Read on for more theatre news you may have missed in today's headlines.
Casting Announced for Hope Mill's Rent Return
After performing only five shows in 2020 before COVID-19 lockdowns, Jonathan Larson's Rent will return to live performances August 6 at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre. The production will welcome six new cast members for the rescheduled run, including Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Iona Fraser (Sister Act at Shanklin Theatre), and Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, Alison Driver, Joe Foster, and Karl Lanketer all making their professional stage debuts. Returning to the production are cast members Tom Francis, Jocasta Almgill, Dom Hartley-Harris, Millie O’Connell, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Alex Thomas-Smith, and Isaac Hesketh. Luke Sheppard directs the production, running through September 19.
Details Announced for The Bridge Production Group's Brooklyn Navy Yards Residency
The Bridge Production Group will present [title of show] as part of its summer residency at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Max Hunter, artistic director of The Bridge Production Group, directs the production and will play Jeff. Also appearing in the musical are Keri René Fuller (Waitress, Jagged Little Pill) as Heidi, Jennifer Apple as Susan, and Josh Daniel (The Book of Mormon) as Hunter. The residency, running August 12–21, will also feature world premiere short plays by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), a staged reading of a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lyle Kessler (Orphans), and the Picnic Plays, a series of informal readings of new work currently in development. Visit BridgeProductionGroup.org for more information.
New Musical Grace Will Have Two Industry Presentations in August
The new musical Grace, set to premiere at Ford's Theatre in March 2022, will hold two industry presentations in August, offering an exclusive look at the musical ahead of the Washington, D.C. run. The musical, written and composed by Nolan Williams, Jr., centers on a Philadelphia family who gather to mourn the loss of their matriarch and cope with the future of their family’s cherished restaurant. The piece is directed and choreographed Robert Barry Fleming; the cast of the NYC presentations includes Lawrence Cummings, David Hughley, Lacretta, Rayshun LaMarr, Kevin McCallister, Nova Payton, Awa Sal Secka, and Virginia Ann Woodruff. The industry presentations are produced by Dale A. Mott and NEWorks Productions. For more information, visit GraceTheMusical.com.
The Shubert Organization Acquires Showtickets.com
The Shubert Organization has acquired the Showtickets.com brand from Entertainment Benefits Group to expand ticketing capabilities and Broadway customer experiences. The partnership will allow Shubert to offer tours, activities, and hotel accommodations, powered by EBG—first available through direct customer communications, then through Shubert's ticketing service, Telecharge. “This is a win-win-win situation for our supplier partners, the Shubert Organization, and EBG,” stated Brett Reizen, CEO of EBG. “The strength and continued collaboration of our teams will help revitalize the tourism and entertainment industry in New York City.”
Plus: Get those applications in for Black Theatre Coalition's paid fellowship program, created to increase representation and inclusivity in the American theatre. Applications are being accepted through July 16 for two fellows in each of the following categories: writing, composition, directing, choreography, set design, lighting design, costume design, sound design, video design, wig and hair design, stage management, theatre management, musical direction, casting, marketing and advertising, public relations, digital media, and talent representation. Six fellows each will join the program in the fields of producing and general management. To apply, visit BlackTheatreCoalition.org.
