Daveed Diggs Is Not Throwing Away His Grammy, Audra McDonald's Singing on the Streets & More Lessons of the Week

Happy Friday! We hope you’re ready to spend the weekend browsing through these fiery pics of the Hamilton ensemble (sheer cape optional), but first, it’s time for the Lessons of the Week. We learned a whole lot about the Great White Way over the past seven days. From a Founding Father heading to the big screen to some men in uniform stopping Patrick Bateman in his bloody tracks, let’s break it down.


Lin's Goin' to Tinseltown
Lin-Manuel Miranda may be leaving Hamilton this summer, but it’s not so he can take some downtime. In the span of five days, the certified genius confirmed his leading role in the upcoming Mary Poppins film, got Harvey Weinstein on board for an In the Heights movie and pondered an eventual big screen adaptation of Hamilton. The man is non-stop, indeed, and ready for his close-up.


Patti LuPone Is a Belieber, Baby
Patti LuPone is a master of many trades, including belting, phone snatching and—belieb it or not—Justin Bieber. In the latest of her documentary series, LuPone hung out with Lin before performing for #Ham4Ham. They, of course, talked about musicals and offensive audiences, but she also had a whole spiel prepared about Bieber. Is LuPone/Bieber the Next to Normal revival we never knew we needed? [Editor's note: No, it is not.]


Burstein Is the Only Audience You Need
There’s one main challenge when you and your spouse are both Broadway stars: you can’t see each other’s shows. Fiddler Tony nominee Danny Burstein couldn’t catch his wife Rebecca Luker during her Fun Home stint as they had the same performance schedule. But when you’re Danny Burstein, you arrange your own private performance, or at least get stage managers to let you crash a rehearsal. It pays to be a rich man!


Grammys Aren't Just for Paperweights
We'd like to think that the accolades thrust upon the Hamilton cast haven't gotten to their heads, but this might be taking things a bit too far. At a seemingly low-key drink break backstage, Daveed Diggs used a shot glass we're sure you don't have lying around—unless you too are a Grammy winner. Glasswear is among the strangest uses we've heard for trophies, but don't forget J. Hud's trapdoor Oscar.


Facebook Is the Ultimate Hamilfan
At last, Burr got to be in the room where it happens. In the latest episode of his Hamilton vlog, Leslie Odom Jr. showed us around Facebook’s New York offices, including the conference room officially named “The Room Where It Happens.” No one really knows how the party gets to yes over there, but we assume it doesn’t involve drinking out of Grammys. That’s a dressing room specialty.


You'll Never Forget Chris Fitz's Names
Waitress creeper Ogie, played by Christopher Fitzgerald, is a poetry buff. So as the Bard wrote, "What's in a name?" We ask because Fitzgerald has had his fair share of peculiar ones on stage throughout his career. In addition to Ogie, there's been Og, Spit, Igor and Boq. Cats is just around the corner, so it's not too late to add Bustopher, Mr. Mistoffelees or Skimbleshanks to that roster of fanciful monikers.


Sailors Left Patrick Bateman Flustered
During the big "Killing Spree" number at a recent performance of American Psycho, Benjamin Walker ad-libbed a line for some sailors during Fleet Week, and while the crowd ate it up, the slasher sound effects became out of sync as they were part of the backing track. We all know Patrick's into that cassette tape sound, but in this case, a full orchestra would have been the perfect accomplice.


Viola Davis Can't Escape the B'way Love
Following her Emmy win and two Oscar nods, Viola Davis fans are all over. But the heart of her fan club is right here on Broadway. (She is, after all, a two-time Tony winner.) Eclipsed Tony nominee Pascale Armand said Davis is her “everything.” Another nominee, Danielle Brooks, met her on the street, and it sounded like an overwhelming experience. I guess what we’re trying to say is: We’re ready for this to happen.


Carol Channing Might Have Mystic Powers
It’s gonna be nice to have Bette Midler back once when she headlines the Hello, Dolly! revival. She took a magical approach to prepping for the role: unicorn watching. The Divine Miss M caught up with the original Dolly Carol Channing. Her caption? “Last week I met a unicorn.” Wait. Is Carol Channing a unicorn? Is she still a sheep? We have some questions, so please let us crash this next Dolly sesh.


Mama Broadway's Riding Shotgun
Let's hope they have show tunes in the Carpool Karaoke catalog. Tonys host James Corden has given many celebs a ride in exchange for a car side performance on The Late Late Show, and now some Broadway favorites are buckling up and belting out. In addition to "Mama Broadway" Audra McDonald, Corden's drafted Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jane Krakowski and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Is there room for us in the back? Or the trunk?