Today’s Highlights:
The Phantom of the Opera, featuring Lucy St. Louis (Christine Daaé), Rhys Whitfield (Raoul), Killian Donnelly (The Phantom), Saori Oda (Carlotta Giudicelli), Matt Harrop (Monsieur Firmin), Adam Linstead (Monsieur Firmin), Adam Linstead (Monsieur André), Greg Castiglioni (Ubaldo Piangi), Francesca Ellis (Madame Giry), Ellie Young (Meg Giry), and Holly-Anne Hull (Christine, at some performances), with Leeroy Boone, Corina Clark, Edward Court, Lily De-La-Haye, Hywel Dowsell, Jemal Felix, Erin Flaherty, James Gant, Eilish Harmon-Beglan, Yukina Hasebe, Olivia Holland-Rose, Grace Hume, James Hume, Donald Craig Mannuel, Jonathan Milton, Janet Mooney, Tim Morgan, Beatrice Penny-Toure, Michael Robert-Lowe, Nikki Skinner, Tim Southgate, Ashley Stillburn, Manon Taris, Anouk Van Laake, Skye Weiss, Simon Whitaker, and Karen Wilkinson, re-opens at the West End’s Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Walden, a site-specific immersive play, by Amy Berryman, directed by Mei Ann Teo, featuring Diana Oh, Jeena Yi, and Gabriel Brown, opens at Theaterworks Hartford.
Jesus Christ Superstar in concert, directed by Mark Stuart, featuring Michael K. Lee (Jesus), Telly Leung (Peter), Ramin Karimloo (Judas), Celinde Schoenmaker (Mary Magdalene), Robert Marien (Pontius Pilate), Masaaki Fujioka (King Herod), Hironobu Miyahara (Caiaphas), and Hayato Kakizawa (Simon Zealotes), and Aaron Walpole (Annas), closes at the Tokyo Theatre Orb.
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Laguna Playhouse has announced its 2021-22 season:
Sh-Boom! Live Could Be A Dream (Oct. 13-31, opening Oct. 17), created by Roger Bean. Casting TBA. 
Hey cool cats! Take a trip to Springfield and mee the Crooning Crabcakes as they prepare to enter the Big Whopper Radio contest and realize their dreams of making it to the big time!
The Spitfire Grill (Jan. 26 – Feb. 13, opening Jan. 30,2022), by James Valcq & Fred Alley.
First Lady of Song: Alexis J. Roston Sings Ella Fitzgerald (Mar. 2-20, opening Mar. 6).
Almost, Maine (Apr. 20 – May 8, opening Apr. 24), by John Cariani. On one cold and magical winter night, the citizens of Almost experience the life-altering power of the human heart.
TBA (May 25 – June 12)
Saturday Night Fever (June 29 – July 17, opening July 3)
Xanadu (Aug. 3-21, opening Aug. 7), by Douglas Carter Beane, Jeff Lynne & John Farrar.
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To celebrate the release of James Lapine’s new book, “Putting it Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created Sunday in the Park with George,” Christine Baranski will moderate a conversation with Lapine and Sondheim on Tues. Aug. 3 at 7 PM ET at NYC’s Town Hall.
the audio book, which will be released Aug. 3 here.
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Hudson Stage Company presents the world premiere of Joshual Allen’s The October Storm, to run Oct. 8-23 at the Whippoorwill Theatre, directed by Cezar Williams.
Yvette Ganier, Patricia R. Floyd, Trevor Latez Hayes, Philipe D. Preston, and Courtney Thomas.
In 1960’s Southside Chicago, a troubled war veteran moves into an apartment building and the residents become caught in an emotional whirlwind that threatens to change their lives forever. In the center of the conflict are the building’s landlady and her 16-year-old granddaughter.
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“Adam Pascal…So Far” will begin streaming on Stellar on Tues. Aug. 17 at 9 PM ET.
The 75 minute performance offers a career retrospective of Pascal, who presents an intimate acoustic performance, guiding the audience through his Broadway career from Rent and Aida through Pretty Woman.
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The Rocky Horror Show will return Oct. 10-30 at the Peacock Theatre, directed by Christopher Luscombe.
Ore Oduba (Brad) and more TBA.
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DC’s Arena Stage has announced its 2021-22 season:
Toni Stone (Sept. 3 – Oct. 3), by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Pam MacKinnon. Based on the real-life woman who became the first female to play professional baseball in the Negro Leagues.
Celia and Fidel (Oct. 8 – Nov. 21), by Eduardo Machado, directed by Molly Smith. A captivating story at a time with it’s more important than ever to examine dictators and to reflect on their impact on modern society.
Seven Guitars (Nov. 26 – Dec. 26), by August Wilson, directed by Tazewell Thompson. This heartfelt classic follows the cycle of life, love, pain, suffering and joy of seven lives who are reconnected following an untimely death.
Change Agent (Jan. 21 – Mar. 26, 2022), written & directed by Craig Lucas. The play dramatically conjures celebrated, controversial and unsung figures in American history surrounding pivotal events in the 1960s.
Catch Me If You Can (Mar. 4 – Apr. 17), directed by Molly Smith, starring Corbin Bleu.
