Share:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) ALBANY – Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that hospitals and group homes for the developmentally disabled may resume visitations.Hospitals are able to welcome visitors again at their own discretion while following state guidelines.Same goes for group homes starting Friday.“It is up to the discretion of the group home. They have to tell the state if they’re allowing visitors, and again, they have to follow state guidelines masks, etc.,” the Governor said. Meanwhile, visitations at nursing homes is still not allowed.“We’re still studying it. There’s still a high risk, and when the Health Department advises me that it’s safe, we’ll do it. I understand the demand; I understand the desire, but the Health Department doesn’t think the reward justifies the risk at this point,” the Governor said.
There’s a new mall employee at Babs’ Malibu home. Broadway veteran Christopher J. Hanke begins performances in the off-Broadway hit Buyer & Cellar on March 18, taking over for Michael Urie, who will continue in the role on tour. Related Shows View Comments Buyer & Cellar tells the story of Alex Moore, a struggling actor in L.A., who lands an offbeat job working in the basement of a certain Hollywood legend (hint: she’s a Funny Girl.) The engagement is currently playing at off-Broadway’s Barrow Street Theatre. Show Closed This production ended its run on July 27, 2014 Buyer & Cellar A former Broadway.com video blogger, Hanke was last seen on Broadway in the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. His additional credits include Cry-Baby, Rent and Hair at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park.
A revival of A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters, potentially starring Oscar winner Anjelica Huston, is eyeing Broadway. According to The New York Times, the production may be helmed by Gregory Mosher and open in the fall at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Love Letters Love Letters originally opened off-Broadway in March 1989, starring Kathleen Turner and John Rubinstein. The play changed its cast every week and other notable names that appeared in that incarnation included Victor Garber, Julie Harris, Christopher Reeve and Christopher Walken. The show transferred to Broadway in October of that year, with Lynn Redgrave, John Clark, Stockard Channing and more appearing in the production. View Comments Related Shows
Huston won an Oscar for Prizzi’s Honor. Her many other notable films include Enemies, A Love Story and The Grifters. Show Closed This production ended its run on Dec. 14, 2014 The play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, focuses on Melissa Gardner, an artist, and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, who becomes a senator. Sitting beside one another, the actors read their characters’ correspondence with each other over almost 50 years.
Show Closed This production ended its run on Oct. 18, 2014 Chalfant garnered a Tony nomination for Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. She also starred in Wit off-Broadway and appeared in Painting Churches with Keen Co. Niebanck’s stage credits include In the Next Room on Broadway, as well as RX, Blood and Gifts, Shockheaded Peter and Bill W. and Dr. Bob. The drama tells the story of a Russian veteran and an American newcomer who meet informally after long, frustrating hours of peace talks. Kathleen Chalfant will take on the gender-swapped role of Botvinnik; Paul Niebanck will play John Honeyman. Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods begins performances on September 9. The Keen Company mounting marks the first major New York revival of the Pulitzer and Tony-nominated play. Jonathan Silverstein directs the show, which will run through October 18 at off-Broadway’s Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row. Opening night is set for September 30. Related Shows A Walk in the Woods View Comments
Related Shows I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard Show Closed This production ended its run on March 1, 2015 I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard, starring Tony nominee Reed Birney and Nurse Jackie’s Betty Gilpin, has extended off-Broadway through March 1; it had previously been set to play a limited engagement through February 15. The show, which explores the eternal struggle of parents and kids finding common ground, is written by Halley Feiffer and directed by Trip Cullman.The Atlantic Theater Company production follows Ella (Gilpin), a precocious and fiercely competitive actress whose sole aim in life is making her famous playwright father David (Birney) proud. Over the course of a boozy, drug-fueled evening, Ella and David deliberate over whether to read the reviews of her off-Broadway debut…and things unravel from there.The world premiere officially opened on January 20 and is running at Atlantic Stage 2. Star Files View Comments Reed Birney
