Today’s Highlights:
Change Agent, written & directed by Craig Lucas, featuring Andrea Abello, Regan Linton, Jeffrey Omura, Kathryn Tkel, and Luis Vega, opens at DC’s Arena Stage.
Today is My Birthday, by Susan Soon He Stanton, directed by Mina Morita, featuring Atra Sdou, Gabriel Brown, Francis Jue, Emily Kuroda, Chivas Michael, and Jeena Yi, opens at Yale Rep.
On Sugarland, by Alesha Harris, directed by Whitney White, featuring Kiki Layne, Stephany Berry, Thomas Walter Booker, Xavier Scott Evans, Mister Fitzgerald, Josh Fulton, Charisma Glasper, Kai Heath, Shemar Yanick Jonas, Billy Eugene Jones, Mariyea, Lizan Mitchell, Adeola Role, and Jacob Daniel Smith, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop.
Teenage Dick, by Mike Lew, directed by Mortiz von Stuelpnagel, featuring Shannon DeVido, Louis Reyes McWilliams, Gregg Mozgala, Portland Thomas, Emily Townley, and Zurin Villanueva, begins streaming at Pasadena Playhouse.
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Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen will run Apr. 8 – June 18 (opening Apr. 21) at the Golden Theatre, directed by Matthew Dunster.
Alfie Allen (Mooney), David Threlfall (Harry), Tracie Bennett (Alice), Owen Campbell (Clegg), Josh Goulding (Hennessy), John Hodgkinson (Albert), Richard Hollis (Bill), John Horton (Arthur), Andy Nyman (Syd), and Ryan (Pope), with Sebastian Beacon, Peter Bradbury, Katie Fabel, and Colin McPhillamy.
In his small pub in the North of England in the mid-1960s, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what’s the second best hangman in England to do on the day they’ve abolished hanging? Amongst the cub reporters and pub regulars, people are dying to hear Henry’s reaction to the news when an intriguing stranger, Mooney, from London – with a very different wardrobe and motive – enters their world.
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. The Library of Congress has released more than six hours of unseen previously in-depth interviews with Stephen Sondheim, in which he goes in-depth on much of his landmark body of work, including Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, and more.
According to LoC Senior Music Specialist Mark Eden Horowitz, the interviews “were originally intended as something of a concordance for researchers and scholars who might be consulting Sondheim’s music manuscripts at some point in the future. While we do discuss music on a fairly technical level, the conversation quickly and frequently turns to all manner of topics related to Sondheim’s work and his life in the theatre.”
The interviews move through Sondheim’s musicals in reverse chronological order, from Passion to Pacific Overtures, but Horowitz shares that all his works get discussed to some degree.
“Sondheim has often been quoted as saying, ‘Teaching is the noblest profession.’ These interviews clearly reveal that if Sondheim hadn’t chosen a career writing musicals, he would have been an equally adept teacher.’”
Click here to watch many of the interviews.
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Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss’s new concert, An Evening with Marlow & Moss 3: Lost in New York will take place Mon. Feb. 7 at 7 & 9:45 PM ET at 54 Below.
The show will present new material from their latest work along with some jokes and special guests (TBA).
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She Loves Me will run Mar. 1 – Apr. 24 at DC’s Signature Theatre, directed by Matthew Gardiner, with choreography by Kelly Crandall d’Amboise, and music direction by Jon Kalbfleisch.
Ali Ewoldt (Amalia Balash), Deven Kolluri (Georg Nowack), Emmanuel Elliot Key (Arpad Laszlo), Bobby Smith (Ladislav Sipos), Maria Rizzo (Ilona Ritter), Vincent Kempski (Seven Kodaly), Lawrence Redmond (Mr. Maraczek), and David Schlumpf (Head Waiter), with Andre Hinds, Christopher Mueller, Daniel Powers, Olivia Ashley Reed, Katherine Riddle, Jillian Wessel, Drake Leach, Sarah Anne Sillers, and Dylan Toms.
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Mark Saltzman’s Romeo & Bernadette: A Musical Tale of Verona and Brooklyn, to run May 3 – June 26 (opening May 16) at Theater 555, directed & choreographed by Justin Ross Cohen.
(original cast) Nikita Burshteyn, Anna Kostakis, Carlos Lopez, Michael Marotta, Judy McLane, Michael Notardonato, Ari Raskin, Troy Valjean Rucker, Zach Schanne, and Viet Vo.
Romeo – yes, THAT Romeo – finds himself in 1960 Brooklyn, chasing a girl he believes is his beloved Juliet. But no, it’s Bernadette, the beautiful foul-mouthed daughter of a crime family in this wild spoof of Shakespeare’s timeless tale.
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Article: A Variety reporter was banned from the opening night red carpet for the Michael Jackson musical after asking questions about abuse allegations.
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Off-Broadway’s Public Theater has announced its 60th Summer season of Shakespeare in the Park at Central Park’s Delacorte Theatre:
Richard III (dates TBA), directed by Robert O’Hara, and starring Danai Gurira (Richard III).
