After she recently revealed she was diagnosed with an illness affecting her ear, singer Jessie J returned to performing with a video on Instagram of her singing ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked
What’s it about? We dug into the archives of the Playbill Vault to find a plot synopses for some shows that haven’t been seen on the boards in several years. Click through the gallery below to see if you can guess the name of the Broadway musical in each plot line.
The Muny announced today the cancellation of the three remaining performances of Chicago, the theatre’s fifth and final production of its 103rd season, due to positive COVID-19 breakthrough cases within the cast.
Rehearsals are underway for the Broadway premiere of Douglas Lyons’ Chicken & Biscuits. The production, directed by Zhailon Levingston, is set to begin performances at the Circle in the Square Theatre September 23 before officially opening October 10.
Chicken & Biscuits tells the story of what happens when the Jenkins family come together to celebrate the life of their father and a family secret shows up at the funeral.
Take a Look Inside Rehearsal for Chicken & Biscuits on Broadway
The production stars Tony nominee Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess) as Reginald Mabry, Drama Desk winner Michael Urie (Torch Song) as Logan Leibowitz, Cleo King (Mike & Molly) as Baneatta Mabry, NaTasha Yvette Williams (Waitress) as Brianna Jenkins, and Devere Rogers (Up Here) as Kenny Mabry. Reprising their roles from the play’s world premiere will be Ebony Marshall-Oliver (Merry Wives) as Beverly Jenkins, Aigner Mizzelle as La’trice Franklin, and Alana Raquel Bowers (What to Send Up When it Goes Down) as Simone Mabry with Dean Acree (Words), Jennifer Fouché (Sistas: The Musical), Michael Genet (The Prom), Miles G Jackson (Endlings), and Camille Upshaw (That Damn Michael Che) as understudies.
Chicken & Biscuits feature scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III, costumes by Dede Ayite, lighting by Adam Honoré, and sound design by Twi McCallum with casting by Erica A. Hart and production stage management by lark hackshaw.
Chicken & Biscuits made its world premiere February 28, 2020, at Queens Theatre, but the engagement was cut short due to the pandemic. The upcoming production marks 18 Broadway debuts among the company, creative, and producing team, including playwright Lyons.
The show is produced by Pamela Ross, Hunter Arnold, E. Clayton Cornelious, and Leah Michalos.
How veryHeathers cast membersJodie SteeleHeather Chandler, West End andLiam DoyleKurt Kelly, UK tour took over our Instagram on September 1 to share behind-the-scenes looks at both productions. Between performances, they also went live to chat all things Heathers
The Woman in Black, Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s best-selling novel, will resume performances beginning September 7 at London’s Fortune Theatre.
Terence Wilton (Never So Good, War Music) and Max Hutchinson (The 39 Steps, Dream Horse) will return to the roles of Arthur Kipps and The Actor, respectively. Robin Herford directs.
The Woman in Black, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in London’s West End in 2019, tells the story of a lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over his family. He engages a young actor to help him tell his story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.
The production also has designs by Michael Holt and lighting by Kevin Sleep.
Those 18 and under will be able to see the West End production free of charge, alongside each full paying adult ticket.
Check Out London-Based Theatre Photographer Manuel Harlan’s 16 Favorite Production Shots
Check Out London-Based Theatre Photographer Manuel Harlan’s 16 Favorite Production Shots
16 PHOTOS
“This photo of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical was the first time I’d ever made the front page of a national newspaper. It’s not hard to see why: Adrienne Warren embodied Tina with unbelievable levels of energy, commitment, precision, and sheer technical ability that still allowed her own personality to radiate through, which I hope I managed to capture in this shot.” Adrienne Warren in Tina: The Tina Turner MusicalManuel Harlan
“I often think theatre photography has much in common with sports photography. Within the confines of a limited space you need to use your experience and intuition to anticipate action and be ready for the moment when it reaches its absolute peak. Inevitably, I miss a few too, but the key is not to dwell; the moment’s gone, there’s nothing you can do about it, and the most important thing is to be ready for the next one.” Cast of Singin’ in the RainManuel Harlan
“If ever there was a show in which there is no let up for the production photographer, it is this one. This Harry Potter and the Cursed Child scene in Hermione’s Granger’s office was about 20 minutes into the show, and I already needed a fresh memory card. I love the way the scene is established with this lovely and deceptively simple moment between Hermione (played by the wonderful Noma Dumezweni) and an overly-inquisitive portrait.” Noma Dumezweni and David St. Louis in Harry Potter and the Cursed ChildManuel Harlan
“This shot of The Harry Ape is not a view that the audience would ever see. In order to get this angle, I’ve briefly joined the cast on stage during the dress rehearsal. I don’t often dare to do this, although my all-time favorite theatre photographer, Ivan Kyncl, used to do it all the time. Perhaps it was because of my familiarity with the Old Vic and the fact that I already knew Bertie Carvel from his time as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda.” Cast of The Hairy ApeManuel Harlan
“In contrast to the last photo, this shot of Two Trains Running is a quiet moment but no less powerful for that. This photo doesn’t really ‘say’ very much, but the beautiful set by Frankie Bradshaw and lighting by Amy Mae, along with Anita-Joy Uwajeh’s expression give the shot an uneasy quality that hopefully makes the viewer wonder what’s going to happen.” Anita-Joy Uwajeh in Two Trains RunningManuel Harlan
“Frequently, the quality of all the individual elements (lighting, set design, costumes, puppetry, and acting) come together so perfectly that all I have to do is stand there and click the shutter. This shot of Pinocchio and the boys on Pleasure Island was just such a moment.” Cast of PinocchioManuel Harlan
“Virtually all my shots are taken, like this shot of Macbeth, during a dress rehearsal just before the first performance. It’s the first time the cast, creative team, and crew run the entire show without stopping, and the sense of adrenaline is powerful and infectious. Rarely, something may go amiss with the costume or lighting (or the blood!), and we will have to re-create the moment later, but I find the intensity of live performance very difficult to capture in a set-up shot.” Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood in MacbethManuel Harlan
“I usually set up a ladder at either corner of the stage so that I can climb on to the corner of the stage and shoot crossways into the wings. For this shot of The Master Builder, Sarah Snook was actually pretty much in profile to the audience. Using a ladder set at downstage corner of the stage allowed me to get a more flat-on portrait, while the additional height gave me a more flattering angle than looking up from below.” Sarah Snook in The Master BuilderManuel Harlan
“I always like to find images with simple graphic shapes and clean uncluttered backgrounds. Marketing teams are often grateful for them as they can take text and potentially be used for advertising. I think this one may have been a bit too violent though.” Greg Hicks in CoriolanusManuel Harlan
“Sometimes I get asked to shoot a production from backstage. It’s a lovely challenge, and despite the often-cramped conditions, the backstage crew are always very accommodating and give me great tips for interesting shots. In this shot of Present Laughter, Andrew Scott is just getting the thumbs-up to return for a second bow from the company manager, Robbie Cullen.” Andrew Scott in Present LaughterManuel Harlan
