musical by Vernon Duke, Howard Dietz and Rouben Mamoulian | G. Raquin |
| 8. Thérèse ____, play by Emile Zola | H. Oberlander |
| 9. John Gabriel ____, play by Henrik Ibsen | I. Flagg |
| 10. Lu Ann Hampton Laverty ____, play by Preston Jones | J. Budd |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Video: Stars in the House, offering The Cher Show encore, with special guests Stephanie J. Block, Micaela Diamond, and Teal Wicks. (1:47:13)
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The Broadway League has announced that all audience members and performers must be vaccinated for COVID-19 when theaters re-open.
Owners and operators of all 41 Broadway theaters in NYC will enforce the mandate, which also applies to all backstage crew and theater staff. The vaccine requirement will be enforced for all performances through October 2021. Audience members must show proof of vaccination along with their tickets upon entering a theater.
Exceptions to the rules will be made for children under 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious belief that prevents vaccination. In these cases the guest must show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken withing 72 hours of a performance’s start time or a negative COVID-19 antigen test from within six hours.
In addition, face masks will be required for audience members inside the theaters, except when eating or drinking in designated areas.
Theater owners anticipate a review of the vaccination policies in September, and they may relax the rules for performances slated for November 2021 and beyong.
The theater owners anticipate a review of the vaccination policies in September, and they may relax the rules for performances slated for November 2021 and beyond.
Theaters will reopen Sept. 14 at full capacity.
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August events at Lincoln Center:
THEATER:
Aug. 4: Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey (Aug. 4)
Aug. 25: An Evening of Short Playx, crafted & performed by members of the Disabled community.
Aug. 28: Jubilee 112113: The Keeping, a ritual of reparation and recovery with an interactive, site-specific show.
CONCERTS:
Aug. 5: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Branford Marsalis
Aug. 6: Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra performs Mozart’s first and last symphonies, conducted by Louis Langrée.
Aug. 12-14: Brian Stokes Mitchell
Aug. 26: Milly Quezeda plays here greatest hits
DANCE:
Aug. 13 & 20: Dance under the stars on The Green at our silent discos.
Aug. 15: Bring your crew and dance to the international sensation that is K-Pop at “K-Pop Disco Fever.”
Aug. 7-21: BAAND Together Dance Festival
Aug. 24: Masterz at Work, a fierce young collective, ignites the stage on the anniversary of Marsha P. Johnson’s birthday.
FILM
Aug. 10: Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing”
Aug. 11: “New Dragon Gate Inn”
Click here for the full calendar of events and additional information.
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Complete casting has been announced for the return of Hamilton, which will resume performances Sept. 14 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
Miguel Cervantes (Alexander Hamilton), Krystal Joy Brown (Eliza Hamilton), Mandy Gonzalez (Angelica Schuyler), Tamar Greene (George Washington), Jin Ha (Aaron Burr), James Monroe Iglehart (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), Euan Morton (King George III), Fergie L. Philippe (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison), Aubin Wise (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds), and Daniel Yearwood (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), with Amber Ardolino, Giuseppe Bausilio, Lauren Boyd, Amanda Braun, Erin Elizabeth Clemons, Marc delaCruz, Alexander Ferguson, Jennifer Geller, Christina Glur, Shonica Gooden, Deon’te Goodman, David Guzman, Jennie Harney-Fleming, Thayne Jasperson, Roddy Kennedy, Malik Shabazz Kitchen, Eddy Lee, Johanna Moise, Justice Moore, Preston Mui, Antuan Magic Raimone, Willie Smith III, Gabriella Sorrentino, Gregory Treco, Robert Walters, and Ta-Tynisa Wilson.
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Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theater presents Camelot in concert will Aug. 5-29 at 2011 Montauk Highway (Rt .27) in Bridgehampton, at the outdoor field behind Carvel ice Cream opposite from the Bridgehampton Commons (parking is available), directed by Scott Schwartz, with music direction by Matt Hinkley, and choreography by Marcos Santana.
Jeremy Kushnier (Arthur), Britney Coleman (Gruenevere), Deven Kolluri (Lancelot), Amaya Grier (Tom of Warwick), and Aaron Dalla Villa (Mordred), with Kyle Lopez Barisich, Hope Hamilton, James Harkness, David LaMarr, Cecelia Ticktin, and Kevin Wang.
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Second Stage Theater has announced casting for Richard Greenberg’s Take Me Out, to begin previews Mar. 9, 2022 and open Apr. 4 at the Hayes Theatre, directed by Scott Ellis.
Patrick J. Adams, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jesse Williams, Julian Cihi, Hiram Delgado, Carl Lundstedt, Ken Marks, Michael Oberholtzer, Eduardo Ramos, Tyler Lansing Weaks, and one more TBA.
