Today’s Highlights:
* “Broadway Barks Across America,“ star-studded dog & cat FREE online adoption event, in support of BC/EFA, hosted by Bernadette Peters, and featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Betty Buckley, Danny Burstein, Kristin Chenowith, Victoria Clark, Alan Cumming, Ted Danson, Ariana DeBose, Raúl Esparza, Gloria Estefan, Sutton Foster, Victor Garber, Whoopie Goldberg, Jeff Goldblum, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Joel Grey, Josh Groban, Jake Gyllenhaal, Julie Halston, Jon Hamm, Emmylou Harris, Sean Hayes, Hugh Jackman, Nathan Lane, Laura Linney, Rebecca Luker, Audra McDonald, Malcom McDowell, Laurie Metcalf, Bette Midler, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Rita Moreno, Bebe Neuwirth, Alex Newell, Mandy Patinkin, Randy Rainbow, Andrew Rannells, John Stamos, Mary Steenburgen, Will Swenson, Michael Urie, Nia Vardalos, Adrienne Warren, and Vanessa Williams, streamed at 7:30 PM ET here.
* Amadeus, (2016 production at London’s National Theatre), directed by Michael Longhurst, featuring Lucian Msamati (Salieri) and Adam Gillen (Mozart), Karla Crome (Constanze Weber, later Mozart), Sarah Amankwah & Hammed Animashaun (Venticelli), Tom Edden as Joseph II, Alexandra Mathie as Count Johann Kilian Von Strack, Hugh Sachs (Count Franz Orsini-Rosenberg), Geoffrey Beevers (Baron Gottfried Van Swieten), Fleur de Bray (Katherina Cavalieri), Wendy Dawn Thompson (Teresa Salieri), Peter Willcock (Salieri’s Cook), Eamonn Mulhall (Salieri’s Valet), Andrew Macbean (Kapellmeister Bonno), and Everal A Walsh (Major-Domo), streamed at 2 PM ET here (and available through July 23).
* The New Group‘s The True online benefit reading, by Sharr White, directed by Scott Elliott, featuring Edie Falco, Michael McKean, Peter Scolari, Austin Cauldwell, Glenn Fitzgerald, John Pankow, and Tracy Shayne, streamed at 7 PM ET.
* MCC Theater‘s Good as New online reading, written & directed by Peter Hedges, featuring Julianne Moore and Kaitlyn Dever, streamed at 7 PM ET.
* Michael Lavine’s Moment Matinee Presents Songs of the Decade: The Roaring Twenties (Part 1 of 3) webinar, featuring Rebecca Luker and Laura Osnes, at 3 PM ET here.
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Video: “Stars in the House,” with a “30 Rock” reunion, featuring Tina Fey, Scott Adsit, Jane Krakowski, Maulik Pancholy, Keith Powell and Jeff Richmond. (1:10:16)
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DC’s Arena Stage has announced its 2021 season:
* Celia and Fidel (Jan. 22 – Mar. 7), by Eduardo Machado and directed by Molly Smith. 
The story follows Fidel Castro’s rise to power, his political partner and closest confidant, Celia Sánchez, who inspired a revolution, and their fight over the children of the revolution, and the future of a nation.
* Seven Guitars (Apr. 23 – May 23), directed by Tazewell Thompson.
* Toni Stone (Mar. 11 – Apr. 25), by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by and director Pam MacKinnon. Based on the real-life woman who became the first female athlete to play professional baseball in the Negro Leagues.
* American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words (May 28 – June 3) world premiere by Charles Randolph-Wright & Marcus Hummun.
* Life After (Aug. 13 – Sept. 6), by Britta Johnson, directed by Annie Tippe. The piece explores the messiness of loss and the complexities of love, when a young girl unravels the secrets of her recently deceased father.
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Piano Bar Live!, with guest host Michael Orland, will stream on Tues. July 21 at 7:15 PM ET here.
Ashley Argota, Dan Bauer, The Bleam Sisters, Hadiza Dockery, Robin Lyon, Julie Sheppard, Nancy Timpanaro, and Peter Vogt.
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Video: The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues, with the Arizona Theatre Company (scroll down a little).
