Odds & Ends: Kenny Leon to Direct New Staging of Colman Domingo's Dot & More

Kenny Leon to Direct Colman Domingo's Dot at Brooklyn's RestorationART
Tony winner Kenny Leon, currently at the helm of Broadway's American Son, has signed on to direct a new staging of Tony nominee Colman Domingo's acclaimed play Dot at the Billie Holiday Theatre at RestorationART in Brooklyn, NY. Previews are slated to begin on October 20 with an opening set for October 25 for a limited run through November 18. Dot explores the interactions of widowed matriarch Dotty and her family as she struggles to hold onto her memory following an Alzheimer's diagnosis. The cast will include Emmy winner Denise Burse as Dotty, with Tinashe Kajese-Bolden as Shelly, Rhyn McLemore Saver as Jackie, Gilbert Glenn Brown as Donnie, Lee Osorio as Adam, Amber A. Harris as Averie and Benedetto Robinson as Fidel. Dot was first seen in a 2016 production directed by Tony winner Susan Stroman at off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre.

Broadway's Josh Segarra to Play RuPaul's Boyfriend in Netflix's AJ and the Queen
Broadway standout Josh Segarra has landed a role in Netflix's upcoming 10-episode musical comedy series AJ and the Queen, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The veteran of On Your Feet! and Lysistrata Jones will take on the role of Hector, boyfriend of Ruby, played by RuPaul, who co-created the series with Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City). AJ and the Queen follows Ruby Red (RuPaul), a "bigger-than-life but down-on-her-luck drag queen" who sings in clubs throughout the U.S., changing the lives of onlookers with a message of acceptance. The cast of AJ and the Queen will also include Broadway alum Michael-Leon Wooley (Little Shop of Horrors), with Katerina Tannenbaum (Sweetbitter) and Tia Carrere (Lilo and Stitch). A premiere date is to come.

Kathleen Chalfant & More Set for New Edition of Women on Fire
Award-winning stage legend Kathleen Chalfant (Wit) is among a talented group of stars who will take part in the second edition of Women on Fire: Scorching the Dividing Lines, a two-night event featuring monologues based on anonymous interviews with women. The work created and directed by Chris Henry, with choreography by Lorna Ventura, will be held at The Royal Family Performing Arts Space in NYC on October 20 and 21 at 6:30pm. Joining Chalfant onstage will be Maddie Corman (Next Fall), Constance Shulman (Bobbie Clearly), Cynthia Mace (Safe Home) and Laila Robins (Heartbreak House). Further casting will be announced at a later date.

Shonda Rhimes, Jada Pinkett Smith & More Join American Son Producing Team
The talent-packed Broadway-premiere staging of Christopher Demos-Brown's American Son has added an A-list group of names to its list of producers. Shonda Rhimes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Steve Stoute, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade and Nnamdi Asomugha are now on the Broadway producing team for the new play, which stars Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee. Kenny Leon will direct the main-stem mounting, slated to begin previews at the Booth Theatre on October 6 ahead of a November 4 opening night.