Today’s Highlights:
* Place/Settings audio stories, written by Eisa Davis, Philip Kan Gotanda, Daniel Handler, Ava de León, Adam Mansbach, Itamar Moses, Kamala Parks, Sarah Ruhl, and Sean San José, begins streaming (1 story every week) at Berkeley Rep.
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During a virtual conference presented by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals on Jan. 9, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said he believed that theatres could be safe to open for business some time in the Fall.
That prediction, however, depends on the rollout of the vaccine and the country reaching herd immunity, vaccinating between 70-85 % of the country.
Dr. Fauci also explained that theatres that possess proper air filters and good ventilation may be able to reopen without restrictions—other than theatregoers wearing masks, which may need to be worn for the foreseeable future. Producers have stated that reduced capacity, for instance, is one of the major roadblocks in the financial viability of reopening.
Currently, all Broadway shows will remain dark through May 30.
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Manhattan Theatre Club has announced its 2021-22 season:
BROADWAY
* Lackawanna Blues (Fall 2021) written & directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
Santiago-Hudson embodies more than 20 characters, creating a richly textured reminiscence about the incredible woman who raised him.
*Skeleton Crew (Winter 2022), by Dominque Morisseau, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The play follows a group of auto plant workers as they contend with the idea of foreclosure.
* How I Learned to Drive (Spring 2022) by Paula Vogel, directed by Mark Brokaw, starring Mary-Louise Parker and David Morse. A timely and moving memory play about a woman coming to terms with a charismatic uncle who impacts her past, present and future life.
OFF BROADWAY
* Morning Sun (Fall 2021) by Simon Stephens, directed by Lila Neugebauer, featuring Blair Brown, Edie Falco, Marin Ireland. AS 50 years pass, one woman’s life is revealed in all its complexity, mystery, and possibility in this play about mothers and daughters, beginnings and endings in New York city.
* Golden Shield, (2021-22) by Anchuli Felicia King, directed by Danya Taymor. The place focuses on loyalties, intrigue and the delicate art of translation.
* Prayer for the French Republic (Winter 2022), world premiere by Joshua Harmon, directed by David Cromer. In 944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple’s great grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors: “Are we safe?”
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Video: Rebecca Luker as Claudia in Nine (2003)
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The 2-LP cast album for the revival of The Color Purple, directed by John Doyle, is now available here.
Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Hudson, Danielle Brooks, Isaiah Johnson, Joaquina Kalukango, and Kyle Scatliffe, Phoenix Best, Dwayne Clark, Lawrence Clayton, Carrie Compere, Patrice Covington, Adrianna Hicks, Bre Jackson, Grasan Kingsberry, Kevyn Morrow, Ken Robinson, Antoine L. Smith, Carla R. Stewart, Akron Watson, and Rema Webb.
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Nicole Kidman has replaced Cate Blanchett as Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardo’s.”
Kidman and Javier Bardem will star as Lucy and Ricky in the Amazon Studios project.
The film takes place over the course of one production week on the sitcom “I Love Lucy.” Sorkin was reportedly originally only going to write the film, but decided to stay on to direct after his experience helming “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” a major Oscar contender this year at rival streaming giant Netflix.
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RIP: Producer Martin Markinson died Jan. 7 at the age of 89.
Broadway credits include Torch Song Trilogy (1983 tony Award), Honeymoon in Vegas, Gigi (2015 revival), The Gathering, Chicago, Poor Murderer, Cheaters, and more.
Martin also served on the Broadway League’s Board of Governors for many years.
Born in Brooklyn in 1931, he began ushering at a local movie theatre as a teenager, and fell in love with storytelling.
In 1979, Mr. Markinson and Mr. Tick bought the Little Theatre (now the Helen Hayes Theater) from Westinghouse Broadcasting Company. The pair owned the theatre until Mr. Tick’s death in 2006, at which time Jeffrey Tick joined the day-to-day operations until 2015 when it was sold to Second Stage.
Mr. Markinson also leased three other theatres as an operator, the Wadsworth and Brentwood Theatres in Los Angeles between 1998–2010, and the Parker Playhouse in Ft. Lauderdale from 2000 to 2006.
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The “Films.Dance” international project will launch Jan. 25 here.
The project will engage more than 150 diverse artists from 52 cities in 25 countries, culminating in 15 short films, available one per week, that have been shot over the course of the pandemic. Through non-traditional collaborations across cultures and continents, and led by the vision of Jonas, the series was filmed at locations from Amsterdam, Brazil, Canada, China Germany, London, Los Angeles, New York, Nigeria, and Spain.
