HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email:
THE BROADWAY BEAT: Lea Michele, Victoria Clark, and more discuss being working Moms on Broadway; 5 Tony-Nominated Broadway Shows, 5 Stagecraft Secrets; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child celebrates 1,000 performances on Broadway; The casts of Hamilton and Sweeney Todd teamed up for a special Ham4Ham mashup; And Check out a sneak peek of the upcoming of upcoming Broadway musical Once Upon a One More Time.
THE CALL BACK: Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Streaming for one Night only!
HOT TOPICS: How the Phantom of the Opera chandelier made its final exit; 3 High School Students Named U.S. Presidential Scholars in Theatre. Arthur Miller fans on a mission to preserve the famous playwright’s CT legacy; Indiana High School Students Will Mount Independent Production of Marian After Anti-LGBTQ Motivated Cancellation; And The German production of Hamilton released a new music video of "Zufrieden," the German version of "Satisfied.
THE BIG IDEA: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
AWARDS SEASON: The winner of 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Sanaz Toossi on Her Pulitzer: ‘This Signals to Iranians Our Stories Matter; Wolf Play, Titaníque Lead 2023 Lucille Lortel Awards; The Dramatists Guild Foundation announces the inaugural recipient of Indigenous Theatermaker Award
SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW: Celebrate Monther’s Day with these Amazing Shows
The Broadway Beat
LEA MICHELE, VICTORIA CLARK, AND MORE DISCUSS BEING WORKING MOMS ON BROADWAY - When Lea Michele was cast as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway, she reached out to her peers within the industry for advice. She needed guidance on how to lead a show as a first-time mom.
5 TONY-NOMINATED BROADWAY SHOWS, 5 STAGECRAFT SECRETS - What’s on Jessica Chastain’s mind as she spins onstage? Plus: Ben Platt’s silence, the Fat Ham ghost, the Shucked corn dance and all that Sweeney blood.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD CELEBRATES 1,000 PERFORMANCES ON BROADWAY - The production, which recently celebrated its 5th anniversary, opened to critical acclaim on Sunday, April 22, 2018, and went on to win six Tony Awards including Best Play.
THE CASTS OF HAMILTON AND SWEENEY TODD TEAMED UP FOR A SPECIAL HAM4HAM MASHUP:
AND HERE’S A SNEAK PEEK OF “CIRCUS” FROM THE UPCOMING BROADWAY MUSICAL ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME:
The Call Back
STRANGER SINGS! THE PARODY MUSICAL STREAMING FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Experience the Upside Down! Take a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana: 1983…when times were simpler, hair was bigger, and unsupervised children were getting snatched by inter-dimensional creatures.
STRANGER SINGS! THE PARODY MUSICAL is a wild and irreverent send-up of the hit Netflix series and all its campy 1980s glory. Join Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin, and the whole Hawkins gang for a night of adventure, thrills, pubescent angst, heavy synth, poor parenting, convoluted love triangles, cheap effects, singing monsters, and maybe, just maybe… justice for everyone’s favorite Barb.
Following a smash hit nine-month run in New York City, this stunning 4k capture of the immersive off-Broadway production featuring the original Playhouse 46 cast! STRANGER SINGS! THE PARDOY MUSICAL will stream for fans around the world... for one night only!
Gather your adventure crew and experience the show from the comfort of your very own 80's basement, secret fort, or Upside-Down lair.
Hot Topics
HOW THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA CHANDELIER MADE ITS FINAL EXIT Production technical supervisor Jake Bell weighs in on the iconic loadout.
3 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NAMED U.S. PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS IN THEATRE -Lauren Mei, Zariyah Perry, and George Porteous have been recognized for their achievements in theatre.
ARTHUR MILLER FANS ON A MISSION TO PRESERVE THE FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHT’S CONNECTICUT LEGACY - In Connecticut, you can visit the writing room where Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn, the summer cottage that Eugene O’Neill used as the setting for Long Day’s Journey Into Night, the home where Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote The American Woman’s Home and two different schoolhouses where Nathan Hale taught. The town of Roxbury wants to add Arthur Miller’s writing studio to that list.
