Today’s Highlights:
* The Last Five Years, a socially distanced production, directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, featuring Molly Lynch and Oli Higginson, opens at London’s Southwark Playhouse.
* Dancing for Democracy, the first Mondays for BIDEN benefit event, a new virtual place for busy artists, humanitarians, parents, and Joe Biden supporters, with special guests Annaleigh Ashford, Laura Benanti, Chris Gattelli, Nikki M. James, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell, Sergio Trujillo, Adrienne Barbeau, Danny Burstein, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Robert La Fosse, Beth Malone, Rory O’Malley, Valarie Pettiford, Jessica Lee Goldyn, JoAnn M. Hunter, Jess LeProtto, Gerry McIntyre, Josh Walden, James Kinney, and more, streams at 9 PM ET here.
* Jim Caruso’s Cast Party variety show, with special guests Jenna Pastuszek, Marie Oppert, Kimberly Marable, Nestor Martinez, and Nell Benjamin & Laurence O’Keefe, streams for FREE at 8 PM ET here.
* “John Lithgow in conversation with Alan Alda: Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown” streams for FREE at 6 PM ET at NYC’s 92Y.
* Red Bull Theater‘s “I Hate the Moor: Exploring Iago with Patrick Page” conversation, livestreams for FREE at 7:30 PM ET.
* Keen Company‘s Keen After Hours audio conversation, with special guest Kate Baldwin, streams for FREE at 6:30 PM ET.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Line! by Jim Bernhard
Match these lines with the plays from which they come. Extra credit if you know the character who says it:
| 1. Don’t quibble, Sibyl! | A. The Glass Menagerie |
| 2. So attention must be paid. | B. Hamlet |
| 3. Brevity is the soul of wit. | C. Hedda Gabler |
| 4. I washed by hands and face before I come, I did. | D. The Bald Soprano |
| 5. Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful. | E. Private Lives |
| 6. I am in mourning for my life. I’m unhappy. | F. The Madwoman of Chaillot |
| 7. Good God! People don’t do such things. | G. Death of A Salesman |
| 8. Go, then! Then go to the moon—you selfish dreamer! | H. Waiting for Godot |
| 9. All the Bobby Watsons are commercial travelers. | I. The Sea Gull |
| 10. Nothing is ever so wrong in this world that a sensible woman can’t set it right in the course of an afternoon | J. Pygmalion/My Fair Lady |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Video: “Stars in the House,” a “Frasier” cast reunion Part 2, with Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin, Bebe Neuwirth, and Dan Butler. (1:10:30)
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LA’s Center Theatre Group has announced its new multi-media digital platform, Digital Stage.
The platform will tell those important stories in new and innovative ways. From streams performances on demand to interactive shared experiences and educational workshop series, we will have something for everyone with social connection at the core.
(curated offerings):
* Staged readings & productions filmed live from the Kirk Douglas Theatre.
* New commissions from renowned theatre artists
* Events from CTG’s Broadway partners
* Beautifully live-captured productions from Matthew Bourne/New Adventures and The Stratford Festivals
…. and much more
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Video (scroll down): Rebecca Luker has made a video, posted to Kelli O’Hara’s Instagram account, providing an update on her condition (Becca was diagnosed with ALS in Nov. 2019).
In the video, Luker urges all of us to email our congressmen regarding the drugs that people, like herself and so many others, desperately need. Click here and follow the simple prompt in the ACT section (Help Build Congressional Champions). The prompt will quickly and easily allow you to generate a letter to send to your congressmen, requesting help.
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Noah Galvin has joined the cast of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” as a first-year resident.
His character, Dr. Asher Wolke, was formerly part of an orthodox Jewish sect, Asher made the choice to separate himself from his former beliefs before deciding to go to medical school.
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NYC’s 92Y as announced its upcoming concert series:
* George Gershwin: Bidin’ My Time (Oct. 26 at 7 PM ET) here.
* Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt (Nov. 9 at 7 PM ET) here.
* Rodgers, Rodgers, and Guettel: Statues and Stories (Nov. 23 at 7 PM ET) here.
* The Theme From …: Songs Written for Film (Dec. 14 at 7 PM ET) here.
Farah Alvin, Allison Blackwell, Katherine Henly, James T. Lane, Telly Leung, Kara Lindsay, Paul Masse, Julia Murney, Zachary Noah Piser, Zachary Prince, Pearl Sun, and Mariand Torres.
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RIP: Armelia McQueen has died at the age of 68.
Her career began when she was hired for a role in Hot & Cold Heroes, and made her Broadway debut in Ain’t Misbehavin’, for which she won the Theatre World Award.
