#artist: hadestown original broadway company

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

Road To Hell • Any Way The Wind Blows • Come Home With Me • Wedding Song • Epic I • Livin' It Up On Top • All I've Ever Known (Intro) ("In Spite Of Herself...") • All I've Ever Known • Way Down Hadestown • A Gathering Storm • Epic II • Chant • Hey, Little Songbird • When The Chips Are Down (Intro) ("Songbird vs. Rattlesnake...") • When The Chips Are Down • Gone, I'm Gone • Wait For Me (Intro) ("Hey, The Big Artiste...") • Wait For Me • Why We Build The Wall • Why We Build the Wall (Outro) ("Behind closed doors...") • Our Lady Of The Underground • Way Down Hadestown (Reprise) • Flowers • Come Home With Me (Reprise) • Papers (Intro) ("You're Not From Around Here, Son") • Papers (Instrumental) • Nothing Changes • If It's True • How Long? • Chant (Reprise) • Epic III • Epic III Instrumental (Intro) ("They Danced...") • Promises • Word To The Wise • His Kiss, The Riot • Wait For Me (Reprise) (Intro) ("If You Wanna Walk Out Of Hell...") • Wait For Me (Reprise) • Doubt Comes In • Road To Hell (Reprise) • We Raise Our Cups

Spotify ♪ YouTube

[docholligay]

I have no idea how wild the fandom for Hadestown is. If you don’t know me, if we’ve never exchanged words, and you have BIG FEELINGS about Hadestown that any level of critique will set off, I very much encourage you to move it along. I can’t do Hamilton 2 or whatever. (If I know you I will give you more leeway FOR SURE. I just want to keep strange weirdos out) 

First, I have to provide a little bit of context: I got in on the ground floor with Hadestown. 

Yes Doc, I too, have been obsessed with it ever since it was in previews--no, I mean, i saw folk singer Anais Mitchell perform the whole thing like 15 years or whatever ago in a converted garage venue. 

I wasn’t even in town to SEE HER, I was in town to see a different artist and this was back when live music was a bigger thing and not a dying scene, and people just bought tickets to whatever was playing on a free night. I like folk music, I liked the idea of what was then being called a folk opera. It was instant love. Orpheus and Eurydice is one of my favorite myths, I am from a rural and exploited place, I loved everything I heard, some absolutely glorious poetry going on there. Bought the concept album, forced so so many people to listen to it all the way through. Forced jetty to listen to it on our road trip! Before the musical came out even!

I have been following this musical ever since then. I kind of thought it would never get made! I followed the original version, and then the broadway one. What I’m saying is, I have what now amounts to about fifteen or so years of history with this musical, and all the changes it has gone through, and all my individual feelings about each of those changes. My evaluation necessarily lives within that context. 

This was part of the reason it took me so long to see the Broadway! I wanted the emotional space to feel however I felt about it, even if that ended up being, “I fucking hated that” and it’s hard to have that when someone buys very expensive tickets and a trip for you to see something you’ve been following for years. Part of jetty’s gift of this was “And you can hate it!!” and I knew she meant it, because when you watch something move and be workshopped and change, you get a lot of feelings about it. 

So I can’t really go, “I liked Hadestown/I didn’t” I mean, I have loved hadestown for a very long time. If all you wanted to hear was , ‘Did you like it?” oh yes! But I have at least four versions sitting my head right now, and they are all next to each other for evaluation in a way that someone who has only experienced the broadway can’t have. 

I want to provide this knowledge because my thoughts about it go so far beyond what is currently being staged on Broadway. No, this is not going to be me saying, ‘Everything was better with the concept album!” no, some things are, but this isn’t that I promise. 

Everything below this is spoilery

So, originally Hadestown was a slightly different story and admittedly, one that spoke to me more than the story I saw last night. It was a lot more specific in its earliest days--it was about an impoverished mining town. Hadestown was the company town, underground, and there was basically no mention of Hades and Persephone being actual gods, anything was winked to, but it was mostly about how the holders of capital have all the accountability of gods. The whole thing had a much stronger anti-capitalist framework, and Orpheus and Eurydice were basically naive kids who thought they could avoid involvement with the mine. Obviously, this very much spoke to me. It was matching my freak exactly. 

It is not that now. And that’s both totally expected, and disappointing to me personally. The show now is much more of a, I’m trying to put this in a way that feels less insulting because I don’t mean to be, very Captial L Liberal. Audiences who can afford Broadway tickets will eat up the vague notions of wishing for a better tomorrow and ‘show the way the world could be’ and putting this back into the framework of a story of the gods instead of the utter lack of choices available to people, that the game is rigged from the start, and Orpheus even having this chance is both an exception and a test hades expects him to fail. I get why this happens. Literally every story that has ever been brought to Broadway has had to be made more palatable to a broader audience. The story it is now, is much much more broad, much more life affirming or whatever, and much more easy to hear. I think I would like it better if I didn’t know the story from the very first versions. 

But that was not a problem last night! That was a problem when i heard the previews out of Alberta! So I’ve had years to adjust to knowing that they were going to blame Orpheus a lot more. Which I love that the Broadway seems to have backed off of! The Alberta production really sort of LAID INTO THE BOY in a way I aggressively did not care for, because it was the antithesis of the story as I understood it. Love that they took that back a step. 

Anyway, so, things I loved about the musical last night:

The staging of Wait For Me fucked SO SEVERELY that honestly it makes me forgive like 90% of the things I don’t care for in the final Broadway version, that I thought were done better in other versions. I almost cried, it was EXACTLY what I would have pictured in my head after hearing it all those years ago. It was incredible. I wish I could see it again, and study it. I am thinking about it right now! It will live rent free in my head. Perfect. 

The gal who played Eurydice has clearly listened to Anais Mitchell albums, because she sounded SO MUCH like Anais that it even took me back for a moment. 

I’m not sure if this is praise or a criticism: 

I don’t know how I feel about having Hermes as an overall narrator! I go back and forth on it and have since the Alberta came out. If I were going to do it I would do it differently than it is currently staged. Jetty was talking about how she loves when the instrumentals are onstage, and I’m the exact opposite--I mostly find it crowds the stage while not bringing much interest for me. But in general, i both like it and do not like it, to give a very useful critique. I don’t hate it, for sure. I love the opener for Wait For Me II. But overall I will probably need to think about it for another 15 years. 

Frustrations I have:

 I think I have decided that even for the MASSIVE INSANE BUCKWILD flaw of seemingly blaming Orpheus for Eurydice’s decision, the Alberta is the best version. I think I prefer the concept album on a personal level for a lot of things, but I think the Alberta is, well for starters, definitely more complete--the concept album has some massive gaps in it that desperately needed filling--but it preserved a lot of the poetry that the Broadway version seems to have stripped out while being much more mass appealing. I was particularly GALLED by the rewrite of Epic III, one of the things in the Alberta version that made me say, ‘Wow I am prepared to forgive a lot of horseshit for this song, my god” 

NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY TOOK FROM YOU

They took out "The heart of a king who loves everything like the hammer loves the nail" imagine writing that line and scrapping it, are you HIGH, fuck me running.

And I think this summarizes a lot of my frustrations about the changes between the Alberta and the Broadway. It no longer sounds like a folk opera. It has lost a lot of the poetry of the original, folk music being very grounded in lyric and somewhat less in vocal theatrics. 

Also, and this might just be an actors thing, I did not get any sense that Persephone and Hades love each other…at all. Part of the appeal for human beings named Doc who are me is that they love each other, and they can’t stand each other, and I didn’t FEEL that at all. Like i said this could be an acting thing--I was not overly impressed by our persephone broadly. But taking out her part in Chant II I think also really contributes to this problem. 

