GRACE NOTES: Monday, June 5, 2023

Today’s Highlights:

  Days of Wine and Roses, world premiere by Craig Lucas & Adam Guettel, directed by Michael Greif, featuring Kelli O’Hara, Brian d’Arcy James, Steven Booth, Sharon Catherine Brown, Bill English, Nicole Ferguson, Olivia Hernandez, Byron Jennings, David Jennings, Ted Koch, Ella Dane Morgan, Scarlett Unger, and Kelcey Watson, opens at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company.

  Red Bull Theater‘s Running of the Bulls benefit gala, hosted by Patrick Page honoring Julie Taymor, directed by Marc Vietor, featuring Arnie Burton, Reeve Carney, Robert Cuccioli, Tovah Feldshuh, Tom Hewitt, Harry Lennix, Jacob Ming-Trent, Kristine Nielsen, Jennifer Sánchez, Robert Sella, Derek Smith, Mary Testa, and many more, at 6 PM at NYC’s Bowery Hotel.

  The Janice Jam: Broadway Rocks for Breast Cancer benefit concert in support of the Phillis Newman’s Women’s Health Initiative, to honor Matt DeAngelis late mother, Janice, featuring Matt DeAngelis, Omar Cardona, Charity Angél Dawson, Christine Dwyer, Caitlin Houlahan, Emma Hunton, Brittney Johnson, Michele Mais, Javier Muñoz, Samantha Pauly, Talia Suskauer, Ryan Vona, T.3, Jim Hogan, Liam Fennecken, and Brendan Jacob Smith, with virtual appearances by Shoshana Bean, Gavin Creel, and Caissie Levy, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Haswell Green’s (240 West 52nd St.)

  MUSI-CAL concert, offering song selections from new musicals, at 7:30 PM at LA’s Bourbon Room.

  Jessica Vosk Sings the Songwriters of Lauren Canyon concert, directed by James Darrah, closes at NYC’s 92Y.

**********************

GRACE NOTES Quiz: Which City? by Jim Bernhard:

Match the theaters, titles, or events with the correct cities.

1. Guthrie Theatre	A. Atlanta
2. Robert E. Sherwood’s Reunion in ­­­­____	B. Barcelona
3. Play by J. T. Rogers	C. Buffalo
4. Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over ____	D. Copenhagen
5. Menier Chocolate Factory	E. London
6. Horton Foote’s Young Man from ­­­­____	F. Minneapolis
7. Birthplace of Chita Rivera	G. Oslo
8. Where April is going in Company	H. Toronto
9. Play by Michael Frayn	I. Washington, D. C.
10. Birthplace of Christopher Plummer	J. Vienna

Scroll down for the answers…

**********************

 Reviews for Transparent at LA’s Mark Taper Forum:

LA Times (Charles McNulty): …Much as I’m sympathetic to the inclusive, compassionate vision of A Transparent Musical, I had difficulty seeing beyond the shortcomings in musical theater craft. The upside of inexperience is fearlessness. But a naivety lurks behind the adventurousness. If someone had blindfolded me and brought me to this production, I would have assumed that I was watching a performance by a talented and extremely well-funded amateur troupe in residence at an LGBTQ+ community center that was inspired by the series….

Stage Scene LA (Steven Stanley): …a particularly large cast…just one reason A Transparent Musical runs at least two hours and forty-five minutes… its jarringly tone-altering Act Two time-travel back to 1930s Berlin… while adding meaning to Ali’s personal journey and providing an illuminating look at little-known chapter in LGBT history, could easily be cut in half and still get the message across… What A Transparent Musical does have in its favor are its eclectic, tuneful, sensationally performed songs (music and lyrics by Faith Soloway), James Alsop’s electrifying choreography, and the fact that (unlike the TV series that inspired it), all trans and non-binary characters are played by trans and non-binary actors.

Splash Magazines (Elaine Mura): the Soloway siblings have hit it out of the park – again. Director Tina Landau does an excellent job of confronting the thorny issues involved in the tale, all the while maintaining compassion in the face of reality. The talented cast dig relentlessly into their character’s foibles and flaws as they present richly detailed, fully developed individuals. Kudos to Liz Larsen, whose optimistic and charming vaudevillian performance earned standing ovations… proudly celebrating gender diversity and the unique gender identity of each company member…

  Video: Production highlights

**********************

  2023 Drama Desk Awards.  Click here for the complete list of winners (scroll down).  The ceremony will take place Tues. June 6 from 3-6 PM at NYC’s Sardi’s Restaurant, hosted by Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody.

