Why we need theatre now more than ever.
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,
We discuss this week's events and why we need the theatre now more than ever!
Don’t forget to check out this week's free read, Terms of Endearment,
adapted for the stage by Dan Gordon.
So, raise the curtain, shine the spotlight, and dive into another thrilling week in the theatre world. Welcome to The Scene.
Suffs, Merrily We Roll Along, The Notebook, and More Broadway Favorites Earn 2025 Grammy Nominations by Molly Higgins, Playbill | Six cast recordings are up for Best Musical Theater Album at the 67th annual ceremony. Read...
Michael McKean, Donald Webber Jr., More Join Upcoming Glengarry Glen Ross Revival on Broadway by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, and Bill Burr are leading the cast of the David Mamet play, beginning performances in 2025. Read...
He’s Getting Raves for a Role He Wasn’t Supposed to Play by Rob Weinert-Kendt, The New York Times | Seventeen years after he first appeared in “Yellow Face,” the veteran actor Francis Jue has returned with a nuanced performance as a blustery patriarch. Read...
All Hail the Theater Kid! (We Mean That Sincerely.) by Esther Zuckerman, The New York Times | For stars like Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga, showmanship is a virtue. That’s a big change from the days when Anne Hathaway was vilified for her effortful work. Read...
Theatre Educators Report Growing Censorship Pressure in EdTA State of Theatre Education Report by Molly Higgins, Playbill | The organization has developed initiatives, including a censorship response guide, to address the findings. Read...
John Leguizamo Talked Diversity at the Emmys. He Has Ideas for Theater Too. by Annie Aguiar, The New York Times | The actor discusses his new play, “The Other Americans,” feeling underappreciated as a dramatist and Latino representation. Read...
Why we need theatre now more than ever.
By Zach Dulli, The Scene
To everyone who makes up this rich tapestry that is the theatre: I know things are feeling heavy right now. This week, I’ve had conversations with family, friends, colleagues, teachers, students, and even strangers—each expressing a similar feeling, a sense of uncertainty not just about the future of our country but also about the future of education, equality, creativity, expression, and yes, even theatre. It’s as if a collective pause has descended, a momentary silence as we all wonder, “What happens next?”
For those of you who don’t feel this way, who maybe feel hopeful or indifferent, I celebrate your resilience. But to those who feel like the ground beneath their feet is a little less steady, this message is for you. Because I feel it, too. And I want to remind you that you’re not alone. We are in this together.
First, let me say how proud I am to be part of the theatre community—a community that values empathy, diversity, inclusivity, dedication, understanding, resilience, and, above all, truth. These aren’t just lofty ideals; they’re the foundation on which we tell our stories. From school stages to Broadway ones, we’re all in the business of sharing humanity. We help people step into another person’s shoes, see life through a different set of eyes, and maybe, just maybe, understand each other a little better.
We need art now. We need theatre now. We need stories now. We need each other now. Because in a world where divisions feel deeper and fears more pronounced, theatre is a bridge. It’s a place where we confront difficult truths and discover hidden commonalities. We laugh together, cry together, and feel together. That’s no small feat. That’s power.
For many students, the theatre classroom is more than just a room; it’s a refuge. It’s the place where they feel safe, understood, and accepted. It’s where they find the courage to be themselves and explore the world around them. And the educators who provide that space—you are extraordinary. You’re doing heroic work. In an environment where pressures mount, where you may feel isolated or misunderstood in your own schools, you still show up every day, carrying the torch of creativity and acceptance. You ensure that your students, no matter who they are or where they come from, have a safe place to belong.
I see you. And beyond that, the theatre community sees you. Because let’s be honest, not a single one of us would be here without that one teacher who welcomed us in. Who handed us a script or gave us a role and, in doing so, handed us a little piece of ourselves we didn’t know we’d been missing. You are that teacher for so many.
Right now, it may feel like the walls are closing in, like the very values we hold dear are under scrutiny. But here’s the thing: We have faced this before. Theatre has never existed to take the easy route; it has always chosen the challenging path, the one that pushes boundaries, questions norms, and, sometimes, makes people uncomfortable. And that’s the beauty of it.
So, to the students, teachers, writers, directors, actors, designers, stage managers, producers, crew members, musicians, and everyone who finds a piece of themselves in a darkened theatre: We need you now more than ever. The world needs what you have to offer—stories that make us better, connections that remind us we’re not alone, and courage that inspires us to keep moving forward.
We will rise to the challenge together, just as we always have. We’ll keep creating. We’ll keep telling stories. We’ll keep showing up. Because no matter the obstacles, we are a community, and we are strong.
So, let’s take a deep breath, gather our courage, and step into the spotlight. Our voices, our stories, and, above all, our hearts are needed. Theatre is more than just an art form; it’s a declaration of who we are and who we strive to be. And right now, the world could use a little more of that.
Let’s get to work.
The Great Gatsby musical to transfer to the London Coliseum by Olivia Rook, London Theatre | The new musical opened at The Broadway Theatre in April 2024, following a world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in late 2023. Read...
Nye with Michael Sheen to be streamed for free this weekend on YouTube by Alex Wood, WhatsOnStage | You can watch it from tonight on YouTube! Read...
'Hercules' reveals lead casting in the West End by Olivia Rook, London Theatre | Hercules has music by Alan Menken and lyrics by David Zippel, and a new book by Robert Horn and Young Vic outgoing artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah. Read...
Jason Alexander-Led Fiddler on the Roof Begins in California November 8 by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Lonny Price is directing the new revival of the Joseph Stein-Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical. Read...
Muhammad Ali Biomusical Indefinitely Postpones 2025 Chicago World Premiere by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Telling the story of the boxing champion and humanitarian, the Broadway-aimed musical features a book by Clint Dyer and score by Teddy Abrams. Read...
Rainn Wilson and Aasif Mandvi-Led Waiting for Godot Begins by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Judy Hegarty Lovett is directing the new revival at Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse. Read
Free Reads of the Week
Read entire plays for free! Playscripts offers a selection of full-length and one-act plays that you can access for free, which is ideal for use in theatre productions, school performances, or competitions. To explore these titles, click on the cover image below or select the "READ FOR FREE" button at the bottom of this section. This action will direct you to the play's page on the Playscripts website. Once there, click "READ NOW" to begin enjoying the play immediately!
Terms of Endearment, adapted for the stage by Dan Gordon
The Story: Challenges in life and love test the resilience of a mother-daughter relationship in Dan Gordon's adaptation of Terms of Endearment, based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Larry McMurtry and James L. Brooks's screenplay of the Oscar-winning film. Though Emma is often exasperated by her highly-opinionated mother, Aurora, they talk every day about their problems, from Aurora finding unexpected love even as she becomes a reluctant grandmother to Emma's struggle in her troubled marriage. But when they need one another most, will they be able to find courage in each other? This funny and touching story captures the delicate, sometimes fractured bonds between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and lovers, both old and new.
Drama | 110 - 120 minutes | 3 W, 3 M, (6-9 actors possible: 3-5 W, 3-4 M) | Set: Three playing areas, which minimally suggest various locations.
