Today’s Highlights:
The Notebook, by Bekah Brunstetter & Ingrid Michaelson, directed by Michael Greif, featuring Jordan Tyson (Younger Allie), Joy Woods (Middle Allie), Maryann Plunkett (Older Allie), John Cardoza (Younger Noah), Ryan Vasquez (Middle Noah), and Dorian Harewood (Older Noah), opens at Broadway’s Schoenfeld Theatre.
Primary Stages production of Charles Busch’s Ibsen’s Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy, directed by Carl Andress. featuring Charles Busch (Suzannah Ibsen), Thomas Gibson (Wolf), Jen Cody (Gerda), Christopher Borg (George Elstad/The Rat Wife), Judy Kaye (Magdalene Thoresen), and Jennifer Van Dyck (Hanna Solberg), with Kate Hampton, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59 E. 59 Theaters.
Escaped Alone, by Caryl Churchill, directed by directed by Liz Diamond, featuring LaTonya Borsay, Mary Lou Rosato, Sandra Shipley, and Rita Wolf, opens at Yale Rep.
Purpose, world premiere by Branden Jacob-Jenkins, directed by Phylicia Rashad, featuring Harry Lennix (Solomon “Sonny” Jasper), Tamara Tunie (Claudine Jasper), Alana Arenas (Morgan Jasper), Glenn Davis (Solomon “Junior” Jasper), Jon Michael Hill (Nazareth “Naz” Jasper), an Ayanna Bria Bakari (Angela Houston), begins previews at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, by Richard Hellesen, directed by Peter Ellenstein, starring John Rubinstein, closes at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre.
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Video: Moments from The Notebook Musical, which opens tonight on Broadway.
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Classic Theatre of Harlem will present its Harlem Renaissance Reborn event on Thurs. Mar. 21 at 7 PM at NYC’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam, at 112th St).
Carl Cofield, Melba’s Melba Wilson, Peter Francis James, David Levering Lewis, and Mark Harding. The panel will be moderated by Shondaland staff writer, Mia Brabham Nolan.
Featuring luminaries in history, Black arts, and Harlem culture, CTH is hosting a public panel discussion on the Harlem Renaissance, commemorating the centennial of a dinner hosted by Charles S. Johnson in 1924. This dinner marked the first time Harlem’s centrality to America’s extraordinary Black literary output of the day was recognized. Renaissance Reborn will feature live performances and a powerhouse panel discussing the legacy and future of the Harlem Renaissance with historians, local artists, and culinary leaders.
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The world premiere of Alexis Scheer’s Breaking the Story will begin previews May 15 and open June 4 at the Tony Kiser Theater, directed by Jo Bonney.
Geneva Carr, Julie Halston, Louis Ozawa, Gabrielle Policano, Matthew Saldivar, and Maggie Siff.
The musical centers on a foreign war correspondent named Marina. After returning from a particularly bloody conflict, she considers what a life of peace would look like, and what it would take to move forward from the trauma she has witnessed.
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Eleri Ward: Under Construction will take place Fri. Mar. 22 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s City Winery (25 11th Ave. at Pier 57).
A personal night of being present with where you are in a raw and fluid state.
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Macbeth, directed by Simon Godwin, will receive a series of film screenings beginning May 2, including select international territories. Click here for the schedule. In each city, performances are held at custom-built theatre spaces.
Ralph Fiennes (Macbeth) and Indira Varma (Lady Macbeth), Ben Allen (Ross), Ewan Black (Malcolm), Levi Brown (Angus), Jonathon Case (Seyton), Danielle Fiamanya (Second Witch), Keith Fleming (King Duncan/Siward), Michael Hodgson (Second Murderer), Lucy Mangan (First Witch), Jake Neads (First Murderer/Donalbain), Richard Pepper (Lennox), Steffan Rhodri (Banquo), Rose Riley (Menteith), Lola Shalam (Third Witch), Rebecca Scroggs (Lady Macduff/Doctor), Ethan Thomas (Fleance), and Ben Turner (Macduff).
Video: Trailer
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Darren Criss: A Concert for Long Wharf will take place Tues. May 14 at CT’s Long Wharf Theatre (link TBA).
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Tony Meneses’ A Thousand Maids will run Apr. 6-28 at NJ’s Two River Theater, directed by Aneesha Kudtarkar.
Deonna Bouye (Butterfly), Natalie Woolams-Torres (Cordelia), Kate Rigg (Vivian), and Maria Elna Ramiriz (Lupe).
Cordelia needs to design a maid’s costume, but she can’t stop thinking about The Help and Maid in Manhattan and Gone with the Wind, and more as she tries to find a way to show these women for who they really are.
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Video: Julie Benko performs “Luck Be A Lady” in Broadway Backwards.
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Lucy Prebble’s The Effect will continue through Mar. 31 at The Shed, directed by Jamie Lloyd.
Paapa Essiedu (Tristan), Taylor Russell) (Connie), Michele Austin (Dr. Lorna James) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Dr. Toby Sealey).
What impulses define who we really are? As Connie and Tristan settle into their participation in a clinical drug trial, they begin to fall in love. But how can they be sure it’s the real thing and not an exhilarating side effect of the new antidepressant they’re taking? The supervising doctors begin to ask themselves questions too: where do they draw the line between love and ethics?
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A UK tour of Ghost the Musical will begin in August, directed by Bob Tomson, with choreography by Alistair David.
Click here for tour dates.
Casting TBA.
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Roundabout Theatre will present Kristin: An Evening With Friends for Todd benefit concert, in celebration of Todd Haimes, which will take place Mon. Apr. 15 at 7:30 PM at Broadway’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre, directed & choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
Laura Benanti, Victoria Clark, Peter Gallagher, Jane Krakowski, Debra Monk, Kelli O’Hara, Vanessa Williams, with Philip Attmore, Rick Faugno, Drew King, and Richard Riaz Yoder.
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The Broadway Backwards benefit concert raised a record-breaking $917,651 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS … and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City.
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Virginia Stage Company has announced its 2024 – 25 season:
Arsenic and Old Lace (Sept. 4-22)
Dracula (Oct. 16 – Nov. 3), adapted by Kate Hamill
A Sherlock Carol (Dec. 4-29), by Mark Shanahan
A Christmas Carol (Dec. 8-23), by Mark Shanahan
Fat Ham (Jan. 29 – Feb. 16, 2025), by James iJames
Little Shop of Horrors (Mar. 12-30)
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Macbeth, directed bySimon Godwin, starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma, will receive a series of film screenings later this year.
Dates and theaters TBA.
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Joseph Robinette, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul’s A Christmas Story will run Nov. 1 – Dec. 29 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Hunter Foster, with music direction by Adam Souza, and choreography by TBA.
Casting and additional information TBA.
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Video: Music video from Broadway’s The Great Gatsby, starring Jeremy Gordan and Eva Noblezada.