Today’s Highlights:
Othello, directed by Kenny Leon, featuring Denzel Washington (Othello), Jake Gyllenhaal (Iago), Molly Osborne (Desdemona), Andrew Burnap (Cassio), Anthony Michael Lopez (Roderigo), Daniel Pearce (Brabantio), and Kimber Elayne Sprawl (Emilia), begins previews at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
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Grace Notes quiz: Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Jim Bernhard
Fill in the missing words in these “happy” titles:
| 1. Happy ____, musical by Burt Shevelove and Cole Porter | A. Hunting |
| 2. Happy ____, play by Anita Loos | B. Talk |
| 3. Happy ____, play by Samuel Beckett | C. Holiday |
| 4. Happy ____, musical by Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht and Michael Feingold | D. Fella |
| 4. Happy ____, musical by Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht and Michael Feingold | E. New Year |
| 6. Happy ____, musical by Gordon Duffy and Harry M. Haldane | F. Time |
| 7. “Happy ____,” song from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas | G. Town |
| 8. “Happy ____,” song from South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein | H. Days |
| 9. The Happy ____, musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and N. Richard Nash | I. End |
| 10. The Most Happy ____, musical by Frank Loesser | J. Birthday |
Scroll down for the answers…
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LA Opera continues its 2025/26 season:
Cosi Fan Tutte (Mar. 8-30)
Coming Home: Angel Blue: a Dream Come True (Mar. 15)
Terence Blanchard at the Soroya (Apr. 6)
Ainadmar (Apr. 26 – May 18)
Joshua Guerrero in Recital (June 7)
Renée Fleming & Friends recital (June 14)
Rigoletto (May 31 – June 21)
West Side Story (Sept 20 – Oct. 8)
The Phantom of the Opera (Oct. 30-31).
Hildegard (Nov. 5-9) La Boheme (Nov. 22 – Dec. 14) Ben Bliss in Recital (Dec. 7). Juan Diego Flórez in Recital (Feb. 6, 2026)
Patti LuPone in Concert (Feb. 21)
Akhnaten (Feb. 28 – Mar. 22)
The Foundation for New American Musicals will present it’s next MusiCal, featuring selections from new musicals, on Tues. Mar. 4 at 7:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club, hosted by Boise Holmes.
TBA.
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Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2 will run May 14 – June 8 at Pasadena Playhouse, directed by Jennifer Chang.
TBA.
Nora’s back—15 years after walking out on her family—ready to confront the fallout of her iconic escape. Bold, satisfying, and packed with razor-sharp twists, Lucas Hnath’s Tony-nominated play dives into the messy reality of what it means to be a woman living on your own terms. It’s complicated. It’s witty.
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Patricia Goodson’s Remembrance will run Mar. 20 – Apr. 6 at Theater for the New City, directed by Joan Kane.
David Odukoya, Zane Julia, Beth Griffith, Bryn Eva O’Conner and Kkuumba Siegell.
A play about the victimization of the caregiver.
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. Matthew Sklar, Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy’s The Wedding Singer will run June 5 – 29 (opening June 7) at Burbank’s Colony Theatre, directed by Michael Donovan, with choreography by Michelle Elkin, and music direction by Brent Crayon.
Blake Jenner, and more TBA.
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Joel Tan’s Scenes from a Repatriation will run Apr. 25 – May 24 at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by emma + pj.
Kaja Chan, Aidan Cheng, Jon Chew, Fiona Hampton, Robin Khor Yong Kuan and Sky Yang.
When it emerges that the statue was stolen from its original home, the museum attempts to deflect both the public response and controversial repatriation claims from the Chinese government. As statesmen scheme and grease their palms, beneath the statue witches dance, a cleaner prays, and spirits weep. Guan Yin’s gaze falls over the broken shards of human life from empires old and new.
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Industry presentations of Duncan Sheik & Moyoco Anno’s Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen took place last week in NYC, directed & choreographed by Rob Ashford.
Not reported.
Originating in 12th century Japanese artworks, Manga are graphic novels with a distinct style evolved uniquely in Japan, which has nurtured artists and their works while building a global industry worth over $10 billion. Moyoco Anno is one of Japan’s most renowned, award-winning Manga artists, known for her deep exploration of character psychology and her vast worldwide fan bas
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Jay Martel’s Parents in Chains will run Mar. 12-30 at Santa Barbara’s New Vic, directed by Andy Fickman.
(rotating) Sharon Lawrence, John Ross Bowie, Jane Lynch, Melora Hardin, Joshua Malina, Thomas Sadoski, Gina Torres, and Matt Walsh.
Six L.A. parents exchange texts as their 17-year-old daughters drive home from a weekend in San Francisco during the approach of a hurricane. The trip and the inclement weather bring out both the best and the worst in the parents as they confront, as a group, as couples, and as individuals, what it means to let go of their kids.
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Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater will present its Running of the Red Bulls Gala Benefit on Mon. May 5 at 5:30 PM at NYC’s Bowery Hotel, hosted by Charlayne Woodard & Stephen DeRosa.
Douglas Thompson.
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The world premiere of Willy Holtman, David Spangler, Jerry Taylor & Marty Dodson‘s Hard Road to Heaven will now run Mar. 1-23 (opening Mar. 8) at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse, directed by Jackson Gay.
Jackie Burns (Jenny Dixon), Leah Hocking (Linnell Dixon), Elizabeth Teeter (Anna Grace Dixon), J. Robert Spencer (Hank Dixon), Bryan Fenkart (Jimmy Lee Stewart), Jerry Dixon (Charlie Morgan), Nathaniel Hackmann (Kellin Wayne) and Marcus Gladney, Jr. (Marcus Dorsey), with Imani Brissett, Grad Greer, Alec Ludacka, Christopher McCrewell, Claire Newumann, Shannon Stasiulis, and Cecilia Trippied.
With songwriters from both the musical theatre and country music worlds, Hard Road to Heaven is a powerful new musical that explores the heart and soul of country music through the themes of fame, family, and faith. Jenny Dixon, the reigning queen of country, navigates the ups and downs of a superstar career and the gospel-singing family she left behind. With unforgettable songs and a gripping narrative, the musical is a tale of ambition, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds of family.**********************
Grace Notes quiz answers: Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Jim Bernhard
1-E. Happy New Year, musical by Burt Shevelove and Cole Porter
2-J. Happy Birthday, play by Anita Loos
3-H. Happy Days, play by Samuel Beckett
4-I. Happy End, musical by Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht and Michael Feingold
5-A. Happy Hunting, musical by Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse, et al
6-G. Happy Town, musical by Gordon Duffy and Harry M. Haldane
7-C. “Happy Holiday,” song from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
8-B. “Happy Talk,” song from South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein
9-F. The Happy Time, musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and N. Richard Nash
10-D. The Most Happy Fella, musical by Frank Loesser