Today’s Highlights:
Spamalot, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring Taran Killam (Lancelot), Alex Brightman (Lancelot as of Jan. 9, 2024) Christopher Fitzgerald (Patsy), James Monroe Iglehart (King Karthur), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (The Lade of the Lake), Ethan Slater (The Historian/Prince Herbert), Jimmy Smagula (Sir Bedevere), Michael Urie (Sir Robin, and Nik Walker (Sir Galahad), with David Josefsberg, Graham Stevens, Daniel Beeman, Maria Briggs, Gabriella Enriquez, Michael Fatica, Denis Lambert, Shina Ann Morris, Kaylee Olson, Kristin Piro, Drew Redington, Tyler Roberts, Anju Cloud, Darrell T. Joe, Lily Kaufmann, and Charlie Sutton, opens at Broadway’s St. James Theatre.
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, by Jim Henson, Paul Williams & Timothy Allen McDonald, directed & choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, featuring Andy Mientus (Emmet Otter), Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone (Ma), Jordan Brownlee (Doc Bullfrog), Nick Cearley (Charlie Muskrat), Kevin Covert (Mayor Fox), Matthew Furtado (Stan Weasel), Sharriese Hamilton (Mrs. Mink), Steven Huynh (Wendell Porcupine), Ben Mathew (Harvey Beaver), Anney Ozar (Old Lady Possum), Emily Rohm (Gretchen Fox), James Silson (Fred Lizard / Jiffy Squirrel, Sawyer Smith (Madame Squirrel), and David Stephens (Yancy Woodchuck), with Adam Fane and Leah Morrow, opens at Chicago’s Studebaker Theater.
Hershey Felder’s Monsieur Chopin, directed by Joel Zwick, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Manahatta, by Mary Kathryn Nagle, directed by Laurie Woolery, featuring Rainbow Dickerson, Elizabeth Frances, David Kelly, Jeffrey King, Enrico Nassi, Jessica Ranville, Joe Tapper, Sheila Tousey, and Rex Young, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Public Theater.
The House of Bernarda Alba, adapted by Alice Birch, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, featuring Harriet Walter (Bernarda Alba), Isis Hainsworth (Adela), Rosalind Eleazar (Angustias), and Thusitha Jayasundera (Poncia), Lizzie Annis ( Martirio), Pearl Chanda (Magdalena), Bryony Hannah (Maid), Marcia Lecky (Prudencia), Eileen Nicholas (Maria Josefa), and Eliot Salt (Ameila), with Esma Akar, Livia Court, Sicily Rose De Bernardini, Catharine Humphrys, Asha Kingsley, Celia Nelson, Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart, Georgia Silver, Imogen Mackie Walker, Charlotte Workman, James McHugh, and Michael Naylor, begins previews at London’s Lyttelton Theatre.
This Is Our Youth benefit reading, by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by Mark Brokaw, featuring Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, and Missy Yager, at 7 PM at NYC’s The Center at West Park (165 W. 86th St.).
Potluck: A Musical Feast concert, offering selections from Prospect Theater Company‘s musical theatre lab, with music direction by Simone Allen & PJ Ju, featuring songs by Syd Bakal, Luz Ballestér, Marilyn Caserta, Juan Castro, Meetu Chilana, Zina Ellis, Christian Mark Gibbs, Erica Ito, Zachary A. Myers, Jodie Evans, Claire Kwon, Gaea Lawton, Vaibu Mohan, Michael Padgett, McLean Peterson, Lyn Philistine, Andrea Prestinario, Sheilah Rae, Chino Ramos, Nigel O. Richards, James Rose, Troy Valjean Rucker, Sushma Saha, Samantha Sayah, Sam Simahk, Ariana Valdes & Luka Zylik … performed by Syd Bakal, Luz Ballestér, Marilyn Caserta, Juan Castro, Meetu Chilana, Zina Ellis, Christian Mark Gibbs, Erica Ito, Zachary A. Myers, Jodie Evans, Claire Kwon, Gaea Lawton, Vaibu Mohan, Michael Padgett, McLean Peterson, Lyn Philistine, Andrea Prestinario, Sheilah Rae, Chino Ramos, Nigel O. Richards, James Rose, Troy Valjean Rucker, Sushma Saha, Samantha Sayah, Sam Simahk, Ariana Valdes & Luka Zylik, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space.
