September 26 marks the anniversary of the opening of Tennessee Williams‘ The Glass Menagerie, which came to Broadway in a 2013 following a production at the American Repertory Theater. The revival, directed by John Tiffany, played 24 previews and 173 performances before closing February 23, 2014, earning seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Play.
Williams’ autobiographical memory playlooks at the WIngfield family—frustrated writer Tom; his nagging mother, Amanda, who is often lost in memories of her Southern-belle past; and his painfully shy sister, Laura—and the effect a visit from a “gentleman caller” for Laura has on all their lives.
Cherry Jones, Zachary Quinto and Celia Keenan-Bolger in The Glass Menagerie at A.R.T.
The Glass Menagerie featured movement by Steven Hoggett, scenic and costume design by Bob Crowley, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Clive Goodwin, and music by Nico Muhly, with stage management by Steven Zweigbaum, Chris De Camillis, and Marisha Ploski. For the complete cast and creative team, visit PlaybillVault.com.
Read on for some recent theatre headlines and videos you may have missed.
Matthew Lopez to Lead Town Hall on LGBTQ+ Rights and Voting The Inheritance playwright Matthew López will host a Broadway for Biden Town Hall October 3 at 2 PM ET on BPN.fm to discuss the presidential hopeful’s policies with several other theatre artists. In addition, the playwright will participate in Broadway for Biden’s LGBTQ+-themed phone banking session September 28 at 7 PM ET. In between calls, Inheritance cast members Tony Goldwyn, Lois Smith, Jonathan Burke, and more will virtually pop in to say hello and speak to fans.
Juilliard Gala Goes Virtual Juilliard will present a virtual gala October 5. The event will feature performances and appearances by such alums as Philip Glass, Nico Muhly, and Lorraine Toussaint, as well as highlights of past events, including a February 2020 master class led by Renée Fleming, the Juilliard Orchestra virtual performance of “Nimrod” from Elgar’s Enigma Variations conducted by Itzhak Perlman, and a behind-the-scenes look at Larry Keigwin and Nicole Wolcott’s collaboration Bolero Juilliard. The free stream will begin at 7 PM at Juilliard.edu.
Four Artists Will Create New Works for Opera Philadelphia Opera Philadelphia has revealed four artists who will create new works for the company’s pivot to digital: Composer in Residence Tyshawn Sorey, Courtney Bryan, Angélica Negró, and Caroline Shaw. The commissions are part of Opera Philadelphia’s previously announced programming on its streaming channel, set to launch in October. They’ll premiere on a rolling basis beginning in January 2021. Prior to that, the Channel’s slate includes Sorey’s Cycles of My Being, which premiered at the company in February 2018.
Broadway Actors Join Forces for “The Soul of The Nation” Music Video Over 50 members of the Broadway community have joined forces for a new music video in support of the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris presidential ticket. “Soul of the Nation,” with lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson and Notorious Pink and music by Kim D. Sherman and Scott Killian, features such stage favorites as Carolee Carmello, Jose Llana, Ali Ewoldt, Michael Potts, Alma Cuervo, Telly Leung, Stephen Bogardus, Kerry O’Malley, Aisha de Haas, Darius de Haas, James Earl Jones II, Francis Jue, Elizabeth Ward Land, Raymond J. Lee, Pearl Sun, Ann Harada, Gizel Jimenez, and Brittney Johnson. Take a look below.
A filmed version of the critically acclaimed, award-winning playWhat the Constitution Means to Me, created by and starringHeidi Schreck, will be screened at the Woodstock Film Festival.
Let Us Entertain You, a frontline worker tribute to the theatre industry, debuts on Playbill September 23, featuring performances by Tony and Emmy winner Billy Porter, Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher, and Lorna Luft, with dozens more Broadway stars making cameos. Check it out above beginning at 7 PM ET.
The project, presented by Brave Hearts for Broadway to benefit The Actors Fund, was conceived by registered nurse, playwright, and producer Michael E. Merritt. Virtually uniting over 120 people from 11 different countries to support and uplift theatre professionals, Merritt organized The Frontline Choir and Friends to create the special video.
The Frontline Choir will sing and dance to original songs written by Matt Cusson, Terron Brooks, Elisa Nicholas, and Andrew David Sotomayor. Let Us Entertain You is choreographed by Kathleen Brazie and John Scott.
While free to watch, donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.
