Today’s Highlights:
The Adams Family concert production, directed by Matthew White, featuring Ramin Karimloo, Michelle Visage, Lesley Joseph, Sam Buttery, Nicholas Mclean, Dickon Gough, Sean Kingsley, Ryan Kopel, Kara Lane, and Chumisa Dornford-May, with Leeroy Boone, Abigail Brodie, Gavin Eden, Chloe Gentles, Katie Hutton, Matthew Ives, Jessica Keable, and Castell Parker, opens at the London Palladium.
Munich Medea: Happy Family, world premiere by Corinne Jaber, directed by Lee Sunday Evans, featuring Crystal Finn (Caroline), Heather Raffo (Alice), and Kurt Rhoads (Father), opens at Off-Broadway’s WP Theater.
Black Theatre Coalition‘s Inaugural Building the Change Gala, honoring La La Anthony and National Black Theatre, with special guests BeBe Winans, Jennifer Holliday, and Alex Newell, at 6 PM at NYC’s Rainbow Room.
Williamstown Theatre Festival‘s 2024 WTF Gala, directed by Daniel Goldstein. featuring Laura Benanti, Ty Burrell, Charlie Day, Kathryn Hahn, David Hornsby, Nate Mooney, Jimmi Simpson, and Alex Timbers, at NYC’s City Winery (25 Eleventh Ave. at the Hudson River).
Glory Days benefit concert presentation, by Nick Blaemire & James Gardiner, directed by Jonathan Silverstein, featuring Derek Klena, Coltan Ryan, Jordan Dobson and George Salazar, at 7 PM at Off-Broadway’s Keen Company.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: I Love It, by Jim Bernhard.
Complete these show tune titles with the correct object of love.
| 1. “I Love ____” (Irving Berlin’s White Christmas) | A. The Nightlife |
| 2. “I Love ____” (I Do! I Do!) | B. This Land |
| 3. “I Love ____” (A Joyful Noise) | C. Paris |
| 4. “I Love ____” (Can-Can) | D. To Dance |
| 5. “I Love ____” (Ben Franklin in Paris) | E. A Piano |
| 6. “I Love ____” (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) | F. Nashville |
| 7. “I Love ____” (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue) | G. The Ladies |
| 8. “I Love ____” (Sweet Charity) | H. What I’m Doing |
| 9. “I Love ____” (Ballroom) | I. My Wife |
| 10. “I Love ____” (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) | J. To Cry at Weddings |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Video: First trailer for the upcoming “Wicked” film, starring Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba).
The cast also features Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), Ethan Slater (Boq)Boq, Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), and newcomer Marissa Bode (Nessarose), with Keala Settle (Miss Coddle), and new characters Bowen Yang (Pfannee), Bronwyn James (ShenShen), Aaron Teoh (Avaric), and Colin Michael Carmichael (Professsor Nikidik).
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Henry Shield & Jonathan Sayer’s The Play That Goes Wrong, currently in previews, will will open Feb. 16 at Cleveland Playhouse, directed by Melissa Rain Anderson.
Marc Alkins, Josh Bates, Michael Doherty, Farah El-Ashram, Victoria Alev Duffy, Blake Henri, Dylan Ireland, Ben Liebert, Alfredo Ruiz, and Joz Vammer.
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Let’s Misbehave – The Wit and Genius of Cole Porter will take place Mon. Mar. 18 at Chicago’s Rhapsody Theater, directed by Joan Curto,
Cynthia Clarey, Joan Curto, Elizabeth Doyle, David Edelfelt, Cathy Glickman, Daniel Johnson, Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, Michael J. Mitchell, Suzanne Petri, and Ellen Winters-Reynolds.
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Off-Broadway’s York Theatre Company will present a reading of Alice Scovell & Christine Lavin’s InunDATED, A New Musical. on Mon. Feb. 19 at 3 & 7 PM at NYC’s Ripley-Grier Studios, directed by Christine Pedi, with music direction by Beth Falcone. 
: boxoffice@yorktheatre.org
Sierra Boggess (Lucy) and Josh Grisetti (Everybody Else).
They say “it only takes one,” but it’s tough to find him in a city of 8.8 million. Just ask Lucy, a singer-songwriter whose new mission is to date every guy with a shred of potential. It seems she has to slog through 999,999 guys to get to her one-in-a-million. At least she has material for her songs.
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Steve Ross: Music & Love Songs will take place Mon. Feb. 19 at 7 PM at NYC’s Birdland.
The concert will celebrate ballads of love, loss and hope from the Great American Songbook.
