Odds & Ends: Mary Bridget Davies Will Release Reimagined Songs of Jerry Ragovoy Album & More

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

Mary Bridget Davies Will Release Reimagined Songs of Jerry Ragovoy Album
Mary Bridget Davies, the strong-voiced star who earned a Tony nomination for her title turn in A Night with Janis Joplin, will lend her talents to a new album slated to be released this fall. Titled Stay With Me: The Reimagined Songs of Jerry Ragovoy, the album will feature many of Ragovoy/s music that was made famous by Joplin, in addition to his previously unreleased songs including "Master of Disguise" and new arrangements of classics such as "As Long as I Have You" and "Move Me No Mountain." As previously announced, audiences will have the chance to experience Davies' acclaimed performance in A Night with Janis Joplin singing such Ragovoy hits as "Stay With Me," "Piece of My Heart" and "Cry Baby" in the upcoming cinema release of the musical. To pre-order Davies' new album, click here.

New Jersey Student Receives Dress Code Violation for Wearing The Prom T-Shirt
Hats off to Justice Cillo-Smith, a student at New Jersey's Liberty Middle School, who spoke out this week after receiving a pair of dress code violations for wearing merch from the Broadway musical The Prom to class. Cillo-Smith was called out for wearing the popular "We're All Lesbians" T-shirt that was sold during the show's Tony-nominated run at the Longacre Theatre. The school said that Cillo-Smith had been violating a regulation prohibiting "articles of clothing that contain references to illegal substances, sexual innuendos, inappropriate language and pictures, sayings or symbols that show affiliation to hate groups, gangs or demeaning messages directed towards any individual group or association" and "any accessory that can be dangerous and/or disruptive to the learning environment." Cillo-Smith, who identifies as a lesbian, noted that she "felt singled out"; board of ed member Mark Robertson showed support for her by proclaiming, "Thank you for your courage and continue to be proud of who you are because we are proud of who you are." While the violations currently remain in place, they are expected to be discussed during the town's next board of ed meeting on October 28. We might just need to call in Dee Dee Allen.

Leah Hocking, Alma Cuervo & Jim Stanek to Lead New Musical An Enchanted April
An Enchanted April, a brand-new musical based on Elizabeth von Arnim's iconic novel The Enchanted April, has scheduled a talent-packed staging at off-Broadway's Theatre Row this fall. Broadway's Leah Hocking (Billy Elliot), Alma Cuervo (On Your Feet!) and Jim Stanek (Fun Home) will headline the production, set to run from November 1-16. Under the direction of Alice Jankell, the musical features a book by Elizabeth Hansen and a score by C. Michael Perry. An Enchanted April begins in London during a particularly dreary February in 1922. Four world-weary women, desperate to escape their memories of World War I and the repression of London, dare to rent a villa in Italy for a month. Miraculously, in just one short enchanted April, the lives and hearts of these women are transformed by wisteria, sunshine, a small medieval castle and each other. Rounding out the cast will be Christiana Cole, Aaron Phillips, Gena Sims, Peter Reid Lambert and Melody Meeks Putnam.