Today’s Highlights:
This is not a time of peace, world premiere by Deb Margolin, directed by Jerry Heymann, featuring Charlotte Cohn (Alina), Roger Hendricks Simon (Hillel), Simon Feil (Alina’s Husband), Ken King (Alina’s lover), Frank Licato (Adolf Berle), Steven Rattazzi (Joseph McCarthy), and Richard Hollis (Russian Metallurgist), opens at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Dancin’ by Jim Bernhard
Match these plays and musicals that mention dance in the title with their authors:
| 1. The Tap Dance Kid | A. August Strindberg |
| 2. The Song and Dance Man | B. William Hanley |
| 3. Slow Dance on the Killing Ground | C. George M. Cohan |
| 4. Dance of Death | D. Oliver Hailey |
| 5. Never Gonna Dance | E. Jerome Kern and Jeffrey Hatcher |
| 6. I Won’t Dance | F. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black |
| 7. Dance A Little Closer | G. Philip Barry |
| 8. How to Dance in Ohio | H. Henry Krieger. Charles Blackwell, and Robert Lorick |
| 9. Song and Dance | I. Charles Strouse and Alan Jay Lerner |
| 10. Spring Dance | J. Jacob Yandura and Rebekah Greer Melocik |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Complete casting has been announced for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, to begin previews Apr. 1 and open Apr. 20 at the August Wilson Theatre, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, with choreography by Julia Cheng, and music direction by Jennifer Whyte.
Eddie Redmayne (Emcee), Gayle Rankin (Sally Bowles), Bebe Neuwirth (Fraulein Schneider), Ato Blankson-Wood (Cliff Bradshaw), Steven Skybell (Herr Schultz), Henry Gottfried (Ernst Ludwig), Natascia Diaz (Fraulen Kost/Fritzie), Gabi Campo (Frenchie), Ayla Ciccone-Burton (Helga), Colin Cunliffe (Hans), Marty Lauter (Victor), Loren Lester (Herman/Max), David Merino (Lulu), Julian Ramos (Bobby), MiMi Scardulla (Texas), and Paige Smallwood (Rosie), with Hannah Florence, Pedro Garza, Christian Kidd, Corinne Munsch, Chloé Nadson-Enriquez, and Karl Skyler Urban … along with the Prologue Company, which includes Alaïa, Will Ervin Jr., Sun Kim, Bryan Longchamp, Deja McNair, Ida Saki, and Spencer Weidie, begins previews at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre.
Eddie Redmayne (Emcee), Gayle Rankin (Sally Bowles), Bebe Neuwirth (Fraulein Schneider), Ato Blankson-Wood (Cliff Bradshaw), Steven Skybell (Herr Schultz), Henry Gottfried (Ernst Ludwig), Natascia Diaz (Fraulen Kost/Fritzie), Gabi Campo (Frenchie), Ayla Ciccone-Burton (Helga), Colin Cunliffe (Hans), Marty Lauter (Victor), Loren Lester (Herman/Max), David Merino (Lulu), Julian Ramos (Bobby), MiMi Scardulla (Texas), and Paige Smallwood (Rosie), with Hannah Florence, Pedro Garza, Christian Kidd, Corinne Munsch, Chloé Nadson-Enriquez, and Karl Skyler Urban … along with the Prologue Company, which includes Alaïa, Will Ervin Jr., Sun Kim, Bryan Longchamp, Deja McNair, Ida Saki, and Spencer Weidie.
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Gingold Theatrical Group will present a reading a of Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession on Mon. Mar. 18 at 7 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space, directed by Lily Kanter Riopelle.
Tina Benko (Mrs. Kitty Warren), Madeline Seidman (Vivie Warren), Jason Veasey (Praed), Jay O. Sanders (Crofts), Frank Gardner (Eli Kollman), Arnie Burton (Reverend Sam Gardner), and Freeda Pasha (Narrator).
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LA’s Celebration Theatre 2024 Awards Gala will take place Sat. Mar. 23 from 2-5 PM at Hollywood’s LGBT Center.
Socks Whitmore, Boni Alvarez, David Tran.
TBA.
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Shimmy Braun, Moshiel Newman Daphna & Billy Recce’s Five: The Parody Musical, currently in previews, will open Feb. 15 – Mar. 10 at Theatre 555, directed & choreographed by Jen Wineman.
Anyae Anasia (Ivana), Gabriella Joy Rodriguez (Marla), Jaime Lyn Beatty (Melania), Gabi Garcia (Stormy), and Hannah Bonnett (Ivanka).
Henry VIII and his six wives had nothing on Donald, the 45th, and these five ladies. Poised to make America laugh again, FIVE is an irreverent musical comedy revue starring some of the women in the life of America’s past (and hopefully not future) President Ivana, Marla, and Melania are joined by crowd favorite Stormy and daddy’s girl Ivanka as they each take the spotlight and sing their hearts out for your vote.
