Today’s Highlights:
Beloved, world premiere by Arthur Holden, directed by Cameron Watson, featuring Sam Anderson (Stephen), Taylor Gilbert (Dorothy), and Cherish Duke (Sylvia / Miriam / Marika), begins previews at North Hollywood’s Road on Magnolia.
Classic Stage Company‘s Assassins benefit concert, directed by John Doyle, featuring the entire company of the theatre’s 2021 production: Adam Chanler-Berat (John Hinckley, Jr.), Eddie Cooper (The Proprietor), Tavi Gevinson (Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme), Andy Grotelueschen (Samuel Byck), Bianca Horn (Emma Goldman), Judy Kuhn (Sara Jane Moore), Steven Pasquale (John Wilkes Booth), Ethan Slater (Lee Harvey Oswald/The Balladeer), Will Swenson (Charles Guiteau), Wesley Taylor (Giuseppe Zangara), and Brandon Uranowitz (Leon Czolgosz), with Brad Giovanine, Whit K. Lee, Rob Morrison, and Katrina Yaukey, at 7 PM ET at Broadway’s Sondheim Theatre.
Lincoln Center Theatre‘s Songs From a Hat benefit gala, starring Patti LuPone, at 7:30 PM ET at Broadway’s Vivan Beaumont Theatre.
For Good – A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz gala, with special guests Christine Andreas, John Boswell, John Bucchino, Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter, Debbie Gravitte, Jessica Hendy, Rupert Holmes, Rachel Kaufman Sally Mayes, Kurt Peterson, Kelli Rabke, Teri Ralston, Michael Roberts, and Paul Schaffer, at 7:30 PM ET at NYC’s Merkin Concert Hall.
Atlantic Theater Company‘s Let’s Party! 2022 Gala, featuring Victoria Clark, Bebe Neuwirth, Lea Michele, Ari’el Stachel, La Chanze, Olivia Elease Hardy, Fernell Hogan II, Alex Vinh, Alex Vinh, and more, at 6:30 PM ET at Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: A Word or Two About Christopher Plummer, by Jim Bernhard
1. Plummer was born in…London…Hollywood…Toronto…Brooklyn
2. Plummer had early professional acting experience in starring roles in a theatre company in the city of Hamilton in…Bermuda…Ontario…Scotland…New York
3. Plummer’s understudy in Henry V at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 1956 was fellow Canadian actor…William Shatner…Lorne Greene…Leslie Nielsen…Donald Sutherland
4. Plummer’s Broadway debut was in The Starcross Story, a play that closed on opening night because…the reviews were unspeakably savage…star Eva Le Gallienne became ill…the producers were sued for plagiarism…the theatre burned down
5. Plummer appeared in Paris as Jason opposite the noted Medea…Edith Piaf…Katharine Hepburn…Judith Anderson…Brigitte Bardot
6. Opposite James Earl Jones in a 1982 Broadway production, Plummer played the Shakespearean villain…Richard III…Macbeth…Falstaff …Iago
7. Plummer won two Tony Awards, the first as Best Actor in a Musical in Cyrano and the second in…Macbeth…Barrymore…Becket…Hairspray
8. Plummer’s first wife and the mother of their daughter Amanda was…Tammy Grimes…Colleen Dewhurst…Maureen Stapleton…Julie Harris
9. Plummer’s memoir, published in 2008, was titled…A Star Is Born…In Spite of Myself…I’m No Saint Christopher…Call the Plummer!
10. Plummer held the record as the oldest actor to win an Oscar (at age 82 for Beginners) until the award was won by 83-year-old…Ian McKellen…Anthony Hopkins…Bruce Dern…Ed Asner
Scroll down for the answers…
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Reviews for Encores’ Into the Woods at NY City Center:
NY Times (Alexis Soloski): …unearthing something as glorious as Lear deBessonet’s revival… if you know a spell to charm the secondary market, cast it now… his more philosophical turn has bothered many critics. If I’m honest, it bothers me… no longueur or flubbed cue breaks the spell of her compassionate, witty production. She has cast wonderful comedians, many of whom are also wonderful singers, and has encouraged them to deliver rich and very human performances, accented by Lorin Lattaro’s friendly, organic choreography and Rob Berman’s splendid music direction.
New York Stage (Steven Suskin): … Into the Woods more than delivers… the vocal work is clear and precise, allowing his lyrics to come across with all their many-shaded splendors… Original cast members Joanna Gleason (as the Baker’s Wife) and Chip Zien (as the Baker) were the not-so-hidden strengths of the 1987 production. The memory of their performances has never been touched… Sara Bareilles and Neil Patrick Harris, though, are… successful in bringing warmth, humor, and humanity.. Harris delivers a friendlier, warmer, more sympathetic, and an altogether less crusty Baker… Gavin Creel, as Cinderella’s Prince, is at his comic best..
