Odds & Ends: Tracie Bennett to Star in First U.K. Revival of Mame & More

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

Tracie Bennett to Star in First U.K. Revival of Mame
Tracie Bennett, the Tony-nominated and two-time Olivier-winning stage star, will take on the iconic title role in an upcoming staging of Mame. Nick Winston will direct the new production, the U.K.'s first revival, set to play the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester beginning on September 27, 2019 for a run through November 9. Among Bennett's stage credits are Olivier-winning turns in She Loves Me and Hairspray, along with nominated turns in High Society, End of the Rainbow (which she reprised on Broadway to Tony-nominated effect) and Follies (a turn she will reprise in advance of Mame). Featuring a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and a score by Jerry Herman, Mame centers on socialite Mame Dennis whose life is disrupted when her deceased brother's 10-year-old son Patrick becomes entrusted to her care. The role of Mame was originated on Broadway by Angela Lansbury and in London by Ginger Rogers. Get ready for Bennett's take on Mame with a look at her showstopping Carlotta in Follies below.

Slave Play, with Paul Alexander Nolan, Extends at New York Theatre Workshop
Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop has announced an extension to the world premiere production of Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris ("Daddy"). Originally slated for a run through December 30, Robert O'Hara's staging will now conclude its engagement on January 13. The production stars Paul Alexander Nolan (Escape to Margaritaville), Ato Blankson-Wood (Hair), James Cusati-Moyer (Six Degrees of Separation), Sullivan Jones (The Looming Tower), Chalia La Tour (The Review or How to Eat Your Competition), Irene Sofia Lucio (Love and Information), Annie McNamara (Everyone’s Fine with Virginia Woolf) and Teyonah Parris (If Beale Street Could Talk). Slave Play began previews on November 19 and will open on December 9.

Kaisa Hammarlund to Star in U.K. Premiere of Violet
Violet has found its title star. The upcoming U.K. premiere of Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's beloved musical will be headlined by Kaisa Hammarlund, a veteran of another Tesori musical, Fun Home. The previously announced production, directed by Shuntaro Fujita, will play London's Charing Cross Theatre for a 12-week run beginning on April 6, 2019 in advance of a transfer to Umeda Arts Theater in Tokyo. The cast will also include Jay Marsh as Flick and Matthew Harvey as Monty, with Simbi Akande, Angelica Allen, Kenneth Avery-Clark, Keiron Crook, James Gant, Danny Michaels, Janet Mooney with Amy Mepham, Rebecca Nardin and Maddie Sellman.