**********************

  2023 Off Broadway Alliance Award winners:

**********************

   Here Lies Love, already planning to make history with Broadway’s first all-Filipino cast, looks to make history somewhere else — in the orchestra pit.

Apparently the musical currently plans to perform without any live musicians, electing instead to use pre-recorded tracks for accompaniment. The move is a watershed moment for musical theatre on Broadway, with the production set to arguably become the first major Main Stem musical to dispense with live music when previews begin June 17 at the Broadway Theatre.

According to spokesperson Adrian Bryan-Brown, the musical has always performed with tracks since it was conceived in 2006. Brown calls the choice “part of the karaoke genre inherent to the musical and the production concert.” The music contains an electronic and disco-inspired score.

The decision has predictably drawn criticism from Broadway musicians. Local 802 of American Federation of Musicians.  Stay tuned for updates…

**********************

  Into the Woods will run June 21 – July 30 (opening June 29) at the Ahmanson Theatre, directed by Lear deBessonet, with choreography by Lorin Latarro, and music supervision by Rob Berman.

  Diane Phelan (Cinderella), Montego Glover (Witch), Stephanie J. Block (Baker’s Wife), Sebastion Arcelus (Baker), Gavin Creel (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Cole Thompson (Jack), Katy Geraghty (Little Red Riding Hood), Nancy Opel (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Jason Forbach (Rapunzel’s Prince), Aymee Garcia (Jack’s Mother), David Patrick Kelly (Narrator), Josh Breckenridge (Cinderella’s Father), and Felicia Curry (Cinderlla’s Mother /Grandmother /Giant’s Wife), with Erica Durham, Eddie Lopez, Ximone Rose, Ellie Fishman, Marya Grandy, Paul Kreppel, and Sam Simahk.

**********************

 Zora Howard’s Stew will run July 12 – Aug. 6 (opening July 16) at Pasadena Playhouse, directed by Tyler Thomas.           

**********************

  New York City Center has announced its 30th Encores season:

  Pal Joey (Nov. 1-5), revised by Richard LaGravenese & Daniel “Koa” Beaty, directed & choreographed by Savion Glover & Tony Goldwyn, featuring Ephriam Sykes (Joey Evans), Jennifer Holliday (Lucille Wallace), Aisha Jackson (Linda English), Elizabeth Stanley (Vera Simpson), and more TBA.

  Once Upon a Mattress (Jan. 24-28, 2024), newly adapted by Amy Sherman Palladino, directed by Lear deBessonet, starring Sutton Foster.

  Jelly’s Last Jam (Feb. 21-15), directed by Robert O’Hara.

   Titanic (June 12-16), directed by Anne Kaufman.

**********************

  Julie Benko has joined the cast of Barry Manilow & Bruce Sussman’s Harmony, which will begin previews Oct. 18 and open Nov. 13 at the Barrymore Theatre.

**********************

  James Sheppard, lives with his older unmarried sister Caroline in the country village of King’s Abbot on the outskirts of London. As the local physician with an active practice, Dr. Sheppard becomes enmeshed in a mysterious suicide and murder and the ensuing investigations into them over a nine-day period.

**********************

  Hollywood’s Blank Theatre has announced its 31st Annual Young Playwrights Festival, to run July 6-30 at LA’s Skylight Theatre. 

**********************

  Michael Wynne’s Cuckoo will run  July 6 – Aug. 19 (opening July 12) at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Vicky Featherstone.

  Michelle Butterly, Emma Harrison, Sue Jenkins, and Jodie McNee.

  Doreen and her two grown up daughters sit at the table – eating fish and chips, distracted by their phones. Upstairs, 17-year-old Megyn has locked herself in her grandmother’s bedroom and refuses to come out. And no one is entirely sure why….

**********************

  Pan Asian Rep‘s NuWorks 2023 continues through June 11 at Theatre Row.

Sora Baek, Jan Barry & Jenny Pacanowski, AJ Layague, Sanhawich Meateanuwat, Lyra Nalan, Sai Somboon, Cody LeRoy Wilson, and Mandarin Wu & Da Xu.

  The annual experimental series of self-created work from innovative and diverse artists exploring an eclectic range of genres and techniques using poetry, text, dance, and music.

