Here’s a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.
Jamie Lloyd’s West End Evita Completes Casting
The full cast is set for the upcoming West End revival of Evita, directed by Jamie Lloyd at the London Palladium. James Olivas will play Juan Perón opposite the previously announced Rachel Zegler (Eva Perón) and Diego Andres Rodriguez (Che), joined by Aaron Lee Lambert as Agustín Magaldi and Bella Brown as The Mistress / Alternate Eva. Rounding out the ensemble are Carl Au, Gabriela Benedetti, Shakara Brown, Damian Buhagiar, Kyeirah D’Marni, Sally Frith, DeAngelo Jones, Lucas Koch, Natasha Leaver, Michael Lin, Dianté Lodge, Louis Mackrodt, Mireia Mambo, Mia Mullarkey, Perry O’Dea, Alysha Sontae, Monica Swayne, Jon Tsouras and Harrison Wilde, with Myla Carmen, Barney Hudson, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Kirsty Anne Shaw, Ricardo Spriggs and Regan Bailey Walker as swings. Auora Breslin, Lois Haidar, Siena Merilind-Wu and Ffion Rosalie Williams share the role of The Child. Performances will run from June 14 through September 6 with an official July 1 opening.
Ava Lalezarzadeh, Tom Francis and Helen J Shen Honored by Clive Barnes Foundation
The Clive Barnes Foundation has announced the 2024 Honored Artists for The Clive Barnes Award in Dance and Theatre. The Honored Artists in Theatre are Ava Lalezarzadeh (English), Tom Francis (Sunset Boulevard) and Helen J Shen (Maybe Happy Ending), with David Gabriel (New York City Ballet), Isaiah K. Harvey (EVIDENCE) and Kanon Sugino (Doug Varone and Dancers) named the Honored Artists in Dance. The 15th Annual Clive Barnes Award ceremony will be held June 9 at the National Arts Club in New York City.
(Photo c/o Polk & Co.)
A Broadway Celebration of Linda Lavin
Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Linda Lavin will be commemorated at the Ambassador Theatre on May 5 from 1:00-3:00 PM. The afternoon will be filled with performances by stars of stage and screen as well as some of Lavin’s closest friends sharing personal stories of their time together. Lavin passed away on December 29, 2024 in Los Angeles at the age of 87. The celebration will be open to the public on a first come first serve basis.
Amber Gray, Taylor Iman Jones, Vicki Lewis and More to Premiere A Wrinkle in Time
Casting is announced for the musical adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, having its world premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Running from June 12 through July 20, the production will star Nicholas Barrón as Calvin, Tony nominee Amber Gray as Mrs. Whatsit, Taylor Iman Jones as Meg Murry, Vicki Lewis as Mrs. Which, Mateo Lizcano as Charles Wallace and Stacey Sargeant as Mrs. Who. The show, based on the classic novel by Madeleine L’Engle, has a book by Lauren Yee, music and lyrics by Heather Christian and direction by Lee Sunday Evans.
Paper Mill Playhouse Finds Its Stars for Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Paper Mill Playhouse has announced casting for The Little Mermaid, the final production of the New Jersey theater’s 2024-25 season. The cast will feature Hillary Fisher as Ariel, Haven Burton as Ursula, Nick Cortazzo as Jetsam, Mark Doyle as Prince Eric, Sean Patrick Doyle as Flotsam, Jared Goldsmith as Scuttle, Christopher Gurr as Grimsby, Aubrey Matalon as Flounder, Kyle Taylor Parker as Sebastian and Graham Rowat as King Triton. The ensemble includes David Baida, Caleb Bermejo, Kelsey Myron Cauthen, Tzintli Cerda, Jonathan Duvelson, Caroline Kane, Alexandra Matteo, Michael Milkanin, Mia Nelson, Justin O’Brien, Charlie Ray, Lily Rose, Taylor Rosenberger, Kaitlyn Louise Smith, Richard Westfahl and Peli Naomi Woods. JoAnn M. Hunter directs and choreographs.
Original Stars of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Will Celebrate the Film’s 50th Anniversary on Tour
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the longest-running theatrical release in film history, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with original cast members Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors), Nell Campbell (Columbia) and Patricia Quinn (Magenta). They will each be visiting over 40 cities in the U.S. and Canada, and for select dates, all three stars will tour and appear together for the time first time in 50 years. The stage musical The Rocky Horror Show will return to Broadway in 2026 at Studio 54.
Yacht Rock Parody Musical Gets Industry Reading with Andy Karl, Preston Truman Boyd and More
Dreamboat: The Yacht Rock Musical, a Yacht Rock parody show by Donnie Kehr and Logan Medland, will have an invitation-only industry reading at Open Jar Studios on May 5 and 6. The cast features Preston Truman Boyd, Andrew Cekala, Rebecca Covington, Bradley Dean, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Jonathan Hadley, Andy Karl, Brian Charles Johnson, Jennifer Perry, Adam T Perkins, Courter Simmons and Bligh Voth. Dreamboat is described as “where The Love Boat, Gilligan’s Island and Fantasy Island collide in a whirlwind of romance, shipwrecks and mayhem—only the perfect piña colada can save the day!”
