Christopher News

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is November 9, 2023 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

As a prelude to the forthcoming Super Deluxe Edition of The Sound of Music, Craft Recordings has released a special alternate take of the film’s iconic duet “Something Good,” featuring never-before-heard original vocals from the legendary Christopher Plummer (whose vocals were dubbed in the film) alongside co-star Julie Andrews.

Join internationally acclaimed pianist Michael Stephen Brown and cellist Nicholas Canellakis for a captivating piano-cello duo recital presented by the Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association.

As the curtain rises, we’re met with a sea of pink – pink damask walls and heavy pink velvet curtains, with pink and white flowers adorning every available surface. This is the Garden Room at Clarence House (brilliantly designed by Christopher Oram), and the year is 1979.

MJ The Musical is coming to Seattle's Paramount Theatre in December. Don't miss this long-awaited show that has already played to over 1,000,000 patrons in the United States.

Internationally acclaimed pianist/composer Michael Stephen Brown will be joined by cellist Nicholas Canellakis in a piano-cello duo recital presented by Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association. The performance will take place on December 1, 2023, at Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall, Iowa State University.

Today’s subject Teal Wicks has what is known as the WOW factor. Every time I see her onstage in something, I can’t help using that expletive to describe her performance. Currently, Teal is living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre playing the role of Mother in Ragtime. The production runs through January seventh in Signature MAX space.

Michael Grandage Company just celebrated opening night of Marcelo Dos Santos’ new comedy Backstairs Billy which looks at a pivotal moment in the 50 year relationship between the Queen Mother and her loyal servant William “Billy” Tallon. Michael Grandage directs Penelope Wilton as the Queen Mother and Luke Evans as Billy.

Check out new photos from the Mean Girls movie musical, with Angourie Rice, Auli’i Cravalho, Reneé Rapp, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika, Bebe Wood, Christopher Briney, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, and more.

A pair of New York City roommates has emerged, Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone! Plaza revealed in an interview that she is living with LuPone while working on the  Off-Broadway play Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

THE LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER will present up-and-coming Saloon Singer vocalist Christopher Collette and pianist, composer, music director Tracy Stark.

The nonprofit Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago has announced the winners of its 23rd Annual Black Excellence Awards, honored Monday night in a festive celebration at Black Ensemble Theater. Learn more about the winners here!

The 19th Annual Fred Ebb Award will be presented to Freya Catrin Smith & Jack Williams.

Pioneers Go East Collective announces the 2024 Out-FRONT! Festival, featuring performances by Arthur Aviles and Collaborators, Joey Kipp with Pioneers Go East Collective, Christopher Unpezverde Núñez, Jason Anthony Rodriguez, Paz Tanjuaquio, Ogemdi Ude, and Annie MingHao Wang, as well as films by Fana Fraser, Omega X, and Tourmaline. The festival will also include workshops on voguing and storytelling through dance.

The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC, Executive Director Khady Kamara and Artistic Director Bill Rauch) presents Watch Night at the new performing arts center at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan.  The production opens tomorrow, November 8, 2023.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, has announced an encore presentation of “The Secret Garden, The Musical,” presented as part of Chance Theater's Holiday Literature Series. Adapted from the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, with book and lyrics by Marsha Norman, and music by Lucy Simon.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is presenting Swept Away. Featuring a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan (Red), with music and lyrics by The Avett Brothers, this soul-stirring new musical will run November 25 – December 30, 2023, in Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater.

Actor Justin Guarini hosted the Only Make Believe Gala honoring Brooke Shields on Monday November 6 at the Broadhurst Theater featuring performances by Melinda Doolittle, J Harrison Ghee, Brad Oscar, A.J. Shively, Jessica Vosk, NaTasha Yvette Williams and special appearances by Alicia Quarles, Orfeh and Umbrella Lina. See photos from the red carpet!

Performances begin this week for Alliance Theatre’s annual holiday production, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, returning to The Coca-Cola Stage November 11 – December 24, 2023.

The musical workshop of The Manager world premieres at The Bourbon Room November 13th and 14th. The real-life story of the six degrees of separation between Elvis, Colonel Tom Parker, Ricky Nelson and Louis Jay Pearlman is told through the original songs by Ben Susskind. Steve Josephson directs the cast of Kevin Baily, Ted Barton, Steve Josephson, Payson Lewis, Douglas Nottage, Marguerite MacIntyre, Jesse Corbin, Travis Nesbitt, Jesse JP Johnson, Christopher Messin, Cecily Gish and Melanie Au-Yeung. Kevin, who wears two hats in this production as producer and as Colonel Parker, managed to carve out some time to answer a few of my queries between his producing and rehearsing obligations for The Manager and his current stint as John Boehner role in 44.