This is both the Alberta and Broadway versions: I MISS THE FATES BEING A REALLY TIGHT 40s STYLE GIRL GROUP SOB SOB SOB. In the original, the fates were the only characters ‘outside’ the story, and this was indicated stylistically by the fact that everyone else was singing folk music, and they were singing in this very different style. The idea fifteen years ago was that they actually would be dressed all in that style, but yeah, none of this happens now and i find it SOOOOOO disappointing personally. I hate their stupid costumes I hate the ‘rougher’ style of vocals I hate it so much ahahahahha. If I was going to force Anais to change one thing it would actually be this, even though it is insanely petty and silly. 

The best version of when the chips are down:

I don’t know if literally any of this is what you were looking for but I somehow deeply suspect not. I am IN THE SHIT with Hadestown though, so if you have any specific things you wanted to ask about or have me talk about, let me know! I am just cutting this off now because it’s already at 1700 words and I’m not sure anyone cares that much about my journey with the only musical I can truly say I knew about when it was still a twinkle in someone’s eye. 

(Yeah Doc, I have a question: Do you have anything mean to say about the concept album? OH BOY DO I. Some of it is to be expected like, "Uh, Anais you need the rest of the story here girl." but a huge one is I fucking HATE that she got Justin Vernon, who you know better as Bon Iver, to do Orpheus. He SUCKS. He sounds bored the whole time because that is how that motherfucker sings. I have HATED it since day one. Reeve Carney is perfect and literally what I started my local women's prayer and casserole circle to petition the Lord for.)

[why-is-it-always-autumn]

Sometimes you have a productive day, sometimes you decide to summarize the Orpheus and Eurydice myth by smushing together 12 different songs off four different albums (Hadestown, Hadestown: The Myth. The Musical. (Live Original Cast Recording), Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording), and Ulysses Dies At Dawn)

Transcript below the cut

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

There was a young man down on a bended knee

And brother, thus begins the tale

Of Orpheus and Eurydice!

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney)]

Come home with me

[EURYDICE (Eva Noblezada)]

Who are you?

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney) and Chorus]

The man who's gonna marry you

I'm Orpheus

[EURYDICE (Eva Noblezada)]

Is he always like this?

[HERMES (André De Shields)]

Yes

[EURYDICE (Eva Noblezada)]

I'm Eurydice

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney) and Chorus]

Your name is like a melody

[EURYDICE (Eva Noblezada)]

A singer, is that what you are?

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney)]

I also play the lyre…

[EURYDICE (Anaïs Mitchell)]

Lover, tell me, when we’ll wed

Who’s gonna make the wedding bed?

Times being what they are

Hard, and getting harder all the time

[ORPHEUS (Justin Vernon)]

Lover, when I sing my song

All the birds gonna sing along

And they’ll come flying round to me

To lay their feathers at my feet

And we’ll lie down in eiderdown

A pillow ’neath our heads

The birds are gonna make the wedding bed

And the trees are gonna lay the wedding table

And the rivers are gonna give us the wedding band

[Rattlesnake noises]

[HERMES (André De Shields)]

Songbird versus rattlesnake!

[EURYDICE (Anaïs Mitchell)]

Orpheus, my heart is yours

Always was and will be

Oh, my heart, it aches to stay

But the flesh will have its way

Oh, the way is dark and long

I’m already gone, I’m gone

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Eurydice?

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

Hey, the big artiste!

Ain't you working on your masterpiece?

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Where is she?

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

Brother, what do you care?

You'll find another muse somewhere

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Where is she?

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

Why do you wanna know?

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Wherever she is, is where I'll go

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

What if I said she's down below?

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Down below?

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

Down below

Six-feet-under-the-ground below

She called your name before she went

But I guess you weren't listening

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

No...

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

So...

Just how far would you go for her?

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

To the end of time

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney) and COMPANY]

Wait for me I'm coming! I'm coming

Wait, I'm coming with you

Wait for me, I'm coming too

I'm coming! (Wait!)

I'm coming wait for me (Wait!)

I hear the walls repeating (Wait!)

The falling of my feet and

It sounds like drumming (Wait!)

And I am not alone (Wait!)

I hear the rocks and stones (Wait!)

Echoing my song

I'm coming!

(Coming…)

(Coming…)

[JONNY D’VILLE (Jonny Sims)]

Orpheus’ story isn’t unusual.  A broke young musician with a dead fiancee, just another life chewed up by the City.  This broke young musician didn’t accept that, though.

He needed his true love.

So he went to Hades.

[HADES (Patrick Page)]

Only one thing to be done

Let them think that they have won

Let them leave together

Under one condition:

Orpheus, the undersigned

Shall not turn to look behind

She’s out of sight

And he’s out of his mind

Every coward seems courageous

In the safety of the crowd

Bravery can be contagious

When the band is playing loud

Nothing makes a man so bold

As a woman’s smile and a hand to hold

But all alone his blood runs thin

And doubt comes...

Doubt comes in

[ORPHEUS (Damon Daunno)]

Where are you now?

[EURYDICE (Nabiyah Be)]

Orpheus,

Hold on, hold on tight

It won’t be long

’cause the darkest hour

Of the darkest night

Comes right before the dawn--

[EURYDICE (Nabiyah Be) gasps]

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney)]

It's you…

[EURYDICE (Eva Noblezada)]

It's me...

Orpheus...

[ORPHEUS (Reeve Carney)]

Eurydice…

[JONNY D’VILLE (Jonny Sims)]

But he can’t see it through, though, can he?  Flinches, looks back.

And it doesn’t work.

Orpheus steps out, still alive.

[HERMES (Chris Sullivan)]

It’s an old song

It’s an old tale from way back when

It’s an old song

And we’re gonna sing it again and again

We’re gonna sing it again

There was a railroad line on a road to Hell

There was a young man down on bended knee

And that is the ending of the tale

Of Orpheus and Eurydice

[winterflurry]

rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to! put your music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people 

i was tagged by the wonderful @esmeraldanacho-1776!! thank you a whole bunch💛 it's been a hell of a month and this was a fun distraction to try!!

1. i wanted to leave by smyl (really gentle instrumental to start with, feels like an exhale)

2. vortex by the nova twins (high energy song and i love the nova twins sm pls listen to their works for an awesome time)

3. the love you're given by jack barrett (this song makes me feel v pointed feelings haha)

4. i get along without you very well by nina simone (i wanted to cry when nina came on shuffle, she has that effect. ily nina 🥺)

5. supercut by lorde (a song to Think Thoughts To Very Intensely)

6. lonely the night by yola (one of my top faves ever omg,,,,im gonna scream🥲!!!!!)

7. dynasty by rina sawayama (this song is very important thank you rina <3)

8. how will i rest in piece if i'm buried by a highway?// by kennyhoopla (mmhmhmhmhmm pls listen to this he's v v talented and i highly recommend his music!!! this one's a banger)

9. tomorrow by jorja smith (cries softy!!! her voice!!!! especially at the end 😭)

10. wait for me (reprise) by andré de shields, hadestown original broadway company, and anaïs mitchell (if you like songs from upsetting musicals here u go! fuck😔)

the links take you to youtube to listen to each song if you're interested in new artists to try, i adore these songs and hope anyone reading this can enjoy!

tagging @alchemyassist @winglssdemon @awesomexxblossomx @thepaintr @noodlefrog-omens @ineffablepuns @bunsofsteel @coyote-mouth @amadness2method @your-jellyfish-senpai @remember-therain @genderjester @skeez-queen13

that's more than 10 sorry got carried away :') also i'm curious and wanna find new music 💗 no pressure to do this, btw!

