Today’s Highlights:
King Hamlin, by Gloria Williams, directed by Lara Genovese, featuring Harris Cain, Andrew Evans, Inaam Barwani, and Kiza Deen, opens at London’s Park Theatre.
The Dramatist Guild Foundation‘s 60th Anniversary Gala, with a special tribute to Stephen Sondheim by Bernadette Peters, and featuring Kate Baldwin, Heather Christian, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Lisa Kron, Andrew Lippa, Todd London, Samantha Massell, Madeline Myers, Zeniba Now, Clint Ramos, Stephen Schwartz, Max Vernon, and Kara Young, at 6 PM at NYC’s Ziegfeld Ballroom.
Abingdon Theatre Company‘s 30th Anniversary Gala, directed by Chad Austin, with special guests Kate Baldwin, Jeannette Bayardelle, Carolee Carmello, Bryce Pinkham, Tony Yazbeck, Santino Fontana, Ruthie Henshall, Lesli Margheritz, Nick Adams, Sierra Boggess, Claybourne Elder, Eden Espinosa, Hunter Ryan, Blaine Krauss, Pierre Marais, Shereen Pimentel, and Teal Wicks, at 6 PM at NYC’s Edison Ballroom.
Paul Rudd’s 9th Annual All-Star Bowling Benefit, in support of SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young, with special guests David Alan Basche, Everett Bradley, Alex Brightman, Cara Buono, Geneva Carr, Alec Chambers, Maddie Corman, Dominic Fumusa, Jenna Leigh Green, Seth Herzog, Andy Karl, Richard Kind, Tom Kitt, Ilana Levine, Greg Naughton, Kelli O’Hara, Orfeh, Alysia Reiner, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Ben Shenkman, and more, at 7 PM at NYC’s Bowlero Chelsea Piers.
Broadway Inspirational Voices‘ Better Days gala, honoring André de Shields, LaChanze, and Alex Lacamoire, hosted by Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley, featuring Shoshana Bean, Michael James Scott, Mandy Gonzalez, Daniel J. Watts, Crystal Monee Hall, and the Broadway Inspirational Voices choir. at 7 PM at the penthouse lobby of Broadway’s American Airlines Theatre.
New York Rep‘s Spare Rib benefit reading, by Winter Miller, directed by directed by Mia Walker, featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Kate Arrington, Emma Ramos, Kate Rigg, Stephanie Weeks, and Jeena Yi, at at 7:30 PM at Off Broadway’s New World Stages.
Sing Out For Freedom benefit concert, in support of ACLU, directed by Erich Bergen, hosted by Sarah Jones & Busy Philipps, featuring Shoshana Bean, Ato Blankson-Wood, Siedah Garrett, Patti Smith, Desmond Child, Alex Edelman, Kayla Davion, Tomás Matos, Roy Wood Jr, Michael Nase, Liana Stampur, Sing Harlem, andMaybe Burke, along with the Broadway casts of A Strange Loop and 1776, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Town Hall.
The Jesse Walker Show Comes to Broadway benefit concert for ALS, featuring Tatiana Wechsler and Nicolas King, at 8 PM at NYC’s Don’t Tell Mama. Cash only.
Red Bull Theater‘s The Relapse reading, live & streamed, by John Vanbrugh, directed by Marc Vietor, featuring Arnie Burton, Stephen DeRosa, Ismenia Mendes, Jacob Ming-Trent, Amelia Pedlow, Reg Rogers, Chauncy Thomas, Michael Urie, Ayana Workman, at 7:30 PM, at NYC’s Symphony Space. 
A video of the live performance will be available through Oct. 30.
A Sign of the Times developmental readings, with a new book by Lindsey Hope Pearlman, directed by Gabriel Barre, featuring Chilina Kennedy (Cindy), Ryan Silverman, CJ Pawlikowski, Caitlin Kinnunen, Ryah Nixon, Lauren Boyd, Brad Bradley, Melessie Clark, Jeremy Gaston, Aaron Kaburick, Chani Maisonet, Alexandra Matteo (Mrs. Doubtfire), and Ralph Meitzler, begin in NYC. Click here to learn more about the show.
George C. Wolfe conversation about his 45-year career, at 6 PM at the NYC Performing Arts Library. Click here for FREE tickets.
Steve Ross: Autumn Serenades 2022 concert, at 7 PM at NYC’s Birdland.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: The Bard of Avon Bumps ‘Em Off, by Jim Bernhard
Match these characters in Shakespeare’s plays with the methods of their deaths.
| 1. Duncan in Macbeth | A. Stabbed then sealed in a cask of wine |
| 2. Desdemona in Othello | B. Drinks poison |
| 3. Ophelia in Hamlet | C. Hanged in prison |
| 4. Cordelia in King Lear | D. Smothered |
| 5. Antony in Antony and Cleopatra | E. Stabs self with dagger |
| 6. Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra | F. Buried to the neck and starved |
| 7. Romeo in Romeo and Juliet | G. Stabbed while sleeping |
| 8. Juliet in Romeo and Juliet | H. Self-administered poisonous snake bites |
| 9. Clarence in Richard III | I. Drowns |
| 10. Aaron in Titus Andronicus | J. Falls on sword |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Bob Gale, Alan Silvestri & Glen Ballard’s Back to the Future: The Musical will begin previews June 30, 2023 and open Aug. 3 at the Winter Garden Theatre, directed by John Rando, with choreography by Chris Bailey, and music direction by Ted Arthur.
