Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be limited theatre news for the foreseeable future. I will continue to search for anything meaningful and/or fun to report. Stay safe and healthy.
Today’s Highlights:
* London’s National Theatre‘s Barbershop Chronicles (2018), by Inua Ellams, directed by Bijan Sheibani, featuring Fisayo Akinade, Hammed Animashaun, Cyril Nri and Sule Rimi, livestreamed at 6 AM ET/3 AM PT. Available for 7 days.
* In-Zoom (10-minute play), world premiere by Bill Irwin, starring Irwin & Christopher Fitzgerald, FREE livestream at 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT here.
* Significant Other livestreamed reading, by Joshua Harmon, directed by Trip Cullman, featuring Gideon Glick, John Behlman, Sas Goldberg, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Lindsay Mendez, Luke Smith, and Barbara Barrie, at 8 PM ET here.
* 92Y‘s Under Milk Wood 2014 reading, by Dylan Thomas, directed by Michael Sheen, featuring Michael Sheen, Kate Burton, Karl Johnson, Mark Lewis Jones, Francine Morgan, and Matthew Aubrey, 8 AM ET. Available through June 18.
* The Blank Theatre‘s Nixon on Nixon reading, by Sean Waldron, directed by Bree Pavey, starring Rob Nagle (Richard Nixon), FREE livestream at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET (also May 21).
* Andy Karl & Orfeh: Legally Bound FREE livestream concert, at 6:30 PM ET here.
* “Musical Theatre Audition MasterClass,” with instructors Debbie Gravitte & Michael Orland, special guests Stephen Schwartz, Ginna Claire Mason, and Lindsay Pearce, and singers Helen Smith, Olivia Nguyen, Carson C Been, Claire Lundin, and Maya Delgado, at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on Zoom (ID: 663 981-0058, no password required).
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Video: Broadway League’s Charlotte St. Martin explains the next steps for Broadway, the future of the Tony Awards, and more. (25:41)
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The world premiere of Lynn Nottage’s MJ will now begin previews Mar. 8, 2021 and open Apr. 15 at the Neil Simon Theatre, directed & choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.
Ephraim Sykes (Michael Jackson), and more TBA.
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Video: “Plays in the House,” a reading of Charles Busch’s The Confessions of Lily Dare, directed by Carl Andress, featuring Nancy Anderson, Christopher Borg, Charles Busch, Howard McGillin, Kendal Sparks, Jennifer Van Dyck. (2:02:06)
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Video: “Stars in the House,” with special guests Jennifer Simard and Yeardley Smith. (1:10:26)
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Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center has announced its 2019-20 & 2020-21 seasons updates:
* Les Misérables national tour (Oct. 6-18, 2020) — cancelled.
* The Lion King national tour (Sept. 2-27, 2020) — cancelled.
* The Band’s Visit national tour, now rescheduled to Apr. 13-25, 2021
* Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (originally scheduled for Jan. 12-17, 2021), cancelled, but will reschedule at some point.
* The Cher Show national tour (originally scheduled for April 13 -25, 2021), cancelled, but will reschedule at some point.
* Ain’t Too Proud national tour (originally scheduled for Nov. 17-29) will now run Sept. 14-26, 2021.
2020-21 season:
* Come From Away (Jan. 26-31)
* My Fair Lady (Feb. 16-28)
* Jesus Christ Superstar (Mar. 23-28)
* Frozen (May 12-29)
* Pretty Woman (July 13-25)
* To Kill a Mockingbird (Aug. 10-22)
* Ain’t Too Proud (Sept. 14-26)
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Lynne Nottage’s MJ, the new musical inspired by the life of Michael Jackson, will now begin previews Mar. 8, 2021, with an opening set for Apr. 15 at the Neil Simon Theatre, directed & choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.
Ephraim Sykes (Michael Jackson), and more TBA.
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Video: “You Will Be Found,” with Jeb Havens, Matt Zarley, and Julie Garnye.
