Broadway
What To Watch December 13th To Take Away The Blues
The Prom: Netflix An adaption by Ryan Murphy of the Broadway musical.
It’s a Wonderful Life Mile Square Theater on demand through December $25. A live radio play by Joe Landry, directed by Kevin R. Free, based on the screenplay of Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 play starring Jimmy Stewart as a man who gets to see how much he matters. Audio description and closed captions are available.
Kris Kringle The Musical offers 25 Christmas gifts that can be shared with everyone you love! Beginning December 1st, the viewer will be led through a virtual Advent Calendar door to enjoy a different part of the story, with bonus videos, including a Spanish version of one of the show’s most popular songs ‘My North Star.
Christmas Day will share the most wonderful gift of all: a full-length production of Kris Kringle The Musical.
What’s more — all of the videos are free and fun and can be gifted to family, friends, and loved ones!
Discover what happens when an evil toy company CEO crosses paths with a young, jobless toymaker whose family name carries a curse with the power to destroy Christmas. From the top of the world in the North Pole, Kris Kringle (Kyle Sherman) teams up with Santa (Jason Simon) and Mrs. Claus (Kim Crosby), the beautiful Evelyn Noel (Amy Weaver), a band of hilarious apprentices and elves, and magical toys to remind us what Christmas is really all about: love, hope, and finding a family in the most unlikely of places.
The musical features an underlying story, book and additional lyrics by Maria Ciampi, with lyrics and music by Tim Janis and Angelo Natalie. Jaimie Selke directs with musical direction by Randy Glass.
2500 Productions has coordinated a fully remote casting, rehearsal, and recording process.
Roosevelt: Charge the Bear The Roustabouts Theatre Co. is presenting the world premiere of Roosevelt: Charge the Bear by Marni Freedman and Phil Johnson starring Mr. Johnson in a virtual filmed presentation as part of their fourth season.
The production is available on-demand through December 13.
Phil Johnson stars in this new one-man show about President Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most fascinating people of the 20th century. In this gripping 90-minute show, the new president grapples with the issues that would define his term: taking on the trusts, trying to get his message across to the people, and his colossal challenge – the coal strike of 1902. Miners and others were killed, tensions were high, and — the biggest threat of all — innocent people were at risk of freezing to death that winter. This American president dealt with these in his own relentless energetic way. He was a great man, a great American, and Johnson brings this multi-faceted character to life in a truly riveting, energetic, and passionate performance.
Directed by Rosina Reynolds, the design team includes Tony Cucuzzella (Set Design/Props), Matt Lescault-Wood (Sound Design), Joel Britt (Lighting Design), Jordyn Smiley (Costume Design), Ross Stewart (Costume Design Assistant). Jessamyn Foster was the Stage Manager. Michael Brueggemeyer was the Director of Photography/Editor. Rebecca Crigler, General Manager of The Roustabouts, produced the drama, following SAG, Federal, State, and local COVID-19 practices and protocols.
As with other productions by The Roustabouts, in-depth talkbacks will be featured as part of the online presentation, including looks at Roosevelt’s problematic handling of the Brownsville, TX raid, and Roosevelt’s moment with Booker T. Washington, which will feature local diversity experts.
Ham: A Musical Memoir Sam Harris’s sensitive and prodigiously talented boy survives the Bible Belt through talent and moxie, which lead to fame and fortune, but when the rocky road of desperately seeking acceptance finally reaches a dead end, he is forced to confront the internal demons that haunt him.https://www.youtube.com/embed/QfeRpYTWpVY
12pm: Artist Talk with Battery Dance Each week, artists from around the world join BatteryDanceTV for a 30-minute talk.
1pm: Santa and Little B: Zoom for the Holidays! TDF will present Santa and Little B: Zoom for the Holidays!, a special virtual holiday experience for families with children and adults on the autism spectrum who have previously attended TDF’s autism-friendly performances on Broadway. There will be two performances to choose from: Dec 13 and 20.
To explore the holidays this year and the spirit of the season, Little B, a neurodiverse puppet, wonders if the holidays will still happen given the pandemic. She reaches out to Santa the way any child would in 2020—through Zoom. Little B asks Santa a few questions about what the holiday season will be like and shares some of her wishes.
Audience members will be encouraged ask Santa questions in the chat window during the zoom. The event ends with an accessible singalong with captioning which will include Broadway holiday favorites!
Santa and Little B: Zoom for the Holidays! has original music and dialogue by writer/performer Becca Yuré and featuring professional Santa Claus, Ricky Dain Jones.
2pm: Christmas is Not Canceled $20 Drag icon Jackie Beat’s 22nd annual holiday show, this time virtual, features Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Michael Urie, Margaret Cho, Ross Mathews, Jackie Hoffman, Peppermint, Kate Flannery
3pm: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play MCC Theater will present a benefit performance of Jocelyn Bioh’s Lucille Lortel- and Drama Desk Award-winning School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
Directed by Kamilah Forbes, School Girls will stream at 3 PM ET on MCC Theater’s YouTube channel.
