Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be limited theatre news for the foreseeable future. I will continue to search for anything meaningful and/or fun to report. Stay safe and healthy.
Today’s Highlights:
* The Actors Fund FREE benefit reading of Project Shaw’s Candida, adapted & directed by David Staller, featuring Andréa Burns, Santino Fontana, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Jay O. Sanders, and Michael Benjamin Washington, livestreamed at 2 PM ET here.
* London’s A Doll’s House FREE screening, adapted by Tanika Gupta, directed by Rachel O’Riordan, featuring (original 2019 cast): Anjana Vasan (Niru), Elliot Cowan (Tom Helmer), Arun Ghosh (Masterji), Arinder Sadhra (Uma), Colin Tierney (Dr. Rank), Tripti Tripuraneni (Mrs. Lahiri), and Assad Zaman (Kaushik Das), screened at 2:30 PM UK time/9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT here. Available for a limited time (end time not announced).
* Bombshell in Concert, Actors Fund benefit, featuring original cast members Christian Borle, Jaime Cepero, Will Chase, Brian d’Arcy James, Jack Davenport, Ann Harada, Megan Hilty, Jeremy Jordan, Katharine McPhee, Andy Mientus, Debra Messing, Leslie Odom Jr., Krysta Rodriguez, and Wesley Taylor, livestreamed at 8 PM ET here, or on Facebook.
* MCC Theater‘s The Sentinels reading, by Matthew Lopez, directed by Rebecca Taichman, featuring Jane Alexander, Katrina Lenk, Denée Benton, and Priscilla Lopez, livestreamed at 5:30 PM ET. Three women meet every September to catch up on each other’s lives and to remember the husbands they lost on 9/11. Moving backwards in time and spanning a decade, the play explores the burden of the past and how we move on from tragedy… or don’t.
* 54 Does 54: The Feinstein’s/54 Below Staff Show FREE livestreamed concert, at 6:30 PM ET here.
* Forever Plaid 30th Plaidiversary Concert, featuring David Engel, Larry Raben, Stan Chandler, Jason Graae, Guy Stroman, and writer/director Stuart Ross, at 7 PM PT on Facebook.
* “Viral Vignettes” TV clips, with Linda Purl and Lydia Cornell, streamed at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT here.
* Paper Mill Playhouse’s “Babbling on the Brook” conversations series premieres, with special guest Rob McClure, at 7 PM on Facebook.
* The Actors Fund’s “Humpday with Hampshire” weekly live-streamed talk show, with Emily Hampshire. at 2 PM PT/ 5 PM ET here.
* “Backstage Live with Richard Ridge” podcast, with special guests Michael Urie, Dana Delany, and Tate Donovan, at 12 PM ET here.
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2020 Off-Broadway Alliance Award winners
Click here for the complete list of winners.
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Video: “Stars in the House.” with guest host Sierra Boggess, and special guests Lisa Howard, Alan H. Green, and Sean Palmer. (1:32:00)
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Video: “Stars in the House,” with the cast of the CW’s “The Flash” — Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Tom Cavanagh, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Nicolet, and Hartley Sawye, (1:12:00)
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The next Musical Theatre Audition MasterClass will take place Thur. May 21 at 1 PM PT/4 PM ET on Zoom (ID: 663 981-0058, no password required).
Debbie Gravitte and Michael Orland
Stuart Marland, Jess LeProtto, and Ariana DeBose
Amanda Kruger, Camilo Gonzalez, Malia Ryan, Christina Samanie, Daniella Snyders-Block, and Amanda-Rae Cross.
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Video: “Big Spender” at Broadway Backwards 2019
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LA’s Center Theatre Group has announced panelists for it next discussion, “L.A. Playwrights: Writing for a Changing World,” on Thurs. May 21 at 3 PM PT, hosted by Megan Pressman, and moderated by Neel Keller.
Writers Jeremy O. Harris, Luis Alfaro, Bekah Brunstetter, Aleshea Harris, Molly smith Metzler, and Dominique Morisseau.
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Off-Broadway’s LABryinth Theatre virtual benefit reading of Stephen Adly Gurigis’ Our Lady of 121st Street will take place Sat. May 23 at 8 PM ET, directed by Elizabeth Rodriguez.
with original Off-Broadway cast members Elizabeth Canavan, Liza Colón-Zayas, Scott Hudson, Russell G. Jones, Portia, Al Roffe, Felix Solis, and new cast members Bobby Cannavale, John Doman, Laurence Fishburne, Dierdre Friel, and David Deblinger.
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For the first time since World War II, San Diego’s Old Globe will postpone its 2020 Summer season to 2021.
The previously announced productions of Hair, Dial M For Murder, The Taming of the Shrew, and Henry V will remain on the schedule for next Summer. Dates ad additional information TBA.
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The 2020 Drama Desk Awards will be presented virtually on Sun. May 31 in a special event on NY1.
Hal Prince
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Video: Katrina Lenk performs “Something Good” from The Sound of Music.
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Some Like it Hot, adapted by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman & Matthew Lopez, will now present its world premiere in Fall 2021, directed & choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. The musical had been previously scheduled to run Mar 2–Apr. 4, 2021 at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre.
Additional details, including venue, dates, and casting are TBA.
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Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre has launched a new weekly video series, “The Artist’s Approach,” featuring pre-recorded conversations with actors, directors, and writers for stage and screen on their approach to their craft and tips of the trade.
Currently available:
* David Cromer
* Darius de Haas
* Andrew Lippa
* Kelli O’Hara
* Karen Pitman
* Tony Shalhoub
Upcoming episodes:
* Sierra Boggess (May 26)
* Daniel Sullivan (June 2)
* Jason Robert Brown (June 9)
* John Clarence Stewart (June 16)
* Rick Cleveland (June 23)
* Kenny Leon (June 30)
* Rachel Hoffman (July 7)
* Bethany Anne Lind (July 14)
* Tom Kitt (July 21)
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Video: “James and Giant Peach” reading, Episode 2, with Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, and Taika Waititi. (17:14)
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Video: Scenes from Roundabout’s Broadway production of The Pajama Game (2006), with Harry Connick Jr., Kelli O’Hara, and Michael McKean.
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NJ’s Paper Mill Playhouse presents a new weekly event, “Babbling by the Brook” every Wednesday (beginning today — see above in Today’s Highlights) at 7 PM ET on Facebook, hosted by Mark S. Hoebee. The series offers lighthearted, entertaining conversations with a star-studded roster of performers, writers, directors, and more.
May 27: Casey Hushion and Sandy Rustin.
June 3: Donna English and Elena Shaddow
June 10: Angela Robinson, LaTonya Holmes, and Sharon Wilkins
June 17: JoAnn M. Hunter
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Video: “You Live, Your Learn: A Night with Alanis Morisette and Jagged Little Pill,” featuring conversations and exclusive performances from the Broadway cast, with Diablo Cody, Diane Paulus, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Tom Kitt. (1:01:06)
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3Views on Theater has announced its new digital archives mission, which will now serve as a virtual space where cancelled productions can re-emerge, creating a digital record of an unprecedented time.
* Read excerpts from canceled productions
* Personal reflections from artists
… and more…
The first three productions featured:
* GNIT, by Will Eno
* Intimate Apparel, by Lynn Nottage & Ricky Ian Gordon
* Unknown Soldier, by Daniel Goldstein & Michael Friedman