Odds & Ends: Michael Wartella, Christy Altomare & Joey McIntyre to Workshop Dion Musical The Wanderer & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed today and this weekend.

Michael Wartella, Christy Altomare & Joey McIntyre to Workshop Dion Musical The Wanderer
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory alum Michael Wartella, Anastasia star Christy Altomare and New Kids on the Block heartthrob Joey McIntyre have signed on to lead a workshop of The Wanderer, a Broadway-aimed musical based on the life of Grammy-nominated '50s/'60s rock icon Dion. The show will be tested out at Baryshnikov Arts Center in a private invitation-only industry presentation on September 13 and 14. Wartella will portray Dion, with Altomare as his wife, Susan, and Wicked alum McIntire in the role of Johnny. "The story of Dion is a major part of rock-and-roll history and in casting The Wanderer we were careful to ensure that the actors lived up to the music legends they are playing," said producer Jill Menza. "We are excited to bring this authentic and untold story to the stage with such a talented cast." Joining Wartella, Altomare and McIntire will be Johnny Tammaro, Michael Kostroff, Stephen Cerf, Billy Finn and Michael Mastro.

Clyde Alves & More to Lead The Drowsy Chaperone at Goodspeed
A talented group of stage stars will offer up a "Toledo Surprise" at Goodspeed Musicals this fall. Casting is set for the East Haddam, CT theater's production of the beloved Broadway musical The Drowsy Chaperone. Tony nominee Hunter Foster will direct the new staging, scheduled to begin previews on September 21 with an opening set for October 10. The cast will include John Scherer (LoveMusik) as Man in Chair, Clyde Alves (On the Town) as Robert Martin, Stephanie Rothenberg (War Paint) as Janet Van de Graaff, Jennifer Allen (The Bridges of Madison County) as The Chaperone, Tim Falter (Cagney) as George, Ruth Gottschall (Elf) as Mrs. Tottendale, John Rapson (Les Misérables) as Aldolpho and Danielle Lee Greaves (Hairspray) as Trixie, with Jay Aubrey Jones, James Judy, Ruth Pferdehirt, Blakely Slaybaugh and Parker Slaybaugh. The production will feature choreography by Chris Bailey and musical direction by Michael O'Flaherty. The Drowsy Chaperone will play a limited engagement through November 25.

Renée Taylor to Lead Talkbacks After My Life on a Diet
Renée Taylor, the iconic writer and star of off-Broadway's My Life on a Diet, will lead three talkbacks following upcoming performances of her hit show. The Emmy winner and Oscar nominee will talk about her life and career immediately following the performances on August 24 at 7:00pm, August 25 at 7:00pm and August 31 at 7:00pm. The recently extended solo show is scheduled to run through September 2 at The Theatre at St. Clement's.

André De Shields, Ken Page & Frenchie Davis Set for Ain't Misbehavin' Concert
André DeShields and Ken Page, who starred in the original production of the 1978 Tony-winning musical Ain't Misbehavin', will again celebrate the music of American composer Fats Waller in a 40th-anniversary concert at Feinstein's/54 Below on September 9th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. Richard Maltby Jr., the show's Tony-winning director and co-conceiver, will helm the pair of concerts, also featuring Broadway and American Idol alum Frenchie Davis (Rent), Johmaalya Adelekan (Ragtime), Rheaume Crenshaw (Groundhog Day), Tyrone Davis Jr. (Waitress) and Zurin Villanueva (Mean Girls). Ain't Misbehavin' opened at the Longacre Theatre in 1978 and played 1600 performances. The original cast also featured Nell Carter in a Tony-winning performance alongside Armelia McQueen and Charlayne Woodard.

Ghostlight to Release Album of Hundred Days
Ghostlight Records has announced an original cast recording of the acclaimed musical Hundred Days, which appeared at off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop in 2017. The recording, featuring a score by musical group The Bengsons, boasts a cast including Colette Alexander, Abigail Bengson, Shaun Bengson, Jo Lampert, Dani Markham and Reggie D. White. Hundred Days will be performed at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse this Fall, followed by national tour engagements.