Today’s Highlights:
Manhattan Theatre Club‘s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Whitney White, featuring Brittany Adebumola, Maechi Aharanwa, Rachel Christopher, Kalyne Coleman, Somi Kakoma, Lakisha May, Nana Mensah, Michael Oloyede, Dominique Thorne, and Zanai Williams, begins livestreaming the final week of performances at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
New York Rep‘s War Words, world premiere by Michelle Kholos Brooks, directed by Sarah Norris, featuring David Alan Basche (John), Maggie Bofill (Jennifer), Donald Calliste (Nate), John Concado (Matt), Jennean Farmer (Amy), Bethany Geraghty (Kimberly), Brandon Jones (Steve), Kevin Loreque (Dan F.), Matthew Nititow (James), Haythem Noor (Janis), Alysia Reiner (Emily), Joshua David Robinson (Nash), John Siciliano (Pete), and Jakob Von Eichel (Danny), opens at Off Broadway’s A.R.T./New York.
Mamma Mia! national tour, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, featuring Christine Sherrill (Donna), Alisa Melendez (Sophie Sheridan), Carly Sakolove (Rosie), Victor Wallace (Sam Carmichael), Jalynn Steele (Tanya), Rob Marnell (Harry Bright), Jim Newman (Bill Austin), and Grace Reynolds (Sky), with Louis Griffin, Patrick Park, L’Oréal Roaché, Haley Wright, Gabe Amato, Adia Olanethia Bell, Emily Croft, Madison Deadman, Jordan De Leon, Nico DiPrimio, Patrick Dunn, Stephanie Genito, Tassy Kirbas, Danny Lopez-Alicea, Makoa, Faith Northcutt, Jasmine Overbaugh, Gray Phillips, Blake Price, Dorian Quinn, Xavi Soto Burgos, and Amy Weaver, opens at LA’s Pantages Theatre.
Dial M for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Laura Braza, featuring Amanda Drinkall (Margot Wendice), Lipica Shah (Maxine Hadley), Marcus Truschinski (Tony Wendice), Alex Weisman (Captain Lesgate), and Jonathan Wainwright (Inspector Hubbard, opens at Milwaukee Rep.
National Yiddish Theatre Folskbiene‘s Amid Falling Walls, by Zalmen Mlotek & Ayram Mlotek, directed by Motl Didner, featuring Steven Skybell, Abby Goldfarb, Avram Mlotek, Daniella Rabbani, John Reed, Eli Mayer, Yael Eden Chanukov, Jacob Ben-Shmuel, and Dani Apple, begins previews at Off-Broadway’s Museum of Jewish Heritage.
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Reviews for Harmony at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre:
New York Times (Jesse Green): …As rendered by Manilow in an often skillful, surprisingly theatrical score, the men’s tightly spaced six-part singing, sometimes reminiscent of barbershop, sometimes jazz, sometimes operetta on LSD, is so dense as to seem geological, its pitches heaving and twisting toward some new stratum of sound. But comedians? No. Neither the guys nor the grim and eventually bludgeoning show have a gift for levity… Though its title makes it sound as if “Harmony” would be calm and golden, its story isn’t an uplifting one… the version of Harmony that opened on Monday… makes a beeline for the bleakest parts of the tale and then bleakens them further…
New York Times (Elisabeth Vincentelli): … an imperfect but very affecting show… the best numbers in “Harmony,” which are crafted in a defiantly classic mold. Every time the production becomes a little wobbly, those songs steer it back to solid emotional ground… Harmony barrels through a lot as it tries to capture the band members’ individual lives and their joint accomplishments… The show is in good hands with the director and choreographer Warren Carlyle… Not only does he maintain a steady pace but he somehow manages to fit ambitious numbers… Manilow, Sussman and Carlyle mostly succeed in balancing the shifting moods, which is no easy feat because they must shuffle broad humor and, well, Nazis…. The downside is that there is a thin line between speedy and rushed, and the men are drawn in brushstrokes…
