Odds & Ends: Lin-Manuel Miranda on 'Joyous' J.J. Abrams Collaboration, Italian Nun Gets Cast in Sister Act Musical & More

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

Lin-Manuel Miranda on 'Joyous' J.J. Abrams Collaboration
Certified genius Lin-Manuel Miranda is opening up about how he came to pen a number for a small upcoming movie you might have heard of, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. "We wrote the song together," the Hamilton maestro told Vulture about working with the film's director, J.J. Abrams. "It was a joyous collaboration. He's a really wonderful musician, on top of the polymath we already know he is.” As if you don't know already, Hamilton is playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and Star Wars hits movie theaters on December 18.

Eve Plumb Tapped for Grease: Live
There are worse things she could do! Off-Broadway alum Eve Plumb, known to television fans the world over as middle sister Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch, is set to appear as shop teacher Mrs. Murdock in Grease: Live, Deadline writes. We are already planning our viewing parties and practicing our hand jives for Fox's January 31, 2016 telecast, which will star Broadway alums Aaron Tveit and Vanessa Hudgens, along with Julianne Hough and many more.

NBC Developing Period Musical With B'way Talent
It would seem two seasons of Smash didn’t put NBC off musicals! Voice of the City, a tuner set in the Big Apple in 1891, is being developed by the peacock network. According to Variety, Tony nominee Claudia Shear (Dirty Blond) is penning the script for the one-hour drama, which will follow a dreamy showman and his sweetheart. Tony nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Smash, the off-Broadway bound Dear Evan Hansen, James and the Giant Peach), are also on board the project.

Krysten Cummings & More Set for Seasons of Larson
Broadway alum Krysten Cummings, Debbie Kurup and Damien Flood have been enlisted for Seasons of Larson, a one-off concert celebrating the life and music of Jonathan Larson. The trio have all previously appeared in the composer’s hit tuner Rent and will perform some of his most iconic and lesser known numbers, and reflect on their memories of the show. The previously announced event is scheduled for January 25, 2016 at the West End’s Lyric Theatre.

Mario Cantone & Ralph Macchio Gets Rooms of Their Own
Mario Cantone (currently starring in Steve off-Broadway) and Ralph Macchio will headline the world premeire of A Room of My Own. The show, written and directed by Charles Messina, follows Carl (Macchio), a writer looking back on his childhood in Greenwich Village with his Italian-American family. Cantone will play Jackie, his eccentric uncle. The Abingdon Theatre Company production will play off-Broadway's June Havoc Theatre from February 13, 2016 through March 13. Opening night is set for February 25.

Italian Nun Gets Cast in Sister Act Musical
Praise the Lord! A real-life nun will play a nun in an Italian version of the Sister Act musical. World Religion News (a regular source of ours) reports that former Italian The Voice contestant Sister Cristina Scuccia is set to take on the role of the quiet and meek Mary Robert in the tuner, which will open in Rome on December 10 at the Brancaccio Theater. All her earnings are donated to charity (naturally) and she hopes the Pope would support her as theater is a “way to meet others and leave her message of love.” Check out her (somewhat controversial) rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” below. Truth is stranger than fiction, people.