Today’s Highlights:
Cray, written & performed by Darrell Hammond, directed by Christopher Ashley, opens at Off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre.
That’s What Friends are For: Nova Y. Payton Sings Burt Bacharach, directed by Mark G. Meadows, opens at VA’s Signature Theatre.
George Street Playhouse & Primary Stages’ Ibsen’s Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy, world premiere by Charles Busch, directed by Carl Andress, featuring Charles Busch (Suzannah Thoresen Ibsen), Thomas Gibson (Wolf Dahlquist), Jen Cody (Gerda), Christopher Borg (George Elstad/The Rat Wife,) Judy Kaye (Magdalene Kragh Thoresen), and Jennifer Van Dyck (Hanna Solberg), with Kate Hampton (understudy for Susannah Thoresen Ibsen), opens at NJ’s New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
Little Women, by Kate Hamill, directed by Marti Lyons, featuring Rebecca Cort (Amy March(, Amelio García (Jo March), Macall Gordon (Hahhan/Mrs. Mingott), Chiké Johnson (Mr. Laurence), Colleen Madden (Marmee March), Cy Paolantonio (Meg March), Katie Peabody (Beth March), Richard Nguyen Sloniker (John Brookes), and Austen Winters (Laurie), opens at Milwaukee Rep.
“Mary & Ethel…and Mikey Who?” book by Stephen Cole, released on most platforms. An audio book is also available.
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2024 Emmy Award winners. Click here.
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The Wiz, directed by Schele Williams, is currently on tour, but will begin previews Mar. 29 and open Apr. 17 at the Marquis Theatre, with choreography by Jaquel Knight, and music supervision by Joseph Joubert.
Nichelle Lewis (Dorothy), Deborah Cox (Glinda), Melody A. Betts (Aunt Em / Evillene), Kyle Ramar Freeman (Lion), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Tinman), Avery Wilson (Scarecrow), and Wayne Brady (The Wiz), with Maya Bowles, Shayla Alayre Caldwell, Jay Copeland, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Judith Franklin, Michael Samarie George, Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Olivia Jackson, Christina Jones, Polanco Jones, Kolby Kindle, Mariah Lyttle, Kareem Marsh, Anthony Murphy, Cristina Rae, Matthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust Tate, Keenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson
Video: Nichelle Lewis performs “Home”
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Off-Broadway’s Bedlam Theatre has announced its 2024 season:
Casting and creative teams TBA.
The Assassination of Julius Caesar as Told by William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw (begins Feb. 24), adapted by Eric Tucker.
Music City (begins Sept. 28 ), by J.T. Harding & Peter Zinn. 
A first-hand account of the drug epidemic in America and the struggling artist’s attempt at overcoming that war to achieve the dream of becoming a successful Nashville singer and songwriter.
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All Road’s Theatre Company will present a staged reading presentation of Mack & Mabel Feb. 16 – 18 at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre, directed & choreographed by Scott Thompson.
Dermot Mulroney (Mack), Jenna Lea Rosen (Mabel), Caroline O’Connor (Lottie), Chad Doreck (William Desmond Taylor), Lee James (Frank Capra), Michael Shepperd (Soundstage Watchman), Robert Yacko (Kleinman), Glenn Rosemblum (Fox), Arthur L. Ross (Fatty Arbuckle), Myriam Ali (Ella The Pianist), with will include Nichole Beeks, Amanda Carr, John Dellaporta, Brody Ensor, Cole Fletcher, Skylar Gaines, Ariana Nicole George, Sylvie Gosse, Flynn Henry, Shira Jackman, Danielle LaRauf, David Leppert, Holden Maples, Mark Marchillo, Julia Marley, Donovan Mendelovitz, Alexandra Mitchell, Gabby Rosales, Iva Erwin, and Erica Schaeffer.
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Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theater has announced its live big-screen HD performances of the Metropolican Opera‘s season (Jan. 27 – May 11).
Carmen (Jan. 27 at 12:55 PM ET (run time: 3:44), by Bizet,
La Forza Del Destino (Mar. 9 at 12 PM ET (run time 4:22), by Verdi.
Roméo et Juliette (Mar. 23 at 12:55 PM ET) run time: 3:31, by Puccini.
La Rondine (Apr. 20 at 12:55 PM ET), run time 2:47, by Puccini
Madama Butterfly (May 11 at 12:55 PM ET)m run time 3:15, by Puccini.
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. The Beverly Hills Theatre Guild’s Julie Harris Playwriting Competition is accepting applications starting through Apr. 30, with a $25 entry fee for submissions. Only one play per entrant will be considered.
Each year, 3 winners are selected and are presented with cash prizes for full-length (75 minutes minimum) previously unproduced plays. “Unproduced” means: No previous production (Equity or non-Equity) for which actors or authors were paid or admission was charged, or both. No musicals are eligible. Plays with an occasional song for ambience are considered. The plays must also be unpublished and not currently under any option. This year, the prizes will be $3,500, $2,500, and $1,500 for first, second and third prizes respectively.
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Group Rep will present PASSION: A Sparkling Afternoon of Cabaret and Love on Sat. Feb. 10 at 1 PM at North Hollywood’s Lonny Chapman Theatre, directed by Barbara Brownell, with music direction by Paul Cady.
Todd Andrew Ball, Barbara Brownell, Paul Cady, Kathi Chaplar, Will Collyer, Theresa Ford, Dawn Halloran, Hisato Masuyama,Suzanne Mayes, Connie Mellors, Kevin Michael Moran, Lloyd Pedersen, Alex Reusch, Leota Rhodes, Savannah Schoenecker, Christopher Showerman, Mark Stancato, Stevie Stern, Neil Thompson, Kristin Towers-Rowles, Danica Waitley and Janet Wood.
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Comedy Night at the Playhouse will take place Tues. Jan. 30 at 7:30 PM at Laguna Playhouse, nosted by Mark Christopher Lawrence.
Dustin Nickerson, Josh Lawson, and Josiah Moreno.
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Off-Broadway’s Bedlam Theatre has announced its 2024 season:
The Assasination of Julius Caesar as Told by William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw (begins Feb. 24), directed by Eric Tucker Music City (begins Sept. 28), by J. T. Harding & Peter Zinn, directed by Eric Tucker. A first-hand account of the drug epidemic in America and the struggling artist’s attempt at overcoming that war to achieve the dream of becoming a successful Nashville singer and songwriter.**********************
Katherine Bates’ The Manor will run Jan. 18 – Feb. 3 at Theatre 40, directed by Martin Thompson.
Casting TBA.
An immersive drama based on true events about a scandal, muder and suicide, presented 96 years later in the building where the events actually happened.
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Broadway’s Shucked will be adapted into a feature film.
Bookwriter Robert Horn will write the screenplay for the film. The show’s composers (Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally), and director Jack O’Brien are executive producing.
Casting, timeline, and additional information TBA.
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Strangers on a Train, adapted by Craig Warner, will run Jan. 18 – Feb. 18 at Theatre 40, directed by Jules Aaron.
Casting not announced.
Two men engage in a plot to commit two murders, with unintended consequences
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“Michael,” John Logan’s biopic about Michael Jackson, will be released Apr. 28, 2025, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Jaafar Jackson (Michael’s real -life nephew, as Michael)
According to director (Antoine Fuqua), the movie will “tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad and the ugly.”