Today’s Highlights:
Shifters, by Benedict Lombe, directed by Lynette Linton, featuring Heather Agyepong and Tosin Cole, opens at London’s Duke of York’s Theatre.
A Night with Janis Joplin, written & directed by Randy Johnson, featuring Mary Bridget Davies, Sharon Sexton, Kalisha Amaris, Georgia Bradshaw, Choolwe Laina Muntanga, and Danielle Steers, opens at the UK’s Peacock Theatre.
The Royal Pyrate workshop tour, by Jason Landon Marcus & Chas LiBretto, directed by Hunter Bird, featuring Amber Gray (Hallet), Eric William Morris (Bellamy), Eddie Cooper (Blackbeard), and Lauren Molina (Paulsgrave Williams), closes at Nantucket’s Almanack Arts Colony.
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Broadway Grosses for the week ending Aug. 18.
Click here for the complete analysis.
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Mathew Bourne’s Swan Lake: The Next Generation will run Dec. 3 – Jan. 25, 2025 at Sadler’s Wells.
TBA.
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Lianne Marie Dobbs: The Windmills of my Mind…For Dusty Springfield will take place Thurs. Aug. 22 at 8:30 PM at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club, with music direction by Ron Abel.
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Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust will run Sept. 10 – Oct. 20 at DC’s Signature Theatre, directed by Taylor Reynolds.
Julius Thomas III (Kenneth), Frank Britton (Bert), Uesenia Iglesias (Corinna), and Craig Wallace (Clay), with Ezinne Elele and Jeremy Keith Hunter.
A touching and funny story of finding connection and moving forward that won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize. Wally’s Tiki Bar serves the sweetest mai tais in town, and Kenneth never misses a happy hour with his best friend. But when a job loss upends Kenneth’s static existence, he must discover the courage to open a new door and change his life – even if it means facing the past and letting go.
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The Entertainment Community Fund will present its annual Celebrity Poker Tournament – Lights! Camera! Ante Up! on Sun. Sept. 8 from 1-6 PM at LA’s Candela la Brea (831 S. La Brea Ave.)
Annette Bening, Joely Fisher, Mindy Cohn, William Stanford Davis, Alexis Floyd, Andrea Savage, and more.
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Video: Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory perform “There” in a 2024 tribute montage to Mallory.
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LA’s Fountain Theatre production of Stephen Sachs’ Fatherland will run Sept. 18 – Nov. 23 (opening Sept. 26) at NY City Center, directed by Sachs.
Ron Bottitta (Father), Patrick Keleher (Son), Anna Kahja (U.S. Attorney), and Larry Poindexter (Defense Attorney).
The true story of the 18-year-old son who turned the father he loves in to the FBI because of his militant role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Fast-paced and powerful, This compelling tale is told from public statements, case evidence, and official court transcripts from the explosive trial that ignited a media frenzy and grabbed headlines nationwide.
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West Side Story continues through Aug. 25 at Kansas City Starlight, directed by Rob Ruggiero, with choreography by Parker Esse, and music direction by James Moore.
Cristian Douglas (Tony), Kanisha Feliciano (Maria), Jerusha Cavazos (Anita), Yurel Echezarreta (Bernardo), Ken Page (Doc), Kyle Coffman (Riff), Drew Battles (Gladhand), James A. Butz (Officer Krypke), Cedric leiba (Chino), Michael James Reed (Lt. Schrank), Ethan David Zeph (Action), Caylie Newcom (Anybodys), Ethan Van Slyke (Baby John), Daiel Assetta (A-Rab), Tanner Ray Wilson (Big Deal), and RJ Higton (Snowboy).
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Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney’s Reefer Madness The Musical will now run Aug. 21 – Sept.1 at Hollywood’s Whitley Theatre, directed & choreographed by Spencer Liff, with music direction by David Lamoureux.
Anthony Norman (Jimmy Harper), Darcy Rose Byrnes (Mary Lane),J. Elaine Marcos (Sally De Bain,), Nicole Parker (Mae Coleman), Thomas Dekker (Ralph Wiley), and Bryan Daniel Porter (The Lecturer/Jack/Jesus), with ”Andre Aultman, Claire Crause, Jane Papageorge, and Alex Tho. The Swings are David T. Crane and Natalie Holt MacDonald. 
Rory O’Malley will play Jesus Aug. 21-25 and Aug. 28-Sept. 1
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Complete casting has been announced for John Logan & The Avett Brothers’ Swept Away, to begin previews Oct. 29 and open Nov. 19 at the Longacre Theatre, directed by Michael Mayer, with choreography by David Neumann.
John Gallagher Jr. (Mate), Stark Sands (Big Brother), Adrian Blake Enscoe (Little Brother), and Wayne Duvall (Captin), with Hunter Brown, Matt DeAngelis, Cameron Johnson, Brandon Kalm, Michael J. Mainwaring, Orville Mendoza, Tyrone L. Robinson, John Sygar,Josh Breckenridge, Rico LeBron, John Michael Finley, Chase Peacock, Robert Pendilla, and David Rowen.
When a violent storm sinks their whaling ship off the coast of New Bedford, Mass., the four survivors face a reckoning: how far will they go to stay alive? And can they live with the consequences? With music and lyrics from The Avett Brothers, whose 2004 “Mignonette” was inspired by an 1884 shipwreck and the struggle of four men to survive, Swept Away is an electrifying, soul-stirring new musical exploring how facing tragedy can open the door to forgiveness… if only we’ll let it.
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“The Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot Deck and Guidebook” will be available Sept. 3, with pre-orders accepted here.
The new tarot card set, inspired by Broadway, and features the art of Al Hirschfeld. The one-of-a-kind deck has been created by author Emilty McGill, a spiritual psychologist, tarot card reader, and former Broadway publicist, in collaboration with The Al Hirschfeld Foundation, and can now be pre-ordered from Running Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a Million, Bookshop and Walmart.
In her guidebook, McGill offers an interpretation and reading for the cards, each featuring beloved characters from iconic Broadway musicals and plays, drawn by Al Hirschfeld. “The Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot” features West Side Story’s Maria and Tony on “The Lovers” card …. Les Misérables’ Jean Valjean on the “Justice” card …. and an extended dramatis personae including the likes of Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown from Guys and Dolls …. Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady …. Dolly Gallagher Levi from Hello, Dolly! …. and Jud Frye from Oklahoma! …. Among the beloved Broadway luminaries in the deck are Stephen Sondheim, Eva Le Gallienne, Bob Fosse, Joe Papp and even Al Hirschfeld, himself.
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One Night Stand with Stormy Daniels will take place Sat. Oct. 5 at 7 & 9:30 PM at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room.