New York Daily News (Chris Jones): Whatever the structural flaws of Harmony…two facts are indisputable… The first is that world events now have changed what felt at the Museum of Jewish Heritage like a sweet, small-bore musical with a familiar message into a far more emotionally charged experience with enhanced gravitas and infinitely more emotional weight… an accessible but nonetheless varied and harmonically sophisticated score for a new musical… The Broadway transfer also is greatly enhanced by the addition of Sierra Borgess and, especially, Julie Benko in the role of Ruth… Benko dives uncommonly deep into an underwritten character without a lot of backstory, powering this section of the narrative and pulling every conceivable emotion out of the show’s signature Manilow power ballad, “Every Single Day”… This is not a deeply sophisticated book and the interaction between narration and dramatization is often choppy…
Variety (A.D. Amorosi): …Sussman and Manilow’s score for the show lends a contemporary flair to the joy, brotherhood, disappointment, disillusionment and guilt experienced by The Comedian Harmonists… In particular, Manilow’s memorable melodies are both cleverly married to the schlager-showtune-cabaret vibe of its time while still sounding as fresh as yesterday… Sussman, meanwhile, provides a crackling, cracking-wise script… the true story, embellished and dramatized with several composite characters, touches on humorous Yiddish ideals… Every element of “Harmony” clicks in place like a gorgeous puzzle… Along with arriving at a collective sense of family by show’s end, this history lesson also demonstrates the power of making humanity sing, even in our darkest hours…
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Adam Rapp, Justin Levine, Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance’s The Outsiders will begin previews Mar. 16, 2024 and open April 11 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, directed by Danya Taymor, with choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman, and music supervision by Justin Levine.
Brody Grant (Ponyboy), Brent Comer (Darrel), Jason Schmidt (Sodapop), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Johnny), Joshua Boone (Dallas Winston), Emma Pittman (Cherry Valance), and Kevin William Paul (Bob Sheldon).
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, the hardened hearts and aching souls of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their chosen family of ‘outsiders’ are in a fight for survival and a quest for purpose in a world that may never accept them. A story of the bonds that brothers share and the hopes we all hold on to, this gripping new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of ‘haves and have nots’, of protecting what’s yours and fighting for what could be.
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An imaginative interpretation of Shakespeare’s King John continues through Nov. 19 at Actors Theatre of Louisville, adapted & directed by Rosa Joshi.
Sarah Harlett (Hubert), Brenda Joyner (Arthur), Jessicaa Ko (Constance / Executioner/ French Soldier), Rami Margron (Bastard), J. Molière (Blanch / Pembroke), Mollie Murk (Robert Faulconbridge / Lady Faulconbridge / Melun), Dianalis Arocho Resto (Duke of Austria / Prince Henry), Carmen Roman (Queen Eleanor / Execution / English Soldier), Betsy Schwartz (Lewis The Dauphin ), Vilma Silva (King Philip / Salisbury), Lisa Tejero (Cardinal Pandulph / Chatillon), and Kate Wisniewski (King John).
What are the effects of power when wielded irresponsibly? What physical, mental, and emotional brutalities ensue when the right to rule is questioned? Unfolding in a treacherous world ruled by self-interest, warmongering, and a lack of moral leadership, this fascinating political thriller follows a scheming monarch battling threats from abroad and within.
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The world premiere of Majkin Holmquist’s Stargazers will run apr. 8 – May 4, 2024 (opening Apr. 20) at the Connelly Theater, directed by Colette Robert.
Casting TBA.
Set at a haunted family farm, the play aims to illuminate the tensions underlie our polarized society. With a haunted family farm as its central character, Holmquist’s eerie and funny play excavates the buried histories land contains, and illuminates the tensions of a polarized society constantly reshaping itself atop it.
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“10 revelations About Barbra Streisand” from “My Name is Barbra”
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Sally Mayes – Now and Then: The Teaser will take place Sat. Dec. 2 at 9:30 PM at NYC’s Green Room 42, with music direction by Ron Abel.