**********************

Norm Lewis: Moonlighting will take place Mon. June 12 at 8:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.

**********************

  Marry Poppins will run July 25-30 at Raleigh’s North Carolina Theatre, directed by Eric Woodall.

  Kara Lindsay (Mary Poppins), Keven Massey (Mr. George Banks), Anthony Wayne (Bert), Sara Jean Ford (Mar. Banks), Evie Brunelle (Jane Banks), Cameron Lewis (Michael Banks), Lucia Spina (Mrs. Brill/Birdwoman), Joshua Messmore (Robertson Ay), Blaire Thompson (Miss Andrew), Jesse Gephart (Admiral Boom/Chairman), LaDonna Burns (Mrs. Corry), Sam Faulkner (Nelus), Kelly Sheehan (Miss Lark), Abigail Isom (Katie Nana), Andrew Eckert (Von Hussler/Park Keeper), Ryan Lambert (Northbrook), and Jordan Radis (Policeman), with Joel Douglas, Gabe Logan, Chole Calhoun, Ella Huestis, Maria Reginaldi, Asali Smith, Eva Smedley, Ella Laurel, Ella Grace Gillette, Lourdes Manson, Grayson Gutekunst, Graham Gutekunst, Lucas Sanchez, and Nicholas Sanchez.

**********************

  Off-Broadway’s Public Theater has announced its 2023-24 season:

  DruidO’Casey (Oct. 4-14), directed by Garry Hynes, offering Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars … The Shadow of a Gunman … and Juno and the Paycock.

  Hell’s Kitchen (Oct. 27 – Dec. 10), world premiere by Alicia Keys & Kristoffer Diaz, directed by Michael Greif, with choreography by Camille A. Brown. In a cramped apartment hanging off the side of Times Square, 17-year-old Ali is desperate to get her piece of the New York dream.

  Manhatta (Nov. 16 – Dec. 17), by Mary Kathryn Nagle, directed by Laurie Woolery.  Jane Snake, a brilliant young Native American woman with a Stanford MBA, reconnects with her ancestral Lenape homeland, known as Manahatta, when she moves from Oklahoma to New York for a banking job just before the 2008 financial meltdown.

  The Ally (Feb. 2024), world premiere by Itamar Moses, directed by Lila Neugebauer featuring Josh Radnor.    Asaf is asked to sign a social justice manifesto, he expects to be able to do so without hesitation. Instead, he becomes embroiled in an increasingly conflicted web of relationships that challenge his commitments as a liberal, a husband, an academic, an American, an atheist, and a Jew.

  Sally & Tom (March 2024), by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III. An edgy dramedy that celebrates the craft of theater while taking a hard look at history.

  Jordans (Apr. 2024), by Ife Olujobi, directed by Whitney White.  A bitingly funny, wildly imaginative new play … At an overwhelmingly white workplace where appearance is everything, a long-suffering receptionist finds herself in personal, professional, and psychic jeopardy when her ruthless boss hires a hip new employee in an effort to improve the company’s image and “culture.”

**********************

  Roundabout Theatre will present John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt: A Parable, which will begin previews in Feb. 2024 at the American Airlines Theatre, directed by Scott Ellis.

  Tyne Daly (Sister Aloysius), Liev Schreiber (Father Brendan Flynn), and more TBA.

**********************

  On Your Feet will run July 20 – Aug. 19 (opening July 22) at ME’s Ogunquit Playhouse, directed by Jayme McDaniel, with choreography by Kristyn Pope, and music direction by Matt Smedal.  

  Evita has been extended through July 30 at Cambridge’s A.R.T., directed by Sammi Cannold.

. Shereen Pimentel (Eva Perón), Gabriel Burrafato (Magaldi), Omar Lopez-Cepero (Che), Caesar Samayoa (Perón), and Naomi Rose (Mistress), with Martín Almiron, Julian Alvarez, Adrienne Balducci, Leah Barsky, bianca Bulgarelli, Camila Cardona (Melody Celatti, Estaben Domenichini, rebecca Eichenberger, Sean Ewim, Nicole Fernandez-Coffaro, David Michael Garry, Eddie Gutierrez, Eric Anthony Lopez, Jonatan Lujan, Caleb Marshall-villarreal, Ilda Mason, Jeremiah Valentino Porter, Leonay Shepherd, Maria Cristina Posada Slye, Sky Vaux Fuller, Marissa Barragán, Mathew Bautista, Isabella Lopez, Miguel Angel Vasquez, and Jeniysys Oliver-Joseph,

**********************

  Audible will present the Goodman Theatre production of Rebecca Gilman’s Swing State, to begin previews Sept. 8 and open Sept. 17 at the Minetta Lane Theatre, directed by Robert Falls.

