Odds & Ends: Mean Girls' Jennifer Simard to Play Return Solo Concert Engagement & More

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

Mean Girls' Jennifer Simard to Play Return Solo Concert Engagement
Tony nominee Jennifer Simard, the beloved star who recently joined the company of Broadway's Mean Girls, will play a pair of encore performances of her cheered solo concert debut Stigma later this year. After a sold-out premiere earlier this month, Simard will bring the show back to The Green Room 42 on November 5 and December 17 at 7:00pm. Described as an evening of pain and rock 'n' roll, Stigma features songs by some of Simard's favorite artists. A veteran of Broadway's Hello, Dolly!, Simard earned a Tony nom for her acclaimed comedic turn in Disaster!

Brandon Victor Dixon to Host Amplify 2018 Gala
Two-time Tony-nominated actor Brandon Victor Dixon has signed on to emcee Amplify 2018, the sixth-annual fundraising gala for the NYC-based nonprofit Houses on the Moon Theater Company. The event will be held at The Cutting Room on October 29 at 6:30pm. Houses on the Moon Theater Company was founded in 2001 with a mission to dispel ignorance and isolation through the theatrical amplification of unheard voices. A veteran of Broadway's Hamilton, Dixon earned Tony nominations for his turns in The Color Purple and Shuffle Along. He is also a recent Emmy nominee for his performance in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.

A Tale of Two Cities Reunion Concerts Sell Out & Add Two Additional Performances
Two additional concerts have been added to the sold-out A Tale of Two Cities 10th-anniversary reunion concerts on October 19 and 20 at 9:30pm. The added shows, celebrating the fan-favorite 2008 Broadway musical, will take place at 7:00pm on those same dates, with all four shows presented at Birdland's new 100-seat theater space in NYC. The 90-minute concerts will feature Tale original Broadway and London cast members and other main-stem vets including James Barbour reprising his acclaimed turn as Sydney Carton, Brandi Burkhardt as Lucy Manette, Ryan Silverman as Charles Darnaya and Natalie Toro as Madame Defarge, along with Nick Wyman, J. Mark McVey, Craig Bennett and Ron Sharpe. The original Broadway production of A Tale of Two Cities was directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. Look back at clips from that staging below.



Hamilton & School Girls Star Joanna A. Jones to Sing Out in NYC Concert
Joanna A. Jones, a power-voiced star of Hamilton who will soon appear off-Broadway in the return of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, will show off her vocal prowess in a solo concert at The Green Room 42 this fall. The evening, which will mark Jones' solo concert debut, will take place on October 8 at 7:00pm. Described as a casual evening of jazz and blues, Jones' concert will include song selections inspired by artists such as Billie Holiday, Bernadette Peters, Barbra Streisand and Lana Del Rey. Jones will be accompanied by composer/pianist Russ Kaplan.

Gavin Creel to Sing Broadway Classics at Subculture
Gavin Creel, the multi-talented star who recently concluded his Tony-winning run in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, will take the stage of downtown venue Subculture for a new concert next month. Accompanied by musical director Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the concert, titled Gavin Creel: Broadway Stuff—Vol. 1, will take place on October 8 at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. Audiences will hear Creel paying homage to the American musical songbook by offering his own interpretations of beloved classics as well as tales of his time treading the boards. In addition to his turn as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!, Creel is known for Tony-nominated performances in Hair and Thoroughly Modern Millie as well as an Olivier-winning turn in The Book of Mormon.

Michael Esper & More to Star in World Premiere Catch as Catch Can
Casting is complete for Catch as Catch Can, a new play by Mia Chung making its world premiere with Page 73 at off-Broadway's New Ohio Theatre this fall. Obie winner Ken Rus Schmoll will direct the production, slated to begin previews on October 22 with an opening night set for October 31. The cast will be led by Michael Esper (The Last Ship), Jeff Biehl (Machinal) and Lucille Lortel Award nominee Jeanine Serralles (Gloria). Catch as Catch Can follows the Phelans and the Lavecchias, who grew up together in working-class New England, weathering good times and bad. But Tim Phelan’s homecoming sets off a spiraling crisis that strains their hold on each other—and themselves. Catch as Catch Can is scheduled to play a limited engagement through November 17.

Melissa Errico to Release New Album with Ghostlight Records
Melissa Errico will soon lend her voice to a fresh album, set for release this fall from Ghostlight Records. Titled Sondheim Sublime, the album will feature the silver-voiced Tony nominee performing such songs as “Not While I’m Around” from Sweeney Todd, “Losing My Mind” from Follies and “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music. Most recently seen onstage in Irish Rep's acclaimed off-Broadway revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Errico is a Tony nominee for Amour who played Clara in Sondheim's Passion at Classic Stage Company. Errico's Sondheim repertoire also includes turns as Leona in Do I Hear A Waltz? at City Center Encores! and Dot in Sunday in the Park With George at the Kennedy Center.