Today’s Theatre Talk

TV: “Laura Benanti-Produced Homeschool Musical Series Holds Online Open Call” by Playbill’s Logan Culwell-Block – “Students aged 15–18 can upload audition videos for a chance to be in Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 … ” http://bway.ly/a95y2s

READING: “Blair Underwood, Joe Morton, and More to Star in Free Online Reading of Cuttin’ Up” by Playbill’s Olivia Clement – “The virtual performance of the Charles Randolph-Wright play, streamed exclusively on Playbill, will benefit The Classical Theatre of Harlem.” http://bway.ly/wb5vzt

 

Come celebrate one of Ireland (and the world’s) finest writers, James Joyce, as read and performed by a legend of the American stage, Austin Pendleton, at a one-night-only virtual live reading presented by Guild Hall on June 16 at 8 pm – Virtual Staged Reading “A Short Night’s Odyssey From No to Yes”.

PARADE: “Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos & More to Appear on National Puerto Rican Day Parade Special” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – “Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos … and Ariana DeBose … are among the stars set for the TV special.” http://bway.ly/mjfd0y

ONLINE:
— “NBC’s Live The Wiz to Stream for Free This Weekend” by TheaterMania’s David Gordon – “The stream will kick off on Friday, June 12, at 2pm ET and will be available for 48 hours … ” http://bway.ly/ajd4x7
— “Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs, Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus Set for Home Streaming” by TheaterMania’s David Gordon – http://bway.ly/zg6el1
— “Patrick Page and More to Star in Macbeth Presented by Plays in the House” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/l4fsnu
— “Brian Stokes Mitchell, Vanessa Williams, More Join Lincoln Center’s Memorial for Us All Lineup” by Playbill’s Andrew Gans – http://bway.ly/z1hkdl
— “Raúl Esparza & Samira Wiley to Star in Tartuffe for Molière in the Park” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – ” … on June 27 at 2PM and 7PM ET.” http://bway.ly/uypakp

“What does a theater company do when it can’t make theater? Make a film.” by The Washington Post’s Peter Marks – “[Arena Stage] found 10 actors, 10 playwrights and 10 ordinary people from in and around Washington … On a single day — May 22 — each writer contacted their subject, spent two or three hours in conversation, and then set about the task of turning their words into five-minute monologues. All of which, too, would be filmed on a single day. The result is titled, crisply and dramatically, “May 22, 2020.” It debuts online Friday … ” http://bway.ly/l5c9ct

POSTPONED:
— “MCC Postpones Miscast20: ‘Now Is the Time for Us to Reflect'” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – “The virtual event had been scheduled for June 20.” http://bway.ly/2ra90x
— “Stream of The Nance, Starring Tony Winners Nathan Lane and Cady Huffman, Postponed” by Playbill’s Andrew Gans – http://bway.ly/jm91jx

“COVID Theatre Closures Hit U.K. Harder Than U.S. and Canada, New Study Shows” by American Theatre – ” … in North America comparative annual ticket sales fell by 71 percent during the week of March 16, and have not recovered. Meanwhile in the U.K., sales collapsed faster and more steeply, with an immediate 92 percent year-on-year fall in the two weeks after venues were closed on March 16. …

“Many North American organizations place a far greater emphasis on building a loyal customer base, and our analysis shows that proportionally ‘loyalists’ are booking more during the pandemic. Subscription revenues continue to be the bedrock for many North American arts organizations … Most venues in the U.K. don’t offer subscriptions,” [said TRG chief executive officer Jill Robinson in a statement.]” http://bway.ly/qp5d4h

“158 MPs and their peers pressure Boris Johnson to safeguard theatre industry during coronavirus crisis” by London Theatre Direct’s Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels – “The MPs have warned that there could be a total of 200,000 job losses for both employed and freelance theatre workers and highlighted that 70% of British theatres will have exhausted all of their reserves by the end of 2020.” http://bway.ly/v3i1xr

IN MEMORIAM:
“Margaret Holloway, the ‘Shakespeare Lady’ of New Haven, Dies at 68” by The New York Times’ Steven Kurutz – “A once-promising director and actor who struggled with mental illness and drug addiction, she performed for years on the city’s streets. She died of Covid-19. … On the streets of New Haven, Conn., Margaret Holloway was known as the “Shakespeare Lady,” a tall, striking woman in ragged clothing who recited dramatic monologues for spare change.” http://bway.ly/fjh246

“Mel Winkler Dies: ‘Doc Hollywood’, ‘Oswald’ Actor Was 78” by Deadline’s Greg Evans – “Winkler made his Broadway stage debut in 1968’s The Great White Hope, appearing in several productions thereafter before taking the role of Seth Holly in 1988’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson. His final Broadway role was in 1997’s Proposals … ” http://bway.ly/g4h55t