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL MOUNT INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION OF MARIAN AFTER ANTI-LGBTQ MOTIVATED CANCELLATION - The school was slated to perform the Adam Szymkowicz-penned play until parent outrage over gay and non-binary characters forced a cancellation.
CHECK OUT THIS CLIP AND SHARE WITH THE GERMAN TEACHER: The German production of Hamilton released the following New Music Video of the cast performing “Zufrieden” the German version of “Satisfied”.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
A Letter from The Scene to all theatre Teachers and Educators in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.
Dear Theater Teachers and Educators,
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! The Scene wishes to express its sincere gratitude to all the Theatre educators whose dedication to theatre, teaching and educating our young people is truly an inspiration.
Theater education is more than just learning lines and memorizing blocking. It is about developing the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively. It’s about learning to express oneself, connect with others, build self-confidence, increase self-esteem, and develop a greater capacity for empathy. And it’s also a lot of fun!
Theater teachers work long hours and often go above and beyond to provide their students with the best possible experience. You are not only teachers, but mentors, coaches, and friends. You are there for your students through thick and thin, and you help them to grow into confident, well-rounded individuals. You show us the power of the arts to change lives.
Thank you for all that you do. You have made a difference in the lives of so many young people, and we are grateful for your service.
Sincerely,
The Scene
Award Season
WINNER OF 2023 PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA ANNOUNCED - Sanaz Toossi’s English earns the Prize, and two finalists gain recognition.
SANAZ TOOSSI ON HER PULITZER: ‘THIS SIGNALS TO IRANIANS OUR STORIES MATTER’ - The 31-year-old playwright received the honor for her first produced play, English, about a language test-prep class in Iran.
WOLF PLAY, TITANÍQUE LEAD 2023 LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS; SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS - The Off-Broadway honors were handed our May 7 at NYU Skirball Center.
DRAMATISTS GUILD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL RECIPIENT OF INDIGENOUS THEATERMAKER AWARD - The award recognizes an Indigenous theater institution or organization.s year?
Shows You Should Know:
CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY WITH THESE AMAZING SHOWS
Mother's Day holds a significant place as a special occasion, allowing us to honor and show appreciation for the remarkable women who have raised, nurtured, and shaped us into the individuals we are today. Whether one assumes the cherished role of a mother, desires to offer a memorable gift to their own mother, or simply seeks to explore new and captivating theatrical productions that delve into the various dimensions of motherhood, the following list presents eleven exceptional plays and musicals that beautifully celebrate the profound essence of motherhood.
1. A Kid Like Jake - This drama by Daniel Pearle explores the challenges and joys of raising a four-year-old son who prefers to dress up as princesses and fairy tale characters. Parents, Alex, and Greg must navigate the competitive world of private school admissions, as well as their own doubts and fears, while supporting their child's unique identity. A Kid Like Jake is a study of intimacy and parenthood and the fantasies that accompany both.
2. Motherhood Out Loud - This collection of short plays by 14 playwrights, including Beth Henley, Theresa Rebeck, and Cheryl L. West, shatters traditional notions about parenthood and unveils its inherent comedy and drama. Utterly unpredictable, Motherhood Out Loud shatters traditional notions about parenthood, unveils its inherent comedy and celebrates the deeply personal truths that span and unite generations.
3. Motherhood the Musical - This musical comedy by Sue Fabisch celebrates the joys and challenges of being a mom through catchy songs and relatable scenarios. The show follows four women with different backgrounds and personalities as they share their stories of pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, marriage, work-life balance, aging parents, empty nests, and more. Motherhood the Musical is a fun and uplifting tribute to mothers everywhere.
