Today’s Highlights:
Jewelle Blackman begins her run as Persephone in Hadestown at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre.
Labyrinth Theatre‘s Barn Series of FREE readings, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Next to Normal, directed & choreographed by Marcos Santana, featuring Carlesia Cearcy (Diana), Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Dan), Ashley LaLonde (Natalie), Gian Perez (Henry), Daniel J. Maldonado (Gabe), and Katie Thompson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine), opens at CT’s Westport Country Playhouse.
Titanic The Musical, directed by Mark Clements, featuring Emma Rose Brooks (Kate McGowan), Lillian Castillo (Alice), Matt Daniels (Pitman/Etches), Kelly Faulkner (Caroline), Nathaniel Hackman (Barrett), Evan Harrinton (Murdoch), Jeremy Landon Hays (Andrews), David Hess (Captain smith), Carrie Hitchcock (Ida Straus), Philip Hoffman (Isador Straus), Brian Krinsky (Jim Farrell), Steve Pacek (Bride), Tim Quartier (Charles), Julio Rey (Fleet), Rána Roman, Andrew Varela (Ismay), and Steve Watts (Edgar), with Jamey Feshold, Jared Brandt Hoover, Kyle Johnson, George Lorimer, Kelty Morash, Sophie Murk, Max Pink, Ogunde Snelling Jr., Vivian Vaeth, Paxton Haley, Zoah Hirano, James LaRoque, and Lainey Techtmann, opens at Milwaukee Rep.
Sense and Sensibility, adapted by Kate Hamill, directed by Susanna Gellert, featuring Megan Anderson (Elinor Dashwood), Katie Kleiger (Marianne Dashwood), Deborah Hazlett (Mrs. Dashwood), Hannah Kelly (Margaret Dashwood), Tony Nam (Edward), Jefferson A. Russell (Colonel Brandon), Helen Hedman (Mrs. Jennings), Bruce Randolph Nelson (John Middleton), Tuyet Thi Pham (Fanny Dashwood), and Zack Powell (John Willoughby), opens at Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre.
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Reviews for Second Stage’s Take Me Out at Broadway’s Haye’s Theatre:
NY Times (Jesse Green): At its best, Take Me Out…is a five tool play. It’s (1) funny, with an unusually high density of laughs for a yarn that is (2) quite serious, and (3) cerebral without undermining its (4) emotion. I’m not sure whether (5) counts as one tool or many, but Take Me Out give meaty roles to a team of actors, led…by Jesse Williams as Lemming and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as his fanboy business manager… a bit baffling in parts… mostly delightful and provocative… Yet Take Me Out is not only about that descent into chaos on the playing field; it is also, in the story of the business manager, Mason Marzac, about the elevation of the spirit in the same locale.
Broadway News (Naveen Kumar): A star athlete comes out as gay, and the narrator asks, “Why now?” Greeting that question with a shrug, the revival of Take Me Out from Second Stage is a down-the-middle throwback that neither connects squarely with the present nor meaningfully replays the past… there’s little retrospective insight to this production, from director Scott Ellis, which is a straightforward retelling of a story whose provocations were largely reliant on context. And if the play has enduring resonance — as a study of prejudice, or even a romance with America’s pastime — here it’s more an echo than a roar…
Variety (Frank Rizzo): …a starry and satisfying Second Stage revival … Directed by Scott Ellis, this revival, too, is a solid hit, despite a few grounding errors… Jesse Williams…is impressive as the embodiment of charisma and cool, Darren Lemming… But it’s the arrival of Darren’s new, nebbishy money manager, Mason Marzac (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) — a lonely, sports-averse, older gay man who gets swept up in the glory of the game — that elevates the play to a league of its own, giving it both heart and soul… Ferguson hysterically taps into the thrill of it all with his trademark comic flutters. But he also gives Mason a tender earnestness…
New York Post (Johnny Oleksinski): The old saying “there’s no crying in baseball” gets a shellacking in the fantastic revival of the play Take Me Out… the cracking show explores the potential consequences of highly paid athletes bottling up their emotions to the breaking point for fans’ entertainment… Greenberg’s play, directed by Scott Ellis, comes across less hypothetical today than 20 years ago… isn’t a sports psychologist’s essay though. It’s a taut and exciting play… Don’t come to Take Me Out for the feel-good uplift you got from “Field of Dreams” and “A League of Their Own” — come for 100-miles-per-hour, dirt-in-the-cleats drama.
