Odds & Ends: Elton John Is Writing a New Lion King Song for Beyonce & More

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

Elton John Is Writing a New Lion King Song for Beyoncé
Tony winner Elton John is penning a new song for hit singer Beyoncé as part of the upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King, according to Vulture. The new tune will appear during the film's end credits. Beyoncé will voice Nala in the starry film that will also feature the talents of Donald Glover as Simba, Billy Eichner as Timon, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, John Oliver as Zazu, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar and two-time Tony winner James Earl Jones reprising his voice work from the original 1994 animated film as Mufasa.

Darko Tresnjak & Michael Mayer Slated for 2018-2019 Metropolitan Opera Season
Tony-winning directors Darko Tresnjak (Anastasia) and Michael Mayer (Head Over Heels) have signed on for the new season of the Metropolitan Opera. Tresnjak will direct Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila (beginning on September 24) while Mayer will helm Nico Muhly’s Marnie (opening October 19) and a new take on the classic La Traviata (kicking off on December 4). For a full look at the Met's 2018-2019 season, click here.

Kelli O'Hara & Alec Baldwin to Team Up for Love Letters Benefit
Tony winner Kelli O'Hara and Tony nominee Alec Baldwin will read A.R. Gurney's acclaimed two-hander Love Letters in a fundraiser for Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse. Love Letters follows two friends, rebellious Melissa Gardner (O'Hara) and straight-arrow Andrew Makepeace Ladd III (Baldwin), who have exchanged notes, cards and letters for over 50 years. Tony nominee Mark Lamos will direct the one-night event, scheduled to take place on April 12 at 7:00pm. Gurney, who was a consistent contributor to the Westport Country Playhouse stage, with 21 works produced there from 1980 through 2016, died last June at age 86.