Today’s Highlights:
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert, featuring Jon Robyns (Jean Valjean), Bradley Jaden (Javert), Lucie Jones (Fantine), Shan Ako (Éponine), Harry Apps (Marius), Gerard Carey (Thénardier), Josefina Gabrielle (Madame Thénardier), Charlie Burn (Cosette) and Jamie Muscato (Enjolras), resumes live performances at London’s Sondheim Theatre.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, featuring Noah Thomas (Jamie New) Shane Richmond (Hugo/Loco), Melissa Jacques (Margaret), Sejal Keshwala (Ray), Hiba Elchikhe (Pritti Pasha), and Gillian Ford (Miss Hedge), resumes live performances at London’s Apollo Theatre.
The Sisters Rosensweig filmed production, by Wendy Wasserstein, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, featuring Kathryn Hahn (Gorgeous), Lisa Edelstein (Sara), Tracee Chimo Pallero (Pfeni), Jason Alexander, John Behlmann, Chris Perfetti, Kathryn Newton, and James Urbaniak, begins on-demand streaming at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
Brutal Imagination, a filmed reading production, by Cornelius Eady, directed by Joe Morton, featuring Joe Morton and Sally Murphy, begins streaming at Off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre.
The Vanishing Negative, Aaron Mark’s radio play, starring Betty Buckley, begins streaming on Audible.
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Virtual Hot Pink Evening benefit event, hosted by Elizabeth Hurley, with special guests Sir Elton John, Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka, Edie Falco, Gayle King, Sebastian Arcelus, Will Chase, Wilson Cruz, Edie Falco, Kathryn Gallagher, Mandy Gonzalez, Jenna Leigh Green, Carly Hughes, Orfeh & Andy Karl, Karlie Kloss, Laura Osnes, Adam Pascal, Paul Shaffer, Anthony Rapp, Krysta Rodriguez, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tracie Thoms, and more, streams at 6:45 PM ET here.
Miscast21 Benefit Gala, directed & music directed by Will Van Dyke, featuring Annaleigh Ashford, Idina Menzel, Patrick Wilson, Robin de Jesús, Renée Elise Goldsberry, LaChanze, Kelli O’Hara, Cheyenne Jackson, Billy Porter, Melissa barrera, Leslie Grace, Jai’Len Josey, and Kelly Marie Tran, concludes FREE streaming at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater.
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Video: Stars in the House, a Pageant Reunion, with special guests John Salvatore (Miss West Coast), Randl Ask (Miss Bible Belt), Joe Joyce (Miss Industrial Northeast), Dick Scanlan (Miss Great Plains), David Drake (Miss Deep South), Russell Garrett (Miss Texas), Jack Plotnick (Understudy), and Bobby Longbottom (Director/Choreographer). (1:59:23)
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NYC’s Drama Book Shop will re-open on June 10 at its new address, 266 W. 39th Street.
For the health and safety of guests, the book shop is operating at a limited capacity, and has implemented a timed-entry reservation system. Reservations are not required, but it is highly recommended to ensure entry to the store at a specific time here.
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The “Sex and the City” sequel, with 10 half-hour episodes, will stream on HBO Max (release date TBA).
Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, with Sara Ramirez joining the cast as Che Diaz (the show’s first non-binary character, a queer stand-up comedian). Kim Catrell will not rejoin the re-boot.
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Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre presents Emily Kaczmarek & Zoe Sarnak’s Afterwords, June 3-24, directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt, with music direction by Matt Perri.
Andi Alhadeff (Kali), Taylor Niemeyer (Simone), Amber Iman (Jo). Mari Nelson (Lydia), Brandon O’Neill (Jimmy), Saxton Jay Walker (Franklin), Kirsten deLohr Helland, and Danny Kam (Kali’s Voice).
Reeling from the sudden loss of their mother, sisters Kali and Simone are once again roommates in their childhood home. Burdened with mounting bills, they decide to rent out the attic, and into their lives walks Jo, a war reporter grieving her own deep loss. As the women get to know each other and struggle to reckon with the past, a complex mosaic of interesting lives reveals itself. A formally inventive exploration of family, grief, healing, and redemption. Afterwords is the story of three women bound by notes scribbled down on paper, and the art we make from the love that makes us.
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The world premiere of Charles Messina’s The Wanderer will run Mar. 24 – Apr. 24, 2022 at NJ’s Papermill Playhouse, directed by Kenneth Ferrone, with choreography by Sarah O’Gleby.
Michael Wartella (Dion DiMucci), Christy Altomare (Susana), and Joey McIntyre (Johnny), with more TBA.
Dion. One name set the standard of cool for a generation. But how does a kid from The Bronx make it to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? This is the incredible musical journey of a troubled young man turned teenage heartthrob (and ultimately, Rock n’ Roll icon), is told in intimate and no-holds-barred detail. Dion’s music helped define a generation of Rock n’ Rollers. His lifelong battle with addiction shed a stark light on the darker side of fame and success. The musical takes both subjects head on, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit, against all odds.
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Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep has announced its gala presentation, The Indomitable Irishry: An Online Celebration, to stream Mon. June 14 at 7:30 PM ET, directed by Charlotte Moore, with music direction by John Bell.
