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Saturday, October 13
OPENING→ 50 years ago today Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? stormed onto the Great White Way and quickly became one of the most significant works of the 20th century. Its newest Broadway incarnation — a critically acclaimed transfer from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre — stars Tracy Letts and Amy Morton as the warring George and Martha. Caught in the couple's booze-filled crossfire is Honey and Nick (Carrie Coon and Madison Dirks), a young couple who come to George and Martha's home for a party and get much more than they bargained for. Directed by Clybourne Park's Pam MacKinnon. (Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St., btwn. Broadway & 8th Ave. Click here for Playbill Club discount tickets.)
PREVIEWS→ The life of enigmatic evangelical Aimee Semple McPherson gets the musical treatment thanks to TV host Kathie Lee Gifford and songwriters David Pomeranz and David Friedman. Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson has been Gifford's pet project for over a decade — she co-wrote the lyrics as well as the book for the musical. Carolee Carmello stars as McPherson, a 20th century religious superstar whose life was marred with mystery and scandal (including a fake kidnapping, divorce and substance abuse that ultimately claimed her life at the age of 53). Officially opens Nov. 15. (Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd St., btwn. Broadway & 8th Ave., Info/tickets.)
GO (FREE)→ The Public Theater celebrates the unveiling of the $40-million refurbishment of its Astor Place home with a free block party featuring live music from some of Joe's Pub's popular artists, food trucks and sneak peeks of new Public works like Michael John LaChiusa's Giant, Fat Boy Slim's Here Lies Love, Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's Fun Home and more. The Public will continue the celebration in the coming weeks with further free programming including public talks, movie nights and lectures. (12 PM-5 PM, The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St., btwn. Astor Place and East 4th St. Info.)
Sunday, October 14
OPENING→ Tony winner Michael Cristofer stars in the MCC Theater world premiere of Stephen Belber's Don't Go Gentle, the story of a man in crisis looking to rectify the mistakes of his past by wiping the slate clean. The "slate," in this case, is the man's family. He abandons them in order to start anew. (Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St., btwn. Bleecker & Hudson Sts. Click here for Playbill Club discount tickets.) Monday, October 15
GO→ A one-night-only concert of the little-known musical revue At Home Abroad boasts a starry cast singing the songs of Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. Bruce Vilanch, Julie Halston, Christine Pedi, Noah Racey, Margaret Colin and Dick Scanlan star in this new adaptation of the 1935 show not seen in over 70 years. The concert is a benefit for UnsungMusicalsCo., a non-profit production company dedicated to restoring and preserving obscure musicals before they're forgotten. (Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th St. Info/tickets.)
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| photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN |
GO→ Three-time Tony nominee Sherie Rene Scott brings her sassy and brassy belt to 54 Below with a new show Piece of Meat. In true Scott fashion, the show will give audiences a glimpse into her personal life as this lifelong vegetarian gives in to her "animal desires." (Through Oct. 27, 54 Below, 254 W. 54th St., btwn. Broadway & 8th Ave. Info/tickets.)
Wednesday, October 17
PREVIEWS→ Ethan Hawke, Joely Richardson and Juliet Rylance star in Ivanov, the latest offering from the Classic Stage Company's Chekhov Cycle. Austin Pendleton (who helmed CSC's critically acclaimed productions of Three Sisters and Uncle Vanya) directs the Hamlet-like tragedy of a depressed, bankrupt government official, his dying wife and the futile attempts to regain a foothold on a better life. Officially opens Nov. 4. (Classic Stage Company, 136 E. 13th St. Info/tickets.)
Thursday, October 18
OPENING→ Up-and-coming playwright Jon Kern's satire Modern Terrorism, or They Who Want To Kill Us and How We Learn To Love Them, the recipient of the 2012 Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award, opens at Second Stage. The play follows a ragtag group of teen terrorist wannabes as they blunder a plan to blow up the Empire State Building. (Second Stage Theatre, 305 W. 43rd St., btwn. 8th & 9th Aves. Info/tickets.)
Friday, October 19
OPENING→ The original Jersey Boy, Frankie Valli, makes his Broadway debut in concert with the Four Seasons. The seven-performance engagement will feature the hits "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like A Man," "Dawn (Go Away)," "Rag Doll," "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)," "Let's Hang On!," "Working My Way Back To You," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "Grease," "My Eyes Adored You," "Who Loves You" and "December '63 (Oh What a Night)." (Through Oct. 27, Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway, btwn. 52nd & 53rd Sts. Info/tickets.)
PREVIEWS→ The all-star Broadway revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning Glengarry Glen Ross begins on Broadway. Two-time Tony winner Al Pacino (as Shelly "The Machine" Levene) and Bobby Cannavale (as hotshot Ricky Roma, a role Pacino played to Oscar-nominated effect in the 1992 film) lead the beleaguered bunch of salesman fighting for their share of the American dream — and a Cadillac. John C. McGinley, David Harbour, Richard Schiff and Jeremy Shamos round out the cast, directed by Daniel Sullivan. Officially opens Nov. 11. (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St., btwn. Broadway & 8th Ave. Info/tickets.)
PREVIEWS→ Rupert Holmes' whodunit musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, returns to Broadway. Based on Charles Dickens' last and unfinished novel (it famously ended without Dickens identifying the killer), Drood asks the audience to help figure out which of its mysterious characters — played by Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Jessie Mueller, Betsey Wolfe, Andy Karl and Jim Norton — killed the title player, played by Stephanie J. Block. Officially opens Nov. 13. (Studio 54, 254 W. 54th St., btwn. Broadway & 8th Ave., Click here for Playbill Club discount previews tickets.)
Blake Ross is the editor of Playbill magazine. Follow her on Twitter @PlaybillBlake.
Playbill Video visits rehearsals of Scandalous:
