Today’s Highlights:
Romeo and Juliet, directed & choreographed by Matthew Bourne, featuring Tanisha Addicott, Matthew Amos, Tasha Chu, Adam Davies, Anya Ferdinand, Jackson Fisch, Paris Fitzpatrick, Cameron Flynn, Adam Galbraith, Euan Garrett, Louis Harris, Monique Jonas, Dylan Jones, Kurmi Kamayachi, Daily May Kemp, Hannah Kremer, Kate Lyons, Rory Macleod, Blue Makwana, Leonardo Mccorkindale, Eleanor Megrath, Eve Nbbokota, Harry Ondrak-Wright, Byony Penninton, Alan Vincent, and Lyra Treglown, opens at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
Furlough’s Paradise, world premiere by a.k. payne, directed by Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, featuring Asha Duniani and Kai Heath, opens at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.
The Apiary, world premiere by Kate Douglas, directed by Kate Whoriskey, featuring Gabby Beans, April Matthis, Carmen M. Herlihy, and Taylor Schilling, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Tony Kiser Theatre.
**********************
Broadway Grosses for the week ending Jan. 28:
Click here for the complete analysis.
**********************
The 34th annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre ceremony will take place Mon. Feb. 5 at 4 PM at a private invitation-only event at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages, hosted by Richard Maltby, Jr. &and Maury Yeston. The event will also include a special musical tribute to Sheldon Harnick performed by Danny Burstein and Andrea Martin.
(who will also perform):
Most Promising Musical Theatre Lyricist: Rona Siggiqui.
Most Promising Musical Theatre librettist: Lisa Loomer
**********************
Maine’s Ogunquit Playhouse has announced its 2024 season. Casting and creative teams TBA.
Waitress (May 9 – June 8)
Crazy for You (June 13 – July 13)
A Little Night Music (July 18 – Aug. 17)
Little Shop of Horrors (Aug. 22 – Sept. 21)
My Best Friend’s Wedding (Sept. 26 – Oct. 27)
**********************
The world premiere of John Strysik’s Power and Light will run Mar. 28 – Apr. 30 at Beverly Hills’ Theatre 40 (link not yet available), directed by Jeff G. Rack.
David Hunt Stafford, Eric Keitel, Warren Davis, John Combs, Richard Large, Bailey Castle, Mandy Fason, and Kurtis Bedford.
The story of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla and how the battle for the development of electricity between these two great minds created sparks of tension as they illuminated the world.
**********************
Richard Hellesen’s Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground will run Feb. 21 – Mar. 10 at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre, directed by Peter Ellenstein.
John Rubinstein.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, President, War Hero, Philosopher. His leadership rebuilding Europe and waging peace in the Cold War offers unique and informative perspectives on the troubles facing America and the world today.
**********************
My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky, written & performed by Jean Franzblau, will take place Sun. Mar. 3 at 7 PM at Sherman Oaks’ Whitefire Theatre.
Jean’s mom loved her new boyfriend and was crushed when the two of them broke up. As close as she is to her mother, she can’t bring herself to explain the reason — Jean would have to reveal that she’s a very kinky girl. She explores the early childhood hints that she was wired differently and generously shares her bumpy, awkwardly arousing journey towards self-acceptance. Ultimately, mama gets an earful.
**********************
The Black Theatre Coalition will host its Inaugural Gala on Mon. Feb. 12 at NYC’s Rainbow Room.
La La Anthony and National Black Theatre.
BeBe Winans, Jennifer Holliday, and Alex Newell.
**********************
The Script in the Closet, written & directed by Joyce Griffen, will run Mar. 1-17 at La MaMa (66 East Fourth Street).
Ruth Kavanagh (Lynn), Mark DeRocco (Lionel), Isaih Stannard (Carlton), Kristin Johansen (Valerie), Tom Staggs (Noah), Jada Delgado (Gladys), Charlotte Jones (Governess/Russian Call Girl), Tina Harper (Visiting Performer), Patrick Huang (Visiting Performer), and Carrie Wilder (Housekeeper).
The play follows the misadventures and jealousies of a Pulitzer Prize-winning, husband-and-wife writing team who discover untitled pages of a mystery screenplay on their shared laptop. The source is a script fragment that has been concealed in their linen closet by a pair of visiting performers. It has been partially transcribed by their son’s governess. The esteemed couple–and everyone else in their family circle–begins sneakily adding to the script. Suspicions, accusations and jealousies pile up as the wife assumes her husband has taken a new writing partner–a move tantamount to infidelity.
**********************
Wolf Trap‘s Broadway in the Park annual concert will take place Sat. June 29 at 8 PM. Tickets will be available starting Feb. 16.
Performers TBA.
**********************
Lillias White (Hermes) wil play her final performance in Hadestown on Sun. Mar. 17 at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre.
Her replacement has not yet been announced.
**********************
Bedlam Theatre has announced complete casting has been announced for the world premiere of Eric Tucker’s The Assassination of Julius Caesar As Told By William Shakespeare And George Bernard Shaw, to begin previews Feb. 24 and open Mar. 17 at the West End Theatre, directed by Tucker.
