Theatre News Roundup: 1/8-1/14

Sorry for the long hiatus! I have been quite sick. Let's get right into things.

Another Op’nin, Another Show (OPENINGS)

• Mac Wellman's The Offending Gesture officially opened Off-Broadway Jan. 9
• Maurice Hines Tappin' Thru Life officially opened Jan. 11
• "Death of the Liberal Class has its world premiere at Off-Broadway's New Ohio Theatre Jan. 10-Feb. 13, officially opening Jan. 25."
• Noises Off officially opened Jan. 14 at the American Airlines Theatre.
• The Burial at Thebes began performances Jan. 14

The Party’s Over (CLOSINGS)

• The Off-Broadway revival of Annie Baker's The Flick ends its run Jan. 10 at the Barrow Street Theatre.

TKTS (TICKETS/RUSH/ETC)

• The daily discount lottery at Hamilton will continue to be offered outdoors on the steps of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, but Ham4Ham has moved online.

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• The Prom, a new musical comedy featuring a book by Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and  Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), with music by Matthew Sklar (Elf), and lyrics by Beguelin, will receive its pre-Broadway premiere in August as part of the Alliance Theatre's upcoming season in Atlanta.
• That Lovin' Feelin', a new musical chronicling the life and music of The Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, is currently playing a West Coast premiere engagement in Los Angeles.
• Unexpected Joy, a new musical by lyricist-librettist Bill Russell and composer Janet Hood, will make its world premiere at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors
• "Mark Medoff has written a new drama, Marilee & Baby Lamb: The Assassination of an American Goddess about film icon Marilyn Monroe, which is scheduled for an invitation-only industry reading Jan. 21 and 22 at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York."
• Arlington's Signature Theatre has announced the world premiere production of Freaky Friday, Bridget Carpenter, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's new musical. Performances are set to begin Oct. 4, running through Nov. 13 in Signature's MAX Theatre.

Everyone’s a Critic (REVIEWS)

• Noises Off

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Nick Cordero will take over the role of Earl, the oppressive husband of lead character Jenna, in the upcoming musical Waitress.
• Roundabout Theatre Company has announced complete casting for the New York revival of Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman’s musical comedy The Robber Bridegroom.
• Complete casting has been announced for the new musical American Psycho.
• Jenna Gavigan has joined the cast of Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola's Straight
• David Beach has assumed the role of Brother Jeremiah in Something Rotten
• "Lilli Cooper has joined the cast of The Wildness: Sky-Pony’s Rock Fairy Tale. The Wildness: Sky-Pony’s Rock Fairy Tale will begin performances Feb. 16, with an official opening night slated for Feb. 29. The Off-Broadway production is scheduled to run through March 19 at Ars Nova. Joining Cooper and the duo, the complete cast also includes David Blasher, Jeff Fernandes, Katie Lee Hill, Jamie Mohamdein, Sharone Sayegh and Kevin Wunderlich."
• Arlington's Signature Theatre has announced the cast of Road Show, its 26th Stephen Sondheim production.
• Alison Luff assumes the role of Fantine in the Broadway production of Les Misérables beginning Feb. 4 at the Imperial Theatre.

Theatre News Roundup: 1/6-1/7

Another Op’nin, Another Show (OPENINGS)

• Dominique Morisseau’s Skeleton Crew begins previews Jan. 6 at the Atlantic Theater Company

The Party’s Over (CLOSINGS)

• Allegiance will close Feb. 14 after 37 previews and 113 regular performances.

TKTS (TICKETS/RUSH/ETC)

• Spring Awakening will offer a special Buy One/Get One Free "Teen Night" Jan. 19 at 7 PM at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• Jarrod Spector has replaced the previously announced Gabriel Ebert in the Jan. 14-15 industry readings of Death — The Musical. 
• Stephen Adly Guirgis (Between Riverside and Crazy) will write a new play based on the movie "Dog Day Afternoon."

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Tony Yazbeck will take over the role of J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland beginning Tuesday, January 26
• Signature Theatre has announced casting for the revival of Martha Clarke and Alfred Uhry's Angel Reapers.
• Rita Rudner joins Charles Shaughnessy in the U.S. premiere of the play Act 3 at Laguna Playhouse in California

Come to the Cabaret (CABARETS/CONCERTS/ETC)

• Daniel Reichard Celebrates Rodgers and Hammerstein will play Feinstein's/54 Below Feb. 5
• John Riddle Keep It Simple will play Feinstein's/54 Below Jan. 21

It’s Only a Play (PLAYS)

• "Bobby Steggert is scheduled to star with Heidi Armbruster this February in the world premiere of Boy, a new Off-Broadway play by Anna Ziegler."

I Want to Go to Hollywood (MOVIE NEWS)

• Emma Stone is in negotiations to play Cruella de Vil in Disney's live-action "Cruella."

