Today’s Highlights:
Songs for a New World, by Jason Robert Brown, directed by Kai Wright, featuring Lizzy Parker, Eleanor Frances, Luke Walsh, and Christopher Camerson, with Elizabeth Chambers and Johan Sercombe, opens at London’s Upstairs as the Gatehouse.
The Connector, by Daisy Prince, Jason Robert Brown & Jonathan Marc Sherman, directed by Prince, featuring Scott Bakula, Ben Levi Ross, and Hannah Cruz, with Joanna Carpenter, Max Crumm, George Dvorsky, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Danielle Lee Greaves, Mylinda Hull, Daniel Jenkins, Cedric Lamar, Jessica Molaskey, Fergie Philippe, Eliseo Román, Ann Sanders, Kyle Sherman, and Michael Winther, opens at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater.
Labyrinth Theatre‘s Barn Series, offering FREE readings of new plays, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Private Jones, world premiere written & directed by Marshall Pailet, featuring Leanne Antonio (Gwenolyn/Evans), Deimoni Brewington (Bailey), David Aron Damane (Father/Drill Sergeant), Dickie Hearts (Henry), Johnny Link (Gomer Jones), Jake Loewenthal (Redvers), Vincent Michael (Edmund), and Erin Weaver (King), with Alex De Bard, Amelia Hensley, Georger Psomas, Emily Steinhardt, Ariel Friendly, Nicholas Hohrman, Stephen Russell Murray, and Hank von Kolnitz, opens at DC’s Signature Theatre.
Message in a Bottle dance show, using the songs of Prince, directed & choreographed by Kate Prince, featuring Oliver Andrews, Lindon Barr, Deavion Brown, David Cottle, Harrison Dowzell, Nestor Garcia Gonzalez, Natasha Gooden, Lizzie Gough, Anna Holström, Megan Ingram, Ahani Johnson-Goff, Charlotte Lee Daniella, May Dylan Mayoral, Serena McCall, Lukas McFarlane, Robbie Ordona, Lara Renaud, Hannah Sandilands, Jessy Stol, Steven Thompson, Gavin Vincent, and Malachi Welch, opens at LA’s Pantages Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Brooklyn Laundry, world premiere written & directed by John Patrick Shanley, featuring Cecily Strong (Fran), David Zayas (Owen), Florencia Lozano (Trish), and Andrea Syglowski (Susie), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s NY City Center.
The New Group‘s The Seven Year Disappear, by Jordan Seavvey, directed by Scott Elliott, featuring Cynthia Nixon and Taylor Trensch, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Signature Center.
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Kait Kerrigan, Jason Howland & Nathan Tysen’s new adaptation of The Great Gatsby will begin previews Mar. 29 and open Apr. 25 at the Broadway Theatre, directed by Marc Bruni, with choreography by Dominique Kelley.
Jeremy Jordan (Jay Gatsby), Eva Nobelazda (Daisy Buchanan), Noah J. Ricketts (Nick Carraway), Samantha Pauly (Jordan Baker), Sara Chase (Myrtle Wilson), John Zdrojeski (Tom Buchanan), Paul Whitty (George Wilson), and Eric Anderson (Wolfsheim), and more TBA.
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Michael Feinstein: Music for Lovers and Strangers will take place Sat. Feb. 17 at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
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Beto O’Byrne’s Loving and Loving will run Feb. 7-18 at Actors Theatre of Louisville, directed by Amelia Acosta Powell, with choreography by Jeremy De’Jon Guyton.
Nemuna Ceesay (Mildred Loving), Shane Kenyon (Richard Loving), and Morgan Anita Wood (Maya).
The play is inspired by the lives of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple from Virginia who were arrested in 1958 for the crime of being married. Told from a distinctly 21st-century perspective, the play weaves together the story of the Lovings’ landmark civil rights struggle and interviews with mixed-heritage folks in the Louisville community—thoughtfully exploring the joys and challenges of multiracial identity, and exuberantly celebrating our right to love who we choose.
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The Black Theatre Coalition‘s Building the Change Gala will take place Mon. Feb. 12 at 6 PM at NYC’s Rainbow Room.
Producer & director Ava DuVernay
BeBe Winans, Jennifer Holliday, and Alex Newell.
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Shimmy Braun, Moshiel Newman Daphna & Billy Recce’s FIVE: The Parody Musical will run Feb. 15 – Mar. 10 (opening Mar. 1) 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).