As You Like It (dates TBA), adapted by Shaina Taub & Laurie Woolery, with music & lyrics by Shain Taub, directed by Laurie Woolery, and featuring Darius de Haas (Duke Senior), Joe Perez (Touchstone), and Shaia Taub (Jaques). They will be joined by two rotating ensembles of community members from all five boroughs.
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Complete casting has been announced for Bill Augustin & Andrew Abrams’s But I’m a Cheerleader: The Musical, to run Feb. 18 – Apr. 16 (opening Feb. 23) at The Turbine Theatre, directed by Tania Azevedo, with choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento.
Alice Croft (Megan Williams), Oliver Brooks (Dad/Larry), Edward Chitticks (Jared/Rock), Damon Gould (André), Tiffany Graves (Mary Brown), Jodie Jacobs (Mom/Lloyd), Lemuel Knights (Mike), Evie Rose Lane (Graham), Harry Singh (Jalal), Jodie Steele (Kimberly/Hillary), Aaron Teoh (Dolph), and Kia-Paris Walcott (Sinead).
The story of Megan, an all-American high school cheerleader who has the perfect life. That is, until she finds out her friends and family suspect her of being a lesbian and send her packing, to “True Directions,” a rehabilitation camp to set her straight. It is at this camp, under the strict tutelage of headmistress Mary Brown that Megan meets Graham, a sexy tomboy who shows her exactly what her “true direction” is.
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Huntington Theatre‘s The Bluest Eye, by Lydia R. Diamond, has been extended in person through Mar. 26 at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion, directed by Awoye Timpo. Digital access to the production will now be available Feb. 14 – Apr. 9.
Ramona Lisa Alexander (Mama), Brittany-Laurelle (Claudia), Hadar Busia-Singleton (Pecola), Brian D. Coats (Soaphead Church), McKenzie Frye (Mrs. Breedlove), Lindsley Howard (Maureen), Alexandria King (Darlene/Frieda), and Greg Alverez Reid (Cholly).
The story of Pecola, a young Black girl who believes the world would be wonderful if she could have blue eyes.
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Commonwealth Shakespeare Company‘s Much Ado About Nothing will run July 20 – Aug. 7 at the Boston Common, directed by Megan Sandberg-Azkian.
Casting TBA.
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North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre has announced its Spring 2022 season:
Abba Mania (Mar. 13 at 2 PM PT). Direct from London, he party continues…
Fritz Coleman (Mar. 20 at 3 PM PT), a comedy benefit for the Toluca Lake Chamber Commerce, with special guest Wendy Liebman.
A Sondheim Birthday Celebration (Mar. 22 at 7:30 PM), by Duane Poole, directed by Lewis Wilkenfeld, with music direction by John Massy & Brad Ellis, hosted by Jason Graae, starring Musical Theatre Guild members, and special guest star Teri Ralston.
Steve Tyrell in Concert (Apr. 2 at 8 PM PT),
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Boston’s Lyric Stage Company will stream the world premiere of Melinda Lopez, Maurice Emmanuel Parent & Megan Sandberg-Zakian’s Mr. Parent Feb.7 -20, directed by Megan Sandberg-Sakian
Maurice Emmanuel Parent
A struggling actor turns to teaching for a steady paycheck, thinking “how hard could it be?” But as he careens from the Boston Public Schools by day to serious thespian at night, Mr. Parent stars to wonder where he really belongs.
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Uncle Vanya, with a contemporary translation & adaptation by Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Yolokhonsky, will run June 1-26 (opening June 5) at Pasadena Playhouse.
Casting TBA.
After years of caring for their family’s crumbling estate, Vanya and his niece receive an unexpected visit from his brother-in-law and his alluring wife. When hidden passions and tumultuous frustrations come to a boil in the heat of the Russian summer, their lives threaten to come undone. Comic, cutting, and true to life, this translation provides an up-close, conversational-style encounter with a classic drama.
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CA’s La Mirada Theatre has announced its 2022-23 season. Creative teams and casting TBA.
Young Frankenstein (Sept. 16 – Oct. 9, opening Sept. 17), with original direction & choreography by Susan Stroman.
Amy Grant in concert (Oct. 14)
A Few Good Men (Oct. 28 – Nov. 20, opening Oct. 29), by Aaron Sorkin, directed by TBA.
Grease (Jan. 20 – Feb. 12, 2023, opening Jan. 21)
Lea Salonga in concert (Apr. 15)
The King and I (Apr. 21 – May 14, opening Apr. 22)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (June 2-25, opening June 3)
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Second Stage presents he world premiere of JC Lee’s To My Girls, to begin previews Mar. 15 and open Apr. 2 at the Tony Kiser Theater, directed by Stephen Brackett.
Bryan Batt, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Carman Lacivita, Noah J. Ricketts, and Britton Smith.
Is there anything more fabulous than Palm Springs after the end of the world? For one tight group of gay men, a post-pandemic getaway is the perfect chance to reunite, reclaim their time, and replace the gloom with some gossip. But as soon as the drinks start pouring, truths start spilling, and this chosen family quickly realizes the world has changed. So here to navigating evolving friendships and getting things straight. Kind of.