• GRACE NOTES: Monday, August 25, 2025

     

    Today’s Highlights:

     

      She Loves Me, directed & choreographed by Denis Jones, featuring Elena Shaddow (Amalia Balash), Andrew Leeds (Georg Nowack), Kate Rockwell ( Ilona Ritter), and Clyde Voce (Steven Kodaly), with Phillip Hoffman (Mr. Maraczek), Kennedy Kanagawa (Arpad Laszlo), Brian Ray Norris (Ladislav Sipos), and Patrick Richwood (Headwaiter), opens at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.

     

      Music Mondays: Jackie Hoffman concert, at 8 PM at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre.

     

      After Midnight, by Jack Viertel, directed by Jay Santos, featuring Yusef Seevers, Porscha Shaw, Nalica Hennings , Nehemiah Hooks, Nicholas Japaul Bernard, Trina Mills, Madison Willis, Brian Davis, Iris Beaumier and Jason Holley, with Savannah Cooper, Alysha Morgan, Stanley Martin, and Lamont Brown, closes at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre Company.

     

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      BFFs by Jim Bernhard

     

    Match these characters from plays and musicals with their “best friends.”

      1. Mame Dennis   A. Hannah Mae Bindler
      2. Charlie Price   B. Oscar Madison
      3. Maude Mix   C. Riff
      4. Jim Hardy   D. Barnaby Tucker
      5. Cornelius Hackl   E. Lola
      6. Felix Unger   F. Estragon
      7. Vladimir    G. Dorothy Brown
      8. Millie Dilmont   H. Vera Charles
      9. Tony   I. Penny Pingleton
      10.Tracy Turnblad   J. Ted Hanover

    Scroll down for the answers…

     

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      Tracy Lett’s Bug will begin previews Dec. 17 and open Jan. 8, 2026 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, directed by David Cromer.

     

      Carrie Coon (Agnes White), and Namir Smallwood (Peter Evans), with Randall Arney (Dr. Sweet), Jennifer Engstrom (R.C.), and Steve Key (Jerry Goss).

     

      The cult classic about an unexpected and intense romance between a lonely waitress  and a mysterious drifter. What begins as a simple connection between two broken people in a seedy Oklahoma motel room twists into something far more dangerous. When reality slips out of grasp, paranoia, delusion, and conspiracy take over in this sexy psychological thriller.

     

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      Craig Lucas’ Million Dollar Quartet will run Sept. 13 – Oct. 11 at CA’s South Coast Rep, directed by Jame Moye & Kim Martin-Cotten, with music direction by Wiley DeWeese and choreography by Julia Rhoads.

     

      Andrew Montgomery Coleman (Taylor), Jonathan Gillard Daly (Julius), Julie Garnyé (Leah), Caitlin Houlahan (Rita) Chris McCarrell (Peter), James Moye (Rita’s Dad), Keirsten Hodgens (Angie), and (Karen Ziemba (Rita’s Mom), with Bella Hicks, Robert Zelaya, Caroline Pernick, Scott Redman, with Rachel Lykins and Marcel Werder.

     

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      It’s a Graae Night for Singing, starring Jason Graae, will run Aug. 29-30 at LA’s Gardenia, with music direction by Gerald Sternbach.

     

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      Santa Barbara’s Ensemble Theatre Company has announced its 2025-26

    season:  Dates, casting, and additional information TBA.

     

      War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, directed by Jamie Torcellini

     

      The complete Jane Austen, Abridged, directed by Robert Kelley

     

       The Shark is Broken, directed by Pesha Rudnick

     

      A Night with Janis Joplin, directed by Brian McDonald & Mary Bridget Davies

     

      Every Brilliant Thing, directed by Jenny Sullivan

     

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     Our town will run Sept. 19  Oct. 19 (opening Sept. 21) at Boston’s Lyric Stage, directed by Courtney O’Connor.