 Mary Beth Fisher (Peg), Kirsten Fitzgerald (Sheriff Kris), Anne E. Thompson (Dani) and Bubba Weiler (Ryan), with Laura T. Fisher, Jessica Ervin, and Jack Lancaster.

  A contemporary portrait of America’s heartland in a time when it feels like everyone’s way of life is in danger of disappearing.

**********************

  Summer Stock will run July 7 – Aug. 27 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed & choreographed by Donna Feore, with music direction by Adam Souza.

  Stephen Lee Anderson (Lt. Henry (Pop) Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey (Phil Filmore), Corbin Bleu (Joe Ross), Veanne Cox (Margaret Wingate), J. Anthony Crane (Montgomery Leach), Will Roland (Orville Wingate), Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury), and Danielle Wade (Jane Falbury), with Erika Amato, Hannah Balagot, DeShawn Bowens, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Emily Kelly, Francesca Mancuso, Tommy Martinez, Corinne Munsch, Gregory North, Kaylee Olsen, Jack Sippel, Cayel Tregeagle, Nicholas Cunha, and Kennedy Perez.

**********************

 A national tour of Sweeney Todd will launch in early 2025.

Casting, tour dates, and additional information TBA.

**********************

  RIP:  Cynthia Weil, one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century pop music industry, has passed away at the age of 82. In Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Ms. Weil was originally played by Anika Larsen, who received a Tony nomination for her performance. 

Born Oct. 18, 1940 to a conservative Jewish Brooklyn family, Ms. Weil trained as an actress and singer before turning to songwriting, where she was a protégé of Frank Loesser. In the summer of 1961, Ms. Weill married Barry Mann, a fellow songwriter, cementing an artistic collaboration that would become one of the most influential in the mid-century era of rock and pop music in the United States.

**********************

  A reading of Agatha Christie’s Murder of Roger Ackroyd, adapted & directed by Mark Shanahan, will take place Mon. June 12 at 7 PM at CT’s Westport Country Playhouse.

 Arnie Burton (Hercule Poirot), Joe Delafield (Ralph Payton), Anissa Felix (Flora Ackroyd), Santino Fontana (Dr. James Sheppard), Allen Gilmore (Roger Ackroyd), Richard R. Henry (Major Hector Blunt), Tom Hewitt (John Parker), Isabel Keating (Caroline Sheppard), Kristine Nielson (Gertrude Ackroyd), John Rapson (Inspector Raglan), Sharone Bourne (Ursula Bourne), and Anna Simone Scott (Helen Russel). 

**********************

  The world premiere of Craig Lucas & Adam Guettel’s Days of Wine and Roses has been extended through July 16 at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre Company, directed by Michael Greif.

Kelli O’Hara, Brian d’Arcy James, Steven Booth, Sharon Catherine Brown, Bill English, Nicole Ferguson, Olivia Hernandez, Byron Jennings, David Jennings, Ted Koch, Ella Dane Morgan, Scarlett Unger, and Kelcey Watson.

**********************

  Initial casting has been announced for William F. Brown, Charlie Smalls & Amber Ruffin’s The Wiz, to begin performances in Spring 2024 (dates TBA) at at theatre TBA, directed by Schele Williams, with choreography by  JaQuel Knight, and music supervision by Allen René Louis. Click here for the show’s website.

A pre-Broadway tour will launch Fall 2023. Details TBA.

Kyle Ramar Freeman (Lion), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Tinman), Avery Wilson (Scarecrow), and more TBA.

**********************

**********************

  NYC’s Public Theater has announced its 2023-24 season:

The massive season is too extensive to post here.  Click here for the complete new season.

**********************

  Singin’ in the Rain will run June 15 – July 15 (opening June 17) at ME’s Ogunquit Playhouse, directed by Jayme McDaniel, with choreography by Kristyn Pope, and music direction by Matt Smedal.   

