Jonathan Groff Returns to Mindhunter, Todrick Hall & Colleen Ballinger Buddy Up for Waitress & More August Staff Picks

Folks, line up! The dog days of summer are here, and there’s plenty to see and do in addition to kicking back in your flip-flops by the pool. Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge are keeping the 2019-2020 Broadway season going with Sea Wall/A Life. Two major YouTube stars are gearing up to take the Brooks Atkinson stage in Waitress. A fan-favorite Disney movie is making its world premiere as a full-fledged musical in Central Park. Excited yet? Us too! Check out the Broadway.com staff's picks for August. 

August 1 - Bat Out of Hell Begins at City Center
Following a run in the West End, Bat Out of Hell arrives in NYC, starring Andrew Polec, Tony winner Lena Hall, Christina Bennington and Bradley Dean. The story follows Strat (Polec), the forever young leader of the rebellious gang "The Lost," as he falls in love with Raven (Bennington), the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler of a post-apocalyptic city. The production features Jim Steinman’s songs from Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell album, including the title number, "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)" and more.

National Editor Ryan Lee Gilbert
"Who doesn’t love Meat Loaf? If you haven’t put on a rock concert in your bedroom or car by blasting 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light,' you should do that. Plus, this musical has a classic love story set in post-apocalyptic Manhattan. A wild time is guaranteed."

August 8 - Sea Wall/A Life Opens on Broadway
On the heels of a sold-out engagement at the Public Theater, Sea Wall/A Life bows on Broadway as stage-and-screen stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge deliver a night of storytelling. Sturridge performs Simon Stephens’ Sea Wall, a monologue about love and the human need to know the unknowable. Gyllenhaal takes on Nick Payne’s A Life, a meditation on how we say goodbye to those we love most. Sea Wall/A Life is scheduled to play Broadway's Hudson Theatre through September 29.

Content Producer Lindsey Sullivan
“I’d watch Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge paint a wall, so the fact that I get to watch them basically have a monologue battle royale is super exciting. How cool is it to hear from two powerhouse performers and two incredible playwrights in one night of theater?”

August 16 - Mindhunter Returns to Netflix
Before he’s suddenly Seymour off-Broadway, two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff will return to the small screen in Netflix’s Mindhunter. The acclaimed David Fincher series stars Groffsauce alongside Holt McCallany and is based on John Douglas and Mark Olshaker’s 1996 nonfiction book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. The show follows Groff as Holden Ford as he and his colleague Bill Tench (McCallany) interview imprisoned serial killers in order to understand how they think and (hopefully) get a leg up on solving ongoing cases.

Editorial Assistant Eric King
"The season one finale of this psychological thriller series asked, 'Who's mind really needs to be hunted?' I'm interested to see how Groff's character's relationship with his new serial killer consultant Ed Kemper develops as he takes on the Atlanta child murders."

August 20 - Todrick Hall & Colleen Ballinger Step into Waitress
Get ready to see two YouTube royals live at the diner! Todrick Hall and Colleen Ballinger a.k.a. “Miranda Sings” are set to step into the roles of Ogie and Dawn, respectively, in the Sara Bareilles tuner. Hall has appeared on Broadway in Kinky Boots, Chicago, Memphis and The Color Purple. Waitress marks Ballinger’s debut on the Great White Way. 

Social Media Manager Caitlyn Gallip
"Colleen Ballinger and Todrick Hall are brilliantly cast for the roles of Dawn and Ogie, and I can't wait to see them in the show. They may have found their fame on YouTube, but the stage is where they belong."

August 31 - Hercules Begins in Central Park
The fan-favorite Disney animated film Hercules has been transformed into a stage musical. The production, which stars former Frozen Broadway.com vlogger Jelani Alladin in the titular role, is set to play the Delacorte Theater in Central Park for a lucky seven performances. This Public Works production will also include Tony winner Roger Bart—who voiced the title role on-screen—graduating to the role of Hades, with Krysta Rodriguez as Meg, Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart as Phil and more. They'll be joined by the Broadway Inspirational Voices—recipients of a special 2019 Tony Honor.

News Editor Andy Lefkowitz
"This production combines two of my favorite things: the gorgeous Hercules score by Alan Menken and David Zippel and the one-of-a-kind Public Works program. Add a mega-talented cast led by Jelani Alladin and you have the perfect end-of-summer theater experience."

Other events to mark on your calendar this month:

August 2 - Half Time cast recording gets released
August 6 - Ann Sanders and Ivan Hernandez step into Dear Evan Hansen
August 15 - Make Believe opens off-Broadway
August 22 - Anthony Ramos at Joe’s Pub