Odds and Ends: Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt Bring The Last Five Years Stateside, Wicked Spinoff Confirmed & More

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

No Substitution Will Do

As previously reported, Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt will star in a weeklong run of Jason Robert Brown’s marital masterwork The Last Five Years at the London Palladium from March 24 through 29, 2026. The harmonies won’t stop there, as it has been announced that they are also bringing the show to New York and Los Angeles. The pair of belters will play the Hollywood Bowl on April 3 and Radio City Music Hall on April 6 and 7. Platt recently appeared on Ryan Murphy’s body horror extravaganza The Beauty and copped a Tony for his performance in Dear Evan Hansen. Zegler’s splashy resumé includes Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake, Sam Gold’s Broadway staging of Romeo and Juliet and Jamie Llyod’s Evita revival on the West End. The Last Five Years was most recently revived on Broadway last year with Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. This particular production will be directed and conducted by none other than Brown himself.

Everything’s Coming Up Ozma

After teasing the possibility of a Wicked spinoff, composer Stephen Schwartz has confirmed that he’s working with librettist Winnie Holtzman on a new project set in Oz. The basis will be L. Frank Baum’s The Marvelous Land of Oz, tentatively titled Ozma. Wicked itself is based on Gregory Maguire’s theologically-minded epic Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which spawned a book series of its own. However, Schwartz says this project will not be an extension of Maguire’s universe but rather, “a more a direct adaptation of what Baum wrote, although it [will have] its own spin." Schwartz also revealed that he has discussed this idea with Universal Pictures and producer Marc Platt, both of whom reaped the benefits of Wicked’s recent blockbuster film adaptations. Set in the aftermath of Dorothy’s departure, The Marvelous Land of Oz follows the exploits of Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of Oz who has been transformed into a boy by the sinister sorceress Mombi. Like the protagonist of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando (who undergoes a similar transformation), Ozma has often been invoked in scholarly writings on gender and queerness. Though details remain vague, we can’t wait to see what these wizards of musical theater have in store for us!

The Passing of a Veteran Theater Journalist

After dedicating over five decades to entertainment journalism, Harry Haun passed away at the age of 85 on February 2, following complications from congestive heart failure. Hailing from Greenville, Texas, Haun spent 17 years covering the arts at the New York Daily News as the paper’s amusements editor. He developed a loyal legion of readers through his weekly Q&A column, "Ask Mr. Entertainment," and would occasionally dispense his lacerating wit to Liz Smith’s notorious gossip column when she was absent. As a longtime contributor to Playbill, Haun produced the monthly columns On the Aisle and Theatregoer’s Notebook. No opening night reception was complete without an appearance from the wickedly clever wordsmith, who claimed to see a show every night of the week. Known for his encyclopedic theater knowledge, Haun received a Special Achievement Award from the Outer Critics Circle, where he served on the Board of Directors as the organization’s resident historian. A lover of film as well as theater, Haun authored The Movie Quote Book and The Cinematic Century, which covered the entirety of the 20th century in the form of day-by-day movie trivia (the book’s first sentence: "1942: Critics, on this day, start tearing at Two-Faced Woman like a dog with a rag"). He is survived by his husband, Charles Nelson.

Let the Choir Sing

Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) will hold its annual fundraising concert on April 13, 2026. The renowned, non-profit choir is composed of Broadway performers who seek to change lives through the power of music and service. The event, titled Rising With Purpose, will be co-produced and directed by Broadway veteran Angela Grovey and Grammy nominee Allen René Louis, who serve as BIV’s Executive Director and Artistic Director, respectively. This year’s recipients of the BIV Inspiration Award are Tony and Olivier winning producer Tom Kirdahy and Tony and Grammy winner Renée Elise Goldsberry. Kirdahy’s impressive producing credits include Just In Time, Hadestown, Lincoln Center’s current staging of Ragtime and the long-running Little Shop of Horrors revival off-Broadway. Goldsberry earned her Tony as the original Angelica Schulyer in Hamilton and has had Broadway engagements in The Color Purple, Rent and The Lion King. Proceeds from the event will go towards BIV's programming, which includes concerts, community outreach, music education and collaborative projects that bring the joy of the arts to underserved populations.

Below the Rainbow

In commemoration of Robert W. Schneider’s new book Queer Musicals: From Boy Meets Boy to Jagged Little Pill, 54 Below is hosting a star-studded evening of songs and stories pertaining to the history of queer representation onstage. The Secret Garden Tony winner Daisy Eagen, Tony nominated drag legend Charles Busch, Jim Brochu, Jerry Dixon, Lee Roy Reams, stage siren John “Lypsinka” Epperson and a bevy of other performers will step into the spotlight, with Schneider on hand to share some trivia. The event will be hosted by Schneider and Matt Koplik on February 15. For those who cannot attend in person, Queer Musicals will also be livestreamed.

P.S.

A trailer has dropped for the MGM+ comedy series American Classic, which stars Broadway royalty Kevin Kline as an egomaniacal actor who decides to save his family's community theater after having a public breakdown. The show was created by Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin, the latter of whom has co-penned such musicals as The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom and Smash, among others. Stage veterans Laura Linney, Jon Tenney, Jane Alexander, Jessica Hecht, Len Cariou (the OG Sweeney Todd!) and Aaron Tveit will also star in the series. American Classic will premiere on March 1, 2026.