Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed.
Jamie Ballard, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Keith Hamilton Cobb, More Will Be Heard in The Tempest
A host of actors from both sides of the Atlantic will be heard in a radio play production of Shakespeare's The Tempest, produced by Jersey City's Shakespeare@. Adapted and directed by Artistic Director Sean Hagerty, the cast includes RSC and National Theatre veteran David Hargreaves as Prospero, Maria-Christina Oliveras (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Ariel, Jamie Ballard (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Stephano, Thomas Aldridge (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Trinculo, Jonathan Forbes (Catastrophe) as Caliban, Derek Wilson (Preacher) as Ferdinand, Aria Shahghasemi (Legacies) as Sebastian, Andrew Sellon (Gotham) as Gonzalo, and Keith Hamilton Cobb (American Moor) as Antonio, with Mark Torres, Alice Marks, Freddie Lee Bennett, Rin Allen, and Zoe Himmel. Hagerty has crafted The Tempest into four weekly parts; the first episode will be available beginning October 1 at 7 PM ET free of charge at Shakespeare-at.org and will subsequently be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and Stitcher. The remaining episodes will debut October 8, 15, and 22. The Tempest also features original music by Joan Melton with sound design by Dan Gerhard and Ellen Fitton of Sonic Designs. Justin Goldner is the music producer and supervisor with casting by Robin Carus. Sydney Steele is the associate producer.
TEDxBroadway Moves Online
TEDxBroadway will be held virtually this year November 17 at 1 PM ET via Stellar. The annual event features talks and panels about the state of the theatre industry in addition to performances, with a lineup to be announced soon. “Since 2011, we’ve been asking all stake-holders of the Broadway ecosystem to question, ‘What’s the best Broadway can be?’ And, while we all wish the answer was just even open, this will be a watershed moment for the community to address this mission-critical question with even greater urgency, immediacy and, well, hope for the future,“ says TEDxBroadway Co-Founder Damian Bazadona. Click here for more information about this year’s event.
Phylicia Rashad and Fred Armisen to Be Honored at Music Conservatory of Westchester Gala
Tony winner Phylicia Rashad and Emmy nominee Fred Armisen will join Tony winner Christine Ebersole as honorees at the Music Conservatory of Westchester Gala September 23 at 7 PM ET. As previously reported, Tony nominees Kate Baldwin, Alex Brightman, and Lilli Cooper, and other Broadway favorites will perform during the festivities. For more information and tickets, click here.
Katy Sullivan Stars in Laurel Ollstein’s Pandora
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will stream a benefit workshop reading of Laurel Ollstein’s Pandora, starring Katy Sullivan (Cost of Living) in the title role. In this new play, Ollstein investigates the Pandora’s box myth, delving into the world-changing curiosity and hope resulting from one woman’s fateful actions. The performance was recorded over Zoom under the direction of TheatreWorks Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli. Pandora will be available to stream beginning September 24 at 9 PM ET through September 28 at 9 PM ET. An additional interview with Sullivan will drop September 18. For more information, click here.
OCU Partners With London’s Academy of Live and Recorded Arts for Master’s Program in Screen Acting
The School of Theatre at Oklahoma City University will partner with British drama school Academy of Live and Recorded Arts for a new Master’s Degree program in Screen Acting. The two-year program, taught in Los Angeles in year one and in London in year two, will feature master classes led by industry professionals, including Tony and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth, who graduated from OCU with a Masters in Opera Performance. Chenoweth will conduct master classes at least once a year for OCU MFA students in L.A. The program, which will prepare graduates to work professionally in film, TV, and other recorded media, will begin in January 2021. Guest speakers will include Hamilton's Krystal Joy Brown; MadRiver Pictures Director of Development Emma Ago; Austin Leshay, talent agent at Hyperion; Mark Morikawa, manager at MGMT Entertainment; recording artist Dia Frampton; Siena Oberman, producer at Artemis Pictures; Aaron Brown, manager at Avalon Management; Nora May, manager at 3 Arts Entertainment; FanFare Manager of Development McCrae Dunlap; Sean Woods, manager at Fourward; and Erin Dicker, producer at BrooklynWorks Films.
Year one will start in Los Angeles’ Culver City, including internship opportunities at film industry companies. During the second year, students will study in London at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. Applications are being accepted now; details for submission of an audition and materials can be found by clicking here.
Girl From the North Country's Luba Mason to Release New Solo Recording
Luba Mason, part of the company of Broadway's Girl From the North Country, will release her latest solo recording, Triangle, October 23 via Blue Canoe Records. Recorded live in front of an invited audience at Manhattan's Power Station studio, the new album also features vibraphonist Joe Locke and bassist James Genus. Expect “Haled’s Song About Love” from The Band’s Visit, the Frank Loesser tune “Say It,” pop classics by the Beatles and Paul Simon, a Monk standard, a Slovak folk song, and a tune by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Produced by Renato Neto, Triangle can be pre-ordered at Amazon, iTunes, Apple Music, and will be available to stream on all platforms including Spotify.
Dialing in: Woolly Mammoth's Digital Season Launches in October With Human Resources
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., and Telephonic Literary Union are joining forces for Woolly Mammoth's first production of its new digital season. Entitled Human Resources, the intimate audio anthology for remote times will be available October 1–25. A collaboration of Sarah Lunnie, Stowe Nelson, and Yuvika Tolani, Telephonic Literary Union makes stories for very small audiences using phones, curated environments, and the theatre of the mind. Featuring new works by Brittany K. Allen, Christopher Chen, Hansol Jung, and Zeniba Now, wherever you’re calling from, Human Resources will be there for you: To file a claim or plan your escape, dial (800) 804-1573.