When Darren Lemming, the star center fielder for the Empires, comes out of the closet, the reception off the field reveals a barrage of long-held unspoken prejudices. Facing some hostile teammates and fraught friendships, Darren is forced to contend with the challenges of being a gay person of color within the confines of a classic American institution. As the Empires struggle to rally toward a championship season, the players and their fans begin to question tradition, their loyalties, and the price of victory.
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Stephen Karam’s film adaptation of “The Humans” will open at the Toronto International Film Festival in August (date TBA).
Steven Yeun, Beanie Feldstein, Richard Jenkins. and more TBA.
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Casting has been announced for Aleshea Harris’ Is God Is, to run Sept. 10 – Oct. 23 (opening Sept. 16) at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Ola Ince.
Vivienne Acheampong, Adelayo Adedayo, Ray Emmit Brown, Ernest Kingsley Jr, Tamara Lawrence, Rudlophe Mdlongwa, Mark Monero, and Cecilia Noble.
When a letter arrives from the mother they thought was dead, 21-year-old twins Racine and Anaia travel from the Dirty South to the California desert and a yellow house with teal shutters. They are on a mission to avenge her past and ready to take down anyone who stands in their way.
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Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf is scheduled to open on Broadway, with dates, casting, and additional information TBA.
Leah C. Gardiner, director of the 2019 production of the play at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater, is unavailable to continue as director due to pre-pandemic commitments to a feature film and other stage projects.
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Video: Trailer for “Vivo” animated film on Netflix (premieres Aug. 6), with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and featuring Miranda, Gloria Estefan, Juan De Marcos, Zoe Saldaña, Michael Rooker, David Baker, and Ynairly Simo,
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RIP: Actor Alvin Ing has passed away at the age of 89.
Born in Hawaii, Ing received a Master’s in Music Education at Columbia University. He began his career in summer stock, landing his first principal role as Lun Tha in The King and I.
He performed in 5 national tours, including The World of Suzie Wong, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and City of Angels. Broadway roles include Shogun’s Mother (Pacific Overtures in 1976, and reprised the role in the 2004 revival. Mr. Ing performed in more productions of Flower Drum Song (as Wang Ta) than any other actor.
TV credits include “Agens of S.H.I.E.L.D,” “Thirds Watch,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” “Highway to Heaven,” “Dynasty, “Dallas,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Fantasy Island,” “Falcon Crest,” and “All-American Girl.”
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Segio Mendes’ Blame It on Rio! will take place Sun. Aug. 15 at 8 PM PT at the Hollywood Bowl.
Click here to enter to win two free tickets. The contest closes Sun. Aug. 8 at 11:59 PM ET. Winners will be followed the notified the following day.
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A reunion reading of Off-Broadway’s SoHo Rep’s Marie Antoinette, by David Adjmi, in support of the Cultural Society Fund, stream Thurs. Aug. 5 at 7 PM ET (and available through Aug. 9) here, directed by Rebecca Taichman.
Marin Ireland, David Greenspan, Jennifer Ikeda, Karl Miller, Will Pullen, Steven Rattazzi, Chris Stack, Kat Elizabeth Williams, and Carmen Zilles.
A contemporary take on the young Queen of France. Marie is a confection created by a society that values extravagance and artifice. But France’s love affair with the royal sours as revolution brews, and for Marie, the political suddenly becomes very personal. The play holds up a mirror to our contemporary society that might just be entertaining itself to death.
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Jocelyn Bioh’s Nollywood Dreams will run in October (dates TBA) at MCC Theater, directed by Saheem Ali.
Casting TBA.
It the 1990s and in Lagos, Nigeria, the Nollywood film industry is exploding and taking the world by storm. Ayamma dreams of stardom while working at her parents’ travel agency alongside her loveable and celebrity-obsess sister Dede. When Ayamma lands and audition for a new film by Gbenga Ezie, Nigeria’s hottest director, she comes head-to-head with Gbenga’s former leading lady, Fayola. Tensions flare just as sparks start flying between Ayamma and Nollywood’s biggest heartthrob.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Last Name, Please
1-B. Carmen Jones, musical by Oscar Hammerstein II and Georges Bizet
2-E. Hedda Gabler, play by Henrik Ibsen
3-I. Hazel Flagg, musical by Jule Styne, Ben Hecht and Bob Hilliard
4-F. Anna Christie, play by Eugene O’Neill
5-C. Johnny Johnson, play by Paul Green
6-J. Billy Budd, play by Louis O. Coxe and Robert Chapman
7-A. Sadie Thompson, musical by Vernon Duke, Howard Dietz and Rouben Mamoulian
8-G. Thérèse Raquin, play by Emile Zola
9-D. John Gabriel Borkman, play by Henrik Ibsen
10-H. Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander, play by Preston Jones