Today’s Highlights:
To T, or Not To T? A Comedic Trans Journey through (T)estosterone, written by & starring D’Lo, directed by Adelina Anthony, opens at LA’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Sweeney Todd, directed & choreographed by Stephen Nachamie, featuring Carolee Carmello (Mrs. Lovett), Craig Colclough (Sweeney Todd), Lojus Tiemann (Anthony Hope), Angela Yam (Johanna), Daniel Mobbs (Judge Turpin), Morgan Mastrangelo (Tobias), Arnold Livingston Geis (Beadle Bamford), Maria De Conzo (Begger Woman), and Brian Yeakley (Pirelli), opens at Opera Saratoga.
The Music Man, directed by Sandra Mae Frank & Michael Baron, featuring deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing artists James Caverly (Harold Hill), Adelina Mitchell (Marian), Vishal Vaidya (Marcellus) Florrie Bagel (Ethel Toffelmeier), Heather Marie Beck (Alma Hicks), Amelia Hensley (Eulalie Shinn), Matthew August (Tommy), Gregor Lopes (Olinn Britt), Andrew Morrill (Mayor Shinn), Anjel Piñero (Woman #1), Mervin Primeaux-O’Bryant (Maude Dunlap), Nicki Runge (Mrs. Paroo), Christopher Tester (Oliver Hicks), and Dylan Toms (Ewart Dunlop) with Jay Frisby, Sarah Ann Sillers, Sophia Early, Aarron Loggins, Jane Enabore, and Stephen Russell Murray, opens at MD’s Olney Theatre Center.
“Ms. Guidance” new web series, by James Ryan Caldwell, directed by Van Hansis & Melodie Sisk, featuring Amber Gray, Van Hansis, Tyler Hanes, Ian Unterman, Calli Alden, and Adriane Lenox, with Mark Boyett, Sam Faulkner, Andrew Hollinger, Erin Kommor, Ginna Le Vine, Antonio Marziale, Ashley Austin Morris, Amy Russ, Nikki Snelson, Kit Williamson, Marco Zunino, Michael Urie, and Elliotte Crowell, premieres on BroadwayWorld.
The Seagull, newly adapted by Anya Riess, directed by Jamie Lloyd, featuring Emilia Clare (Nina), Tom Rhys Harries (Trigorin), Daniel Monks (Konstantin), Indira Varma (Arkadina), and Sophie Wu (Masha), begins previews at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre.
Prince Charming, You’re Late, written by & starring Billy Hipkins, directed by Perry Dell’Aquila, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Dear Evan Hansen tour, featuring Anthony Norman (Evan Hansen), Coleen Sextion (Heidi Hansen), Lili Thomas (Cynthia Murphy), Pablo Laucerica (Jared Kleinman), Micaela Lamas (Alana Beck), John Hemphill (Larry Murphy), Nikhil Saboo (Conor Murphy), Alaina Anderson (Zoe Murphy), and Jeffrey Cornelius (Evan alternate), with Valeria Ceballos, Ian Coursey, Reese Sebastian Diaz, Gillian Jackson Han, Isabel Santiago, Daniel Robert Sulivan, Kelsey Venter, and Pierce Wheeler, begins previews at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
Saturday Night Fever, directed & choreographed by Karen Babcock Brassea, featuring Dorian Quinn (Tony Manero), Natalie Kastner (Stephanie Mangano), Daniella Castoria (Annette), Bryce Bayer (Bobby C.), Ryan Mulvaney (Monty/Mr. Fusco), Jonathan Santos (Joey), William Nelson (Double J.), Benji Godley-Fisher (Gus), Jonathan Van Dyke (Frank Manero), Judy Mina-Ballard (Flo Manero), Ayres (Kaplan) (Linda Manero), Patrick Murray (Frank Manero Jr.), Erika Harper (Pauline), Dwan Hayes (Candy), Presley Nicholson (Connie), and Ava Cusiter (Doreen), with Haley Ayers, Kristen Daniels, A.J. Love, Ellery Smith, Lucy Swinson, Kyle Uraniak, and Katie Van Horn, begins previews at Laguna Playhouse.
To Steve with Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim concert, with special guest Nick Callaway Foster, offering in-person & streaming options, at 7 PM ET at NYC’s 54 Below .
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Broadway Grosses for the week ending June 26. Click here for the complete analysis.
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GRACE NOTES Quote of the Week: “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” ~ Aldous Huxley
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A digital lottery has been announced for the Broadway revival of Encore’s Into the Woods, which continues through Aug. 21, directed by Lear DeBessonet, with music direction by Rob Berman, and choreography by Lorin Latarro.
* Click here to enter the lottery to win tickets for $50 each.
* The drawing for weekday performances begins at approximately 11 AM ET on the previous day.
* The drawing for weekend performances will begin at 11 AM ET on the Friday before.
* If you enter, be sure to keep on eye on the drawing dates to find out if you won.
* Drawings will begin at 11 AM ET and will continue throughout the day as needed.
* Winners will have a limited window to purchase and claim their tickets.
Sara Bareilles (Baker’s Wife), Brian D’Arcy James (Baker), Patina Miller (Witch), Phillipa Soo (Cinderella), Gavin Creel, and Joshua Henry (Rapunzel’s Prince), Aymee Garcia (Jack’s Mother), Ta’Nika Gibson (Lucinda), Annie Golden (Cinderella’s Mother/Grandmother/Giant’s Wife), Albert Guerzon (Cinderella’s Father), Brooke Ishibashi (Florinda), Kennedy Kanagawa (Milky White), David Patrick Kelly (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Julia Lester (Little Red Riding Hood), Nancy Open (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Cole Thompson (Jack), David Turner (Steward), and Alysia Velez (Rapunzel), with Delphi Borich, Felicia Curry, Jason Forbach, Alex Joseph Grayson, Cameron Johnson, Paul Kreppel, Mary Kate Moore, Diane Phelan, and Lucia Spina.
