Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced today that stage and screen favorite Vanessa Williams will join them LIVE on “Stars In The House” on Wednesday, June 24th at 8 PM ET on the Stars In The House YouTube channel and on starsinthehouse.com. Vanessa will share favorite stories from her illustrious career in support of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the charity Stars In The House has been raising money for throughout June. Janai Nelson, Associate Director-Counsel of LDF, will appear as a special guest to share why viewers’ support of the fund means more now than ever. Fans tuning in will be able to interact with Vanessa and Janai in real time, ask questions, and donate to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for the chance to have their names read by Vanessa on air. And of course, like all episodes of “Stars in the House” – there will be LIVE music!
Melissa Errico
For a special live YouTube premiere on June 20 at 6PM, celebrated Broadway star and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico joins the award-winning show Living the Classical Life as the first distinguished non-classical guest in the series. Praised by The Wall Street Journal for her touchstone work in the music of Stephen Sondheim—the episode features her in conversation with her father, Dr. Michael Errico, a surgeon and still performing classical pianist. Recorded before the quarantine which has separated them from making music together as they have done since she was a child, Melissa performs the last song of the late French legend Michel Legrand, and Sondheim’s “Not While I’m Around” – accompanied by her Dad – for the cameras. She also discusses the classical roots of her musical passions and the music she sings, her love of art, growing older within a demanding industry, being a mother and the balance of life. Tune in on Saturday, June 20 for the livestream at 6PM on Living the Classical Life’s YouTube channel; father & daughter, from their separate quarantines, will join a live chat at 6PM on YouTube as part of the Father’s Day weekend premiere. Living the Classical Life YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTU7G-W_q3OlcLxkERIVweQ
Barrington Stage Company will join with Capital Repertory Theatre of Albany, NY to produce free zoom readings of Vincent Terrell Durham’s new play, Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids on Friday, June 19, 2020 and Monday, June 22 at 7:30pm ET as part of the Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project. BarringtonStageCo.org/PolarBears.
The Nyurican Poets Cafe presents LIPSHTICK. Tuesday June 30th 8pm EST
LIPSHTICK, a dark comedy directed by Kathy Gail MacGowan and performed by Alisha Spielmann, Christine Verleny, Linda S. Nelson, Renee’ Flemings, Annalisa Hill Loeffler, Sevrin Anne Mason, Emily Cordes & Romy Nordlinger. In the ultimate reality show, anyone can be a superstar – even when they don’t know it. The sinister Emcee of VoyeurVision’s LIPSHTICK hacks devices to find her next unsuspecting reality superstar, exposing the real lives of women from anytime, anywhere, and any moment. Will they measure up to the expectations the media asks of them, and they ask of themselves? LIPSHTICK is a darkly funny sneek peek into women’s lives that uncovers what lies just under the surface. Admission free. Reservations and Zoom link:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/35133/production/1029369?performanceId=10545909
Abingdon Theatre Company (Chad Austin, Artistic Director) announces a “Fall Festival of Short Plays,” a two-week virtual festival shedding light on stories by people of color. Submission period begins Monday, July 13, 2020 and will continue through Monday, August 17, 2020. The selection of six new short plays will be announced Monday, September 28, 2020. The “Virtual Festival of Short Plays” is set to take place October 19 – 30, 2020. For additional information, please contact Beatriz Cavalieri, Abingdon’s New Works Associate Director bcavalieri@abingdontheatre.org
Arts journalist and editor Mark Blankenship is pleased to announce the debut of The Flashpaper: Theatre’s Thoughts on Right Now, a new journal dedicated to the urgent ideas of contemporary theater artists. Each issue of this print-only publication features original content created in response to a timely prompt from a diverse group of artists working in a variety of forms. Contributions can take shape in any printable form including playscripts, comics, essays, photo diaries, and more. Utilizing the speed of on-demand printing and an innovative approach to editing, each issue of The Flashpaper can be conceived, written, and produced within six weeks. The first issue of The Flashpaper is currently on sale at theflashpaper.com.
What Will It Be Like When Social Distancing Ends? is the prompt for the debut issue. It includes contributions by Raquel Almazan, Clare Barron, Sarah Einspanier, Kelley Nicole Girod, Ayun Halliday, Kinesis Project dance theatre, The Living Theatre, Tara Moses, National Asian American Theatre Company, Parallel Exit, Meropi Peponides, and Theater Breaking Through Barriers, along with a foreword by David Henry Hwang and an afterword by Sarah Treem.