Bill Irwin, Mary Lou Quinlan, and Joe Quinlan.
Matthew Broderick, Gabriel Byrne, John Douglas Thompson, and Bill Whelan.
Len Cariou, Michael Cerveris, Kerry Conte, Melissa Errico, Jay Aubrey Jones, Donna Kane, Kylie Kuioka, Ciarán Sheehan, and Max von Essen.
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Video: Trailer for Tracey Scott Wilson’s “Respect,” the Aretha Franklin biopic, which will open in theaters on Aug. 16.
Jennifer Hudson (Aretha Franklin), Audra McDonald (Barbara Franklin), Forest Whitaker (C.L. Franklin), Saycon Sengbloh (Erma Franklin), Hailey Kilgore (Carolyn Franklin), and Brenda Nicole Moorer (Brenda Franklin), with Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Titus Burgess, Tate Donovan, Heather Headley, and Mary J. Blige.
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RIP: Charles Grodin passed away on May 18 from bone marrow cancer, at the age of 86.
Grodin appeared on Broadway three times: in Tchin-Tchin (1962), Absence of a Cello (1964), and Same Time Next Year (1975). He also directed the 1968 Broadway production of Thieves and the 1977 production of Unexpected Guests.
He was best know, however, for his onscreen roles in “Midnight Run,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” “Heaven Can Wait, and “Catch-22.”
Television appearances include “Saturday Night Live,” and “The Tonight Show,” during which he played an angry, confrontational character who refused to prepare for the shows.
Most recently, Grodin appeared in several episodes of “Louie” and in the miniseries “Madoff.”
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The St. Louis Muny has announced its 2021 Summer season (casting TBA):
Smokey Joe’s Cafe (July 26 – Aug. 1), directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, with choreography by Josh Walden, and music direction by Abdul Hamid Royal.
The Sound of Music (Aug. 3-9), directed by Matt Kunkel, with choreography by Beth Crandall, and music direction by Ben Whiteley.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Aug. 12-18), directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, with music direction by Valerie Geber.
On Your Feet! (Aug. 21-27), directed by Maggie Burrows, with choreography by Jon Rua, and music direction by Lon Hoyt.
Chicago (Aug. 30 – Sept. 5), directed & choreographed by Denis Jones, with music direction by Charlie Alterman.
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All episodes of the new series “The Bite” will premiere May 21 exclusively (and on demand) on Spectrum (and for FREE).
Audra McDonald, Taylor Schilling, and Steven Pasquale.
The dark comedy follows the lives of two neighbors, Rachel and Lily, as they navigate life in quarantine in New York City. While Rachel juggles her many telemedicine clients as well as a shaky, passionless marriage, Lily is upstairs trying to convince her Wall Street clientele that her very specific skillset is still just as valuable over video as it was in person. When an unexpected, deadly second wave of the virus arrives, we follow these two women as they face unprecedented times while sill juggling their careers, their love ones…and possibly…the end of the world?
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The world premiere of Stevie Holland, Gary William Friedman & Cole Porter’s Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter, will stream June 9-27 at Broadway On Demand.
Stevie Holland (as Linda Lee Thomas).
The story of Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who was the driving force behind legendary songwriter Cole Porter. Though Porter was gay, their companionship and love lasted through 35 years of marriage, and together they lived a spectacular, glamour-filled life.
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The Bryant Park concert series has announced is Summer schedule (which includes 25 live music, dance, and theater events):
June 9-12: New York Philharmonic
June 18: Pride in the Park, NY City Opera’s annual LGBTQ Pride Concert
June 25: Honoring NYC’s AAPI community
June 26: Mykal Kilgore in concert
July 2: NY City Opera’s Carmen
July 9: Toshi Reagon and her band BIGLovely
July 16: Spanish Harlem Orchestra (salsa and Latin jazz combo)
July 23: The Knights (NYC’s eclectic orchestral collective)
July 30: Adrienne Warren in concert
July 31: Greenwich House Music School present Ella Bric & Riley Mulherkar
Aug. 6: Terence Blanchard and his band The E-Collective
Aug. 12: Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball
Aug. 13 An evening honoring the teachings of Sun Ra.
Aug. 14: Camille Thurman & the Darrell Green Quintet – the music of Burt Bacharach
Aug. 15: Modern dance with Tiffany Rea-Fisher
Aug. 16: Limón Dance Company and Music from the Sole
Aug. 21 Modern dance with the Paul Taylor Dance Company & Elisa Monte Dance
Aug. 27: TBA
….. and more….
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A biopic about Cher is in the works, written by Eric Roth.
Timeline, casting, and additional information TBA.
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Dorothy Lyman’s We Have to Hurry will stream June 5 (8 PM ET) and June 6 (3 PM ET) on Broadway on Demand, directed by Patricia Vanstone.
Alfred Molina and one more TBA.
The play follows a pair of mature people forced to commune from across a balcony due to new isolation protocols. When Gil notes the secret love of his life, Margaret, growing increasingly frustrated with the situation, he takes action to make every moment left count.