Today’s Highlights:
Frozen, directed by Michael Grandage, featuring Samantha Barks (Elsa), Stephanie McKeon (Anna), Obioma Ugoala (Kristoff), Craig Gallivan (Olaf), Oliver Ormson (Hans), Richard Frame (Weselton), Mikayla Jade & Ashley Birchall (alternating as Sven), Minaii K, Sasha Watson-Lobo, Freya Scott & Tilly-Raye Bayer (all sharing the role of Youn Elsa), and Kanon Narumi, Asanda Masike, EllieShenker & Summer Betson (all sharing the role of Youn Anna), with Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae, Hannah Fairclough, Danielle Fiamanya, Chris Fung, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gabriel Mokake, Sarah O’Connor, Jemma Revell, Joshua S. Clair, Jacqui Sanchez, Jak Skelly, Jake Small, Kerry Spark, Isabel Snaas, Monica Swayne, and Anna Woodside, opens at London’s Theatre Royal Drury.
What Happened?: The Michaels Abroad, world premiere written & directed by Richard Nelson, featuring Jay O. Sanders, Maryann Plunkett, Charlotte Bydwell, Haviland Morris, Matilda Sakamoto, Rita Wolf, and Yvonne Woods, opens at NY’s Hunter College.
Sierra Boggess in concert opens at 54 Below.
New York Theatre Workshop‘s Sanctuary City, by Martyna Majok, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, featuring Jasai Chase-Owens, Sharlene Cruz, and Austin Smith, resumes previews at Off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Darlin’ Cory, world premiere by Phillip Depoy & Kristian Bush, directed by Susan V. Booth, featuring Jeremy Aggers, Jimez Alexander, Marcello Audino, John Bobek, Jewl Carney, Katie Deal, Kelli Dodd, Rob Lawhon, Rhyn McLemore, Gillian Rabin, Maria Rodriguez-Sager, and Asia Rogers, begins previews at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.
Durang presentation, by Christopher Durang, directed by Kristin Towers-Rowle, featuring Michelle Bonebright-Carter, Megan Cochrane, James Everts, Shayna Gabrille, Dan Lovato, Michael J. Marchak, Michael Mullen, Will Potter, Chris Ramirez, Jen Talton, Neil Unger, and Mouchette Van Helsdingen, at 8 PM PT at LA’s Studio|Stage.
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GRACE NOTES Quote of the Week: “If you were to ask me what Uncle Vanya is about, I would say about as much as I can take.” ~ Robert Garland
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The world premiere of Bess Wohl’s Camp Siegfried, currently in previews, will open Sept. 18 and continue through Oct. 30 at the Old Vic, directed by Katy Rudd.
Patsy Ferran and Luke Thallon.
The play is inspired by the real camp of the same name located in Long Island in the 1930s. As the world unknowingly sits on the brink of World War II, a boy meets a girl at a summer camp exclusively for American youth of German descent.
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Complete casting has been announced for the national tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical, which will open Oct. 9 at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
Click here for the complete tour schedule.
Adam Pascal (Edward Lewis), Olivia Valli (Vivian Ward), Jessica Crouch (Kit De Luca), Kyle Taylor Parker (Happy Man/Mr. Thompson), and Matthew Stocke (Philip Stuckey), with Nella Cole, Michael Dalke, Nico DeJesus, Christian Douglas, Danny Drewes, Alex Gibbs, Em Hadick, Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, Chris Manuel, Alexa Xioufaridou Moster, Kaylee Olson, Amma Osei, Jonathan Ritter, Becca Suskauer, Kelsee Sweigard, Matthew Vincent Taylor, Brent Thiessen, Bria J. Williams, and Imani Pearl Williams.
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Yeah, But Not Right Now, written & performed by A. J. Holmes, will run Sept. 9 – Oct. 17 (opening Sept. 19) at the Soho Playhouse, directed by Caitlin Cook.
Will you still like A. J. Holmes after he tells you all the worst, most embarrassing, humiliating, potentially irredeemable parts about himself? The lies, the indiscretions, the fact that he legally changed his first name to “Broadway’s”? Join A.J. (sorry, Broadway’s) as he tries to move past his crippling need for constant validation… in front of an audience. He’s been on stage and screen, but has he ever been… himself? And really, should he? He’ll be whoever you want him to be, but please hold your applause. It will only encourage him.
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Jack Thorne’s new adaptation of A Christmas Carol will run Nov. 30 – Jan. 1, 2022 (opening Dec. 1) at the Ahmanson Theatre, conceived by Thorne & Matthew Warchus, and directed by Warchus & Thomas Caruso.
Bradley Whitford.
A magical new interpretation.
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Video: Highlights from Songs for a New World, at New City Music Theatre (formerly Cleveland Musical Theatre), featuring Liz Callaway, Jason Gotay, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Mary Kate Morrissey, and Ximone Rose, and more.
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RIP: Andy Propst, theater critic, biographer, and web pioneer, died on Sept. 6 at the age of 56.