The cast will feature Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple, Harriet), Shahadi Wright Joseph (The Lion King), BAFTA Award winner Wunmi Mosaku (Lovecraft Country), Ashleigh Murray (Katy Keane), Tony nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name), Storm Reid (Euphoria), Gabourey Sibide, Lovie Simone, and Lyric Ross (This Is Us).
In School Girls Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter—and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.
MCC Theater first produced School Girls in 2017, followed by a return engagement in 2018.
4pm: Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar scheduled pianists are Adam Michael Tilford (@Adam-Tilford-1) and Dan Daly (@DanDalyMusic). https://www.youtube.com/embed/S-bH7B5Ol68
5pm sound check and 8pm concert: James Monroe Iglehart & Seth Rudetsky James Monroe Iglehart (performing December 13) is in the current Broadway cast of Hamilton (Lafayette/Jefferson). He won a Tony award for his show stopping role as Genie in Disney’s Aladdin. His other Broadway credits include Memphis (Bobby), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Mitch). You can also see James on TV: Netflix series Maniac (recurring), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (recurring), Gotham, Elementary, Law & Order: SVU. He is also the host of the new HGTV show Biggest Little Christmas Showdown. James’ voice can be heard on 3 seasons of the Disney animated series Tangled as Lance Strongbow, Disney’s DuckTales as Taurus Bulba, and Vampirina as Oscar. James has also written three different comic book stories for Marvel Comics. He has also had the privilege to have sold out concert runs at 54 Below, Carnegie Hall & concerts around the country. When he’s not on stage he’s usually watching Pro Wrestling or Disney+ while just chilling out with his wife of 18 years Dawn and their cat Zoe.
5pm: Simple Gifts By TheatreWorks TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will ring in the holiday season with Simple Gifts, a joyful, multicultural celebration of beloved holiday songs and traditions from many diverse backgrounds.
Livestreamed December 10-27, 2020, with on-demand streaming available December 28, 2020–January 1, 2021. Live post-show conversations with members of the cast will follow every performance.
TheatreWorks Artistic Director Tim Bond directs his first virtual production with this world premiere work, crafted by Bond and a cast featuring a bounty of Bay Area theatre veterans.
These gifted performers will share beautiful music, meaningful memories, and take audiences on a journey through a variety of winter celebrations, including Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Noche Buena, Diwali, Las Posadas, Winter Solstice, as well as exploring Christmas traditions from around the world.
To accompany Simple Gifts, TheatreWorks will spotlight local organizations that give back to their communities throughout the year.
6pm: Breathe Philicia Saunders wrote and stars in this one-woman live theater show portraying 20 characters, based on the life-changing personal journey towards activism after a chance trip to a Civil Rights monument during a tour in Alabama
6pm: How to Play Dreidel with Judah Maccabee Untitled Theater Company #61 $20 A 20-minute live show between 6pm – 9pm every night of Hanukkah, December 10 – 17, in which an actor from the company (Yael Haskal, Alyssa Simon, or Maxwell Zener).connects with you — via Skype, or Zoom or telephone — and tell you a tale about a kid who travels back through time in order to meet Judah Maccabee (the hero of the Hanukkah story.)https://www.youtube.com/embed/wk6T7HBXRPo
7pm: all it takes is ONE ACT, Three New Plays, Three New Perspectives on Reproductive Justice A is For, a non-profit organization co-created by Martha Plimpton and Kellie Overbey, dedicated to advancing reproductive rights announces all it takes is ONE ACT, Three New Plays, Three New Perspectives on Reproductive Justice, taking place the weekend of December 13.
A distinguished jury led by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage has selected three exceptional works by emerging playwrights.
Performers include Ann Dowd, Michelle Hurd, Moses Ingram, Harold Perrineau, Alicia Goranson, Jenn Lyon, Celeste Den, Mirirai Sithole, Trey Santiago, Garret Dillahunt, and Jasminn Johnson.
Nurse Cadden: December 13 at 7PM ET
7pm: Home for the Holidays Tony nominee Liz Callaway will offer Home for the Holidays, a concert recorded at New York’s Bedford Playhouse, beginning December 11. The production will be available to stream through December 19, with proceeds going to a variety of regional venues around the country affected by the COVID-19 shutdown.
Audiences can expect a mix of holiday favorites and showtunes, stories about Callaway’s holiday traditions and career, and music from her new album, Comfort and Joy–An Acoustic Christmas (on which she’s accompanied by neighbor and guitarist Peter Calo).
Purchase tickets here, or directly through any of the beneficiary theatre organizations below. The stream is available to watch through December 19.
Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, New York
Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina
H. Ric Luhrs PAC at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Marriott Theatre in Chicago, Illinois
Rochester Civic Theatre in Rochester, Minnesota
11th Hour Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut
Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Connecticut
AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, Texas
The Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
Temple Theatre in Sanford, North Carolina
Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, California
Landmark Theater in Port Washington, New York
South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange, New Jersey
City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium in Morganton, North Carolina
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida
The Playhouse in Des Moines, Iowa
Best of Broadway Spokane in Spokane, Washington
Boch Center in Boston, Massachusetts
Straz Center in Tampa, Florida
Koger Center in Columbia, South Carolina
Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee
Artistry in Bloomington, Minnesota
Theatre By The Sea in Wakefield, Rhode Island
Broadway in Detroit in Detroit, MI
Parker Arts in Parker, Colorado
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Florida
White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains, NY
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Buffalo, NY
Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California
7pm: Broadway Inspirational Voices’ A Season of Hope & Inspiration, the Tony-honored choir founded and directed by Michael McElroy, will stream its 2020 holiday concert, A Season of Hope & Inspiration, to a global audience December 13 starting at 7 PM ET. Special guests include Tony winners Patti LuPone, Billy Porter, and Leslie Odom Jr., plus Crystal Monee Hall, Daniel J. Watts, and Shoshana Bean.
The show will also feature appearances by Tony winners Leslie Uggams, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Gavin Creel, Karen Olivo, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and LaChanze, as well as Debbie Allen, Vanessa Williams, Telly Leung, Montego Glover, Celia Rose Gooding, and Jeanine Tesori.
7pm: Cock Play-PerView available through December 16. The play by Mike Bartlett about an unusual threesome features its original cast led by Cory Michael Smith under the direction of James MacDonald.
7pm: Hip Hop Cinderella – A New Musical Amas Musical Theatre in association with HipHopMusicals.com present Hip Hop Cinderella – A New Musical, a family-friendly intergalactic romp with a cool, hip-hop vibe, laughs, adventure and unforgettable songs.
Click here for tickets. This virtual theatrical experience is available on-demand through December 27, 2020. All proceeds benefit Amas Musical Theatre’s education programs.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, teenage Cinderella and her rapping robot companion Runka live on planet Zolla. They toil under the thumb of Cinderella’s stepmom, Lady Zurka, and her two social media obsessed stepsisters, Zig and Zag. The galaxy has lost its groove, and the Prince is throwing a Hip Hop Ball and Rap Competition to turn the beat around. Traveling via a quantum time warp, Cinderella transforms into “Ella C” and fights to win the competition. Upon returning to planet Zolla, Ella C is forced into a royal rap battle against Lady Zurka with a surprising result.
Directed by Christopher Scott, with musical direction by Evan Alparone, the cast features alumni students of the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy. They are: Alexis Aguiar, Cassandra Barckett, Jamiel Tako L. Burkhart, Brian Criado, Emily Lang and Lexy Piton. The stage manager is Benjamin A. Vigil and Nikki Wen is assistant stage manager.
7pm: Meet Me in St. Louis Irish Rep available through January 2
A holiday musical based on the MGM movie. With Shereen Ahmed, William Bellamy, Rufus Collins, Kerry Conte, Melissa Errico, Ali Ewoldt, Kathy Fitzgerald, Ian Holcomb, Austyn Johnson, Jay Aubrey Jones, Kylie Kuioka, Ashley Robinson, and Max Von Essen.
7pm: The Tank’s Wintry Mix: Fun with Dick & Jane: Working Title By The Tank is an energetic and physical encounter between two bodies and two artists, Ben Grinberg and Rhonda Moore.
Over the course of one day in a studio together, they get to know each other through a series of improvisational scores and a sharing of intimate and mundane details.
With witty, goofy, and sketchy movement moments, and under the circumstances bravely danced. Fun with Dick & Jane: Working Title is funzies for all and is so easy for everyone to dance read.
Dealing with the fraught-ness of human touch but the necessity of connection during a time of pandemic isolation, an intergenerational and cross-racial relationship discovers its limits through movement, humor, and multi-layered video art.
7:30pm: John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles Commissioned by the Met in 1980, John Corigliano’s opera takes as its jumping-off point Beaumarchais’s La Mère Coupable (The Guilty Mother), the final entry in the trilogy of plays that began with The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro. But in a triumph of imagination, Corigliano and librettist William M. Hoffmann set their scene in an otherworldly version of Louis XVI’s court, populated by the ghosts of familiar figures such as Marie Antoinette, Count Almaviva, Figaro and Susanna, and Beaumarchais himself.Starring Teresa Stratas, Håkan Hagegård, Gino Quilico, Graham Clark, Marilyn Horne, and Renée Fleming, conducted by James Levine. Originally broadcast January 10, 1992.
8pm: Jagged Live in NYC A Broadway Reunion Concert. The stars of the Tony-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill will reunite for the first time since the Broadway shutdown December 13th. This live stream concert airs via the Goldstar team’s new streaming platform Stellar.