Look out SIX, here comes FIVE: The Parody Musical. 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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Melissa Erico: A Manhattan Valentine will run Feb. 14-18 at NYC’s Birdland, with music direction by Tedd Firth.
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Sara Bareilles & Sarah Ruhl are collaborating on a new stage musical adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s novel The Interestings. Additional details TBA.
The story of six people who meet as teenagers at an arts camp, and follows their lives over the decades, as their youthful dreams and bonds shift with middle age.
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Manhattan Theatre Club has announced complete casting for the Amy Herzog’s Mary Jane, which will begin previews Apr. 2 and open Apr. 23 at the Samual J. Friedman Theatre, directed by Anne Kauffman.
Rachel McAdams (Mary James), April Matthis (Sherry/Dr. Toros), Susan Pourfar (Brianna/Chaya), Lily Santiago (Alemia/Kat,) and Brenda Wehle Ruthie/Tenkei). The story of a single mother in an impossible family situation who relies on unflagging optimism and humor, along with the wisdom of the women around her who have become a makeshift family, to take on each new day.**********************
Michael Feinstein: Music for Lovers and Strangers will take place Sat. Feb. 17 at 8 PM at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
This world premiere concert includes an evening of classic love songs, intimate stories, and brand-new musical arrangements of quintessential hits from the Great American Songbook.
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Rajiv Joseph’s King James will run Mar. 9-31 (opening Mar. 13) at San Diego’s Old Globe, directed by Justin Emeka.
Joshua Echebiri (Shawn) and Caleb Foote (Matt), with Danny Adams and Kevin Alicea-Minor.
NBA legend LeBron James’ illustrious career is the backdrop for King James, which explores a developing friendship between Shawn, who is Black, and Matt, who is white. The two do not share many similarities, but they do unite on their love for the Cleveland Cavaliers. King James highlights the profound connections that sports can cultivate.
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Des McAnuff & Peter Townsend’s The Who’s Tommy will begin previews Mar. 8 and open Mar. 28 at the Nederlander Theatre, directed by McAnuff, with choreogegraphy by Lorin Latarro, and music supervision by Ron Melrose.
Ali Lous Bourzgui (Tommy), Alison Luff (Mrs. Walker), Adam Jacobs (Captain Walker), John Ambrosino (Uncle Ernie), Bobby Conte (Cousin Kevin), and Christina Jajous (The Acid Queen), with Haley Gustafson, Jeremiah Alsop, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Mike Cannon, Tyler James Eisenreich, Sheldon Henry, Afra Hines, Aliah James, David Paul Kidder, Tassy Kirbas, Lily Kren, Quinten Kusheba, Reese Levine, Brett Michael Lockley, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Cecilia Ann Popp, Daniel Quadrino, Olive Ross-Kline, Jenna Nicole Shoen, Dee Tomasetta, and Andrew Tufano.
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Romeo & Juliet will run May 11 – Aug. 3 (opening date TBA) at the Duke of York’s Theatre, directed by Jamie Lloyd.
Tom Holland (Romeo) and more TBA.
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Alex Edelman: Just for Us will run Mar. 26-31 at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
From the New York Times review: …”his singular theatrical experience is an exploration of identity and our collective capacity for empathy—and it’s also “belly-laugh funny.”
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Masterworks Theater Company will present free public performances of Michael Roberts’ Swimming in Jerusalem, to run Feb. 8-11 at Theater 555, directed by Hannah Ryan. 
Boxoffice@Theater555.com
Rodd Cyrus, Kareem Elsamadicy, Maria Habeeb, David Hoffman, Maya Jacobson, and Neal Mayer.
The piece explores relationships among citizens of Israel as presented through the complex experiences of teenage swimmers in a YMCA swim club in Jerusalem,
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Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad will run Mar. 2-31 at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, directed bySusan V. Booth, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter.
Aja Alcazar, Demetra Dee, Maya Lou Hlava, Noelle Kayser, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Helen Joo Lee, Tyler Meredith, Ericka Ratcliff, Andrea San Miguel, Laura Savage, Allison Sill, and Hannah Whitley.
It’s her turn. Penelope has waited 20 years for her husband to return from the Trojan War. Now, as authorial control shifts to Odysseus’ long-suffering wife—and the 12 faithful maids who have long tended to her—we discover a new perspective on the domestic vigil.