Odds & Ends: Sterling K. Brown, Laverne Cox & More to Star in The Normal Heart Benefit Reading

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

Sterling K. Brown & More to Star in The Normal Heart Virtual Benefit
Emmy winners Sterling K. Brown and Laverne Cox, Tony nominee Jeremy Pope and more will appear in an upcoming virtual benefit reading of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart. Directed by Paris Barclay, the reading will raise funds for ONE Archives Foundation and Invisible Histories Project. Martin Sheen is set to give a special introduction. Tickets go on sale April 8 for the event, which is scheduled for May 8 at 5PM ET.

Christopher Lloyd to Lead Shakespeare & Company's King Lear
Massachusetts' Shakespeare & Company is set to launch its 2021 season with its first live, in-person performance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three-time Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd will play the title role in Shakespeare's King Lear in The New Spruce Theatre, the company's new outdoor amphitheater. The staging, directed by Nicole Ricciardi, will run from July 2 through August 29, COVID-19 safety protocols permitting. Additional summer offerings include Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey (July 16–25), an autobiographical solo show written and performed by Debra Ann Byrd, and a workshop production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure (September 1–5). Head here for more information on the season.

Utkarsh Ambudkar Set for New CBS Comedy Series Ghosts
Freestyle Love Supreme cast member Utkarsh Ambudkar will co-star with Rose McIver in a new comedy series airing on CBS, according to Deadline. Ghosts is based on the British series of the same name and follows a struggling young couple, whose dreams come true when they inherit a beautiful country house—only to find it’s both falling apart and inhabited by many of the deceased previous residents. The release date is to be announced.

Matilda Movie Musical Finds Its Wormwoods & More
More actors have joined the cast of Netflix's upcoming Matilda movie musical, which, as previously announced, will star Alisha Weir in the title role and Oscar winner Emma Thompson as baddie headmistress Miss Trunchbull. According to The Hollywood Reporter,Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Graham have joined the cast as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood in the musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's story. Comedian Sindhu Vee has also been cast to play librarian Mrs. Phelps. As previously reported, Matthew Warchus, who was nominated for a Tony Award for directing Matilda on Broadway, will helm the Netflix adaptation. The show's scribe Dennis Kelly and songwriter Tim Minchin are also part of the creative team. Watch this space for a release date!