Today’s Highlights:
The Motive and the Cue, by Jack Thorne, directed by Sam Mendes, featuring Johnny Flyn (Richard Burton), Mark Gatiss (John Gielgud), Tuppence Middleton (Elizabeth Taylor), and Janie Dee (Eileen Herlie), with Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams, and Michael Walters, opens at London’s Lyttelton Theatre.
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s King James, by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Kenny Leon, featuring Glenn Davis (Shawn), Chris Perfetti (Matt), and Khloe Janel (DJ), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s NY City Center.
Dead Outlaw concert presentation, by David Yazbek & Erik Della Penna, with special guests David Yazbek, Itamar Moses, and Katrin Lenk Katrin Lenk, at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below.
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2023 Tony Awards nominations Click here for the complete list.
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2023 Theater World Award winners, for an Outstanding Debut Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production:
Yahay Abdul-Mateen II, Topdog/Underdog
Hiran Abeysekera, Life of Pi
Amir Arison, The Kite Runner
D’Arcy Carden, The Thanksgiving Play
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Callum Francis, Kinky Boots
Lucy Freyer, The Wanderers
Caroline Innerbichler, Shucked
Ashley D. Kelley, Shucked
Casey Likes, Almost Famous
Emma Pfitzer Price, Becomes A Woman
John David Washington, The Piano Lesson
Additional awards:
Julie Benko: Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater.
Marilyn Caserta (Six): Outstanding Swing.
Dale Badway: Outstanding Contribution to the theatre world.
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Initial casting has been announced for Barry Manilow & Bruce Sussman’s Harmony: A New Musical, which will begin previews Oct. 18 and open Nov. 13 at the Barrymore Theatre, directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, Steven Telsey, and more TBA.
In the 1920s and 30s, The Comedian Harmonists sold millions of records, made dozens of films, and sold out the biggest theaters around the world. Their heavenly harmonies and musical comedy antics catapulted these six talented young men from singing in the subway tunnels of Berlin to international superstardom.
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The Museum of Broadway has announced its special exhibit, “The American Theatre As Seen by Hirschfeld” has been extended through June 21 (Al Hirschfeld’s 120th birthday).
The unique special exhibit takes visitors through nine decades of Hirschfeld’s iconic images of theater in this country through 25 drawings and prints from 1928 to 2002.
Public programming:
* A National Insanity: Searching for NINA (Tues. May 9 at 1 PM). 
here.
* Scenes From the American Theatre as seen by Hirschfeld (Tues. May 23 at 5 PM. here.
* Hirschfeld on the Tony Awards (Thurs. June 8 at 5 PM). here.
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Manhattan Theatre Club has announced its Spring 2023 Gala, to take place Mon. May 22 at 7 PM at NYC’s Cipriani 42nd Street.
Lynne Meadow (for her 50th anniversary as Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (for his 48th & final season as Executive Producer).
The evening will include performances from & Juliet … A Beautiful Noise … Kimberly Akimbo … New York, New York … Shucked … Some Like It Hot … and… Sweeney Todd.
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Nico Juber’s Millennials Are Killing Musicals development production, currently in previews, will open May 15 and continue through May 28 at Theatre 71, directed by Ciara Renée.
Max Crumm (Nate/Atlas), Tiffany Engen (Jake’s Mom), Jakeim Hart (Dylan), Diana Huey (Katrina), Sheri Sanders (Nana Marie), Jae W.B. (Luna), and Brinie Wallace (Pacifica), with Jessie Alagna and Kathel Griffin.
Meet Brenda: a single Millennial mom who wants to do better “adulting” like the seemingly perfect Jake’s Mom at her daughter’s school. Brenda is finally ready for love and creativity in her life when her younger #influencer sister Katrina shows up at her house, eight months pregnant, totally unprepared for motherhood. The three women must shed the Greek chorus of social media filters on their lives to achieve their dreams.
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Rogue Machine Theatre present the world premiere of francisca da silveira’s can i touch it May 5 – June 11 at the Matrix Theatre, directed by Gregg T. Daniel.
Safiya Fredericks (Shay), Suzen Baraka (Meeka/Beth), Iesha Daniels (Ruth/Lili), Scott Victor Nelson (Mark/Nicky/Leo).
The play examines Black hair politics, the racial inequities faced by Black-owned business and the fantastical place women of color have to recede into when they get asked stupid ass questions.
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Complete casting, for David Byrne & Fatboy Slim’s Here Lies Love, featuring the first all-Filipino company on Broadway, with previews beginning June 17 and an opening set for July 20 at the Broadway Theatre, directed by Alex Timbers, with choreography by Annie-B Parson, and music direction by J. Oconer Navarro.
Arielle Jacobs (Imelda Marcos), Lea Salonga, Conrad Ricomora, Jose Llana, Melody Butiu, Jaygee Macapuagay, Julia Abueva, Aaron Alcaraz, Kristina Doucette, Jeigh Madjus, Geena Quintos, Shea Renne, Angelo Soriano, Moses villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Renée Albulario, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay, and Aaron “AJ” Mercado.
The musical focuses on former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos’s astonishing rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution.
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Video: Phillipa Soo and company perform “The Lusty Month of May” from Broadway’s Camelot.
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An invitation-only reading of Eric Holmes & Erin Holmes’ Born Country, featuring chart-topping country hits, will take place May 5, directed by Kenneth Ferrone, with music supervision by Britt Bonney.
Jessica Phillips, Analise Scarpaci, Jennifer Fouché, Asa Somers, Troy Iwata, Ken Wulf, Brandon J. Ellis, Gaelen Gilliland, Bre Jackson, and Dion Simmons Grier.
The musical follows Louisa, who plans a summer adventure in Nashville so that her daughter Gemma can take her shot at becoming a country star. However, when Louisa starts to get more attention than Gemma, her own teenage dreams are given a second chance.
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The St. Louis Muny has announced principal casting for Beauty and the Beast, to run June 22-30, directed by John Tartaglia, with choreography by Patrick O’Neill, and music direction by Ben Whiteley.
Ashley Blanchet (Belle), Ben Crawford (Beast), Claybourne Elder (Gaston), Ann Harada (Mrs. Potts), Kelvin Moon Loh (Lumiere), Eric Jordan Young (Cogsworth), Holly Ann Butler (Babette), Tommy Bracco (Lefou), Harrison White (Maurice), Debby Lennon (Madame de la Grande Bouche, and Michael Hobin (Chip), with more TBA.
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The St. Louis Muny has announced principal casting for Sister Act, to run Aug. 14-20, directed & choreographed by Denis Jones, with music direction by Sheilah V. Walker.
Bryonha Marie (Deloris Van Cartier), Mamie Paris (Mother Superior), James T. Lane (Eddie Souther), Alan H. Green (Curtis Jackson), Thom Sesma (Monsignor O’Hara), Meredith Aleigha Wells (Sister Mary Robert), Madeleine Doherty (Sister Mary Lazarus), Katy Geraghty (Sister Mary Patrick), Brandon Espinoza (Pablo), E. Michael Haynie (Joey), and Darron Hayes (TJ), and more TBA.