Today’s Highlights:
Penguin Rep’s The Sabbath Girl, by Cary Gitter & Neil Berg, directed by Joe Brancato, featuring Marilyn Caserta, Diana Dimarzio, Rory Max Kaplan, Lauren Singerman, and Max Wolkowitz, opens at Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters.
Sunset Boulevard, directed by Glenn Casale, featuring Ellen Harvey (Norma Desmond), Jason Gotay (Joe Gillis), William Ryall (Max von Mayerling), Julia Udine (Betty Schaefer), Paul Schoeffler (Cecil B. Demille), and Albert Jennings (Artie Green), with Ashley Agrusa, Joshua Michael Burrage, Adena Ershow, Devon Hadsell, Tanya Haglund, Michael Scott Harris, Alexi Ishida, Lisa Karlin, Adam Lendermon, Stuart Marland, Cole Newburg, Domonique Paton, Nathan Andrew Riley, Brian Steven Shaw, Audrey Biehl Simmons, Jack Sippel, Cayel Tregeagle, and Jason Weitkamp, opens at Sacramento Music Circus.
Aaron Tveit (Christian) and Joann “Jojo” Levesque (Satine) return to Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
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Corrected GRACE NOTES Quiz: A Dash of Flavor, by Jim Bernhard
The missing words in these titles of plays and musicals are all names of condiments, spices, or herbs.
| 1. A Taste of ____ | A. Ginger |
| 2. The Proper ____ | B. Onions |
| 3. The Green ____ Tree | C. Honey |
| 4. Lettice and ____ | D. Vinegar |
| 5. Sweet ____ | E. Pepper |
| 6. Time Out for ____ | F. Caper |
| 7. The ____ Tree | G. Salt |
| 8. The ____ of the Earth | H. Bay |
| 9. The ____ Mill | I. Lovage |
| 10. Hummingbirds and ____ | J. Lavender |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Virginia Stage Company has announced its 2024-25 season:
Arsenic and Old Lace (Sept. 4-22),
Dracula (Oct. 16 – Nov. 3),
A Sherlock Carol (Dec. 4-29),
Merry Little Christmas Carol (Dec. 8-23)), by Mark Shanahan,
Fat Ham (Jan. 29, 2025 – Feb. 16), by James IJames,
Little Shop of Horrors (Mar. 12-30)
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Classic Stage Company has announced 2 upcoming productions:
Our Class (Sept. 12 – Nov. 3), by Tadeusz Slobodzianek, directed by Igor Golyak, featuring Gus Birney (Dora), Andrey Burkovskiy (Menachem), José Espinosa ( Rysiek), Tess Goldwyn (Zocha), Will Manning (Heniek), Stephen Ochsner (Jakub Katz), Alexandra Silber (Rachelka/Marianna), Richard Topol (Abram), Ilia Volok ((Władek) and Elan Zafir (Zygmunt) 
The play follows ten Polish classmates, five Jewish and five Catholic, growing up as playmates, friends, and neighbors, who then turn on one another with life and death consequences. The piece comes at a time when the world is facing an increase in antisemitism across the globe.
The Merchant of Venice (Nov. 22 – Dec. 22), featuring Richard Topol (Shylock), Gus Birney, José Espinosa, Tess Goldwyn, Stephen Ochsner (Jakub Katz), Alexandra Silber (Portia), and more TBA.
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Video: Brian Stokes Mitchell performs “Hope,” accompanied by Jason Robert Brown. Not to be missed.
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Cris Eli Blak’s No Desire to Suffer Twice will run Aug. 9 – Sept. 1 at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble, directed by Matt Lorenzo.
Antwan Alexander II, Xanxan Beneche, Madylin Sweeten Durrie, Harry Fakoura, Leah Haile, Andre Lamone, Thando Skwatsha, and Esteban Vasquez.
Two brothers dream of going to Harvard Business School. Brendan was accepted but Cedric, the better student, was rejected. When Cedric learns that Brendan has been hiding his acceptance letter and the truth of how he was admitted, the brothers must face a betrayal from which they may never recover.
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Matt Murray, Johnny Reid & Rob Foster’s Maggie will run Aug. 23 – Oct. 20 (opening Sept. 4) at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Mary Francis Moore, with music direction by Adam Souza.