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Podcast: Ruthie Fierberg has launched the new podcast “Why We Theater.” with new episodes released every Thursday for a limited season.
An intersection of theatre and social justice, Why We Theater” digs into today’s most thought-provoking and urgent onstage works with the artists who made them and real-world experts who advise us on how we can create impactful change in our offstage lives. “I like to think of ‘theatre’ not just as a place or a presentation but as an action,” Fierberg says. “‘To theater’ is to engage with art presented onstage. The curtain call of a play or musical is not the end of the experience; it’s the beginning.”
Each episode begins with a one-on-one discussion between Fierberg and the artist behind the theatrical piece at hand and then opens up to include real-world experts in that field to offer advice and steps to help us all take actions (re-wire a thought pattern, sign a petition, donate to a related charity, volunteer for a related organization, etc.) and manifest progress.
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The world premiere of Dave Harris’ Tambo & Bones will run during the Kirk Douglas Theatre‘s 2020-21 season (link and dates TBA), directed by Taylor Reynolds.
Casting TBA.
Two characters are trapped in a minstrel show. It’s mad hard to feel like a real person when you’re trapped in a minstrel show. Their escape plan: get out, get bank, get even. A rags-riches hip-hop triptych.
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Video: “You’ve Gotta Have Heart” from the “Damn Yankees” film.
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Broadway Bares Zoom, in support of BC/EFA, will stream Sat. Aug. 1 at 9:30 PM ET here.
Although the in-person 30th anniversary celebration, originally set for June 21, was postponed until 2021, the annual evening will live on digitally through streamed stripteases featuring New York City dancers. Viewers can expect new performances that make social distancing sexy, plus favorite numbers from years past and new appearances by special celebrity guests to be announced.
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Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, the first London theatre to welcome back audiences, will present Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert Aug. 14 – Sept. 27. Director and Music Director have not been announced.
Bob Beckett, Gabby Best, Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Kerry Godliman, Russell Kane, Olga Koch, Judi Love, Suzi Ruffell, Sindhu Vee, and Mischief Theatre, and many more (a total of 70 performers).
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Bucks County Playhouse presents its next “Playhousse Live!” on Sun. July 9 at 7 PM ET.
Choreographer Lorin Latarro interviews Rob McClure (Mrs. Doubtfire), Elaine Hendrix, Maximillian Sangerman, Kevin Cahoon, Nicole Rosales.
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A modern-day reboot of “Fletch” is in the works, with Jon Hamm set to star as the quick-witted investigative reporter character originally played by Chevy Chase in 1985’s “Fletch” and its sequel “Fletch Lives.” Casting, timeline, and release date TBA.
Based on the second book in Gregory McDonald series, “Confess Fletch.” In a mysterious chain of events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
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LA’s Pacific Resident Theatre presents a conversation with playwright Christopher Hampton on Sun. July 26 at 4 PM PT, and will discuss why he chooses the subjects he writes about, his passion for his work, and his current projects.
Hampton’s plays include:
* Les Liaisons Dangereuses (both the play and film adaptations)
* Sunset Boulevard (stage adaptation)
* When Did You Last See My Mother?
* The Philanthropist
* Tales From Hollywood
* Savages
* White Chameleon
* The Talking Cure
* Appomattox
* All About Eve
* “Total Eclipse” (film screenplay)
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Video: “Side by Side/ What Would We Do,” from the 1993 production of Company at Long Beach CLO, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Patrick Cassidy, Carol Burnett, Jennifer Allen, Dean Butler, Veanne Cox, Karen Culliver, Matt Landers, Jan Pessano, Wanda Richert, Christina Saffran, John Shull, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Lenny Wolpe, and Robert Yacko.
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Subscribe to Liz Callaway’s YouTube channel here. She has the most amazing song selections and interpretations.
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Hollywood’s Blank Theatre presents its next Young Playwrights Festival, to run Aug. 8 – Sept. 19 online, then transfer to the the Blank’s 3rd Stage on Patreon.
This year’s festival will be produced under SAG/Aftra’s Short Project Agreement. All work will be performed and recorded remotely, with all cast and crew working safely from home.
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The recently announced UK tour of the SIX socially distanced drive-in concerts have been cancelled, due to new corona hot spots arising around the UK.