Today’s Highlights:
Watch on the Rhine, by Lillian Hellman, directed by Ellen McDougall, featuring Kate Duchêne (Anise), Caitlin FitzGerald (Sara Muller), Patricia Hodge (Fanny Farrelly), John Light (Teck de Brancovis), Carlyss Peer (Marthe de Brancovis), Geoffrey Streatfield (David Farrelly), Mark Waschke (Kurt Muller), David Webber (Joseph), and Finley Glasgow (Joshua Muller), with Tamar Laniado & Chloe Raphael (sharing the role of Babette Muller), and Berti Caplan & Henry Hunt (sharing the role of Bodo Muller), opens at London’s Donmar Warehouse.
Great Expecations, adapted by Mark Izzard, directed by Selina Cadell, starring Eddie Izzard (playing 21 characters), opens at Off-Broadway’s Greenwich House Theater.
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations national tour, directed by Des McAnuff, featuring Jalen Harris (Eddie Kendricks), Harrell Holmes Jr. (Melvin Franklin), James T. Lane (Paul Williams), Marcus Paul James (Otis Williams), and Elijah Ahmad Lewis (David Ruffin), with Michael Andreaus, Gregory Carl Banks Jr., Brian C. Binion, Reed Campbell, Lawrence Dandridge, Shayla Brielle G., Treston J. Henderson, Najah Hetsberger, Devin Holloway, Antwaun Holley, Kyshawn Lane, Traci Elaine Lee, Brett Michal Lockley, Harris Matthew, Amber Mariah Talley, Andrew Volzer, and Nazarria Workman, opens at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
Life of Pi, by Lolita Chakrabarti, directed by Max Webster, featuring Brian Thomas Abraham (Cook/Voice of Richard Parker), Rajesh Bose (Father/Ghost Father), Avery Glymph (Father Martin/Admiral Jackson), Mahira Kakkar (Nurse/Amma/Orange Juice), Kirstin Louie (Lulu Chen), Salma Shaw (Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan), Sathya Sridharan (Mamaji/Pandit-ji), Daisuke Tsuji (Mr. Okamoto/Captain), and Sonya Venugopal (Rani/Ghost Rani), with Usman Ali Ishaq, Mahnaz Damania, Ema Paranjpe, David Shih, Nikki Calonge, Fred Davis, Rowan Magee, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, Celia Mei Rubin, Scarlet Wilderink, and Andrew Wilson, opens at Cambridge’s A.R.T.
Harry Connick, Jr. – A Holiday Celebration 2022 Tour opens at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre.
Liz Callaway: To Steve With Love: Callaway Celebrates Sondheim concert, at 8 PM at Studio City’s Feinstein’s at Vitello’s. Live show tickets here. Livestream tickets (available for 2 weeks) here. Another concert also takes place tomorrow.
“Beauty and the Beast” special, with a screenplay by Linda Woolverton , directed by Jon M. Chu, featuring H.E.R. (Belle), Josh Groban (Beast), Joshua Henry (Gaston), David Alan Grier (Cogsworth), Rita Moreno (nNarrator), Martin Short (Lumiere), Jon Jon Briones (Maurice) Shania Twain (Mrs. Potts), Rizwan Manji (LeFou), and Leo Abelo Perry (Chip), airs at 8 PM on ABC.
**********************
Click here for the complete 2022-23 Critics Choice Award nominations.
The ceremony will take place Sun. Jan. 15 in Los Angeles.
**********************
Complete principal casting has been announced for the new revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which will begin previews Feb. 26 and open Mar. 26 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, directed by Thomas Kail.
Josh Groban (Sweeney Todd). Annaleigh Ashford (Mrs. Lovett), Jordan Fisher (Anthony), Gaten Matarazzo (Tobias), Ruthie Ann Miles (Beggar Woman), Maria Bilbao (Johanna), Jamie Jackson (Judge Turpin), John Rapson (Beadle Bamford), Nicholas Christopher (Pirelli/Sweeney Todd standby), and Jeanna de Waal (standby for Mrs. Lovett and Beggar Woman).
**********************
Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center has announced its upcoming Conversation Series, all at 8 PM.
Amy Tan (Jan. 23). Click here for details.
Fran Lebowitz (Feb. 6). Click here for details.
Erik Larson (Mar. 6). Click here for details.
Each person in this diverse group brings something unique to share with the audience about their books, what inspires them, and how their lives have shaped their art. Each speaker will have a celebrity host to facilitate conversation and audience involvement.