Performing from Shubert Studios during the event will be Elizabeth Stanley, Celia Rose Gooding, Sean Allan Krill, Derek Klena, Lauren Patten, and Kathryn Gallagher—all of whom earned Tony nominations last month for their work in the Alanis Morissette musical—as well as co-star Antonio Cipriano.
Proceeds will go to regional venues across the country impacted by revenue loss in the wake of the pandemic; performing arts centers can elect to become partners and offer pre-sale digital tickets to patrons, keeping a portion of sales to support future programming.
8pm: Broadway Princess Holiday Party Feinstein’s/54 Below. Available on demand through December 26 $28.50
A concert featuring host Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Courtney Reed along with musical director Benjamin Rauhala, Adam J. Levy and Aisha Jackson.
8pm: Who’s Holiday through December 15 Matthew Lombardo’s Off-Broadway comedy Who’s Holiday!, starring Lesli Margherita, will stream to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Filmed during the show’s 2017 run at Off-Broadway’s Westside Theatre, this will mark its first streamed performance.
Who’s Holiday! tells the story of a middle-aged Cindy Lou Who—of Dr. Seuss fame—now residing in a beaten-down trailer in the snowy hills of Mount Crumpit. As she prepares to host a Christmas Eve party for her friends, she recalls her own perspective of that fateful night when she first met the Grinch, and the strange turn of events her life has taken for the past 40 years.
Who’s Holiday! was directed onstage by Carl Andress, with set design by David Gallo, costume design by Jess Goldstein, wig design by Charles G. Lapointe, lighting design by Ken Billington and Jonathan Spencer, and sound design by Bart Fasbender. The Off-Broadway run was originally produced by Whoville Theatrical, Scott and Jenny Beck, Jason Shaw, Ken Fakler, Drew Desky/Dane Levens, and Darren Bagert. The show was filmed by David Kane.
Margherita, an Olivier Award winner for her West End debut in Zorro, made her Broadway debut originating the role of Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical. After more than 1,000 performances, she crossed the street to The Helen Hayes to star as the diva Mona Kent in the Broadway premiere of Dames at Sea. She has had recurring roles on Homeland, Instinct, Seven Seconds, Transparent, and The Crew and will be seen in the upcoming film The Many Saints of Newark (the prequel to The Sopranos).
8pm: Broadway Rocks Cancer Broadway stars come together for Broadway Rocks Cancer December 13 at 8 PM, benefiting the Summit Medical Group Foundation. The concert features performances by Tony Award winners Karen Olivo, Norbert Leo Butz, and Lena Hall, along with Shoshana Bean, Reeve Carney, Tamika Lawrence, Eva Noblezada, Jarrod Spector, Alysha Umphress, and more.
8pm: TheSharedScreen Co.’s TAPE, by Stephen Belber. Out of isolation, a new and powerful form of live performing art has emerged—one in which the audience is virtually eye-to-eye with the players. TheSharedScreen Co.’s production of TAPE, by Stephen Belber, is a demonstration of the power and intimacy of this new art form. Following a successful run in September, TAPE has been extended to the first three weekends in December.
The TAPE experience is uniquely intimate. Imagine you have stumbled into a live feed of a video call. You become an invisible witness, unseen and unheard. The play is the call. The production is straightforward: a virtual venue, laptops, cell phones, and webcams. But it is live.
In collaboration with Tony- and Emmy-nominated writer/director Stephen Belber, TheSharedScreen recontextualized and adapted TAPEfrom three players in a motel room to three players in a Zoom call. A woman and two men (a high school love triangle) are forced to confront accusations and denials of rape. The production raises profound questions about coercion, consent, manipulation, and truthttps://www.youtube.com/embed/nyMVakEOfvU
8:30pm: Crazy Talented Asians: Holiday Edition East West Players has teamed up with musician AJ Rafael for a holiday musical celebration which features performances and appearances by prominent Asian American artists.
The event will be hosted by Rafael and performer Alyssa Navarro, with a lineup including Josh Dela Cruz, Isa Briones, Deedee Magno Hall, Cathy Ang, and Yvette Lu.
East West Players and Crazy Talented Asians have long inspired young and aspiring artists and performers in the Asian American community.
8:30pm: A #HamFam Holiday Celebration The original Broadway company of Hamilton presents a virtual holiday celebration to raise funds for the Democratic Senatorial candidates in the Georgia runoff. Featuring performances by Lin Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Jonathan Groff, Sasha Hutchings
Today, Broadway Forever announced that the Sunday, September 24th concert will be postponed to Sunday, October 15th at 11:00AM due to expected severe weather in New York City. The Sunday, October 15th concert will take place at Lou Gehrig Plaza in the Bronx (East 161st Street, Grandview Place).
A complete line up of appearances and performances will be announced soon.