Best known as the founder of AmericanTheaterWeb.com (created in 1998), the site was an early online home for America’s not-for-profit theaters, and the first serious attempt to provide a comprehensive listing of theaters and theatrical events on the internet. The site listed over 1,000 theaters nationwide. Propst offered pro bono web design for several not-for-profit theaters (this was when it was still common for theaters to rely on the free sites offered by America Online or Geocities).
He was 9 when family friend Susan Miller (an acting teacher at University of Illinois) took him to his first musical, Sweet Charity. While the Cy Coleman, Dorthy Fields, and Neil Simon show about a dancer for hire might have been mature fare for a 9-year-old, it instilled in Propst a sophisticated musical taste that would serve him well as a critic and journalist.
In 2009, Propst joined the editorial team of TheaterMania, where he became an invaluable reviewer of both stage shows and recorded music. He was promoted to Senior Editor of TheaterMania’s digital magazine in 2011 before departing the company in 2013. Hundreds of his stories and reviews can still be read on the site.
His intelligence as a critic and generosity as a colleague will be remembered by the countless people he encouraged in their careers, including this writer.
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Punchdrunk‘s The Burnt City will begin previews Mar. 22, 2022 and open Apr. 21 at three Grade II listed buildings (a U.K. classification for historical building).
Casting TBA.
The story of the Fall of Troy, transposed to a future parallel world.
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Ron Nyswaner is adapting Thomas Mallon’s “Fellow Travelers” for Showtime (to be released on a date TBA)
Matt Bomer, and more TBA.
A political thriller and epic love story that unfolds in the era of McCarthyism and resolves in the age of AIDS, and follows the intertwined lives and volatile romance of two very different men, Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller and Tim Kovacs, through purges, wars protests, and plagues, overcoming obstacles in the world and in themselves.
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“A Very Darren Crissmas” will be released Oct. 8 from Decca Records.
here.
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Complete casting has been announced for To Kill a Mockingbird, which will re-open on Tues. Oct. 5 at the Shubert Theatre, directed by Bartlett Sher.
Jeff Daniels (Atticus Finch), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Scout), Portia (Calpurnia), Hunter Parrish (Jem Finch), Michael Braugher (Tom Robinson), Russell Harvard (Link Deas), Neal Huff (Bob Ewell), Erin Wilhelmi (Mayella Ewell), Noah Robbins (Dill Harris), Zachary Booth (Horace Gilmer), Gordon Clapp (Judge John Taylor), Patricia Connolly (Miss Dubose), Christopher Innvar (Sheriff Heck Tate), Ted Koch (Mr. Cunningham), and Amelia McClain (Miss Stephanie), with Ian Bedford, Rosalyn Coleman, Ann0Marie Cusson, Michael Bryan French, Steven Lee Johnson, Tyler Lea, Mariah Lee, Geoffrey Allen Murphy, Luke Smith, Yaegel T. Welch, and William Youmans.
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RIP: Actor Michael K. Williams has died at the age of 54.
Best known for playing Omar Little on HBO’s “The Wire,” as well as “Boardwalk Empire” and the HBO film “Bessie.
Michael began his career as a dancer at the age of 22. After touring with Madonna and George Michael, he decided to pursue acting, and appeared at La MaMA, the National Black Theatre Company, and Theater for a New Generation.
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The UK tour of Private Lives will run Oct. 28 – Nov. 6 at Theatre Royal Bath, directed Christopher Luscombe.
Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers.
Click here for the complete tour schedule.
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Complete casting has been announced for Keenan Scott II’s Thoughts of a Colored Man, to begin previews Oct. 1 and open Oct. 31 at the Golden Theatre, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III.
DyllÓn Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Da’Vinchi, Luke James, Forrest McClendon, Tristan Mack Wilds, and Keith David.
This richly theatrical mosaic shines brilliant light onto these men, a tight-knit brotherhood, revealing their most triumphant selves. Their vibrant and vulnerable experiences and feelings reverberate far beyond the barbershops and basketball courts of their community. They reveal the deeply human hopes, joys, sorrows, fears, and dreams of all men, all people.
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The Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of D.G. Watson’s Ascension Oct. 6 – Nov. 18 at the Atwater Village Theatre, directed by Ahmed Best.
Karen Sours Albisua, Leanro Cano, Samantha Cayestani, Elise DuRant, Steve Hofyendahl, Gloria Ines, and Charrell Mack.
This Echo-commissioned, futuristic cyber play strikes at the heart of our assumptions about faith, memory and reality, Rebel is trapped inside a long, narrow pod. Nobody knows she’s in there… nobody but you, the audience. For some strange reason, your minds and hers are psychically linked, and only you can help her escape. But who is she? And how did you become connected in this way?
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Gingold Theatrical Group presents Mrs. Warren’s Profession (Oct. 12 – Nov. 20, opening Oct. 22) at Theatre Row., directed by David Staller.
Karen Ziema (Mrs. Warren), Robert Cuccioli, David Lee Huynh, Alvin Keith, Nicole King ,and Raphael Nash Thompson, with Katya Collazo and Max Roll.
A former prostitute, now a madam, attempts to come to terms with her disapproving daughter.
