Odds & Ends: Audra McDonald to Divorce Will Swenson in First Wives Club, Sting's The Last Ship Adds Cast & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today.

Audra McDonald to Split From Will Swenson in The First Wives Club
Audra McDonald, Sherie Rene Scott and Lili Taylor will headline an all-star benefit reading of Robert Harling’s The First Wives Club screenplay at the Mainstage Theater on July 7. Based on the novel by Olivia Goldsmith, the event will be directed by Trip Cullman in aid of The Actors Fund’s Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative. In an interesting casting twist, McDonald will play Annie Paradis, while her real-life husband Will Swenson will play Annie’s estranged husband Aaron. Other stars taking part include Jeremy Shamos, John Ellison Conlee, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Katherine Waterston, Margo Seibert, Tracee Chimo and Kristine Nielsen.

Bill Pullman Turns Ballet Dancer
Not really. Well, maybe. Stage and screen vet Bill Pullman will feature in the world premiere of Liz Lerman’s new theatrical dance piece Healing Wars at Arena Stage. That’s right, the Independence Day star is appearing in a theatrical dance piece. The production will run at the D.C. theater June 6 through June 29.

More Casting News for Sting Musical The Last Ship
Sting’s upcoming Broadway musical The Last Ship has announced further casting. The ensemble will include Ethan Applegate, Craig Bennett, Dawn Cantwell, Jeremy Davis, Bradley Dean, Alyssa DiPalma, Colby Foytik, David Michael Garry, Timothy Gulan, Shawna M. Hamic, Rich Hebert, Leah M. Hocking, Todd A. Horman, Sarah Hunt, Jamie Jackson, Sean Jenness, C. David Johnson, Drew McVety, Johnny Newcomb, Gregory North, Matthew Stocke, Cullen Titmus and Jeremy Woodard. We're looking forward to the tuner beginning previews on September 29 and opening on October 26 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Clay Aiken's a Winner
Broadway alum Clay Aiken is one step closer to Washington. The Wrap reports that the American Idol runner-up has been declared the winner in North Carolina's Democratic Congressional primary race after his opponent, Keith Crisco, died on May 12. Their May 6 election had been too close to call.