Odds & Ends: Oh, Mary! Whirls Into the West End, Will Swenson to Reprise Neil Diamond in Australia and More

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

Oh, Mary! Goes International

Hold onto your hoop skirts, because Oh, Mary! is kicking and screaming its way across the pond. Tony winner Cole Escola's runaway hit play will open at London's Trafalgar Theatre on December 3. Directed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton and written by Escola, the West End premiere will star Mason Alexander Park as Mary Todd Lincoln, alongside Kate O’Donnell as Mary’s Chaperone, Oliver Stockley as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant, Dino Fetscher as Mary’s Teacher and Giles Terera as Mary’s Husband. Park is a nonbinary performer and writer whose previous West End credits include Margaret in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Ariel in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, both at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and The Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Terera is best known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in the West End production of Hamilton, for which he won an Olivier Award.

Will Swenson to Make More Beautiful Noise in Australia

Tony Award nominee Will Swenson, who originated the role of Neil Diamond in Broadway's A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, will reprise his performance in the upcoming Australian production, which premieres at The Princess Theatre in Melbourne in August 2026. “I’m beyond excited to be playing Neil Diamond in Melbourne,” said Swenson. “Telling Neil’s life story through his incredible music is such a privilege. This will be my very first time performing in Australia, and I can’t think of a more thrilling way to debut than in this beautiful production that means so much to me.” A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is directed by Tony winner Michael Mayer, choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett and written by four-time Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten. Additional casting for the Australian production will be announced in the coming weeks.

John Malkovich Adds Spectacle to The Hunger Games Stage Premiere

Actor John Malkovich will appear on screen as President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: On Stage, an adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel and Lionsgate's film. Adapted by Olivier Award-winning Girl From the North Country and The Weir playwright Conor McPherson and directed by Matthew Dunster, performances begin October 20 at the new Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre in London. "I’m delighted to join the world premiere production of The Hunger Games in London, bringing this iconic story to the stage," Malkovich said. "Playing President Coriolanus Snow will be thrilling, because I have long been an admirer of Suzanne Collins’s novels, the films and Conor McPherson’s writing, and it is a privilege to take on this role."

New Musical Reunions Reimagines Classic Plays

Reunions, a new musical with book and lyrics by Jeffrey Scharf and music by Jimmy Calire, will play City Center Stage II off-Broadway for a seven-week limited engagement. Performances begin October 24, with opening night set for November 2. Directed and choreographed by Gabriel Barre, Reunions is a musical adaptation of two one-act plays that share a common theme: What happens when you rediscover the life you almost lived? Divided into two separate acts, The Twelve Pound Look is based on the play by Peter Pan creator J. M. Barrie, while A Sunny Morning is inspired by the work of the Spanish dramatists known as the Álvarez Quintero brothers. Featured in the cast are Broadway favorites like Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Harmony), Chilina Kennedy (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) and Courtney Reed (Aladdin, Moulin Rouge!).

Kiss of the Spider Woman Spins an Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Kiss of the Spider Woman, the new film adaptation of Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel and the 1993 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, announced the release of an original motion picture soundtrack. John Kander and Fred Ebb's songs will be performed by the movie's stars, Jennifer Lopez, Tonatiuh and Diego Luna. Produced by Grammy-nominated Dreamgirls and West Side Story music producer and supervisor Matt Sullivan, the CD will be released worldwide on November 21. The film, directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon in his return to the movie musical, swings into theaters October 10.