Today’s Highlights:
Hex, by Tanya Ronder, Rufus Norris & Jim Fortune, directed by Norris, featuring Rosalie Craig, Delroy Atkinson, Tamsin Carroll, Michael Elcock, Eleanor Kane, Daisy Maywood, Kat Ronney, Shaq Taylor, and Sargon Yelda, opens at London’s Olivier Theatre.
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GRACE NOTES Quote of the Week: ”A musical is a series of catastrophes ending with a floor show.” ~ Oscar Levant
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Broadway grosses reached $30.5 million in the week ending Dec. 12, as the industry holds on to seasonal highs.
Last week’s total marks the second highest gross recorded on Broadway this season, after the $32.5 million grossed in the Thanksgiving week ended Nov. 28. The 32 shows running last week played at a capacity of 85%.
The productions commanded an average ticket price of $126.91, the second highest ticket price recorded this season.
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Ridgefield’s A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut has announced complete casting for Jesus Christ Superstar, to run Mar. 24 – Apr. 17, directed by Daniel C. Levine, with choreography by Sara Brians.
Caitlin Kinnunen (Mary), Brett Stoelker (Jesus), and Avionce Hoyles (Judas), with Chris Balestriere, Corinne Broadbent, Reggie Bromell, Susie Carroll, Ben Cherington, Randy Donaldson, Courtney Long, Marlena Lopez Hilderley, Kelly MacMillan, Michael McGuirk, Val Moranto, Ariel Neydavoud, Andrew Stevens Purdy, Isaac Ryckeghem, Sonya Venugopal, Cole Wachman, and Caitlin Witty.
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Jordan Fisher and his wife, Ellie Woods, are expecting their first child.
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Little Shop of Horrors, which canceled its Dec. 11 & 12 performances due to a breakthrough positive case of COVID-19 in the company, has now resumed performances at the Westside Theatre.
Jeremy Jordan (Seymour), Tammy Blanchard (Audrey), Christian Borle (Orin Scrivello, D.D.S), Tom Alan Robbins (Mushnik), Aaron Arnell Harrington (Voice of Audrey II), Salome Smith (Ronnette), Joy Woods (Chiffon), and Aveena Sawyer (Crystal), with Eric Wright, Teddy Yudain, Stephen Berger, Josh Daniel, Jana Djenne Jackson, and Chelsea Turbin.
Conrad Ricamora will replace Jeremy Jordan on Jan. 11.
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NY’s Hudson Stage (link TBA) presents a reading of Barbara Dana’s What Keeps Us Going will take place Sat. Jan. 29 at 7:30 PM ET at Armonk’s Whippoorwill Hall Theatre, directed by Austin Pendelton. $10 donation at the door. Reservations not necessary.
Anthony Arkin, Amelia Campbell, and Joe Rooks.
A well-known veteran actress can’t remember her lines. A middle-aged woman who sacrificed her creative life to secure her marriage is left by her husband. When the women meet to collaborate on a precarious project an unexpected friendship is born.
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Broadway’s MJ has announced a digital lottery for all performances, starting today. Currently in previews, the musical will officially open on Feb. 1 at the Neil Simon Theatre.
* A limited number of $35 will be available for all performances.
* The lottery opens the day before the performance at 9 PM ET closes at 3 PM ET.
* Winners will be notified with minutes of the drawing.
* Winners will have 60 minutes to pay for the tickets online with a credit card.
* Tickets will be delivered via email the day of the performance.
* Seat locations and number of tickets awarded by the lottery are subject to availability and may by partial view.
here.
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Pan Asian Rep will present a return engagement of Damon Chua’s The Emperor’s Nightingale Jan. 15-30 at Theatre Row, directed by Chongren Fan.
Deanna Choi, Jonathan Wong Frye, Fenton Li, Hyunmin Rhee, Mandarin Wu, and Xiaoguin Zhang.
A family-friendly adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Nightingale,” set in 18th century China, and brings light to the youthful exploits of the future Emperor Qianlong.
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Video: Patti LuPone once received a note from Stephen Sondheim that left her “destroyed.” (9:31)
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RIP: Leonard Soloway, the Tony-winning Broadway producer who career spanned across six decades, died at the age of 93 on Dec. 11 in Palm Springs.
Born in Cleveland in 1928, Soloway began performing at the Cleveland Play House before moving to New York City in 1947. By 1958 he was the theater manager at the Lunt Fontaine Theatre. Over the span of 60 years, Soloway gained 59 credits to his name, four Tony nominations, winning Best Play for 1977’s The Shadow Box and a Special Tony Award—Live Theatrical Presentation for Dame Edna: The Royal Tour in 2000.
His impressive resume includes Jerome Robbins Broadway, Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers, Mark Twain Tonight!, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and many more.
His productions collected more than 40 Tony Awards, 21 Drama Desk Awards and three Pulitzer Prizes.
His life and career were showcased in the 2019 documentary “Leonard Soloway’s Broadway.”
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A Little Night Music will run Jan. 22 – Feb. 27 at the Greenway Court Theatre, directed by Ryan O’Connor, with music direction by Anthony Zediker.
