Today’s Highlights:
Colin Quinn: Small Talk opens at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Animal Magnetism reading, by Elizabeth Inchbald, directed by José Zayas, featuring Amir Arison, Carson Elrod, Yonatan Gebeyehu, Brad Oscar, Cara Ricketts, and Alexandra Silber, begins FREE streaming at Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s An Evening with Kelly O’Hara winter benefit, directed by Scott Ellis, at 7 PM at NYC’s Ziegfeld Ballroom.
Zaglada FREE reading, by Richard Vetere, directed by Dan Wackerman, featuring Len Cariou, Lou Martini Jr., Maja Wampuszyc, and Jes Washington, at 7 PM at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Clements (link not provided).
Animal Magnetism FREE reading, by Elizabeth Inchbald, directed by José Zayas, featuring Amir Arison, Carson Elrod, Yonatan Gebeyehu, Brad Oscar, Cara Ricketts, and Alexandra Silber, at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater. NOTE: The presentation will then be available to stream (also for free) through Jan. 29.
RUTKA FREE concert presentations, by Jocelyn Mackenzie, Jeremy Lloyd Styles & Sarah Gancher, directed by Wendy C. Goldberg, featuring Judy Kaye (Grandma/Narrator), Julie Benko (Dvorah), Andrew Barth Feldman (Janek), Nathan Levy (Jumek), Zachary Noah Piser (Lolek), Zoe Siegel (Micka), Gabi Carrubba (Minda), Zoe Holtzman (Nina), Annabelle Kempf (Rozna), Lana Schwartz (Rutka), Cara Rose DiPietro (Stanislawa), Presley Ryan (Tusia), Ben Cherry (Yaakov), and Oscar Williams (Ensemble), at 3 & 6 PM at Lincoln Center‘s Bruno Walter Auditorium.
54 Celebrates Mel Brooks concert, with music direction by Ben Caplan, hosted by Michael Kostroff, featuring Karen Ziemba, Jill Abramovitz, Ari Axelrod, Jim Borstelmann, James Monroe Igelhart, Michael Kostroff, Michael Kushner, Ryan Mac, Stuart Marland, Bus Phillips, Alex Puette, Ben Rappaport, T. Oliver Reid, Jelani Remy, Kyle Scatliffe, Adam B. Shapiro, Phil Sloves, Caroline Aimetti, Asia DeShields, and Ben Schrager, at 7 & 9:30 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
Stars in the House live & livestreamed benefit concert for climate action, hosted by Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley, featuring Lena Hall, Ruthie Ann Miles, Anika Larsen, Beth Malone, Mara Davi, Jenn Gambatese, Tamar Green, Laurel Harris, Alexandra Socha, Ta-Tynisa Wilson, and company members from MJ The Musical, at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42.
Linda Purl in the Theatre concert, with music direction by Tedd Firth, at 8:30 PM at NYC’s Birdland.
Porchlight Music Theatre‘s New Faces Sing Broadway 1951 concert, directed by Michael McBride, featuring Daryn Alexus, Daniel De Cranie-Pierre, Nick Johnson, Abbey Loria, Caroline Lyell, Luke Nowakowsi, Ziare Paul-Emile, Alix Rhode, Nolan Robinson, and Jerod Turner, at 7:30 PM at Chicago’s The Arts Club of Chicago (also Jan. 24).
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: The Senate Will Come to Order by Jim Bernhard.
Match the senators with the shows they are in.
| 1. Senator Billboard Rawkins | A. The Best Man |
| 2. Senator A. Hardy Hardast | B. Of Thee I Sing |
| 3. Senator Joseph Cantwell | C. Nice Work If You Can Get It |
| 4. Senator Norval Hedges | D. Ruggles of Red Gap |
| 5. Senator Jack S. Phogbound | E. The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public |
| 6. Senator Wingwoah | F. Li’l Abner |
| 7. Senator Carver Jones | G. Finian’s Rainbow |
| 8. Senator James Knox Floud | H. Born Yesterday |
| 9. Senator Lauterback | I. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas |
| 10. Senator Max Evergreen | J. State of Union |
Scroll down for the answers…
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The world premiere of Craig Lucas & Adam Guettel’s Days of Wine and Roses will run May 5 – June 25 (opening date TBA) at the Atlantic Theater, directed by Michael Greif, with music direction by Kim Grigsby.
Kelli O’Hara, Brian d’Arcy James, and more TBA
A couple falls in love in 1950’s New York and struggles against themselves to rebuild a family.
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For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, written & directed by Ryan Calais Cameron, will run Mar. 25 – May 7 at the Apollo Theatre.
Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Arune Halloh, and Kaine Lawrence.
The play spotlights six young Black men, who meet for group therapy and let their hearts and imaginations run wild. Originally conceived by Cameron following the murder of Trayvon Martin, the piece— “located on the threshold of joyful fantasy and brutal reality”—has been developed over the last decade with young Black men and mental health groups.
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The national tour of Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations has announced new casting.
Michael Andreaus (Otis Williams), E. Clayton Corneious (Paul Williams), Jalen Harris (Eddie Kendricks), Harrell Holmes Jr. (Melvin Franklin), and Elijah Ahmad Lewis (David Ruffin), with Felander, Melvin Gray Jr., Quiana Onrae’l Holmes, Jeremy Kelsey, AJ Lockhart, Omar Madden, Devin Price, Brittny Smith, Brian C. Binion, Reed Campbell, Shayla Brielle G., Devin Holloway, Dwayne P. Mitchell, Amber Mariah Talley, Andrew Volzer, and Nazarria Workman.