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Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill will present “You Live, You Learn: A Night with Alanis Morissette,” in support of The Actors Fund, on Tues. May 19 at 8 PM ET here,
The Broadway cast.
In addition to the concert, the event will also feature conversations with Diablo Cody, Dianne Paulus, Sidi Larbe Cherkaoui, Tom Kitt, and Alanis Morisette.
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Video: Josh Gad sings Olaf’s new song, “I Am With You”
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Mark Dooley’s musical theatre superfan documentary, “Repeat Attenders” will be released on Vimeo on May 16. 
here.
Video: Trailer
The film delves into the psychology of the most extreme Broadway superfans, revealing the complexities of of their devotion. Filmed over a 6-year period on Broadway, in London’s West End, and in Germany and Australia.
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The Hollywood Bowl has cancelled its 2020 Summer season for the first time in 98 years.
Click here for some information and behind-the-scenes videos.
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“Plays in the House” presents a livestream reading of Shaw’s Candida , in support of The Actors Fund, on Wed. May 20 at 2 PM ET here, adapted & directed by David Staller.
Andréa Burns, Santino Fontana, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Jay O. Sanders, and Michael Benjamin Washington.
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Video: “Defying Quarantine,” with Dee Roscioli, Annaleigh Ashford and Colin Hanlon,
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A reading of Willi Richard’s Rush, directed by Joseph Winters, will take place on a date TBA, with instructions on how to stream the event. The play had been scheduled to open this summer in London.
Rupert Everett, Omari Douglas and Daniel Boyd.
A provocative comedy of modern manners.
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Video: Laura Michelle Kelly, “I Enjoy Being a Girl”
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Video (scroll down): The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues — Special Edition: Covid and Incarceration:
* The Declaration of Anthony Swain, by Hilary Bettis, with Jelani Alladin
* Freedom, by Jordan E. Cooper, with Desean Terry
* From Kaya, by Roger Q. Mason, with L. Morgan Lee
* Elder’s Sun, by Lemon Anderson, with Ato Blankson-Wood
* Canvas, by Stevie Walker-Webb, with John Clarence Stewart
* It Ain’t Right, by DeRay McKesson, with Peter Jay Fernandez
* Come se dice, Break Legs?, by Tony Meneses, with Alex Hernandez
* June, by Lynn Nottage, with Rebecca Noami Jones
* Loving Through Barbed Wire, by Liza Jessie Peterson, with Pascale Armand
* Las Llamadas, by Michael John Garcés, with Maggie Bofill
* It Could Be You, by Emily Mann, with Madeline Brewer
* Nia’s Wings or It’s All Good Baby Baby, by NSangou Njikam, with Aia Naomi King
* The Navigator, by Jessica Blank & Erik Jensen, with Deirdre O’Connell
* A Father’s Sorrow, by Shaka Senghor, with André De Shields
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Article: LA Times (Charles McNulty): “Could digital theatre destroy live theater?”
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Video: Christine Baranski (on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert) chats about how she, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep came to sing “Ladies Who Lunch” on the Sondheim 90th birthday special. (10:27)
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Video: Off-Broadway’s Public Theater has released a streamed recording of Richard Nelson’s What Do We Need to Talk About? Conversations on Zoom, which is now available through June 28. (1:09:37)
Jon DeVries, Stephen Kunken, Sally Murphy, Maryann Plunkett, Laila Robins, and Jay O. Sanders.
Author/director Richard Nelson explains: “I last wrote about The Apples in 2014. Recently, I began to think about what they would be going through today, in my hometown, Rhinebeck; thought about how close they live to each other, only a street or two apart. How they, like us, are now separated, isolated from each other. And how they, like us, would find ways to come together.”
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The 3rd and 4th “Memorial for Us All” broadcasts will take place May 17 & 24 at 6 PM ET here.
The series offers unity, comfort, and healing through music.
Anyone who has lost a loved one during the pandemic is invited to submit the name of a friend or family member to be honored here.
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Video: Cyntha Erivo, “The Miller’s Son” from A Little Night Music