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York Theatre Company will present Barry Kleinbort’s Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood Sept. 13 – Oct. 16 at Theatre at St. Jean’s, conceived, directed & choreographed by Randy Skinner, with music direction by David Hancock Turner.
Casting TBA.
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Casting has been announced for Week 1 of Hollywood’s Blank Theatre‘s 30th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, to stream on Vimeo July 8-14 (presented as digital shorts).
Under My Skin, by Disha Catt, directed by Jillian Terwedo, featuring Sharmita Bhattacharya, Piper Gillin, Marguerite Moreau, Vico Ortiz, Cait Pool, and Gita Reddy. 
Two sets of mothers and daughters explore coming of age, identity, independence and friendship while bra shopping.
Lemon, by Cady Walls, directed by Tor Brown, featuring Ry Chase, Michael D. Cohen, Amanda Kruger, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Peter James Smith, and Darby Stanchfield. An absurdist examination of sexuality, gender, and marriage told with educational citrus.
stand. Up. HIT!, by Wyn Alyse Thomas, directed by Danielle Ozymandias, featuring Nikki Castillo, Dylan Kodai, Ronin Lee, Alexa Lomeo, Madison McLaughlin, Samantha Wynette Miller, Jill Remez, Quentin Thomson, Victoria-Elizabeth, and Christian Azmudio. A self-defense class and the mantras they share helps guide a young woman through the questions faced when trying to discern when an unwanted contact crosses the line and deserves a response.
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Stephen Schwartz has revealed additional details about the upcoming two-part film adaptation of Wicked (now in its 19th year at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre).
* The film will be directed by Jon M. Chu, and star Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda). Winnie Holzman is writing the screenplay.
* New songs are being written.
* The film will be released in two parts, (the first on Dec. 25, 2024 and the 2nd on Dec. 25, 2025). “Defying Gravity” was a major factor in that decision. “That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it with a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic,” he shares. He also said, “When it’s all done, and if it doesn’t work that way, we’ll have to figure something out.”
* Expanding “Wicked” into a two-film series will necessitate new material, making the report of Schwartz’ new songs somewhat expected, but Schwarts reassures fans that all of the planned changes will be additive, a term he credits to producer Marc Platt. “They need to add something to the story or the characters. They can’t just be changes to do something different.”
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An industry reading of Tawni O’Dell’s Pay the Writer will take place July 21, directed by Sheldon Epps. For more information: paythewriterrsvp@gmail.com
Keith David, Bryan Batt, Marcia Cross, Kyle Scatliffe, Miles G. Jackson, Sydney Morton, and Stephen Payne.
Pay the Writer delves into the dynamics of a unique 40-year friendship between a gay literary agent and a world-renowned African American novelist.
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The world premiere of Peter Lefcourt’s Remembering the Future will run July 15 – Aug. 21 (opening July 16) at the Odyssey Theatre, directed by Terri Hanauer.
Michael Corbett, Fatima El-Bashir, David Jahn, Andrew Neaves, and Tarina Pouncy.
What would your 18-year-old self say to your 58-year-old self it had the opportunity?
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RIP: Ernest Abuba, founder of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, passed away June 21 at the age of 74.
Mr. Abuba was born in Honolulu and raised in Texas and San Diego. An actor, director, playwright, performance artist, and teacher, his career spanned more than 50 years, and Mr. Abuba appeared in more than 100 productions on stage, in film and on television.
He received an Obie Award for his portrayal of Kenji Kadota in Yellow Fever, and was a prolific member of the Off-Broadway community. He met his ex-wife and co-founder of Pan Asian Rep, Tisa Chang, in the 1972 Off-Broadway production of Widow’s House, which was soon followed by a bilingual adaptation of A Midsummers Night’s Dream for Ellen Stewart at LaMama. The pair married in 1976, and went on to found their dream theater company, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, which is the oldest and first company of its kind on the East Coast.
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Video: 3-year-old Beanie Feldstein‘s first brush with Fanny Brice.
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Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens’ A Man of No Importance will run Oct. 11 – Dec. 4 (opening Oct. 30) at Classic Stage Company, directed by John Doyle.
Jim Parsons (Alfie Byrne) and more TBA.
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Deaf West Theatre and the Getty Museum have announced a bilingual, outdoor production of Sophocles’ Oedipus, to run Sept. 1 – Oct. 1 (opening Sept. 7) at the Getty Villa, directed by Jenny Koons. The production will be presented in ALS and spoken English.
Russell Harvard (King Oedipus), Alexandra Wailes, Amelia Hensley, and Matthew Jaeger, with Ashlea Hayes, Gregor Lopez, Andrew Morrill, On Shiu, Akia Takara, and Jon Wolfe-Nelson, with more TBA.
Presented as a psychological murder mystery and political thriller, the play follows King Oedipus as he must face the complexities of legacy, destiny, culture, and language. The production reimagines Sophocles’ Greek Tragedy through centering American Sign Language and using new technology.
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“Hocus Pocus 2,” the long-awaited sequel to the 1993 classic, will premiere Sept. 30 on Disney+, directed by Anne Fletcher.
Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker, with Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Hannah Waddingham, Whitney peak, Belissa Esobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froyan Gutierrez, and Tony Hale.
Video: Trailer