Odds & Ends: Beautiful Star Chilina Kennedy Launches New Theater Company & More

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

Beautiful Star Chilina Kennedy Launches New Theater Company
Chilina Kennedy, the power-voiced current star of Broadway's Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and upcoming headliner of This Ain't No Disco, has launched her own theater company, according to The Globe and Mail. The Toronto-based Eclipse Theatre Company has a mission devoted to both new works and reimagined musical productions. The troupe's 2019 lineup will feature a concert mounting of Kiss of the Spider Woman staged in Toronto's old Don Jail along with a full production of a new song cycle penned by Kennedy entitled Call It Love. Among the company's associate artists is Beautiful original cast member and fellow Canadian Jake Epstein.

Bobby Conte Thornton to Lead Reading of Liliom, the Basis for Carousel
A Bronx Tale breakout star Bobby Conte Thornton will take on the title role in a one-night reading of Ferenc Molnár's Liliom as a benefit for the Mint Theater Company. Liliom was the basis for the musical Carousel, which can currently be seen in a Tony-nominated Broadway revival. Liliom will be performed on June 11 at 7:00pm at off-Broadway's Theatre Row. Joining Thornton—in the role that in Carousel became Billy Bigelow—will be Elise Kibler (The Heidi Chronicles) as Julie, George Abud (The Band's Visit) as Hugo, Michael Schantz (Fashions for Men) as Ficsur, Sandra Shipley (Present Laughter) as Mother Hollunder, Jennifer Van Dyck (Hedda Gabler) as Mrs. Muskat, Thom Sesma (Sweeney Todd) as Doctor/Magistrate, Michael Frederic (The Great Divorce) as Linzman/Carpenter and Alexa Shae Niziak (Matilda) as Servant Girl, with Robert David Grant and Chris Reed Brown as policemen and Erica Knight as Marie. The reading will be directed by Jesse Marchese.

Travesties Star Scarlett Strallen & Tony Nominee Bryce Pinkham Set for Project Shaw's Buoyant Billions
A talented cast of stars will read George Bernard Shaw's 1948 play Buoyant Billions next month as part of the Project Shaw series. Artistic Director David Staller will helm the one-night event, slated to take place at Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre on June 18 at 7:00pm. Buoyant Billions is set after World War II, as a rich young man decides to venture forth into the world and become a professional "world betterer." Leading the cast will be Scarlett Strallen (Travesties), Tony nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Michael McCormick (Hello, Dolly!), Jim Brochu (Zero Hour), Bradford Cover (A Thousand Clowns), Brandon Jones (Tales from the Tunnel), Karl Kenzler (Fiddler on the Roof), Victoria Mack (Venus in Fur), Drew McVety (Bandstand), Margaret Loesser Robinson (New Girl in Town) and Eason Rytter (How to Be Single), along with Hank Kim and Susan Haskins-Doloff.