Odds & Ends: Abigail Barlow & Emily Bear to Perform Songs from The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical at the Kennedy Center

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

The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical Gets Kennedy Center Concert
Grammy-winning duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear have announced a one-night-only concert in which they will perform songs from The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Steven Reineke, the event will take place at the Kennedy Center on July 26. The Grammy winners will be joined on stage by special guests to be announced in the coming weeks. "When we began this journey, we had no idea how much this music would resonate with so many people," Barlow and Bear said. "Being able to perform our work at such an iconic venue is a dream come true, and we can’t wait to see you all there.”

Billy Crystal to Star in & Produce Apple TV+ Series Before
Billy Crystal, who is currently headlining Mr. Saturday Night at the Nederlander Theatre, is heading back to the small screen. The Tony and Emmy winner will star in and executive produce a series for Apple TV+, Deadline reports. Written by Sarah Thorp and directed by Barry Levinson, Before stars Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who encounters a troubled young boy after recently losing his wife. More details will be announced later.

Kinky Boots to Feature New Cyndi Lauper Song
Bucks County Playhouse will present the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots from June 24 through July 30, and it will include the new song “So Long Charlie.” Cyndi Lauper wrote the number, which is for the character Nicola and was not used in the original Broadway production. Co-directed by Playhouse Artistic Associate Sheryl Kaller and Hope Boykin and choreographed by Boykin, Richard E. Waits leads the cast as Lola with Jimmy Brewer as Charlie. The production also features Scarlett Walker as Lauren, Mikaela Nina Secada as Nicola, Michael Thatcher as Don and David LaMarr as George. The ensemble includes Aaron Alcaraz, Olivia Lacie Andrews, Andrew Capozzola, Kyle Caress, Aaron Graham, Theresa Hall, Ian Knauer, Amy Hillner Larsen, Sarah Lynn Marion, Michael Francis McBride, Mallorie Mendoza, Easton Noble, Emilio Ramos, William Roberson, Isaiah Tucker and Hayoi Wen.

Idina Menzel to Host Harmonious Live! on Disney+
Tony winner Idina Menzel, who recently launched her fashion line Encore for QVC, is set to host Harmonious Live! The event will stream on Disney+ in honor of World Music Day on June 21 at 9PM ET. It will feature Auli’i Cravalho from Disney's Moana, along with a group of 240 artists and a live orchestra. Check out the teaser below!

Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical in the Works
What's up, doc? According to Deadline, Warner Bros. Animation is creating Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical for HBO Max and Cartoon Network. The story spotlights Bugs Bunny, who, after starring in a long-running Looney Tunes Broadway smash production, decides it’s time to trade in sold-out shows for life as a regular rabbit. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's head writer Ariel Dumas is writing the screenplay and lyrics. Music and orchestrations are by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt. Veteran animator Brandon Jeffords serves as director and supervising producer.

Tony-Winning Scribe Matthew López to Adapt The Deviant’s War
Tony-winning playwright Matthew López has another adaptation in development. Variety reports that he will pen a limited series based on historian Eric Cervini’s New York Times bestseller The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America. The piece tells the story of Frank Kameny, a Department of Defense astronomer in the 1950s, who became a leading figure in the fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights when he sued the federal government after being fired because he was gay. López, who signed an overall television development deal with Amazon Studios in October 2020, is in pre-production for his feature directorial debut on LGBTQ+ comedy Red, White & Royal Blue, based on Casey McQuiston’s novel of the same name. He is also working on a reimagining of the 1992 box office hit The Bodyguard as well as a film adaptation of Leading Men, a novel about Tennessee Williams and his longtime partner Frank Merlo.