Odds & Ends: Ben Platt & Rachel Zegler in The Last Five Years Anniversary Concert, Ian McKellen at The Shed

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

Goodbye Until Tomorrow (or Next March)

Tony winner Ben Platt and Golden Globe winner Rachel Zegler will star in a concert staging of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years at the London Palladium from March 24 to 29, 2026. Directed and conducted by Brown in honor of the musical’s 25th anniversary, the production follows the rise and fall of a five-year relationship told through alternating solo songs: his story moving forward, hers in reverse. Since its 2002 off-Broadway premiere with Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott, the two-hander has become a cult favorite, spawning multiple revivals, including the first Broadway production earlier this year, and a 2014 film adaptation. Platt, a Tony winner for Dear Evan Hansen and nominee for Parade, has released three albums and co-created the film Theater Camp. Zegler recently starred in Evita in London and made her Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet opposite Kit Connor. Musical direction is by Leo Munby.

An Ark and a Legend

Acting legend Ian McKellen is trading the stage for mixed reality in An Ark, a groundbreaking new play at The Shed that reimagines what live performance can be. Joined by Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene and Rosie Sheehy, McKellen stars in this 47-minute meditation on life, love and loss—experienced through a headset that makes each audience member feel face to face with the cast. Written by Simon Stephens and directed by Sarah Frankcom, An Ark runs from January 9 through March 1, 2026.

Tilda Swinton Puts the Pants Back On

Oscar winner Tilda Swinton will return to the stage for the first time in more than 30 years to reprise her acclaimed 1988 role in Man to Man. Opening at London’s Royal Court Theatre on September 5, 2026, the revival reunites her with director Stephen Unwin and designer Bunny Christie before moving to the Berliner Ensemble and then to New York in spring 2027. Written by Manfred Karge and translated by Anthony Vivis, Man to Man follows Ella, a woman in 1930s Germany who takes on her dead husband’s identity to survive through war and hardship.

I Feel for You, London

Alexandra Burke will play Chaka Khan in I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical, opening at London’s Peacock Theatre for a limited run from March 5 to 28, 2026. Produced with Khan’s involvement, the show tells the story of the music legend’s rise, struggles and triumphs through hits including “I’m Every Woman,” “Ain’t Nobody” and “I Feel for You.” Burke, known for The X Factor and the stage musical versions of Sister Act and The Bodyguard, called the role a dream come true and credited her late mother for inspiring her first Chaka audition years ago. The production has a book by Nia T. Hill, direction by Racky Plews and choreography by Ebony Clarke. Joining Burke are Jordan Frazier as alternate Chaka Khan and a cast portraying figures from Khan’s life, including Joni Mitchell and Prince. The musical celebrates the resilience and power of one of music’s most groundbreaking voices.

Henner and Gallagher Get Their Act Together

Marilu Henner and Peter Gallagher will star in Still Getting My Act Together, a new musical by Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford, the team behind the 1978 hit I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. Presented by Penguin Rep Theatre in association with Lisa Joyner and Jon Cryer (son of Gretchen), the 29-hour reading will be held on November 7 in New York City. The cast also features Issy Van Randwyck, Jennifer Leigh Warren, David Ippolito and Piper Goodeve. The project revisits Cryer and Ford’s groundbreaking story about women, identity and reinvention, exploring what it means to keep “getting it together” decades later. Attendance is by invitation only.