Today’s Highlights
Caesar: A Surround Sound Experiment, adapted & directed by Joseph Discher, featuring Jacqueline Antaramian, Joel de la Fuente, January LaVoy, Sean Hudock, Mark H. Dold, Joseph Discher, Maurice Jones, Anthony Michael Martinez, Ryan McCarthy, Shane Taylor, Patrick Toon, Scott Wentworth, and Derek Wilson, begins audio streaming at 7 PM ET here.
Ella Fitzerald: First Lady of Song, starring Alexis J Roston, opens in person at Milwaukee Rep.
Billy Budd, by Benjamin Britten, directed by Francesca Zambello, featuring Liam Gonner (Billy Budd), Richard Croft (Captain Edward Fairfax Vere), Greer Grimsley (John Claggart), Anthony Michaels-Moore (Mr. Redburn), Daniel Sumegi (Mr. Flint), Patrick Blackwell (Lieutenant Ratcliffe), Greg Fedderley (Red Whiskers), Museop Kim (Arthur Jones), Jonathan Michie (Donald), James Creswell (Dansiker), Keith Jameson (Novice), Paul LaRosa (First Mate), Daniel Armstrongs (Second Mate), Valentin Anikin (Novice’s Friend), Vladimir Dmitruk (Maintop), Matthew O’Neill (Squeak), Rory Hemmings (Cabin Boy), Steve Pence (Gunner’s Mate), Todd Strange (Hurt Sailor), and Gabriel Manro (Sailor with Earring), with Abdiel Gonzalez, Omar Crook, James Martin Schaefer, and Reid Bruton, streams at 5 PM PT at LA Opera.
“Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,” Episode 7, investigating the family histories of Audra McDonald and Mandy Patinkin, airs at 8 PM on PBS (check local listings).
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Video: Jim Caruso’s Cast Party variety show, with special guests Tiffany Coburn, Phoebe Kreutz, Bonnie Milligan, Wesley Ryan, and Brittney Johnson. (1:37:37)
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LA’s Fountain Theatre and the Dramatists Guild will present an evening of readings featuring excerpts of 10 new plays, to stream Sat. May 1 at 5 PM PT. All participating dramatists were selected randomly by lottery.
Wendy Biller, Diana Burbano, David Datz, Angela J. Davis, Makena Metz, Rick Mitchell, Brett Ryback, Patrick Satcher, Gina Shaffer, and Leda Siskind.
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TheaterWorks Hartford & Goodspeed Musicals presents Christiane Noll: Coming Alive Again, to stream May 9-30, directed by Rob Ruggiero, with music direction by William Waldrop.
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Martin Scorsese & John Carney are developing a new musical, “Fascinating Rhythm,” using the songs of George Gershwin, written by Carney & Chris Cluess. Casting, timeline and additional information TBA.
The story of a woman’s journey through the New York City of past and present.
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DC’s Signature Theatre will present a reading of Jarrin Davis’ Light, to stream May 3-23, directed by Angelisa Gillyard.
Tamieka Chavis (Peaches), Felicia Curry (Emma), Clayton Pelham, Jr. (Trey), Christopher Michael Richardson (Bobo), Owen Tabaka (Durell), and Dorrian Wilson (Ella).
A prodigal sister returns home and upends the lives of her devout younger sister, family friends, and, most of all, the eleven-year-old son she abandoned. The inevitable collision sparks a crisis that will either greatly reward or destroy everything they treasure in an intricate and suspenseful portrayal of one Black family’s journey of forgiveness.
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Off-Broadway’s Public Theater has announced the return of Jessica Blank & Erik Jensen’s The Line, which is available to stream now through June 21, directed by Jessica Blank.
Santino Fontana (David), Arjun Gupta (Vikram), John Ortiz (Oscar), Alison Pill (Jennifer), Nicholas Pinnock (Dwight), Jamey Sheridan (Ed), and Lorraine Toussaint (Sharon).
Crafted from firsthand interviews with New York City medical first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the play cuts through the media and political noise to reveal the lived experiences of frontline medical workers in New York and their battle to save lives in a system built to serve the bottom line.
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The FREE online production of Neat, written & performed by Charlayne Woodard, has been extended through Apr. 29 at Manhattan Theatre Club.
Woodard’s magical, compelling, and inspiring portrait of a young woman’s coming of age, and her realization that some of life’s most difficult times can also be the most fulfilling.
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Mark St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth will stream June 9 – July 14 at CA’s North Coast Rep, directed by David Ellenstein.
Tovah Feldshuh
The play follows the radio and television sex therapist, from her experiences fleeing the Nazis in the Kindertransport and joining the Haganah in Jerusalem to her struggles immigrating to America and eventual rise to prominence.
