Today’s Highlights:
Windows, world premiere by Tawni O’Dell, directed by Michell Maxwell, featuring Avantika, Craig Bierko Erin Darke, Jeffrey Donovan, Tovah Feldshuh, Adam Kantor Carolyn McCormick, Jesse Nager, and Tonya Pinkins, opens at NYC’s Town Hall.
Red Bull Theater‘s Antony & Cleopatra reading, directed by Arin Arbus, featuring Isabel Arraiza, Shirine Babb, Jimonn Cole, Dakin Matthews, Nicole Ari Parker, Tom Pecinka, Matthew Rauch, Derek Smith, and John Douglas Thompson, at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Come Spirit, Come Charm: A Tribute to The Life and Music of Lucy Simon, benefit concert, directed by Jamie McGonnigal, featuring Laura Benanti, Stephen Bogardus, Sierra Boggess, Paul Leggett Chase, Ali Ewoldt, Derrick Davis, Greg Hildreth, Emily Hoder, Sunny Hoder, John Riddle, Arbender Robinson, and Lauren Ward, at 7 PM at NYC’s Joe’s Pub.
Maestra Music‘s annual Amplify 2024 benefit concert, directed by Jessica Ryan, hosted by Bonnie Milligan & J. Harrison Ghee, featuring Santino Fontana, Brooke Ishibashi, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Mary Kate Morrissey, Liam Pearce, Jasmine Amy Rogers, Sushma Saha, Jordan Tyson, Joy Woods, and Nicole Zuraitis, at 8 PM at NYC’s Sony Hall.
Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age concert, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Studio 54.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: ABCs by Jim Bernhard
Fill in the missing one-word titles for these musicals in alphabetical order:
A____, by Alan Mencken, Chad Beguelin, Tim Rice, and Howard Ashman
B____, by Walter Marks and Ernest Kinoy
C____, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot
D____, by Johnny Burke and Robert E. McEnroe
E____, by Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake et al
F____, by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, George Abbott, and Jerome Weidman
G____, by Larry Grossman, Fay Kanin, and Ellen Fitzhugh
H____, by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, and Galt McDermot
I____, by Hugh Wheeler, Joseph Stein, Harry Tierney, and Joseph McCarthy
J____, by Bill Jacobson, Patti Jacobson, and Melville Shavelson
Scroll down for the answers…
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A stage adaptation of Delia Ephron’s Left on Tenth will open on Broadway this Fall (dates and theater TBA), directed by Susan Stroman.
Julianna Margulies (Delia) and Peter Gallagher (Peter).
A true story about love, hope, and the wonder of second chances. When she least expects it, Delia Ephron, best-selling novelist and screenwriter of “You’ve Got Mail,” makes a surprising connection with a man from her past and falls into her own romantic comedy. As their immediate spark blossoms into a love story that seems to defy all odds, Delia’s life takes an unexpected turn. The play tells the messy, beautiful truth about getting older while feeling young, as it celebrates two people with the courage to rewrite their futures and open their hearts again.
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Rupert Holmes’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood will run Apr. 5 – June 2 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Rob Ruggiero, with choreography by James Gray, and music direction by Adam Souza.
Lenny Wolpe (Chairman/William Cartwright), Liz McCartney (PrincessPuffer/Angela Prysock), Mamie Parris (Edwin Drood/Alice Nutting), Paul Adam Schaefer (Jasper/Clive Paget, Levin Valayil (Neville Landless/Victor Grinstead), Riley Noland (Rosa Bud/Deidre Peregrine), Jetta Juriansz (Helena Landless/Janet Conover), Paul Slade Smith (Crisparkle/Cedric Moncrieff), David Beach (Durdles/Master Nick Cricker), Marcus Montgomery (Deputy/Mister Nick Cricker), and Jamie LaVerdiere (Bazzard/Phillip Bax), with Jon Cooper, Benjamin Howes, Albert Jennings, Miyuki Miyagi, Jacqueline Petroccia, Jesse Swimm, Natalie Welch, Megan Arseneau and Noah Ruebeck.
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Brian Friel’s Philadelphia, Here I Come continues through May 5 at Irish Rep, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly.
Ciaran Byrne, Peter Cormican, Terry Donnelly, Patrick Fitzgerald, Deirdre Madigan, David McElwee, Clare O’Malley, Ciarán O’Reilly, Tim Palmer, James Russell, A.J. Shively, and Emmet Earl Smith, with Dan Macke and Polly McKie.
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Michael Feinstein in Rainbow: The New Judy Garland Musical will take place Sat. Apr. 13 at 8 PM at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
The breathtaking culmination of over three decades of research, performance, and a lifetime love for one of the world’s most iconic performers, Judy Garland. This multimedia live show features big screen film clips, rarely heard and seen audio recordings and photos, good humor, and great music.
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August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone will run Apr. 13 – May 12 (opening Apr. 24) at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, directed by Chuck Smith.