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The ShowBiz Quiz will livestream Thurs. Jan. 14 at 8 PM ET here, hosted by Yvette Kojic. Note: All ticket registrations close at 7:45 PM ET.
The most feverous fun online. Six Quiz-tacular rounds of trivia — with prizes and surprises around each corner. Each round gets harder and harder to see who the true theater buffs are.
How it works:
* You will have 20 seconds to answer each question rounds 1-5
* The faster you answer correctly, the more points you earn.
* A final round where points are double.
* History and humor throughout.
* Prizes for Leader Of The Game and more.
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Blue Ridge reading, by Abby Rosebrock, directed by Taibi Magar, will stream Fri. Jan. 15 at 7 PM ET here.
Marin Ireland, Kyle Beltran, Peter Mark Kendall, Nicole Lewis, Kristolyn Lloyd, and Chris Stack.
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Video: Jim Caruso’s Cast Party variety show with special guests Georgia Stitt, Jen Sánchez, Zack Resnick, Jonathan Brooke, and Andrew Coutermarsh. (1:34:30)
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You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman continues through Feb. 27 at Pasadena Playhouse, with music direction by Andy Einhorn.
Ashley Blanchet, Nick Christopher, Lesli Margherita, Andrea Ross, and Ryan Vona.
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Cleveland Play House will stream the next installment of Theatre Thursday: Inspiring Resolution on Thurs. Jan. 21 at 7 PM CT, hosted by Laura Kepley.
Peter Hargrave, Eric Lockley, Laura Perrotta, and Mirama Whyte.
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The live theatrical production of Richard Hough & Ben Morales Frost’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, originally scheduled to premiere this month at London’s Southwark Playhouse, has been rescheduled to a streaming format to run Feb. 26 – Mar. 14 here, directed by Charlotte Westenra, with music direction by Alan Williams, and choreography by Steven Harris,
Nicola Blackman, Dawn Hope, Mary Moore, Marc Pickering, Yazdan Qafouri, and David Thaxton, with Tom Bales, Ryan Pidgen, Vicki Lee Taylor, and Kayleigh Thadani.
The musical explores the world of a sorcerer and his rebellious daughter, as she discovers the possibilities of her newfound magical powers.
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Terence Rattigan’s All On Her Own will stream Feb. 16-21 here, directed by Alastair Knights.
Janie Dee
The one-person play centers on Rosemary, who, alone at midnight in London, shares a sinister yet heartbreaking secret. The piece was created for television in 1968 and was most recently seen at the Garrick Theatre in 2015 starring Zoe Wanamaker.
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“Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” has raised $1.9 million for The Actors Fund.
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James Graham, Elton John & Jake Shears’ Tammy Faye Bakker bio-musical, which is in development, still hopes to open in the second half of 2021 in London, possibly at the Almeida Theatre,
Stay tuned…
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Video: Audra McDonald performs “I Could Have Danced All Night” (2006).
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Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep presents Darren Murphy’s The Gifts You Gave to the Dark on Jan. 13, 21 & 29.
Written specifically for digital media, the piece tells the story of “Tom,” who is confined to his bed in Belfast with COVID and unable to visit his mother, who is dying in Dublin.
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Samuel D. Hunter is adapting his 2012 play The Whale for the screen, to be directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Brendan Fraser.
A reclusive online writing instructor who, weighing in at 600 pounds, lives marooned on a couch. Redemption may be within reach as he tries to reconnect with his estranged, sharp-tongued daughter.
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MasterVoices: Myths and Hymn, Adam Guettel’s theatrical song cycle, will stream Jan. 13 at 6:30 PM ET here, directed by Ted Sperling,
Renée Fleming, Annie Golden, Joshua Henry, Capathia Jenkins, Norm Lewis, Jose Llana, Kelli O’Hara, Elizabeth Stanley, and more.
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An HBO Max reboot of “Gossip, Girl” has begun filming, although a release date is TBA.
Donna Murphy (Private School Headmistress) and more TBA.
The series will follow a whole new group of young Manhattan socialites. The reboot promises a more diverse cast than the original, but with just as much scandal.
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“The Broadway Gives Back Podcast” is now available here, and on all podcast platforms.
Guests include Judith Light, Gloria & Emilio Estafan, Luis & Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom viola & Danny Whitman, Gavin Creel, and Dan Pallotta.
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Video: Lincoln Center At Home presents Hiplet Ballerinas. (16:13)
The Chicago based company presenting this video fuses classical pointe technique with urban dance styles including African, Latin, and Hip Hop. Promoting inclusivity in their cast and audience, the company features modern music and dancers of all shapes, sizes, and colors.