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Off-Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons has announced its 2022-23 season:
Catch as Catch Can (begins Oct. 13)), by Mia Chung, directed by Daniel Aukin. 
Deep in blue-collar New England, the Phelans and the Lavecchias welcome home a prodigal son, setting off an evolving crisis that reshapes their lives… and the play itself.
Downstate (begins Oct. 28), by Bruce Norris, directed by Pam MacKinnon. At a registered address in downstate Illinois, four men convicted of sex crimes share a group home where they live out their days post-incarnation. When a man shows up to confront his childhood abuser, it becomes hare to locate the line between justice and retribution.
The Trees (begins Feb. 8, 2023), by Agnes Borinsky, directed by Tina Satter. How does a makeshift community take root in a mercenary world? The play offers an unexpected answer in the story of a brother and sister who unwittingly establish a utopia in the park next to their father’s house.
Regretfully, So the Birds Are (begins Mar. 23), by Julia Izumi, directed by Jenny Koons. Arson. Affairs. Incest. Murder. … are only the beginning of problems for the Whistler siblings. Mora’s gotta find her birth mother, Neel’s gotta find himself, and Illy’s gotta keep her piece of the sky… but the birds have other plans.
Wet Brain (begins May 17), world premiere by John J. Caswell, Jr. In a crumbling house in Arizona, a family haunted by addiction — and hardened into smart-asses — wrestles with the alcoholic ruin of its patriarch… who may or may not be repeatedly abducted by aliens.
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Titanic the Musical, originally scheduled to run Apr. 5 – May 15 at Milwaukee Rep, the production will now run Apr. 6 – May 14, directed by Mark Clements.
Emma Rose Brooks (Kate McGowan), Lillian Castillo (Alice), Matt Daniels (Pitman/Etches), Kelly Faulkner (Caroline), Nathaniel Hackman (Barrett), Evan Harrinton (Murdoch), Jeremy Landon Hays (Andrews), David Hess (Captain smith), Carrie Hitchcock (Ida Straus), Philip Hoffman (Isador Straus), Brian Krinsky (Jim Farrell), Steve Pacek (Bride), Tim Quartier (Charles), Julio Rey (Fleet), Rána Roman, Andrew Varela (Ismay), and Steve Watts (Edgar), with Jamey Feshold, Jared Brandt Hoover, Kyle Johnson, George Lorimer, Kelty Morash, Sophie Murk, Max Pink, Ogunde Snelling Jr., Vivian Vaeth, Paxton Haley, Zoah Hirano, James LaRoque, and Lainey Techtmann.
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Jason Kim & Max Vernon’s KPOP will begin previews Oct. 13 and open Nov. 20 at Circle in the Square, directed by Teddy Bergman, with choreography by Jennifer Weber, and music direction by Sujin Kim-Ramsey.
Luna, Julia Abueva, Will Brill, Major Curda, Joomin Hwang, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, Amy Keum, James Kho, Hyung Kim, Eddy Lee, Jully Lee, Min Young Lee, Tomorthy H. Lee, Abraham Lim, Kate Mina Lin, Aubie Merrylees, Patrick Park, Kevin Woo, and John Yi.
An all-consuming multimedia experience that explores the relentless discipline, raw talent, and commercial ambition behind the heart-thumping international phenomenon.
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Complete casting has been announced for Legally Blonde, to run May 13 – July 12 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, directed by Lucy Moss, with choreography by Ellen Kane, and music direction by Katherine Woolley.
Courtney Bowman (Elle Woods), Michal Ahomka-Lindsay (Emmett), Lauren Drew (Brooke), Vanessa Fisher (Vivienne), Isaac Hesketh (Margot), Nadine Higgin (Paulette), Alȳbeta Matyšákoya (Enid), Eugene McCoy (Callahan), Grace Mouat (Pilar), Alistair Toovey (Warner), and Hannah Yun Chamberlain (Serena), with Gabriela Benedetti, Lucca Chadwick-Patel, Jasmin Colangelo, Allie Daniel, Joe Foster, Dominic Lamb, Esme Laudat, Liam McEvoy, Billy Nevers, Ashley Rowe, Shakira Simpson, Biancha Szynal, and Paulo Teixeira.
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Manhattan Theatre Club presents Anchuli Felicia King’s Golden Shield, to begin previews Apr. 26 and open May 17 at NYC Center, directed by May Adrales.
Cindy Cheung, Fang Du, Kristen Hung, Daniel Jenkins, Michael C. Liu, Max Gordon Moore, Ruibo Qian, and Gillian Saker.