For the second consecutive year, NY Forever, in partnership with City National Bank, the New York City Department of Transportation and 161st Street Business Improvement District presents Broadway Forever,empowering New Yorkers across the city to build a better city for all.
Fans will have the opportunity to sign up for future community service opportunities in all five boroughs, which will be coordinated by New York Cares and their partner organizations.
Broadway stars performing throughout New York City celebrate the creativity and resilience that is intrinsic to the city – and provide an opportunity to recognize the volunteers and community organizers who work hard to make New York a better place. The concerts will bring Broadway entertainment to DOT’s Public Space Programming, a city initiative that brings free activities to public spaces.
The events are produced and staged by 6W Entertainment, with additional support from New York Cares and the Times Square Alliance.
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.
Broadway’s blockbuster Wicked, in partnership with National Day Calendar, has announced that October 30 will officially become National Wicked Day, in honor of the hit Broadway musical’s debut at the Gershwin Theatre (245 West 51st Street) on October 30, 2003.
This marks the first time that a Broadway show will have its own official day in the National Day Calendar. With this inclusion, Wicked joins some of the most recognizable National Day celebrations, including National Barbie Day, National Star Trek Day, National Scrabble Day, National Winnie the Pooh Day, and National Teacher Appreciate Day, among others.
Read the official announcement HERE.
Currently Wicked 4th longest-running show in Broadway history, and will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Broadway this October 30th.
The Broadway production of Wicked currently features Alyssa Fox as Elphaba, McKenzie Kurtz as Glinda, John Dossett as The Wizard, Michele Pawk as Madame Morrible, Jordan Litz as Fiyero, Jake Pedersen as Boq, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Nessarose, and William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond.
Adam Blackstone
Emmy Award®-winning music director and Grammy Award®-winning writer, Adam Blackstone, joins the creative team as Dance Music Arranger for the revival of The Wiz. The Wiz will launch a national tour on September 23, 2023 in Baltimore, MD before returning to Broadway for a limited engagement in the 2023/24 season.
Adam Blackstone
“Joining The Wiz’s creative team has been a very surreal moment. I remember watching the film on VHS daily for years, wondering how it sounded so incredible, how MJ transformed into the Scarecrow, and the score and orchestrations truly told a story all of its own. Fast forward to today, I get to musically partner with Terence Vaughn and reunite with my brother, super choreographer and creative director JaQuel Knight, and explore our own interpretation for a revival of this masterpiece. I am excited and look forward to this body of work changing lives, just like it did for me in the 80’s!” stated Adam Blackstone.
The cast will include previously announced Wayne Brady to lead the production as the Wiz on Broadway in Spring of 2024, San Francisco (January 16 – February 11, 2024) at the Golden Gate Theatre, and Los Angeles (February 13 – March 3, 2024) at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Alan Mingo Jr. will star in the role of the Wiz in the following cities of The Wiz National Tour this fall, kicking off with the tour launch in Baltimore, including Cleveland, OH, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, PA, Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Tempe, AZ and San Diego, CA.
The cast will also feature Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda and Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow. The Wiz ensemble includes Maya Bowles, Shayla Alayre Caldwell, Jay Copeland, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Judith Franklin, George, Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Jackson, Jones, Jones, Kindle, Mariah Lyttle, Kareem Marsh, Anthony Murphy, Rae, Matthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust Tate, Keenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson.
The production will include ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.
The McKittrick Hotel (530 West 27th Street, NYC), home of Sleep No More, announced the opening of Hypnotique – A Late Night Sultry Spectacle. Performances have been extended on Friday and Saturday nights through October 14, 2023. The all-new Hypnotique revue offers a unique after-dark experience that envelops you. Audiences are captivated by spontaneous performances and mesmerizing dancers, accompanied by daring sonic soundscapes in a surreal ambiance in The Club Car.
The cast features Chloé Lexia Worthington, Courtney Sauls, Fabricio Seraphin, Haley Bjorn, Jacob Nahor, Jesseca Scott, Maurice Ivy, Maya Kitayama, Samantha Greenlund, Victoria Edwards, and swings Alex Sturtevant, Cameron Arnold, Kennedy Adams, and Stacey Badgett Jr..
Cocktails inspired by the experience, including the signature Hypnotonique (an electrifying punch made with cucumber-infused vodka, elderflower liqueur, and grapefruit juice), are available from The Club Car’s bar.
Performances are offered on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30PM. General Admission tickets with standing room are currently priced from $65 per person.
Kevin Del Aguila and the cast Photos by Marc J. Franklin
Two industry readings for Female Troubles, an original musical comedy, will happen next week at Open Jar Studios. Female Troubles is a completely original musical comedy featuring lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominated and Grammy Award nominated songwriter Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night, Hands On A Hardbody, Bring It On), music by three-time Emmy Award nominee Curtis Moore (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), book by Emmy Award-winning writers Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden (“Veep,” “Arrested Development,” “Seinfeld,” “The Simpsons,” “HouseBroken”) and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Disney’s Newsies, My Fair Lady, “Schmigadoon,” “Schmicago”).
