Today’s Highlights:
Surrender: An Andrew Lloyd Webber Thrill Ride concert, directed by Ben Rimalower, starring Mamie Parris, opens at NYC’s Green Room 42.
Red Bull Theater‘s The Country Wife benefit concert presentation, adapted by Maltby & Shire, directed by Maltby, featuring Nicholas Christopher, Carson Elrod, Angela Grovey, Eddie Korbich, Kristolyn Lloyd, Ellen Marie Marsh, Gabe Martinez, Jacob Ming-Trent, Brad Oscar, Julian Remulla, Jelani Remy, Christina Sajour, and Lauren Worsham, at 7 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space.
The 14th annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit Arts Ignite, directed by directed by Laura Brandel, featuring Gerard Canonico, Chester Gregory, Erika Henningsen, Lauryn Hobbs, Tarra Conner Jones, David Josefsberg, Claire Kwon, Telly Leung, Lauren Marcus, Mary Kate Morrissey, Bryohna Marie Parham, Zach Piser, Ryann Redmond, Shea Renne, Ximone Rose, Jessica Vosk, Samantha Williams, and more, at 7 PM at Off-Broadway’s Joe’s Pub.
All Is Calm, All is Bright concert, featuring songs from DC Anderson’s new album, at 7 PM at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Muddled Musicals by Jim Bernard
Unscramble the letters in these anagrams to make the titles of musicals:
- Bare Act
- I Do Grab On
- Glad Sly Sound
- Teach Mum Sin
- O Crush Alien
- Makes Kites
- Comet Found Sushi
- Limit Athletic Gnus
- Errs Labeling Gin
- Mr. Oily Leer All Wrong
Scroll down for the answers…
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Reviews for How to Dance in Ohio at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre:
New York Times (Jesse Green): …it is a welcome change that the seven autistic characters in How to Dance in Ohio are presented, without condescension, as young adults a lot like most others, albeit with unusual gifts and challenges. That they are also played by autistic performers makes the feel-good show, which opened on Sunday at the Belasco Theater, more than a first: It’s a milestone. With all that groundbreaking, perhaps it is no surprise that the production is otherwise very conventional, sometimes dispiritingly so… Just as the characters struggle to conform to the expectations of a neurotypical world, you feel the musical doing a similar thing, looking to traditional models (like The Prom) instead of offbeat ones (like Kimberly Akimbo) that would be a better fit. And though the result is sometimes uplifting, the uplift comes at the expense of the depth and complexity the show might have achieved were it not so intent on cheerful persuasion…. They interact with the world in their own ways, but their group counselor believes a spring formal could help his clients make important breakthroughs. Life is a sort of dance, after all. But in its transition from screen to stage, the gently gripping, low-key true-life story has become broader and less subtle. “Parts have been embellished for dramatic purposes,” an actor tells us in a prologue.
New York Theatre Guide (Joe Dziemianowicz): At the heart of the wonderfully performed but uneven musical How to Dance in Ohio beats a reality for its key characters that is at once simple and profound… The deep, all-too-human desire to connect — and the steep challenge to do so — is amplified for seven autistic, young adults in Columbus, Ohio. They interact with the world in their own ways, but their group counselor believes a spring formal could help his clients make important breakthroughs. Life is a sort of dance, after all… But in its transition from screen to stage, the gently gripping, low-key true-life story has become broader and less subtle… The pleasant score, however, gives the whole cast a chance to shine… Desmond Luis Edwards’s Remy has a flair for the dramatic, Conor Tague’s Tommy is driven to get his license, Imani Russell’s Mel struggles for independence, while Ashley Wool’s Jessica and Amelia Fei’s Caroline are boy-crazy BFFs. Madison Kopec’s Marideth prefers facts over people, and Liam Pearce’s sensitive mathlete Drew reveals his big heart.
