GRACE NOTES: Wednesday, May 15, 2024

 

Today’s Highlights:

  John Lloyd Young in concert opens at NYC’s Cafe Carlyle.

  The New Group‘s All of Me, by Laura winters, directed by Ashley Brooke Monroe, featuring Madison Ferris, Danny J. Gomez,Lily Mae Harrington,  Florencia Lozano, Brian Furey Morabito, and Kyra Sedgwick, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Signature Center.

   Molly Sweeney, by Brian Friel, directed by  Charlotte Moore, featuring Rufus Collins (Mr. Rice), John Keating (Frank Sweeney), and Sarah Street (Molly Sweeney), begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Irish Rep.

  Dear Dr. Thomas: A New Play reading, by Christopher Monger, featuring Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell, Lorna Bennett, Gopal Divan, Taylor Trensch and Betsy Zajko, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.

   Mommie Dearest, an unauthorized parody reading, directed by Alli Miller, featuring Sam Pancake (Faye Dunaway is Joan Crawford), and Jonnie Reinhart (Christina Crawford), with Nathan Frizzell and Daniele Gaither, at 7:30 PM at  Hollywood’s Celebration Theatre.

  Ann Kittredge: Romantic Notions album release concert, at 5:30 PM at NYC’s Birdland.

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 2023–24 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards.

Click here for the complete list of winners

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  Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater has announced its partial 2024-25 season:

  Table 17  (Aug. 14 – Sept. 22), world premiere by Douglas Lyons, directed by Zhailon Levingston, featuring Kara Young. Biko Eisen-Martin, and Michael Rishawn.  A pair of exes, Jada and Dallas, reunite for dinner to hash out the good, the bad, and the ugly from their romantic past.

  Shit. Meet. Fan. (Oct.-Nov. dates TBA), written & directed by Robert O’Hara.   Based on the Italian film “Perfect Strangers,” the play follows the chaos that occurs when a group of long-time friends gather to play on the night of the eclipse.

  Uncensored/Freshplay Festival (Spring 2025 dates TBA)

  25th Annual Miscast Gala (Spring 2025 date TBA)

…and one more TBA…

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  Broadway Today!: Broadway’s Modern Masters will run June 6-7 at Boston’s Symphony Hall, directed by Jason Danieley, and conducted by Keith Lockhart, with music supervision by Georgia Stitt.

  Victoria Clark, Many Gonzalez, Joshua Henry, Darius de Haas, Bryce Pinkham, and Scarlett Strallan.

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  Mike Lew’s tiny father will run June 12 – July 14 (opening June 20) at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel.

  Tiffany Villarin (Caroline) and Maurice Williams (Daniel).

  When a “friends with benefits” relationship unexpectedly results in the early arrival of a baby girl, Daniel must choose between being a biological parent or becoming a father. With the help of a no-nonsense night nurse, the new dad learns to navigate the protocols and frustrations of NICU life on his uncertain path to parenthood in this funny and heartfelt new play where growth is measured in more than grams.

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  Fix + Foxy’s Dark Noon will run June 7 – July 7 at the St. Ann’s Warehouse, directed by Tue Biering.

  Bongani Bennedict Masango, Joe Young, Kaygee Letsholonyana, Lillian Tshabalala, Mandla Gaduka, Siyambonga Alfred Mdubeki, and Thulani Zwane.

 Performed on a bare stage, the skeleton film set of a Western town emerges in real time as the actors embody the distinctive characters of America’s past: cowboys, gold seekers, missionaries, enslaved Africans, Chinese workers, Native Americans, prostitutes, Bluecoats, and Confederates.

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  Video. Highlights from Goodspeed’s A Complicated Woman.

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  There’s something seriously wrong with Cyrus: How I Went from a Hot Mess to a Hot Bitch, written &performed by Cyrus Deboo, will run June 9, 19 & 30 at LA’s Zepher Theatre, developed & directed by Jessica Lyn Johnson.

  Deboo’s story about finding and liberating his own authenticity while breaking the barriers of homophobia and the cycle of generational trauma all while loving Madonna and Taylor Swift!

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  The 2024 Theatre World Award ceremony, celebrating the 2023-24 season will take place Mon. June 19 at at 7 PM at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre, hosted by Peter Filichia, with music direction by Michael Lavine.

