Today’s Highlights:
Beneatha’s Place, written & directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, featuring Cherrelle Skeete (Beneatha), Zackary Momoh (Joseph Asagai/Wale Oguns), Sebastian Armesto (Daniel Barnes/Prof Mark Bond), Jumoké Fashola (Prof Shirley Jones/Aunty Fola), Tom Godwin (Mr. Nelson/Prof Gary Jacobs), and Nia Gwynne (Mrs. Nelson/Dr Harriet Banks), opens at London’s Young Vic.
Chess, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring Jessica Vosk (Florence Vassey, Jarrod Spector (Frederick Trumper), John Riddle (Anatoly Sergievsky), Taylor Louderman (Svetlana Sergievskaya), Rodney Hicks (Walter De Courcey), Tally Sessions (Alexander Molokov) and Phillip Johnson Richardson (Arbiter) with Annelise Baker, Jett Blackorby, Eric Allen Boyd, Sydney Chow, Cicily Denise Daniels, Spencer Dean, Matt Faucher, Anna Gassett, Brian Golub, Omega Jones, Sydney Jones, Gareth Keegan, Sage Lee, Daniel May, Brady Miller, Trina Mills, Alysha Morgan, Kristen Faith Oei, Alex Prakken, Emilie Renier, Shelby Ringdahl, Michael Seltzer, and Avilon Trust Tate, opens at the St. Louis Muny.
2 Pianos 4 Hands, by Ted Dyskstra & Richard Greenblatt, directed by Tom Frey, featuring Jefferson McDonald (Ted) and Matthew McGloin (Richard), begins previews at Laguna Playhouse.
The Skivvies (Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina) concert, with special guests Laura Benanti, Talia Saskauer, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, J Savage, Marty Thomas, and Ryann Redmond, at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Joe’s Pub.
Flayed performance, world premiere written & performed by Josiah Blount, at 8 PM at Hollywood’s Broadwater Black Box Theatre.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz: Hard Work, by Jim Bernhard:
Match these “work songs” with the musicals in which they appear:
| 1. “I Started Work” | A. They’re Playing Our Song |
| 2. ” It Needs Work” | B. Woman of the Year |
| 3. “Leon at Work” | C. Jersey Boys |
| 4. “Let’s Work Together” | D. Hair |
| 5. “Nice Work If You Can Get It” | E. Parade |
| 6. “We’re Gonna Work It Out” | F. Once Upon A One More Time |
| 7. “What A Piece of Work Is Man” | G. Sunset Boulevard |
| 8. “Work Bitch” | H. Chess |
| 9. “Workin’ It Out” | I. Crazy for You |
| 10. “Working My Way Back to You” | J. City of Angels |
Scroll down for the answers…
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Reviews for Into the Woods national tour at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre:
LA Times (Charles McNulty): …As bewitching as it is unwieldy, the show gathers Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood and beanstalk-shimmying Jack, along with other storybook figures known and invented, for a psychoanalytic journey into the deepest adult fears of abandonment, betrayal and loss… But it’s not the thematic seriousness or deconstructive daring that creates problems. It’s the scale of the undertaking. … the operatic plot is a skein that sometimes entangles its colorful characters and other times leaves them panting with exhaustion… DeBessonet succeeds through simplicity… the spotlight is reserved for the performers, whose sharp characterizations are delivered in the theatrical equivalent of Technicolor… The excellent touring company…who delighted me in New York… even better in Los Angeles.
Variety (Chris Willman): ..the ultimate having-your-cake-and-eating-it-too show… Into the Woods is as overstuffed with characters and ideas as any musical ever has been, but if everyone does their job right, you leave feeling like you’ve just been fed a perfectly balanced meal, and not a morsel more… boy, is everyone doing their job right… as world-class and close to flawless as any modern version is ever likely to get… brilliantly hits every hilarious or somber note it needs to, thanks to the brisk, smart direction of Lear deBessonet… Creel, who is so impossibly entertaining…a top-flank Elvis routine embedded in a Sondheim show.