Christine Dwyer (Maggie), Terra C. MacLeod (Betty), Sophia Clarke (Sadie), Kennedy Cuaghell (Jean), Wes Williams (Tommy), Jeffrey Kringer (Shug), Sam Primack (Wee Jimmy), Ryan Duncan (Sam Primack), and Matt Faucher (Tam), with Jodi Bluestein, Anthony Festa, Lyda Jade Harlan, Brian Michael Hoffman, Joshua Kring, Emma McGlinchy, Paul Scanlan, Sonya Venugopal, Nick Ziobro, Jenna Bienvenue, and Nathan Quay Thomas.
A Scottish mother’s unbreakable love for her three sons is tested in an inspirational new musical about family bonds and changing times. After suffering the unthinkable loss of her husband, Maggie must rely on her strength, sense of humor and fiercely loyal friends to protect her family from a harsh and changing world. Spanning over 20 years, a hardscrabble working class life blossoms with an exceptional soul-stirring pop-folk score. A generation of courageous mothers is celebrated in this rousing U.S. premiere!
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Video: Jordan Fisher performs “Epic III” from Hadestown.
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Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years will begin previews Mar. 18, 2025, and open Apr. 16. at the Hudson Theatre, directed by Whitney White.
Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren.
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A public reading of Adam Gwon’s All the World’s a Stage will take place Aug. 8-9 at the South Carolina New Play Festival, directed by Jonathan Silverstein.
Andy Mientus, Jon-Michael Reese, Siri Howard and Eliza Pagelle.
The new musical centers on a small-town math teacher who finds himself coaching a misfit student for the State Thespian Competition, only to find himself at odds between an outspoken boyfriend and a conservative high school secretary that could wreck his caree
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Jason Graae and his Broadway Gal Pals will take place Sun. June 28 at 7:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.
Anastasia Barzee, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Heather Lee, Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Marrow, and Valarie Pettiford.
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Video: (scroll down) Broadway’s Moulin Rouge! The Musical said goodbye to stars Derek Klena and Courtney Reed, along with ensemble member Clay Rice-Thomson and understudy Bobby Daye, July 21 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
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Matt Murray & Bob Foster’s Maggie will run Aug. 23 – Oct. 20 at CT’s Goodspeed, directed by Mary Francis Moore, with choreography by EJ Boyle, and music supervision by Bob Foster.
Christine Dwyer (Maggie), Terra C. Macleod (Betty), Sophia Clarke (Sadie), Kenney Cuaghell (Jean), Wes Williams (Tommy), Jeffrey Kringer (Shug), Sam Primack (Wee Jimmy), Ryan Duncan (Uncle Charles) and Matt Faucher (Tam), with Jodi Bluestein, Anthony Festa, Lyda Jade Harlan, Brian Michael Hoffman, Joshua Kring, Emma McGlinchey, Paul Scanlan, Sonya Venugopal, Nick Ziobro. Jenna Bienvenue and Nathan Quay Thomas.
A Scottish widow’s unbreakable love for her three sons is tested over a 20-year period.
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The world premiere of Brian Helgeland * Brona C Titley’s A Knight’s Tale will run Apr. 11 – May 10, 2025 at the Manchester Opera House, directed by Helgeland, with choreography by Matt Cole.
Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, Mark Addy, and Rufus Sewell.
The piece is based on the 2001 film. William Thatcher is a 14th century peasant squire who breaks all the rules when he passes himself off as a nobleman and takes the jousting world by storm. The only thing that stands between him and his dream of becoming the World Champion is the bad boy of the sport, Count Adhemar.
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A Jerry Herman Evening, starring Andrea Marcovicci, with special guest Jason Graae, will take place Sun. Aug. 4 at 8 PM at Hollywood’s Gardenia, with music direction by Gerald Sternbach.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: A Dash of Flavor
1. A Taste of Honey
2. The Proper Caper
3. The Green Bay Tree
4. Lettice and Lovage
5. Sweet Lavender
6. Time Out for Ginger
7. The Vinegar Tree
8. The Salt of the Earth
9. The Pepper Mill
10. Hummingbirds and Onions