Alan Cumming will perform his new solo show Legal Immigrant at the State Theatre New Jersey September 29. The piece is a compilation of Cumming’s musings on his ten years as a United States citizen, his experience growing older, and how it feels to be an immigrant in today’s America. Cumming describes his work as “a true old-fashioned cabaret, a smorgasbord of genres, styles, and tales; laughter, tears and, of course, provocation.”
The show includes songs such as Walter Mark’s “The Singer,” Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” and “Not A Day Goes By” from Merrily We Roll Along, and “Losing My Mind” from Follies. Cumming will also cover songs by notable female artists including Pink, Edith Piaf, Adele, and Marlene Dietrich.
Cumming is a Tony and Olivier Award winner and Emmy nominee. He was last seen on Broadway in Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Cabaret, reprising his Tony-winning performance as the Emcee. His passion for activism in civil rights, sex education, and social justice has earned him over 40 awards for humanitarian efforts.
The performance will take place September 29 at 8 PM. All ticket holders are also invited to a pre-show Pride Night reception from beginning at 7 PM in the second floor lobby of the State Theatre. Tickets range from $39-$69.
Carole Shelley, known for her Broadway performances in the original companies of Wicked and The Elephant Man, died August 31 at the age of 79 at her home in Manhattan.
Her death from cancer was confirmed to Playbill by Ms. Shelley’s close friend Barrie Kreinik.
Carole Shelley
Ms. Shelley made her Broadway debut as Gwendolyn Pigeon in the original Broadway cast of The Odd Couple in 1965, a role she would reprise in both the feature film and TV series adaptations of the Neil Simon play. Shelley shares the distinction of being one of only two actors (along with Monica Evans, who co-starred as her sister Cecily) to appear in all three major adaptations of The Odd Couple as the same characters.
She went on to enjoy a prolific career on Broadway, with a career that included roles both dramatic and comedic. Ms. Shelley earned her first Tony nomination in 1975 for her performance in Alan Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular.
Philip Anglim and Carole Shelley in The Elephant ManKenn Duncan / New York Public Library
However, it was Bernard Pomerance’s Tony-winning 1979 play The Elephant Man that truly allowed Ms. Shelley to make her mark. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (in a tie with Constance Cummings) and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance as Mrs. Kendal, the actor who befriends John Merrick.
Ms. Shelley won an Obie Award in 1982 for her performance in James Lapine’s Twelve Dreams Off-Broadway at the Public Theater and was nominated for a Tony Award again in 1987 for her performance as Maxine in Richard Harris’ farce Stepping Out.
In the 1990s, Ms. Shelley began working in musicals as well as plays. She replaced Elaine Stritch as Parthy in Show Boat, later playing Fraulein Schneider during the run of the 1998 Cabaret revival.
Carole Shelley and Kristin Chenoweth in WickedJoan Marcus
In 2003, Ms. Shelley created the role of Madame Morrible, Elphaba’s mentor and later chief adversary in the original company of Wicked. She returned to the role for five months beginning in August 2007, shortly before opening Billy Elliot The Musical on Broadway as Grandma in 2008. It was for this role that Ms. Shelley would receive her fourth and final Tony Award nomination, for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Though most of Ms. Shelley’s career was spent on the stage, she worked in film as well, including an appearance alongside her Wicked co-star Kristin Chenoweth in 2005’s Bewitched. Shelley also voiced several roles in Disney animated films, including the goose Amelia Gabble in 1970’s The Aristocrats, Lady Kluck in 1973’s Robin Hood, and Lachesis in 1997’s Hercules.
Ms. Shelley was born August 16, 1939, in London, where she began her career in British films before coming to America. She was married to Albert G. Woods from 1967 until his death in 1971.
Broadway alum Aaron Lazar, who will be seen as Larry Murphy in the forthcoming national tour of the Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, will bring his acclaimed solo concert to Birdland prior to the tour.