[writemarcus]

Jun. 23: Jason Robert Brown, Savion Glover, Priscilla López, Susan Stroman, Marisha Wallace, and Christopher Wheeldon Join I’M STILL HERE: A Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division Honoring George C. Wolfe and the Late Harold Prince and Celebrating 90 Years of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; Tickets for the In-Person Viewing Party are Available Now

Jason Robert Brown, Savion Glover, Priscilla López, Susan Stroman, Marisha Wallace, and Christopher Wheeldon join the cavalcade of stars participating in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’ I’m Still Here: A Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division, airing June 23, 2021 on Broadway On Demand at 8pm EST and 8pm PST. The fundraiser will help raise critical funds for the Library for the Performing Arts’ beloved Theatre Division as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

Tickets to the online fundraiser will be donate-what-you-can, with a recommendation of at least $19.31 in honor of the year the division was founded. To purchase tickets to the one-time-only virtual event, visit StillHereAt90.com.

An in-person viewing party at the Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center for donors has also just been announced, including a pre-screening reception and performance featuring Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), and GRAMMY and two-time Tony Award winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). For details and ticket prices for this limited capacity in- person event, please contact tickets@stillhereat90.com.

An incredibly special aspect of I’m Still Here is that it will feature clips of Broadway productions from the Theatre Division’s Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT), shown especially for this occasion with special permission from The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds and the respective talent, creative teams and rights holders of each production. These archival recordings are typically only available to view onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts. The recordings shown will include the original Broadway cast of In the Heights; Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson in The Mountaintop; Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime; Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard; Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot in South Pacific; Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker in The Music Man; Meryl Streep, Marcia Gay Harden and Larry Pine in The Seagull; Savion Glover, Jimmy Tate, Choclattjared and Raymond King in Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; Bette Midler in I’ll Eat You Last; Christian Borle and Tim Curry in Spamalot; and more.

I’m Still Here will also include interviews with Broadway legends and emerging creatives; and reconceived performances of musical theatre songs, including Stephanie J. Block performing “A Trip to the Library,” André De Shields performing “I’m Still Here,” original Company cast members from 1970-to-present performing “Another Hundred People,” ��Wheels of a Dream,” “Love Will Find a Way,” and more. The evening’s honorees are Harold Prince and George C. Wolfe.

Featuring new performances and appearances by Troy Anthony (The River Is Me), Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George), Major Attaway (Aladdin), Alexander Bello (Caroline, or Change), Laura Benanti (She Loves Me), Malik Bilbrew, Susan Birkenhead (Jelly’s Last Jam), Shay Bland, Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show), Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Matthew Broderick (Plaza Suite), Jason Robert Brown (The Last 5 Years), Krystal Joy Brown (Hamilton), David Burtka (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”), Sammi Cannold (Endlings), Ayodele Casel (Chasing Magic), Kirsten Childs (Bella), Antonio Cipriano (Mean Girls), Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Max Clayton (Moulin Rouge!), Calvin L. Cooper (Mrs. Doubtfire), Trip Cullman (Choir Boy), Taeler Elyse Cyrus (Hello, Dolly!), Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on This Island), André De Shields (Hadestown), Frank DiLella (NY1), Derek Ege, Amina Faye, Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), Leslie Donna Flesner (Tootsie), Chelsea P. Freeman, Savion Glover (Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk), Joel Grey (Cabaret), Ryan J. Haddad (“The Politician”),James Harkness (Ain’t Too Proud), Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), Marcy Harriell (Company), Mark Harris (“Mike Nichols: A Life”), Neil Patrick Harris (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), Arica Jackson (Caroline, or Change), Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), Cassondra James (Once on This Island), Marcus Paul James (Rent), Taylor Iman Jones (Hamilton), Maya Kazzaz, Tom Kirdahy (The Inheritance), Leslie Kritzer (Beetlejuice), Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party), Norman Lear (Good Times), Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line), L. Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop), Robert Lee (Takeaway), Sondra Lee (Hello, Dolly!), Telly Leung (Aladdin), Priscilla Lopez (A Chorus Line),Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge!), Allen René Louis (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”), Brittney Mack (Six), Morgan Marcell (Hamilton), Aaron Marcellus (“American Idol”), Joan Marcus, Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), Annie McGreevey (Company), Sarah Meahl (Kiss Me, Kate), Joanna Merlin (Fiddler on the Roof), Ruthie Ann Miles (Sunday in the Park with George), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Madeline Myers (Double Helix), Pamela Myers (Company),Leilani Patao (Garden Girl), Nova Payton (Dreamgirls), Joel Perez (Kiss My Aztec), Bernadette Peters (Into the Woods), Tonya Pinkins (Jelly’s Last Jam), Jacoby Pruitt, Sam Quinn, Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun), Jelani Remy (Ain’t Too Proud), George Salazar (Be More Chill), Marilyn Saunders (Company), Marcus Scott (Fidelio), Rashidra Scott (Company), Rona Siddiqui (Tales of a Halfghan), Ahmad Simmons (West Side Story), Susan Stroman (The Producers), Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), Bobby Conte Thornton (Company), Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet), Kei Tsuruharatani (Jagged Little Pill), Ben Vereen (Pippin), Jack Viertel, Christopher Vo (The Cher Show), Nik Walker (Ain’t Too Proud), Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls), Shannon Fiona Weir, Christopher Wheeldon (MJ: The Musical),Helen Marla White (Ain’t Misbehavin’), Natasha Yvette Williams (“Orange is the New Black”), and Kumiko Yoshii (Prince of Broadway).

Click here to watch New York Public Library’s Doug Reside on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge.

The virtual benefit is produced and conceived by co-founder of the upcoming Museum of Broadway and four-time Tony nominee Julie Boardman (Company) and Co-Executive Producer of Broadway For Biden Nolan Doran (Head Over Heels), featuring direction by Steve Broadnax (Thoughts Of A Colored Man), Sammi Cannold (Endlings), Nick Corley (Plaza Suite), GRAMMY Award Winner Ty Defoe (Straight White Men), Drama Desk winner Lorin Latarro (Waitress), Mia Walker (Jagged Little Pill) and Tony Award winnerJason Michael Webb (Choir Boy), choreography by Ayodele Casel (Chasing Magic),Lorin Latarro and Ray Mercer (The Lion King), with new music arranged by ASCAP Award winner Rachel Dean (Medusa) and Annastasia Victory (A Wonderful World), with arrangements and orchestrations by Brian Usifer (Frozen). Casting is by Peter Van Dam at Tara Rubin Casting.

Tony Marx is the president of The New York Public Library, William Kelly is the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries,Jennifer Schantz is the Barbara G. and Lawrence A. Fleischman Executive Director of the Library for the Performing Arts, and Doug Reside is the Lewis and Dorothy Cullman Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division. Patrick Hoffman is the curator of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. Henry Tisch serves as Associate Producer and Travis Waldschmidt is Associate Choreographer. Animation and Motion Graphics by Kate Freer, Graphic Design by Caitlin Whittington, Sean MacLaughlin is Director of Photography and Ian Johnston is B Camera Operator. Dylan Tashjian is Onsite Coordinator with COVID compliance by Lauren Class Schneider.

HOST COMMITTEE: Ted & Mary Jo Shen, Barbara Fleischman, Agnes Gund, Fiona & Eric Rudin, Lizzie & Jon Tisch, Kate Cannova, Joan Marcus, Daisy Prince, Gayfryd Steinberg, Van Horn Group

LIBRARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE COMMITTEE: Emily Altman, Margot Astrachan, Ken Billington, Julie Boardman, Ted Chapin, Bonnie Comley, Van Dean, Kurt Deutsch, Scott Farthing, Barbara Fleischman, Freddie Gershon, Louise Hirschfeld, Joan Marcus, Elliott Masie, Arthur Pober, Ed Schloss, Morwin Schmookler, Jenna Segal, Ted Shen, Kara Unterberg, Abbie Van Nostrand, Kumiko Yoshii

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS DOROTHY AND LEWIS B. CULLMAN CENTER houses one of the world’s most extensive combinations of circulating, reference, and rare archival collections in the field of dance, theatre, music and recorded sound. These materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, and performances. An essential resource for everyone with an interest in the arts — whether professional or amateur — the Library is known particularly for its prodigious collections of non-book materials such as historic recordings, videotapes, autograph manuscripts, correspondence, sheet music, stage designs, press clippings, programs, posters and photographs. The Library is part of The New York Public Library system, which has locations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, and is a lead provider of free education for all.