“Spike Lee-Directed Filmed Version of ‘David Byrne’s American Utopia’ to Premiere on HBO” by Variety’s J. Kim Murphy – “HBO will air the filmed version of the Broadway show “David Byrne’s American Utopia,” directed by Spike Lee, later this year. … The film also features work from choreographer Annie-B Parson, director of photography Ellen Kuras, production consultant Alex Timbers and editor Adam Gough.” http://bway.ly/ka6qul
ACROSS THE POND: “Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera won’t reopen in the West End before 2021” by What’sOnStage’s Alex Wood – “In a statement [Cameron] Mackintosh said: “… Despite the government engaging with the desperate pleas from everyone in the theatre industry, so far there has been no tangible practical support beyond offers to go into debt which I don’t want to do. Their inability to say when the impossible constraints of social distancing will be lifted makes it equally impossible for us to properly plan for whatever the new future is.” … Mackintosh has said that “return dates for the productions will be planned for as early as practical next year.”” http://bway.ly/8xvpvd
BLACK THEATRE UNITED: “Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norm Lewis, LaChanze & More Launch Black Theatre United” by Broadway.com‘s Caitlin Moynihan – “Black Theatre United (BTU) is centered on the shared experience, heritage and culture of the Black diaspora and is founded to influence widespread reform.” http://bway.ly/qbd6ck
READINGS:
“Deon’te Goodman and Jennifer Leigh Warren to Star in Reading of New Bio-Musical” by TheaterMania’s David Gordon – “Deon’te Goodman and Jennifer Leigh Warren will star in an online reading of the new musical Bayard, written by Richard Allen and Taran Gray. The reading, taking place July 8 at 8pm ET, will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway for Racial Justice.” http://bway.ly/tgwmyk
“Heroes of the Fourth Turning Reading Rescheduled for July 18” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – ” … Heroes of the Fourth Turning will be presented on Play-PerView on July 18 at 8PM ET.” http://bway.ly/siaf5o
REGIONAL:
“West Coast Premiere of The Lehman Trilogy & More Delayed as Center Theatre Group Postpones Reopening the Ahmanson” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – “Center Theatre Group announced that the Ahmanson Theatre will not be able to reopen until spring 2021. The Lehman Trilogy was set to run from October 20 through November 28.” http://bway.ly/r1wlt5
“San Francisco Theatres Partner for Juneteenth Reading of Vincent Terrell Durham’s Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids” by Playbill’s Dan Meyer – “More than 30 Bay Area theatres are joining forces to raise money for Black theatre projects in America.” http://bway.ly/fezjzo
“Lyric Opera of Chicago Cancels First Half of 2020–2021 Season” by Playbill’s Ryan McPhee – “The company aims to reopen in January 2021 with Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s Blue.” http://bway.ly/wm1gjp
YALE: “Yale Rep and School of Drama Will Not Produce 2020-21 Season” by American Theatre – “Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre have announced that neither will produce a season of plays in 2020-21 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. … In light of this decision, Yale is extending its three-year MFA program temporarily to include a fourth year, while the one-year Technical Internship program will be extended by one semester.” http://bway.ly/17a0b4
ALBUM: “Rachel Bloom, Sarah Silverman & More Lend Vocals to Tribute Album Honoring Adam Schlesinger” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – “Saving for a Custom Van, a tribute album to honor the life and work of songwriter Adam Schlesinger, is being released June 16 on Bandcamp via Father/Daughter Records and Wax Nine.” http://bway.ly/na05lm
PODCAST: “New Podcast to Explore Life and Career of Casting Director Jay Binder” by Playbill’s Olivia Clement – “Launching June 16 and dropping each Tuesday in June, Jay Binder… A Life In Casting is available on all podcast platforms.” http://bway.ly/wcgn5x
BENEFITS:
“Darren Criss, Patti LuPone & More Join MusiCares Benefit Event, ‘Soundtrack of Our Lives'” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – ““Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Celebration for the Film and TV Music Community” will take place on June 25 at 3PM ET to raise funds for MusiCares, which is helping those in the music industry affected by the coronavirus crisis.” http://bway.ly/nyaxoi
“Billy Porter, Adam Lambert, and More Set For iHeartRadio’s ‘Can’t Cancel Pride’ Benefit” by BroadwayWorld – “On Thursday, June 25th, iHeartRadio and P&G bring together the most inspirational voices in the LGBTQ community, along with LGBTQ allies, for a benefit stream.” http://bway.ly/7wtuxm
ONLINE:
— “The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues Returns with Raúl Esparza, J. Smith-Cameron & More” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – http://bway.ly/8h3dtq
— “Daveed Diggs and C.A. Johnson Join 3rd Edition of The Homebound Project” by Playbill’s Andrew Gans – http://bway.ly/oe6ycj
— “Step Forward Entertainment Celebrates the Music of Neil Sedaka With Virtual Concert to Benefit The Actors Fund” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/5voycl
FIDDLER: “Some believe ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ was staged somewhere in the world every day since the ’60s. COVID-19 ended that.” by Jewish Telepgraphic Agency’s Stephen Silver – “The coronavirus pandemic has done something that no war, natural disaster or other calamity has been able to do for more than 50 years: It’s put a stop to stage performances of “Fiddler on the Roof.” http://bway.ly/6tanzi
IN MEMORIAM: “Kristin Linklater, Who Made Actors Their Vocal Best, Dies at 84” by The New York Times’ Neil Genzlinger – “Kristin Linklater, a vocal coach renowned for helping actors free their inner voices, died on June 5 … For more than a half-century, Ms. Linklater taught vocal technique to A-list stars like Patrick Stewart, Donald Sutherland and Sigourney Weaver; to students at New York University, Emerson College and Columbia University; and to people far removed from the performing arts who simply wanted to be less timid vocally.” http://bway.ly/mhhp95
