Today’s Highlights:
Is God Is, by Aleshea Harris, directed by Ola Ince, featuring Vivienne Acheampong, Adelayo Adedayo, Ray Emmit Brown, Ernest Kingsley Jr, Tamara Lawrence, Rudlophe Mdlongwa, Mark Monero, and Cecilia Noble, opens at London’s Royal Court Theatre.
Matilda, featuring Imogen Cole, Alyssa D’Souza, Alex Munden, and Zoe Simon (rotating as Matilda), Elliot Harper (Miss Trunchbull), Carly Thoms (Miss Honey), Sebastien Torkia (Mr. Wormwood), and Annette McLaughlin (Mrs. Wormwood), with Liberty Buckland, Georgia Carling, Roger Dipper, Katrina Dix, Kate Kenrick, Ben Kerr, Matt Krzan, Connor Lewis, Tom Mather, Bryan Mottram, Kane Oliver Parry, Landi Oshinowo, Ryan Pidgen, James Revell, Gemma Scholes, Dawn Williams, Hari Aggarwal, Thommy Bailey Vine, Kieron Bell, Tom Bonomini, Drew Edwards, Robyn Elwell, Rory Finnegan, Darcy Kelly, Ben Lee, Keanna-Skye O’Quinn, Nicholas Parris, Bella Perdoni, Chancé Quaye, Scarlett Jayne Rackham, Bren Reilly, Niamh Ritchie, Jacob Savva, Jayden Seder, and Alex Stockton, who join Kaspar Cahill-Ritter, Sienna Clarke, Rosie Gell-Marquez, Beth Gilmour, Louie Gray, and Gracie Hodson-Prior, re-opens at London’s Cambridge Theatre.
Blithe Spirit, by Noël Coward, directed by Richard Eyre, featuring Jennifer Saunders (Madame Arcati), Geoffrey Streatfeild (Charles Condomine), Lisa Dillon (Ruth Condomine), Simon Coates (Dr. Bradman), Lucy Robinson (Mrs. Bradman), and Rose Wardlaw (Edith), resumes previews at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre.
Detroit ’67, by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Candis C. Jones, featuring Stori Ayers, JaBen Early, Valeka Jessica, Emily Kester, and Greg Alverez, concludes streaming at DC’s Signature Theatre.
Andy Karl & Orfeh concert closes at 54 Below.
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Video: Stars in the House, offering a Hairspray Game Night, with special guests Marissa Jaret Winokur, Kerry Butler, Clarke Thorell, Judine Somerville, Matthew Morrison and Linda Hart. (1:55:12)
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Chicago’s Goodman Theatre has announced its upcoming new play reading series, to run Oct. 9 – Nov. 4:
The Madness of Mary Todd, by Terry Guest, directed by Lili-Anne Brown. 
It has been a decade since the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and Mary Todd Lincoln is NOT. DOING. WELL. Not only is she high on Opium and torturing her wait staff (like usual): now she is being haunted by a specter of Nancy Reagan who lives within her walls.
La Fuente De Cascabeles, by Exal Iraheta, directed by Denise Yvette Serna. When their eldest sister helps them to migrate from El Salvador to the U.S., Olga and Iris unexpectedly find themselves at her mercy as her desire for financial security stands in the way of their freedom. The play examines the darker side of pursuing the American dream, as inflicted on some of society’s most vulnerable.
Expatriate, by Steve Pickering, directed by Sandra Marquez. An historical thriller weaving fact and fable. Spain, 1936: General Francisco Franco and a cabal of military officers revolt against the duly elected Madrid government, and set off the Spanish Civil War. Fourteen years later, FBI agents interrogate a decorated WWII veteran who may have illegally joined the anti-Franco resistance.
Rust, by Nancy García Loza, directed by Laura Alcalá Baker. Giūera, a young pocha, is trying very hard to be a perfect Mexican daughter and contain her glaring imperfections. The hot Chicago summer has her climbing trees, fighting with her brothers, and melting like a paleta under her parents’ searing gaze. Suddenly, when Abuelo moves in, Giūera wonders if she really has to be perfect at all. Why be perfect when you can be free?
You Deserve To Be Here, by Alex Lubischer, directed by Jess McLeod. Me the “Tragedy Cohort”: Memo’s a veteran. Oona lost her sister, And Chanse? Well, he must have tragedy somewhere. Only one can win their grad schools’ top prize: the Otto Frank Award for Bravery in Drama. But as Oona, the newbie, advances through the school year, she can’t shake the feeling the something is off. Her writing is better, wo why is she worse? And did the mural of Anne Franke just move? A horror comedy about artistic tragedy.
Boxing Play, by Marisa Carr, directed by Steph Paul. In a rust belt city boxing gym, Coach instructs a group of amateurs how to throw straight rights and left hooks and block in between timer bells. Told in twelve rounds, the play investigates why we fight and what we fight for.
Rack Up, by Eliza Bent, directed by Jessica Fisch. Elsie’s taking tennis lessons. Actually, “Elsie” isn’t her real name, but it’s show she is when she rallies, volleys and hits. As Elsie, her classmates and instructor look for the meaning of life during water breaks on and off the courts, an exploration about the elasticity of time and the nature of identity emerges.
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A casting change has been announced for the world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane & Lewis Flinn’s Fairycakes, which will run Oct. 14 – Jan. 2, 2022 (opening Oct. 24) at the Greenwich House Theater, directed by Bean, with choreography by Ellenore Scott. 