BROADWAY ON DEMAND is the industry-leading livestream platform housing performance & theatre education programming, & the preferred choice of top Broadway artists, producers, educators & professionals. Broadway On Demand has streamed 2,500 events & live productions—from Broadway shows to concert series, performance venues to individual artists, & original content—in 82 countries to over 300,000 viewers. Thanks to a unique licensing interface, ShowShare, approved middle school, high school, college, community & professional theatre productions utilize the platform to stream to their audiences. Broadway on Demand is available on the web, mobile, Apple and Android app store, AppleTV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. For access to the complete and ever-expanding Broadway on Demand library, subscribe at BroadwayOnDemand.com.

[rowan-ashtree]

My top five artists are Anaïs Mitchell (wrote Hadestown), Hadestown Original Broadway Company, John Powell (wrote the HTTYD soundtrack), Reeve Carney (plays Orpheus in Hadestown), and André de Shields (plays Hermes in Hadestown)

At least I have my priorities straight??

[the-city-at-nyctophilia]

(Photo: “People Dancing Inside Building” Mauricio Mascaro. Photo Source)

By: Jasmine Mrenica

Within my group’s project theme; performance, I decided to focus specifically on theatre. In this playlist I focused mostly on the musical theatre genre, which was born out of theatre. Included are songs from Broadway musicals, or movies that were adapted from those musicals. There are a few songs from Disney musicals, and two honorable mentions from Mitski, an artist who I feel captures the beauty within the loneliness people tend to feel at night perfectly. I tried to recreate the ‘ups and downs’ of a night out in the city. Beginning with a need for escape, we are then travelling out to the city and excitement builds. We are dazzled by all the beauty that the city at night has to offer. This beauty is created mostly by the performers, the entertainers, and those who work within the nighttime economy. During our night, we might get into trouble, we might find romance or we might romanticize, and finally towards the end of the night we return home. The duration of the playlist is one hour and thirteen minutes.

Below, are the songs that are included in the playlist. We begin with “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera, one of the most popular and longest running musicals in the history of Broadway. This song is entirely about discovering how splendid night can be. We can see this in many of the lyrics, for example, “Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation / Darkness wakes and stirs imagination / Silently, the senses abandon their defenses.” (Weber, 1987) , and it is a perfect opener for our playlist.

The next four songs give us the feeling of making the decision to venture out into the night. “Wig in a Box” from Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the story of a drag queen as they get into drag. One of the many performative subcultures that thrives in nighttime, before the popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race propelled many drag queens to major celebrity status. “Out Tonight” from Rent tells of the danger and excitement, the transgressions one is more likely to commit once darkness falls; “I wanna commit a crime / Wanna be the cause of a fight / I wanna put on a tight skirt / and flirt with a stranger” (Larson, 1996).

Once we figuratively arrive in the city, we enjoy some songs highlighting the work of performers, labourers, and entertainers. Burlesque performers and sex workers from “Welcome to Burlesque” sung by Cher, to “Lady Marmalade” sung by Christina Aguilera. “Our Lady of the Underground” from Hadestown features the goddess Persephone as she deals illegal substances, like sunlight or rainfall, to members of the underworld. Dr. Facilier, played by Keith David, in “I Got Friends on the Other Side” plays a similar role. Both of which profit heavily on the nighttime economy where the trade of illegal substances or occult happenings are more popular.

From “Tonight” in the musical West Side Story to “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me” in The Rocky Horror Picture Show we focus on songs that tell of a certain romance. These songs don’t necessarily feature performers and labourers of the nighttime economy, but fleeting romances may take place at night nonetheless, and I felt that songs that perform such a feeling were important to include. Socializing and attempting to find love is a large reason why people go out at night.

The remaining four songs in the playlist are slower. The energy winds down as the hours start to dwindle into the early morning. They are songs that reminisce and that try to capture a memory. Night is ephemeral, and once it is over we have our splendid memories to ruminate on until we have the chance to experience it again.

Songs on this Playlist

Castle on a Cloud by Isabelle Allen (Les Miserables)

The Music of the Night by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera)

Wig in a Box by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)

Road to Hell by Andre De Shields, Hadestown Original Broadway Company, Anais Mitchell (Hadestown)

Out Tonight by Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent)

Townie by Mitski (Bury Me at Makeout Creek)

Welcome to Burlesque by Cher (Burlesque)

Sweet Charity: Big Spender by Cy Coleman (Sweet Charity)

Lady Marmalade by Christina Aguilera (Moulin Rouge)

Our Lady of the Underground by Amber Gray, Anais Mitchell, Hadestown Original Broadway Company (Hadestown)

Don’t Tell Mama by Natasha Richardson, Alan Cumming, Cabaret Ensemble (Cabaret)

Friends on the Other Side by Keith David (Princess and the Frog)

Time Warp by Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, Richard O’Brien (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)

We Built This City / We’re Not Gonna Take It by Russel Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones (Rock of Ages)

Tonight by Matt Cavenaugh, Josefina Scaglione (West Side Story)

A Whole New World by Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed (Aladdin)

Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me by Susan Sarandon (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)

Shadows of the Night / Harden my Heart by Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages)

Complainte de la Butte by Rufus Wainwright (Moulin Rouge)

Two Slow Dancers by Mitski (Be The Cowboy)

[destinymastered]

Rules: list 10 songs you really like, each by a different artist!  

Tagged by: @unsungxheroes​ ( thank you ! )

Martyr of the Free World — Epica

Masters of Destiny — Delain

Wait For Me ( Reprise ) — André De Shields & Hadestown Original Broadway Company / Hadestown OBCR

Raise Your Banner — Within Temptation

Omnos — Eluveitie

Sin Frenos — La Quinta Estación

Bring The Future Faster — Leslie Kritzer / Rooms: A Rock Romance

Hoy — Despistaos

This Ain't A Lovesong — Scouting For Girls

The Lion's Roar — First Aid Kit

Tagging: @lovehurried ; @smilesreturn ; @glimoon ; @mysteryprone and anyone else who thinks this seems fun !

[i-recommend-to-you]

Okay, so anyone who watched the Tony Awards should know about this one. Hadestown took Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Lighting Design, Best Scenic Design, Best Orchestration, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role. After seeing this yesterday I can say that it deserves every award it got. This is an artistic masterpiece. I highly recommend to anyone who likes Greek mythology, musicals, love stories, great trombone playing, and beautiful singing.

[newyorktheater]

Andrew Barth Feldman singing from Godspell in Living Room Concerts

Zalmen Mlotek in Folksbiene Live

Elīna Garanča in Carmen at Met Opera

Margot Seibert singing from Unknown Soldier on Theatre without Theater Instagram account

As a follow-up to my post “What can I watch online that’s like Broadway?” below is a list with links to newly created/promised livestreamed theater, mostly free,  from La MaMa to the Metropolitan Opera, or concerts by theater artists, including schedules when they exist. Added in the mix are also some newly posted recordings of past musicals and concerts, but the strange new world of mandated social distancing is already starting to create some new forms of theater.

The 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues

I’m not sure this is a great title, but it sounds like a terrific project:  20 theater writers have been paired with 20 actors — including Hugh Dancy, Rachel Dratch, Marin Ireland, Richard Kind, Bobby Moreno — for 20 original monologues, which will be posted from 6 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, March 17.

92Y live-streaming Wednesday, March 18 – Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron gives her New York debut recital, singing songs of Beethoven and Mahler.

Thursday, March 2 – Beethoven interpreter Jonathan Biss performs the composer’s final three piano sonatas.

You can also view the 92nd Street Y’s  previously recorded events in its archive.

  Folksbiene Live.

