In the News: Olivier Winner Sam Tutty, Six Stars, and More Will Be Part of West End Acoustic Concert, Tina Fallon Departs Dramatists Guild, More | Playbill

Industry News In the News: Olivier Winner Sam Tutty, Six Stars, and More Will Be Part of West End Acoustic Concert, Tina Fallon Departs Dramatists Guild, More Plus, watch Syndee Winters and Carmen Ruby Floyd in the inspirational new music video, "When Broadway Is Back."
Sam Tutty Matt Crockett/Dewynters

Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed in today's news.

Sam Tutty, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Renée Lamb, More Will Perform at Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios has added more programming for its inaugural Christmas season December 8–10 in association with New Frame Productions, including an evening of unplugged performances, West End Acoustic, December 8 with Olivier winner Sam Tutty, Six stars Maiya Quansah-Breed and Renée Lamb, and West End alums Nicholas McLean and Tyrone Huntley. Additionally, New Frame Productions will present live staged readings of Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web and The Hollow with Derek Jacobi, Jessica Hynes, Simon Callow, Kathryn Drysdale, Tom Hughes, Nina Sosanya, James Dreyfus, Laura Haddock, Valentine Olukoga, Samantha Bond, Angela Griffin, and Matthew Kelly. All profits will be donated to the Theatre Support Fund+ and Acting for Others. For more information and tickets, click here.

Tina Fallon Departs Executive Director Role of Dramatists Guild
Tina Fallon has decided to step down from her role as Executive Director for Creative Affairs for The Dramatists Guild of America in order to encourage the industry to embrace dynamic, innovative new leadership. Fallon, who will return to her work at Realty Collective, an independent, woman-owned brokerage firm in Red Hook, Brooklyn, said in a statement, "Since my start at the Dramatists Guild in 2016, the focus of Creative Affairs has been equity and inclusion in our community. To that end we have expanded our regional programs, diversified our staff and Council, and enacted anti-bias training and practice. The next step in this process is to create opportunities for executive leadership at the Guild. Mine is one of the great jobs in the American theatre, and I am excited to know that the Guild now has an opportunity to select a new visionary leader to move the organization and the industry forward.”

Guild president Doug Wright added, "Tina Fallon has not only done an exemplary job overseeing the Guild's Creative Affairs; she has also been a profound moral voice for instituting the kind of changes that will truly bring us into the 21st century, as we continue to strive for diversity and inclusivity at all levels of the institution. We will miss her keen intelligence, her formidable skill, and her inspiring nature." Selection of a new executive director will be the first order of business for the new Council officers when they are elected in March 2021. Until that time, Managing Director Emmanuel Wilson will continue to shepherd the Guild's creative initiatives, and Ralph Sevush continues in his capacity as Executive Director of Business Affairs & General Counsel. Fallon also continues to serve on the board of The 24 Hour Plays.

Watch Trailer for HAM: A Musical Memoir, Directed by Billy Porter and Starring Sam Harris
The solo show HAM: A Musical Memoir, seen in New York and Los Angeles starring Tony nominee Sam Harris (The Life), has been acquired by Global Digital Releasing. The film will make its theatrical debut on Laemmle’s virtual platform December 3 before heading to BroadwayHD, where it will begin streaming January 7, 2021. Based on Harris' autobiography, Ham: Slices of a Life, the stage production (in which Harris plays 12 different characters) was developed by Tony and Emmy winner Billy Porter, who directed the stage production. The production, filmed at The Pasadena Playhouse, received Ovation Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Musical Director. Watch a preview below.

Chicago’s Goodman Theatre Seeking New Plays by BIPOC Artists
BIPOC playwrights are being encouraged to submit new works to Goodman Theatre’s Future Labs, the Chicago institution’s newest artistic program to develop works. Designed primarily for Chicago-based writers who have not had a play produced at the Goodman, the program will feature up to nine workshops and presentations, slated to begin early 2021. Future Labs is curated by the Goodman’s Associate Director of Education and Engagement Quenna L. Barrett, Literary and New Works Manager Jonathan L. Green, and Associate Producer Ken-Matt Martin. “[This program] makes space for an exciting new kind of inclusivity and lateral leadership in our industry,” said Barrett. “Many artists, especially artists of color, often assume administrative jobs at arts organizations for survival—but individuals in those roles aren’t typically invited into artistic practice or sought for creative input. This new program reminds us and our leadership that we can live out our artistry even in our ‘day jobs’.” Selected projects receive rehearsal time; artistic, dramaturgical, and casting support; and an optional free public reading. To learn more about Future Labs and to submit a project for consideration, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/FutureLabs.

Sandy Duncan Will Star in Virtual Reading of Laughing Wild
Three-time Tony nominee Sandy Duncan (Peter Pan), most recently on Broadway in Finding Neverland, and Steve Witting (The Irishman) will star in a virtual reading of Christopher Durang’s Laughing Wild November 21 at 7 PM ET to benefit The Actors Fund. Directed by Guy Stroman, the play shows different perspectives of two troubled people trying to live in the chaos of New York City. Although the reading is free to watch, donations are encouraged to The Actors Fund. Visit LaughingWildActorsFund.com.

Syndee Winters, Carmen Ruby Floyd, More Featured in Inspirational Music Video, "When Broadway Is Back"
Musical theatre collaborators Barbara Bellman and Emiliano Messiez have written a new song of hope, “When Broadway Is Back,” dedicated to their colleagues who are out of work due to the ongoing pandemic. A new music video of the tune, featuring Syndee Winters (Hamilton), Carmen Ruby Floyd (Chicago), Dana Aber (Baggage at the Door), and Dale Sampson (Sam’s Room), can be viewed below. The video also features Diego Urcola on trumpet, Conrad Herwig on trombones, Scott Robinson on reeds, Emiliano Messiez on piano, Luis Bacqué on bass, Ignacio Rivas Bixio on drums, and Juan "Pollo" Raffo, who penned the horns arrangement. The song was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Luis Bacqué, who also served as videographer. Those inspired by the song are encouraged to donate to The Actors Fund and/or Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

 
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