New Works Free Festival readings concludes at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.
Baggage at the Door, created & performed by Dana Aber, directed by Joe Langworth, closes at Off-Broadway’s AMT Theatre.
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Additional casting has been announced for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, to begin previews Apr.1, 2024 and open Apr. 21 at the August Wilson Theatre, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, with choreography by Julia Cheng, and music direction by Jennifer Whyte.
Previously announced: Eddie Redmayne (The Emcee), Gayle Rankin (Sally Bowles), Bebe Neuwirth (Fraulein Schneider), Ato Blankson-Wood (Clifford Bradshaw), and Steven Skybell (Herr Schultz).
Newly announced: Natascia Diaz (Fraulein Kost/Fritzie) and Henry Gottfried (Ernst Ludwig), with more TBA.
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Selina Fillinger’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive will run Jan. 14 – Feb. 18 (opening Jan. 25) at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Jennifer Chambers.
Ito Aghayere (Chris), Maria Bello (Bernadette),
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Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot: Holmes for the Holliday continues through Dec. 17 at Boston’s Lyric Stage Company, directed by Fred Sullivan Jr.
Remo Airaldi (Fexlis Geisel), Kelby T. Akin (William Gilette), Dana Garcia (Simon Bright), Maureen Keiller (Daria Chase), Pamela Lambert (Madge Geisel), Gabrielle McCauley (Aggie Wheeler), Peter Mill (Inspector Goring), and Sarah Sinclair (Martha Gillette).
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NY’s Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (link TBA) has announced its 2024 Summer season. 
All three productions will run in rep throughout the season: Mar. 20 – Apr. 28.
By The Queen, by Whitney White, directed by Shana Cooper. 
A sharp, humorous and of-the-moment look at Shakespeare’s story of the War of the Roses, through the lens of one extraordinary woman’s reflections on her remarkable life. From her roots as a provincial princess of France, to her ascension to the all-powerful Queen of England and then her eventual downfall, the character of Queen Margaret is the ultimate survivor in a country coming apart at the seams.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, world premiere by Heidi Armbtuster, directed by Ryan Quinn. The murder of Roger Ackroyd sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community of King’s Abbot, a drowsy village now awash with suspicion and secrecy. Not to fear — a certain mustachioed Belgian detective is on the case! This highly theatrical adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1926 masterpiece delves deep into the human psyche’s intricate dance with truth and deception, re-inventing the pleasures of the theatrical whodunnit with HVSF’s signature playful and freewheeling style.
Medea:Re-versed, world premiere by Ryan Quinn, Luis Quintero & Nathan Winkelstein, adapted from Euripides, directed by Winkelstein. An ice-cold, high-octane adaptation of Euripides’ play written in battle rap verse, this brand-new hip-hop version of Medea sheds contemporary light on the classic tragedy of family, power, and revenge – as terrifying and shocking today as it was two thousand years ago. Quintero’s version of the story reignites the sacred rage of our ancestors and illuminates in the most human terms the extraordinary lengths that some people will travel to even the scales of justice.
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Gwyneth Goes Skiing will run Dec. 13-23 at the Pleasance Theatre. The creative team was not reported.
Linus Karp (Gwyneth Platrow) and Joseph Martin (Terry Sanderson).
A musical reimagining of the infamous skiing accident between Gwyneth Paltrow and a retired optometrist, which is based on the testimonies from the trial that took place earlier this year. Seven years after their run in on the Utah ski slopes, retired Terry Sanderson filed suit against Paltrow, claiming that he was left with a concussion, four broken ribs and a brain injury that required compensation. While Sanderson had sued $3.1 million in compensation, Paltrow counter-sued for $1 and attorney fees, with the jury deciding in Paltrow’s favor following testimony that Sanderson had directly skied into her, making him the offending party and therefore responsible for his own injuries.
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Terry Davies’ Romeo and Juliet will run Jan. 28 – Feb. 25, 2024 at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre, directed & choreographed by Matthew Bourne.
Casting TBA.
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“Maestro,” starring Bradley Cooper (Leonard Bernstein), will be released in select theaters Nov. 22, followed by its Netflix streaming release Dec. 20.
