Read on for more theatre news you may have missed in today's headlines.
Matthew López Will Pen Remake of The Bodyguard
The playwright has been tapped to pen a re-imagined script inspired by the classic 1992 romance, Variety reports. The original movie starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner and featured several soundtrack hits from Houston. No casting details for the new film have been announced. López is a current Tony nominee for his play The Inheritance, which opened on Broadway in 2019.
Peppermint Will Host "Dreaming the Queer Future" Panel Conversation
The recipients of the 2021–2022 New Visions Fellowship from National Queer Theater and the Dramatists Guild of America will participate in an online conversation on the importance of transgender and gender non-conforming representation in American Theatre. Activist and performer Peppermint will host the panel with fellows Ayla Xuan Chi Sullivan and Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko, along with New Visions Lead Mentor Roger Q. Mason. Postponed from June 8, the conversation will now take place on October 19 at 6 PM ET via Zoom. To register, click here.
Karen Olivo Will Lead Project Broadway Training Program
Conceived and led by the Tony winner, Project Broadway will offer a free virtual musical theatre training program. Ten BIPOC high school students will be selected to participate in the seven-week Moscaic Training Program with acting, vocal, and dance masterclasses led by Olivo (currently a Tony nominee for Moulin Rouge!) and other Broadway artists. Applications are due by September 21. For more information or to apply, click here.
2021 Leadership Changes for The Stage Managers’ Association
SMA has welcomed 10 new directors to board for the coming year. Joining the leadership team are Alfredo “Fredo” Aguilar (an active committee member located in the Central Region, Chicago) and R. Christopher Maxwell (who has served as a NYC Regional Rep)—both elected to serve at large. Amy Paige will serve as treasurer, Allison Baker as recording secretary, and Casey Hagwood as corresponding secretary. Serving as regional directors are Maegan Burnell (Central), Ben Shipley and Talia Krispel (Western), and Jhanaë Bonnick and Rachel Zucker (New York Metro). Vice Chair Amanda Spooner will serve in the new two-year position of director of education. Ross Jackson from Los Angeles has been elected as vice chair of the Association, and Adrienne Wells will serve a year as chair-elect in preparation for taking over the leadership of the Association in July 2022.
Tune in alert: Grace Aki's To Free a Mockingbird, a solo comedy about family secrets and generational trauma, streams through September 16 as part of the SheATL playwriting festival. Find out more about this and other streaming events on Playbill's Live Stream Calendar.