Theatrely (Juan A. Ramirez): …It’s a charming, respectful presentation of the material… surprisingly their most straightforward concert-style one in some time… ably performed by an excellent cast… The cast is stacked and uniformly terrific.. Sara Bareilles mixes the Tina Fey-style comic chops..with real insight as the Baker’s Wife, opposite a freshly-cast (thank god) Neil Patrick Harris as a dazzled Baker… Milky White, a cow puppet remarkably handled by Kennedy Kanagawa… Little Red Riding Hood, a hilariously deadpan discovery in Julia Lester.. a touching, funny Ann Harada… Heather Headley, positively ravishing as the Witch.
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2022 Tony Award nominations. Click here for the complete list of nominees. Or click here if you’ve rather hear the nominations read out loud)
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76th Annual Theatre World Award winners have been announced. The awards ceremony will take place Mon. June 6 at 7 PM ET at Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre.
Patrick J. Adams, Take Me Out
Yair Ben-Dor, Prayer for the French Republic
Kearstin Piper Brown, Intimate Apparel
Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, Or Change
Enrico Colantoni, Birthday Candles
Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo
Crystal Finn, Birthday Candles
Gaby French, Hangmen
Myles Frost, MJ The Musical
Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop
Shannon Tyo, The Chinese Lady
Kara Young, Clyde’s
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David West Read & Max Martin’s & Juliet will run June 22 – Aug. 14 at Toronto’s the Princess of Wales Theatre, directed by Luke Sheppard, with choreography by Jennifer Weber, with music supervision by Bill Sherman.
Lorna Courtney (Juliet), Jackson Walker (Romeo), Paulo Szot (Lance), Betsy Wolf (Anne Hathaway), Stark Sands (Shakespeare), Justin David Sullivan (May), Melanie La Barrie (Nurse), and Philippe Arroyo (Francois), with Brandon Antonio, Nico De Jesus, Nicholas Edwards, Katy Geraghty, Virgil Gadson, Bobby “Pocket” Horner, Joomin Hwang, Michael Iván Carrier, Alaina Vi T. Maderal, Daniel J. Maldonado, Joe Moeller, Brittany Nicholas, Veronica Otim, Jasmine Rafel, Matt Raffy, Teirnan Tunnicliffe, and Rachel Webb.
This hilarious new musical comedy flips the script on the greatest love story ever told, and asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love – her way.
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MA’s Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced its 2022 summer season:
Man of God (new dates: July 5-22), by Anna Ouyang Moench , directed by Maggie Burrows, featuring Shirley Chen, Emma Galbraith, Erin Rae Li, Albert Park, and Ji-young Yoo. A killer comedy thriller.
Most Happy in Concert (July 13-31), conceived & directed by Daniel Fish, with choreography by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, featuring Tina Fabrique, Erin Markey, Mallory Portnoy, Mary Testa, and more TBA.
Fridays@3 (July 22 – Aug. 5), a play reading series, including And Then We Were No More, by Tim Blake Nelson, directed by Mark Wing Davey… tiny father, by Mike Lew, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel… and more TBA.
we are continuous (Aug. 2-14), by Harrison David Rivers, directed by Tyler Thomas. When a son reveals that he is HIV positive, his mother must decide how far her unconditional love extends.
Just for Us (Aug. 3-6), written & performed by Alex Edelman, who offers hilarious anecdotes from his life.
Jimmy Naughton & Friends benefit concert (Aug. 7).
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Lincoln Center Theater has announced new dates for Brian Watkin’s Epiphany, which will now begin previews May 26 and open June 23 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, directed by Tyne Rafaeli.
Francois Battiste, Marylouise Burke, Heather Burns, Jonathan Hadary, Omar Metwally, Colby Minifie, David Ryan Smith, C.J. Wilson, and Carmen Zilles.
An uncanny evening. Snow falls softly. An eager host gathers old friends to try and resuscitate a forgotten tradition. But when the guest of honor is unusually late, the group becomes unmoored, craving answers. And there might not be enough wine, or goose, or time to fend off the long-neglected questions that now haunt their souls.
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New 42‘s Find Your Light Gala, celebrating the power of the performing arts and arts education, will take pace Mon. Jun 6 at 7 PM ET at NYC’s Plaza Hotel.
Deneé Benton, Matt Doyle, and Norm Lewis.
John Benjamin Hickey, Bill Irwin, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Beth Leavel, John Lithgow, Arian Moayed, and more.
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Alice Childress’ Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White continues through May 15 at Theatre for a New Audience, directed by Awoye Timpo, and music direction by Nehemiah Luckett.
