Odds & Ends: Kate Rockwell in Heathers, Jack O'Brien in The Comeback and More

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

Kate Rockwell Will Fill In For Kerry Butler in Heathers

Kate Rockwell is headed back to school, joining off-Broadway's Heathers the Musical as Westerberg High’s guidance counselor Ms. Fleming. She steps in for Kerry Butler from October 10 through November 10 while Butler appears in the Encores! production of Bat Boy: The Musical at New York City Center. Referring to her Broadway roles in Mean Girls, Bring It On and Legally Blonde, Rockwell commented, “It makes total sense to me—I’ve survived high school multiple times, so I feel totally qualified to graduate to staff!”

Arena Stage to Present Pal Joey Adaptation Chez Joey

Tickets are now on sale for Chez Joey, a new take on Pal Joey, the Rodgers-Hart musical about a womanizing nightclub performer, at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Chez Joey will feature a book revision by The Fisher King screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and a "curated selection" of tunes from the legendary catalogue of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Savion Glover and Tony Goldwyn will co-direct the show, which runs January 30 through March 15, 2026.

The Dead Outlaw Original Broadway Cast Recording Is Here

Dead Outlaw lives again—for your ears only. The original Broadway cast recording of the David Yazbek-Erik Della Penna musical about an adventurous corpse is now available on music streaming services. The band features Rebekah Bruce (music director and additional arrangements, piano, organ, vocals), Della Penna (electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, vocals), Hank Heaven (electric and acoustic guitars, lap steel, mandolin, vocals), Chiris Smylie (bass) and Spencer Cohen (drums). The Audible Original release of the musical—featuring the entire musical recorded in Dolby Atmos with immersive sound design—is also available exclusively from Audible.

Will Chase Wins Music Documentary Award

Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland, a film by the actor Will Chase, won the Best Short Film Award at an inaugural music documentary festival at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. The film, which had its world premiere at the festival, follows the Irish folk-pop band Guggenheim Grotto on their grand return to their home country. Chase's Broadway credits include Once Upon a Mattress, Kiss Me, Kate, High Fidelity and more. He was nominated for a Tony Award for The Mystery Of Edwin Drood.

Jack O'Brien Joins The Comeback Season 3 As An Actor

Esteemed Tony-winning Broadway director Jack O’Brien has signed on for season 3 of HBO's The Comeback, not as a director but as an actor. The series, created by Lisa Kudrow, centers on sitcom actress Valerie Cherish, played by Kudrow, navigating the television industry. O'Brien won Tonys for directing Hairspray, Henry IV and The Coast of Utopia. Most recently, he directed last season's The Roommate. Details about his character have yet to be revealed. Also joining the show is Ella Stiller, who recently made her off-Broadway debut in Dilaria.

Breaking the Binary Theatre to Present The Drowsy Chaperone in Concert 

Breaking the Binary Theatre will present a one-night-only concert performance of the Lisa Lambert-Greg Morrison musical The Drowsy Chaperone. L Morgan Lee will direct an all-transgender, non-binary and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) cast, including Alex Newell, Dylan Mulvaney, Betty Who, Jonathan Van Ness, Joslyn DeFreece, Laverne Cox, Peppermint and more. The concert will be The Drowsy Chaperone's first major New York outing since its original 2006 Broadway production and kicks off the fourth annual Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival.

Tom Edden and Bonnie Langford Join Paddington the Musical

Principal casting is complete for the world premiere of Paddington the Musical, opening this November in the West End. Tom Edden—Broadway audiences will remember Edden from his Tony-nominated pratfall-filled performance in One Man, Two Guvnors—is set to play the curmudgeonly Mr. Curry (played by Peter Capaldi in the films). Bonnie Langford, who appeared on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends earlier this year, will play the housekeeper Mrs. Bird. Casting for the raincoat-wearing bear is to be announced. “We can’t wait for you to meet Paddington, but please bear with us a little longer," said the producers. With music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale and direction by Luke Sheppard, Paddington the Musical will open at the Savoy Theatre on November 30.