Roger Bart (Doc Brown), Hugh Coles (George McFly), and more TBA.
Audio: Scroll down to listen to some of the songs from the show.
Video: Trailer from the London production.
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Beautiful: The Carole King Musical continues through Oct. 30 at ME’s Ogunquit Playhouse, directed by David Ruttura.
Sarah Bockel (Carole King), Taylor Aronson (Cynthia Weil), Anthony Festa (Gerry Goffin), Suzanne Grodner (Genie Klein), Ben Jacoby (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirschner), with D’Marreon Alexander (Drifters), Reggie Bromell (Drifters), Anthony Cataldo (The Righteous Brothers), J. Daughtry (Drifters), Kaitlyn Davis (Marilyn), Gabrielle Elizabeth (The Shirelles), Rosharra Frances (The Shirelles), Jack Mastriani (The Righteous Brothers), Chandler Reeves (Betty), and Salisha Thomas (The Shirelles), with Tyler Michael Breeding, Nigel O. Richards, and Aiyana Imari Smash-Jackson.
Video: Production highlights
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RIP: Composer Lucy Simon has died at the age of 82, following a long battle with stage four metastatic breast cancer.
Born May 5, 1950 in New York City, she was the daughter of Andrea and Richard Simon. Her father was one of the named cofounders of the publishing giant Simon & Schuster.
Simon’s first musical composition was a setting of the poem “Wynken, Blynken & Nod,” which she did for a school project (Simon was dyslexic, and that was the only way she could memorize the poem in full). Her eventual recording of the song, performed alongside sister Carly, hit number 83 on the Billboard charts in 1964.
Simon’s true calling was writing for the stage. An early project was an adaptation of Little House on the Prairie with lyricist Susan Birkenhead, which was later abandoned. Her biggest success was the score for the musical The Secret Garden (with book by Marsha Norman), which earned a Tony nomination and is widely considered to be one of the best Broadway scores ever written. She also composed the musical Doctor Zhivago, with lyricists Amy Powers and Michael Korie and book writer Michael Weller.
Around the time of her passing, Simon had been working with Birkenhead and Emily Mann on a musical titled On Cedar Street, with Victoria Clark directing. Her cancer battle forced her to bow out of the project, but some of her musical will live on as it moves forward. In addition, a new production of The Secret Garden, directed by Warren Carlyle, will have its world premiere in February 2023 at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
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Jerry Seinfeld will return to NYC’s Beacon Theatre with an all-new show on the following dates:
Dec. 16-17, Jan. 20-21, Feb. 3-4, and March 3-4, all at 7 & 9 PM.
Tickets go on sale Oct. 28 at 10 AM.
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A Christmas Carol, adapted by David H. Bell, will run Nov. 12 – Dec. 24 at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, directed by Leora Morris.
Andrew Benator (Ebenezer Scrooge), Emberlynn Wood (Tiny Tim), Austin Barocas (Lamplighter’s Son), Caleb Maumann (Matthew Watkins), Chloe Gia Bremer (Tiny Tim Cratchit), Lena Castro (Wyatt Cratchit), Caitlin Hargraves (Missy Watkins), Christopher L. Morgan (Bob Cratchit), Thomas Neal Antwon Ghant (Tom Watkins, Mr. Fezziwig), Maggie Larson (Martha Cratchit/Belle), Margaret Ivey (Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig), Clare Latham (Mrs. Cratchit), Lizzie Park (Melinda Cratchit), Kevin Qian (Peter Cratchit/Dick Wilkins), Mary Lynn Owen, Brad Raymond, Matthew Morris, Christopher Hampton (Mr. Pritchitt), Clare Latham, Rhyn Mclemore, Asia Rogers, Caleb Baumann, Caleb Clark (Fred), Asia Rogers (Alice), Dane Troy, Lyndsay Ricketson, Eugene H. Russell, and Matthew Morris.
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Video: Gabriel Byrne explains his new Broadway show, Walking with Ghosts.
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A new recording of Maury Yeston‘s song cycle “December Songs for Voice and Orchestra” will be released on digital & streaming platforms on Nov. 11, and on CD on Nov. 25 by PS Classics, featuring Victoria Clark, who put herself through a four-month rehearsal period to ensure that her journey was as detailed as if she were performing it on the stage..
The recording, backed by a 37-piece orchestra conducted by Ted Sperling, and newly scored by Larry Hochman, also offers an accompanying booklet with complete lyrics and liner notes by Matthew Gurewitsch.