  Max Clayton (Don Lockwood), Christian Probst (Cosmor Brown), Chiara Trentalange (Kathy Selden), Greg Jackson (Roscoe Dexter), Kate Loprest (Lina Lamont), and Lance Roberts (R.F. Simpson), with Katie Brunson, Calvin L’Mont Cooper, Nick Davis, Lianne Marie Dobbs, Alex Drost, Jaime Foord, Leeds Hill, Will Jewett, Dot Kelly, Joey Kummert, Maddy Miller, Jordon Taylor, Jake Urban, Alex Temple Ward, Jillian Wessel, Elizabeth Yanick, Tyler Zydel, Gino Bloombeg and Taylor Kurtz.

**********************

 Let’s Call Her Patti, world premiere by Zarina Shea, will run July 15 – Aug. 27 (opening July 31) at Lincoln Center‘s Claire Tow Theater, directed by Margot Bordelon.  

  Arielle Goldman, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Rhea Perlman.

**********************

  Brush Up Your Porter: A First Wednesday Musical Event will take place Wed. June 7 at 6:30 PM at NYC’s The Salmagundi (47 Fifth Ave).

  Steve Ross, Jean Brassard, and Zachary Drake.

**********************

  Group Rep will present Paul Osborn’s Morning’s at Seven, to run June 9 – July 16 at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre, directed by Doug Engalla.

Barbara Brownell (Ida), Milda Dacys (Cora), Jeff Dinnell (Homer), Dawn Halloran (Arry), Belinda Howell (Esther), Stan Mazin (David), Bridget Murray (Myrtle), Lloyd Pederson (Carl), and Neil Thompson (Thor).

**********************

  “A New York Evening Celebrating Peggy Lee” will take place Mon. June 12 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92Y , in celebration of Lee’s 60th anniversary of her classic album, “I’m a Woman.”

Lee’s granddaughter Holly Foster Wells, and Mo Rocca, with special guest Kristin Chenoweth.

**********************

  Broadway Bares: Pleasure Park will take place Sun. June 18 at both 9:30 PM & Midnight at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom, featuring  200 of Broadway’s most delectable dancers.

**********************

  Complete casting has been announced for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, to run June 12-18 at the St. Louis Muny, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, with choreography by Patricia Wilcox, and music direction by Charlie Alterman.

  Sara Sheperd (Carole King), Jarrod Spector (Barry Man), Jackie Burns (Cynthia Weil), Steven Good (Gerry Goffin), Noah Weisbert (Don Kirshner), and Sharon Hunter (Genie Klein), with Corey Barrow, John Battagliese, Jett Blackorby, Kelly Liz Bolic, Shawn Bowers, Tavis Kordell Cunningham, Anna Gassett, Talya Groves, Alia Hodge, Kennedy Holmes, Sage Lee, Sandie Lee, Spencer Davis Milford, Tavia Riveé, Mike Schwitter, and Byron S. Cyr.

**********************

 Manhattan Theatre Club will present the Broadway premiere of Joshua Harmon’s Prayer for the French Republic, with previews beginning Dec. 19 and an opening set for Jan. 9, 2024 at the Friedman Theatre, directed by David Cromer. 

Casting TBA.

  In 1944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple’s great-grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors: “Are we safe?”

**********************

   LA’s Theatre West will offer its Proud Out Loud LGBTQIA reading series of short plays and monologues June 23 & 24, both at 8 PM. RSVP not required.

 The stories span a wide range of the LGBTQIA experience and range in form from traditional plays to personal stand-up routines and musings on the community’s history.

(partial list): Benjamin Scuglia, Dina Morrone, Mimi Kmet, Mara Wells, and Michael Van Duzer.

(partial list): Mimi Kmet, Mara Wells, Christopher Landis, Olivia Bates, Paul Cady, Benjamin Scuglia, Anne Leyden, Leesa Freed, Ashley Taylor and Dina Morrone.

**********************

  GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Which City?

1-F.  Guthrie Theatre – Minneapolis

2-J.  Robert E. Sherwood’s Reunion in ­­­­Vienna

3-G.  Play by J. T. Rogers – Oslo

4-C.  Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo

5-E.  Menier Chocolate Factory – London

6-A.  Horton Foote’s Young Man from ­­­­Atlanta

7-I.  Birthplace of Chita Rivera – Washington, D. C.

8-B.  Where April is going in Company – Barcelona

9-D.  Play by Michael Frayn – Copenhagen

10-H.  Birthplace of Christopher Plummer – Toronto