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Soul Picnic: The Songs and Legacy of of Laura Nyro will run Mar. 2-4 at NYC’s 92NY, co-conceived & written by Judy Kuhn, Trip Cullman & Kevin Carillo, directed by Cullman & Carillo, with music direction by Dan Lipton.
Judy Kuhn
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Melissa Errico‘s new album, “Sondheim In The City,” has been released on CD, as well as streaming and digital platforms worldwide.
Stream, buy and download the album here.
1. “Dawn”
2. “Another Hundred People”
3. “Opening Doors” / “What More Do I Need?”
4. “Take Me To The World”
5. “Can That Boy Foxtrot!
6. “Anyone Can Whistle”
7. “Everybody Says Don’t”
8. “Good Thing Going”
9. “Broadway Baby”
10. “Uptown, Downtown”
11. “It Wasn’t Meant To Happen”
12. “Little Things You Do Together”
13: “Sorry-Grateful”
14. “Being Alive”
Audio: Melissa performs “What More Do I Need?”
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Center Theatre Group has announced that Sir Matthew Bourne, the director and choreographer of the current Romeo and Juliet, now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre, has been named the inaugural artistic honoree for CTG: The Gala 2024 on Sun. Apr. 28, at LA’s Mark Taper Forum & The Music Center.
Lea Salonga, along with an excerpt from Bourne’s groundbreaking Swan Lake by New Adventures stars Jackson Fisch & Rory Macleod.
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The Matchbox Magic Flute, adapted & directed by Mary Zimmerman, has been extended through Mar. 24 at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Marlene Fernandez (Pamina), Keanon Kyles (Sarastro), Russell Mernagh (Monostatos), Lauren Molina (Papagena/Lady), Tina Muñoz Pandya (Lady), Reese Parish (The Spirit), Shawn Pfautsch (Papageno), Emily Rohm (Queen of the Night), Billy Rude (Tamino), and Monica West (Lady)
Playful and imaginative, it’s big music in a small space. This “matchbox” presentation of The Matchbox Magic Flute features a cast of 10 and orchestra of five—following the fantastic adventures of Prince Tamino and Princess Pamina. With dragons, a man who is a bird, trials by fire and water and underground corridors, Day and Night do battle.
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A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green will run Mar. 3-4 at NYC’s Café Carlyle, directed by Maggie Burrows.
Mallory Portnoy and Nick Blaemire.
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The national tour of Hamilton will return to Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre Sept. 4 – Oct. 13.
Rubén J. Carbajal (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), Nicholas Christopther (Aaron burr), Joanna A. Jones (Eliza Hamilton), Taylor Iman Jones (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reyholds), Carvens Lissaint (George Washington), Simon Longnight (Marquis de Lafayetter/Thomas Jefferson), Rory O’Malley (King George III), Sabrina Sloan (Angelica Schuyler), Ebrin R. Stanley (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison), Jamael Westman (Alexander Hamilton), with Sam Aberman, Gerlad Avery, Remmie Bourgeois, Cameron Burke, Yossi Chaikin, Trey Curtis, Karlee Ferreira, John Michael Fiumara, Tré Frazier, Aaron Alexeander Gordon, Vincent Gordon, Vincent Jamal Hooper, Jaren Howelton, Sabrina Imamura, Jennifer Locke, Carina-Kay Louchiey, Yvette Lu, Taeko MccCarroll, Mallory Michaellan, Candace Quarrrels, Julian Ramos, Julian Ramos, Jen Sese, Terrance Spencer, Tommar Wilson, and Morgan Anita Wood.
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Off-Broadway’s Red Bull Theater has announced its 20th Anniversary Festival, to run Apr. – May (exact dates TBA).
Casting TBA.
The festival will celebrate all things Shakespeare, his contemporaries, and more. This spring, dive into the work at the heart of our mission with us as we share a plethora of classics, new works in conversation with those classics, and other special events. Too much to post here, click the link above for complete details.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Dancin’
1-H. The Tap Dance Kid – Henry Krieger. Charles Blackwell, and Robert Lorick
2-C. The Song and Dance Man – George M. Cohan
3-B. Slow Dance on the Killing Ground – William Hanley
4-A. Dance of Death – August Strindberg
5-E. Never Gonna Dance – Jerome Kern and Jeffrey Hatcher
6-D. I Won’t Dance – Oliver Hailey
7-I. Dance A Little Closer – Charles Strouse and Alan Jay Lerner
8-J. How to Dance in Ohio – Jacob Yandura and Rebekah Greer Melocik
9-F. Song and Dance – Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black
10-G. Spring Dance – Philip Barry