Today’s Highlights
The Lucky Ones FREE streamed reading, by Lia Romeo, directed by Christopher James Raymond, featuring Robyn Cohen, Lizzie Peet, and Adam J. Smith at 8 PM PT at Hollywood’s Blank Theatre.
Jeanna de Waal in concert at 7 PM ET at 54 Below.
Ann Kittredge: Movie Nite concert, with music direction by Alex Rybeck, at 7 PM ET at NYC’s Birdland.
Mrs. Doubtfire begins its planned hiatus at Broadway’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind, by Jim Bernhard
Fill in the missing word in these titles that have to do with “wind:”
| 1. ____ in the Wind, play by Maxwell Anderson | A. Blows |
| 2. ____ Wind, musical by Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Fank Mandel | B. Candle |
| 3. ____ the Wind, play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee | C. Willows |
| 4. The Cold Wind and the ____, play by S. N. Behrman | D. Maria |
| 5. The ____ Wind, play by Lillian Hellman | E. Whistle |
| 6. ____ Down the Wind, musical by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards, Jim Steinman, and Andrew Lloyd Webber | F. Children |
| 7. Wind in the ____, musical by William Perry and Roger McGough | G. Warm |
| 8. “Any Way the Wind” ____, song from Hadestown | H. East |
| 9. “They Call the Wind” ____, song from Paint Your Wagon | I. Inherit |
| 10. ____ of the Wind, play by Jerry Devine | J. Searching |
Scroll down for the answers…
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2022 Golden Globe Awards
Click here for the complete list of winners.
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Complete casting has been announced for Anna Karenina, to run Feb. 5-26 (opening Feb. 10) at the Crucible Theatre, directed by Anthony Lau.
Isis Davis (Dolly), Nick Fletcher (Karenin), Solomon Israel (Stiva), Chris Jenks (Count Vronsk), Adelle Leonce (Anna), Douggie McMeekin (Levin), Sarah Seggari (Princess Betsy), and Tara Tijani (Kitty).
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2022 New Writers at 54! returns to 54 Below Jan. 27 – June 8:
Janet Noh (Jan. 27 at 9:45 PM ET), with Songs From My Unwritten Musical, with special guests Jean-Marc Delacruz, Ali Ewoldt, and Nyla Sostre.
Janine McGuire & Arri Lawton Simon (Feb. 1 at 9:45 PM ET), presenting songs from their new musical Borders, based on the 2006 film “The Bubble,” (about a gay Israeli solider and a closeted Palestinian man who fall in love during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s) with special guests Jennifer Apple, Shira Averbuch, Mike Cefalo, Drew Elhamalawy, Sahar Milani, and Omer Shaish.
Ben Chavez (Feb. 3 at 9:45 PM ET), offering his tunes inspired by the styles of Billy Joel and PJ Morton, with special guests Zach Bencal, Keisha Gilles, Orianna Hilliard, Jeremy Gaston, and violinist Kevin Kuh.
Julian Hornik (Feb. 15 at 9:45 PM ET), offering a mix of pop-punk numbers about Wal Whitman’s lovers, folk-infected ballads about Tennessee Williams’s familial strife, and a bucketful of queer quarter-life-crises condensed into song. Special guests TBA.
J. Oconer Navarro (Feb. 16 at 9:45 PM ET). Sharing music from his canon, including his newest musical F.L.I.P. OUT, a celebration of Pinoy Pride, featuring a host of Filipino-American artists, and directed by Nathaniel P. Claridad.
Andy Roninson (Feb. 17 at 9:45 PM ET), will introduce his characters ranging from ’70s Russian Soviets to outer space aliens in songs from new works and from his podcast showcasing short musicals Take A Ten. Special guests: Debbie Gravitte, Kate Baldwin, Thom Sesma, C.K. Edwards, Samantha Hahn, Lindsey M.E. Newton, and Carla Woods.
Oliver House (Feb. 24 at 9:45 PM ET), offering brand new music capturing the ridiculous and heartbreaking experience of being human. Special guests TBA.
Brandon Webster (Mar. 15 at 9:45 PM ET), offering a evening of theatre music influenced by jazz, funk, pop, and R&B filtered through his afro-surrealist lens.
Cheeyang Ng (Mar. 20 at 9:45 PM ET). With songs at the intersection of queer, Asian and immigrant stories, Ng will share hits from their musicals in development as well as brand new works-in-progress. Special guests: Zachary Noah Piser, Kuhoo Verma, and more.
Murphy Taylor and Emerson Mae Smith (May 31 at 9:45 PM ET). An evening of music and storytelling from dark, haunted world created by the team of Identical twin transgender women.
Nikko Benson (June 8 at 9:45; PM ET), off a fantastic… or fantastical… time on a journey from Where The Wild Things Are to Undersea Noir in an evening of never-before-heard songs, with special guests Ally Bonino, Sean Doherty, Latoya Edwards, Roe Hartrampf, Julia Mattison, Natalie Walker, and Joel Waggoner.
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East West Players has announced complete casting for Assassins, to run Feb. 17 – Mar. 20 (opening Feb. 20) at the David Henry Hwang Theater, directed by Snehal Desai, with music direction by Marc Macalintal.
Gedde Watanabe (Charles Guiteau), Joan Almedilla (Sara Jane Moore), Adam Kaokept (Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald), Trance Thompson (John Wilkes Booth), Max Torrez (The Proprietor), Christopher Chen (Samuel Byck), George Xavier (Leon Czolgosz), Astoncia Bhagat (Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme), Arvin Lee (John Hinckley, Jr.), Aric Martin (Giuseppe Zangara), and Kym Miller (Emma Goldman), with Andrea Somera, Jalen Lum, Michael Cavinder, and Maya Nahree McGowan.