Tues March 17: Zalmen Mlotek’s Living Room Concert

Wed & Thur March 18 & 19: Yiddish Theater, past, present and future

“Ghost Quartet” by Dave Malloy

A newly released recording of this 90-minute musical by the creator of “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” Hell, I’ll just share it here

Katsura Sunshine’s Rakugo

This humor-filled adaptation of a tradition of Japanese storytelling was at New World Stages. It will now be on the performer’s Facebook Page Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. for free.

Living Room Concerts on Broadway World

A series of one-song performances  by Broadway stars from their own homes. Since it began March 13th, there have been performances (which you can still see) by Jagged Little Pill’s Kathryn Gallagher, Dear Evan Hansen’s Andrew Barth Feldman singing from Godspell (pictured), Andy Karl and Orfeh, Carolee Carmello singing from Hello, Dolly, Hadestown’s John Krause.

Stars in the House via The Actors Fund

This twice daily combination performance and talk show, with hosts Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, was launched on Monday March 16 with Kelli O’Hara,

March 17: Judy Kuhn at 2 p.m., Lindsay Mendez at 8 p.m.

“Teenage Dick” at Theater Wit  

The play by Mike Lew imagines Richard III as a disabled h.s. student, will be livestreamed starting 3/20. It’s a production of a Chicago company, but thanks to the miracle of Livestreaming, it’s available to New York theatergoers. I’m not sure how they’re going to be doing this, but the theater is promising talk-backs after each performance.

Theatre Without Theater

An instagram account that’s been offering a nightly “theatrical broadcast,” and soliciting artists to contribute more. Among the broadcasts so far (and still available) are Emily Walton singing from “Darling Grenadine” and Margot Seibert from “Unknown Soldier,” (which I reviewed.)  both musicals that were playing Off-Broadway until all theaters were shut down.

La MaMa plans to start live-streaming its productions soon, as it did already for the Re-Fest festival.

The Metropolitan Opera is offering a different opera every day., each starting at 7:30 p.m. and staying up for 20 hours.  During this period of shutdown and social distancing, they are offering it for free.

  New Live Theater Online Preview Guide. Don’t Scream, Livestream! As a follow-up to my post "What can I watch online that's like Broadway?" below is a list with links to newly created/promised livestreamed theater, mostly free,  from La MaMa to the Metropolitan Opera, or concerts by theater artists, including schedules when they exist.

[broadwaycom]

Here's What the Broadway.com Staff Is Looking Forward to Seeing in 2019

January 8 - Choir Boy Opens on Broadway

Moonlight scribe Tarell Alvin McCraney's 2013 drama Choir Boy will reunite stars of the acclaimed off-Broadway debut production, including Jeremy Pope, Tony winner Chuck Cooper and Tony nominee Austin Pendleton with original off-Broadway director Trip Cullman. The story centers on Pharus (Pope), a talented student has been waiting for years to take his rightful place as the leader of the school's legendary gospel choir.

February 19 - Merrily We Roll Along Opens Off-Broadway

The innovative company Fiasco Theater will present a new production of George Furth and Stephen Sondheim's iconic musical Merrily We Roll Along. Fiasco's Co-Artistic Director Noah Brody directs the show, which revolves around a former composer named Franklin Shepard, who has abandoned his friends and music career to become a Hollywood producer. The musical goes backward, showing snapshots of his life.

March 14 - Kiss Me, Kate Opens on Broadway

Time to brush up your Shakespeare! Kelli O'Hara and Will Chase are set to star in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate at Studio 54. The story centers on a cast putting on a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and the conflict on and offstage between Fred Graham (Chase), the show's director, producer and star, and the leading lady, his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (O'Hara).

March 21 - Ain't Too Proud Opens on Broadway Get ready 'cause here the Temptations musical comes! With a score filled with Motown classics, Ain't Too Proud chronicles the life and times of The Temptations, one of the greatest R&B groups of all time. The musical stars Derrick Baskin as Otis Williams, Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin, Jarvis B. Manning Jr. as Al Bryant, James Harkness as Paul Williams and Jeremy Pope (yes, from Choir Boy) as Eddie Kendricks.

April 11 - Gary Opens on Broadway

Tony winners and comedy royals Nathan Lane and Andrea Martin return to Broadway this season in Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, a new comedy by Pulitzer Prize finalist Taylor Mac. Gary is set during the fall of the Roman Empire, when the years of bloody battles are over: The civil war has ended. There are casualties everywhere, and two very lowly servants (played by Lane and Martin) are charged with cleaning up the bodies.

April 17 - Hadestown Opens on Broadway

Hadestown, the new musical by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, follows the mythical quest of Orpheus to overcome Hades and regain the favor of his one true love, Eurydice. Casting has yet to be announced for Broadway, but original stars of the 2016 off-Broadway premiere Patrick Page and Amber Gray as well as Eva Noblezada, André De Shields and Reeve Carney are currently appearing in the London production.

April 18 - Hillary and Clinton Opens on Broadway

Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow will star in Lucas Hnath's Hillary and Clinton, which examines the politics of marriage, gender roles and the limitations of experience and inevitability in a look at a dynasty in crisis. During the early days of 2008, former First Lady Hillary (Metcalf) is in a desperate bid to save her campaign for President. Her husband, Bill (Lithgow), sees things one way; her campaign manager sees things another.

April 25 - Beetlejuice Opens on Broadway

Beetlejuice, the stage adaptation of the Tim Burton film, spotlights teenager Lydia Deetz, who calls on a ghost-with-the-most to scare away her insufferable parents: Beetlejuice! He comes up with the perfect plan, which involves exorcism, arranged marriages and a girl scout who gets scared out of her wits. Tony nom Alex Brightman was praised for his performance in the titular role during Washington, D.C.'s pre-Broadway run.

July 25 - Moulin Rouge! Opens on Broadway

The musical based on Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film stars Tony winner Karen Olivo opposite Broadway favorite Aaron Tveit as the dazzling, entrancing chanteuse, Satine and lovesick writer, Christian, respectively. Their lives collide in Paris' Moulin Rouge with its many characters. The cast includes six-time Tony nominee Danny Burstein, Tony nominee Sahr Ngaujah, Robyn Hurder and Tam Mutu.

December 10 - West Side Story Bows on Broadway Something's coming, something good! Tony winner Ivo van Hove will helm a new Broadway revival of Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's West Side Story that will begin performances next year at a theater to be announced. For the first time ever in the United States, this production will feature all-new choreography by the internationally acclaimed Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.

[taradi0]

Artist: Hadestown Original Broadway Company Song: Way Down Hadestown Album: Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording) My Tags: soundtrack My Plays: 52 times since Jun 13, 2019 (3 years, 2 months, 15 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes➗52) My Rating: 4 - Songs to play anytime Lyrics: [Genius] (https://genius.com/Hadestown-original-broadway-company-way-down-hadestown-lyrics) Youtube: [Search results] (<a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8bYTrxrM51Y">Hadestown Original Broadway Cast - Way Down Hadestown I - Lyrics</a>) Buy it: [Itunes](https://music.apple.com/us/album/way-down-hadestown/1466351033?i=1466351192&uo=4 https://music.apple.com/us/album/way-down-hadestown-reprise/1466351033?i=1466351214&uo=4 https://music.apple.com/us/album/chant-reprise/1466351033?i=1466351284&uo=4)

[zoueriemandzijnopmars]

Okay, so you all know I’m confused about the lack of K3 on my Spotify wrapped, so I decided to compare to another site that takes my Spotify data and makes lists to see if Spotify is as wrong as I think it is:

My top songs according to Spotify from the past year:

[Image ID: A screenshot from Spotify wrapped, detailing the top 5 songs of the user, from top to bottom the songs are: Good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo, Promises from the Hadestown soundtrack, Wait for it from the Hamilton soundtrack, Some Things Never Change from Frozen 2 and Nothing Left to Lose from the Tangled Series. End ID]

And now let us look at what the site says:

Top Tracks — Medium Term (6 months)

good 4 u — Olivia Rodrigo

Hallo K3 — K3

Vliegen Als Een Vogel — K3

deja vu — Olivia Rodrigo

traitor — Olivia Rodrigo

Top Tracks — Long Term (years) (adding 6 and 7 because they are in Spotify’s top 5)

Helpless — Phillipa Soo, Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton

Good Kid — Chris McCarrell, The Lightning Thief Company, Rob Rokicki

Zero To Hero — Chorus - Hercules, Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Vaneese Thomas, Tawatha Agee

My Grand Plan — Kristin Stokes, Rob Rokicki

Bring on the Monsters — The Lightning Thief Company, Rob Rokicki

Nothing Left to Lose — Jeremy Jordan, Eden Espinosa

Wait for It — Leslie Odom Jr., Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton

Okay, so the songs could maaaaybe be correct assuming I did not listen to Hallo K3 in the first half of the year (which I listened to at least once, but I can’t remember if I was really into it) so I will let this slide for now.

