Odds & Ends: Lea DeLaria to Host Obie Awards, John Gallagher Jr. Lands Film Gig & More

Lea Delaria Will Host the Obie Awards
Stage vet Lea DeLaria will return to host the 62nd Annual Obie Awards on May 22 at Webster Hall. The actress and comedian has been seen off-Broadway in Little Fish, Happy Days and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Her Broadway credits include The Rocky Horror Show and On the Town. This will be DeLaria’s third consecutive year hosting the celebration of off-Broadway. “I'm smart, edgy and charge way less than I'm worth,” says DeLaria of hosting the Obies. "At this point I consider myself family and I'm delighted to be back."

Ricky Martin to Join Darren Criss & More in Versace: American Crime Story
Ricky Martin, who was last seen on Broadway as Che in the 2012 revival of Evita, will appear in Ryan Murphy’s Versace: American Crime Story alongside fellow stage vet Darren Criss, according to Deadline. The third installment in FX’s limited series will also feature Édgar Rarmirez and Penélope Cruz. The series examines the 1997 assassination of Gianni Versace (Ramirez) by serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Criss). Martin is set to play Versace’s partner Antonio D’Amico with Cruz as Versace’s sister Donatella. Martin and Murphy reunite on the series, after Martin's appearance as a Latin music superstar on Glee.

Natascia Diaz, Nicholas Edwards & More to Lead Jesus Christ Superstar at Signature
A new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar at Virginia’s Signature Theatre has announced casting. Nicholas Edwards will star as Jesus of Nazareth, Ari McKay Wilford will play Judas Iscariot and Natascia Diaz will sing out as Mary Magdalene. They will be joined by Sherri L. Edelen as King Herod, Sam Ludwig as Annas, Michael J. Mainwaring as Peter, Awa Sal Secka as Simon Zealotes, Thomas Adrian Simpson as Caiaphas and Bobby Smith as Pontius Pilate. Additional casting includes Vincent Kempski, David Landstrom, Calvin McCullough, Solomon Parker III, Jobari Parker-Namdar, Chris Sizemore, Harrison Smith, Korinn Walfall and Kara Tameika Watkins. Joe Calarco directs the production running May 9-July 2.

John Gallagher Jr. Books New Big-Screen Project
Spring Awakening Tony winner John Gallagher Jr., who was seen on Broadway in 2016 in Long Day’s Journey Into Night, has joined Fox’s new film Underwater costarring Kristen Stewart, according to Deadline. Directed by William Eubank, the film described as an aquatic action thriller focuses on an underwater scientific crew who have to navigate through the ocean floor following an earthquake.