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Listen: A Very Broadway Workout, Broadway.com’s specially curated collection of showtunes “to energize your very Broadway workout.”
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50 Years of Broadway at the Kennedy Center will run Feb. 11-12 at the Kennedy Center, directed by Marc Bruni, with music direction by Rob Berman, choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, and hosted by James Monroe Iglehart.
Stephanie J. Block, Alfie Boe, Sierra Boggess, Gavin Creel, Christopher Jackson, LaChanze, Beth Leavel, Norm Lewis, Andrew Rannells, Frances Ruffelle, Vanessa Williams, Tony Yazbeck and more TBA.
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Video: “I Remember Television: An Evening with Betty White” (54:56)
Can’t get enough of Betty? Click here for a plethora of videos.
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L.A. Theatre Works presents an all-star word-by-word recording of Sinclair Lewis’ novel “Babbitt.”
René Auberjonois, Bonnie Bedelia, Ed Begley Jr., Georgia Brown, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jack Coleman, Bud Cort, Ted Danson, William Devane, Richard Dreyfuss, Héctor Elizondo, Fionnula Flanagan, Robert Foxworth, Harry Hamlin, Julie Harris, Helen Hunt, Amy Irving, Stacy Keach, John Lithgow, Nan Martin, Marsha Mason, Richard Masur, Marian Mercer, Joanna Miles, Holly Palance, Judge Reinhold, Franklyn Seales, David Selby, Ally Sheedy, Madolyn Smith, James Whitmore, JoBeth Williams and Michael York, all voicing 90 different characters.
The story of real estate agent George F. Babbitt explores the vacuity and conformity of the middle class in small town, white collar America.
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Complete casting has been announced for Paul Grellong’s Power of Sail, to run Feb. 8 – Mar. 13 (opening Feb. 17) at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Weyni Mengesha.
Bryan Cranston (Charles Nichols), Amy Brenneman (Amy Katz), Hugo Armstrong (Frank Sullivan), Donna Simone Johnson (Quinn Harris), Tedra Millan (Maggie Rosen), Seth Numrich (Lucas Poole) and Brandon Scott (Baxter Forrest).
Distinguished Harvard professor Charles Nichols finds himself in hot water after inviting an incendiary white nationalist to speak at his annual symposium. His colleagues are concerned, his students are in revolt, but Charles is undeterred in his plot to expose and academically thrash his invited guest. This profoundly relevant new play examines the insidiousness of hate disguised as free speech and the question of who ultimately pays the price.
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Symphonic Duke Ellington: New World A-Comin will run Jan. 20-21 (at 8 PMPT) at LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, with Gerald Clayton.
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The Great Gatsby: An Immersive Theatrical Production, created & directed by Alexander Wright, will run Jan. 12 – Oct. 30 at Gatsby’s Mansion, directed by Beth Daly.
Ryan Hodson (Nick Carroway), Jay Peardon (Jay Gatsby), Jessica Redmayne (Daisy Buchanan), Joshua Ralph McElroy (Tom Buchanan), Hannah Raven (Jordan Baker), Alicia rose (Myrtle Wilson), Cody ross (George Wilson), and Adam Di Martino (Meyer Wolfsheim), with Kristina McNamara and Sebastian Nelson.
Welcome back to the roaring twenties! Jay Gatsby invites you to one of his infamous parties. The champagne flows and as the drama unfolds the man himself will be the perfect host. As invites go, this is the hottest ticket in town. A hedonistic world of red hot rhythms, bootleg liquor and pure jazz age self-indulgence awaits. Dress to the nines and immerse yourself in this heart racing adaption of F Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal tale. With only 40 audience members per performance, everyone will explore the world of Gatsby up-close and personal in their own individual way.
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Quiara Alegria Hudes’ Daphne’s Dive will run Feb. 1 – Mar. 20 at DC’s Signature Theatre, directed by Paige Hernandez.
Rayanne Gonzales (Daphne), Yesenia Iglesias (Inez), James Shalen (Acosta), Jonathan Atkinson (Pablo), Jefferson A. Russell (Rey), Quynh-My Luu (Jenn), and Jyline Carranza (Ruby), with Dylan Arredondo, Deidre Staples, and Elizabeth Ung.
Run by the warm and enterprising Daphne, a north Philadelphia bar becomes home for a disparate band of society’s outsiders; among them an offbeat artist, an eccentric activist, an ambitious businessman, a retired biker, an abandoned teenager and Daphne’s vivacious sister. Over the course of nearly twenty years, they drink, dance, rejoice, and grieve together in a captivating weave of interconnection. Both poignant and joyful, this tribute to found family serves hospitality with a twist of heart in every pour.
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A female-led reboot of “The Honeymooners” is in the works for CBS, written by Lindsey Schockley. Timeline, premiere date, casting, and additional information TBA.
A bold reimagining of the iconic working-class comedy centers around new wife, Ruth, and her husband, Alex, who are determined to have a marriage where they are true equals in every way. But what happens when a marriage has two heads of household? Are they co-heads? Or no head at all?
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Funday Monday Quiz answers: The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind
1-B. Candle in the Wind
2-H. East Wind
3-I. nherit the Wind
4-G. The Cold Wind and the Warm
5-J. The Searching Wind
6-E. Whistle Down the Wind
7-C. Wind in the Willows
8-A. Any Way the Wind Blows
9-D. They Call The Wind Maria
10-F. Children of the Wind