GRACE NOTES: Monday, March 22, 2021

 

Today’s Highlights:

  Brooklyn — The Musical filmed production, by Mark Schoenfeld & Barri McPherson, directed by Dean Johnson, featuring Emma Kingston (Brooklyn), Marisha Wallace (Paradice), Newton Matthews (Street Singer), Sejal Keshwala (Faith), and Jamie Muscato (Taylor), begins streaming here.

  Galatea FREE benefit reading, by MJ Kaufman, directed by Will Davis, featuring Ty Defoe, Esco Jouléy, Joe Lampert, Pooya Mohseni, Aneesh Sheth, Futaba Shioda, and TL Thompson, livestreams at 7:30 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater.

  A Taste of Things to Come FREE reunion conversation, with James Morgan, Gerry McIntyre, Charles Wright, director Lorin Latarro (director), Debra Barsha & Hollye Levin (book, lyrics, music), Gillian Berkowitz (music director), and Staci Levine (producer), with original cast members Allison Guinn, Autumn Hurlbert, Paige Faure, and Janet Dacal, livestreams at 7 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s York Theatre.

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  GRACE NOTES QuizOpposite Ethel Merman by Jim Bernhard

Match these Broadway roles of Ethel Merman with her co-stars:

1. Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes A. Bert Lahr (Louis Blore/King of France)
2. “Nails” O’Reilly Duquesne in Red, Hot and Blue B. Ray Middleton (Frank Butler)
3. May Daly (Lady DuBarry) in DuBarry Was A Lady C. Jack Klugman (Herbie)
4. Wanda Brill in Take A Chance D. Paul Lukas (Cosmo Constantine)
5. Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (original production) E. William Gaxton (Billy Crocker)
6. Mrs. Sally Adams in Call Me Madam F. Bruce Yarnell (Frank Butler)
7. Liz Livingstone in Happy Hunting G. David Burns (Horace Vandergelder)
8. Rose in Gypsy H. Jack Haley (Duke Stanley)
9. Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi (replacement) in Hello, Dolly! I. Jimmy Durante  (Policy Pinkle)
10. Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (revival) J. Fernando Lamas (Duke of Granada)

Scroll down for the answers…

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  VideoStars in the House celebrates “Thirtysomething,” with special guests  Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Melanie Mayron, Timothy Busfield, Patricia Wettig, Peter Horton, and Polly Draper.  (1:38:54)

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  Now and upcoming at Cambridge’s A.R.T.

  The Conjurors’ Club interactive experience (through Apr. 11). An intimate and interactive multi-magician experience, performed live nightly. You’ll receive your own secret package for use during your visit that is guaranteed to surprise and delight all of your senses—but you must promise to keep the secrets…

  This Is Who I Am (begins on-demand on Apr. 13), by Amir Nizar Auabi.  Separated by continents, an estranged father and son reunite over Zoom From their respective kitchens in Ramallah and New York City, they re-create a cherished family recipe and struggle to bridge the gap between them, one ingredient at a time.

…and much more…

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  Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana will stream Mar. 25-28 here, in support of The Actors Fund, directed by Emily Mann.

  Dylan McDermott, Phylicia Rashad, Roberta Maxwell, Austin Pendleton, Jean Lichty, and Keith Randolph Smith, with Carmen Berkeley, Eliud Kauffman, Julio Macias, Stephanie Schmiderer, Bradley James Tejeda, and John Hans Tester.

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  VideoCher plays all the roles in West Side Story (2013).  (12:44)

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  Broadway Backwards 2021 will stream Tues. Mar. 30 at 8 PM ET here, written & directed by Robert Bartley, with music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.

Chasten Buttigieg, Anderson Cooper, Ariana DeBose, Don Lemon, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Robin Roberts, Tony Shalhoub, and Ben Vereen.

Amy Adams, James Monroe Iglehart, Cheyenne Jackson, L Morgan Lee, Raymond J. Lee, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Ruthie Ann Miles, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Kelli O’Hara, Karen Olivo, Bernadette Peters, Sis and Elizabeth Stanley. The finale also includes special appearances by Debbie Allen, Matt Bomer, Brenda Braxton, Len Cariou, Glenn Close, Loretta Devine, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cherry Jones, Aasif Mandvi, Michael McElroy, Javier Muñoz, Jim Parsons, Eve Plumb, Roslyn Ruff and Tony Yazbeck.

This virtual edition will explore how the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has specifically affected the LGBTQ community. The show will feature Jay Armstrong Johnson as an isolated New Yorker who dreams a fantastical journey guided by a late-night television host (Jenn Colella).  New performances will be merged with full numbers from previous editions to create a Broadway Backwards that feels distinctly of the moment. The stream also includes a special opening number featuring the previously announced Stephanie J. Block, Deborah Cox and Lea Salonga.

