Odds & Ends: Gavin Creel & More to Return for Spooktacular I Put a Spell on You Livestream

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed recently.

I Put a Spell on You: The Sanderson Variant Flying in October 28
An updated edition of I Put a Spell on You, a virtual version of the annual concert-meets-party conceived by Jay Armstrong Johnson and inspired by the movie Hocus Pocus, will premiere on October 28 at 8PM ET and raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Building on last year’s successful stream, this year’s I Put a Spell on You: The Sanderson Variant adds new numbers and new guests to the evening. The event will take viewers through a series of performances as the Sanderson Sisters, played by Johnson, Allison Robinson and Amanda Williams Ware, recruit their friends (including Gavin Creel, J. Harrison Ghee, Todrick Hall, Robyn Hurder, Eva Noblezada, Will Swenson and more) in an attempt to break the internet. Head here for more information on the spooktacular event.

Watch the Trailer for Cyrano, Starring Peter Dinklage
The trailer for the previously announced musical film adaptation of Cyrano, starring Peter Dinklage, has arrived. Haley Bennett returns to the role of love interest Roxanne, which she played alongside Dinklage at the Goodspeed Opera House’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2018. Directed by Joe Wright, the film's cast also includes Kelvin Harrison Jr., Brian Tyree Henry and Ben Mendelsoh. The music for Cyrano is by The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner with lyrics by Matt Berninger (also from The National) and Carin Besser, who has contributed to many of the band’s songs. Check out the trailer below for the movie, which is scheduled to arrive in December.

Romy and Michele Musical to Hold Workshop in New York
A developmental workshop for Romy and Michele: The Musical is coming to the New 42 Studios in New York City, with industry presentations scheduled for October 14 and 15. Directed by Kristin Hanggi, this new musical, based on the 1997 movie Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, is written by the film’s screenwriter, Robin Schiff, and features a score by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay, choreography by Peggy Hickey and scenic design by Scott Pask. The show had its world premiere in 2017 at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Previous industry workshops for the show had been scheduled for March 18, 2020, just days after the pandemic caused theaters to shut down. This upcoming presentation will star Brittney Johnson as Romy, Leana Rae Concepcion as Michele, Jordan Kai Burnett as Heather Mooney, Michael Starr as Billy Christianson, Chad Burris as Toby Walters, Telly Leung as Sandy Frink and Tess Soltau as Christie Masters. The ensemble will include Zuri Washington, Erin Ramirez, Anju Cloud, Shea Gomez, Shina Ann Morris, Sissy Bell, Louis Williams Jr., Sam Hamashima and Jorrel Javier.

Blair Underwood to Return to L.A. Law for Sequel Pilot
Tony nominee Blair Underwood is returning to his role as attorney Jonathan Rollins. Deadline reports that Underwood is set to headline and executive produce the sequel pilot for L.A. Law for ABC. The pilot is written and executive produced by lawyer Marc Guggenheim and Ubah Mohamed and will be directed by Anthony Hemingway. In it, McKenzie Brackman reinvents itself as a litigation firm specializing in only the most high profile, boundary-pushing and incendiary cases. Underwood’s character has gone from idealistic to more conservative as he clashes with millennial JJ Freeman to decide the best path forward for the firm to effect political and legal change. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, L.A. Law ran for eight seasons on NBC, followed by a reunion movie in 2002. Bochco’s son Jesse Bochco has played a key role in putting the project together, and the late producer’s widow, Dayna Bochco, will also executive produce.

Justin Tranter & More Board Grease Prequel Series
Tell us about this, stud! Deadline reports some names have been added to the creative team for Paramount+’s previously announced prequel series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. Joining writer Annabel Oakes, who will also serve as showrunner, are Justin Tranter, Jamal Sims and Alethea Jones. The series will feature original music, written and executive produced by Tranter, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer known for albums like Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia and The Chicks’ Gaslighter. Sims will choreograph musical numbers for the series, and Jones will direct the first episode and produce. The new series takes place four years before Grease and tells the backstory of the film's Pink Ladies. Casting and a production timeline will be announced later.

Casting Complete for The Visitor at the Public Theater
The Public Theater's 2021-2022 season will begin on October 14 with the world premiere of The Visitor. With music by Tom Kitt, lyrics by Brian Yorkey and a book by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Yorkey, the new musical is directed by Daniel Sullivan and features choreography by Lorin Latarro. The Visitor is based on the independent film of the same name by Thomas McCarthy and follows a widowed college professor who is swept into a struggle of whether to stay in a place that he calls home but seeks to cast him out. It was previously announced to run as part of the 2019-2020 season but was delayed due to the pandemic. The cast includes the previously reported  Alysha Deslorieux, David Hyde Pierce and Ari’el Stachel along with Jacqueline Antaramian. Rounding out the cast are Robert Ariza, Anthony Chan, Delius Doherty, C.K. Edwards, Will Erat, Brandon Espinoza, Sean Ewing, Crystal Joy, Marla Louissaint, Ahmad Maksoud, Sahar Milani, Dimitri Joseph Moïse, Takafumi Nikaido, Paul Pontrelli and Katie Terza. The production opens on November 4 and is scheduled to run through November 28.