Today’s Highlights:
The Ugly Xmas Sweater Musical, by Dan Knechtges & Megan Larche Cominick, directed by Mitchell Greco, featuring Julia Krohn (Cheryl), Brooke Wilson (Olga),Kevin Cooney (Charlie), Nicolas Garza (Doug/Niles), and Kiara Caridad (Kelli), with Trey Morgan Lewis and Betty Marie Muessig, opens at Houston’s TUTS.
Royal Shakespeare Company‘s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Eleanor Rhode, featuring Andrew Richardson (Oberon /Theseus), Katherine Pearce (Puck), Nicholas Armfield (Demetrius), Mathew Baynton (Bottom), Emily Cundick (Snout), Esme Hough (Cobweb), Ryan Hutton (Lysander), Laurie Jamieson (Snug), Neil McCaul (Egeus), Helen Monks (Rita Quince), Adrian Richards (Philostrate,) Boadicea Ricketts (Helena), Sirine Saba (Titania / Hippolyta), Dawn Sievewright (Hermia), Mitesh Soni (Flute), Premi Tamang (Starveling), Alexander Bellinfantie (Moth), Eliza Smith (Mustardseed), and Natalie Thomas (Peaseblossom) opens at London’s Barbicon Theatre.
The Marvelous Marilyn Maye concert, at 8:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
“The Piano Lesson” screening & conversation with Director Malcolm Washington, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.
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The Broadway League, a trade organization counting Broadway producers, theatre owners, and national tour presenters among its membership, has named Jason Laks as its new president.
Prior to this role, Laks was the League’s executive vice president and general counsel.
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The national tour of Wicked will run Dec. 4 – Feb. 2 at the Pantages Theatre.
Lauren Samuels (Elphaba), Austen Danielle Bohmer (Glinda), Aymee Garcia (Madame Morrible), Blake Hammond (The Wizard), Erica Ito (Nessarose), Kingsley Leggs (Doctor Dillamond), Xavier McKinnon (Fiyero), and Alex Vinh (Boq), with Carly Augenstein, Jennifer Mariela Bermeo, Anthony Lee Bryant, Sean Burns, Matt Densky, Kelley Dorney, Kayla Goldsberry, Rose Iannaccone, Mattie Tucker Joyner, David Kaverman, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Lauren Leach, Colin Lemoine, Tiffany Rae Mallari, Adelina Mitchell, Brayden Newby, Allsun O’Malley, Madison Claire Parks, Kat Rodriguez, Derek Schiesel, Wayne Schroder, DJ Smart, Brett Stoelker, Ben Susak, and Justin Wirick.
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Today is donation day for Off-Broadway’s Gingold Theatrical Group.
Click here to donate.
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Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight continues streaming through Dec. 24 on PBS.
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The UK tour of John Cleese & Connie Booth’s Fawlty Towers – The Play will tour in the U.K. & Ireland in 2025 & 2026, directed by Caroline Jay Ranger. The Play has been adapted for the stage by original co-creator John Cleese into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale.
Casting and tour dates TBA.
Following a tip off that hotel inspectors may be visiting and eager to impress, Basil attempts to ingratiate himself with guests that he suspects are there to critique the establishment. The situation is further plagued by a party of Germans, the deaf and dotty guest-from-hell, Mrs. Richards, whose infuriating complaints prevent him from hiding a gambling win from his ever vigilant and bossy wife, Sybil. Together they run their hotel with a little help from the unflappable Polly, and very little help at all from Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona who is the butt of Fawlty’s frustration.
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Liz Callway will release Melissa Manchester, Beth Nielson Chapman & Matthew Rollins’ new holiday single, “There’s Still My Joy,” on Dec. 6 on all digital platforms.
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The One, written & directed by David Serero, will run Dec. 14-20 at the AMT Theater.
Zack Bazile.
