Today’s Highlights:
Maude Apatow begins her run as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at Off-Broadway’s West Side Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s The Best We Could (a family tragedy), world premiere by Emily Feldman, directed by Daniel Aukin, featuring Aya Cash, Brian D. Coats, Maureen Sebastian, Constance Shulman, and Frank Wood, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s City Center Stage 1.
Letters From Max, world premiere by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Kate Whoriskey, featuring Jessica Hecht, and Ben Edelman & Zane Pais (alternating as Max), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Signature Theatre.
The New Group‘s The Seagull/Woodstock, NY, adapted & directed by Scott Elliott, featuring Ato Essandoh, David Cale, Patrick Foley, Hari Nef, Daniel Oreskes, Parker Posey, Bill Sage, Aleyse Shannon, Amy Siller, and Nat Wolff, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Signature Center.
Mint Theater Company‘s Becomes a Woman, world premiere by Betty Smith, directed by Britt Berke, featuring Duane Boutté, Jeb Brown, Gina Daniels, Antoinette Lavecchia, Jack Mastrianni, Pearl Rhein, Phillip Taratula, Jason O’Connell, Peterson Townsend, Scott Redmond, Tim Webb, Christopher Reed Brown, Emma Pfitzer Price, and Madeline Seidman, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s NY City Center.
The Heart Sellers, world premiere by Lloyd Suh, directed by Jennifer Chang, featuring Narea Kang (Jane) and Nicole Javier (Luna), begins previews at Milwaukee Rep.
How High the Moon FREE reading, by Barbara Nell Beery, directed by Asaad Kelada, featuring Jeanine Anderson, Saratoga Ballantine, Jim Beaver, Samantha Layton Gregory, Cecil Jennings, Konwalia Kotlinski, Hogan Mason, and Andrew Parks, at LA’s Theatre West.
Pippin: The 50th Anniversary Original Livestream Broadway Cast Reunion Concert, directed by Walter Willison, featuring John Rubinstein, Joy Franz, Candy Brown, Cheryl Clark, Gene Foote, Will D. MacMillian, Jennifer Nairn-Smith, Pamela Sousa, Walter Willison, Leland Palmer, and Aaron Lee Battle, livestreamed at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
Patti LuPone: Don’t Monkey with Broadway concert, directed by Scott Wittman, at 7 PM at Palm Desert’s McCallum Theater.
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MCC Theater has announced Miscast23, which will take place Mon. Apr. 3 at 6 PM at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom, with music direction by will Van Dyke.
Vanessa Williams and MCC Youth Company alumna Lianny Toval.
Annaleigh Ashford, Denée Benton, Lorna Courtney, André De Shields, Josh Groban, LaChanze, Bonnie Milligan, Ben Platt, Eleri Ward, and more TBA.
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Sunday in the Park with George will run Feb. 15 – Mar. 19 (opening Feb. 19) at Pasadena Playhouse, directed by Sarna Lapine, with music direction by Andy Einhorn, and choreography by Alison Solomon.
Graham Phillips (George Seurat/George), Krystina Alabado ((Dot/Marie), Michael Manuel (Jules/Bob), Emily Tyra (Yvonne/Naomi), Liz Larsen (Old Lady/Blair), Jenni Barber (Celeste #2/Elaine), Pippa Blaylock (Louise), Brian Calì (Boatman/Lee), Jennie Greenberry (Nurse), Trevor James (Soldier/Alex), Robert Knight (Louis/Charles), Deborah Lew(Frieda/Betty), Alexandra Melrose (Mrs./Harriet), Juliana Sloan(Celeste #1), Jimmy Smagula (Mr./Billy), and Jason Michael Snow (Franz/Dennis), with Marc Ginsburg, Armand Akbari, Allison Belinkoff, Savannah L. Jackson, Matthew McCoy, Brianna Pember.
Video: (scroll down) In rehearsal — Graham Phillips & Krystina Alabado perform “Move On.”
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RIP: Charles Kimbrough passed away Jan. 11 at the age of 86.
Born in St. Paul, Mr. Kimbrough first leapt to theatrical attention as a member of Milwaukee Rep, appearing in Cat Among the Pigeons and The White House Murder Case.
Charles made his Broadway debut in 1969 in John Guare’s dual one-act’s Cop-Out and Home Fires. The very next year, on Broadway, he originated the role of of Harry in Company, receiving a Tony nomination. In the production, he met Beth Howland, who would become his second wife.
After Company, Kimbrough appeared in the Candide (1974), Love for Love …The Rules of the Game … Same Time Next Year … Secret Service … Boy Meets Girl … The Water Engine/Mr. Happiness … Hay Fever … Accent on Youth … and The Merchant of Venice. He also originated the role of Charlie in One Night Stand (which never reached opening night) … Sunday in the Park with George (Drama Desk nomination), originating the dual role of George’s artistic peers Jules and Bob Greenberg.
