Today’s Highlights:
* Jim Caruso’s Cast Party variety show, with special guests TBA, streams at 8 PM ET here.
* Judy Kuhn and Seth Rudetsky concert, streams at 3 PM ET here. Not sure if it’s sold out…
* “Puccini Week” begins streaming at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Metropolitan Opera.
* “Filthy Rich,” starring Kim Cattrall, Gerald McRaney, Corey Cott, and Aubrey Dollar, premieres at 9 PM on Fox.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Opera-Goers by Jim Bernhard
Match these musicals—all based on operas—with the composers of the original works on which they are based:
| 1. Carmen Jones | A. Gounod |
| 2. Rent | B. Sullivan |
| 3. Aida | C. Wagner |
| 4. Miss Saigon | D. Bizet |
| 5. Rosalinda | E. Rossini |
| 6. Faust up to Date | F. Puccini |
| 7. Das Barbecü | G. Gay |
| 8. The Threepenny Opera | H. Johann Strauss |
| 9. Hollywood Pinafore | I. Puccini |
| 10. Once Over Lightly | J. Verdi |
Scroll down for the answers…
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2020 Primetime Emmy Award winners
Click here for the complete list of winners.
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Video: “Stars in the House,” honoring Ruth Bader Ginsberg, with special guests Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, Rob McClure, and more. (1:32:30)
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Video: “Stars in the House,” a Les Miserable original Broadway cast reunion, with John Caird, Trevor Nunn, Randy Graff, Judy Kuhn, Michael Maguire, Terrence Mann and Frances Ruffelle. (1:22:45)
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The Public Theater has announced its Fall 2020 lineup:
* Creative Activism: A Day of Art, Ideas, and Action (Sept. 23 from 11 AM – 8 PM ET), featuring panel discussions, workshops, performances, and keynote addresses, all designed to connect you with the artists and activists who are making change in today’s world. Featuring: Dominique Morisseau, Alison Stewart, Claudia Rankine, P. Carl, Erika Dickerson-Despenza, Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi, and Cara Page; workshops with For Freedoms and The Brennan Center for Justice, and more.
* Kike & Herb: Seeking Asylum! (Sept. 24 at 7 PM ET), created by Justin Vivan Bond & Kenny Mellman. A live chat with the artists.
* “Under the Greenwood Tree” documentary (premieres Oct. 7 at 8 PM ET), a weekly broadcast. 
Trailer.
* “The Seed Project,” (installation date TBA), a large-scale visual project to cover the facade of the Public.
* Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears (premieres Oct. 9 at 8 PM ET), world premiere, created & performed by Samora Pinderhughes & Jack DeBoe, directed by Christian Padron & Kassim Norris, with choreogrphy by Amanda Krische.
An intimate, radical experiment in multi-genre storytelling.
* Shipwreck (released late October), audio play by Anne Washburn, directed by Saheem Ali, featuring Mia Barron, Brooke Bloom, Phillip, James Brannon, Bill Camp, Rob Campbell, Raúl Esparza, Sue Jean Kim, Jenny Jules, Bruce McKenzie, Joe Morton, Jeremy Shamos, and Rich Topol. A group of liberal friends gathered at an upstate farmhouse on a day of crystalline beauty. While the weather outside grows increasingly apocalyptic and the conversation within grows precariously honest, the group discovers that in turbulent times, every dinner invitation comes at a cost.
* “Public Forum: We The People” (Nov. 2 at 8 PM ET), which will take place the night before the election, featuring performances and commentary.
* Toshi Reagon: Post-Election Day Concert (Nov. 4 at 7 PM ET)
* Public Forum: Civic Salons (live on Zoom Oct. 13, Nov. 10, and Dec. 14 at 7 PM ET). Through songs, poetry, text, and speeches, all driven by a common theme, Civic Salons feature artists, activists, and organizers who are using their voices to create change in their communities.
* The #Bars Workshop (October), FREE masterclasses, created by Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, offering online masterclasses with incredible guest artists.
* #Watchmework From Home with Suzan-Lori Parks (live on select Mondays, dates TBA, at 5 PM ET). A performance piece, a meditation on the artistic process, and an actual work session, featuring Suzan-Lori Parks working on her newest writing project.
* Brave New Shakespeare Challenge (Fridays at 1 PM ET). New challenges posted to The Public’s social channels every other week)
* Say Their Names (dates TBA), will honor, remember, and include at least 2,200 names and accompanying sentences of Black lives murdered at the hands of the police.
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Off-Broadway’s Urban Stages presents a reading of Megan Laughran’s The Silverfish, to stream Sept. 23-27 at 7 PM ET, directed by Jennifer Werner.
Nikki M. James, George Salazar, Benny Elledge, and Kate Wetherhead.
Beth and Brandon are young and in love, living in Brooklyn, and pursuing careers they are passionate about. When they’re suddenly thrown an expensive curveball, they combine their desperation with their underutilized talents and come up with a plan.