A.C. Smith (Herald Loomis), Harper Anthony (Reuben Mercer), Anthony Fleming III (Jeremy Furlow), TayLar (Bertha Holly), Gary Houston (Rutherford Selig), Kylah Jones (Zonia), Nambi E. Kelley (Mattie Campbell), Krystel V. McNeil (Molly Cunningham), Tim Rhoze (Bynum Walker), Shariba Rivers (Martha Loomis) and Dexter Zollicoffer (Seth Holly), with Sean Blake, Stacie Doublin, Kristin E. Ellis, Anthony Irons, Bill McGough, Jean-Luc Nazaire, André Teamer, and Riley Lauren Wells.
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Video: Marisha Wallace performs ‘The Gentleman Is a Dope” in London’s Rodgers and Hammerstein Anniversary Concert.
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Delia Ephron’s Left on Tenth is currently in development, with plans to open the play this Fall at a theater TBA, directed by Susan Stroman. Click here for the play’s website.
Julianna Margulies (Delia) and Peter Gallagher (Peter).
A true story about love, hope, and the wonder of second chances. When she least expected it, writer Ephron made a surprising connection with a man from her past and fell into her own romantic comedy.
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Red Bull Theater‘s 20th Anniversary Festival will run Apr. 15 – May 12 at Off-Broadway’s Sheen Center.
The festival will offer performances of Shakespeare, his contemporaries, and more, with a combination of classics and new works in conversation.
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Read: Chad Beguelin on the “Ways Aladdin Changed for the Better” from Toronto to Broadway.
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The on-demand streaming of London’s My Favorite Things: The Rodgers and Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert, directed by Christopher Gatelli, continues through Mar.31 here.
Rita Moreno and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Audra McDonald, Marisha Wallace, Daniel Dae Kim, Patrick Wilson, Aaron Tveit, Julian Ovenden, Maria Friedman, Michael Ball, Lucy St. Louis, and Joanna Ampil, along with Anna-Jane Casey, Lily Kerhoas, Jonny Labey, Jordan Shaw, Jade Albertsen, Alex Louize Bird, Matthew Caputo, Dan Cooke, Barry Drummond, Harry Francis, Matt Gibson, Bethany Huckle, Brenda Newhouse, Emily Ann Potter, Sophie Pourret, Stephen Quildan, and Rachel Wang-Hei Lau, with Jade Albertsen, Alex Louize Bird, Matthew Caputo, Dan Cooke, Barry Drummond, Harry Francis, Matt Gibson, Bethany Huckle, Brenda Newhouse, Emily Ann Potter, Sophie Pourret, Stephen Quildan, and Rachel Wang-Hei Lau.
Video: Audra McDonald performs “Mr. Snow”
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Audible Theater‘s Dead Outlaw, by David Yazbek, Erik Della Penna & Itamar Moses, has announced its new trailer. In addition, the project has been extended through Apr. 14 at the Minetta Lane Theatre, directed by David Cromer.
Jeb Brown, Eddie Cooper, Andrew Durand, Dashiell Eaves, Julia Knitel, Ken Marks, Trent Saunders, and Thom Sesma, with Emily Fink, Austin Ku, George Merrick, and Max Sangerman.
How did the preserved body of an Old West train robber from Oklahoma wind up hanging in a Southern California amusement park ride in 1976? this is the unbelievable true story of Elmer McCurdy, a man who had twice as many adventures in death as in life, and whose long, strange odyssey spanned a continent and a century.
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San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater has announced its 2024-25 season:
Private Lives (Sept. 12 – Oct. 6, opening Sept. 18), directed by KJ Sanchez. The production will move the comedy’s action to 1930s Argentina, adding sensual tango dancing to Coward’s wry comedy. Casting TBA.
Why Not Christmas Carol (Nov. 26 – Dec. 24, opening Dec. 8), world premiere by Craig Lucas, directed by Pam MacKinnon. The new take follows a small-town theatre troupe as they try to mount a production of the Christmas favorite.
Nobody Loves You Feb. 28 – Mar. 30, 2025, opening Mar. 12), by Itamar Moses & Gaby Alter, directed by TBA..
Two Trains Running (Apr. 15 – May 4, opening Apr. 16), directed by Lili-Anne Brown.
Co-Founders, (May 29 – July 6) world premiere by Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis, and Adesha Adefala, directed by TBA. Inspired by Silicon Valley, the work follows a young coder chasing her dreams even as the influx of wealth is pushing her community out of her Oakland home. The musical has been written by Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis, and Adesha Adefala, with press notes sharing the score will incorporate notes of hip-hop, soul, gospel, funk, jazz, R&B, and more.
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Michel Gondry & Pharell Williams are developing a movie musical, as yet untitled, co-written by Steven Levenson & Martin Hynes, and starring Keflin Harrison, Jr.
The film is set in 1977 Virginia Beach, where Williams grew up.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: ABCs
Aladdin, by Alan Mencken, Chad Beguelin, Tim Rice, and Howard Ashman
Bajour, by Walter Marks and Ernest Kinoy
Cats, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot
Donnybrook!, by Johnny Burke and Robert E. McEnroe
Eubie!, by Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake et al
Fiorello!, by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnic, George Abbott, and Jerome Weidman
Grind, by Larry Grossman, Fay Kanin, and Ellen Fitzhugh
Hair, by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, and Galt McDermot
Irene, by Hugh Wheeler, Joseph Stein, Harry Tierney, and Joseph McCarthy
Jimmy, by Bill Jacobson, Patti Jacobson, and Melville Shavelson