Odds & Ends: Andrew Rannells to Lead Showtime Comedy Pilot, Michael Crawford Set for New TV Talent Series & More

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

Andrew Rannells to Lead New Showtime Comedy Pilot
Two-time Tony nominee and Broadway.com Audience Choice Award winner Andrew Rannells will join off-Broadway veteran Don Cheadle in Showtime’s new pilot Ball Street, according to TVLine. The Wall Street comedy follows the events leading up to the "Black Monday" stock market crash of 1987. Rannells will appear as young stock trader Blair while Cheadle will play corporate raider Rod. Production of the pilot will kick off in February 2018.

Disney’s The Lion King Explores “The Circle of Life” in Action at The Bronx Zoo
In the second video of a three-part series, Bonita Hamilton, who plays the hyena Shenzi in Disney’s hit Broadway musical The Lion King, paid a recent visit to the Bronx Zoo! Hamilton spoke with Colleen McCann, curator of mammals, about the species that depend on us just as much as we depend on them. Give a watch to the video below and make your way to the Minskoff Theatre to see Hamilton and her co-stars set an example for maintaining the circle of life among us all!



Cynthia Erivo Joins Cast of New Sci-Fi Film Chaos Walking
Color Purple showstopper Cynthia Erivo has been added to the cast of the new sci-fi flick Chaos Walking, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Based on the acclaimed novel, Chaos Walking is set in a dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each others' thoughts. Erivo will play Hildy, leader of a peaceful settlement forced to stand up to the mayor and his army. Tony winner Erivo joins a cast that also includes Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland and stage vets David Oyelowo and Nick Jonas. Chaos Walking is set to be released on March 1, 2019.

Bobby Cannavale to Reprise Emmy-Winning Role on Will & Grace Revival
Two-time Tony nominee Bobby Cannavale (Mauritius, The Motherf**cker with the Hat) is slated to reprise his Emmy-winning performance as Will’s boyfriend Vince D’Angelo on the reboot of the hit comedy series Will & Grace, according to Entertainment Weekly. The previously announced new season of Will & Grace, set to debut on NBC on September 28, will reunite original stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes. Dear Evan Hansen star Ben Platt is also slated to make a guest appearance.

Michael Crawford Set for All Star Musicals Reality Show
Broadway’s original star of The Phantom of the Opera, Michael Crawford, will guide seven celebs through an all-singing, all-dancing musical-theater extravaganza on the new British talent series All Star Musicals, debuting on England's ITV this holiday season. All Star Musicals will feature a cast of famous faces performing numbers from hit musicals at the legendary Palladium Theatre in London's West End. Tony and Olivier winner Crawford will be on hand to offer guidance, advice and encouragement ahead of their big performance. All Star Musicals will feature numbers from a range of musical favorites, including Chicago, Evita and Guys and Dolls, with the audience deciding at the end of the night whose performance wowed them most. An exact start date for All Star Musicals will be announced.

P.S. Idina Menzel shared this sneak peek at the new Frozen short Olaf’s Frozen Adventure!