**********************
Marcia Seligson’s “My Mother Would Hate This Book” is now available in hardcover, paperback and eBook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound, or through your local book store. A great holiday gift!
Click here to learn more.
**********************
The world premiere of Suzan-Lori Parks’ The Harder They Come will run Feb. 16 – Mar. 26 (opening Mar. 15) at The Public Theater, directed by Tony Taccone & Sergio Trujillo, with choreography by Kenny Seymour, with choreography by Edgar Godineaux, and music direction by John Bronston.
Natey Jones Ivan), Jeanette Bayardelle (Daisy), Andrew Clarke (Lyle), Dominique Johnson (Jose), Dudney Joseph Jr (Ray), Meecah (Elsa), Jacob Ming-Trent (Pedro), and Ken Robinson (Hilton), with Shawn Bowers, Christopher Douglas, Jamal Christopher Douglas, Dana Marie Ingraham, Chelsea-Ann Jones, Dwight Xaveir Leslie, Morgan McGhee, Alysha Morgan, Housso Semon, Sir Brock Warren, Natey Jones, Tyla Collier, Tiffany Francès, Garfield Hammonds, Denver Andre Taylor, Sir Brock Warren), Carla Woods, and Christopher Henry Young.
The story of Ivan, a young singer who arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, eager to become a star. After falling in love and cutting a record deal with a powerful music mogul, Ivan soon learns that the game is rigged, and he becomes increasingly defiant, he finds himself in a battle that threatens not only his life, but the very fabric of Jamaican society.
**********************
Freestyle Love Supreme continues through Apr. 23 at Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort.
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Jan. 12-14 only), Simone Acosta AKA Sims, Andrew Bancroft AKA Jelly Donut, Richard Baskin, Jr. AKA Rich Midway, Kaila Mullady AKA Kaiser Rözé, Morgan Reilly AKA Hummingbird, Gable Johnson III AKA Honeycomb, Manny Houston AKA Manny PacksAwow, and Dizzy Senze AKA Dizzy.
**********************
Barbara Minkus: 18 Minutes of Fame will run Dec. 16-18 at LA’s Theatre West.
A variety of show-stopping songs which showcase Barbara’s journey of love, life, difficult decisions, family dynamics and so much more.
**********************
Director and filmmaker Darren Araonofsky is working on a Black Swan musical. He also may be interested in making a movie musical someday…
Stay tuned for further updates….
**********************
Video: Highlights from Dec. 12 Chess benefit concert at Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre, directed by Michael Mayer, and featuring Darren Criss, Lena Hall, Ramin Karimloo, and Solea Pfeiffer.
**********************
The cast recording of the 2021 Off-Broadway site-specific production of Maltby & Shire’s Baby will be released on most platforms on Feb. 14.
Christina Sajous (Pam), Gabrielle McClinton (Nicki), Julia Murney (Arlene), Robert H. Fowler (Alan), Liz Flemming (Lizzie), and Johnny Link (Danny), with Jorge Donoso, Marisa Kirby, Jewell Noel, and Ethan Paulini.
**********************
The world premiere of Not About Me, written & directed by Eduardo Machado, will run Jan. 13 – Feb. 5 (opening Jan. 18) at Theater for the New City.
Mateo d’Amato, Michael Domitrovich, Crystal Field, Ellis Charles Hoffmeister, Charles Manning, Drew Valins, and Heather Velazquez.
A memory play that takes audiences on a haunting journey through the mind of a playwright during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Long buried memories of friends lost to a mysterious “gay” disease come crashing into the present, and he is compelled to examine his artistic and political life in the theater. This play is a bittersweet reflection on how tragedy can unearth pain and laughter and bring back to life the treasures buried in the past.
**********************
The winners of the 2022 Steinberg Playwrights Awards, which honors two early to mid-career playwrights, are James Ijames and Lloyd Suh.
**********************
The Huntington Theatre has announced the world premiere of Kate Snodgrass’ The Art of Burning will run Jan. 13 – Feb. 12 (with digital access through Feb. 26) at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion, directed by Melia Bensussen.
Adrianne Krstansky (Patricia), Michael Kaye (Mark), Viva Font (Katya), Rom Barkhordar (Jason), Clio Contogenis (Beth), and Laura Latrielle (Charlene).
The play follows modernist painter Patricia as she changes the terms of her divorce with husband Jason mid-negotiation. Meanwhile, their daughter Beth didn’t show up for school. Does Patricia know where she is, or is there something more sinister afoot?