Cambodian Rock Band (Apr. 12 – May 15), by Lauren Yee, director TBA. The story of a father and daughter as they confront the legacy of the Khmer Rouge.
Drumfolk (May 31 – June 26), by Step Afrika! A rhythmic storytelling of the history of African American percussive traditions inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739, when Africans lost the right to use their drums, but the beats found their way into the bodies of the people.
American Prophet: Frederick Douglass in His Own Words (July 15 – Aug. 28), by Charles Randolph Wright & Marcus Hummon, starring Charles Randolph Wright. This new work celebrates the revolutionary legacy of one of history’s first freedom fights.
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Sugar & Shi*t, written & performed by Lori Hoeft & Lenny Langley, will run Aug. 8 (8 PM PT), Aug. 21 (1 PM PT), and Aug. 29 1 PM PT) at Hollywood’s Hudson Mainstage, directed by Lori Hoeft & Dwight Kennedy with Dwight Kennedy. Each show will be also available for live streaming.
A provocative dark comedy inspired by true events. It combines memoirs of a sex worker named Sugar and the chronicles of an unwanted adoptee named The S**t (who ate frosted flakes every day and never forgave her mother for setting the house on fire).
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The new comedy anthology series, “The Premise” will premiere Sept. 16 on FX.
Ben Platt, Daniel Dae Kim, Tracee Ellis, Kaitlyn Dever, Lucas Hedges, George Wallace, Ed Asner, and Beau Bridges.
The series will combine comedic premises with dramatic performances to highlight the biggest issues of the modern era, tackling topics such as sex scandals, gun lobbies, and social media approval.
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The Best of Broadway, with the San Diego Symphony, will run Aug. 6-8 at the Rady Shell at Jacob’s Park, directed by Gary Griffin, with music direction by Rob Fisher.
Norm Lewis, Kelli O’Hara, Adrienne Warren, and Megan Hilty.
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The world premiere of Matt Werner & Gene Back’s “Burning Man: The Musical” will premiere Aug. 27 on Broadway On Demand, directed by Tyler Milliron. The film features music inspired by what is played at Burning Man. The film & soundtrack feature 18 tracks including the crowd favorite, “Last Year’s Burn Was Better.”
Morgan Siobhan Green, Tally Sessions, Max Crumm, Michelle Duffy, Troy Iwata, Allison Griffith, Ari Grooves, Mila Jam, Ysabel Jasa, and Michael F. McBride.
The film follows Molly, a promising young tech grad, as she returns to the playa of Black Rock city – this time employed by the very tech company that, unbeknownst to her, seeks to destroy it. After being given the task of acquiring drugs for here boss’s exclusive party, Molly finds herself on a journey inward – and through the community of Burning Man – find her truest self.
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A staged reading of Ed Weinberger’s Two Jews, Talking will run Sept. 2-4 at NC’s Flat Rock Playhouse.
Ed Asner and Jamie Farr.
A story that brings Lou and Bud together in the Biblical past, and Phil and Marty together in contemporary Long Island. They philosophize about women, sex, food, the divine. and destiny.
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South Pacific will stream Aug. 4, 9, 14, 18, 21, 26, 31, and Sept. 3 at the UK’s Chichester Festival Theatre, directed by Daniel Evans, with choreography by Ann Yee, and music direction by Cat Beveridge.
Julian Ovenden (Emile), Ghina Back (Nellie), Joanna Ampil (Bloody Mary), Keir Charles (Luther Billis), Rob Houchen (Lt. Cable), and Sera Maehara (Liat), with Troy Abesamis, Lindsay Atherton, Carl Au, Rosanna Bates, David Birrell, Leslie Garcia Bowman, Taylor Bradshaw, Bobbie Chambers, Charlotte Coggin, Danny Collins, Oliver Edward, Sergio Giacomelli, Shailan Cohil, Adrian Grove, Zack Guest, Cameron Bernard Jones Amanda Lindgren, Matthe Maddison, Melissa Nettleford, Rachel Jayne Picar, Kate Playdon, Pierce Rogan, Clancy Ryan, Charlie Waddell, and James Wilkinson-Jones.
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A new “Exorcist” trilogy is currently in development, with the first installment expected be released in theaters in 2023, with the two sequels following on a streaming service (TBA), directed by David Gordon Green. Timeline and additional casting TBA.
Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn, with more TBA.
A father (Odom Jr.) is desperate to save his child from a demonic possession and seeks out Chris MacNeil (Burstyn) for help. The films will not be remakes, but stories that exist within the world of the originals.
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The film version of Tom MacRae & Dan Gillespie Sells’ West End musical “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” will be released Sept. 17 on Amazon Prime, directed by Jonathan Butterell (who also directed the West End production).
Max Harwood (Jamie New), Sarah Lancashire, Lauren Patel, Shobna Gulati, Ralph Ineson, Adeel Akhtar, Samuel Bottomley, Sharon Horgan, and Richard E. Grant.
Inspired by the 2011 documentary “Jamie: Drag Queen at 16.” the movie musical follows Jamie, who, after receiving pushback when he announces he will wear a dress to prom, overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies, and steps out of the darkness and into the spotlight.