Rachel Dratch News

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: King Kong officially opens, and more!

Celebrity Autobiography, the award-winning hit comedy show in which celebrities act out other celebrities' jaw-dropping memoirs verbatim, will come to Broadway's Marquis Theatre (210 West 46th Street) four nights only this holiday season.

Just last night, Only Make Believe honored Bethenny Frankel with the Sir Ian McKellen Award for her global philanthropic work for families in crisis through her Bstrong initiative in partnership with delivering good disaster relief charity, as well as Tony Winning playwright / lyricist/ composer Joe DiPietro with the Founder's Award for his for tireless commitment to OMB for 19 years and OMB's first partner facility The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation at NYU Langone with the OMB Star Award. 'Make Believe On Broadway', which was held last night at the Schoenfeld Theatre, was hosted by the hilarious Rachel Dratch.

Gingold Theatrical Group announces the next presentation of the 13th Season of Project Shaw. The season will continue on November 19th with Bernard Shaw's Back to Methuselah (Part 2).

The Public Theater's Mother of the Maid, written by Emmy Award winner Jane Anderson, officially opened last night, October 17. Directed by Emmy Award nominee Matthew Penn, the riveting new play was initially extended through Sunday, December 2 and has been extended a final three weeks through Sunday, December 23.

Sakina's Restaurant, the Obie Award-winning play written and performed by actor, writer, and former correspondent for "The Daily Show" Aasif Mandvi (Disgraced), opens this Sunday, October 14 at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Performances of the recently-extended five-week-only engagement began on October 5th. Sakina's Restaurant comes from Audible, the same producers as the critically acclaimed Harry Clarke, Girls and Boys, and Patti Smith: Words and Music, and the world's largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word entertainment.

Only Make Believe is thrilled to announce that Bethenny Frankel will be honored with the Sir Ian McKellen Award for her global philanthropic work for families in crisis through her B Strong Disaster Relief charity as well as Tony Winning playwright / lyricist/ composer Joe DiPietro with the Founder's Award for his for tireless commitment to OMB for 19 years and OMB's first partner facility The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation at NYU Langone with the OMB Star Award at 'Make Believe On Broadway' on Monday, November 5th at the Schoenfeld Theatre hosted by the hilarious RACHEL DRATCH. Added to the starry night are performances by Tony nominee Montego Glover, Grammy & Tony winner and Bon Jovi member David Bryan, Tony winner Michael McGrath, Tony nominee Marc Kudisch, Diana the musical's Jeanna deWaal, Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, Tony nominee Chad Kimball, Fun's Nate Russe, Tony winner Judy Kaye,

Saturday Night Live began its latest season last night with one of its iconic political cold opens. This time, Matt Damon was brought on board to bring to Judge Kavanaugh to the show.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, again presents a cast of Harvard and Yale grads in The Fourth Annual Harvard-Yale Cantata. Join us for a unique evening at Feinstein's/54 Below, with Team Harvard looking to avenge another lucky one-point victory by Team Yale, who won in HY III for the second year in a row by a score of 32-31. Last year wasn't a pure win for Yale, as they were buoyed by some great songs and performances from their Princeton teammates. Harvard was bogged down (they say) by being paired with Columbia. No excuses in HY IV, as we're back to a straight up Harvard v. Yale competition.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, again presents a cast of Harvard and Yale grads in The Fourth Annual Harvard-Yale Cantata. Join us for a unique evening at Feinstein's/54 Below, with Team Harvard looking to avenge another lucky one-point victory by Team Yale, who won in HY III for the second year in a row by a score of 32-31. Last year wasn't a pure win for Yale, as they were buoyed by some great songs and performances from their Princeton teammates. Harvard was bogged down (they say) by being paired with Columbia. No excuses in HY IV, as we're back to a straight up Harvard v. Yale competition.

PlayGround, the Bay Areas' and Los Angeles' leading playwright incubator, marks the opening of its twenty-fifth season with a special one-night celebration and performance launching a bold new partnership.

PlayGround, the Bay Areas' and Los Angeles' leading playwright incubator, marks the opening of its twenty-fifth season with a special one-night celebration and performance launching a bold new partnership.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, again presents a cast of Harvard and Yale grads in The Fourth Annual Harvard-Yale Cantata. Join us for a unique evening at Feinstein's/54 Below, with Team Harvard looking to avenge another lucky one-point victory by Team Yale, who won in HY III for the second year in a row by a score of 32-31. Last year wasn't a pure win for Yale, as they were buoyed by some great songs and performances from their Princeton teammates. Harvard was bogged down (they say) by being paired with Columbia. No excuses in HY IV, as we're back to a straight up Harvard v. Yale competition.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, again presents a cast of Harvard and Yale grads in The Fourth Annual Harvard-Yale Cantata. Join us for a unique evening at Feinstein's/54 Below, with Team Harvard looking to avenge another lucky one-point victory by Team Yale, who won in HY III for the second year in a row by a score of 32-31. Last year wasn't a pure win for Yale, as they were buoyed by some great songs and performances from their Princeton teammates. Harvard was bogged down (they say) by being paired with Columbia. No excuses in HY IV, as we're back to a straight up Harvard v. Yale competition.

PlayGround, the Bay Area's (and now Los Angeles') leading playwright incubator, will mark the opening of its twenty-fifth season with a special one-night gala celebration and performance, and the launch of a bold new partnership. In collaboration with NYC-based The 24 Hour Plays, PlayGround will present the inaugural The 24 Hour Plays: Bay Area, featuring fully produced and performed (i.e., off-book) performances of six original ten-minute plays by distinguished PlayGround alumni, written and developed over just twenty-four hours, and staged by an all-star cast of leading local directors and actors on Monday, September 17, at

Ben Rimalower will celebrate the recent release of his plays PATTI ISSUES and BAD WITH MONEY by Roven Records on Audible.com with a special performance BAD WITH MONEY at The Green Room 42 on Saturday, August 18 and a double bill of PATTI ISSUES and BAD WITH MONEY at Penguin Rep on Sunday, August 19. In Patti Issues, Rimalower explores the ways his lifelong obsession (and eventual working friendship) with Patti LuPone helped him navigate a tumultuous relationship with his volatile father. Since premiering in 2012, Patti Issues has garnered a tremendous amount of great press and word-of-mouth from attendees such as Tony Kushner, Alan Cumming, Laurie Metcalf and Ms. LuPone herself, who said, "The show's fantastic. It's really wonderful. I was moved." Patti Issues is directed by Aaron Mark (Empanada Loca with Daphne Rubin-Vega, Squeamish With Alison Fraser).

The Public Theater's production of Public Works' TWELFTH NIGHT, conceived by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Shaina Taub, music and lyrics by Shaina Taub, Choreography by Lorin Latarro, and directed by Oskar Eustis and Kwame Kwei-Armah, opened just last night, July 31, running through Sunday, August 19.

Today, The 24 Hour Plays, in partnership with The New School for Drama, announced the company for The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals. 

Casting is now complete for the Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Annie. The new cast members are Roger Bart as Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan, Kaylin Hedges as Annie, Ali Stroker as 'Star-to-Be,' Amir Talai as Bert Healy, Marlow Barkley as Kate, Amadi Chapata as Pepper, Noe Lynds as July, Rae Martinez as Tessie, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Molly, and Olivia Zenetzis as Duffy.

Producers Zach Laks, Sarah Galli, and Joseph Lucius in association with Form Theatricals announce that due to scheduling conflicts, the Joe's pub production of LIZA '79, conceived and directed by Ben Rimalower, starring Larry Owens is postponed.  Originally scheduled for performances in June, new dates and casting will be announced at a later date.