The Weekend Report: Rachel Brosnahan, Anika Noni Rose, and a Revised Lightning Thief Schedule
Welcome to TheaterMania's Weekend Report, where you'll find recent news stories from the New York theater scene and beyond.
(© Tricia Baron/David Gordon)
Some Marvelous Casting to Join Mrs. Maisel on Stage
Annie Golden (Broadway Bounty Hunter) and Succession star Arian Moayed will join Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) in New York Theatre Workshop's Play Yourself. The one-night-only reading, set for October 7, will benefit NYTW's Artist Workshop and Education programming.
In Harry Kondoleon's play, which Lee Sunday Evans directs, Brosnahan will play Yvonne, with Golden as Selma and Moayed as Harmon. The work tells the story of a forgotten Hollywood actress nearing the end of her life (Golden) as she attempts to rewrite the life of her daughter (Brosnahan).
(© David Gordon)
Honoring Anika Noni Rose
Tony winner Anika Noni Rose will be honored by Classic Stage Company at its annual gala, held at Capitale on October 21. Rose, who starred in the company's Carmen Jones, will be feted alongside Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization president Ted Chapin.
The gala will be staged by artistic director John Doyle, and will feature Victoria Clark, Eddie Cooper, Clifton Duncan, Lindsay Roberts, Claybourne Elder, Alexander Gemignani, Rema Webb, and Judy Kuhn performing the classics of Rodgers and Hammerstein.
No Crisis of Confidence Here
Susan Lambert Hatem's Confidence (and the Speech) will have its off-Broadway premiere November 14-December 7 at Theatre Row. Presented by Charlotte's Off Broadway, the production will be directed by Hannah Ryan. The work explores the history behind President Jimmy Carter's "Crisis of Confidence" speech in July 1979, and a college professor who, 40 years later, is asked about her time working for his administration.
The nine-member company includes Denise Burse as Carter, Ross Alden, Sarah Dacey Charles, Mark Coffin, Zach Fifer, Abigail Ludrof, James Penca, Imran Sheikh, and Stephen Stout. The creative team is made up of Brittany Vasta (sets), Vanessa Leuck (costumes), Christina Watanabe (lighting), Emma Wilk (sound), S. Katy Tucker (projections), Deb Gaouette (properties), and Karla Garcia (movement).
(© David Gordon)
See the World Through the Eyes of Cole Porter
Danny Gardner, Lauren Molina, Diane Phelan, and Lee Roy Reams will star in the York Theatre Company's The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter, running as part of Musicals in Mufti, October 12-20. Directed by Pamela Hunt, the musical revue, created by Ben Bagley in 1965, explores the worldwide goings on between 1919 and 1945 through the lens of Porter songs like "I Happen to Like New York" and "Red, Hot and Blue." The production will have choreography by Trent Kidd and music direction by Eric Svejcar.
Around Town
This week, Manhattan Theatre Club celebrated the opening of Jeff Augustin's The New Englanders, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its revival of Conor McPherson's Dublin Carol, and rehearsals commenced for Richard Nelson's The Michaels at the Public Theater. Here are some photos of theatrical happenings around the city.
In Other News…
• The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has amended its playing schedule to accommodate demand from family audiences. Beginning the week of November 4, the production will add 2pm Thursday matinees to its schedule, and will move its Friday night performance time to 7pm.
• Third Rail Projects's award-winning Then She Fell celebrates its 7th anniversary on October 6.
• An industry reading of the Broadway hopeful Havana Music Hall will take place November 14 and 15. Written by Richard Kagan (score) and Carmen Pelaez (book), the musical, directed by Elena Araoz, premiered in 2018 at the Actors' Playhouse in Coral Gables, Florida. This presentation will feature a live Cuban band.
• Joe Baker, Doug Chittenden, Timothy G. Little, Dominique Morisseau, Lila Neugebauer, Nancy Northup, and Pablo Salame have joined the Board of Trustees at Signature Theatre.
• Playwrights Lily Houghton and Brian Otaño have received Launch commissions from the Atlantic Theater Company, which are given to early career dramatists who have not yet had an off-Broadway production.
• MCC Theater's fundraiser Let's Play! Celebrity Game Night , set for November 3 at the Garage, will feature Tony winners Cynthia Nixon, Alan Cumming, and Jane Krakowski; Emmy winner Margo Martindale; Tony nominees Thomas Sadoski and Yul Vazquez; and Katie Holmes, Michael Kelly, Samantha Mathis, Mj Rodriguez, and Amanda Seyfried. They join team captains Emmy winner Julianna Margulies, Tony winner Judith Light, Piper Perabo, and Peter Hedges.
• In anticipation of the upcoming Broadway, Toronto, and West End runs of Conor McPherson and Bob Dylan's Girl From the North Country , the production has released a music video featuring New York cast member Jeannette Bayardelle and Toronto/West End cast member Rachel John singing "Make You Feel My Love," accompanied by orchestrator Simon Hale. Check it out below:
