Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed in today's news.
Cyndi Lauper's Home for the Holidays Benefit Will Stream on TikTok
Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winner Cyndi Lauper (Kinky Boots) will present her 10th annual Home for the Holidays benefit concert on her TikTok stream December 11, with additional broadcasts December 13 on YouTube and Facebook. Lauper hosts the event, benefiting True Colors United, the organization she co-founded 12 years ago to prevent and end homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. The star-studded virtual event will feature appearances and performances from Bette Midler, Taylor Swift, Cher, Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Harvey Fierstein, the musical Kinky Boots, and more. For more information, click here.
A Work-in-Progress Concert of Swingin' the Dream from RSC, Young Vic, and TFANA
The Royal Shakespeare Company teams up with the Young Vic and Theatre for a New Audience to present a concert work-in-progress of Swingin' the Dream. The show, presented by Young Vic Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah, will tell the story of the 1939 Broadway musical and feature performances of the original songs with lyrics by Eddie de Lange and music by Jimmy Van Heusen. The 1939 musical, a jazz re-telling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featured some of the most popular African-American performers of the day, including Louis Armstrong, Moms Mabley, Maxine Sullivan, the Dandridge Sisters, and Butterfly McQueen, alongside musical contributions from Count Basie, Fats Waller, and Benny Goodman. Reservations for the January 9, 2021, concert are required and can be made via Theatre for a New Audience.
Rachel Bay Jones Joins the Christmas Sing Along
The 9th Annual Christmas Sing Along, traditionally performed live at the Broadway Presbyterian Church, will be broadcast this year on Facebook Live December 13 at 5:30 PM ET. The show is hosted by Paula Leggett Chase (Tootsie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown) and features performances from Tony Award winner Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen, Pippin), Tony nominee Stephen Bogardus (Bright Star, Falsettos), Grammy nominee Everett Bradley (Swing!), Mad Men’s Bryan Batt, Thom Sesma (Sweeney Todd), Linda Mugleston (My Fair Lady), Ellen Harvey (Present Laughter), Jess LeProtto (Carousel), Jennifer Allen (Bridges of Madison County), Katrina Yaukey (The Great Comet), Branch Woodman (Hello, Dolly!), Charlie Williams (Frozen), and Robin Lyon Gardiner (A Chorus Line). The evening will also have music arrangements and direction by David B. Chase with additional arrangements by Steven Marzullo, Michael Orland, and Steven Malone.
Houston's Alley Theatre 2020-2021 Season Moves Online
Houston's Alley Theatre has canceled all live performances for the remainder of its 2020-2021 season, but is replacing the programming with a digital season of new plays and classics featuring the Alley's resident acting company. Offerings include new translations of Strindberg, Ibsen, and Euripedes, as well as new plays by Don X. Nguyen, Chisa Hutchinson, Jihae Park, and ShaWanna Renee Rivon. The digital season runs through July, with plans to resume a live season in fall 2021. Register for free tickets to the online season at AlleyTheatre.org.
