Today’s Highlights:
The Kite Runner, adapted by Matthew Spangler, directed by Giles Croft, featuring Amir Arison (Amir), Faran Tahir (Baba), Danish Farooqui (Wali/Doctor), Azita Ghanizada (Soraya), Joe Joeseph (Merchant/Russian Soldier), Dariush Kashani (Rahim Kahan), Beejan Land (Kanmal/Zaman), Amir Malaklou (Assef), Eric Sirakian (Hassan/Sohrab), Houshang Touzie (General Taheri), and Evan Zes (Ali/Farid), with Christine Mirzayan and Salar Nader, opens at Broadway’s Hayes Theatre.
King Liz, by Fernanda Coppel, directed by Jesca Prudencio, featuring Sabrina Sloan (Liz Rico), Evan Morris Reiser (Freddie Luna), Ray Abruzzo (Mr. Candy), Oscar Best (Coach Jones), Nancy Linari (Barbara Flowers), and Michelle Ortiz (Gabby Fuentes), opens at LA’s Geffen Playhouse.
“The Last Movie Stars,” a 6-part documentary that chronicles Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward‘s careers and marriage, debuts on HBO Max.
The Butcher Boy, adapted by Asher Muldoon, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly, featuring Nicholas Barasch (Francie Brady), Joe Cassidy (Alo/William), Kerry Conte (Mary/Mary/Mary), Andrea Lynn Green (Ma), Daniel Marconi (Phillip Nugent), Michele Ragusa (Mrs. Nugent/Kathleen), Scott Stangland (Da), with Teddie Trice (Pig 1), Carey Rebecca Brown Pig 2), Polly McKie (Pig 3), and David Baida (Pig 4), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.
Pay the Writer industry reading, by Tawni O’Dell, directed by Sheldon Epps, featuring Keith David, Bryan Batt, Marcia Cross, Kyle Scatliffe, Miles G. Jackson, Shireen Crutchfield, and Stephen Payne, today in NYC (email PaytheWrighterrsvp@gmail.com for information).
Conflict (2018 production), by Miles Malleson, directed by Jenn Thompson, featuring Jeremy Beck, Henry Clarke, Graeme Malcolm, James Prendergast, Jesse Shelton, Jasmin Walker, and Amelia White, concludes FREE streaming at Off-Broadway’s Mint Theatre.
Lady Hamlet, by Sara Schulman, directed by David Drake, featuring Jennifer Van Dyck, Kate Levy, John Shuman, Anne Stott, Laura Scribner, and Brandon Cordeiro, closes at MA’s Provincetown Theatre.
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Video: Betsy Wolfe and Stark Sands prepare to bring & Juliet to Broadway. (30:15)
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Sarah Ruhl’s Becky Nurse of Salem will begin previews Oct. 27 and open Nov. 21 at Lincoln Center‘s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, directed by Rebecca Taichman.
Tina Benko, Candy Buckley, Alicia Crowder, Deirdre O’Connell, Thomas Jay Ryan Sanchez, and Bernard White.
A dark contemporary comedy that follows Becky, a modern-day descendent of accused witch Rebecca Nurse in Salem. Becky, who works at the local witch museum, seems to be dogged by bad luck. Is it a curse from her past? Or her inability to navigate her present? Looking for love and redemption through spells, pills, and a bartender named Bob, Becky is a contemporary pilgrim for the Lock Her Up era. A play about the legacy of misogyny, witchcraft, and even Arthur Miller, Becky Nurse is a truth-teller for our times.
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Boston’s Lyric Stage Company has announced its 2022-23 season:
Fabulation or, The Re-education of Undine (Sept. 16 – Oct. 9) by Lynn Nottage, directed by Dawn M. Simmons.
The Play That Goes Wrong (Nov. 11 – Dec. 4), by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, directed by Fred Sullivan Jr.
Preludes (Jan. 6-29, 2023), by Dave Malloy, directed by Courtney O’Connor and music direction by Dan Rodriguez
The Great Leap (Feb. 24 – Mar. 19), by Lauren Lee, directed by Michael Hisamoto.
Sister Act (Apr. 7-30), directed by Leigh Barrett.
Rooted (June 2-25), by Deborah Zoe Laufer, directed by Courtney O’Connor.
When you find yourself up a tree, something is bound to take root.
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The world premiere of Ed. Weinberger’s Two Jews, Talking will begin previews Aug. 20 and open Aug. 28 at Theatre at St. Clements, directed by Dan Wackerman.
Hal Linden and Bernie Kopell
A hilarious romp through time! Two one-act plays bring Lou and Bud together in the Biblical past, and Phil and Marty together in contemporary Long Island. They philosophize about women, sex, food, the divine, and destiny in this tale of companionship and friendship.