The One explores the iconic boxer’s life, struggles, and triumphs, tracing his journey from Cassius Clay to becoming a global symbol of resilience, activism, and the champion of champions. Following its stage debut, the play will transition to the screen with a film adaptation slated for release in 2026, also directed and produced by Serero.
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Josh Groban in concert will run May 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17, 2025 at Las Vegas’ Ceasars Palace.
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The Broadway League, a trade organization counting Broadway producers, theatre owners, and national tour presenters among its membership, has named Jason Laks as its new president.
Laks has been serving in the role on an interim basis following the mid-season departure of Charlotte St. Martin earlier this year. Prior to this role, Laks was the League’s executive vice president and general counsel.
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New casting has been announced for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club at the Kit Kat Club in 2025.
Jan. 8 – May 24: Billy Porter (Emcee)
Jan. 8: – May 24: Marisha Wallace (Sally Bowles)
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A private industry reading of Cheri Steinkellner’s Get Happy will take place Jan. 17 in NYC, directed & choreographed by Donna Feore.
Corbin Bleu (Joe Ross), Stephanie Styles (Jane Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Lt. Henry ‘Pop’ Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey (Phil), Veanne Cox (Margaret Wingate), Zoe Jensen (Gloria Falbury), Will Roland (Orville Wingate, and Douglas Sills (Montgomery Leach), with Nicholas Cunha, Francesca Mancuso, Corinne Munsch, Kaylee Olson, Aaron Patterson, Jack Sippel, and Cayel Tregeagle.
The musical, about putting on a musical, is based on the 1950 MGM movie “Summer Stock.”
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Video: Trailer for the upcoming production of Sweeney Todd, at Komische Oper Berlin, directed by directed by Barrie Kosky.
Christopher Purves stars (Sweeney Todd), Dagmar Manzel & Rosie Aldridge (sharing the role of Mrs. Lovett), Hubert Zapiór (Anthony), Alma Sadé (Johanna), Tom Schimon (Toby), Jens Larsen (Judge Turpin), James Kryshak (Beadle Bamford), Sigalit Feig (Beggar Woman), and Ivan Turšić (Pirelli).
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After a 10-moth search, Jason Laks has been names the new President of the Broadway League.
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A musical version of the novel/film Midnight Cowboy, by Bryony Lavery and Francis “Eg” White, will have its world premiere April 4-May 17, 2025 at London’s Southwark Playhouse, directed & choreographed by Nick Winston.
TBA.
The story of the unlikely friendship between naïve male prostitute Joe Buck and ailing con artist Ratso Rizzo.
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The world premiere of Richard Foreman’s Suppose Beautiful Madeline Harvey, adapted & directed by Kara Feely, will run Dec. 13-22 at La MaMa.
Maggie Hoffman (Madeline Harvey), Daniel Allen Nelson (Roger Vincent), Catrin Lloyd-Bollard (Rita), Avi Glickstein (Stephen), Nicolas Noreña (Bertrand), Timothy Scott (René), Yuki Kawahisa (Louise), and Alessandro Magania (Charles), with voiceovers by Richard Foreman.
Beautiful Madeline Harvey is not certain whether she does or does not exist. Handsome Roger Vincent, whose life has been stolen from him, waits for her at a boulevard café, where their eyes meet like an electric shock. Suppose Beautiful Madeline Harvey is a paper-thin love story within a paper-thin world.
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An industry-only reading of Cheri Steinkellner’s Get Happy, will take place Jan. 17 in NYC, directed & choreographed by Donna Feore, with music supervision by Doug Besterman.
Corbin Bleu (Joe Ross), Stephanie Styles (Jane Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Lt. Henry ‘Pop’ Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil0, Veanne Cox (Margaret Wingate), Zoe Jensen (Gloria Falbury), Will Roland (Orville Wingate), and Douglas Sills (Montgomery Leach), with Nicholas Cunha, Francesca Mancuso, Corinne Munsch, Kaylee Olson, Aaron Patterson, Jack Sippel, and Cayel Tregeagle.
The musical is about putting on a musical.