Theatermania (Christian Lewis): Broadway hasn’t had a great history of representing disability and neurodiversity in positive or accurate ways, and rarely throughout the entertainment industry have disabled characters been played by disabled actors. How to Dance in Ohio… seeks to change all that and offers a new vision for Broadway… A key motto in the disability and autistic communities is “nothing about us without us.” This is not just a slogan, but a political statement, and one that this show full-heartedly abides by in the casting and the writing. What makes How to Dance in Ohio a unique and unprecedented production is that it not only centers the experience of its seven autistic characters, but they are portrayed by seven autistic actors, all making their Broadway debuts… Sammi Cannold’s direction is a little too sentimental, but is thoughtful….
New York Post (Johnny Oleksinsky) …a laudable first for Broadway: A show about autistic persons who are actually played by actors on the autism spectrum… They’ve cast an ideal core seven performers, who are all charming individually as well as when part of a tight ensemble. But as groundbreaking as “How To Dance” is as an idea, its execution across the board does not match its admirable intentions. The show, directed by Sammi Cannold, waffles between being stalely predictable and taking confounding narrative leaps. The plot and dialogue are shoddy, and early on it becomes apparent that we are unfortunately sitting at a missed opportunity… How To Dance is based on the much better 2015 documentary of the same name, which is available to stream on Max… Unlike the overblown musical, the doc is not excessively and damagingly weighty…
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The world premiere of Heidi Schreck‘s adaptation of Uncle Vanya will run Apr. 2 – June 16, 2024 (opening Apr. 24) at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, directed by Lila Neugebauer.
Alison Pill (Sonya), Steve Carell (Uncle Vanya), Alfred Molina (Alexander Serabryakov), and Anika Noni Rose (Wife), Jonathan Hadary (Waffles), William Jackson Harper (Astrov), Jane Houdyshell (Mama Voinitski), Mia Katigbak (Marina), and Anika Noni Rose (Yelena).
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Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin & Roger Kumble ’s Cruel Intensions: The 90’s Musical will run Jan. 11 – Apr. 14, 2024 at The Other Palace, directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, with choreography by Gary Lloyd, and music direction by Denise Crowley.
Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Kathryn), Daniel Bravo (Sebastian), Abbie Budden (Annette) Rose Galbraith (Cecile), Josh Barnett (Blaine), Jess Buckby (Ms. Bunny Caldwell/Dr. Greenbaum), Nickolia King-N’Da (Ronald), and Barney Wilkinson (Greg), with more TBA.
Enter the manipulative world of Manhattan’s most dangerous liaisons: Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Fueled by revenge and passion, the diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet on whether or not Sebastian can deflower their incoming headmaster’s daughter, Annette Hargrove.
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Matthew Scott has joined the cast of DC’s Signature Theatre production of Ragtime as Father (replacing Bill English, who has joined the Broadway company of Days of Wine and Roses).
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The world premiere of John Ross Bowie’s Brushstroke will run Jan. 7 – Mar. 3 (opening Jan. 27) at the Odyssey Theatre, directed by Casey Stangl.
James Urbaniak (Ted), Malcolm Barrett (Marvin), Brendan Hines (Allan), and Evangeline Edwards (Susan).
Greenwich Village, 1956. Even the people who keep your secrets … have secrets.
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The cast recording of Carmel Dean’s Well-Behaved Women has been released HERE and on most platforms.
A contemporary theatrical song cycle celebrating historic women who fought to make their voices heard.