Lesli Margherita
The cast for the readings will includeKrystina Alabado, Kevin Del Aguila, Amanda Green, Lilli Cooper, Lillias White, Lesli Margherita, Ryann Redmond, Kate Rockwell, Matt Saldivar, Alanna Saunders, Trent Saunders, Jake Swain, Sav Souza, Rachel Stern and Frank Viveros. In Female Troubles, Elinor Benton finds herself surprisingly and undeniably “knocked up” — and, since she’s unmarried and this is 19th century England, she has a very big dilemma. Facing ruin, she and her girlfriends embark on a raucous journey to find the one notorious woman who can help them with their “female troubles.” Their misadventures change the course of each of their lives. This uproarious musical comedy asks the trenchant question “Can you believe this sh*t is still happening in 1810?”
I attended the reading of Love In The Time Of Crazy withbook and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Outer Critics Winner for Desperate Measures), music by Stephen Weiner (two-time Richard Rodgers Award winner) and David Hancock Turner (orchestrator for Desperate Measures and Penelope), directed by Lauren Molina (Desperate Measures ). The cast stared Philippe Arroyo, Stephen DeRosa, Robin Dunavant, David Merino, Josh Lamon, Roe Hartrampf and Alexis Cofield .
Look for more from this tuneful musical that actually has you leaving humming the songs. The cast was terrific, the direction sublime and the show ready to move.
Love in the Time of Crazy is a riot, but, you know, in a good way.
G.H. Harding
WENNER TAKES A DOWN —Jann Wenner always speaks his mind and this week he may have overstepped just a bit. In an interview that ran in the New York Times about his new book called Masters, he quite openly said that there were no black or R&B artists in it, because they were not able to articulate properly. I know, I felt the same way reading that. Minutes later, he was let go by the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which he helped start with Ahmet Ertegun way back in 1983.
Ahmet Ertegun
His Like A Rolling Stone autobiography book was quite an indulgent read last year, but Wenner has in the last several years suffered several health set backs and it was pointed out that he may not be in his right mind. Still, he should have spoken way more carefully. I’ve known Wenner for decades and trust me, he feels he’s way entitled, and that said, you can rest assured that there were dozens and dozens of people (and former employees) waiting to take him down.
The sad fact is that most of the accusations are true. That said, let’s face it Rolling Stone magazine in it’s heyday was a miraculous outlet for so much music and terrific journalism – from Ben Fong-Torres to Hunter Thompson and Jann himself .. it was distinguished. Now, he may have killed it all.
Rolling Stine magazine Monday posted this – essentially disowning his from the magazine: “Jann Wenner’s recent statements to the New York Times do not represent the values and practices of today’s Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner has not been directly involved in our operations since 2019. Our purpose, especially since his departure, has been to tell stories that reflect the diversity of voices and experiences that shape our world. At Rolling Stone’s core is the understanding that music above all can bring us together, not divide us.”
Here’s the report from Deadline: https://deadline.com/2023/09/jann-wenner-removed-rock-and-roll-hall-fame-foundation-board-1235548690/comment-page-1/#comment-3858649
FILE – Drew Barrymore attends the Time100 Gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at Frederick P. Rose Hall, April 26, 2023, in New York. The National Book Awards dropped Barrymore as the host for this year’s ceremony, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, a day after her talk show taped its first episode since the Hollywood writers strike began. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
DREW’S BLUES — Boy, what did Drew Barrymore ever do to deserve the treatment she’s been through with the media. Sure, her ideas to bring back her daily-chat fest was a good one, for the right reasons, but everyone from Rosie O;’Donnell to the trade papers have bounced on her like madmen. I never met her, don’t hate her, but really … let’s get back to something real, like these Russell Brand-accusations!
SHORT TAKES — We finally caught David Bryne and Fatboy Slim’s Here Lies Love and absolutely loved it. I remember it well when it premiered at the Public Theater way back when and knew they were trying to get it to Broadway. Honestly, I never thought twice about the Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos story, but the play was riveting then and it remains now. They’ve outfitted NYC’s magnificent Broadway Theater with disco-balls galore and club-lighting and the immersive experience is terrific. Here’s a great re-cap of the play’s evolution from Theatre Guide: https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/how-the-music-of-here-lies-love-evolved-on-the-way-to-broadway …
Chris Carter and Micky Dolenz – Breakfast With The Beatles
Micky Dolenz appeared on Sunday’s Breakfast With The Beatles with Chris Carter (on KLOS) and talked about his new Dolenz Sings R.E.M. on Glenn Gretlund’s 7a Records. He also talked about his time with The Beatles and John Lennon. Carter also played a mash-up of Monkees and Beatle-songs which was done in England and it was superb. Here’s a shot from the event at LA’s Hard Rock Cafe on Highland and Hollywood Blvd. … SIGHTING: PR-pasha David Salidor and Benny Harrison at Monday’s Cutting Room tribute to Burt Bacharach … RIP Sammy Ash …
Jimmy Buffet
I’ve been thinking the best way to describe Jimmy Buffet and I saw this headline in LA Magazine: leisure evangelist– and it fits perfectly …
Happy Bday Donnie Kehr and Richard Branciforte.
