GRACE NOTES: Tuesday, June 13, 2023

 

Today’s Highlights:

  The Lehman Trilogy, adapted by Ben Power, directed by Carey Perfloff, featuring Firdous Bamji (Mayer Lehman), Joshua David Robinson (Emanuel Lehman), Steven Skybell (Henry Lehman), and Jo LaRocca (Musician), with Kadahj Bennett, Matthew Bretschneider, Todd Brunel, and Scott Wentworth, opens at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.

  Anything Goes, directed by directed by Ameenah Kaplan, featuring Rashidra Scott (Reno Sweeney), A.J. Shively (Billy Crocker), Liz Leclerc (Hope Harcourt), Jeff Howell (Moonface Martin), Goeff Packard (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh), Andrea Weinzierl (Erma), Theo Allyn (Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt), Ryan Cavanaugh (Purser),  Joseph Domenic (Captain), Ted Guzman (John), Jerreme Rodruguez (Luke), and Allan Snyder (Elisha Whitney), with Ashely Agrusa, Sean Bell, Kristen Grace Brown, Bobby M. Davis, Zachary Doran, Kylie Edwards, Brady Miller, Marjorie Failoni, Mathew Fedorek, Nathan Fister, Jordan Giles, Laura Guley, Michael Pesko, Madysen Piper, Myah Segura, and Renell Taylor, opens at Pittsburgh CLO.

  Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, written & directed by Richard Hellesen, starring John Rubinstein, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Theatre at St. Clements.

  The Who’s Tommy, re-imagined by Pete Townshend & Des McAnuff, directed by McAnuff, featuring Ali Louis Bourzgui (Tommy), Adam Jacobs (Captain Walker), Alison Luff Mrs. Walker), John Ambrosino (Uncle Ernie), Bobby Conte (Cousin Kevin), and Christina Sajous (Acid Queen), with Jeremiah Alsop, Stephen Brower, Haley Gustafson, Sheldon Henry, Aliah James, Gabriel Kearns, Tassy Kirbas Lily Kren, Nathan Lucrezio, Alexandra Matteo, Morgan McGhee, Mark Mitrano, Reagan Pender, Daniel Quadrino, Jenna Nicole Schoen, Zach Sorrow, Ayana Strutz, and Andrew Tufano. The role of Young Tommy will be in rotation with Ava Rose Doty, Presley Rose Jones, Annabel Finch, and Ezekiel Ruiz, begins previews at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.

  Jeff Harnar & Alex Rybeck: Our 40th Anniversary Show concert, directed by Sara Louise Lazarus, at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.

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The 76th Annual Tony Awards were seen by 4.3 million viewers, up 10%  in viewership from last year.

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  Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Man and Superman script-in-hand performance will take place Mon. June 19 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s Symphony Space, directed by David Staller.

  Dakin Matthews (Roebuck Ramsden & The Statue), Carman Lacavita (Octcavius Robinson), Max Gordon Moore (John Tanner & Don Juan), Kate Hamill (Ann Whitefield (& Dona Ana), Christine Toy Johnson (Mrs. Whitefield), Olivia Kinter (Violet Robinson), Shawn Kuman Jain (Hector Malone), Nick Wyman (Mr. Malone), and John-Andrew Morrison (Mendoza, The Devil).

  This colorful collection of characters do everything they can to both face and hide from their deepest desires and fears, fleeing across continents and even, in the dream act of Don Juan in Hell, to Hades   for a chat with the Devil and back again. It’s a fast-paced verbal battle between hopeful humans about love, sex, money, life, and even eternity.

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  Read John Kander and Joel Grey‘s complete Lifetime Tony Award acceptance speeches here.

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  The world premiere of Greg Burdick’s Accomodation will run June 15 – July 9 (opening June 18) at the Odyssey Theatre, directed by Brandon Baer & Garrett Baer.

  Sandy Bainum (Celeste Dawkins), Sufe Bradshaw (Mrs. Newsome), Sol Marina Crespo Ruth Lopez), Laura Niemi (Anne Roteman), and Massi Pregoni (Michael Newsome), with Jacob Cherry.

