Today’s Highlights:
Slave Play, by Jeremy O. Harris, directed by Robert O’Hara, featuring Ato Blankson-Wood, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Jonathan Higginbotham, Devin Kawaoka, Chalia La Tour, Irene Sofia Lucio, Annie McNamara, and Paul Alexander Nolan, with Eboni Flowers, Blake Russell, Luigi Sottile, Elizabeth Stahlmann, and Galen J. Williams, opens at LA’s Mark Taper Forum.
“The Aging Ingenue” web series, by Sara Jean Ford & Cameron Dingwall, featuring Sara Jean Ford, Vishal Vaidya Ashley Blanchet, Will Reynolds, and Daniel Gaymon, premieres on Broadway World.
The Collaboration, by Anthony McCarten, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, featuring Paul Bettany (Andy Warhol) and Jeremy Pope (Jean-Michel Basquiat), with Sofia Barclay, and Alex Newman, begins previews at London’s Young Vic.
This Bitter Earth, by Harrison David Rivers, directed by David Mendizábal, featuring Tom Holcomb and Damian Jermaine Thompson, begins previews at Theaterworks Hartford.
Amber Gray concludes her run as Persephone in Hadestown at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre.
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Reviews for Cyrano at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre:
The Telegraph (Marianka Swain): … James McAvoy’s fiercely charismatic portrayal. But, crucially, in director Jamie Lloyd’s radically revamped version of Edmond Rostand’s play there is no nose – or at least not a giant one… It’s inspired framing for a tale that is all about the power of language, how it can both conceal and reveal, and how great writers conjure up worlds… The description that adaptor Martin Crimp uses for Cyrano applies to him, too: an “all time crazy genius of the spoken word”. His dazzling verse whizzes between playful performance poetry with a musical lilt and Hamilton-esque rap battles, complete with contemporary references (gender fluidity, cultural appropriation), theatrical in-jokes, punchy rhymes (less moon/June, more attitude/latitude), and a fiery defence for freedom of expression…
Evening Standard (Nick Curtis): …breathtakingly thrilling production… a rap-inflected urban romantic tragedy… It’s bracingly theatrical, richly romantic, deliciously funny, wrenchingly sad: true to modern London yet also faithful to the Parisian original… Complex ideas about love, literature, body image and truth are layered into Crimp’s beguiling, irregular rhymes; he even acknowledges his and Lloyd’s cultural appropriation of street argot, hip-hop stylings and beatboxing… This is an ensemble piece and a work of total theatre, not a star vehicle.
Time Out (Andrzej Lukowski): It’s Cyrano de Berger-rap. It’s James rap-Avoy. It’s… perhaps more accurate to say the rhythms of Martin Crimp’s new version of classic French play ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ are closer to the languid cadences of performance poetry than actual hip hop… James McAvoy is great in the role… the key to this production: after all the arched eyebrowed swagger – dare I say panache? – of the first half, it’s the second that really destroys you, a depiction of three people unable to honestly articulate their feelings for each other, but unable to exist apart;
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Broadway Grosses for the week ending Feb. 13, 2022. Click here.
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GRACE NOTES Quote of the Week: “Make them laugh, make them cry, and back to laughter. What do people go to the theatre for? An emotional exercise. I am a servant of the people. I have never forgotten that.” ~ Mary Pickford
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Complete casting has been announced for Macbeth, which will run Mar. 29 – July 10 (opening Apr. 28) at the Longacre Theatre, directed by Sam Gold.
Daniel Craig (Macbeth), Ruth Negga (Lady Macbeth), Phillip James Brannon (Ross), Grantham Coleman (MacDuff), Asia Kate Dillon (Malcolm), Maria Dizzia (Lady Macduff), Amber Gray (Banquo), Emeka Guindo (Fleance), Paul Lazar (Duncan), Bobbi MacKenzie (Macduff’s Child), Michael Patrick Thornton (Lennox), Danny Wolohan (Seyton), and Stevie Ray Dallimore (standby for Macbeth), with Che Ayende, Eboni Flowers, and Peter Smith.
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(read here): Through Power of Sail at LA’s Geffen Playhouse, Bryan Cranston examines his place in the world.
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RIP: Alan Hall, former Vice President of Actors’ Equity, and who worked on 35 Broadway productions, died on Feb. 7 at the age of 85.
Born in England in 1936, Mr. Hall immigrated to the United States to stage manage Beyond The Fringe. He went on to supervise 13 Tony Award ceremonies, in addition to his work as a production stage manager on the original Broadway productions of Promises, Promises, Working, Sweeney Todd, Chess, Black and Blue, and King David.
Mr. Hall served as the Third Vice President of Actors Equity from 2000-2003, and was named councilor emeritus in 2007.
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Broadway By The Year: The New Wave will take place Mon. Mar. 21. at 8 PM ET at NYC’s The Town Hall, written, directed & hosted by Scott Siegel.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, Bobby Lopez & Jeff Marx, and Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison, and more…..
Vivian Reed, Joe Iconis & family, Sara Neimietz, Danny Gardner, Gunhild Carling, and more TBA.
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American Ballet Theatre presents Alonzo King & Jason Moran’s ABT Forward Mar. 16-19 at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Three dazzling works highlight the Company’s incredible artistry and athleticism, and the inspiring visions of three of today’s most exciting choreographers.