Now the spotify app keeps crashing on me if I play the wrapped slide show, and I only managed to see my top artists once because of this and did not manage to get a screenshot before it crashed, but from what I remember it was Anais Mitchell, Taylor Swift, Phillipa Soo and two other musical people I can’t remember, so it did NOT include K3. So let’s look at what this site says:

Top Artists — Medium Term (6 months)

K3

Taylor Swift

Olivia Rodrigo

Ed Sheeran

Krezip

Top Artists — Long Term (years)

K3

Ed Sheeran

Taylor Swift

Krezip

ABBA

K3 is highest over the past 6 months and in the long term!!!! So I refuse to believe I did not listen to a lot of K3 in the past year overall! Why aren’t they in my top 5 artists?? And Anais Mitchell and Phillipa Soo are nowhere to be seen?? What the fuck Spotify, what are you basing your information on??

[taradi0]

Artist: Amber Gray, André De Shields, Reeve Carney & Hadestown Original Broadway Company Song: Livin' it Up on Top Album: Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording) My Tags: soundtrack My Plays: 40 times since Jun 13, 2019 (3 years, 2 months, 15 days, 4 hours, 29 minutes➗40) My Rating: 4 - Songs to play anytime Lyrics: [Genius] (https://genius.com/Amber-gray-andre-de-shields-reeve-carney-and-hadestown-original-broadway-company-livin-it-up-on-top-lyrics) Youtube: [Search results] (<a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=44BPhw4lFJQ">Hadestown Original Broadway Cast - Livin' It Up On Top - Lyrics</a> <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ6bih9esxY">Hadestown performs "Livin’ It Up on Top" on Today Show</a>) Buy it: [Itunes](https://music.apple.com/us/album/livin-it-up-on-top/1466351033?i=1466351189&uo=4)

[writemarcus]

LaChanze and Jennifer Damiano Join Tonight's I'M STILL HERE Benefit; Online Auction and Additional Archival Footage Announced!

The Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division airs tonight at 8pm ET and 8pm PT on Broadway On Demand.

by Stephi Wild

Jun. 23, 2021  

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts announced today that additional archival clips have been added for tonight's one-time-only event I'm Still Here: A Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division, airing at 8pm ET and 8pm PT on Broadway On Demand. This footage is typically only available onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center, but will be available tonight as part of this special virtual benefit and celebration of the Billy Rose Theatre Division's 90th anniversary.

For tickets, visit StillHereAt90.com.

Notable additions to the list of archival excerpts viewers can expect to see during tonight's gala include: Caitlin Gann, Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande (at age 15 making her Broadway debut) and Brynn Williams in 13; Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman, Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime, Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie and excerpts of rare interviews with Liza Minnelli, Stephen Sondheim, Harold Prince, John Kander and Fred Ebb.

Additionally, the Library announced that a Charitybuzz online auction is set to go live at 8pm ET, offering unique artifacts and experiences to bid on with all proceeds supporting the Billy Rose Theatre Division's efforts to document, collect, and preserve theatre history.

Highlights from the auction include Neil Simon's writing desk and typewriter, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Library for the Performing Arts' Theatre Division's collections, opportunity to attend a taping of a production for inclusion in the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT); virtual meetings or coaching sessions with Producing Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater André Bishop, former President of The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization Ted Chapin, actress Christine Ebersole, Artistic Director of The Public Theater Oskar Eustis, actress Jessica Hecht, playwright David Henry Hwang, composer/lyricist Joe Iconis, actress Laura Linney, choreographer Katie Rose McLaughlin, CAA agent Olivier Sultan, and director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

Bidding will continue through July 8 at charitybuzz.com/stillhereat90.

Tony Award winner LaChanze (The Color Purple) and Tony Award nominee Jennifer Damiano (Next to Normal) have also been added to the in-person viewing party at the Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center for donors at certain levels. They'll join previously announced performers Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), and GRAMMY and two-time Tony Award winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). For details and ticket prices for this limited capacity in-person event, please contact tickets@stillhereat90.com.

An incredibly special aspect of I'm Still Here is that it will feature clips of Broadway productions from the Theatre Division's Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT). These archival recordings are typically only available to view onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts. In addition to the newly announced excerpts, clips shown will include Lin-Manuel Miranda and the original Broadway cast of In the Heights; Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson in The Mountaintop; Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime; Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard; Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot in South Pacific; Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker in The Music Man; Meryl Streep, Marcia Gay Harden and Larry Pine in The Seagull; Savion Glover, Jimmy Tate, Choclattjared and Raymond King in Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk; Bette Midler in I'll Eat You Last; Christian Borle and Tim Curry in Spamalot; Philip Seymour Hoffman and Remy Auberjonois in Death of a Salesman, Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens, LaChanze and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes in The Color Purple, George Hearn in La Cage aux Folles, and Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie. And rare excerpts of interviews with Liza Minnelli, Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, John Kander and Fred Ebb.

I'm Still Here will also include interviews with Broadway legends and emerging creatives; and reconceived performances of musical theatre songs, including Stephanie J. Block performing "A Trip to the Library," André De Shields performing "I'm Still Here," original Company cast members from 1970-to-present performing "Another Hundred People," "Wheels of a Dream," "Love Will Find a Way," and more. The evening's honorees are Harold Prince and George C. Wolfe.