Lazar will offer Broadway to Hollywood September 11 at 7 PM at the Birdland Theater. Attendees can expect an evening of comedy and romance with dozens of Broadway’s greatest songs from stage and screen.
Co-written with Bruce Vilanch, the concert will feature musical direction by Jesse Kissel.
The Off-Broadway transfer of the Bard SummerScape production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! has been extended and will now continue through November 11. As previously reported, the acclaimed production from 2015 will be remounted at St. Ann’s Warehouse this fall and will star Rebecca Naomi Jones as Laurey and Ali Stroker as Ado Annie.
The Off-Broadway run is presented by producer Eva Price and St. Ann’s Warehouse. Performances will begin September 27 in the Brooklyn theatre ahead of an October 7 opening.
Directed by New York-based director Daniel Fish, the acclaimed production returns to the stage for the first time since playing to sold-out audiences at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College.
The production’s original cast members Damon Daunno (Curly), Patrick Vaill (Jud Fry), Mary Testa (Aunt Eller), Mallory Portnoy (Gertie Cummings) and James Patrick Davis (Will Parke), will return to the musical. New cast members will include Anthony Cason as Cord; Michael Nathanson as Ali Hakim; Will Mann as Mike; and Mitch Tebo as Annie’s father.
Oklahoma! features music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs, with original dances by Agnes de Mille.
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Broadway) • Digital release: July 20 • CD release: TBA • Label: Republic Records • Writers: songs by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Paul Jabara • Performers: LaChanze, Ariana DeBose, Storm Lever, Aaron Krohn, Ken Robinson, and Jared Zirilli
Young Frankenstein (London) • Digital release: August 10 • CD release: TBA • Label: YF London Limited • Writers: music and lyrics by Mel Brooks • Performers: Ross Noble, Hadley Fraser, Dianne Pilkington, Summer Strallen, and Lesley Joseph
The Beast in the Jungle (Off-Broadway) • Digital and CD release: September 14 • Label: Broadway Records • Writer: music by John Kander
Pretty Woman (Broadway) • Digital release: September 21 • CD release: October 26 • Label: Atlantic Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance • Performers: Samantha Barks, Andy Karl, Eric Anderson, Jason Danieley, Ezra Knight, and Orfeh
Hundred Days (Off-Broadway) • Digital release: September 21 • CD release: TBA • Label: Ghostlight Records • Writers: music and lyrics by The Bengsons • Performers: Colette Alexander, Abigail Bengson, Shaun Bengson, Jo Lampert, Dani Markham, and Reggie D. White
Miss You Like Hell (Off-Broadway) • Digital release: October 5 • CD release: TBA • Label: Ghostlight Records • Writers: music by Erin McKeown, lyrics by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Erin McKeown • Performers: Marinda Anderson, Danny Bolero, Andrew Cristi, Latoya Edwards, Shawna M. Hamic, Marcus Paul James, Gizel Jiménez, David Patrick Kelly, Michael Mulheren, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Martín Solá
NO RECORDING ANNOUNCED:
Sweeney Todd (2017 Off-Broadway revival) Head Over Heels (Broadway) Smokey Joe’s Cafe (2018 Off-Broadway revival) Carmen Jones (2018 Off-Broadway revival) This Ain’t No Disco (Off-Broadway) Twelfth Night (Off-Broadway)
RELEASE DATE TBA:
Gettin’ the Band Back Together (Broadway) • Label: Sh-K-Boom Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Mark Allen • Performers: Mitchell Jarvis, Jay Klaitz, Manu Narayan, Paul Whitty, Sawyer Nunes, Marilu Henner, Kelli Barrett, Becca Kötte, Garth Kravits, Tamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, and Brandon Williams
Songs for a New World • Label: Ghostlight Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown • Performers: Shoshana Bean, Colin Donnell, Mykal Kilgore, and Solea Pfeiffer