A concerned parent, whose son is in danger of failing one of his classes, schedules a conference with Celeste Dawkins, her son’s high school science teacher. When accused of not honoring the state and federal-mandated modifications required for her son’s different learning style, Dawkins loses her cool in an explosive tirade, provoking a high-stakes lawsuit about the inherent risks of making special considerations for students claiming to have unique needs in her classroom, when the real world outside its walls doesn’t seem to care.

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  Melissa Etheridge: My Window on Broadway will run Sept. 14 – Nov. 19 (opening Sept. 28) at Circle in the Square, directed by Amy Tinkham.

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 Seth Bisen-Hersh  will present A Maury Yeston Cabaret on Mon. June 19 at 7 PM at NYC’s Don’t Tell Mama.

  Mayelah Barrera, Diana Zee Chandler, Cara Chesney, Gino Cardoni, Estelle Goodwin, Michael I. Haber, Nora Lyn Kennedy, Alice Jeanette Lambert, Francesca Litterio, Michaela Moore, Adriana Nocco, Rori Nogee, Gwyneth Sauvage, Nikki Scamuffo, Kaleb Sells, Alivia Stigmata and Heather Tatro.

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  Video: Trailer for the film “Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway!,”which debuted last night atNYC’s Tribeca Festival.  Scroll down for the trailer.

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  LA Opera has announced its 2023-24 season:

  Don Giovanni (Sept. 23 – Oct. 15)  A smooth-talking Don Juan is forced to face the music

  The Barber of Seville (Oct. 21 – Nov. 12)  Figaro plays matchmaker for his boss in a laugh-out-loud tale of young love, packed with fan-favorite earworms.

  “The Bride of Frankenstein” (Oct. 27-28) film screening with a live orchestra.

  El Últimor Sueño de Frida y Diego (Nov. 18 – Dec. 9)  Relive the romance and heartache of two twentieth-century giants in this new musical epilogue to the saga of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

  Rodelinda concert (Nov. 21), featuring the all-stars of Baroque opera. Handel’s thrilling tale of royal intrigue.

  Audra McDonald in Concert (Dec. 2).

  Highway 1, USA/The Dwarf (Feb. 24 – Mar. 17, 2024). The Recovered Voices project returns with two lesser-known one-acts: Highway 1, USA introduces a family left behind by the American Dream, and The Dwarf spins a gothic fairytale of unrequited love in Spain’s royal court.

  La Traviata (Apr. 6-27). A courtesan leaves life in the fast lane and takes a chance on true love in this vibrant new version of Verdi’s classic.

  The Book of Mountains and Seas (Apr. 10-14) by Huang Ruo and puppeteer Basil Twist who reimagine Chinese mythology for the 21st century, merging chaos, creation, and climate change.

  Patti LuPone in Concert (Apr. 20)

  Turandot (May 18 – June 8). Love, loss, and the iconic Nessun Dorma: see Puccini’s grand opera in a blockbuster production.

  Fire and Blue Sky concert (June 6), world premiere by Joel Thompson, featuring Russell Thomas.

  Renée Fleming in  Recital (June 15).

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An all-new production of The Wiz launch a national tour this Fall, and will return to Broadway in Spring 2024 (dates and theater TBA), directed by Schele Williams, with choreography by JaQuel Knight.  Click here for additional information.

  Wayne Brady (The Wiz on Broadway and various tour dates), Alan Mingo Jr. (The Wiz on various tour dates),  (Deborah Cox (Glinda), Melody A. Betts (Aunt Em / Evillene), Kyle Ramar Freeman (Lion), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Tinman), and Avery Wilson (Scarecrow), and more TBA.

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  The Caretaker, by Harold Pinter, will run June 18 – Aug. 8 at Venice’s Pacific Resident Theatre, directed by Elina Santos.

  Richard Fancy, Scott Sheldon, and Spike Pulice.

  In this mischievous comedy, Aston asks down-and-out Davies to be a live-in caretaker. Davies leaps at the chance to change his fortunes, but the trouble is he doesn’t know what a caretaker should do, especially in a room filled with junk. When Aston’s manipulative brother Mick shows up, the power struggle begins. Why does Aston collect all this stuff? Will Davies ever get a pair of decent shoes? And who will fix the drip in the ceiling?

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  The Songs of Drew Gasparini will take place Tues. Aug. 29 at London’s The Pheasantry (link TBA).

Chloe Rabinowitz

 


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