NAMES IN THE NEWS — Dan Mapp; Brad Auerbach; James Clash: Robbie Robertson; Carol Ruth Weber; Randy Alexander; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Andrew Gans; Kathy Brown; Roger Clark; Chris Boneau; Tricia Daniels; Dan Zelinski; Benny Harrison; Steve Walter; Gil Friesen; Donna Dolenz; Dan Mapp; Brad Auerbach; James Clash; and ZIGGY!
The American Theatre Wing 2023 Gala Celebration was held last night, September 11, 2023 at Cipriani 42nd Street. Performers incldued Oscar nominee & Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr., Grammy Award-winning rock icon Melissa Etheridge, Emmy nominee Tituss Burgess, “American Idol” star and Broadway favorite Justin Guarini, Tony Award winner LaChanze, Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper, and Tony Award nominees Shoshana Bean, Brandon Victor Dixon, Judy Kuhn, Lilli Cooper, and Eddie Cooper.
LaChanze and Norm Lewis
LaChanze and Norm Lewis
La Chanze and Dr. Michael J. Pitman
La Chanze
Felix Cisneros and Heather A. Hitchens
LaChanze, Heather A. Hitchens
Chuck Cooper, Lilli Cooper, Sara Jayne Darneille and Eddie Cooper
The Gala honored “Unsung Heroes of the Theatre Industry.” From dressers who execute seamless quick changes between scenes, to understudies and swings who go into a show with little to no notice and don’t miss a beat, to makeup artists responsible for the flawless faces seen on stage, and so many more vital contributors to the theatrical art form, the 2023 Gala celebrates members of the theatrical community who don’t often get the recognition they deserve.
Stewart F, Lane and Bonnie Comley
Bonnie Comley
Heather A. Hitchens and Bill Berlin
J, Harrion Ghee and Kenny Nunez
L. Morgan Lee
Julie White
Norm Lewis
Adriane Lenox and Zane Mark
Adriane Lenox
Jason Michael Webb
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Norm Lewis and Zane Mark
Norm Lewis, Adriane Lenox and Zane Mark
CeCe Black
Julie Halston and Richard Hester
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Kate Wilson, Jane Krakowski
Julie Halston and David Rockwell
Jane Krakowski
David Rockwell
Ruben Santiago-Hudson and James Latus
Kenny Leon
Jack Waddell and Brandon Victor Dixon
Justin Guarini
Justin David Sullivan
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Beverly Jenkins
Frank DiLella
Robyn Coles, Beverly Jenkins, LaTanya Richardson Jackson and John Kristiansen
Binta Niambi and David Henry Hwang
Danielle Brooks
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kate Wilson and Danielle Brooks
Kate Wilson and Danielle Brooks
Ariana DeBose
Melissa Etheridge and Rebecca McBee
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge and Linda Wallem
Ariana DeBose, Kenny Nunez
Shoshana Bean and Jey Moore
Adrienne Warren
Patti LuPone
Leigh Silverman
Justin Guarini and Salisha Thomas
Kelli O’Hara and Erica Tuchman
Tituss Burgess
LaTanya Richardson Jackson and J. Harrison Ghee
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Luz Towns-Miranda and Luis A. Miranda, Jr.
Danielle Brooks,Thomas Kail, LaTanya Richardson
STRIKE UPDATE— (Via TV Line) “9-1-1, what’s your TV emergency?” The dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes need to be resolved by the end of this month if scripted primetime fare such as 9-1-1: Lone Star and The Cleaning Lady are to return with new episodes in the 2023-24 TV season, says Fox entertainment president Michael Thorn.
When last we tuned in, 29 days ago, the WGA had countered the AMPTP’s latest offer; no next meeting has been scheduled. Things are proceeding even slower on the SAG-AFTRA front. Sources tell TVLine that it will take scripted shows roughly eight weeks to get back into production once the strikes are resolved.
“You’re going get to a point in the fall, in the late fall, where it’s going to be very hard to launch [scripted shows] within the traditional TV viewing season,” Thorn told our sister site Deadline.
If the strikes are resolved later than October 1, that’s where difficult scheduling decisions will have to be made.
“If that means the [delayed scripted] show could work and succeed in the summer [of 2024], great,” Thorn said. Or, “If it’s better to wait for the fall and use football and sports” to promote/launch scripted seasons, “we’ll do that.
