GRACE NOTES: Thursday, May 8, 2025

 

Today’s Highlights:

  Sierra Boggess in concert opens at NYC’s 54 Below.

  Those Who Remained, world premiere written & performed by Sophia Gutchinov, directed by Rani O’Brien, opens at Off-Broadway’s La MaMa.

  Lyrics & Lyricists: James Nicola on how Jonathan Larson’s Rent changed Broadway concert, with special guests Julian Hornik, Michael R. Jackson, Anna K. Jacobs, Daniel and Patrick Lazour, Zoe Sarnak & Shaina Taub, featuring Adam Kantor, L Morgan Lee, DeMone Seraphin, Rotana Tarazbouni, and Keaton Whittaker, opens at NYC’s 92NY. Also May 31.

  The Light in the Piazza, directed by Loretta Greco, featuring Emily Skinner (Margaret Johnson), Sarah-Anne Martinez (Clara Johnson), Joshua Grosso (Fabrizio Naccarelli), William Michals (Signor Naccarelli), Rebecca Pitcher (Signora Naccarelli), Alexander Ross (Giuseppe Naccarelli), Rebekah Rae Robles (Franca Naccarelli), and Rob Richardson (Roy Johnson, with Kate Fitzgerald, Russell Garrett, Daniel A. Lopez, Sherée Marcelle, Morgan Mastrangelo, Sarah Oakes Muirhead, Nick Sulfaro, David Rosenthal,Tamara Ryan, Yuma Feldman, Millie Grace Gibson, Elsa Hancock-Happ, Mary Niederkorn, and Odin Veg, begins previews at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.

  An Evening with Alex Newell concert, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92Y.

  Ann Kittredge: When in Love concert, at 7 PM at NYC’s Chelsea Table & Stage.

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 Little Woman Ballet will run June 21 – 22 at the Pasadena Playhouse, directed and choreographed by Emma Andres.

  TBA.

  A series of dance works about the classic tale Little Women — with the culmination being a full-length ballet. This work is a tribute to Louisa May Alcott and other female authors and artists and launches a movement toward more ballets surrounding women and their stories. As a female choreographer, director, and teacher, Andres, who is just 26 years old, believes it is crucial that young artists see stories that are uplifting, inspiring, and, most of all, center around characters they can relate to and admire.

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 Ken Davenport & AnnMarie Milazzo’s Joy: A New True Musical will run June 21 –  Aug. 17 (opening July 20) at the Laura Pels Theatre, directed by Lorin Latarro ,with choreography by Joshua Bergasse.

  Betsy Wolfe (Joy Mangano), Jill Abramovitz (Toots), Honor Blue Savage (Christie), Adam Grupper (Rudy), Mauricio Marïtnez (Tony), Paul Whitty (Coboy Eddie), Charl Brown (Dan), Babriele Carrillo (Ronni), and Jaygee Macapugay (Lorraine), with Dana Costello, Ryan Duncan, Gaelen Gilliland, Sydni Moon, Manuel Santos, Brian Shepard, Allysa Shorte, Lael Van Keuren, and Alan Wiggins. Swings for this production are Briana Brooks, Nora Mae Dixon, Michał Kołaczkowski, and Jerome Vivona.

  The life of trailblazing businesswoman and inventor, Joy Mangan.

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  LA’s  Blank Theatre has announced the winners for it’s 33rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival.

  Click the link above.

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  LA’s Center Theatre Group has announced its 2025-26 season:

 Life of Pi (continues through June 1) at the Ahmanson Theatre.

  44 (continues through June 22 at the Ahmanson Theatre), written & directed by by Eli Bauman.     Barack Obama’s election changed history. And as we can clearly see, it also ended racism forever! But 44 is the story of Obama you won’t read about in history books…because history books are now banned in most states. But also because 44 is the story of Obama as Joe Biden kinda sorta remembers it…as a musical.

  Hamlet (May 28 – July 6 at the Mark Taper Forum).

  Parade (June 17 – July 12 at the Ahmanson Theatre).  Details TBA.

  Like It Like Harlem (Aug. 8-10 at the Mark Taper Forum)

  Puppet Up! Uncensored (July 16 – 27 at the Kirk Douglas)

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  David Dean Botrell:Teenage Waistland will run May 22-23 (both at 8 PM) at CA’s Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks.

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  LaByrinth Theater Company‘s Celebrity Charades 2025 benefit will take place Mon. May 19 at NYC’s Edison Ballroom.

 Chris Rock, Kristen Wiig, Julia Roberts, Robin Williams, Billy Crudup, Edie Falco, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Cynthia Rowley, Julianna Margulies, Chris Rock, Kristen Wiig, Julia Roberts, Robin Williams, Billy Crudup, Edie Falco, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Cynthia Rowley, Julianna Margulies, and many more.

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  Theatre World Awards 2025 winners:

Click here for the complete list.

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  From a Yardie to a Yankee, written & performed by Sardia Robinson will take place Sat. May 17 at 8 PM at LA’s Theater West.

  My grandmother always said that we are here to be of service, and that wisdom has staed with me throughout my life. Whenever I see people in crisis, in any way that I can help, I always jump as the oppoertunity. Being of service is what we are here to do, and to me, it always feels better to give than to receive.

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   Maltby & Shire’s About Time will run May 24 – June 15 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Richard Maltby, with choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, and music direction by Deniz Cordell.

  DArius de Haas, Shinnerrie Jackson, Daniel Jenkins, Eddie Korbich, Issy Van Randwyck, and Lynne Wintersteller.

  From long-ago love affairs and ambitions of the past to tech-savvy grandkids and lost keys, this funny and touching revue features all new songs about people navigating the joys and challenges of growing older while staying young in spirit.

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  The world premiere of Maria S. Schlatter’s Dolly: An Original Musical has been extended through Aug. 31 at Nashville’s Belmont University, directed by Bartlett Sher.

 Katie Rose Clarke, Carrie St. Louis, and Quinn Titcomb (each playing the Dolly at different stages of her life.

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  An Evening with Sandy Duncan , an on-stage interview, will take place Tues. May 13 at 7:15 PM at NYC’s Laurie Beechman Theatre, hosted by Michael Portantiere.

The event will be livestreamed and made available as a Video on Demand.

 

 


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