Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed in today’s news.
Priscilla Lopez and Daniel Sunjata Cast in Disney Channel’s Christmas Again
Tony winner Priscilla Lopez (A Chorus Line, Grand Horizons) and Tony nominee Daniel Sunjata (Take Me Out) are among the cast of the original Disney Channel movie Christmas Again, according to Deadline. Andy Fickman directs a cast that also includes Scarlett Estevez, Alexis Carra, Ashlyn Jade Lopez, Beth Lacke, and Gary Anthony Williams. Doan La’s screenplay concerns an 11-year-old girl who makes a wish to a shopping mall Santa and finds herself reliving the same day while learning the true meaning of Christmas. Filming is already underway.
Will Roland, Ashley Loren, Emily Bautista Star in Interactive Film Like After Death
A new short, interactive film starring a number of Broadway alums is set to debut on the All Together Now platform. Filmed completely in quarantine and written by Craig Cox and Alex Trow, Like After Death is a dark comedy that leads the audience on a kaleidoscopic journey through the life and death of a social media influencer. Joining Will Roland (Be More Chill), Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge!), and Emily Bautista (Miss Saigon) are Lacy Allen, Rubén J Carbajal, Annie Cavalero, Tony Cavalero, Harrison Chad, Rebecca E Covington, Ashley De La Rosa, Katie Flahive, Vincent Jamal Hooper, Colby Lewis, Keetin Marchi, and Morgan Anita Wood. Performances are scheduled for December 4, 9, 15, and 17. Developed by Stephanie Cowan, Like After Death is produced by Danielle Gimbal with the Heredia Vision Team. Click here for tickets.
Lilli Cooper, Denée Benton, More Will Star in Reading of New Musical Haley at Therapy
Tony nominees Lilli Cooper (Tootsie) and Denée Benton (The Great Comet), Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Grace McLean, James Scully, Rebecca Faulkenberry, Liz Vice, Lauren Zakrin, Lulu Fall, Ashely Perez Flanagan, Audrey Cardwell, and Melissa Weyn will star in a concert reading of Josh Canfield’s new musical Haley at Therapy November 11 at 8 PM ET. The reading, benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, features musical arrangements by Taylor Peckham. To watch the comedic look into Haley’s first therapy session, click here.
Netflix Renews The Umbrella Academy, Starring Hamilton‘s Emmy Raver-Lampman
Netflix has renewed the American superhero series The Umbrella Academy for a third season. Set to reprise their roles are Emmy Raver-Lampman (Hamilton), Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, and Colm Feore. Steve Blackman will return as showrunner and executive producer. Production is scheduled to begin in February in Toronto, Canada, for the ten-episode season. The second season dropped July 31.
Adam Hyndman and Octopus Theatricals Launch Online Resource for Producers
Producer Hub, a new online resource dedicated to showcasing and supporting the work of independent producers, has launched with the support of Octopus Theatricals, Adam Hyndman, Sophie Blumberg, and Ronee Penoi. Expanding beyond connecting producers with other producers, it is a space to facilitate future collaboration and engagement. Equal parts educational and practical, the Producer Hub welcomes producers of all levels to sharpen and equip their working toolbox through exchange with a community of practitioners from across the field. Click here for more information.
Chicago Theatres Celebrated at Jeff Awards
Winners of the 2020 Jeff Equity Awards, celebrating the best of Chicago regional theatre, were announced November 9. Winners included Drury Lane Productions’ staging of An American in Paris and Court Theatre’s King Hedley II, which took home Outstanding Production of a Musical or Revue and Outstanding Production of a Play, respectively, for large venue categories; Tony and Emmy nominee Carrie Coon for Steppenwolf’s Bug; and playwrights Lee Edward Colston II (for The First Deep Breath), Levi Holloway (for Grey House), and Loy A. Webb (for His Shadow). For the full list, click here.