On screen, Mr. Kimbrough was Chef Boyardee in a series of TV commercials, and also was the voice of Victor in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and of course as Jim Dial in “Murphy Brown.”
In 2012, Mr. Kimbrough made his final Broadway appearance in Harvey, opposite Jim Parsons.
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A reading of Andrew Stein’s Disruption will have 2 special reading presentations on Thurs. Feb. 16 at 12 PM & 3 PM at Off-Broadway’s Open Jar Studios, directed by Hersh Ellis. The world premiere will take place in July in London (theatre and dates TBA). 
: disruptiontheplay@gmail.com
Matt Rauch, Tina Benko, Victoire Charles, Erik Lochtefeld, Emma Kikue, Bobby Moreno, Barzin Akhavan, and Kea Trevett.
With every aspect of human life documented with data and disrupted by technology, will computers soon be able to tell us what will make us truly happy? And should we listen? One tech gazillionaire thinks so and is using his friends to prove it.
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“Girl from the North Country,” Conor McPherson’s film adaptation of his play is currently in development, directed by McPherson. A release date and additional information TBA.
Olivia Colman, Chlöe Bailey, Rosin Cole, Woody Harrelson, and more TBA.
The story is set in 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota, during the great Depression as things are spiraling out of control for proprietor Nick Laine, whose wife Elizabeth is suffering from dementia and the bank is foreclosing on their homes. Their adopted daughter, Marianne, has a closely guarded secret that no one can explain, but when escaped convict Joe Scott seeks shelter at the guesthouse, a relationship develops between Marianne and Joe that will change everything for everyone forever.
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. An industry-only performance of Peter Filichia’s Pete’s Theatrical Adventures: Filichia Tells All will take place Feb. 19 & 26 (both at 4 PM) at Off-Broadway’s Theater 555.
boxoffice@theater555.com
So what’s it like to be a theater critic? Is it really fun to attend the theater night after night after night after night? Ask Peter Filichia, who has been attending theater consistently for more than 60 years and has been a reviewer from much more than half that time. Filichia has seen theater in 47 states and 17 foreign countries and has managed to see as many as 412 stage shows in a single year. — resulting in his having now witnessed more than — gulp — 12,500 shows.
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Ann Hampton Callway and Liz Callaway have announced their upcoming concert tour:
Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway: Broadway: The Calla-way (Feb. 18) at Fairfield, CT’s Sacred Heart University Community Theatre. 
here.
Liz Callway: Stephen Sondheim…A Tribute (Mar. 14) at Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center.
Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf: Music of Broadway for Cello and Piano (Mar. 23) featuring Liz Callaway, at NYC’s 54 Below.
Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway: Broadway: The Calla-way (Mar. 30 – Apr. 1) at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center.
A Sondheim Celebration (Apr. 21-23), with the Philly Pops at a venue TBA.
A Sondheim Celebration (May 12-13), with the Philly Pops, featuring Liz Callway, in Indianapolis (venue TBA).
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Free readings of Andrew Stein’s Disruption will be presented Thurs. Feb. 16 at Noon and 3 PM at NYC’s Open Jar Studios, directed by Hersh Ellis.
Matt Rauch, Tina Benko, Victoire Charles, Erik Lochtefeld, Emma Kikue, Bobby Moreno, Barzin Akhavan, and Kea Trevett.
The play asks, with every aspect of human life documented with data and disrupted by technology, will computers soon be able to tell us what will make us truly happy? One tech gazillionaire thinks so and is using his friends to prove it.
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Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap will run Feb. 24 – Mar. 19 at Boston’s Lyric Stage, directed by Michael Hisamoto.
Barlow Adamson (Saul), Jihan Haddad (Connie), Gary Thomas Ng (Wen Chang), and Tyler Simahk (Manford Lum).
It’s 1989 San Francisco and Manford Lum, a gifted, fast-talking teenager, dominates the high school basketball courts. Facing an uncertain future, he convinces Saul, a cynical and crusty coach, to let him travel to Beijing for a “friendship” game in China. Waiting there is a Chinese national coach with unfinished business, both with Saul and with Manford. On the eve of historic demonstrations, all three men are challenged to define their pasts and their futures.
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Fifty Key Stage Musicals, based on Robert W. Schneider & Shannon Agnew’s book, will take place Wed. Feb. 8 at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below, with music direction by Michael Lavine.
George Lee Andrews, Caitlin Belcik, Jim Brochu, LaDonna Burns, Len Cariou, Kevin Chamberlin, Alexandra Amadeo, Beth Fowler, Janine LaManna, Lee Roy Reams, and Mark William.
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Aida will run June 2 – July 2 at STAGES St. Louis. Casting and creative team TBA.