Today’s Highlights:
Red Bull Theater‘s Medea Re-Versed, world premiere by Luis Quintero & Nathan Winkelstein, directed by Winkelstein, featuring Siena D’Addario (Medea), Melissa Mahoney, Mark Martin, Jacob Ming-Trent), Luis Quintero, and Stephen Michael Spencer, opens at Off-Broadway’s Sheen Center.
Inherit the Wind, directed by Henry Godinez, featuring Harry Lennix (Attorney Henry Drummond), Alexander Gemignani (Matthew Harrison Brady), Charín Álvarez (Mrs. Brady), Terry Bell (Sillers), Hamid Dehghani (Storekeeper), William Dick (Mayor), Meighan Gerachis (Elijah), Lawrence Grimm (Dunlap), Kevin Gudahl (Judge), Presley Rose Jones (Melinda), Christopher Kale Jones (Tom Davenport), Mi Kang (E.K. Hornbeck), Ryan Kitley (Reverend Jeremiah Brown), Tyler Meredith (Rachel Brown), Thomas Murphy Molony (Howard), Christopher Llewyn Ramirez (Bertram Cates), Robert Schleifer (Meeker), Eric Slater (Mr. Bannister), and Penelope Walker (Mrs. Krebs), with Chase Clevenger, Theo Gyra, Hannah Kato, John Lister, Michael Milligan, Kailey Danielle Morand, Aila Peck, Alex Benito Rodriguez, Eric Slater, and Cedric Young, opens at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Cheyenne Jackson concert series, with rotating special guests Nikki Renée Daniels (Sept. 23) 23, Abby Mueller (Sept, 24), J. Harrison Ghee (Sept. 25), Claybourne Elder (Sept. 27), Jane Krakowski Sept. 28), and Jessica Vosk ( 29), opens at NYC’s 54 Below.
Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Golden Shamrock Gala, honoring Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, with performances by Brenda Braxton and Santino Fontana, at 6 PM at NYC’s Robert Restaurant (2 Columbus Circle).
“Lee” film screening & conversation, with Kate Winslet, moderated by Josh Horowitz, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Middle Men, by Jim Bernhard
Add the correct middle names for these actors:
| 1. James ____ Jones | A. Nelson |
| 2. Tommy ____ Jones | B. Patrick |
| 3. Simon____ Beale | C. Hyde |
| 4. Brian ____ Mitchell | D. Cameron |
| 5. Roscoe____ Browne | E. Lee |
| 6. David ____ Pierce | F. Russell |
| 7. John ____ Mitchell | G. Tyler |
| 8. Jesse ____ Ferguson | H. Earl |
| 9. Charles ____ Reilly | I. Stokes |
| 10. Neil ____ Harris | J. Lee |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Gypsy will begin previews Nov. 21 and open Dec. 19 at the Majestic Theatre, directed by George C. Wolfe, with choreography by Camille A. Brown.
Audra McDonald (Mamma Rose), Danny Burstein (Herbie), and more TBA.
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2024 Women’s Media Awards (presented to outstanding leaders and champions for women in media):
America Ferrera
Liz Rebecca Alarcón
Yamiche Alcindor
Donna Deitch
Rahna Epting
Jenice Fountain
Chicken & Egg Pictures
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Chicago Shakespeare Theater will present the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Pericles Oct. 20–Dec. 7, directed by Tamara Harvey.
Zach Wyatt (Prince Pericles), Miles Barrow (Thaliard/Boult), Philip Bird (Helicanus), Jacqueline Boatswain (Cerimon/Bawd), Rachelle Diedericks (Marina), Chyna‑Rose Frederick (Antiochus’ Daughter/Lychorida/Diana), Leah Haile (Thaisa), Felix Hayes (Anitochus/Pander), Kel Matsena (Lysimachus), Chukwuma Omambala (Cleon), Sam Parks (Escanes, Leonine), Christian Patterson (Simonides), and Gabby Wong (Dionyza), with Miriam O’Brien, Emmanuel Olusanya, and Sasha Ghoshal.
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I Put a Spell on You 2024, in support of the Ali Forney Center, will take place Mon. Oct. 21 at 8PM at NY City’s Webster Hall, directed by Heath Saunders, with choreography by Mike Baerga, Hope Melody Easterbrooke, Tyler Eisenreich, Eamon Foley, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Reed Luplau, Leo Moctezuma, Jenny Oehlwein, Julius Rubio, Kellen Stancil, Theresa Stone, Michael Anthony Sylvester, and David Wright Jr.
J. Harrison Ghee, Robyn Hurder, Stephen Brower, Yeman Brown, Max Clayton, Heath Saunders, Karma Jenkins, Dani Dennison, Maddox Marton, Kathryn Priest, Allison Godleski, Amanda Williams Ware, and more TBA.