Entertainment Weekly (Maureen Lee Lenker): …This revival, which comes with a good portion of its Broadway cast replacements intact, is a firm reminder of the musical’s everlasting magic… deftly hilarious book… the line readings and intonations of this score are practically ingrained in the minds of musical theater lovers. But this cast, particularly Arcelus and Block, work hard to put their own spin on things… Geraghty is riotously funny as Little Red, a spoiled, cheeky girl hiding her inner frightened child with her bravado… Diane Phelan is rather listless as Cinderella, sinking into the trap of the role’s generic goodness. Cole Thompson’s Jack leans too heavily into his immaturity…
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Gavin Creel In Concert will take place Thurs. Aug. 31 at 7 PM at the Kennedy Center.
Creel will perform his favorite Broadway tunes, pop hits, and an exclusive preview of selections from his thrilling new theatrical concert, Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice. (which will make its world premiere later this year at Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater).
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Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced its Summer Fridays@3 Reading Series, which will feature a new play reading every Friday at 3 PM. July 14 – Aug. 4.
Nick and the Prizefighter (July 14), by Kamilah Bush & Brittany Campbell, directed by Kristolyn Lloyd, featuring Featuring Dane Dehaan, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Amber Iman, and dL Sams. Young dramaturg and writer Nick Beerman helps Forest complete his life’s work before the clock runs out, while Selah fights for control of her father’s legacy.
Plunder and Lightning (July 21), by Cindy Lou Johnson, directed by Portia Krieger, featuring Samantha Bohrer, Johanna Day, Annie Golden, Nina Grollman, and John Pankow. Tina and George prepare for an important party, but their plans go awry when their daughter, Rikki, shows up on the run from the police, while Tina’s stepmother threatens charges of elder abuse.
Chapters of a Floating Life (July 28), by Clarence Coo, directed by Jennifer Chang. Casting TBA. The play follows two couples from China living in New York City following World War II. One couple lives uptown, obsessed with a past of poetry, painting and gardens, while the other couple faces the day-to-day reality of keeping their Chinatown restaurant in business. Their worlds come together when the two women find each other in Central Park.
Wipeout (Aug. 4), by Aurora Real de Asua, directed by Maggie Burrows, featuring Kuroda and Becky Ann Baker. The play follows 77-year-old Gary, whose only birthday wish is to go surfing, though she doesn’t know how. Her two best friends plus a teenage surf instructor step in to give her the ride of a lifetime.
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TUTS: A Celebration of Houston Stories and Songs will run July 11-15 at Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars, directed by Mitchell Greco.
emily.white@tuts.com
Mark Ivy, Courtney Markowitz, John Ryan, Raven Troup and Christina Wells, along with students from TUTS Humphreys School of Musical Theatre and The River.
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The world premiere of Danielle Ozymandias’ Penthesilea will run July 14 – Aug. 8 at North Hollywood’s Loft Ensemble, directed by Bree Pavey & Ozymandias.
Dawn Sam Alden, Lemon Baardsen, Lara Blanco, Cassandra Carmona, Nicole Craig, Jennifer DeRosa, Madylin Sweeten Durrie, Barbera Ann Howard, Hanna Isaac, Sean James, Zenarra James, Xavier LeFlore, April Littlejohn, Matt Lorenzo, Maia Luer, and Stephanie Mayer.
The story of the Amazon warriors who went to the Trojan War to protect their way of life, and left a legend in their wake.
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A Pink Floyd Affair: Burbank will take place Sat. July 15 at 7 PM at Burbank’s Colony Theatre.
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Little Shop of Horrors has announced upcoming cast changes at the Westside Theatre:
Bryce Pinkham (returns as Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S.) on July 8
Jeremy Jordan (returns as Seymour) on July 25
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A concert presentation of Jim Steinman & Barry Keating’s Rhinegold will take place Fri. July 14 (at 7 & 9:30 PM) at Off-Broadway’s Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Andre De Shields, Bradley Dean, and Andrew Polec.
Rhinegold is based on Richard Wagner’s Das Rheingold opera, written in 1869.
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West Side Story will run July 15-21 at the St. Louis Muny, directed by Rob Ruggiero, with choreography by Parker Esse, and music direction by James Moore.
