Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed in today's news.
Judith Ivey, T.R Knight, Joe Morton, More Will Star in Virtual Reading of Typhoid Mary
Barrington Stage Company has tapped two-time Tony winner Judith Ivey, T.R. Knight, Joe Morton, Kate MacCluggage, Frances Evans, and Matthew Penn to star in a virtual reading of Mark St. Germain’s Typhoid Mary. The play premiered at BSC in 2018 in a production directed by Penn. Typhoid Mary will be filmed in advance with the cast performing remotely. Screenings will take place October 30–31 at 7:30 PM ET. Click here for tickets.
MCC to Present Omar Vélez Meléndez’s ¡Gárgola!
As part of its LiveLab one-act series, MCC Theater will present ¡Gárgola! by Omar Vélez Meléndez October 29 at 5:30 PM ET. Cristina Angeles directs the work, set in the Puerto Rican countryside, where the townspeople of Barceloneta witness something paranormal. The cast includes Vélez Meléndez, Willie Denton, Maricelis Galanes, Andrés Lopez Alicea, Beatriz Miranda, Sophia Ramos, and Cristina Soler, with scenic design by Deilis Curiel. The live stream will be followed by a talkback facilitated by Josué Hernández. Click here for tickets.
Lyric Opera of Chicago Cancels Remainder of 2020–2021 Season
The Lyric Opera of Chicago will not return to the stage until at least September 2021, officially canceling its entire 2020–2021 season. Performances had previously been halted through the end of this year. The new shakeup affects the company’s productions of Blue, Samson and Delilah, The Elixir of Love, The Marriage of Figaro, and The Rake’s Progress. Offering a taste of what’s in store once the curtain does rise again, General Director Anthony Freud revealed that the 2021–2022 season would include a new production of Macbeth, Barrie Kosky’s animation-driven staging of The Magic Flute, the Spanish-language Florencia en el Amazonas, Terrence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones (as a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera), Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up, and the previously announced and rescheduled 42nd Street.
New Dance Piece Bloom Launches Performance Series at 299 Park Avenue
Paul McGill’s site-specific dance piece Bloom, featuring dancers Gabriel Hyman, Lynette Paz, Aliza Russell, Michael Wang, and Spencer Weidie, kicks off a series of live theatrical performances in the newly renovated lobby at 299 Park Avenue. The space was designed by the Rockwell Group, the architecture and design firm founded by Tony-winning scenic designer David Rockwell. Bloom will be presented at noon, 6 PM, and 6:30 PM October 21–23. The running time is approximately two minutes, and audience members are required to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and watch the performance outside the main lobby. Audience capacity is strictly limited on a first-come, first-served basis. For the ongoing Living Canvas series, Fisher Brothers is commissioning short dance pieces; details will be announced in the coming weeks.
High School-Set Spring Awakening Gets a Virtual College Treatment
Baldwin Wallace University will premiere its innovative virtual college production of the Tony-winning Spring Awakening November 19-21. Shot on iPhones at more than 40 locations throughout Northeast Ohio, the production also utilized drones to bring a new look and feel to the hit musical. Watch a promo for the production, which is directed by Victoria Bussert, below.