     

      Will McGarrahan (Stage Manager), Thomika Bridwell (Mrs. Gibbs),  Marie Bridwell, Amanda Collins ((Mrs. Webb), Josephine Moshiri Elwood (Emily Webb), Dan Garcia (George Gibbs), De’Lon Grant (Mr. Webb), John Kuntz (Professor Willard/Simon Stimson),  Will McGarrahan, Robert Najarian (Doc Gibbs), and Darren Paul (Constable Warren/Wally), with  Kathy St. George and Jacob Less.

     

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      David Auburn’s Proof will begin previews Mar. 31, 2026 and open Apr. 16, at a Shubert theater TBA, directed by Thomas Kail.    Link TBA

     

      Ayo Edebiri, Don Cheadle, and more TBA.

     

      The story of the daughter of a recently deceased mathematician who must fight to prove the authorship of a landmark proof that is discovered among her father’s papers, while also dealing with her father’s legacy of genius and mental illness.

     

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      Nick Payne’s Proof will run Oct. 10 – Nov. 25 (opening Oct. 20) at the Royal Court Theatre (link TBA), directed by Marianne Elliott.

     

      Ella Lily Hyland and Paul Higgins, Esh Alladi, Alby Baldwin, Paul Higgins, Ella Lily Hyland, Harry Kershaw, Martin Marquez, Lucy Thackeray,  Nicola Walker and Isabel Adomakoh Young.

     

      A  new play about family, memory and hope.

     

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      David Auburn’s Proof will begin previews Mar. 31, 2026 and open Apr. 6 at the Shubert Theatre, directed by Thomas Kail.

     

      Ayo Edibiri and Don Cheadle.

     

     A teenager disappears. Time fractures. His mother will never give up hope. A new play about the moments that shatter our world, and the ones that help us piece it back together.

     

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      Lindsey Ferrentino, & Stephen Schwartz’s The Queen of Versailles will begin previews Oct. 8 and open Nov. 9 at the St. James Theatre, directed by Michael Arden, with music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell , and choreography by  Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant.

     

    Kristin Chenoweth, F. Murray Abraham Abraham (David Siegel), Melody Butiu (Sofia), Stephen DeRosa (John), Greg Hildreth (Gary), Tatum Grace Hopkins (Jonquil), Isabel Keating (‘Debbie), Nina White (Victoria), Sherie Rene Scott (Standby for the role of Jakie Siegel), and Yeman Brown, David Aron Damane, Drew Elhamalawy, Christopher Gurr, KJ Hippensteel, Cassondra James, Andrew Kober, Jesse Kovarsky, Pablo David Laucerica, Travis Murad Leland, Ryah Nixon, Shea Renne, Michael McCorry Rose, Grace Slear, Anne Fraser Thomas and Jake Bentley Young.

     

      From computer engineer to Mrs. Florida to billionairess, Jackie Siegel sees herself as the embodiment of the American Dream. Now, as the wife of David “The Timeshare King” Siegel and mother of their eight children, they invite us to behold their most grandiose venture yet: they’re building the largest private home in America in Orlando, Florida – a $100 million house big enough for her dreams and inspired by the Palace of Versailles. But with the Great Recession of 2008 looming, Jackie and David’s dreams begin to crumble, along with their lavish lifestyle.The musical  explores the true cost of fame and fortune, and one family’s pursuit of the American Dream – at any cost.

     

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      answers:  BFFs by Jim Bernhard

    1-H. Mame Dennis – Vera Charles (Mame)

    2-E. Charlie Price – Lola (Kinky Boots)

    3-A. Maude Mix – Hannah Mae Bindler (A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking)

    4-J. Jim Hardy – Ted Hanover (Holiday Inn: the New Irving Berlin Musical)

    5-D. Cornelius Hackl – Barnaby Tucker (Hello, Dolly!)

    6-B. Felix Unger – Oscar Madison (The Odd Couple)

    7-F. Vladimir – Estragon (Waiting for Godot)

    8-G. Millie Dilmont – Dorothy Brown (Thoroughly Modern Millie)

    9-C. Tony – Riff – (West Side Story)

    10-I.Tracy Turnblad – Penny Pingleton (Hairspray)