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  VA’s Signature Theatre has extended its virtual production of Simply Sondheim through Apr. 16, directed by Matthew Gardiner, with music direction by Jon Kalbfleisch.  The video will be available for 72 hours after the patron’s initial viewing has begun.

  Norm Lewis, Solea Pfeiffer, Conrad Ricamora, and Emily Skinner, with Nicholas McDonough, Donna Migliaccio, Christopher Mueller, Katie Mariko Murray, Paul Scanlan, Awa Sal Secka, and Bobby Smith.

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  Video: “A Year Without Broadway,” with Laura Benanti and Christopher Jackson (starts at 3:00).  Hysterical!

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  Perfect Hermany: A Musical Tribute to Jerry Herman, starring Jason Graae, will stream Apr. 10 – May 2 (Fridays at 8 PM PT, Saturdays at 6 PM PT, and Sundays at 3 PM PT) at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon, with music direction by John Boswell.

Jackie DeMuro, Kelley Dorney, Katrina Lauren McGraw, and Lauren Louise.

Enjoy a delightful, hilarious, poignant, and above all, tuneful trip down Jerry Herman lane with songs from shows like Hello, Dolly!, The Grand Tour, Mame, La Cage aux Folles, Mack and Mabel, and Milk and Honey, along with great stories and patter.

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  Off-Broadway’s Keen Company presents the world premiere of Anthony Tyler’s All We Need Is Us will premiere Fri. Mar. 26 at 7 PM ET here (and on all podcast platforms), directed by Jamil Jude.

  MaameYaa Boafo, Ronald Emile, and Ari’el Stachel.

  I’s Summer 2020, and the pandemic is raging through New York City. Eviction is looming for Lymere and Halen and their first baby is on its way.

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  Hamlet will run June 21 – Sept. 4 at Theatre Royal Windsor, directed by Sean Mathias.

Ian McKellen (in an age-blind interpretation of the young Prince), Ben Allen, Francesca Annis, Steven Berkoff, Emmanuella Cole, Llinos Daniel, Alis Wyn Davis, Ashley D Gayle, Nick Howard-Brown, Jonathan Hyde, Asif Khan, Lee Knight, Missy Malek, and Jenny Seagrove.

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Listen. Celia Keenan-Bolger’s “Sunday Pancakes” new podcast, with special guest Denée Benton, discuss “Making Peace With Your Perfectionism.”  (41:41)

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  Westport Country Playhouse has announced its online 2021 season:

  Rent Control reading (on-demand Apr. 26 – May 2), written & performed by Evan Zes, directed by Mark Shanahan.   The true story of a struggling-to-survive actor in NYC who invents a money-making scheme that backfires.

  The Savannah Disputation reading (June 14-20 on demand), by Evan Smith.

  Tiny House (on demand June 28 – July 19), by Michael Gotch, directed by Mark Lamos. Fireworks fly when family, friends, and quirky neighbors come together for a July 4th barbecue at the off-the-grid, isolated mountain paradise of a young, urban couple.

  Man of La Mancha (2018 filmed production), available on demand Aug. 23 – Sept. 5), directed by Mark Lamos.

  Doubt: A Parable (on demand Nov. 2-21), by John Patrick Shanley, directed by David Kennedy.

,,,,,,and more TBA…..

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  Goodspeed Musicals is currently streaming Brett Ryback & Eric Ulloa’s Passing Through through Apr. 4,  directed by Igor Goldin,

Joan Almedilla, Reed Armstrong, Max Chernin, Ryan Duncan, Linedy Genao, Charles Gray, Garrett Long, Mary Jo Mecca, Celeste Rose, Jim stanek, and Jennifer Leigh Warren.

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  Kritzerland at Home Again: All the Weill will stream Sun. Mar. 28 at 5 PM PT here, directed & hosted by Bruce Kimmel, with music direction by Richard Allen.

Brittney Bertier, Gregory Jbara, Judy Kaye, Maegan McConnell, Kerry O’Malley, Adrienne Stiefel, Mackenzie Wrap, and Robert Yacko.

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  GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Opposite Ethel Merman

1-E. Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes – William Gaxton (Billy Crocker)

2-I. “Nails” O’Reilly Duquesne in Red, Hot and Blue – Jimmy Durante  (Policy Pinkle)

3-A. May Daly (Lady DuBarry) in DuBarry Was A Lady – Bert Lahr (Louis Blore/King of France)

4-H. Wanda Brill in Take A Chance – Jack Haley (Duke Stanley)

5-B. Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (original production) – Ray Middleton (Frank Butler)

6-D. Mrs. Sally Adams in Call Me Madam – Paul Lukas (Cosmo Constantine)

7-J. Liz Livingstone in Happy Hunting – Fernando Lamas (Duke of Granada)

8-C. Rose in Gypsy – Jack Klugman (Herbie)

9-G. Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi (replacement) in Hello, Dolly! – David Burns (Horace Vandergelder)

10-F. Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (revival) – Bruce Yarnell (Frank Butler)

 

 


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