Odds & Ends: Phillipa Soo & More Hamilton Peeps Set for Public Theater Gala & More
(Photo: Emilio Madrid-Kuser)
Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today and this weekend.
Phillipa Soo & More Set for Public Theater Gala at the Delacorte
A bevy of Broadway faves has been tapped for Hair to Hamilton, 50 Years of Revolutionary Musicals. The Public Theater's annual gala will include a 90-minute concert of songs from the Public's most groundbreaking musicals, including Hamilton, Hair, A Chorus Line, Fun Home and Runaways. Brian d’Arcy James, Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, Nikki M. James, Sasha Allen, Sydney Lucas, Kevin Mambo, Britton Smith, Mary Testa, Akron Watson and Jason Williams will take the stage. Additional casting will be announced at a later date. The event is scheduled to take place on June 5 at the Delacorte Theater.
Josh Groban & More Enlisted for MTC Spring Gala
Speaking of fancy schmancy galas, 2017 Tony nominees Josh Groban and Rachel Bay Jones are just some of the talent tapped for Manhattan Theatre Club’s annual spring soirée. There will also be performances from The Great Comet, Dear Evan Hansen, Bandstand, A Bronx Tale, Come From Away, Sunset Boulevard and the forthcoming Prince of Broadway. The swanky event, one of the highlights of Tony season, will be hosted by Emmy and Tony winner Mandy Patinkin and is scheduled to take place on May 22 at Cipriani 42nd Street.
Neil Patrick Harris, Tituss Burgess & More Set for Vulture Festival
A slew of stage faves will take part in this year’s Vulture Festival! Tituss Burgess will discuss his new vineyard venture with New York Magazine at Milk Studios on May 20 at 7:00pm. On May 21 at 10:30am, Neil Patrick Harris will appear at Milk Studios in a conversation with an editor from the publication. And on May 21 at 4:30pm, Vulture Festival will test the pop culture knowledge of the cast of the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Orange Is the New Black in a live game show. Among those set to appear from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend will be Rachel Bloom and Donna Lynne Champlin up against the likes of Jackie Cruz and Lea DeLaria of Orange Is the New Black.
Could How I Met Your Mother Be the Next TV Reboot?
We already can’t stop talking about beloved series Will & Grace’s small screen return (and that Sunset Boulevard parody—hilarious!). We would absolutely love it if CBS’ hit series How I Met Your Mother made a comeback. According to Deadline, 20th Century Fox TV is looking to make it happen. As previously announced, the Neil Patrick Harris-led Series of Unfortunate Events got picked up for a second season, and Josh Radnor is reportedly set to appear in NBC’s Jeffrey Seller-produced series Rise! Perhaps we can coax our new BFF Cobie Smulders into spearheading a reunion? We’ll be keeping an eye out for this one—not unlike Ted Mosby looking for love in the Big Apple.
Emmy Winner Powers Boothe Is Dead at 68
Powers Boothe passed away in Los Angeles on May 14. The Emmy winner’s death was due to natural causes; he was 68. Boothe garnered an Emmy Award for his performance in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones; other notable screen credits include Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Sin City, Deadwood, 24, Nashville and Nixon. He appeared in both the Great White Way and off-Broadway productions of Lone Star & Pvt. Wars. His additional off-Broadway credits included Othello and Richard III. Fellow Broadway alum Beau Bridges Tweeted his respects for his “dear friend.
It's with great sadness that I mourn the passing of my friend Powers Boothe. A dear friend, great actor, devoted father & husband.
— Beau Bridges (@MrBeauBridges) May 14, 2017
Lilly Awards to Honor Julie Taymor, Madison Ferris & More
The eighth annual Lilly Awards ceremony, which celebrates women of distinction in the American Theater, will honor Julie Taymor, Denée Benton, Micki Grant, Toni-Leslie James, Mandy Greenfield, Madison Ferris, and Beanie Feldstein. Cynthia Nixon, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and David Henry Hwang are set to be presenters at the ceremony. Tony winner Sarah Jones, whose Sell/Buy/Date played Manhattan Theatre Club last year, will host the event on May 22 at Playwrights Horizons.
The Wind in the Willows Will Release a Cast Album
The London Palladium production of the new musical The Wind in the Willows is scheduled to release a cast recording from producer Jamie Hendry and Sony Masterworks Broadway. The cast of the new West End musical, which begins previews on June 16 prior to an official opening on June 29, headed to the studio earlier this month to record the 20-track album. The cast recording is available for pre-order today and will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway mid-June. With music and lyrics by Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the album features the original West End cast, accompanied by a 14-piece band.
P.S. Stage and screen favorite Jim Parsons married longtime partner Todd Spiewak in New York City's Rainbow Room on May 13. Congrats to the happy couple!