EVENTS:

The Billie’s popular 50in50 monologue showcase) – 50in50: Love in the Time of Corona, part of The Billie’s new #StayAtHome Reading Series. With the title deriving inspiration from the classic novel Love in the Time of Cholera by Nobel prize winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, The Billie selected stories from everyday people from all walks of life to share how acts of love or words of love are getting them through this global pandemic.

50in50: Love in the Time of Corona brings a collective of  renowned actors  including 50in50 alumnae Lisa Arrindell (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on Broadway, Sin Seer, World Premiere of Reparations at The Billie), Keena Ferguson (Sistas, Atlanta, S.W.A.T.)Michele Shay (Seven GuitarsA Raisin in the Sun on Broadway, the World Premiere of Reparations at The Billie, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Women of Brewster Place), and Pauletta Pearson Washington (She’s Gotta Have It, The Old Settler, Autumn at The Billie) with new cast members Jason Dirden (Greenleaf, American Soul, Elementary),  Roscoe Orman (Sesame Street, New Amsterdam, The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit), and Lamman Rucker (Greenleaf, Why Did I Get Married?, Meet The Browns). I have attached the release with more information as well as the link if you are able to share with your readers. If you would like to check it out yourself, it premieres on Thursday, May 28th at 8pm via https://www.facebook.com/billieholidaytheatre.

 

York Theatre Co. – York Trivia May 29 – Desperate Measures Live Panel June 1 – Streaming Musical Theatre Training Program June 3 and more.  www.YorkTheatre.org

 

“Artists in Residence”  – June 26 Release – Broadway Records and producer Andrew Gerle have announced the full roster of performers who will premiere the 14 new songs on the upcoming album “Artists in Residence,” to benefit the Actors Fund and the Dramatists Guild Foundation. Tony Award-winners Victoria Clark, Santino Fontana, Rachel Bay Jones, and Patina Miller will be joined by Drama Desk winners Jay Armstrong Johnson and Laura Osnes, plus Victoria Huston-Elem and Tony nominees Amber Gray, Christiane Noll, and Lauren Ward. Rounding out the illustrious cast is Broadway and opera star Harolyn Blackwell, premiering a new song by EGOT winner Jonathan Tunick, who will also contribute orchestrations along with Tony winner Michael Starobin. Together, the writers and performers for this album have won 12 Tony Awards®, 9 Academy Awards, 14 Grammy Awards, 13 Drama Desk Awards, 3 Olivier Awards, 3 Emmy Awards, 6 Richard Rodgers Awards, 3 Kleban Awards, 3 Fred Ebb Awards, and 3 Jonathan Larson Awards.

The album will be available on all major platforms on Friday, June 26th, 2020 and features songs inspired by our temporarily constrained lives, all recorded in the artists’ homes. The album will include new works by renowned film and Broadway favorites Alan Menken, David Zippel, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, as well as multiple award-winning theatre writers Todd Almond, Sean Barry and Jenny Giering, Carmel Dean, Andrew Gerle, Adam Gwon, Peter Mills, Ryan Scott Oliver, Eric Price and Will Reynolds, Jonathan Tunick, Ben Wexler, Jake Wildhorn, and David and Joseph Zellnik.

 

JAZZ MASTER RAMSEY LEWIS 85TH BIRTHDAY PARTY MAY 30 – 1 pm TICKETS:  www.ramseylewis.com

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY LIVE STREAM BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION MAY 31, 4pm PT Get tickets at:

PayPal.Me/annhamptoncallaway/25 (a link to the event will be emailed)

 

NEWS AND NOTES

COPA: “Storied Midtown Nightclub Copacabana Closes After an 80-Year Run” by Eater’s Tanay Warerkar – ““We closed due to COVID,” a staffer … informed Eater. … The same staffer says the club will reopen in a different location next year, but declined to say where.” http://bway.ly/dzthqz

SURVEY: “Poll Shows One Hurdle to Reopening Broadway: Fear of Jerks” by The New York Times’ Julia Jacobs – “New Yorkers are decidedly reluctant to return to Broadway shows in September, according to a new poll, but they are significantly more willing to go by the end of the year — as long as certain safeguards are in place. And for the hesitant, their single greatest concern is their fellow audience members, who they worry will show up without masks or ignore social distancing rules. … Of New York State voters polled, only 39 percent of people who attend Broadway shows with some frequency said that they would be very likely or somewhat likely to see a show if it were to open around Sept. 1.” http://bway.ly/1rrz2v

AUCTION: “Show Boat and Kiss of the Spider Woman Tony Awards to Be Auctioned Off” by Playbill’s Logan Culwell-Block – “Tony Awards won by late costume designer Florence Klotz … will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions May 28. Bidding for both statues begins at $7,500.” http://bway.ly/4x4gvm

AWARDS: “Act Surprised! Obie Awards Go Virtual, Giving Winners Heads-Up” by The New York Times’ Michael Paulson – “The Obie Awards, the freewheeling ceremony honoring theater performed Off and Off Off Broadway, has come up with its pandemic plan. The ceremony — filmed and edited in advance — will be hosted by the alt-cabaret comedian Cole Escola and streamed on YouTube at 8 p.m. Eastern on June 4.” http://bway.ly/i66c5s

GALA: “Meryl Streep, Lin-Manuel Miranda & More Join Public Theater Benefit We Are One Public” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – http://bway.ly/b08bmu

INTERNATIONAL: “Newly-Launched The Phantom of the Opera UK and Ireland Tour Will Not Re-Open” by BroadwayWorld – “Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group have announced that their new UK and Ireland Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera“, which had only played its opening date prior to a 14 month tour, will not re-open.” http://bway.ly/2vjt3q

FOR GOOD: “Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Have Raised Over $300,000 for The Actors Fund With Stars in the House” by Playbill’s Seth Rudetsky – http://bway.ly/cxxs7j

PRIDE:
— “Wicked’s Alexandra Billings to Host Virtual Pride Parade, Featuring Judith Light, Audra McDonald & More”
 by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – http://bway.ly/rxq1j1
— “Playbill Will Stream The Gorgeous Nothings: In Concert During Pride Month” by Playbill’s Dan Meyer – http://bway.ly/39cqih

NYC: “Times Square Billboards Will Go Dark on Wednesday in Support of Restaurants, Hospitality Businesses, and Non-Profits” by BroadwayWorld – “A group of select Times Square billboard companies … will stage the dark-out to shine the light on the need for federal support and fairness from insurance companies for business interruption coverage.” http://bway.ly/9864et

ONLINE:
— “Pulitzer Prize Finalist Heroes of the Fourth Turning Will Stream Live” 
by Playbill’s Dan Meyer – “The cast of Heroes of the Fourth Turning will reunite virtually June 13 for a live reading … ” http://bway.ly/01ina9
— “Chita: A Legendary Celebration, Starring Tony Winner Chita Rivera, Will Stream to Benefit Broadway Cares’ COVID-19 Emergency Efforts” by Playbill’s Andrew Gans – http://bway.ly/1cgn7j
— “Hairspray Live!, Starring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, and More, Will Be Broadcast Online” by BroadwayWorld – http://bway.ly/6cuveh
— “The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues Returns with Alex Brightman, Michael Cerveris & More” by Broadway.com‘s Lindsey Sullivan – http://bway.ly/5ka0zl

GRANT: “Jeremy O. Harris and the Bushwick Starr Announce Pet Project Grant” by American Theatre – “The funds, which are supported by the licensing fees and publishing royalties of Slave Play, will benefit 152 playwrights affected by the pandemic.” http://bway.ly/ld5nio