WinnersA.J. Shively (Philadelphia, Here I Come), Len Carious (John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement), and Peter Filichia (Special Award honoree) …. Ali Louis Gourzgui (The Who’s Tommy), Cole Escola (Oh, Mary, Oh, Mary), Brody Grant (The Outsiders), Michael Imperioli (An Enemy of the People), Phillip Johnson Richardson (The Wiz), Nicelle Lewos (The Wiz), Will Keen (Patriots), Rachel McAdams (Mary Jane),Maleah Joi Moon (Hell’s Kitchen), Tom Pecinka (Stereophonic), Sarah Pidgeon (Stereophonic), and Chris Stack (Stereophonic).

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  Developmental readings of Scott Steidl, Mark Hantoot & Mary Duncan’s Wesley will take place Wed. May 15 at 11 AM & 3 PM at Off-Broadway’s Jerry Orbach Theatre, directed by Mary Duncan.

: wesleythemusical@gmail.com.

 Andrianna Ayala, Daniel Sanchez, Christa Lisette Beveridge, Jacob Heacock, Ryan Alexander, Tara Dougherty, Olivia Heaner, and Joseph Richwine.

  Based on the true-life story of a biologist who falls in love with an abandoned baby farm Owl, the musical tells the story of their astonishing 19-year life together and the remarkable connections that can exist between humans and wildlife.

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  The world premiere of Stefan Marks’ Ophelia is offering free tickets this week only, which is currently running through May 25 at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

 Deborah Geffner (Mom), Tatus Langton (Her), and Stefan Marks (Son).

  A tale of family history, the journey to find love, the heartbreak of dementia, struggling to forgive yourself for past mistakes, and learning to move on despite the trials and tribulations faced every day that are seemingly out of your own control.

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   Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop will run June 5-30 at the Ahmanson Theatre, directed by Stephen Brackett, with choreography by Raja Feather Kelly.

 Dave J. Abrams, Angela Alise, Jordan Barbour, J. Cameron Barnett, Carlis Shane  Clark, Alvis Green Jr.,  Albert Hodge, Avionce Hoyles, Tarra Conner Jones, Malachi McCaskill, John-Andrew Morrison, and Tristan J Shuler.

  Hell-bent on breaking free of his own self-perception, Usher, a young, gay, Black writer who hates his day job, writes a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who’s writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer…a strange loop. Usher grapples with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes, all brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-talking ensemble.

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  David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face will run May 31 – June 23 at Boston’s Lyric Stage, directed by Ted Hewlett.

  J.B. Barricklo (HYH), Michael Hissamoto (DHH), Alexander Holden (Marcus G. Dahlman), Jupiter Lé (Nwoaoc), Jenny S. Lee (Jane Krawkowski), and Mei Macquarrie (Leah Anne Cho).

  An Asian-American playwright and activist gets tangled in a complicated and humorous web of lies as he struggles to win back his integrity.

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  Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theaters has announced its 2024-25 Season:

  East to Edinburgh Festival (July 9-28)

  The Rosenberg/Strange Fruit Project (July 10 – Aug. 4), written & performed by John Jiler. directed by Margarett Perry

  The Sabbath Girl: A New Musical (July 23 – Sept. 1), byCary Gitter & Neil Berg, conceived & directed by Joe Brancato.

   The Bleeding Class (Aug. 10 – Sept. 1), by Chisa Hutchinson, directed by Cezar William.

  Unentitled (Aug. 16 – Sept. 1), by Charles White

  Tracks (Sept. 11-28), by Paula B Stanic, directed by Tabatha Gayle & Sarah Norris.

  Blood of the Lamb (Sept. 14 – Oct. 20), by Arlene Hutton, directed by Margot Bordelon.

  Redeemed (Sept. 15 – Oct. 5) by Chisa Hutchinson, directed by marcus d. harvey, featuring Elizabeth Sun and Doug Harris.

 Amerikin (Mar. 1 – Apr. 13, 2025), by Chisa Hutchinson, directed by Jade King Carroll. 

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   Private Parts, a collection of personal true stories, will run May 31 – June 2 at Theatre West, directed by Laura James.

  David Baer, Apurv Khanna (A.K.), Mimi Kmet, Christopher Landis, Pamela Najera, Alexandria Sanders, Rick Simone-Friedland, Megan Smith, and Monika Vidakovic.

  There is nothing more powerful than the truth—in life and in art. Sharing true and personal stories is a gift to both the one who shares and the one who receives. It is a connection that brings us together with renewed energy and makes us value the memorable moments in our own lives.

 


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