Theatre News Roundup: 6/25-6/26

Hello lovely readers,

I'm sorry some of these TNR stories are a day late. I don't know if I've mentioned this but anytime I skip a day, those stories will be rolled into the next day's post. If you're curious, I was out at a Parlor Tricks concert last night. Pick up their album or listen to it on Spotify. It is called Broken Hearts/Bones and it is fantastic but they are even better live. I'm going to be seeing Preludes tonight and I'm a little nervous because I finally finished listening to Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and I kind of hated it. Actually, I hated it a lot. I think if I listened to it all the way through a few more times it might wear me down but it's difficult to call it objectively good. It would just probably become more tolerable over time. Also, it has killed any desire I ever had to read War and Peace. (Remember to click Read More)

Another Op’nin, Another Show (OPENINGS)

• The new Broadway musical Amazing Grace, begins previews on Broadway June 25 at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).
• Ruthless! The Musical returns Off-Broadway beginning June 25 at St. Luke’s Theatre.
• A musical adaptation of E. Lynn Harris' 1994 novel "Invisible Life" begins June 25 at the Apollo Theater.

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• Jordan Ross and Lindsey Rosin, the creators of Cruel Intentions: The Musical, are at work on a musical version of "The O.C." that will bow in Los Angeles Aug. 30.
• Amy Heckerling, the writer/director of the 1995 film comedy "Clueless" confirmed June 25 that a musical version of the story is being developed for Broadway. In an interview with Variety, Amy Heckerling said, “I’ve written what they call ‘the book,’ and it’s a jukebox musical," meaning it uses pre-existing pop songs instead of an original score.

Everyone’s a Critic (REVIEWS)

• Reviews for Bend It Like Beckham the musical
• Reviews for A New Brain at Encores

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Kelsey Grammer is planning to take time off from his role as Captain Hook in the Broadway musical Finding Neverland this summer, but will return in the fall. Exact dates will be announced at a later time. Anthony Warlow will assume the role in the interim.
• Howard McGillin has joined the cast of the Bay Street Theater's upcoming production of Grey Gardens.
• Sally Mayes will be playing Rose this summer in Harbor Lights Theater Company's staging of Gypsy in Staten Island.
• The Broadway at Birdland concert series, in association with Jacob Langfelder, will present Love Me: Downtown and Downunder – A Pride Celebration June 28.

Come to the Cabaret (CABARETS/CONCERTS/ETC)

• On Aug. 6 at 7:30 PM, The New York Pops will perform an inaugural concert at its new summer home, Forest Hills Stadium, with Sutton Foster.
• Broadway Sings Bruno Mars, celebrating the hits of the funk superstar, will be presented July 20 at 7 PM at the Highline Ballroom.

A Musical (MUSICALS)

• 59E59 Theaters will stage Songbird by Michael Kimmel with music and lyrics by Lauren Pritchard. Amy Spanger will lead the cast of the new Off-Broadway musical. Performances are set to run Oct. 20 through Nov. 29. Songbird puts a Southern twist on the Anton Chekov classic, The Seagull. Spanger will play a fading country star returning to her Nashville home after many years to help launch the music career of a son she abandoned.

It’s Only a Play (PLAYS)

• Camp David, a new drama about President Jimmy Carter's Nobel Prize-winning efforts to bring the leaders of Israel and Egypt to sign a peace agreement after years of war, is being prepared for Broadway in the 2016-17 season.

A Foggy Day in London Town (UK NEWS)

• Joely Richardson, Robert Sheehan and Norwegian actor Kåre Conradi are to lead a company of over 20 actors for The Wars of the Roses, a stage adaptation of four of Shakespeare's history plays that Trevor Nunn is to direct in rep, beginning performances Sept. 16 at the Rose Theatre, Kingston in South West London, prior to an official opening Oct. 3 for a run in rep through Oct. 31.
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the world premiere of a play by Jack Thorne based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Thorne and Tony-winning director John Tiffany, will take place at the West End's Palace Theatre in the summer of 2016.

Let Me Be Your Star (TV NEWS)

• Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan's new Fox anthology series "Scream Queens" will make its two-hour series premiere Sept. 22 at 8 PM ET. On Sept. 29 the series will make its time-period premiere at 9 PM ET.

Stop! Wait! What?! (EVERYTHING ELSE)

• Following the Supreme Court of the United States' June 26 landmark ruling effectively making Marriage Equality the law of the land, members of the Broadway community spoke with Playbill exclusively to share their emotional reactions to the historic victory for the LGBT community.
• In the wake of the historic SCOTUS ruling on Marriage equality, the theatre community joins the world in celebrating on Twitter. 
• In honor of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision regarding marriage equality for all, the Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You is offering a buy-one, get-one-free ticket discount for couples, gay and straight. The offer runs now through noon June 29.
• An Act of God giveaway. To enter, theatregoers are commanded by "God" to perform a variety of good deeds by visiting AnActOfGod.com/GodlyGiveaway.
• The New York radio station 106.7 Lite FM has announced the return of its free lunchtime theatre summer series, Broadway in Bryant Park
• La Jolla Playhouse has announced the line-up for its WithOutWalls Festival, a weekend series of immersive and site-specific productions at locations throughout the San Diego community, running Oct. 9-11. 
• Male Exposure — B Side, photographer Roberto Araujo's examination of the "sexy side of Broadway," will be displayed June 30-July 7 at G Lounge & Gallery in Manhattan.