Today’s Highlights:
Metamorphoses, by Mary Zimmerman, directed by Psalmayene 24, featuring Edwin Brown III, Renea S. Brown, DeJeanette Horne, Yesenia Iglesias, Billie Kirshawn, Manu Kumasi, Miss Kitty, Jon Hudson Odom, Kalen Robinson, Gerrad Taylor, and Renee Elizabeth Wilson, opens at DC’s Folger Theatre.
Invasive Species, by Maia Novi, directed by Michael Breslin, featuring Raffi Donatich, Sam Gonzalez, Alexandra Maurice, and Julian Sanchez, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre.
Prospect Theater Company’s The Hello Girls concert presentation, by Peter Mills & Cara Reichel, directed by Reichel, featuring Ellie Fishman, Arlo Hill, Chanel Karimkhani, Andrew Mayer, Ben Moss, Lili Thomas, Ben Davis, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Savy Jackson, Asher Muldoon, Laura Jean Spineti, Matthew Weatherhead, and Kat Wolff, at 7:30 PM at the Kennedy Center (also May 12 at 6:30 at NYC’s Symphony Space).
**********************
Samm-Art Williams’ Home will run May 17 – July 28 (opening June 5) at the Todd Haimes Theatre, directed by Kenny Leon.
Tory Kittles (Cephus Miles), Brittany Inge (Woman One/Pattie Mae Wells), and Story Ayers (Woman Two), with Kimber Elayne Sprawl and R.J. Foster
Cephus Miles has the whole world in his callused hands—until his sweetheart Pattie Mae goes off to college and marries another man.
**********************
LA’s Center Theatre Group has announced its 2024-25 season:One CTG. One LA.
Duel Reality (Sept. 11-22), by The 7 Fingers, directed by Shana Carroll, at the Ahmanson Theatre.
American Idiot (Oct. 2 – Nov. 10), by Green Day, Billie Joe Artmstrong, & Michael Mayer, directed by Snehal Desai, at the Mark Taper Forum.
Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical (Nov. 22 – Jan. 5, 2025), by Kevin Del Aguila & Brad Alexander, directed & choreographed by Marlo Hunter, at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends (Feb. 8 – Mar. 9, 2025) at the Ahmanson Theatre.
Fake It Until You Make It (Jan. 29 – Mar. 9, 2025), at the Mark Taper Forum
El Otro Oz (Spring 2025 – dates TBA), at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, by Mando Alvarado, Tommy Newman & Jaime Lozano.
Life of Pi (May 7 – June 1, 2025) at the Ahmanson Theatre.
Hamlet (May 28 – July 6, 2025) at the Mark Taper Forum.
Parade (June 17 – July 12, 2025) at the Ahmanson Theatre.
**********************
RIP: Tony Award-winning producer Producer Edgar Lansbury (the younger brother of Angela Lansbury), died May 2 at the age of 94.
He was named after his father, British politician Edgar Lansbury, and his mother Moyna Macgill was an actor. Mr. Lansbury began his theatrical career working as scenic designer for the 1964 Pulitzer Prize-winning The Subject Was Roses, which was the first show he produced. It would also gain him a Tony Award, for Best Play. He subsequently produced numerous Broadway shows during his career, including the original and 2011 revival productions of Godspell, as well as the 1974 revival of Gypsy, in which his sister starred.
Mr. Lansbury also worked in film, producing screen adaptations of “The Subject Was Roses,” “Godspell,” and “The Wild Party,” among others.
In his later years, Mr. Lansbury turned to painting and sculpture, studying drawing and painting.
**********************
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara will present the world premiere of Mark Saltzman’s Alice, Formerly of Wonderland May 30 – June 16 (opening June 1) at the New Vic, directed by Jim Fall.
Matthew Greenwood (Caterpillar/Alfred Rowston, Margie Mays (Alice Liddell), Bree Murphy (Queen Victoria/Mrs. Pettigrew/Victor) Sam O’Byrne (Prince Leopold) Sawyer Patterson (Edward Brockett), and Brent Schindele (Dean Henry Liddell).
The true story of the secret romance between the real-life Alice, and Prince Leopold, son of Queen Victoria and great-granduncle of Prince Harry. As a child, Alice was Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for the girl who fell down the rabbit hole, but now Alice is falling in love, despite the furious objections of the Queen. To honor the a cappella traditions at Oxford, the music is performed without accompaniment.
**********************
Gingold Theatrical Group‘s Project Shaw will present script-in-hand performance of Shaw’s Heartbreak House on Mon. May 20 at NYC’s Symphony Space, directed by Stephen Brown-Fried.