Rajesh Bose, Jonathan Judge-Russo, Mike Labbadia, Mackenzie Moyer, Andrew Rothenberg, Stephen Michael Spencer, Deychen Volino-Gyetsa, and Shayvawn Webster.
The play follows Caesar’s journey from Alexandria to Rome, from beloved, charismatic leader to a perhaps mistrusted tyrant will be especially potent in this election year.
**********************
Steven Brinberg is Simply Barbra will take place Tues. Mar. 5 at 7:30 PM at Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre.
Frank Ferrante and Matthew Amira.
**********************
RIP: Hinton Battle passed away on Jan. 29 after a brief illness. He was 67.
Born in West Germany to a U.S. Army officer and his wife, Mr. Battle showed a natural talent for movement from a young age, studying at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet for three years before receiving a scholarship to train at the School of American Ballet under George Balanchine.
At the age of 18, Mr. Battle made his Broadway debut as the original Scarecrow in The Wiz, receiving momentous acclaim for his energetically athletic dance style. He would later go on to work with some of the most influential choreographer in the industry, including Bob Fosse in the original production of Dancin’ and Michael Bennett in the original production of Dreamgirls.
Mr. Battle received an impressive three Tony Awards for originating three vastly varied yet equally bombastic roles: in Sophisticated Ladies, The Tap Dance Kid, and Miss Saigon. He won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for all three roles, making him the most-awarded actor in the category’s history.
On the road, Mr. Battle toured Dancin’, Sophisticated Ladies, and The Tap Dance Kid across the country. Notably, he was also in the first national tour of Ragtime, where he starred as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in 1998.
As a choreographer, Mr. Battle staged the beloved musical episode of the TV series “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Once More With Feeling.” He also worked on the sitcoms F”ired Up,” “Sister Sister,” “The Trouble with Normal,” and “The Boys.”
Battle also choreographed promotional videos for Warner Brothers, commercials for Coca-Cola, Chicago’s The Millie hotel, and New York Top Appliances. He served as Associate Choreographer for the 65th and 66th Annual Academy Awards with Debbie Allen, as well as a choreographer for The Golden Globes.
Off-Broadway, Mr. Battle served as the co-director and choreographer for Evil Dead The Musical. He also directed the stage musical Respect, which explored the fluctuating power of women from the 1900s to the 2007. In 2014, he returned to performance to star in the Off-Broadway premiere of Cindy: The Musical.
Perhaps his greatest joy, however, was the Hinton Battle Dance Academy (HBDA). Based in Japan, Mr. Battle and cofounder Yoshimoto Kogyo prepared students for successful careers in the entertainment industry and in life. The company shuttered in 2021
**********************
Erin Daley has been appointed the new Artistic Director of Off-Broadway’s Primary Stages.
Daley, who was named Interim Artistic Director in June 2023 following the passing of longtime Artistic Director Andrew Leynse, will begin in the role immediately. She has been with Primary Stages since 2016, serving as Associate Artistic Director since 2018. Click here to learn more about Erin.
**********************
Chicago’s Porchlight Theatre, and announced casting casting for Porchlight in Concert: Sunday in the Park with George, which will run May 11 & 12 at the Chicago venue, directed by Michael Weber, with music direction by David Fiorello.
Sean Allan Krill (Georges Seurat/George), Kathy Voytko (Dot/Marie), Daniel de Cranie-Pierre (Boatman/Charles Redmond), Devin DeSantis (jules/Bob Greenberg), Bella Branshaw (Louise), Daniel de Cranie-Pierre (Charles Redmond), Devin DeSantis (Jules/Bob Greenberg), Andres Enriquez (Mr./Lee Randolph), Veronica Garza (Nurse/Mrs./Harriet Pawling), Tiyanna Gentry (Celeste #1/Waitress), Cory Goodrich (Yvonne/Naomi Eisen), Cicliia Iole (Celeste #2/Elaine), Samual B. Jackson (Franz/Dennis), Chris Khoshaba (Soldier/Alex), Iris Lieberman (Old Lady/Blair Daniels), Chamaya Mooder (Frieda/Betty), and David Moreland (Louis/Billy Webster), with Neala Barron, Billy Dwyer.
**********************
York Theater Company‘s A Sign of the Times, by Lindsey Hope Pearlman, with songs by Petula Clark, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield & other 1960’s artists, will begin previews Feb. 7 and open Feb. 22 at Theatre at St. Jean’s, directed by Gabriel Barre.
Chilina Kennedy (Cindy), Ryan Silverman (Brian), Justin Matthew Sargeant (Matt), Crystal Lucas-Perry (Tanya), and Akron Lanier Watson (Cody), with Cassie Austin, Erica Simone Barnett, Shawn Bowers, Alyssa Carol, Melessie Clark, Jeremiah Ginn, Kuppi Alec Jessop, Lena Matthews, Maggie McDowell, J Savage, Michael Starr, Justin Showell, and Edward Staudenmayer.
**********************
Sweet dreams, Chita…