When enterprising American lawyer Julie Chen files a class-action lawsuit involving a multinational technology corporation and the Chinese Government, she hires her strong-minded sister Eva as her translator. But what compromises will they make in order to win? And can they put aside their past differences to speak the same language?
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Syracuse Stage has announced its 2022-23 season:
How to Dance in Ohio (Sept. 21 – Oct. 29) world premiere by Rebekah Greer Melocik & Jacob Yandura, directed by Sammi Cannold. Set at a counseling center in Columbus, the musical follows seven young autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.
Cold Read Festival of New Plays (Oct. 18 – 22). Plays TBA.
The Little Mermaid (Nov. 25 – Jan. 8, 2023), directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, with music direction by Brian Cimmet, and choreography by Adam Cates.
Clean/Espejos (Feb. 15 – Mar. 5), by Christine Quintana, adapted by Paula Zelaya Cervantes, directed by Melissa Crespo.
Our Town (Mar. 29 – Apr. 16), directed by Robert Hupp.
Tender Rain (May 3-21), world premiere by Kyle Bass, directed by Rodney Hudson. Milton Millard is a white banker who lives in a small Southern city with Delores, his wife whom he can hardly see anymore and who endures a vague but nagging trepidation. They are a late-middle-aged childless couple lost in a fog of what cannot be undone. Is there a way forward for either of them?
Clue (June 7-25), by Sandy Rustin, Hunter Foster & Eric Price, directed by Ben Hanna.
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The Foundation for New American Musicals presents its next Musi-Cal on Mon. May 16 at 7:30 PM PT at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room, offering selections from new musicals (see below), co-hosted by Clayton Farris & Laura Schein. Performers TBA.
New Musicals:
* Supportive White Parents, by Joy Regullano, Sam Johnides & Tony Gonzalez.
* Bitter Street, by Gary Cearlock
* Vicky and Frank, by Tommy Wallach
* King of Pangaea, by Martin Storrow & Aubrey Swander, directed by Richard Israel.
* Dodos, by Clayton Farris, Laura Schein & Ben Zeadman.
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Off-Broadeway’s LAByrinth Theatre has announced its LAByrinth 
‘s the 90’s FUNraiser!, to take place Mon. May 16 at 7:30 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s Joe’s Pub, Dress Code: Rock YOUR 1990’s style.
TBA
Featuring superstars bringing you the work that killed it in the 90’s: theater, musical, dance, and fight performances! It’s gonna be DA BOMB!
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The Public Theater‘s annual gala, Gala On the Green, will take place Tues. May 24 at 6 PM ET at NYC’s Delacorte Theater Lawn, celebrating the 60th anniversary season of Free Shakespeare in the Park.
Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Oscar Isaac, and more TBA.
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Complete casting has been announced for a concert presentation of Austen Adefela, Beau Lewis, Josh Carp Budo,’ Will Randolph, Brian ‘Deep’ Water & Cava Menzies’ Co-Founders, to take place Sat. Apr. 9 at 7 PM ET at Off-Broadway’s Joe’s Pub, directed by Carlos Armesto.
Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Christina Sajous, Wesley Taylor, Alex Wyse, Adesha Adefela, Ryan Nicole Austin, and Beau Lewis.
An hilariously inspiring story of two unlikely partners chasing impossible entrepreneurial dreams. Esata, a black woman from Oakland, and Concway, a small-town college dropout, take on the most competitive start-up accelerator in Silicon Valley – where the privileged make a killing while the people across the bridge grind to survive.
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Tanya Barfield’s Bright Half-Life, currently in previews, will open Fri. Apr. 8 (and continue through May 22) at North Hollywood’s Road on Magnolia, directed by Amy K. Harmon.
Kacie Rogers (Vicky) and Tiffany Wolff (Erica).
The moving love story of Erica and Vicky that spans decades in an instant – from marriage, children, skydiving, and the infinite moments that make a life together.
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Ellen Fitzhugh & Michael John LaChiusa’s Los Otros will run Aug. 24 – Oct. 8 (opening Aug. 31) at A.R.T./New York Theatres (link TBA), directed by Noah Himmelstein, with music direction by J. Oconer Navarro.
Carolee Carmello, Javier Muñoz, and more TBA.
Through a series of intimate moments, two Californians, Lillian and Carlos, explore significant moments in their lives as they discover how they are linked in unexpected ways.