Brittany Bradford (Julia Augustine), Rosalyn Coleman (Lula Green), Veanne Cox (Herman’s Mother), Rebecca Haden (Annabelle), Brittany-Laurelle (Mattie), Sofie Nesanelis (Princess), Renrick Palmer (Nelson Green), Phoenix Noelle Reece (Teeta), Thomas Sadoski (Herman), Elizabeth Van Dyke (Fanny Johnson), and Max Woertendyke (Bell Man).
Set in 1918 Charleston, South Carolina at the end of WWI and during the flu pandemic, Wedding Band delves into the dynamics of a small community of Black women as a new addition reveals her long-term relationship with a white man and the many obstacles they all face.
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The 24 Hour Musicals will take place Mon. May 23 at 8 PM PT at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room.
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Lisa Loeb, Lindsey Kraft, J. Holtham, Dan O’Brien, Rachel Axler, and more TBA.
Gordon Greenberg, Jaki Bakley, Michael John Garcés, and more TBA.
Emily Kinney, Kether Donohue, Andrew Leeds, Mary Faber, Angelique Cabral, Erica Chamblee, Gracie Gillam, Mary Chieffo, Rena Strober, and more TBA.
An intensive theatrical endeavor where stars from Broadway, film and TV come together to write, compose, rehearse and perform four original musicals within a 24 hour time span.
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The world premiere of Riko Sakaguchi, Frank Wildhorn, Carly Robyn Green & Tracy Miller’s Your Lie in April continues through May 19 at Tokyo’s Nissay Theatre.
Yuta Koseki, Tatsunari Kimura, Eria Ikuta, Fuka Yuzuki, Koka Mizuta, and Takuto Teranishi.
The series follows the young piano prodigy Kōsei Arima and his inability to play following his mother’s death. He strikes a friendship with violinist Kaori Miyazono and she slowly encourages him to perform again.
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NY’s Forestburg Playhouse has announced its upcoming Forestburg Under the Stars Broadway Concert Series, all at 7:30 PM ET.
T. Oliver Reed (June 3)
J. Armstrong Johnson (June 4)
Jackie Burns (June 10)
Ken Page (June 11)
Kirsten & Matthew Scott: We Didn’t Sleep Last Night (June 17)
Cady Huffman with Mary Ann McSweeny: It Was A Very Good Year (June 18)
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The world premiere of Chris Anthony Ferrer’s Swindlers will run May 19 – June 5 at GA’s Lawrenceville Arts Center, directed by Ivan R. Lopez.
René Granado (Jerry), Mark Hernandez (Miles), Krystal Mosely (Jenna), Rose Bianco (Marisleidy), Irina Vázques (Bertica), Christian Gonalez (Marcus/Harry Hymen), Marcus Hopkins-Turner (Yasser), Tamil Periasamy (Awadi Hassan), and Chris Kayser (Jeremiah Clive), with Joey Florez Jr., Sarah Elaine, and Sylvia Castro.
An hilarious farce centering around the bungling burglars Jerry and Miles, who are set to make easy pickings of a millionaire Miami mansion.
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“Keeping Company With Sondheim” will take place Mon. May 23 at 7 PM ET at NYC’s 92Y.
The livestream option is for the discussion only.
Katrina Lenk, Patti LuPone, and Marianne Elliot.
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(Listen): Heidi Blickenstaff performs “Ammonia” from Joe Iconis’ new album, “Album,” to be released June 17. (8:07)
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The 76th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony will take place Mon. June 6 at 7 PM ET at NYC’s Circle in the Square Theatre (link TBA), directed by Tom D’Angora & Michael D’Angora, and hosted by Peter Filichia.
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Video: Selections from Off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors, with Conrad Ricamora, Tammy Blanchard, Christian Borle, Aaron Arnell Harrington, Stuart Zagnit, Tatiana Lofton, Cristina Raé, and Khadija Sankoh. (21:41)
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: A Word or Two About Christopher Plummer
1 Plummer was born in Toronto.
2. Plummer’s early acting experience was at the Bermudiana Theatre in Hamilton, Bermuda.
3. Plummer’s understudy in Henry V was William Shatner.
4. The Starcross Story closed after one performance because the producers were sued for plagiarism.
5. Plummer appeared as Jason opposite Judith Anderson’s Medea.
6. Plummer played Iago to James Earl Jones’ Othello.
7. Plummer’s second Tony Award was for Barrymore, a one-man play by William Luce.
8. Plummer’s first wife and Amanda Plummer’s mother is Tammy Grimes.
9. Plummer’s memoir was titled “In Spite of Myself.”
10. Anthony Hopkins won a Best Actor Oscar in The Father at age 83.