1. “In the Beginning” (Eve) – Laura Benanti
2. “The Warrior Queen” (Boudicca) – Katie Thompson
3. “On the Railroad” (Harriet Tubman) –LaChanze
4. “If Shakespeare Had a Sister” (Virginia Woolf) – Bonnie Milligan
5. “Stay and Fight” (Cleopatra) – Sasha Allen
6. “Ladies of the Press” (Eleanor Roosevelt) – Jenn Colella
7. “The Only Girl at the Table” (Mary Magdalene) – Hannah Elless
8. “The Water is Where” (Fanny Durack & Mina Wylie) – Hannah Corneau, Melissa Rose Hirsch
9. “Hey, Bobby Riggs” (Billie Jean King) – Lauren Patten
10. “Yo Simplemente Soy” (Frida Kahlo) – Lindsay Mendez
11. “A Mother’s Love” (Hua-Li) – Pearl Sun
12. “Papa, Are You There?” (Malala Yousafzai) – Kuhoo Verma
13. “One Step Closer” (Janet Armstrong) – Liz Callaway
14. “You Were There” (Cathy Freeman) – Ursula Yovich
15. “Lady Liberty” (The Statue of Liberty) – Andréa Burns
16. “Order in the Court” (Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor & Elena Kagan) – Dee Hoty, Judy Kaye, Alma Cuervo, Anne L. Nathan
17. “We Rise” (All) – Ensemble
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Opus 3 Artists will present Voctave, an a capella concert, on Sun. Jan. 14 at 7 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space.
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Ben Powers’ adaptation of The Lehman Trilogy will run May 25 – June 23, 2024 at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, directed by Sam Mendes.
Aaron Krohn, Howard We. Overshown, and Adrian Schiller, with Rebekah Bruce and Ravi Aujla.
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Video: Highlights from last week’s Red Bucket Follies benefit for BC/EFA.
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Darrell Hammond‘s new solo show, Cray, will run Jan. 16-20, 2024 at the Minetta Lane Theatre, directed by Christopher Ashley.
Adapted from Hammond’s memoir “God, If You’re Not Up There, I’m F*cked: Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem,” Cray takes audiences on a trip through the life and mind of a comedian, with Hammond playing more than 60 characters.
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Season of Light: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir will take place Tues. Dec. 12 at 8 PM on PBS (check local listings).
Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet
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Complete casting has been announced for Adam Rapp, Justin Levine & Jamestown Revival’s The Outsiders, to begin previews Mar. 16, 2024, and open Apr. 11 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, directed by Danya Taymor, with choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman.
Brody Grant (Ponyboy Curtis), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Johnny Cade), Brent Comer (Darrel Curtis), Jason Schmidt (Sodapop Curtis), Joshua Boone (Dallas Winston), Emma Pittman (Cherry Valance), Daryl Tofa (Two-Bit Mathews), Kevin William Paul (Bob Sheldon), and Dan Berry (Paul Holden), with Jordan Chin, Milena J. Comeau, Barton Cowperthwaite, Tilly Evans-Krueger, Henry Gendron, RJ Higton, Wonza Johnson, Sean Harrison Jones, Maggie Kuntz, and Renni Anthony Magee.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, the hardened hearts and aching souls of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their chosen family of ‘outsiders’ are in a fight for survival and a quest for purpose in a world that may never accept them. A story of the bonds that brothers share and the hopes we all hold on to, this gripping new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of ‘haves and have nots’, of protecting what’s yours and fighting for what could be.
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The studio cast recording of Carmel Dean’s the new song cycle, Well-Behaved Women, has been released on most streaming and digital platforms worldwide. The musical celebrates women in history who fought to be heard, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzai.
Sasha Allen, Laura Benanti, Andréa Burns, Liz Callaway, Jenn Colella, Hannah Corneau, Melissa Rose Hirsch, Dee Hoty, Judy Kaye, LaChanze, Mendez, Bonnie Milligan, Lauren Patten, and Pearl Sun.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Muddled Musicals Bernard
- Bare Act – Cabaret
- I Do Grab On – Brigadoon
- Glad Sly Sound – Guys and Dolls
- Teach Mum Sin – The Music Man
- O Crush Alien – A Chorus Line
- Makes Kites – Kiss Me, Kate
- Comet Found Sushi – The Sound of Music
- Limit Athletic Gnus – A Little Night Music
- Errs Labeling Gin – Bells Are Ringing
- Mr. Oily Leer All Wrong – Merrily We Roll Along