The film centers on the lifelong relationship between composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan).
Video: Trailer
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Colin Escott’s Million Dollar Quartet Christmas will run Nov. 24 – Dec. 24 at Albany’s Capital Rep, directed by James Barry, with choreography by Freddy Ramirez.
Taylor Aronson, Kasie Buono, Jason Cohen, Matt Cusack, Ian Kerr-Mace, Rob Morrison, Nathan Roberts, Billy Rude, and Jeremy Sevelovitz.
The piece is inspired by the true story of the history-making gathering in December 1956 of soon-to-be legends, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. The gang gets back together at Sun Studios, donned with a Christmas tree, garland and mistletoe, to ring in the sounds of the season and the chart toppers that made them famous including “Blue Christmas,” “Run Rudolph Run,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and many more!
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A celebration to honor the life and career of director Shirley Jo Finney will take place on Tues. Dec. 12 at 7 PM at LA’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. All are welcome.
A respected and beloved Los Angeles theater director who worked at regional theaters across the country, Shirley Jo Finney won numerous honors and awards, including for nine productions she directed at the Fountain Theatre over a decades-long artistic relationship. Shirley Jo passed away on Oct. 10th, following an eight-month battle with cancer.
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Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee’s Inherit the Wind, directed by Michael Michetti, has been extended at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Alfred Molina (Henry Drummond), John Douglas Thompson (Matthew Harrison Brady, Chris Perfetti (E.K. Hornbeck), Abubakr Ali (Bertram Cates), David Aaron Baker (Reverend Jeremiah Brown, Jared Bybee (Dunlap/Reporter/Radio Man), Brian Calì (Meeker/Photographer/Townsperson), Marlene Forte (Mrs. Brady), Matt Gomez Hidaka (Howard Blair), Thomas Hobson (Tom Davenport/Reporter), Michael Kostroff (Mayor/Reporter), John W. Lawson (Bannister/Reporter), Philip J. Lewis (Sillers/Reporter), Gabriella Pizzigoni (Melinda Loomis), Rene Rivera (Judge/Reporter/Townsperson), and Pam Trotter (Mrs. Krebs).
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The upcoming movie musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” will be released Dec. 25.
Fantasia Barrino (Celie), Danielle Brooks (Sophia), Jon Batiste (Grady), Ciara (Adult Nettie), Taraji P. Henson (Shug Avery), Corey Hawkins (Harpo), H.E.R. (Squeak), Halley Bailey (Young Nettie), Colman Domingo (Mister), David Alan Grier (Reverend Avery), Aunjanue Ellis (Celie/Nettie’s Mother), Elizabeth Marvel (Miss Millie), Louis Gossett, Jr. (Ol’ Mister), Mpasi (Young Celie), Tamela Mann (First Lady), Deon Cole (Alfonso), Stephen Hill (Buster), Terrence J. Smith (Adam), Tiffany Elle Burgess (Olivia), and Aba Arthur (Abena).
The film will include news songs:
“She Be Mine,” sung by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi (Young Celie) after spotting her stolen baby in a local store. The song was written by Allee Willis, Brenda Russell, and Stephen Bray
“Keep It Movin’,” by Halley Bailey.
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Jaime Lozano’s Navidad en Familia will take place Thurs. Dec. 14 at 7:30 PM at Lincoln Center‘s David Rubenstein Atrium.
Krystina Alabado, Mayelah Barrera, Cedric Leiba Jr., Shereen Pimentel, Mario Tadeo, and Migguel Anggelo.
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Dream Girls, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, continues through Dec. 30 at CT’s Goodspeed.
Ta-Tynisa Wilson (Deena), Keirsten Hodgens (Lorrell), Trejah Bostic (Effie), Evan Tyrone Martin (Curtis), Jos N. Banks (CC), Mykal Kilgore (Jimmy), and Robert Cornelius (Marty), with Chuckie Benson, Shantel Cribbs, Arnold Harper II, Alia Hodge, Alfred E. Jackson, Diva LaMarr, Melanie Loren, Kwame M. Remy, Aalon Smith, Montria Walker, and Jalisa Williams with swings Joel Oliver and Sierra Wilson.