McDonald News

The music of Linda Ronstadt will co-star in a new show from Tony Award nominee and critically acclaimed jazz diva Ann Hampton Callaway at The Ridgefield Playhouse on March 12th at 8:00pm. The platinum selling artist takes you on a musical journey through the songbook of one of America’s most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt.

Omar Apollo officially announces his highly anticipated debut album IVORY. The announcement arrives alongside the imminent release of his new single and its accompanying STILLZ-directed visual, 'Invincible' featuring Daniel Caesar. Watch the new music video now. Plus, check out Apollo's upcoming tour dates now!

Anne Kaplan, Joffrey Board Chair, and Greg Cameron, President and CEO of The Joffrey Ballet, are pleased to announce the appointment of Marc DeMoss, Chip Flannagan, Lashana Jackson, Jim Kirk, and Richard McDonald to the Joffrey Board of Directors, effective immediately, for the 2022–2025 term. 

Joining the previously announced Chris Evans, who lends his voice to Buzz, are Keke Palmer, Dale Soules and Taika Waititi as a group of ambitious recruits. Peter Sohn voices Buzz’s robot companion, Sox, and the cast also includes the voices of Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez and Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Two-time Tony Award Winner Michael Cerveris will be presented with Savannah Rep's inaugural Trailblazer award and a retrospective of his genre-bending career at An Evening with Savannah Rep: The 2022 Season Announcement. City of Savannah Alderman Nick Palumbo of the 4th District will be presented with the Community Vanguard award for his contributions to Savannah and its residents

Between 24-hour news and omnipresent social media infiltrating our every waking hour, it would seem that we are talking more about race in 2022 than ever before. Weren't we supposed to have moved past all of this by now? The race riots of the 1960's, Jim Crow, segregation was history, wasn't it? America just elected a woman of color to be Vice-President and an African American man to be president--twice! Haven't we evolved? Yet, many could rightly argue things haven't really changed that much, and in fact, it's only BECAUSE of 24-hour news and social media that Whites in America are finally getting to see what's really been happening all along--the unadulterated discrimination, bigotry, and murder of Black Americans. With the advent of cell phone cameras and the willingness to pull them out and start recording at a moment's notice, people of color finally have evidence to prove just how insidious and pervasive the problem continues to be. If you're one of those who are sick and tired of hearing/thinking about race, then AMERICAN SON at Theatre Memphis should be required viewing as it perfectly (and respectfully) takes the time to guide you through the stress, anguish, and fear of being a person of color in these 'United' States of America in the 21st Century.

The new Off-Broadway musical BETWEEN THE LINES will star Arielle Jacobs (Aladdin, Wicked), Jake David Smith (Frozen), Vicki Lewis (Anastasia, Damn Yankees), Will Burton (Kiss Me, Kate; Hello, Dolly!), Jerusha Cavazos (The Prom), Pierre Marais (Aladdin), John Rapson (Les Misérables) and Julia Murney (Wicked, The Wild Party).

The inaugural event will feature conversations with some of Australia’s leading artistic voices and environmental activists who will explore creative opportunities to educate, inspire and mobilise communities for climate action.

Dance International Festival Glasgow springs back into focus for 2022. The biennial festival's new Spring Season showcases a clutch of bold UK & international performers and follows the return of the main festival in October 2021.

Brilliance, a new musical based on the life of actress Frances Farmer, is set to make its New York premiere in an Off-Broadway residency at The Players Theatre (115 Macdougal Street) for a three-week limited engagement. The musical is scheduled to open on Thursday, April 7.

Special Offer - The Neuroverse Is Back

Interview with award-winning playwright/director Sharon Yablon whose love of surrealism, noir and the darker side of Los Angeles led to the creation of A GARDEN OF TERRIBLE BLOOMS, which offers a dreamlike tour of short plays led by characters through a city that is vanishing, even as they move through it. Each play is set in a different part of L.A., or in nearby places where locals go to escape the city, but find themselves still haunted by it.

The new play with songs, In The Shade, written by Daniel Egger (book and lyrics) and Tom Laverack (music and additional lyrics) with music direction by Mark Ambrosino,  will get a concert presentation at NYC's Green Room 42 on Friday, February 25 at 7 PM.

The Whole Backstage Theatre will present Willy Wonka, Jr. this summer. The musical features words and music by  Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, and is adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy A. McDonald, based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

I fell in love with Jersey Boys when I discovered the cast recording back in 2006. That recording turned me into a fan of the group The Four Seasons which I honestly didn't know before this. Granted I knew some of the songs, but I found it fascinating that also 'my elders' didn't really know the group either. Later I learned that they never toured outside the United states. That could be a reason why the band went under the radar. I saw the musical twice in London and once in Las Vegas although my jetlag almost killed that experience. I had to drink four Red Bulls to stay awake. Luckily I did not need any Red Bull during the Norwegian premiere of this show. The show itself was energy booster enough for me.

The winners of the 2021 Sydney Theatre Awards were announced tonight at a star-studded ceremony, with 29 Awards presented, shared between 18 productions which played on Sydney stages during 2020 and 2021. Check out the full list!

Meet all of the Broadway actors in THE GILDED AGE! The new series features appearances by Audra McDonald, Denée Benton, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Kelli O'Hara, Carrie Coon, Claybourne Elder, Donna Murphy, Katie Finneran, Debra Monk, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Patrick Page, Michael Cerveris, and more.

The American Theatre Wing has announced details for the 66th Annual Obie Awards, celebrating and honoring Off- and Off-Off-Broadway. For the first time, streaming virtual productions will be eligible for nomination due to COVID-19.

This week, Audra McDonald premiered Duke Ellington’s “Black, Brown & Beige” as part of the opening celebration of the new Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando.

Still glowing from their fabulous performances in Persuasion at the December 2021 Jane Austen Soiree, Placer Repertory Theater has announced the official inclusion of two of the production’s local professional actors to the Placer Rep Acting Company for 2022.