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The Foundation for New American Musicals‘ MusiCal will take place Sun. Sept. 29 at 7:30 PM at LA’s Reefer Den.
The event will offer selections from new musicals.
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Simon Rich’s All In: Comedy About Love will open Dec. 11 (for a limited engagement (closing date TBA) at the Hudson Theatre, directed by Alex Timbers.
(a rotating cast of 4 actors for 10 weeks): John Mulaney, Fred Amisen, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Chloe Fineman, Richard Kind, and more TBA.
A series of hilarious stories about dating, heartbreak, marriage and that sort of thing.
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Pacific Jazz Orchestra with Eva Noblezada will take place Sat. Feb. 1 at 8 PM at Northridge CA’s Soraya.
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Irish Rep will present James Joyce’s The Dead, 1904, adapted by Paul Muldoon & Jean Hanff Korelitz, to run Nov. 20 – Jan. 5, 2025 (opening Nov. 26), directed by Ciarán O’Reilly.
Estelle Parson (Kate Morkan), Mary Beth Peil (Julia Morkan), and more TBA.
The play describes a holiday gathering on January 6, 1904, the Feast of the Epiphany, in the Dublin home of two elderly sisters, Kate and Julia Morkan, and their niece, Mary Jane. At the party are students, friends, a celebrated tenor, a lost alcoholic, and the couple, Gabriel and Gretta Conroy. Over the course of an evening, there are conversations, music, dancing, and dining. There are speeches and disagreements – polite and impolite – and when it is all over Gabriel learns something about his wife that changes his sense of who she is and who they are to each other, of what it actually means to be alive, and to be dead.
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Clifford Bell, a leading director and producer in the world of cabaret, concerts, and one-person shows, has passed away at 67. A beloved figure in the entertainment industry for over forty years, Clifford’s influence and creativity touched countless lives both on stage and behind the scenes. Click here to read more.
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The world premiere of Kris Lythgoe’s Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish will run Dec. 7-29 (opening Dec. 8) at Laguna Playhouse, directed by Becky Lythgoe, with music direction by Andy Street, and choreography by Becca Sweitzer.
Sally Struthers (Madame Gothel) and more TBA.
Based on the beloved fairytale, this hair-larious tangled tale undergoes a Holiday Panto makeover. Prepare for a spellbinding journey as Rapunzel tries to escape from her tower with the help of her friends Dame Betty and Simple Simon, all while learning her true identity. Get set for Laguna’s favorite holiday event, filled with laughter, music, pop music from Taylor Swift to Queen and of course snow!
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Broadway’s “Sunset BLVD: The Album,” starring Eva Nobelzada will be released Oct. 25 here.
Watch the music video.
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Ghost Stories: The Dead Can’t Dance will run Oct. 17-31 at Greenway Court Theatre, directed by Pierson Blaetz & Mohammed Ali Ojarigi.
Michael D. McCarty, Ina Bucker-Barnette, and Graciela Rodriguez.
A collection of haunting ghost stories brought to Life through immersive storytelling featuring music, theatre and dance a collection of haunting ghost stories brought to Life through immersive storytelling featuring music, theatre and dance.
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The world premiere of Olivia Haller’s Loneliness Was a Pandemic will run Nov. 1-24 at Theaterlab (357 W. 36th S., 3rd floor), directed by Alex Kopnick.
Emily Sullivan, Andrew Moorhead, Cleopatra Boudreau, and Yi Ming Sofyia Xue. In a world where the only humans left alive are artists, an isolated and imprisoned surviving painter is forced to teach a robot how to create real art.**********************
Green Day’s American Idiot, by Billie Joe Armstrong & Michael Mayer, directed by Snehal Desai, will run Oct. 2 – Nov. 10 at the Mark Taper Forum.
Steven-Adam Agdeppa, L.J. Benet, Will Branner, Jerusha Cavazos, Lark Detweiler, Daniel Durant, FKaia T. Fitzgerald, Landen Gonzales, Tyler Hardwick, Otis Jones IV, Milo Manheim, Josué Martinez; Giovanni Maucere, James Olivas, Mason Alexander Park, Monika Peña; Mars Storm Rucker, Mia Sempertegui; Angel Theory, and Ali Fumiko Whitney..
This production features an ensemble of both Deaf and hearing actors, and is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken English. Through powerful performances and immersive staging, the show explores themes of identity and rebellion while amplifying the voices of Deaf and multi-cultural communities. With nods to contemporary culture, this electrifying interpretation pushes boundaries and celebrates the diversity of human experience.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Middle Men
1-H. James Earl Jones
2-E. Tommy Lee Jones
3-F. Simon Russell Beale
4-I. Brian Stokes Mitchell
5-E. Roscoe Lee Browne
6-C. David Hyde Pierce
7-D. John Cameron Mitchell
8-G. Jesse Tyler Ferguson
9-A. Charles Nelson Reilly
10-B. Neil Patrick Harris