GRACE NOTES: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

 

Today’s Highlights

 

  Blood of my Blood, world premiere by Joy Nesbitt, directed by Tatenda Shamiso, featuring Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ, Jodie Campbell, Hannah Morrish, Karene Peter, and Patrick Vail, opens at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

 

  Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, by Dylan MarcAurele, directed by Alan Kliffer, featuring Zheng Xi Yong, Joseph Dann, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, with Andrew Berlin, Sylvie Stenson, and May Tether, begins previews at Londons’ Underbelly Theatre.

 

  Buyer and Cellar, by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Jamie Torcellini, featuring Brian McDonald, begins previews at Santa Barbara’s Ensemble Theatre.

 

  The Best Midicine, by Robin Gerber, directed by, featuring Caroline Aaron, begins previews at LA’s Odyssey Theatre.

 

**********************

 

  Broadway Grosses for the week ending Oct. 7 .

 

Click here for the complete analysis.

 

**********************

  Act Two Theatricals  Copperfield, by Jeffrey Scharf, currently in previews, will open Oct. 19 and continue through Dec. 6 at The Duke on 42nd Street, directed by Gabriel Barre.

 

  Bobby David Copperfield),  Amelia Cormack, Jed Feder, Calvin Knegten, Kent M. Lewis, Kara Mikula, Miyuki Miyagi, Nancy O’Connor, Dan Piering, Aaron Michael Ray, Will Reynolds, Owen Squire Smith, Alexander Sovronsky, Erica Spyres, Andy Taylor, Cathryn Wake, Tatiana Wechsler, and Henry Witcher.

 

  The play  follows its resilient protagonist David from a difficult childhood through to adulthood. As a child, David endures the sadism of his stepfather Murdstone, the depredations of the villainous schoolmaster Creakle, and the mind-numbing routine of a London sweatshop. As an adult, he is visited by happiness and success as well as tragedy and loss. Along the way, he meets some of Dickens’ most memorable characters: including his formidable Aunt Betsey Trotwood, the loyal Peggotty family, the eccentric Mr. Micawber, the gentle Agnes Wickfield, the charming but reckless Steerforth, the naïve Dora Spenlow, and the deceitful Uriah Heep. Through friendship, hardship, love, betrayal, and personal triumph, David discovers his identity and purpose in a story that celebrates resilience, compassion, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

 

**********************

 

  Instructions for a Séance continues through Nov. 8 at Milwaukee Rep, written & performed by Katie Bender.

 

  This intimate, genre‑bending production invites audiences into a DIY séance where humor, heartbreak, and Houdini collide.

 

**********************

 

  York Theater’s  Starcadia, by Brayden Martino John-William Gambrell, will run Oct 7-11 at 218 W. 57 St. (Not at York Theatre) directed by Brayden Martino, with  choreography by Carly Corsitto.

 

 Tamar Greene (Saturn), Liz Gilmartin (Earth),’Teddy Wilson Jr. (‘Mercury), Michael Olaribigbe (Neptune), Kendall Grayson Stroud(Uranus), Melody Munitz (Mars),Melea Dessommes (Venus), and  Teralin Jones (‘Jupiter), with Maddie Butterfield, Brayden Co, & Gia Marino.

 

  A 90-minute immersive musical theatre experience led by The Starpeople, cosmic storytellers who have opened a portal to their realm to share the story of a rare planetary alignment.

 

**********************

 

   The Apple Boys, by Jonothon Lyons & Ben Bonnema, will run Feb. 16 – June 18 (opening Feb. 25) at The Duke, directed by David Alpert, with choreography by Marc Kimelman.

 

   TBA.

 

  In Gilded Age New York, Coney Island is exploding with colorful characters, sideshow acts, and brand new hotdog recipes. But when Johnny Appleseed’s grandson Jack, and his working-class pals, discover that an unscrupulous landlord has designs on the family orchard, they’ll have to band together to raise the money in time. Their foolproof get-rich-quick scheme? Taking top prize in the turn-of-the-century’s biggest singing competition, of course. The Apple Boys is a pitch-perfect New York story about harmony, friendship, and the little dreams that live in the Big Apple.

 

**********************

 

   You Will Be Found in support of MANI CLAC, will take place Sun. Nov. 1 at 7:30 PM LA’s Catalina Jazz Club, with hosted &music directed by Brad Ellis.

 

   Eydie Alyson, Terron Brooks, Robin DeLano, Kate Flannery, Dianne Fraser, Caitlin Gallogly, Shelly Goldstein, Valerie Perri, Hayley Silver and James Snyder.  Co-Hosted by Carla Renata.

 

**********************

 

  Down State, by Bruce Norris, will begin previews Oct. 17 and open Nov. 15 at the Booth Theatre, directed by Joe Mantello.

 

   K. Todd Freemann Francis Guinan, Cassie Beck, Adrian Martinez, Al’Jaleel McGhee,  Thomas Sadoski, Ivy Wolk, and Liza Colón-Zayas.

 

  The work centers on four men convicted of sexual offenses against minors living in an Illinois halfway house when one of their accusers returns for a confrontation. The Off-Broadway bow drew attention when conservative political voices, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, accused Washington Post theatre critic Peter Marks of “normalizing” pedophilia following his positive review of the show’s nuanced exploration of a seemingly taboo story. While Marks and Norris do not condone the actions of the characters, the social media attacks led Marks to make his Twitter account private.

 

**********************

 

  An Evening with Tituss Burgess will take place Mon. Oct. 26 at 7:30 PM at NYC’s  92nd Street Y.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted

in

by

Tags: