Mary-Louise Parker Lets It Snow, Ed Harris Heads South & Rachel Weisz Cheats on Daniel Craig in This Week’s Datebook
Start gulping espresso, theater lovers! You’ll need to be wide-awake for this jam-packed week of exciting offerings. From Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker’s latest Broadway outing to the start of a Murderously funny new musical comedy to the stage return of uber-hunk Daniel Craig, this is not a week to take off and go leaf-peeping! Get your party clothes from the cleaners and join us for the can’t-miss events in this week’s Datebook.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21
GILDED GUILD
Here’s a name-dropper’s wildest dream: The illustrious list of honorees at the annual Dramatists Guild gala includes Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Ben Vereen, Toni Collette, Jeremy Jordan and so many more that we don’t have room to write them all. Michael Urie hosts the event at the Edison Ballroom. If you were to pile all of the guests' awards together, we’re pretty sure you could sink the Intrepid.
ALSO: Luce, starring Marin Hinkle and Neal Huff, opens at LCT3; Lindsay Mendez, Patti Murin and more revisit Princesses: A Class Reunion at 54 Below; Paul Rudd and starry friends hit the fast lane at his All-Star Bowling Benefit at Lucky Strike; Marilyn Maye sings show tunes at 54 Below; Tony winner Nikki M. James plays Joe's Pub.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
DADDY’S GIRL
Fun Home, the new tragicomic musical from Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, officially opens at the Public Theater, based on Alison Bechdel’s gripping graphic novel about her relationship with her closeted father. The piece, starring Beth Malone, Judy Kuhn and Michael Cerveris, reflects on the artist’s tense childhood, which was partly spent at a funeral home operated by her parents. There is no doubt this is not your mother’s musical memoir!
ALSO: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder begins Broadway performances; The Commons of Pensacola, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Blythe Danner, starts off-Broadway previews at MTC; the ever-popular Kristin Chenoweth stops by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; the original Broadway cast recording of Matilda is released; Jake Broder brings his acclaimed show His Royal Hipness Lord Buckley to 54 Below; Macbeth star Ethan Hawke visits Ellen.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
MAGIC TO DO
Sleight-of-hand geniuses Derek DelGaudio and Helder Guimaraes begin performances of their jaw-dropping brand of magic off-Broadway in Nothing to Hide, under the direction of Emmy winner/Tony host/Broadway-bound star Neil Patrick Harris. After their record-breaking L.A. run of the show, it looks like these magicians might have a hit up their sleeves.
ALSO: The Landing, a new musical with a score by John Kander and Greg Pierce, opens at the Vineyard Theatre; Murder for Two begins off-Broadway previews; Tony winner Joanna Gleason returns to 54 Below; two-time Tony winner John Lithgow heads to Live with Kelly & Michael, Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver enter Actor Therapy at 54 Below.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
SNOW DAY
Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker reunites with her Proof director Daniel Sullivan in Sharr White’s The Snow Geese, which opens at Broadway’s Friedman Theatre. With Tony winner Victoria Clark and Broadway favorite Danny Burstein joining Parker in the emotional play about a wealthy family that has fallen on hard times, expect nothing short of acting fireworks.
ALSO: Tony-nommed playwright and beloved drag diva Charles Busch lights up 54 Below with Ridin’ High.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
SAVAGE SOUTH
Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Bill Pullman lead Beth Henley’s new play, The Jacksonian, which begins performances at off-Broadway’s Acorn Theatre, produced by the New Group. Set in 1964 Mississippi, the fractured drama revolves around the night of a murder in a town poisoned by racism. Sounds like a perfect combination of cast, author and subject matter.
ALSO: The world premiere of Meghan Kennedy’s poignant drama Too Much, Too Much, Too Many begins performances at Roundabout Underground; A Raisin in the Sun Revisited: The Raisin Cycle airs on PBS.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
JAMES CORDEN GETS IT WRONG
Tony winner James Corden (the Baker in the upcoming movie musical Into the Woods) co-wrote and stars in this comedy thriller TV series about two office workers that get caught up in a web of crime after answering a ringing phone at the site of a car crash. The Hulu show will have its U.S. premiere on the closing night of the New York Television Festival.
ALSO: The off-Broadway revival of Jon Robin Baitz’s The Film Society closes at the Clurman Theatre.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
SECRETS AND LIES
James Bond hunk Daniel Craig and real-life wife Rachel Weisz are two sides of a love triangle in Harold Pinter’s tale of deception, which opens at the Barrymore Theatre, co-starring Rafe Spall and directed by the legendary Mike Nichols. Already one of Broadway’s hottest tickets, Betrayal excitement should reach a fever pitch on opening night.
ALSO: Jarrod Spector, who headlined Jersey Boys for ages and is headed back to Broadway in the Carole King musical Beautiful, rocks out with his new concert A Little Help from My Friends at 54 Below.