Unexpected Joy (Off-Broadway) • Label: Jay Records • Writers: music by Janet Hood, lyrics by Bill Russell • Performers: Courtney Balan, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Luba Mason, and Celeste Rose
Bella: An American Tale (Off-Broadway) • Label: Yellow Sound • Writers: music and lyrics by Kirsten Childs • Performers: Ashley D. Kelley, Yurel Echezarreta, Kenita R. Miller, Paolo Montalban, Gabrielle Reyes, Marinda Anderson, Brandon Gill, Olli Haaskivi, Kevin Massey, Jo’Nathan Michael, Britton Smith, and NaTasha Yvette Williams
The Clockmaker’s Daughter: Studio Cast Recording • Label: Auburn Jam Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Michael Webborn and Daniel Finn • Performers: Christine Allado, Ramin Karimloo, Fra Fee, Matthew Croke, and Lauren James Ray
Follies: National Theatre Live Cast Recording • Label: First Night • Writers: music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • Performers: Imelda Staunton, Phillip Quast, Janie Dee, Peter Forbes, Tracie Bennett, Di Botcher, Dawn Hope, Zizi Strallen, Fred Haig, Adam Rhys-Charles, and Alex Young
People Like Us (London) • Label: JAY Records • Writers: music by Todd Almond, lyrics by Almond and Gus Kaikkonen. • Performers: Matt Bogart and Pamela Bob
SOLO, RE-RELEASES, AND OTHER RECORDINGS
Jason Robert Brown: How We React and How We Recover (Ghostlight)- June 29 digital, physical TBA Renee Fleming: Broadway (Decca Classics)- September 7 2fer Songs From Sunset Boulevard and Evita (Jay Records)- Release date TBA Lena Hall: Obsessed Project (Sh-K-Boom)- First Friday of every month throughout 2018
RECENTLY RELEASED
Desperate Measures (Off-Broadway) • Digital release: July 13 • CD release: August 10 • Label: Masterworks Broadway • Writers: music by David Friedman, lyrics by Peter Kellogg • Performers: Conor Ryan, Gary Marachek, Peter Saide, Emma Degerstedt, Nick Wyman, and Lauren Molina
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • Release: July 13 • Label: Capitol Records • Writers: songs by ABBA • Performers: Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Andy García, Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Cher, and Meryl Streep
The Cradle Will Rock (Opera Saratoga) • Release: July 6 • Label: Atlantic Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Marc Blitzstein • Performers: Ginger Costa-Jackson, Keith Jameson, Christopher Burchett, Audrey Babcock, and Matt Boehler
Mean Girls (Broadway) • CD release: June 15 • Digital release: May 18 • Label: Atlantic Records • Writers: music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin • Performers: Erika Henningsen, Taylor Louderman, Ashley Park, Kate Rockwell, Kerry Butler, Barrett Wilbert Weed, Grey Henson, Cheech Manohar, Kyle Selig, and Rick Younger
Frozen (Broadway) • CD release: June 8 • Digital release: May 11 • Label: Walt Disney Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez • Performers: Caissie Levy, Patti Murin, Jelani Alladin, Greg Hildreth, John Riddle, Robert Creighton, Kevin Del Aguila, Timothy Hughes, Andrew Pirozzi
My Fair Lady (Broadway) • Release: June 8 • Label: Broadway Records • Writers: music by Frederick Loewe, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner • Performers: Lauren Ambrose, Harry Hadden-Paton, Norbert Leo Butz, Diana Rigg, Allan Corduner, Jordan Donica, Linda Mugleston, and Manu Narayan
A Letter To Harvey Milk (Off-Broadway) • Digital release: May 22 • CD release: TBA • Label: Yellow Sound • Writers: music by Laura I. Kramer, lyrics by Ellen M. Schwartz, additional lyrics by Cheryl Stern • Performers: Adam Heller, Julia Knitel, Cheryl Stern, Michael Bartoli, Sarah Corey, Jeremy Greenbaum, Aury Krebs, Philip Hoffman, CJ Pawlikowski, and Ravi Roth