Christian Douglas (Tony), Kanisha Feliciano (Maria), Jersha Cavazos (Anita), Yurel Echezarreta (Bernardo), Ken Page (Doc), Kyle Coffman (Riff), Drew Battles (Gladhand), James A. Butz (Officer Krupke), Cedric Leiba, Jr. (Chino), Michael James Reed (Lt. Schrank), Ethan David Zeph (Action), Caylie Rose Newcom (Anybodys), Ethan Van Slyke (Baby John), Daniel Assetta (A-Rab), Tanner Ray Wilson (Big Deal), and RJ Higton (Snowboy), with with Gabriel Amato, Angelica Maria Beliard, Jonathan Bryant, Veronica Sofia Burt, Devin Cortez, Daniela Delahuerta, Abbey Friedmann, Henry Julian Gendron, Yoni Haller, Eloise Kropp, Francis Lawrence, Macy McKown, Natalia Nieves-Melchor, Tatiana Nuñez, Courtney Ortiz, Daniel Pahl, Daniel Powers, Grace Marie Rusnica, and Ronan Ryan.
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The world premiere of Peter Lefcourt’s Group Therapy will run July 21 – Aug. 20 (opening July 22) at North Hollywood’s Theatre 68 Arts Complex, directed by Terri Hanauer.
Andy Hoff, Ashley Platz, and Marnina Schon, with Sawyer Fuller and Cat Masterson.
A serious comedy about three people trapped in a therapist’s waiting room, where they learn things about one another they would rather not know.
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Broadway Sings Celine Dion will take place Thurs. Aug. 7 at 8 PM at NYC’s Sony Hall, with completely new arrangements, directed by Corey Mach.
Lorna Courtney, Eden Espinosa, Jessica Vosk, Eleri Ward, DeMarius Copes, Natalie Joy Johnson, Tamika Lawrence, Corey Mach, Gracie McGraw, Veronica Otim, Dee Roscioli, Talia Suskauer, Marty Thomas, and Raena White.
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Video: First look at Evita at Cambridge’s A.R.T., directed by Sammi Cannold, and starring Shereen Pimentel (Eva Perón), Gabriel Burrafato (Magaldi), Omar Lopez-Cepero (Che), Caesar Samayoa (Perón), and Naomi Serrano (Mistress).
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Paul Gordon’s The Gospel According to Heather will release its cast album on JAY Records on a date TBA. In addition, the production has been extended through Sun. July 16 at Off-Broadway’s Theatre 555, directed & choreographed by Rachel Klein.
Katey Sagal, Lauren Elder, Badia Farha, Maria Habeeb, Darron Hayes, Jeremy Kushnier, Maya Lagerstam, Wayne Wilson, and Brittany Nicole Williams, with Armando Gutierrez, Georgia Kate Haege, Sarita Amani Nash, and Zach Rand.
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Fifty Key Stage Musicals: The Concert! — Part Three will take place Sun. July 16 at 7 PM at NYC’s 54 Below, with music direction by Kevin David Thomas.
Christine Andreas, Paige Davis, Stephen Mo Hanan, Lee Roy Reams, Steve Ross, Talia Suskauer, Mark William, and more TBA.
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Video: Jessica Vosk performs “Nobody’s Side” in rehearsal for Chess at the St. Louis Muny.
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The South Carolina New Play Festival will run Aug. 10-13 at various local venues. Click here for additional information and tickets.
A Black-billed Cuckoo (Aug. 11), by Mat Smart,
KWEEN (Aug. 12), by Vichet Chum,
The Essential Alice (Aug. 12), by Michael Friedman & Annie Weisman
Catching the Moon, The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream (Aug. 13), by Nichole Jackson & Tyrone L. Robinson.
Derrick Baskin, Nick Blaemire, Kim Blanck, Miguel Cervantes, Lyndsey Cole, Drew Gehling, Thett Guter, Kelly McAndrew, Grace McClean, Jennifer Naimo, Mauricio Perez, Samuel Stricklen, and Mimi Wyche.
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Fascinating Rhythm will run July 8-16 at Boston’s Lyric Stage Company.
Kirsten Salpini andJared Troilo
A dazzling journey through the music of George Gershwin & Leonard Bernstein told with four hand, two voices, and 176 keys.
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GRACE NOTES Quiz answers: Hard Work
1-G. “I Started Work” – Sunset Boulevard
2-J. ” It Needs Work” – City of Angels
3-E. ” Leon at Work” – Parade
4-H. “Let’s Work Together” – Chess
5-I. “Nice Work If You Can Get It – Crazy for You
6-B. We’re Gonna Work It Out” – Woman of the Year
7-D. “What A Piece of Work Is Man” – Hair
8-F. “Work Bitch” – Once Upon A One More Time
9-A. ” Workin’ It Out” – They’re Playing Our Song
10-C. “Working My Way Back to You” – Jersey Boys