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42nd Street Moon presents Gypsy in concert Nov. 3-4 at San Francisco’s Heritage Theatre, and Nov. 12-13 at the Alcazar Theatre, directed by Daren A.C. Carollo, with choreography by Staci Arriaga and music direction by Daniel Thomas.
Melind Meeng (Rose), William Giammona (Herbie), Marah Sotelo (Louise), Danny Cozart (Jocko/Driver/Weber/Mr. Goldstone/Cigar/Bougeron Couchon), Colette Goodman (Baby June), Chloe Fong (Baby Louise/Edna Mae), Emery Cozart (Balloon Girl), Vivienne Davis (Charlie/Rich Boy), Dresden Davis (Vladimir/Boy Scout), Eric Davis (Georgie/Pop/Pastey/Phil), Victoria Stewart (Mom/Mazeppa), Laurie Strawn (Mom/Tessie Tura/Waitress/Miss Cratchitt/Renee), Catrina Manahan (Dainy June), Kayla Ye (Betsy Ann), Zanna Wyant (Mom/Agnes/Electra), Gwen Herndon (Marjorie May), Katie Maupin (Geraldine), Edward Im (Yonkers), Alejandro Eustaquio (L.A.), and Jacob Henrie-Naffa (Tulsa).
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RIP: Director/Choreographer Chet Walker died peacefully on Oct. 21 at his home in North Carolina, from a glioblastoma tumor.
Chet achieved great acclaim onstage in theaters across the globe, in television, film, music video and all commercial media. Perhaps best known as Creator and Co-Choreographer of Fosse, Chet also choreographed the Broadway revival of Pippin, for which he won the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Astaire Awards and received a Tony nomination for Best Choreography for the production.
Chet began performing on Broadway at the age of sixteen when he appeared in the first revival of On the Town. Other Broadway credits include Loreli, The Ambassadors, The Pajama Game, Pippin, Dancin’, and Sweet Charity.
As a director and choreographer, Chet’s extensive credits included Sweet in the United States, Holland, Japan, Mexico, Norway and the West End; the 10th anniversary tour of La Cage Aux Folles, Dory!, and A Musical Portrait at LA’s Will Geer Theater. Other productions included Chicago, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, Follies, A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To The Forum, Working, and Kiss Of The Spider Woman.
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California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songwriters of Lauren Canyon will run Nov. 5-7 at NYC’s 92Y, with music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.
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New Jersey’s Axelrod Performing Arts Center has announced its 2022-23 season:
Avenue Q (Nov. 4-20)
Raisin (Feb. 24 – Mar. 12, 2023), directed by Evelyn Collins.
The Prom (May 5-21), directed by Hunter Foster.
Sunday in the Park With George (Nov. 3-19), directed & choreographed by Eamon Foley
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Complete casting has been announced for the world premiere of Jaqueline Woodson & Toshi Reagan’s The Day You Begin, to run Nov. 19 – Dec. 18 at The Kennedy Center, directed by Charlotte Braithwaite.
Carla Duren (Angelina), Camilo Linares (Rigoberto), Ashley D. Nguyen (Min), Noah Virgile (Sam), and Audrey Hailes (Ms. Veve).
It’s not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet…but somehow you do it.
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RIP: Julie Hughes, a prominent casting director and consultant, passed away in her sleep Oct. 21 after a long illness, at the age of 81.
Ms. Hughes was one half of Hughes/Moss Casting, a firm which she helped to found in 1981 alongside her friend Barry Moss. Together the pair cast nearly 90 Broadway productions, including The Little Foxes with Elizabeth Taylor, Woman of the Year with Lauren Bacall, and My One And Only with Twiggy. Additionally, they cast the original Broadway runs of Titanic, Grand Hotel, Crazy For You, Footloose, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Who’s Tommy, and Nine, as well as revivals of Sweeney Todd, On Your Toes, Show Boat, Blithe Spirit, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Pygmalion.
Hughes/Moss also cast the original production and revival of Whose Life Is It Anyway? and the premieres of Children of a Lesser God, Agnes of God, Harvey Fierstein‘s breakout Torch Song Trilogy and August Wilson‘s King Hedley II.
Ms. Hughes retired from the theatrical industry in 1999 after the passing of her husband, general manager Norman E. Rothstein, who was instrumental in the revitalization of the New Amsterdam Theatre.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: The Bard of Avon Bumps ‘Em Off
1-G. Duncan in Macbeth – stabbed while sleeping
2-D. Desdemona in Othello – smothered
3-I. Ophelia in Hamlet – drowns
4-C. Cordelia in King Lear – hanged in prison
5-J. Antony in Antony and Cleopatra – falls on sword
6-H. Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra – self-administered poisonous snake bites
7-B. Romeo in Romeo and Juliet – drinks poison
8-E. Juliet in Romeo and Juliet – stabs self with a dagger
9-A. Clarence in Richard III – stabbed then sealed in a cask of wine
10-F. Aaron in Titus Andronicus – buried to the neck and starved