Hello Again (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • Release: April 27 • Label: Broadway Records • Writers: music and lyrics by John Michael LaChiusa • Performers: Audra McDonald, Martha Plimpton, T.R. Knight, Rumer Willis, Cheyenne Jackson, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tyler Blackburn, Sam Underwood, Nolan Gerard Funk, and Al Calderon
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (London) • Release: April 20 • Label: Wilton Way Records • Writers: music by Dan Gillespie Sells, lyrics by Tom MacRae • Performers: John McCrea, Josie Walker, Mina Anwar, Lucie Shorthouse, Phil Nichol, Tamsin Caroll, Luke Baker, Lauran Rae, Harriet Payne, Courtney Bowman, Kirstie Skivington, Ryan Hughes, Jordan Cunningham, Shiv Rabheru, Daniel Davids, Daniel Jacob, James Gillan, Alex Anstey, and Ken Christiansen
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (Original TV Soundtrack) • Digital release: April 6 • CD release: April 20 • Label: Masterworks Broadway • Writers: music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice • Performers: John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Brandon Victor Dixon, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels, Norm Lewis, Jason Tam, Jin Ha, Erik Gronwall, Melody Betts, Felicia Boswell, Abby Corrigan, Micaela Diamond, Rory Donovan, Christine Dwyer, Mike Evariste, F. Michael Haynie, Charissa Hogeland, Bre Jackson, Mykal Kilgore, Billy Lewis Jr., Justin Gregory Lopez, Angel Lozada, Vince Oddo, Kyle Taylor Parker, Joel Perez, Jonah Platt, Conor Ryan, Christina Sajous, Justin Matthew Sargent, Heath Saunders, Joey Taranto, Syndee Winters, and Lauren Zakrin
Prince of Broadway (Broadway) • Release: April 20 • Label: Ghostlight Records • Writers: music and lyrics by various artists; “Overture” and “Do the Work” by Jason Robert Brown • Performers: Chuck Cooper, Janet Dacal, Bryonha Marie Parham, Emily Skinner, Brandon Uranowitz, Kaley Ann Voorhees, Michael Xavier, Tony Yazbeck, and Karen Ziemba
Calendar Girls the Musical (London) • Release: March 9 • Label: Decca Classics • Writers: music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth • Performers: Anna-Jane Casey, Rebecca Storm, Lorraine Bruce, Denise Welch, Ruht Madoc, Sara Crowe, and Fern Britton
Once on This Island (Broadway) • Release: February 23 • Label: Broadway Records • Writers: music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens • Performers: Hailey Kilgore, Lea Salonga, Alex Newell, Merle Dandridge, Quentin Earl Darrington, Phillip Boykin, Kenita R. Miller, Isaac Powell, Alysha Deslorieux, David Jennings, Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Emerson Davis, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, T. Oliver Reid, Aurelia Williams, and Mia Williamson
Escape to Margaritaville (Broadway) • Release: February 16 • Label: Mailboat Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Jimmy Buffett • Performers: Paul Alexander Nolan, Alison Luff, Lisa Howard, Eric Petersen, Rema Webb, Don Sparks, Andre Ward, Matt Allen, Tessa Alves, Sara Andreas, Tiffany Adeline Cole, Marjorie Failoni, Samantha Farrow, Steven Good, Angela Grovey, Albert Guerzon, Autumn Guzzardi, Keely Hutton, Justin Keats, Mike Millan, Justin Mortelliti, Ryann Redmond, Jennifer Rias, Julius Anthony Rubio, Nick Sanchez, Ian Michael Stuart, and Brett Thiele
Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Off-Broadway) • Release: February 9 • Label: Broadway Records • Writers: music and lyrics by Brendan Milburn and Val Vigoda • Performers: Val Vigoda and Wade McCollum
Muriel’s Wedding (Australia) • Release: January 19 • Label: Sony Music Australia • Writers: music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall; additional songs by Benny Anderson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson • Performers: Maggie McKenna, Madeleine Jones, Justine Clarke, Briallen Clarke, Michael Walley, Connor Sweeney, and Helen Dallimore