Alfie Fuller has departed the production due to scheduling conflicts and has been replaced by Kristolyn Lloyd.
Mo Rocca (Gepetto), Kristolyn Lloyd (Peaseblossom), Sabatino Cruz (Pinocchio), Jackie Hoffman (Moth), Kuhoo Verma (Cinderella), Z Infante (Cobweb), Ann Harada (Musterseed), Jamen Nanthakumar (Changeling), Julie Halston (Titania/Elizabeth), Arnie Burton (Oberon/Dirk), Chris Myers (Puck), and Jason Tam )Prince/Cupid).
An uproarious clash of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and old-world fairy tales. One night in the woods, puckish mischief leads to mismatched lovers from across all your favorite stories. And what begins as love at first sprite, grows into something more as the feelings from one midsummer night carry over to the bright light of day. So come and sit for a spell. Because in this theater, magic is real.
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SIX will resume previews on Fri. Sept. 17 and open Sun. Oct. 3 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
Here’s how the lottery works:
* A limited number of $30 tickets will be sold via digital lottery prior to each performance.
* Entries will be accepted from 9 AM – 6 PM the day prior to the performance.
* Winners will be notified by email and have 60 minutes to claim & pay for their tickets online
* Lottery tickets are limited to one entry per person and two tickets per winner.
* Digital tickets will be emailed to winners one hour prior to the performance.
For additional information & to enter the lottery, click here.
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After more than three decades leading creative operations, Robert Falls is ending his tenure as Artistic Director of the Goodman Theatre.
Falls announced his intention to step down next summer at the completion of the current 2021-11 Season. He will program the following 2022-23 Season, in which he will direct two productions (to be announced in early 2022). Over the coming months, the Goodman will conduct a wide-ranging search for its next Artistic Director.
Click here to read Falls’ statement.
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North Hollywood’s Theatre 68 will present I’m Not a Comedian… I’m Lenny Bruce Sept. 23 – Oct. 2, written & performed by Ronnie Marmo, and directed by Joe Mantegna.
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Off-Broadway’s SoHo Rep has announced its 2021-22 season:
Writer/Director Lab (Weekends Sept. 24 – Oct. 17), offering presentation of works-in-progress.
while you were here (Nov. 3-28), world premiere by Peter Mills Weiss & Julia Mounsey, with Brian Fiddyment.
Wolf Play (Feb. 2 – Mar. 6, 2022), world premiere by Hansol Jung, directed by Dustin Wills. The play explores the meaning of family through the lens of queer parenting and adoption.
Notes on Killing Seven Overnight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members (May 17 – June 19), world premiere by Omar Vélez Meléndez.
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International City Theatre presents Sheldon Epps’ Blues in the Night Oct. 20 – Nov. 7 (opening Oct. 22) at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, directed by Wren T. Brown, with music direction by William Foster McDaniel, and choreography by Keith Young.
Jenna Gillespie Byrd (The Girl with a Date), Karole Foreman (The Woman of the World), Vivian Reed (Lady from the Road), and Clinton Derricks-Carroll (The Man in the Saloon).
The characters share their storied about the misery and humor of life, love and the dogged determination to do more than just survive, through the songs of Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Alberta Hunter, Harold Arlen, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox, and more.
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North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble has announced its 2021-22 season, which will be donate what you want for all productions:
The Calorie Years (opens Oct. 15), by Molly Wagner, directed by Danielle Ozymandias.
Alley of Misfits (opens Nov. 15), by Barbara Ann Howard & Marjorie Lewitt, directed by Bree Pavey and Marc Leclerc.
Coloropolis (opens Jan. 8, 2022), by A,P. De La Caridad, directed by Tor Brown & Travyz Gatz.
Branwell (and the Other Brontës) (opens Feb. 25), world premiere by Stephen Kaplan, directed by Sarah Nilsen.
The Concrete Jungle (opens Mar. 26), by Travyz Gatz, directed by Mitch Rosander.
Try Not to Think About It, Alice Childress (opens Apr. 238), world premiere written & directed by Chris Haas
The Colored Museum (opens June 18), by George C. Wolfe, directed by Jazmine Nichelle.
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Off-Broadway’s York Theatre Company will present the 20th Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala on Mon. Nov. 1 at the Edison Ballroom, directed by Michael Unger. A cocktail reception begins at 6 PM ET, with dinner at 7 PM, followed by a concert and the award ceremony at 8 PM.
Award Recipients
* Richard Maltby Jr. & David Shire: 2021 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre
* Elisa Loti Stein: York Theatre Company’s Founders’ Award
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Amas Musical Theatre will present Sol of El Barrio: The AfroLatinidad Connection, a celebration of AfroLatinidad history in New York City, on Sun. Oct. 3 at 5 PM ET at Theater 555, created & directed by Maria Torres,
Robin De Jesus, Pierre Jean Gonzalez, Emilio Sosa, Anissa Gathers, Julio Agustin, Cedric Leiba Jr., Milteri Tucker Bombargo Co., Bianca Medina, Gabriel Ramirez, Javan Zapata, Rogelio Alejandro Castro III, Angel Vasquez, The Maria Torres Dance Company, and Karen Olivo.
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Matthew Lopez will write the screenplay of a new reimagining of “The Bodyguard” for Warner Brothers.
Casting, timeline, and additional information TBA.