She also appeared in Harrigan ‘n Hart, 5-6-7-8…Dance!, South Pacific, and Cabin in the Sky, along with appearances in film & TV in “Sparkle,” “Quartet,” “Cotton Club,” “Radio Days,” “Action Jackson,” “No Holes Barred,” and “Santa Barbara.” Amelia toured with South Pacific, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Hair.
In recent years, Armelia was seen on “All About the Andersons,” “Related,” “Hart of Dixie,” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” In addition, she play Whoopi Goldberg’s on-screen sister in “Ghost” and the Disney Channel series, “Adventures in Wonderland,” as well as “Bulworth,” “JAG,” and “That’s So Raven.”
Video: A brief look back at Armelia’s career.
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“One Night in Miami…,” by Kemp Powers, directed by Regina King, will launch theatrically on Dec. 25, and will also premiere Jan. 15 on Amazon Prime.
Leslie Odom, Jr. (Sam Cooke), Ben-Adir (Malcolm X), Eli Goree (Cassius Clay), and Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown).
Set on the night of Feb. 25, 1964, the film follows a young Cassius Clay (before he became Muhammad Ali) as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Clay, unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws, spends the night at the Hampton House Motel in one of Miami’s historically black neighborhoods celebrating with three of his closest friends: activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke, and football star Jim Brown.
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PBS‘ “Great Performances” has announced upcoming events:
* One Man Two Guvners (Nov. 6), starring James Corden.
* “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles” documentary (Nov. 13), which explores how the 1964 musical grew into a global phenomenon, how Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick wrote the score (including clips of private demos), along with Danny Burstein, Alexandra Silber, Chaim Topol, Joel Grey, and more.
* Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn (Nov. 20), filmed production, directed by Gordon Greenberg, starring Bryce Pinkham, Lora Lee Gayer, Megan Lawrence, Megan Sikora, Corbin Bleu, Lee Wilkof, and Morgan Gao.
* Lea Salonga in Concert (Nov. 27), filmed at the Sydney Opera House .
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“Broadway Sings Blood Rock: The Musical,” a new 6-song EP of Michael Berns & Ralph Pezzulo’s musical, has been released. 
Download here.
Damon Daunno, Robert Torti, Andy Mientus, and Jennifer DiNola.
The musical tells the story of 2 rival vampire gangs that have been living secretly in Philadelphia for hundreds of years.
Video: “Heart For You To Break,” featuring Damon Daunno and Jennifer DiNoia.
Audio: Preview the EP.
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“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” will premiere Nov. 13 on Netflix, written & directed by David E. Talbert, with songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence & Davy Nathan.
Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Madalen Mills, Sharon Rose, Kieron Dyer, Justin Cornwell, Lisa Davina Phillip, Hugh Bonneville, and more.
Set in the town of Cobbleton, the film follows toymaker Jeronicus Jangle whose inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. When his apprentice steals his most precious creation, it’s up to his granddaughter (along with one of Jangle’s long-forgotten inventions) to save the day.
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& 
The American Popular Song Society presents an afternoon with composer Arthur Siegel (of the New Faces series in 1952, 1956, 1962, & 1968) and singer/musical director/sheet music archivist Michel Lavine., to take place Sat. Oct. 12 at Noon ET here.
Steven Brinberg, Fay Dewitt, Natale Douglas, Jay Aubrey Jones, Jon Peterson, T. Oliver Reid, Steve Ross, Sandy Stewart, KT Sullivan, and Sara Zahn.
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Video: Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley sing “You Learn to Live Without” from If/Then.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers — Line!
1-E. Don’t quibble, Sibyl! – Private Lives (Elyot)
2-G. So attention must be paid. – Death of A Salesman (Linda)
3-B. Brevity is the soul of wit. – Hamlet (Polonius)
4-J. I washed by hands and face before I come, I did. – Pygmalion/My Fair Lady (Eliza)
5-H. Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful. – Waiting for Godot (Estragon)
6-I. I am in mourning for my life. I’m unhappy. – The Sea Gull (Masha)
7-C. Good God! People don’t do such things. – Hedda Gabler (Judge Brack)
8-A. Go, then! Then go to the moon—you selfish dreamer! – The Glass Menagerie (Amanda)
9-D. All the Bobby Watsons are commercial travelers. – The Bald Soprano (Mr. Smith)
10-F. Nothing is ever so wrong in this world that a sensible woman can’t set it right in the course of an afternoon. – The Madwoman of Chaillot (Countess Aurelia, the Madwoman of Chaillot)