Click here for the tour schedule.
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Christy Altomare in concert will take place Sat. Feb. 18 at 8 PM at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.
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Audio: Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond’s “Fucking Good” from their new musical Fucking Other People, performed by Natalie Weiss.
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The world premiere of James Berg & Stan Zimmerman’s Silver Foxes will run at Dallas’ Uptown Players, directed by Michael Urie.
B.J. Cleveland, Leslie Collins, Edson Montenegro, Jon Morehouse, and Robert Victorino San Suan.
Inspired by “Gen Silent,” a 2010 documentary about LGBT seniors, the play follows “an ensemble of queer men who rescue their best friend from a homophobic assisted living facility. The three older men plus their buddy’s younger Twink lover navigate stray cats, online hook-up sites, and the real estate-ravenous lesbian couple next door to become a fabulous de facto family in an iconic mid-century Palm Springs house.
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Manhattan Theatre Club‘s production of David Auburn’s Summer, 1976 will run Apr. 4 – May 28 (opening Apr. 25) at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, directed by Daniel Sullivan.
Laura Linney (Diana), Jessica Hecht (Alice), and more TBA.
The intimate and deeply moving story delves into the connections, memories, and small moments that shape our lives. Over one fateful summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Diana, a fiercely iconoclastic artist and single mom, and Alice, a free-spirited yet naive young housewife. As the Bicentennial is celebrated across the country, these two young women in Ohio navigate motherhood, ambition, and intimacy, and help each other discover their own independence.
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& 
Pippin: The 50th Anniversary Original Broadway Cast Reunion Concert will offer in-person and streaming options. The concerts will be directed by Walter Willison, with music direction by Michael Lavine.
John Rubinstein, Joy Franz, Candy Brown, Cheryl Clark, Gene Foote, Will D. MacMillan, Jennifer Nairn-Smith, Pamela Sousa, Walter Willison, Leland Plamer, and Aaron Lee Battle.
In Person: Feb. 6 at 7 & 9:30 PM here
Livestream: Feb. 7 at 7 PM here.
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Mint Theater Company will present he world premiere of Betty Smith’s Becomes a Woman (an unpublished, never produced play), to run Feb. 7 – Mar. 18 (opening Feb. 27) at NYC Center Stage, directed by Britt Berke.
Duane Boutté, Christopher Reed Brown, Jeb Brown, Gina Daniels, Antoinette Lavecchia, Jack Mastrianni, Jason O’Connell, Emma Pfitzer Prive, Scott Redmond, Pearl Rhein, Madeline Seidman, Phillip Taratula, Peterson Townsend, and Tim Webb.
The story of Francie, a 19-year-old living with her family in Brooklyn and working at a five and dime store as a singer at the sheet music counter. Her co-workers describe her as “afraid of her family, afraid of the boss, afraid to make a date.” But as Francie becomes a woman, she discovers a hidden reserve of courage that surprises everyone, even herself.
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A Celebration of John Guare will take place Mon. Feb. 6 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92Y.
Tony Kushner, Meryl Street, Ben Stiller, Ariana DeBose, Paul Dano, Suzan-Lori Parks, Edie Falco, Linda Lavin, Zoe Kazan, Kenneth Lonergan, Amy Herzog, Elizabeth Marvel, Corey Hawkins, Dylan Baker, Stephen Adly Girugis, Bill Camp, Camryn Manheim, Becky Ann Baker, Linda Emond, and Ato Blankson-Wood.
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RIP: Andrew Leynse, Primary Stages Artistic Director, has died from complication due to an infection. He is survived by his wife, actress Mary Bacon, son, Abadi Bacon Leynse, and brother, photographer James Leysne.
He has produced, managed, and directed in the New York Theatre community for more than twenty years.
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Video: Santino Fontana performs “I Know How It Ends” from the new musical adaptation of Richard Greenberg’s The Violet Hour.
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Anthony Rapp’s new docuseries, “Surviving Hollywood” will explore the trauma and injustice caused by abuse in the entertainment industry. He will act as the series host and guide, offering interviews, archival footage, first-hand accounts, and previously unshared stories. Network and release date TBA.
Rapp has spoken openly about his experiences as a child performer within the industry, causing major waves when he accused disgraced actor Kevin Spacey of sexual misconduct when Rapp was only 14. While Spacey was found not liable in civil court, Rapp opened the floodgates through which many more victims have since shared their stories.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: The Senate Will Come to Order
1-G. Senator Billboard Rawkins – Finian’s Rainbow
2-E. Senator A. Hardy Hardast – The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public
3-A. Senator Joseph Cantwell – The Best Man
4-H. Senator Norvall Hedges – Born Yesterday
5-F. Senator Jack S. Phogbound – Li’l Abner
6-I. Senator Wingwoah – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
7-B. Senator Carver Jones – Of Thee I Sing
8-D. Senator James Knox Floud – Ruggles of Red Gap
9-J. Senator Lauterback – State of the Union
10-C. Senator Max Evergreen – Nice Work If You Can Get It