Let Me Be Your Star (TV NEWS)

• The HBO adaptation of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, starring six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald as Billie Holiday, will premiere on March 12.
• Boyz II Men will sing Beauty School Dropout in Grease Live

Stop! Wait! What?! (EVERYTHING ELSE)

• The Public's Under the Radar Festival 
• "New York City Center is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Carol Channing's New York stage debut with a podcast entitled "Carol Channing on Auditions, Communists, and Her Stage Debut."
• Jeanine Tesori has added Elizabeth Swados' 1978 musical Runaways to the 2016 Encores! Off-Center season.  
• Tony eligibility

Theatre News Roundup: 1/2-1/5

The Party’s Over (CLOSINGS)

• Dames at Sea closed with a 1/3/16 matinee. Therese Raquin ended its limited run the same way.
• The Humans ended its run at the Laura Pels 1/3/16
• 39 Steps ended its run at the Union Square Theatre
• Sylvia closed 1/3/16
• Hand to God ended its Broadway run 1/3/16
• Lord of the Dance ended its run and will head back out on tour
• Joe DiPietro's new comedy, Clever Little Lies, which officially opened Oct. 12 at the Westside Theatre Upstairs, will end its run Jan. 24.

TKTS (TICKETS/RUSH/ETC)

• Hamilton lottery going digital. Predictably there were some issues. Producers announced that they would return to a live lottery outside the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Jan. 6.
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is also offering a digital lottery. Tickets are $30 and limited to two per person. To enter the digital lottery, visit CuriousOnBroadway.com/Lottery.

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• Corbin Bleu, Emma Hunton, and Jared Gertner will head the cast of the world-premiere staging of Diana Amsterdam's new play The Dodgers, about a group of musicians and friends facing the Vietnam draft lottery.
• Free reading of Stephen Kaplan's The Community

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Kyle Selig has been cast as Elder Price in the Book of Mormon. His run will be 1/5-2/21.
• Kecia Lewis will replace Tonya Pinkins in CSC's Mother Courage and Her Children
• Victoria Justice (Janet) and Ryan McCarten (Brad) have been cast in Fox's Rocky Horror Picture Show. Reeve Carney (Riff Raff) and Staz Nair also cast.
• Complete casting for Disaster!
• Full cast for Cirque du Soleil's Paramour
• Casting for Familiar by Danai Gurira
• Casting for LCT3's production of Greg Pierce's Her Requiem

Brush Up Your Shakespeare (SHAKESPEARE)

• First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare will tour. (June 7-July 17: New York Historical Society, New York, NY)
• Emma Rice has announced her first season as artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe

Come to the Cabaret (CABARETS/CONCERTS/ETC)

• Tommy Tune at Cafe Carlyle 
• Valentine’s Day with Megan Hilty and the NJSO
• I Do! I Do! in concert at 54 Below Feb 14

Theatre News Roundup: 12/25-1/1

Hello my dears,

I took a break for the holidays. I saw Tappin' Thru Life with Maurice Hines and his amazing all-female band. If you've been thinking about seeing it, do. It's a fun night out.

Another Op’nin, Another Show (OPENINGS)

• The Changeling began performances 12/26. It is scheduled to open 1/10 and run through Jan. 24, 2016.
• Previews began Dec. 28 for Our Mother's Brief Affair

Closed for Renovations (CANCELLATIONS)

• "Tonya Pinkins, who is currently starring in the title role of the Classic Stage Company production of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children will depart the production Jan. 5, 2016. Her statement."
• Hughie first preview pushed back 3 days

TKTS (TICKETS/RUSH/ETC)

• "Broadway Week returns Jan. 19-Feb. 5, 2016. The semi-annual promotion offers theatregoers the chance to purchase two-for-one tickets to a range of Broadway shows."
• New York will get its first peek at Sarah Jones' new solo show, Sell/Buy/Date, in a reading Jan, 6-16 at New York Live Arts. Tickets start at $25."

I Wanna Be A Producer (IN DEVELOPMENT)

• An industry reading of Death — The Musical will be presented Jan. 14-15, 2016, in Manhattan. The new musical features book, lyrics and music by Paul Gordon. The cast will be headed by Gabriel Ebert with Megan McGinnis, Sarah Litzsinger, Beth Leavel, Kate Reinders and Leigh Ann Larkin.
• Burning Desire, a new play written by and starring Lou Diamond Phillips, will make its world premiere in February 2016 at Connecticut's Seven Angels Theatre.

Everyone’s a Critic (REVIEWS)

• Gotta Dance

I Hope I Get It (CASTING)

• Brandy will star in the April 26-May 1, 2016, engagement of Chicago's national tour at the Pantages Theatre

I Heard It Through the Grapevine (RUMORS)

• Smokey Joe's Café, featuring the songs of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, will return to New York City, according to an Equity casting notice.

Come to the Cabaret (CABARETS/CONCERTS/ETC)

• Feinstein's/54 Below's "54 Sings" concert series will continue Jan. 7, 2016, with a concert version of Kiss Me, Kate. The performances will feature the talents of Robert Cuccioli, Lesli Margherita, Danny Gardner, and Carole J. Bufford.