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The world premiere of John Klein’s Faithless will run Feb. 21 – Apr. 7 (opening Mar. 1) at Burbank’s Victory Theatre Center, directed by Maria Gobetti.
John Idakitis, Jon Sprik, Melissa Ortiz, and Josee Gourdine.
A witty and moving portrait that examines a family facing deeply intense life questions. On a snowy winter night, this family starts its journey towards possible reconciliation.
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Hadestown, currently in previews, will re-open Feb. 21 at the Lyric Theatre, directed by Rachel Chavkin, with choreography by David Neumann, and music supervision by Liam Robinson.
Dónal Finn (Orpheus), Grace Hodgett Young (Eurydice), Zachary James (Hades), Melanie La Barrie (Hermes), Gloria Onitiri (Persephone), Bella Brown (Fate), Madeline Charlemagne (Fate), and Allie Daniel (Fate), with Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Beth Hinton-Lever, Waylon Jacobs, and Christopher Short play the Workers, with Lucinda Buckley, Ryesha Higgs, Miriam Nyarko, and Simon Oskarsson.
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Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman will run Apr. 4-13 at the Broadwater Main Stage Theatre, directed by Brian Allman.
Steven R. O’Brien (Katurian) and Daniel T. McCann (Upolski).
In a totalitarian state, a writer is interrogated by the authorities about a series of murders that bear a striking similarity to his work. Is this life imitating art or something more sinister? When the writer’s mentally impaired sibling is also brought in for questioning, this police procedural takes spellbinding twists and turns.
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Ronán Noone’s Thirst will run Feb. 23 – Mar. 17 at Boston’s Lyric Stage, directed by Courtney O’Connor.
Aimee Doherty, Kate Fitzgerald, and Michael Kaye.
Two Irish immigrants including a disappointed cook whose shuttered heart only blooms when she has a bottle in her hand and a vibrant young maid who survived a trip on the Titanic pass the day amid their gloomy daily chores alongside a resilient American chauffeur with a troubled past. As tensions rise, high-spirited humor and harsh cynicism boil over as the trio confront abandoned dreams and heart-breaking misfortunes. Underneath it all, hope is not as far away as it seems.
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CT’s Goodspeed Musicals has announced its 2024 Summer season. Casting TBA.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Apr. 5 – June 2), directed by Rob Ruggiero, with choreography by James Gray, and music direction by Adam Souza.
South Pacific (June 14 – Aug. 11), re-imagined & directed by Chay Yew, with choreography by Parker Esse, and music direction by Adam Souza.
Maggie (Aug. 23 – Oct. 20), new musical by Johnny Reid, Matt Murray & Bob Foster, directed by Mary Francos Moore, with choreography by Emily Jane Boyle, and music direction by Adam Souza. A Scottish mother’s unbreakable love for her three sons is tested in an inspirational new musical about family bonds and changing times. After suffering the unthinkable loss of her husband, Maggie must rely on her strength, sense of humor and fiercely loyal friends to protect her family from a harsh world. Spanning over 20 years, a hardscrabble working class life blossoms with a soul-stirring pop-folk score.
and…….
A Christmas Story (Nov. 1 – Dec. 29), directed by Hunter Foster.
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The world premiere of Historical Records, created, produced & directed by Derek Jeremiah Reid, will run Mar. 9 -30 at Culver City’s Michelle Danner Acting Studio (10820 Washington Blvd.).
Derek Jeremiah Reid, Stephen Cannon, Io Zeimar, Nikita Francois, Andy
Hendren, Ryan Foust, Abby A-O, and Maria Sweeney.
People from American history, both prominent and unsung, are examined through the lens of hip-hop improv comedy.
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The 2nd edition of 54 Loves Cast Albums! will take place Thurs. Mar. 7 at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below, directed by Michael Portantiere, with music direction by Matthew Martin Ward, and co-host Charles Kirsch.
Karen Akers, Jay Aubrey Jones, Megan Styrna, Robbie Rozelle, Gerard Alessandrini, Christine Pedi, John Griffin, and George Anthany Papas.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: I Love It, by Jim Bernhard.
1-E. “I Love a Piano” (Irving Berlin’s White Christmas)
2-I. “I Love My Wife” (I Do! I Do!)
3-F. “I Love Nashville” (A Joyful Noise)
4-C. “I Love Paris” (Can-Can)
5-G. “I Love the Ladies” (Ben Franklin in Paris)
6-A. “I Love the Nightlife” (Priscilla Queen of the Desert)
7-B. “I Love This Land” (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)
8-J. “I Love to Cry at Weddings” (Sweet Charity)
9-D. “I Love to Dance” (Ballroom)
10-H. “I Love What I’m Doing” (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)