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Romeo and Juliet continues through Sept. 18 at NY’s Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch.
Nance Williamson (Juliet) and Kurt Rhoads (Romeo), with Kimberly Chatterjee, Kayla Coleman, Erin Despanie, Zachary Fine, Zoë Goslin, Merritt Janson, Lauren Karaman, Sean McNall, Emily Ota, Will Ormsby Cary, Luis Quintero, Britney Nicole Simpson, Destini Stewart, and roman Alex Trevino.
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The Group Rep presents its New Works Summer Festival July 26 – Sept. 7, all at 8 PM PT, at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre. Admission is FREE – first come, first served.
Steel Birds (July 26-27), written & directed by Anastasia Rutkowski. An adaptation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, set in Oahu on the Brink of America entering the Second World War.
Surviving Frank Lloyd Wright: The Tumultuous Creation of Hollyhock House (Aug. 7-8), written & directed by Tom Lazarus. Oil heiress Aline Barnsdall risks everything and hires the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright to design and build Hollyhock House.
1838 (Aug. 14-15), by Tamir Yardenne, directed by Cathy Tomlin. A death, attempted murder, and mental fragility all come to a head one night while two television stars battle to save their careers before it’s too late.
Love or Best Offer (Aug. 16-17), written & directed by Phil Olson. A romantic comedy about the trials and tribulations of online dating in the “over 50” generation.
Auto-Sext (Aug. 23-24), by Suzy London, directed by Jules Aaron. What mis-communication could possibly occur when one tries to convey medical terminology and relationship terminology while texting?
The Trials of John Rock (Aug. 28-29), by Stevie Stern, directed by Tom Lazarus. Based on real life events. In the 50s, a devout Catholic OB/GYN doctor discovers he can help his patients best by the practice of family planning which brings the wrath of Church upon him.
Mourning Song (Aug. 30-31), written & directed by Brent Beerman. Musical Epilepsy caused by a stroke uncovers a voice from Bridgette Newsome’s (an Irish orphan) forgotten past.
The Altruist: a play with songs and a lot of heart, lungs, and kidneys (Sept. 6-7), by Bill Fitzhugh, directed by Kathleen Delaney. A dying man wants to donate his organs to save the lives of eight others…but he’s alive and it’s not allowed. Could this have the makings of a Broadway musical?
Todd Andrew Ball, Van Boudreaux, Peter Henry Bussian, Paul Cady, Julie Davis, Julie Davis, Bert Emmett, Michael Gabiano, Sheena Georges, Pascale Gigon, Tessa Grace, Lee Grober, Doug Haverty, Linnea Ingesson, Kat Kemmet, Maria Kress, James Lemire, Melissa Lugo, Hisato Masuyama, Beccy Quinn, Hersha Parady, Anica Petrovic, Kirstina Reyes, Michael robb, Michelle Schultz, Mark Stancato, Neil Thompson, Troy Whitaker, and Tamir Yardenne.
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Audio: Beth Malone performs “I Ain’t Down Yet” from The Unsinkable Molly Brown studio cast recording (scroll down)
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The world premiere of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn & Jessica Swan’s SUGAR HILL The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker will run Oct. 19-20 at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center (link TBA), followed by a run Nov. 15-27 at New York City Center (link TBA), directed by Joshua Bergasse, with choreography by Jade Hale-Christofi.
TBA
A jazz-steeped retelling of the classic holiday story, the ballet celebrates the music and magic of the jazz heartbeat of Harlem in Sugar Hill. A tribute to the joy of collaboration, the beauty of diversity, and the power of individuality.
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The Huntington presents Enda Walsh & Gary Clark’s Sing Street, to run Aug. 26 – Oct. 2 at Boston’s Calderwood Pavilion, directed by Rebecca Taichman, with choreography by Sonya Tayeh.
Adam Bregman (Conor Lawlor), Courtnee Carter (Raphina), Billy Carter (Robert Lawlor), Jack DiFalco (Barry Bray), Dónal Finn (Brendan Lawlor), Anthony Genovesi (Declan), Michael Lepore (Gary), Diego Lucano (Darren Mulvey), Elijah Lyons (Larry), Alexa Xioufaridou Moster (Anne Lawlor), Anne L. Nathan (Sandra), Gian Perez (Kevin), Dee Roscioli (Penny Lawlor), Armand Schultz (Brother Baxter), and Ben Wang (Eamon), with Gable Kinsman, Ale Philippides, and Virginia Vogel.
Set in Dublin, 1982, everyone is out of work. Thousands are seeking bluer skies across the Irish Sea. Eighteen-year-old Conor and his schoolmates find an escape from their troubles by forming a band to impress Raphina, a mysterious girl who catches Conor’s eye.