Odds & Ends: Jay Armstrong Johnson Set for Star-Packed Benefit of Broadway Concert & More

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

Jay Armstrong Johnson & More Set for Star-Packed Benefit of Broadway
A slew of Broadway stars will come together next week to offer up their talents in support of EMC Fine Arts Studios. The special concert, titled Benefit of Broadway, will be held at Teaneck, NJ's Debonair Music Hall on July 15 at 7:00pm, following a 6:00pm dinner. Stars set to participate include Jay Armstrong Johnson (The Phantom of the Opera), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Tony winner Tonya Pinkins (Caroline, or Change), Ciara Renée (Tick, Tick...BOOM!), Adinah Alexander (Kinky Boots) and Ciarán Sheeran (The Phantom of the Opera), as well as Dan Ansaldo, Jordan Auriemma, classical pianist Brielle Perez and Broadway's Erik Liberman (War Paint), who will perform as well as co-produce, with host Richard Skipper, director Marissa Lynn, music director Brad Simmons and Erin Marie Calev as presenter. Proceeds from the benefit will help create scholarships for New Jersey students in need of support for performing arts training.

Casting Complete for Joyce Chittick's Staging of A Chorus Line at Cape Playhouse
Full casting has been announced for the Cape Playhouse's upcoming staging of A Chorus Line. Broadway veteran Joyce Chittick (Beautiful) will direct the previously announced production, set to run from July 24 through August 3. Newly announced cast members include Brittany Bigelow as Judy, Kevin Curtis as Richie, Michael John Hughes as Paul, Chris LeBeau as Bobby, Hillary Porter as Diana, Manuel Santos as Al, Brett Thiele as Mike, John Wolfe as Larry, Taylor Wright as Don, Karly Burton as Tricia, Michael Canu as Mark, Kyra Christopher as Bebe, Leana Rae Concepcion as Connie, Madison Finney as Val, Evan Pouch as Tom, Sarah Sigman as Lois, Amanda Torsilieri as Vicki, Richard Westfahl as Roy and Daxx Jayroe Wieser as Greg. They join the previously announced Sara Esty as Cassie, Tracy Jai Edwards as Sheila, Darien Crago as Kristine, Kim McClay as Maggie and Jeffrey Schecter as Zach.

London's Queen's Theatre to Be Renamed Sondheim Theatre
Producer Cameron Mackintosh has announced that in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday next March, London's Queen's Theatre will be renamed the Sondheim Theatre, making Sondheim the only living artist to have a theater named in his honor both in the West End and on Broadway (Beautiful currently plays Broadway's Sondheim Theatre). Following the London theater's renovation of wartime bomb damage and a major restoration of the auditorium and the complete backstage, the newly named Sondheim Theatre will continue as the home of world's longest-running musical, Les Misérables, as it enters its 35th year.

P.S. Hear current Chicago star Ryoko Yonekura sing "Roxie" before the newly recorded version of the song is released worldwide on July 26.