Featuring new performances and appearances by Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George), Major Attaway (Aladdin), Alexander Bello (Caroline, or Change), Malik Bilbrew, Susan Birkenhead (Jelly's Last Jam), Shay Bland, Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show), Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Matthew Broderick (Plaza Suite), Jason Robert Brown (The Last 5 Years), Krystal Joy Brown (Hamilton), David Burtka ("A Series of Unfortunate Events"), Sammi Cannold (Endlings), Ayodele Casel (Chasing Magic), Kirsten Childs (Bella), Antonio Cipriano (Mean Girls), Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Max Clayton (Moulin Rouge!), Calvin L. Cooper (Mrs. Doubtfire), Trip Cullman (Choir Boy), Taeler Elyse Cyrus (Hello, Dolly!), Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on This Island), André De Shields (Hadestown), Frank DiLella (NY1), Derek Ege, Amina Faye, Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), Leslie Donna Flesner (Tootsie), Chelsea P. Freeman, Savion Glover (Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk), Joel Grey (Cabaret), Ryan J. Haddad ("The Politician"), James Harkness (Ain't Too Proud), Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), Marcy Harriell (Company), Mark Harris ("Mike Nichols: A Life"), Neil Patrick Harris (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), Arica Jackson (Caroline, or Change), Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), Cassondra James (Once on This Island), Marcus Paul James (Rent), Taylor Iman Jones (Hamilton), Maya Kazzaz, Tom Kirdahy (The Inheritance), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Beetlejuice), Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party), Norman Lear (Good Times), Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line), L. Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop), Robert Lee (Takeaway), Sondra Lee (Hello, Dolly!), Telly Leung (Aladdin), Priscilla López (A Chorus Line), Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge!), Allen René Louis ("Jimmy Kimmel Live!"), Brittney Mack (Six), Morgan Marcell (Hamilton), Aaron Marcellus ("American Idol"), Joan Marcus, Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), Annie McGreevey (Company), Sarah Meahl (Kiss Me, Kate), Joanna Merlin (Fiddler on the Roof), Ruthie Ann Miles (Sunday in the Park with George), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Madeline Myers (Double Helix), Pamela Myers (Company), Leilani Patao (Garden Girl), Nova Payton (Dreamgirls), Joel Perez (Kiss My Aztec), Bernadette Peters (Into the Woods), Tonya Pinkins (Jelly's Last Jam), Daisy Prince (The Last 5 Years), Jacoby Pruitt, Sam Quinn, Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun), Jelani Remy (Ain't Too Proud), Chita Rivera (Kiss of the Spiderwoman), George Salazar (Be More Chill), Marilyn Saunders (Company), Marcus Scott (Fidelio), Rashidra Scott (Company), Rona Siddiqui (Tales of a Halfghan), Ahmad Simmons (West Side Story), Susan Stroman (The Producers), Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), Bobby Conte Thornton (Company), Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet), Kei Tsuruharatani (Jagged Little Pill), Ben Vereen (Pippin), Annastasia Victory (Mean Girls), Jack Viertel, Christopher Vo (The Cher Show), Paula Vogel (Indecent), Nik Walker (Ain't Too Proud), Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls), Shannon Fiona Weir, Christopher Wheeldon (MJ: The Musical), Helen Marla White (Ain't Misbehavin'), NaTasha Yvette Williams ("Orange is the New Black"), George C. Wolfe (Angels in America) and Kumiko Yoshii (Prince of Broadway).

[newyorktheater]

See August 1

See August 5

See August 7

See August 8

See Aug 10

See Aug 16

See Aug 18

See Aug 23

See Aug 26

Below is the day-by-day calendar of “theater openings”* in August, 2020, a month of abundance: Two theatrical celebrations of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage (Aug 16 & 18), two ways to re-experience Amiri Baraka’s landmark play “The Dutchman” (Aug 8 & 20), at least two annual summer theater festivals re-imagined, and three “reunion readings” of plays with their original starry casts.

  And that’s just what we know about as the month begins. Since physical theaters were shut down in March, many  shows are put together at the last minute, sometimes not even announced until the very day of their launch. (And there have also been last-minute cancellations.) That’s why  I will be updating this preview guide every day, and highlighting the offerings each new day with a new link up top. This calendar as of this moment offers a glimpse of what’s in store. Come back day by day for a better look. (Some of the plays listed do require advance reservation.)

Several ongoing series have been consistent in quality and output, many of them new or even ad-hoc.

Four offer live performances (usually referred to as readings), often of original plays:

The Homebound Project (See Aug 5) Livelabs: One Acts from MCC Play-PerView (See Aug 1, 8 and 15th) Viral Monologues from 24 Hour Plays (some 10 short new monologues almost every Tuesday) This month, the similar 48Hours in…Harlem celebrates its 10th anniversary, by going online. (See August 20.)

There is also Stars in the House, a twice-daily variety and talk show that, twice a week — on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons — presents Plays in the House,  Zoom readings of well-known plays, often classics…and a Sunday matinee for teenagers.

*My definition of theater for the purposes of this calendar generally does not extend to variety shows, cast reunions, galas, panel discussions, documentaries, classes, interviews — of which there are plenty, many worth checking out. My focus here is on creative storytelling in performance. (I make an occasional exception for a high-profile Netathon,involving many theater artists, such as Broadway Bares on Aug 1.)

A reminder that this calendar lists when the shows “open.” Some are live and available only for that one performance. Other shows are available for four days, or a week, or longer.

August 1

playwright Lydia Diamond

Crystal Monee Hall

Jelani Aladdin

Stick Fly Plays in the House 2 p.m. Available until August 5 The Zoom reading of Lydia Diamond’s play (which ran on Broadway in 2011)  is the latest matinee  in the twice-weekly spinoff series of Stars in the House. The affluent, African-American LeVay family is gathering at their Martha’s Vineyard home for the weekend, and brothers Kent and Flip have each brought their respective ladies home to meet the parents for the first time. The cast features Jelani Alladin, Crystal Monee Hall, Caroline Innerbichler, Keith Randolph Smith, Tiffany Rachelle Stewart, Daniel J. Watts and Renika Williams. New original music by Crystal Monee Hall

RoosevElvis Play-PerView Launches at 5 p.m. $5-$50 A reunion reading of The TEAM’s 2013 comedy, directed by Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown, Great Comet): On a hallucinatory road trip from the Badlands to Graceland, the spirits of Elvis Presley and Theodore Roosevelt battle over the soul of Ann, a painfully shy meat-processing plant worker, and what kind of man or woman Ann should become.

Verdi’s Ernani Metropolitan Opera 7:30 p.m. available for 23 hours A complicated story based on a Victor Hugo play about a young woman and the three men vying for her affection

Murder in Montgomery Manor Broadway Whodunit $21.30 8 p.m. The first in a series of virtual unscripted murder mysteries created by Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen), where we play detective after one Broadway star is murdered to figure out which Broadway star was the killer. The eight-member cast this time features Feldman as host Laurence Montgomery VI, Alex Boniello as Giuseppe Romano, The Lawyer (I’ll bet he winds up the killer), Will Roland and Shereen Pimentel.

Broadway Bares 9:30 p.m. The annual strip show for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has gone online this year, featuring (clothed) appearances by Nick Adams, Charles Busch, Lea DeLaria, J. Harrison Ghee, Jane Krakowski, Nathan Lane, Beth Leavel, Judith Light, Andrew Lippa, Lesli Margherita, Angie Schworer, Marc Shaiman, Miriam Shor, Christopher Sieber, Wesley Taylor

August 2

Martin Luther On Trial Fellowship for the Performing Arts 4 p.m. A courtroom drama featuring Hitler, Freud, MLK Jr and Pope Francis as witnesses in a reenactment of Satan’s rebellion and his failed attempt to enlist Michael the Archangel!

Today I Saw A Bird…and Waze Playdate Theatre Two 15-minute plays on day two of this new theater company’s festival. In Ben Kaye’s “Today I Saw A Bird and Watched You Fly Away With It,” Sean (Owen Thiele) logs on for a work call with Roxie (Wonza Johnson), but discovers he’s in for something else entirely. In Lizz Bogaard’s “Waze,” Casey’s desire to get a job at Waze is thwarted when his grandmother causes a ruckus during his interview.

Frankie Faison

Happy by Alan Zweibel Playing on Air

In Alan Zweibel’s audio play, starring Frankie Faison and Scott Adsit, directed by Fred Berner, a baseball fan shows up at the home of his childhood hero, George “Happy” Halliday. Has the stranger come to pay his respects or to throw a curveball?

Wagner’s Die Walküre Metropolitan Opera 7:20 p.m. available for 23 hours The second installment of Wagner’s four-part Ring cycle, the most popular and most self-contained episode. It combines the mythical machinations of gods and demigods with the love story of the brave hero Siegmund and the dignified Sieglinde, whose passion is undiminished even when they discover that they are long-lost brother and sister,

August 3

The Olympians Theater Breaking Through Barriers 7:30 p.m. The first of eight new plays from the festival entitled Voices from the Great Experiment, which will be presented on TBTBTheater’s YouTube channel every night at 7:30 through August 10.

August 4

Who’s There New Ohio Theater Available through August 8 Cross-cultural encounter involving artists based in Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States: Accusations, feuds, and revelation. Created by The Transit Ensemble, co-directed by Sim Yan Ying “YY” and Alvin Tan.