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Performances of Aleshea Harris’ On Sugarland have been canceled through Feb. 20 at NY Theatre Workshop due to positive COVID tests in the company.
Performances are scheduled to resume Tues. Feb. 22. In addition, the official opening has been changed to Mar. 3, and the production will now continue through Mar. 20.
Kiki Layne, Stephany Berry, Thomas Walter Booker, Xavier Scott Evans, Mister Fitzgerald, Josh Fulton, Charisma Glasper, Kai Heath, Shemar Yanick Jonas, Billy Eugene Jones, Mariyea, Lizan Mitchell, Adeola Role, and Jacob Daniel Smith.
Sugarland is on precarious soil – three mobile homes line a southern cul-de-sac replete with years and years of decorative folk-art treasures and keepsakes. Young Sadie calls on generations of matriarchal ancestors to find the truth about her mother while the denizens of Sugarland rise each day to holler for the dead – conscripted soldiers lost to a greedy war – in a ritual reclamation of timeless grief.
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Shana Farr – Whistling Away the Dark: the Songbook of Julie Andrews will rake place Sun. March 13 at 7 PM ET at 54 Below, with music direction by Mark Hartman.
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Peter Gil-Sheridan’s This Space Between Us will run Feb. 22 – Apr. 2 (opening Mar. 9) at the Keen Company, directed by Jonathan Silverstein.
Glynis Bell, Alex Chester, Joyce Cohen, Ryan Garbayo, Tommy Heleringer, and Anthony Ruiz.
A new comedy about trying to change the world while admitting home could use a little change, too. Nobody understands why Jamie wants to leave his cushy law office to work for a non-profit. His boyfriend is concerned, his best friend is confused, and his conservative Cuban-American family are sure they know what’s best. As Jamie announces his plans to serve those less fortunate, one shocking afternoon at the racetrack sparks unexpected and irreversible consequences for them all.
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Venice, CA’s Pacific Resident Theatre has announced the first part of its 2022 season:
Stalled (Spring), by Liesl Wilke & Andy Marsh. Casting TBA. Seattle. A high end executive ladies room. Using music, song, and spoken work, the musical follows four women, all stuck, but ready to find their way forward.
The Rose Tattoo (Fall). Director and cast TBA.
…and 2 more plays TBA…
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Manhattan Theatre Club has extended the world premiere of Joshua Harmon’s Prayer for the French Republic through Mar. 13 at NY City Center, directed by David Cromer.
Betsy Aidem, Yair Ben-Dor, Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinette, Jeff Seymour, Kenneth Tigar, and Richard Topol.
In 1944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple’s great-grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors: “Are we safe?”
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Pasadena Playhouse has announced its Spring/Summer 2022 season:
Ann (Mar. 22 – Apr. 24, written by & starring Holland Taylor, directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein.
Uncle Vanya (June 1-26), a contemporary translation by Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky. Casting TBA.
freestyle love supreme (July 12 – Aug. 7). Casting TBA.
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Gabriel Jason Dean’s Heartland will run Mar. 15 – Apr. 10 (opening Mar. 26) at 59E59 Theaters, directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh.
Mari Vial-Golden, Mark Cuddy, and Owais Ahmed.
Set in Maidan Star, Afghanistan and Omaha, Nebraska, the play follows Dr. Harold Banks, a retired Comparative Literature and Afghan Studies professor, his new and unlikely roommate Nazrullah, and Afghan refugee who shows up on Banks’ doorstep, and Getee, Banks’ adopted daughter who brough their paths together.
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The 4th Annual Write Out Loud Contest is now accepting submissions for the 2022 musical theatre songwriting competition, led by Taylor Louderman, Benjamin Rauhala, Hannah Kloepfer, Sarah Glugatch, and Josh Collopy.
* Submit songs here through Feb. 28.
* A team of adjudicators will select three songs to be recorded by a Broadway alum.
* The tracks will be distributed on iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify.
* Winners will also have their song showcased at a NYC concert along with songs from the up to 10 finalists.
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Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will launch a UK tour on Feb. 28, directed by Nikolai Foster, with choreography by Leah Hill, and music direction by Dan de Cruz.
Molly-Grace Cutler (Carole King), Tom Milner (Gerry Goffin, Seren Sandham-Davies (Cynthia Wil), Jos Slovick (Barry Mann), Garry Robson (Don Kirshner, and Claire Greenway (Genie Klein), with Naomi Alade, Kemi Clarke, Chris Xoxon, Amena El-Kindy, Louise Francis, Dylan Gordon-Jones, Jessical Jolleys, Sorrel Jordan Myles Miller, Peter Mooney, Adrien Spencer, and Kevin Yates.
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Joe Iconis & George Salazar’s updated version of Two-Player Game will run Feb. 22-26 at NYC’s 54 Below. 
The Feb. 26 performance will also be livestreamed.
Salazar will perform a series of original songs by Iconis, in addition to new material from upcoming musicals, songs he never through he’d sing, and more.
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. The estate of Whitney Houston is developing a stage bio-musical adaptation of the upcoming biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” which is set to be released later this year.
The biopic will star Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston), with Stanley Tucci and Tamara Tunie.
Timeline and additional details TBA.
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. The Hollywood Bowl will present Kinky Boots July 8-10, directed & choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Casting and additional information TBA.