Theatre News Roundup: 8/2-8/3

Went to a great concert tonight at the Highline Ballroom called Broadway's Next Generation: 20 Somethings 3. The performers and composers were all very talented but I particularly liked Lora Lee Gayer and Emily Skeggs' performance of Good Night, Irene written by Blake Pfeil (yes, I have a Doctor Zhivago bias and yes, I will be writing posts on it soon). I'm also definitely going to start keeping an eye on Zoe Sarnak's career. I was really impressed with two of the songs from the Romeo and Juliet and Civil War musicals that she's working on right now. OK, on to the roundup!

Another Op’nin, Another Show (OPENINGS)

• The Brewing Dept. begins performances of HamletGhosts at HERE beginning Aug. 3.

The Party’s Over (CLOSINGS)

• The new Broadway comedy An Act of God, starring Jim Parsons, closes Aug. 2 at Studio 54.

TKTS (TICKETS/RUSH/ETC)

• Tickets go on sale to the general public Aug. 3 for the new Broadway adaptation of Misery, starring  Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf.

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• Previews start Aug. 2 for the world-premiere production of Sara Bareilles' new musical, Waitress, at American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. The production will have its official opening Aug. 19 and is scheduled to run through Sept. 27, with Broadway possible beyond.

Everyone’s a Critic (REVIEWS)

• Three reviews of Spamalot at the Hollywood Bowl
• Reviews of Book of Mormon on tour in Utah

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Kelli O'Hara and Victoria Clark will reunite onstage in a new production of the opera Dido and Aeneas, conducted by Ted Sperling with Orchestra of St. Luke's. The production will play New York City Center for two nights only, April 28 and 29, 2016.
• Connecticut's Hartford Stage has announced casting for the world premiere of Christopher Shinn's newest work, An Opening in Time, set to play this fall. Leading the cast will be Deborah Hedwall. Hedwall will play Anne, a retired school teacher who moves back to her suburban town in Connecticut only to find things have changed drastically. Performances will run Sept. 17 through Oct. 11.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine (RUMORS)

• Stephen Schwartz on the new adaptation of Children of Eden: "I think it will provide an excellent basis from which we can finalize the junior version and make it available to other theaters and groups who wish to produce it."

One Song Glory (ALBUMS)

• Donna McKechnie will celebrate her newest solo recording at the Barnes & Noble at 86th St. and Lexington Avenue. The New York appearance is scheduled for Aug. 10 at 7 PM. McKechnie will be joined by music director Steve Marzullo for the performance, which will be followed by a CD signing. 

We Open in Venice, We Next Play Verona (TOURS)

• Complete casting has been announced for TROIKA Entertainment, LLC's non-Equity North American tour of 42nd Street, which will launch Sept. 22 at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT.

They Mean Chicago, Illinois (CHICAGO NEWS)

• Chicago's Porchlight Music Theatre will present the first post-Broadway production of the revised version of Side Show, which played 20 previews and 56 regular performances during the 2014-15 season. Colleen Fee and Britt-Marie Sivertsen will star as Daisy and Violet Hilton.
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater has announced full casting for its upcoming production of The Tempest

A Foggy Day in London Town (UK NEWS)

• The 1964 Broadway musical Funny Girl is to receive its first major revival in a new production, beginning performances at London's Menier Chocolate Factory Nov. 20 prior to an official opening Dec. 2, for a run through March 5, 2016. Broadway's Michael Mayer is set to direct Sheridan Smith as Fanny Brice.
• An all-new production of Sister Act, originally seen in the West End in 2009 and on Broadway in 2011, is to be launched at the U.K.'s Curve in Leicester, prior to a national tour.

Stop! Wait! What?! (EVERYTHING ELSE)

• Broadway stars will hit the streets Aug. 17 for the annual Sleep Out: Broadway Edition that raises money for Covenant House and awareness of homeless youth in the city.
• The forthcoming new Broadway musical Allegiance will chronicle its own creation in a new docuseries, "Allegiance: Trek to Broadway," that will be available only on Takei's Facebook page. The first of this ten-part docuseries debuts Aug. 3 with new bimonthly installments planned through through December. The show starts previews Oct. 6 and opens Nov. 8.
• Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced its 2015-16 season
• Theatre fans with a minimum of $2,500 can invest in both Broadway and touring productions thanks to Standing Room Capital, a private online membership platform that has been launched in partnership with SEC-registered broker-dealer WealthForge.