Odds & Ends: New Beauty and the Beast Footage, Allegiance Returns to Movie Theaters & More

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

Get Even More Excited for Beauty and the Beast
Not that we’re counting down or anything, but there are 70 days left until Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live-action remake hits theaters. The latest TV spot includes new footage from the film, including one of Emma Watson’s glorious up-dos and some light flirting between Belle and the Beast (“Thanks for not letting me get eaten by wolves.”). Unfortunately, there’s still no sign of Audra McDonald as Garderobe, but that’ll make seeing the actual film that much more magical on March 17. Check out the sneak peek below!



Frenchie Davis & More Set for The View UpStairs
A musical about a ‘70s gay bar in New Orleans starring Frenchie Davis? We’re there. Max Vernon’s new musical The View UpStairs will begin performances at off-Broadway’s Lynn Redgrave Theater on February 15. The show centers on a young fashion designer who begins a journey of self-exploration when he buys an abandoned space that was the site of an attack on the LGBTQ community in 1973. Scott Ebersold directs the cast, which also includes Michael Longoria, Jeremy Pope, Nathan Lee Graham, Benjamin Howes, Ben Mayne, Doreen Montalvo, Randy Redd and Anthony Alfaro. The production, which opens February 26, features choreography by Al Blackstone. The limited engagement will run through May 21.

Yen’s Lucas Hedges Among BAFTA Nominees
Manchester by the Sea standout and star of off-Broadway's Yen Lucas Hedges is nominated for a BAFTA (think an Oscar, but in the U.K.) for Rising Star. Joining him in the category is Tom Holland, who you may know as Marvel’s next on-screen Spider-Man or as the adorable title star in Billy Elliot at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre. Ruth Negga, Anya Taylor-Joy and Laia Costa round out the Rising Star Award nominees. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards will take place on February 12.

Michele Pawk & More to Present William Inge Works
The Transport Group will present two plays performed in repertory from Pulitzer Prize winner William Inge. Helmed by Artistic Director Jack Cummings III, Picnic and Come Back, Little Sheba are set to begin performances on February 23 at the Gym at Judson. The ensemble cast features Tony winner Michele Pawk, Tony nominees John Cariani and Emily Skinner, Hannah Elless, David Greenspan, Joseph Kolinski, Ginna Le Vine, Heather Mac Rae, David T. Patterson, Jennifer Piech, Krystal Rowley, Jay Russell and Rowan Vickers. Opening night is scheduled for March 26 and the engagement will run through April 16.

Allegiance Will Return to the Screen
There’s still a chance to catch Allegiance, which shuttered on Broadway last year. The musical’s screen stint nabbed an encore presentation, scheduled for February 19. The production, starring George Takei, Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, was filmed and initially presented by Fathom Events at movie theaters nationwide on December 13, 2016. The new date coincides with the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, known as the Day of Remembrance, which marked the beginning of the forced relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII.

P.S. The Humans (set to close on January 15) finished the year off strong as the top-grossing play of 2016; the Tony-winning drama garnered over $23 million in ticket sales. The last week of the year was the show's best yet at $814,555. With this and a whopping 24 productions grossing over $1 million, Broadway celebrated its highest attended and highest grossing week in recorded history.