Odds & Ends: The Great Comet's Brittain Ashford & Gelsey Bell to Reunite in Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet & More

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

The Great Comet's Brittain Ashford & Gelsey Bell to Reunite for Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet
Three-time Tony-nominated Great Comet creator Dave Malloy's song cycle Ghost Quartet is set to return to New York for a monthlong run as part of New York Theatre Workshop's Next Door series. Ghost Quartet, a warped fairy tale about two sisters, a treehouse astronomer and a lazy evil bear, is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Annie Tippe will direct the engagement scheduled to run from October 5-October 31 at NYTW'a newly renovated downtown space. The cast will be led by Brittain Ashford and Gelsey Bell, who currently appear on Broadway in Malloy's Great Comet, set to conclude its run on September 3.

Broadway Cares Awards Emergency Grants in Response to Hurricane Harvey
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS announced today that it is awarding $155,000 in emergency grants to provide immediate assistance to those battling the ravages of Hurricane Harvey. Donated on behalf of the Broadway community and all Broadway Cares supporters, the grants are going to 17 social service organizations based in Houston and across Texas and the Gulf Coast. Also receiving a grant is The Actors Fund to support its emergency efforts for hard-hit members of the entertainment industry in Texas and Louisiana. Upcoming Torch Song star and Houston native Michael Urie helped spread the word in the video below.



Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Will Stage Xavier Galva’s New Play The Parlour
Off-Broadway's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is set to present a five-performance run of Xavier Galva’s new work The Parlour at Rattlestick's downtown venue. Set in the chaotic world of New York City fine dining, The Parlour illustrates the hierarchy found in an upscale members-only restaurant. Directed by Victor Cervantes, Jr. and featuring an entire cast making their off-Broadway debuts—Chalan Cunningham, Edison Diaz, John Anthony Gorman, Nicole Kang, Angelica Katie Richardson, Jean-Patrick Simeon and Pedro Aijon Torres—performances will run from September 6 through 10.

Denzel Washington to Debut New Film Role in Toronto
Tony winner Denzel Washington, who is scheduled for a 2018 Broadway return in The Iceman Cometh, will take on the title role in the new film Roman J. Israel, Esq., set to make its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, according to Deadline. The legal thriller, written and directed by Dan Gilroy, follows the activist title character, whose life is upended upon a series of turbulent events. The film begins viewings on November 3 at the renowned festival.

Memorial to Be Held for Late Playwright A.R. Gurney
A memorial for the late playwright A.R. Gurney is set to take place at the Music Box Theatre on September 12 at 1:30pm. Jim Simpson and Carol Ostrow, founder and producing director of off-Broadway's Flea Theater, will be producing the service. Iconic playwright Gurney, whose works included The Dining Room, The Cocktail Hour, Sylvia and the Pulitzer finalist Love Letters, died on June 13 at the age of 86.

Gavin Creel Will Relive Embarrassing Onstage Moments in Cabaret Benefit
Susan Blackwell is set to host Let Me Try That Again, a benefit evening featuring Broadway performers sharing embarrassing onstage moments and then redeeming themselves by re-creating them. Hello, Dolly! Tony winner Gavin Creel is set to star in the cabaret, scheduled for October 15 at 9:30pm at Feinstein's/54 Below. Additional performers will be announced for the event co-founded by upcoming Junk star Steven Pasquale. Let Me Try That Again benefits The Performing Arts Project.