The concert is available both live and livestreamed.
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Manhattan Theatre Club has announced complete casting for Joshua Harmon’s Prayer for the French Republic, to begin previews Dec. 19 and open Jan. 9, 2024 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, directed by David Cromer.
Betsy Aidem, Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinette, Anthony Edwards, Aria Shahghasemi, Ethan Haberfield, Richard Masur, Nael Nacer, and Daniel Oreskes.
The story of an extended Franco-Jewish family separated by the Atlantic following the traumatic events of the mid-20th century. While part of the family has remained in Paris, several members are now considering relocation to Israel in response to rising antisemitism in Europe.
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Two private industry readings of Joe Maloney’s Helen will take place Thurs. Nov. 16 at 3 PM & Fri. Nov. 17 at 1 PM in NYC, directed by Rachel Klein. 
HelenMusicalRSVP@gmail.com.
Max Clayton, Ani Dirdjirian, Kennedy Kanwanga, Ramona Keller, Ashley Lalonde, Tara Martiniz, Kevin McGuire, Bonnie Milligan, Christina Sajous, and Mary Stout.
The musical tears apart the legend surrounding mythology’s most alluring figure, Helen of Troy. What if the Trojan War was started by a lie? In this new musical, inspired by Euripides’ HELEN, the world’s greatest beauty has been hidden away by the gods in Egypt, while the notoriously bloody war is fought in her name. Meanwhile, the gods have crafted a perfect phantom duplicate of Helen and shipped her off to Troy with the Trojan Prince. As Troy falls, Helen remains languishing in Egypt, barely avoiding the advances of the self-obsessed Egyptian king. When a prophecy reveals that Helen’s husband, Menelaos, will be shipwrecked in Egypt, Helen must finally take her life back into her own hands.
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MCC Theater‘s Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice, starring Gavin Creel, has been extended through Jan. 7, 2024 at NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Sasha Allen, Madeline Benson, Chris Peters, Corey Rawls, Scott Wasserman, and Ryan Vasquez.
A thrilling new musical event featuring 17 original, infectious, pop-infused songs. In his theatrical songwriting debut, Creel takes us on an intimate, relatable journey of discovery and transformation through the lens of the art that captured his imagination. Whether you are a museum lover or a fellow novice, this show invites you to take a walk with Creel and engage with art, song, and the creative process in a fresh and new way.
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Hershey Felder: George Gershwin Alone will take place Mon. Dec. 4 at 7 PM at NYC’s Town Hall, directed by Joel Zwick, in support of the Entertainment Community Fund.
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Hanyak, written & performed by Tanna Frederick, will run Dec. 1 – 10 (opening Dec. 2) at Studio City’s Two Roads Theatre, directed by Jenny Sullivan.
A show about Hollywood, among other things.
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Amanda Yesnowitz, Jason Howland & Patrick Pacheco’s Christmas in Connecticut will run Dec. 1-16 at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theatre Company, directed by Shelley Butler, with choreography by Karen Azenberg, and music direction by Helen Gregory.
Alyse Alan Louis (Liz Sandor), David Girolmo (Felix Bassenak), Eric William Morris (Victor Beecham), RJ Vaillancourt (Dudley Beecham), Gerry McIntyre (Alexander Yardley), Tiffamy Denise Hobbs (Gladys Higgenbottom), Christian Magby (Jefferson Jones), Linda Mugleston (Norah O’Connor), and Jamen Nathakumar (Mario De Luca), with Andy Frank, Tyler Symone, Sophia Campagna, Evan Latta, Lila Prince, and Myles Tracy.
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American Divas at LA Opera has announced its concert schedule at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion.
Audra McDonald (Dec. 2 at 7:30 PM) 
here.
Patti LuPone (Apr. 20, 2024 at 7:30 PM) here.
Renée Fleming (June 14, 2024) here.