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Video: The National Constitution Center awarded the 32nd annual Liberty Medal on Sept. 17, 2020 to the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which includes some stunning entertainment. (48:26)
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“Bunheads: Misty Copeland in Conversation with Rodhika Jones” will take place Wed. Sept. 30 at 7 PM at NYC’s 92Y.
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Off-Broadway’s Public Theater (link TBA) will present a 4-part podcast of Anne Washburn’s Shipwreck in late Oct. (date TBA), directed by Saheem Ali.
Bill Camp (President Donald J. Trump), Joe Morton (FBI Director James Comey. Mia Barron (Mare), Brooke Bloom (Allie), Phillip James Brannon (Bush), Rob Campbell (Jim), Raúl Esparza (Luis), Sue Jean Kim (Jools), Jenny Jules (Trump’s Secretary), Bruce McKenzie (Lawrence), Jeremy Shamos (Andrew), and Rich Topol (Richard).
A group of liberal friend have gathered at an upstate farmhouse, while the President of the United States extends a dinner invitation that could change the course of history.
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The Public Theater‘s next virtual event, an evening of song and stories from your favorite Public Theater artists. will take place Tues. Oct. 20 at 8 PM ET, directed by Kenny Leon, with music direction by Ted Sperling.
Performers TBA.
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Videos: Nine Judy Kuhn videos (begin just below BUY TICKETS).
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Paulo Szot in concert stream Thurs. Sept. 24 at 7 PM ET here.
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Audio: Listen to 75 Act One Finales
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Click here for 10 Broadway choreography tutorials to follow along at home.
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Pasadena Playhouse will premiere a new online series (dates TBA), In Development, which will explore the creation of several new theatrical productions. PlayhouseLive membership is being launched with a free trial period through Dec. 2020. Pay-per-view theatrical streaming events start at $14.99. A run date for the series is TBA.
The series will include several scenes & musical excerpts from Mark Hollman, Erin Quinn Percell & Jay Reiss’ Iceboy!, starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman The story of a 10,000-year-old Neanderthal who’s discovered frozen in the Arctic, brought back to New York, and adopted by the biggest Broadway star of 1938. But when he’s thawed, he he becomes an even bigger star than she is.
Other upcoming works include Javon Johnson in the one-man show Still, a new musical revue (casting TBA) featuring the works of Jerry Herman, and new content from the Ojai Playwrights Conference and the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
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Video: Broadway’s 2004 Fidler on the Roof cast performs a Rosh Hashanah “Sabbath Prayer”
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“Stars in the House” presents a reading of Caesar & Cleopatra (inspired by Project Shaw’s 2019 production) on Sun. Sept. 27 at 2 PM ET here, directed by David Staller.
(original Project Shaw cast): Jeff Applegate, Rajesh Bose, Brenda Braxton, Robert Cuccioli, Dan Domingues, Jonathan Hadley, with Miririai Sithole.
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VA’s Signature Theatre has announced its 2020-21 SigWorks: Monday Night New Play Reading Series:
* At the Full Yum (TONIGHT at 7 PM ET here), by Rahima R. Rice, directed by Jared Shamberger, featuring Valeka Jessica, Gary-Kayi Fletcher, Avery Michael Johnson and Jefferson A. Russell. This FREE reading will remain online through Oct. 12) Complete opposites Darecia and Jacob struggle to civilly co-parent their teenage son, Ohaji, in their Northeast DC neighborhood. When a riot that breaks out after a Black teenager is killed by police causes a lockdown, the two are trapped together – with Ohaji nowhere to be found. The same night is then relived through an alternate reality.
* The Story of Walter (Dec. 7 at 7 PM ET), by Audrey Cefaly. Walter, a recently single father to a spunky 7-year-old daughter, struggles to navigate the world of single parenthood with dating and learning to live again.
* One-Shot (Feb. 8, 2021, by Andrew Rosendorf. In 1999, a bigoted slur is spray painted onto a video rental store in McLean, VA, disturbing, and possibly outing, the owning and his high school employees. A life-changing film scholarship hangs in the balance as secrets are thrust into the open.
* Light (Apr. 5, 2021), by Jarrin Davis. A prodigal sister returns home and upends the lives of her devout younger sister, family friends, and, most of all, the 11-year-old son she abandoned.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Opera-Goers
1-D. Carmen Jones – Bizet (Carmen)
2-F or I. Rent – Puccini (La Bohème)
3-J. Aida – Verdi (Aida)
4-I or F. Miss Saigon – Puccini (Madame Butterfly)
5-H. Rosalinda – Johann Strauss (Die Fledermaus)
6-A. Faust up to Date – Gounod (Faust)
7-C. Das Barbecü – Wagner (The Ring Cycle)
8-G. The Threepenny Opera – Gay (The Beggar’s Opera)
9-B. Hollywood Pinafore – Sullivan (H. M. S. Pinafore)
10-E. Once Over Lightly – Rossini (The Barber of Seville)