(gender bending): Lux Amaya, Zoe Bright, Peyton Crim, Ty Deran, Tal Fox, Kasper, Amanda Kruger, Andrea Lara, Ronni Paige, Emma Rose, Alexa Rosengaus, Christopher Robert Smith, Dekontee Tucrkile, Catherin Wadkins, Sarah Wolter.
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Upcoming events at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theater:
Garrison Keillor Tonight (Apr. 23 at 8 PM ET). A brand new show, offering an evening of stand-up, storytelling, and more. 
here.
Paula Poundstone Live! (May 28 at 8 PM ET) here.
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An industry reading of Ari Afsar & Lauren M. Gunderson’s new musical, We Won’t Sleep, will take place Dec. 17 & 18 in NYC, directed by Erin Ortman, with choreography by Yusha-Marie Sorzano, and music direction by Cynthia Meng. The world premiere production will run May 31 – July 3 at VA’s Signature Theatre.
Karen Olivo, Jevon McFerrin, Adam Hyndman, and Myra Lucretia Taylor, with Chloe Campbell, Kyla Garcia, Em Grosland, Jorrel Javier, Madison McBride, Diane Phelan, Andrea Prestinario, Cindy Tsai, Emara Vee, Princess Victomé, and Brandon L. Whitmore.
Elected to Congress in 1916 (three years before white women were granted the right to vote), Rankin found herself to be the only female voice within the halls of power to vote on women’s suffrage.
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ASCAP has announced its 6th Annual Christmas Songwriting Competition. 
Learn more and enter here.
Special Extra Bonus: The top 15 finalists’ songs will appear on the ASCAP Christmas/Holiday Compilation CD, which will be promoted to various radio stations in the US and Canada.
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Video: The cast of Broadway’s Company performs the opening song on “Good Morning America.”
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Roundabout Theatre Company will present its 10th annual Underground Reading Series Jan. 18-21 (all at 5 PM ET) at Off-Broadway’s Five Angels Theatre. Casting TBA.
Email: undergroundreadings@roundabouttheatre.org.
Bells Like Hooves (Jan. 18), by Liz Appel, directed by May Adrales. The play explores themes of grief and love when Jo’s fiancée disappears and Jo searches for answers in the space between time and between worlds.
Beautiful Blessed Child (Jan. 19), by Miyeko Marinelli, directed by Miranda Cornell. The story of Aimiko and Sharon who take a mother-child road trip as Aimiko leaves to start a new life with her partner.
Covenant (Jan. 20), by York Walker, directed by Lili-Anne Brown. The play is inspired by the myth of Robert Johnson about a struggling guitarist returns to his small town a blues star two years after his disappearance, sparking rumors that he must have made a deal with the devil.
You Will Get Sick (Jan. 21), by Noah Diaz, directed by Will Davis. Two strangers’ lives intertwine at the hands of terminal illness and caregiving.
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Mrs. Doubtfire has canceled performances through Dec. 15 at least, due to the detection of positive COVID test results in the company.
Stay tuned for further updates.
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Video: Kermit the Frog joins Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson in “Muppets Tick Manhattan.” (2:19)
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Article, by Jesse Green (NY Times): “Stephen Sondheim: The Essential Musical Dramatist who taught us to hear.”
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Video: A Christmas Carol‘s Nancy Opel (Ghost of Christmas Past) and Amber Iman (Ghost of Christmas Present) reveal what it means to them to be performing together in person this year, what it’s like playing ghosts on stage, and more.
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Holiday Empathy Concert will stream Tues. Dec. 21 at4 PM ET, hosted by Elliott Masie and Telly Leung, 
here.
Ann Harada, Melinda Doolittle, and Matt Scott.
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A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage, adapted by Eric Schaeffer, will run Dec. 21-24 at The Palladium Times Sqaure, directed by Robert Coulson, with choreography by Charlotte Bydwell, and music supervision by Garrett Taylor.
D’Marreon Alexander (Linus), Giuliana Augello (Violet), Connor Barr (Charlie Brown), Sophia Delucchi (Sally Brown), Andrew Hainz (Pigpen), Will Jewett (Snoopy), Brent C. Mauldin (Schroeder), Lucy Rhoades (Frieda), Elliot Wallace (Shermy), Emma T. Wilcox (Patty), Leah Windahl (Lucy), with Chloe Gabila and Sam Sanderson.
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Million Dollar Quartet, by Colin Escott & Floyd Mutrux, will run Jan. 21 – Feb. 13 (opening Jan. 22) at CA’s La Mirada Theatre, directed by Tim Seib.
Jacob Bartin (Elvis Presley), Steven Lasiter (Johnny Cash), Trevor Dorner (Jerry Lee Lewis), Nathan Burke (Carl Perkins), Sean Casey Flanagan (Sam Phillips), Taylor Kraft (Dyanne), Justin Bendel (Brother Jay), and Jon Rossi (Fluke).
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Kelli O’Hara will replace Laura Benanti at the New York Pops’ holiday concert, Back Home for the Holidays, on Fri. Dec. 17 at 8 PM ET at Carnegie Hall, conducted by Steven Reineke. Benanti withdrew due to a COVID-19 exposure in her family.
Brandon Michael Nase.