August 5

  Homebound Project # 5 7 p.m. Available through August 9 The fifth anthology of short new plays (and planned as the last), this time with a cast featuring Laurie Metcalf, Kelli O’Hara, Brian Cox, Austin Pendleton, Daniel K. Isaac, performing in works by playwrights Craig Lucas, Lena Dunham, Sylvia Khoury, Stephen Karam, Donnetta Lavinia Grays.

Black Trans Women at the Center Long Wharf Theater 8 p.m. A free Zoom reading of three short plays: Dezi Bing’s “Things Unknown,” CeCe Suazo’s “You Will Nevaaa …” and Douglas Lyons’s “Sunshine.”

August 6

The Bathroom Plays Eden Theater Company 8 p.m. All three plays take place in a bathroom, and will be streamed on Eden’s YouTube channel In Amy Berryman’s “Pidgeons,” a woman confesses to a priest via Zoom, as she “lurks the bowels of the Internet” after her husband’s death. In E.E. Adams’s “Mary,” a young woman who is sheltering in place alone attempts to befriend the ghost haunting her bathroom. In Brennan Vickery’s “Monogamous Animals,” the characters would’ve never thought being so close could make them feel so lonely. A cigarette, a bathtub and a one-night getaway from quarantine might just break them.

August 7

Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi

In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams PBS Great Performances A documentary of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway musical, as part of the program’s new “Broadway at Home” series. A cool follow-up to Hamilton on Disney+ (still available to subscribers) and the Freestyle Love Supreme documentary on Hulu (ditto.)

The Understudy Play Reading Fridays 7 p.m. Theresa Rebeck’s comedy focuses on Roxanne, who is charged with running the understudy rehearsal for the Broadway premiere of a heretofore undiscovered masterpiece by Franz Kafka. She is rattled when she discovers it’s her ex-fiance who is understudy for Jake, a mid-tier action star yearning for legitimacy.

August 8

WeSongCycle Tokyo Performing Arts 8:45 a.m. The season finale of an online documentary-style series, centered on several cultures’ definition of “Heroism.” The 16-member cast hails from the U.S., the U.K., Australia and Japan.

Dutchman Play-PerView 7 p.m. A read of Amiri Baraka’s 1964 play that’s a stark, allegorical confrontation between Lula, a white woman, and Clay, a black man, on the subway in New York, featuring the cast of the 2007 Cherry Lane production — Dulé Hill, Jennifer Mudge, and Christopher Meyer.

August 9

Anniversary Playing on Air Sarah Sokolovic, Michael Esper, Sue Jean Kim, and Steven Boyer star in this play by Rachel Bonds in which a grieving New Yorker finds herself drawn to a quirky, flirtatious friend-of-a-friend.

  August 10

Songs from an Unmade Bed 8 p.m. B.D. Wong and videographer videographer Richert Schnorr create a series of music videos out of this song cycle by librettist Mark Campbell and 18 composers about the inner musings and romantic life of a gay man living in New York.

Corkscrew 4.0 Available through August 23. What was going to be the fourth annual  Corkscrew Festival has been delayed until August 2021. HOWEVER, in the meantime, “the creative teams behind the five world premiere productions have adapted, reimagined, and exploded their plays, ending up with five unique interactive web experiences.” So, for example: “In Yankees, it’s Study Abroad Florence 2015! Introduce yourself to the Facebook group, check out the program website, and get ready to become a citizen of the WORLD…’

August 13

A Burning Church New Ohio Theater Available for two days Staged as a religious service as part of the Ice Factory Festival, this new musical traces the lives of church leaders and congregants amid protest movements, tragedies, and spiritual rebirth.

August 14

Danielle Brooks and Grantham Coleman

Much Ado About Nothing PBS Great Performances A recording of the 2019 Shakespeare in the Park production starring Danielle Brooks as Beatrice. (My review at the Delacorte)

August 15

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity Play-PerView The tenth annual reunion reading of this play written and directed by Kristoffer Diaz. Macedonio “The Mace” Guerra is a middle rank wrestler who may have discovered his ticket to the big time: a charismatic, trash-talking Indian kid from Brooklyn whom he recruits as the perfect foil to the all-American champion, Chad Deity. But when their rivalry is used to exploit racial stereotypes in the name of ratings, all three men find themselves fighting for much more than the championship title.  (My review of the play Off-Broadway in 2010.)

August 16

Cell Playing on Air Tonya Pinkins, Condola Rashad, and Melanie Nicholls-King star in this audio play by Cassandra Medley:When a jaded guard at an immigrant detention center finds jobs for her sister and niece, family tensions erupt into a battle over home and homeland security.

August 18

Finish the Fight New York Times 7 p.m. The play by Ming Peiffer (“Usual Girls”) was commissioned by the Time to mark the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote The performance is available for free to viewers who R.S.V.P. in advance.

August 19

The Hombres Two River Theater 7 p.m. $25 A look at the complexity and intimacy of male friendship. Set somewhere off the New Jersey Transit line, the play follows Julián, a Latino yoga teacher, as he clashes with the Latino construction workers outside his studio—particularly the older head of the crew, Héctor, who seeks from Julián something he never expected.

  August 20

The six producers of Harlem9 (three dropped out over the years) Back row: Jonathan McCrory, Garlia Cornelia Jones, Sandra A. Daley-Sharif and Spencer Scott Barros. Bottom row: Bryan E. Glover and Eric Lockley.

48Hours in…Harlem Harlem9 7 p.m. Available for four days The 10th anniversary edition of the annual theatre festival begins August 20. The new plays were written in 48 hours July 17–19, then rehearsed and recorded during an additional 48-hour period July 24–25. For this year’s festival, playwrights were inspired by the same six Black plays from 48 Hours in..’s. inaugural year: Zooman and the Sign, The Colored Museum, Day of Absence, Funnyhouse of a Negro, Dutchman, and Black Terror. The festival brings together six playwrights, six directors, and 18 actors, including A Strange Loop star Larry Owens and its choreographer Raja Feather Kelly. Penning the pieces are playwrights  Keith Josef Adkins, Brittany K. Allen, Tracey Conyer Lee, Nadine Mozon, Jeremy O’brian, and L. Trey Wilson. (My article on the ninth annual 48 Hours in Harlem)

August 21

The King and I PBS Great Performances

August 23

Julie Halston,

Lois Smith

playwright David Ives

St. Francis Preaches to the Birds Playing on Air An audio play by David Ives sarring Carson Elrod, Julie Halston, and Matthew Saldivar with cameos by Lois Smith and Ives In the middle of the desert, two vultures find their lunch interrupted by a man of faith. Now, they have a bone to pick with Saint Francis of Assisi.

August 24

August 26

Talking Statues Monumental Women This nine-minute “dialogue” (or 11 minutes in Spanish) will accompany “Monumental Women,” a 14 foot tall statue being unveiled in Central Park that depicts three pioneers in women’s rights, Sojourner Truth. Susan B. Anthony and Cady Stanton, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the women’s right to vote. The cast: Jane Alexander, Viola Davis, America Ferera, Rita Moreno, Zoe Saldana and Meryl Streep! There will be an app, and also a Qcode at the site of the monument. Will there also be a website? Stay tuned.

Sunken Cathedral Here Arts 7 p.m.

August 27

Real-life married couple Ed Harris and Amy Madigan as unhinged, unhappily married couple in Beth Henley’s The Jacksonian in 2013.

The Jacksonian The New Group $10-$25 7 p.m Continuing with the company’s reunion reading series, a starry cast (Ed Harris, Jane Krakowski , Amy Madigan, Juliet Brett,Bill Pullman) star in Beth Henley’s play set in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1964 – a town poisoned by racism – as a dentist Bill Perch (Harris), kicked out by his wife, commences a downward spiral at the Jacksonian Motel. (My 2013 Off-Broadway review)

  August 2020 Online Theater Openings: What’s streaming day by day Below is the day-by-day calendar of “theater openings”* in August, 2020, a month of abundance: Two…