News

Pandemic Has Turned American Theatre’s Ecosystem Upside-Down, And That Might Be A Good Thing

Source: ArtsJournal.com | Posted: October 21 2020 @ 1:05 pm

“COVID-19 is the great disruptor, forcing long overdue introspection and reinvention. … Theatres with lovely large venues, lots of seats, and the wherewithal to attract large numbers of people to pay large amounts of money to view virtuosic work may now be at the bottom of the theatrical food chain. Meanwhile, nimble, itinerant companies that […]

Audra McDonald & Steven Pasquale Tapped for COVID-Centric Drama Series The Second Wave

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: October 21 2020 @ 12:29 pm

The new drama series The Second Wave is joining shows like Love in the Time of Corona, Coastal Elitesand Social Distance in addressing the coronavirus pandemic. According to Deadline, this forthcoming six-episode pandemic-themed drama from The Good Fight creators Robert and Michelle King will star Audra McDonald, Steven Pasquale and Orange Is the New Black's Taylor Schilling. 

McDonald and Schilling will star as neighbors Rachel and Lily, who are navigating life in quarantine during a second wave of COVID-19 in New York City. While Rachel juggles her many telemedicine clients as well as a shaky marriage, Lily is upstairs just trying to convince her Wall Street clientele that her skillset is still just as valuable over video as it was in person. Pasquale will play McDonald's character's husband, Dr. Zach, a top official at the CDC.

McDonald, a six-time Tony winner, recently earned her ninth Tony Award nomination for her performance in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; she previously starred in the Kings' The Good Fight. Pasquale was last seen on Broadway in American Son. His Broadway credits also include Junk, The Bridges of Madison County and Reasons to Be Pretty …

Watch Gavin Creel Get Witchy at Jay Armstrong Johnson’s Annual Halloween Show

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: October 21 2020 @ 12:10 pm

Jay Armstrong Johnson’s annual show I Put a Spell on You, a spoof of and tribute to the movie Hocus Pocus, will get the virtual treatment as a Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS benefit on October 29 at 8PM ET. In addition to Johnson returning as Winifred Sanderson with Allison Robinson and Amanda Williams Ware as sisters Sarah and Mary, the evening will include appearances from stage faves like Robyn Hurder, Todrick Hall, J. Harrison Ghee, Eva Noblezada, Will Swenson and more. The trailer for the event—premiering exclusively on Broadway.com—includes Armstrong, Robinson and Ware as the Sanderson Sisters and an additional Halloween treat: Tony winner Gavin Creel crooning "Witchcraft" as the frontman of the Halloween night band from one of the film's fan-favorite scenes. Enjoy the sneak peek below, and tune in to I Put a Spell on You here on October 29 at 8PM ET! 

Hear from American Utopia's Masterful Musicians : 'David Byrne Was Really Open to Everyone Having Input'

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: October 21 2020 @ 10:42 am

The October episode of the monthly series Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal includes a interview with company members of David Byrne's American Utopia, which is now streaming on HBO as a Spike Lee-directed film. Hosted by PIX11's Emmy-winning anchor Tamsen Fadal and powered by Broadway.com, the latest episode includes an interview conducted by Broadway.com correspondent Charlie Cooper with Chris Giarmo, Angie Swan and Jacquelene Acevedo. The trio of talents talked about collaborating with Byrne on the show. "He really was just open to everyone having input in the development of the songs," Giarmo told Cooper. "That is not only unique for an A-list celebrity like David Byrne. I think that's unique for any lead artist at any level." As previously reported, American Utopia is aiming to return to Broadway in the fall of 2021 at a theater to be announced. Enjoy the segment below, and be on the lookout for Broadway Profiles, the only nationally syndicated theater news program, on your local TV station.

Sharon D. Clarke & More Performers Announced for the 2020 Olivier Awards

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: October 21 2020 @ 10:04 am

Details regarding the 2020 Olivier Awards have arrived! As previously reported, they are taking place on October 25 at 6:20PM ET. Hosted by the previously announced Jason Manford, the ceremony will be broadcast on ITV and Magic Radio. Mostly pre-taped at the London Palladium, the program will feature acceptance speeches, unique performances, interviews and more.

Sharon D. Clarke, who took home her second Olivier Award last year for her performance in Caroline, Or Change, will perform and pay tribute to Don Black as he receives a special award for contribution to theater. In a career spanning six decades, Black has written lyrics for such shows as Aspects of Love and Whistle Down the Wind and for music artists including Quincy Jones, Lulu, Meat Loaf and Michel Legrand. Andrew Lloyd Webber and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall will present Black with the award.

The show will also feature performances from nominees Sam Tutty, star of Dear Evan Hansen, and Miriam-Teak Lee, star of & Juliet. Ian McKellen will be honored in for his Ian McKellen On Stage tour, which visited over 80 theaters with profits going toward different causes at each venue—from repairs to outreach programs. In addition, there will …