4. The Mother - This dark comedy by Florian Zeller and translated by Christopher Hampton, follows Anne, a woman in her fifties who is struggling with the departure of her grown-up children and the infidelity of her husband. As she spirals into paranoia and depression, she loses her grip on reality and confuses past and present. The Mother is a gripping and disturbing portrait of a woman who feels abandoned and betrayed by her family.
5. Steel Magnolias - This classic play by Robert Harling is set in a small-town beauty salon in Louisiana, where six women bond over gossip, laughter, and tears. The play focuses on the relationship between M'Lynn and her daughter Shelby, who suffers from diabetes and decides to have a child despite the risks. Steel Magnolias is a tribute to the strength and resilience of women who face life's challenges with grace and humor.
6. Morning Sun - This play by Simon Stephens is set in Greenwich Village a generation or so ago, the city is alive. Joni Mitchell sings, friends and lovers come and go, and the regulars change at the White Horse Tavern. As fifty years pass, one woman’s life is revealed in all its complexity, mystery, and possibility in this enthralling piece about mothers and daughters.
7. Auntie Mame - This fabulously successful hit hardly needs an introduction. Besides being the source for one of America’s most popular musicals, Auntie Mame set a standard for Broadway comedy that’s been sought after ever since. “Auntie Mame was a handsome, sparkling, scatterbrained and warm-hearted lady who brightened the American landscape from 1928 to the immediate past by her whimsical gaiety, her slightly madcap adventures and her devotion to her young nephew, who grew up to be Patrick Dennis. Through fortunes that rose and fell and a pleasant but brief marriage to a likable Southerner, who had the bad luck to tumble down from the Matterhorn, Auntie Mame’s chief concern was that nephew, whom she raised…[the play’s] central figure is a woman of spirit, innate kindness, and undefeatable courage…” —NY Post. Auntie Mame is a hilarious and heartwarming celebration of individuality, adventure, and family.
8. The Assembled Parties - This play by Richard Greenberg welcomes us to the world of the Bascovs, an Upper West Side Jewish family in 1980. In a sprawling Central Park West apartment, former movie star Julie Bascov and her sister-in-law Faye bring their families together for their traditional holiday dinner. But tonight, things are not usual. A houseguest has joined the festivities for the first time and he unwittingly—or perhaps by design—insinuates himself into the family drama. Twenty years later, as 2001 approaches, the Bascovs’ seemingly picture-perfect life may be about to crumble. A stunning play infused with humor; The Assembled Parties is an incisive portrait of a family grasping for stability at the dawn of a new millennium.
9. Our Mother's Brief Affair - This play also by Richard Greenberg revolves around Anna Cantor, a dying woman who confesses to her adult children that she had an affair many years ago with a man who was allegedly involved in a notorious spy scandal. As her children try to make sense of her revelation, they also confront their own secrets and regrets. Our Mother's Brief Affair is a smart and surprising exploration of memory, history, love, and betrayal.
10. Grey Gardens - This musical by Doug Wright, Scott Frankel, and Michael Korie is based on the documentary film of the same name, which depicts the lives of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale ("Big Edie") and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale ("Little Edie"), relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The musical follows their journey from being wealthy socialites living in a luxurious mansion in East Hampton, New York, to becoming reclusive eccentrics living in squalor with dozens of cats. Grey Gardens is a fascinating and tragic portrait of two women who chose to live on their own terms.
11. First Lady Suite - This musical by Michael John LaChiusa imagines the inner lives of four First Ladies: Jacqueline Kennedy, Mamie Eisenhower, Bess Truman, and Eleanor Roosevelt. The musical consists of four vignettes that explore their relationships with their husbands, their staff, their friends, and themselves. First Lady Suite is an inventive and provocative look at the women behind the men who shaped American history.
These are just some of the great shows that you can enjoy this Mother's Day. Whether you prefer drama or comedy; realism or fantasy; play or musical; there is something for everyone in this list. Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate Mom’s with these amazing shows!