Christine Pedi (Nurse Guiness & Narrator), Tersa Avia Lim (Ellie Dunn), Dakin Matthews (Captain Shotover), Laila Robins (Lady Ariadne Utterword) , Patrice Johnson-Chevannes (Hesione Hushabye), Mark Nelson (Mazzini Dunn), Robert Cuccioli (Hector Hushabye), Steven Skybell (Ross Mangan), Carman Lacivita (Randall Utterword), and Nick Wyamn (Burglar).
A wildly disparate group of people are brought together in the English countryside over a September weekend to make major decisions about their future. No stone is left unturned as each character is forced to come to terms with his or her past while finding a way to move forward in the face of the coming crisis.
**********************
Off-Broadway’s Labyrynth Theatre will present Celebrity Charades: Balle of the Bands on Mon. May 20 at 6:30 PM at NYC’s Cutting Room (44 East 32nd St.).
Dylan Baker, Becky Ann Baker, Bobby Cannavale, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Daphne Rubin-Vega, David Zayas, and more TBA.
**********************
Jeffrey Hatcher’s Holmes & Watson will run May 29 – June 16 (opening June 2) at Laguna Playhouse, directed by David Ellenstein.
Richard Baird (Watson), Matt Koenig (Holmes #2), Matthew Floyd Miller (Holmes #1), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (Dr. Evans), Mike Peebler, (Orderly/Moriarty/Inspector), Alice Sherman (The Matron/The Woman), and Christopher M. Williams (Holmes #3).
Prepare yourself for a fast-paced, thrilling, suspenseful story that will keep you guessing until its final moments. In this worthwhile addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon, there are more twists and turns than a rollercoaster! The legendary Sherlock Holmes is dead. Or so it is assumed. When a telegram arrives informing his loyal companion Dr. Watson that there are three men who each claim to be Holmes, it’s left up to the famous sidekick to take on the case and try to discover if one of the mad men is actually the real Sherlock Holmes.
**********************
Royal Family Productions will present a private industry reading of Gina Naomi Baez & Chris Henry’s Abril on May 11, directed by Emily Maltby, with music direction by Benjamin Doyle.
Gina Naomi Baez, Bárbara López, Francisca Muñoz, Eliseo Román, Analise Scarpaci, Jodi Stevens, and Mary Testa.
The play centers on a young Latino teenager who just beat cancer. As she returns to high school, she deals with bullying, authoritarian figures who are more interested in controlling than helping, and a beloved drama teacher with a dark secret.
**********************
NYC’s 2024 Little Island Summer Series has been announced, offering a roster of original work, all commissioned by and developed at Little Island.
How Long Blues, by Twyla Tharp. featuring Michael Cerveris, Piper Dye, Jourdan Epstein, Oliver Greene-Cramer, Kyle Halford, Colin Heininger, Daisy Jacobson, Claude CJ Johnson, Pomme Koch, Skye Mattox, Nicole Ashley Morris, Hugo Pizano Orozco, Ryan Redmond, Victoria Sames, Frances Lorraine Samson, John Selya, Reed Tankersley, Andromeda Turre, John Bailey, Justin Goldner, Wayne Goodman, Dan Lipton, Mark Lopeman, Jay Rattman, George Rush, and Paul Wells. A 90-minute one-person remix of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro by opera diva Anthony Roth Costanzo, numerous genres will be explored.
Robeson, written & performed by Davóne Tines & Zack Winokur, directed by Winokur.
Open Throat, by Henry Hoke.
Day For Night, a new dance piece by choreographer Pam Tanowitz
Mamma, new musical by fun liberation band Britton & The Sting, directed & choreographed by Ebony Williams.
….and many more….
**********************
Red Bull Theater‘s reading of Medea, adapted by Ben Power, will take place Sun. May 12 at 7:30 PM at Off-Broadway’s Sheen Center, directed by Daniel Fish.
Tina Benko, Dahlak Brathwaite, Bill Camp, Joan Macintosh, Elizabeth Marvel, Michael Rudko, and Greig Sargeant.
**********************
Wonder of Wonders: Celebrating Sheldon Harnick will June 1-3 (at various times) at NYC’s 92NY, with Ted Sperling (Artistic Director, Music Director, Writer, and host).
Sam Gravitte, Adam Heller, Adam Kantor, Alysha Umphress, and Anna Zavelson.
**********************
New York Stage and Film has announced its 2024 Summer Season at Poughkeepsie, NY’s Marist College.
Too much to list here. Click the link above for the complete schedule of events.
**********************
Ebony Booth’s Primary Trust has won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.