“You could use October 1 as the date” by which the writer and actor strikes need to be settled,” Thorn added. “Every show is different but sometimes when you’re staring at a May launch date, you always wonder, ‘Is that the best time?’” to premiere a season/series
Fox’s fall TV slate features one full night of scripted animated fare (on Sundays), while the rest of the week is rife with multiple Gordon Ramsay cooking competitions, new seasons of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Name That Tune and The Masked Singer, 9-1-1: Lone Star reruns, the new, David Spade-hosted Snake Oil game show, and, of course, Friday Night SmackDown.
But whenever the magical day comes for live-action scripted fare to return to our screens, “we’re going to return those shows with vigor,” Thorn avowed. “We really pride ourselves on ‘less is more’ and we were fortunate to be able to really put our money where our mouth is in that regard. When we return, Animal Control is going to get the full backing of this far-reaching platform [as will] John Wells’ new show, Rescue: Hi-Surf, when we launch it.”
Several columns back we posited that the strike might just be settled by Labor Day .. and we were lambasted with emails from a scattering of actors, writers and below-the-line talent that it would not be. They were right. As Gordon Gekko said, greed is good. Is it? Let’s all make nice and good back to work.
SHORT TAKES — As you may know the Toronto Film Festival has been going on and the two films that have received the most buzz are the Paul-Simon/Alex Gibey doc,
Michael Keaton
In Restless Dreams and Knox Goes Away starring Michael Keaton, who also directs, with Al Pacino, can’t wait to see both. Bravo! …The latest episode of Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building was just OK. So far, this third season has totally underwhelmed us. We said a few columns back it was most likely due to the fact that Martin hasn’t written any of the episodes so far. Why? I have no idea. Matthew Broderick played himself, but with a little more anxiety than usual, but the real highlight of this episode was a video-phone call between Martin Short and Mel Brooks. Irresistibly funny … Hard to believe that it’s the 25th anniversary of MTV’s ground-breaking TRL Live (Total Request Live).
Carson Daly
Carson Daly did a nice remembrance on Thursday’s Today Show, even citing John Norris and Kurt Loder, who were key correspondents. They taped many of the shows at NYC’s long-gone Palladium (now an NYU dorm), but many, many memories come to mind; Hall & Oates rehearsing in their dressing room
Debbie Gibson at Z100 on The Morning Zoo
and running into Debbie Gibson is one. Daly pointed out -and rightly so- TRL was a fan-driven show, where viewers had to request what to hear. These days I guess it’s just a download. Much missed for sure …
Carrie Underwood
Funny watching Carrie Underwood this morning; as she she reminded me so much of Shania Twain. from the music, to her visuals. As always, her “Before He Cheats” is tremendous and a big crowd pleaser … It’s a funny world for sure.
RL Stine
When RL Stine’s Goosebumpsfirst debuted in 1992, it was heralded as refreshingly new, both for the kid-demo and its brilliance. There were a few attempts at a series (even with Stine introducing them) and even a movie in 2015 that did just so-so. Now, with Netflix’s Stranger Things having hit a home run, Disney+ is starting a series, with Justin Long, that appears to veer dangerously close to Stranger Things. Also, oddly enough, Stine does not appear to be involved with it. He says: “I wish I knew something about it. I’m not in the loop. It looked to me like they weren’t going to do an anthology show. They were going to do something different that was some kind of continuing story. That’s what it appeared. But I have no information about it.” It begins on October 31. Have a look at the trailer:
Seeing Here Lies Love Saturday night, can’t wait …
Mary Wilson and Bernie Taupin
Great Bernie Taupin interview on NY Live with Sara Gore. They’re friends, so the interview as sensational. Check it out:
Love Bernie and Sara! …Happy Bday Randy Jones and Amy Billings!
NAMES IN THE NEWS —Andrew Sandoval; Jacqueline Boyd; Alison Martino; Robert Funaro; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Roy Trakin; Daryl Estrea; Glenn Gretlund; Jane Blunkell; Roger Friedman; Felix Cavaliere; Dan Mapp; Jim Kerr; Sam Rubin; Liz White; Grace Mendoza; Roy Trakin; and ZIGGY!
The Glorious Corner
Recognizing Yom Kippur
Metropolitan Opera’s Opening Night Live In Times Square
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Ken Fallin's Broadway2 days agoKen Fallin’s Broadway: Dracula: A Comedy Of Terrors
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Out of Town2 days ago
The Innocence of Seduction Will Seduce You
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Out of Town2 days ago
“speaking of sneaking” Spins It’s Queer Folktale Web Fascinatingly at Buddies In Bad Times Toronto
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Events2 days ago
The Argyle Theatre Encore! Gala and You Are There
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Events1 day ago
The Pepsi 125 Diner
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Events13 hours ago
Recognizing Yom Kippur
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Broadway5 days ago
Theatre News: Wicked, The Wiz, Hypnotique, Female Troubles and Love In The Time Of Crazy
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Celebrity13 hours agoThe Glorious Corner