The Band’s Visit (Broadway) • Digital release: December 15 • CD release: February 23 • Label: Ghostlight Records • Writers: music and lyrics by David Yazbek • Performers: Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub, John Cariani, Ari’el Stachel, George Abud, Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Andrew Polk, Bill Army, Rachel Prather, Jonathan Raviv, Sharone Sayegh, Kristen Sieh, and Alok Tewari
SOLO, RE-RELEASES, AND OTHER RECORDINGS
Mean Girls (Vinyl Re-Release) (Atlantic Records)- August 24 This is Leonard Bernstein: His Greatest Recordings (Sony Classical)- August 17 Jessica Vosk: Wild and Free (Broadway Records)- August 10 George Salazar/Joe Iconis: Two-Player Game (Ghostlight)- July 27 physical, May 11 digital Be More Chill (Vinyl Re-Release) (Ghostlight)- July 27 In the Heights: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Vinyl Re-Release) (Ghostlight)- July 13 Judy Garland: I Can’t Give You Anything But Love: 1938-1961 (Jasmine Music)- July 6 Gay Love: Songs of Love, Loss, and Longing… (Chip Deffaa/Garret Mountain Records)- June 29 2018 Tony Award Season (Broadway)- June 8 Betty Buckley: Hope (Palmetto)- June 8 Sutton Foster: Take Me to the World (Ghostlight)- June 1 Audra McDonald/New York Philharmonic: Sing Happy (Decca Gold)- May 25 physical, May 11 digital Oklahoma!: Original Cast Recording (75th Anniversary Reissue) (Verve)- May 25 The Grass Harp: Original Cast Recording (Reissue) (Kritzerland)- May 18 Alexis Michelle: Lovefool (Broadway Records)- May 11 Louise Dearman: For You, For Me (Big Hand)- April 27 Kate Rockwell- Kate Rockwell: Back to My Roots (Broadway Records)- April 27 Pat Suzuki: Complete Album Series (Stage Door)- April 20 Shoshana Bean: Spectrum (Shotime Records)- February 9
Chris McCarrell, who created the role of Percy Jackson in the Off-Broadway production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, will reprise the role for the show’s national tour, which launches in Chicago in January 2019.
In a statement, McCarrell said, “I’ve never been done with Percy. Even during our closing night Off-Broadway, I knew it wasn’t my last time playing him. To me, Percy symbolizes my scattered youth, the seemingly aloof boy who adults rarely seemed to get. Percy is the rock star who came out of that. I always said it would take a special show for me to pack up and tour, and TheLightningThief is just that. It blew up while we were in New York and too few half-bloods were able to see it.”
Additional casting will be announced at a later date.
The Lightning Thief has a Drama Desk-nominated book by Joe Tracz, music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, direction by Stephen Brackett, and choreography by Patrick McCollum, with set design by Lee Savage, costume design by Sydney Maresca, Obie Award-winning sound design by Ryan Rumery, lighting design by David Lander, fight direction by Rod Kinter, and orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese and Rob Rokicki.
The musical debuted in 2017 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, where it played an acclaimed, extended run and was nominated for three Drama Desk Awards. The story follows a young man who discovers he is the son of gods, and suddenly has powers he can’t control.
IMcCarrell (Les Miserables, Peter Pan Live, The OA) starred Off-Broadway alongside Carrie Compere, James Hayden Rodriguez, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Jonathan Raviv, current Be More Chill star George Salazar, and Kristin Stokes.
The upcoming tour is produced by is produced by TheaterWorksUSA, Martian Entertainment, Greg Schaffert, Lang Entertainment Group, Lisa Chanel, Jennifer Doyle and Roy Lennox, Neil Gobioff, Glass Half Full Productions, Hummel/Greene and in partnership with The Road Company. The production is presented by special arrangement with Rick Riordan and the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.