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The Roundabout Theatre Company has announced its 2021 gala, Curtain Up, Light the Lights!, which will take place Mon. June 7 in Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield, and also livestreamed.
The in-person gala will begin with staggered arrivals at 5:30 PM ET, and include a seated dinner, a live auction, and the concert. The virtual live stream will begin at 8 PM ET. The most current COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, including social distancing, face coverings, and testing or proof of vaccination for attendance.
Jane Krakowski and Titus Burgess, with more TBA.
The evening will also celebrate the Save Our Stages Act, with an honor accepted by Senator Chuck Schumer. Additional artists and appearances are TBA.
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The Fred Ebb Foundation & Roundabout Theatre Company are now accepting applications for the 17th annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters.
Click here for the complete submission guidelines. Applications will be accepted from June 1-30
Past winners include John Bucchino (2005), Steve Lutvak & Robert L. Freedman (2006), Peter Mills (2007), Adam Gwon (2008), Jeff Blumenkrantz (2011), Sam Willmott (2012), Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond (2013), Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen (2014), Stacey Luftig & Phillip Palmer (2015), Thomas Mizer & Curtis Moore (2016), Shaina Taub (2017), Will Reynolds & Eric Price (2018), Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez (2019), Ben Bonnema & Chritopher Staskel (2020), and Michael R. Jackson (2020).
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Video: Carousel’s “A Real Nice Clambake,” performed by Lesli Margherita, Natasha Yvette Williams, Beth Malone, Emily Walton, Jeanna Dewaal), Austin Scott, Whiney Bashor, Caitlin Kinnunen, James Snyder, Nik Walker, Afra Hines, Kimberly Dodson, Ashley Blanchet, Lilli Cooper, Rachel Potter, Laura Osnes, Kate Rockwell, George Wendt, Jared Zirilli, and Ben Fankhauser.
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Lincoln Center Theatre presents Bill Gunn’s The Forbidden City Apr. 29 – May 23, directed by Seret Scott.
James T. Alfred, Spencer Scott Barros, Derrick Baskin, Kyle Beltran, Ato Blankson-Wood, Jason Bowen, Alfie Fuller, John Benjamin Hickey, Roscoe Orman, Brenda Pressley, and Ray Anthony Thomas.
The play is set in 1936 Philadelphia and centers on a middle-class Black family whose bonds are tested by the specter of a tragedy that occurred years ago in the Jim Crow south.
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The film adaptation of J.T. Rogers’ “Oslo” will premiere May 29 on HBO Max, directed by Bartlett Sher.
Andrew Scott (Terje Rød-Larsen) and Ruth Wilson (Mona Juul), with Salim Daw (Ahmed Qurie), Waleed Zuaiter (Hassan Asfour), Jeff Wilbusch (Uri Savir), Igal Naor (Joel Singer), Dov Glickman (Yair Hirschfield), Rotem Keinan (Ton Pundak), Itzik Cohen (Yossi Beilin), Tobias Zillacus (Jan Egeland), and Sasson Gabay (Shimon Peres).
The historical drama opens the doors on the secret peace talks that took place between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Norway in 1993.
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Mark St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth will run June 4-27 at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre, performed for socially distant, in-person audiences on the mainstage, directed by David Ellenstein.
Tovah Feldshuh.
The play follows the radio and television sex therapist, from her experiences fleeing the Nazis in the Kindertransport and joining the Haganah in Jerusalem to her struggles immigrating to America and eventual rise to prominence.
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Video: Trailer for the film adaptation of J.T. Roger’s “Oslo,” starring Andrew Scott and Ruth Wilson. The film premieres May 29 on HBO Max, directed by Bartlett Sher.
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“Halston” will premiere May 15 on Netflix as a limited series, directed by Ryan Murphy.
Ewan McGregor (Halston), Krysta Rodriguez (Liza Minnelli), Rory Culkin (Joel Schumacher), Rebecca Dayan (Elsa Peretti), and Bill Pullman (David Mahoney), with Vera Farmiga, Gian Franco Rodriguez, David Pittu, Sulivan Jones, and Kelly Bishop.
The series follows the designer as he leverages his single, invented name into a worldwide fashion empire that’s synonymous with luxury, sex, status and fame, literally defining the era he lives in, 190’s and ’80’s New York – until a hostile takeover forces him to battle for control of his most precious asset… the name Halston itself.
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A live-action film sequel of “Enchanted” is currently in development. Additional casting, timeline, and release date TBA.
Original stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden, along with Maya Rudolph, Jayma Mays, and Yvette Nicole Brown.