View Comments Airline Highway About the Artist: With a desire to celebrate the magic of live theater and those who create it, and with a deep reverence for such touchstones as the work of Al Hirschfeld and the wall at Sardi’s, Squigs is happy and grateful to be among those carrying on the traditions where theater and caricature meet. He was born and raised in Oregon, lived in Los Angeles for quite a long time and now calls New York City his home. Show Closed This production ended its run on June 7, 2015
The spirit of New Orleans comes alive at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre as Airline Highway opens on April 23. Tony winner Joe Mantello directs the vibrant play, written by Lisa D’Amour (a fifth-generation resident of the Big Easy). In honor of the show’s official opening, Broadway.com resident artist Justin “Squigs” Robertson sketched this compilation of the cast of characters.From left to right, the portrait features Ken Marks as Francis, Scott Jaeck as Wayne, Julie White as Tanya, Judith Roberts as Miss Ruby, K. Todd Freeman as Sissy Nana, Joe Tippett as Bait Boy, Tim Edward Rhoze as Terry, Caroline Neff as Krista and Carolyn Braver as Zoe.Broadway.com wishes the cast of Airline Highway a happy opening. We’ll bring the tortilla chips! Related Shows
Show Closed This production ended its run on Sept. 13, 2015 View Comments Darren Criss Related Shows Star Files Hedwig and the Angry Inch Will Broadway alum Taye Diggs throw on a whole lot of blue eyeshadow as Hedwig and the Angry Inch’s next headliner? According to entertainment reporter Jason Lynch, Diggs will succeed Glee’s Darren Criss at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre when Criss departs the show on July 19. A spokesperson said that the production has no comment at this time.Diggs would be the first African American to play the East German transgender rock star. He has appeared on Broadway previously in Rent, Chicago (he also appeared in the screen adaptations of both), as well as Wicked and off-Broadway’s The Wild Party. His additional TV and film credits include Private Practice, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Best Man and Brown Sugar.Written by 2015 Tony honoree John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask, Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of a fictional rock ‘n’ roll band, fronted by Hedwig, a transgender woman from communist East Berlin. Between rock songs, Hedwig regales the audience with both humorous and painful stories about her life, including her botched sex change operation. Trask’s score features “Tear Me Down,” “Wig in a Box,” “Wicked Little Town,” “The Origin of Love,” “Angry Inch” and more. Michael Mayer directs the Tony-winning production, which also stars Rebecca Naomi Jones as Yitzhak.
New Country Related Shows View Comments New Country, written by and starring Mark Roberts, has extended through June 27; it had originally been set to shutter on June 20. The off-Broadway production is playing at the Cherry Lane Theatre, where it officially opened on May 20. David Harwell directs.In New Country, country music star Justin Spears has the world on their knees. He’s a good ole bad boy that’s tying the knot tomorrow; but tonight, he’s tying one on. He’s going to party hardy with his entourage of ruthless, calculating managers, faux fans and friends, his favorite pig-farming uncle and a plastic model.Joining Roberts as Uncle Jim in the cast is Jared Culverhouse as Chuck, Sarah Lemp as Sharon, David Lind as Justin, Malcolm Madera as Paul and Stephen Sheffer as Ollie. Show Closed This production ended its run on June 27, 2015
Michelle Williams Set to Play Janis JoplinOscar and Tony nominee Michelle Williams has got the Kozmic Blues. E! News reports that she is confirmed to play the late great Janis Joplin in the Sean Durkin-helmed biopic, Janis. The film is based off of Love, Janis, a book by the singer’s sister Laura. Fans can currently catch Williams in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea beginning November 18.Daveed Diggs Returns with Bars Medley Vol. 2Hamilton got readers to sink their teeth into Ron Chernow’s intimidating biography; leave it to Hamilton Tony winner Daveed Diggs and fellow #BARS creator Rafael Casal to continue to give book nerds our due cool cred. The musical workshop series returned with The Bars Medley Vol. 2. A slew of Broadway stars, including Tony nominee Adrienne Warren, Javier Muñoz, Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones, recently came together at the Public Theater to present a medley of hip-hop numbers inspired by books like Things Fall Apart, The Alchemist and Beloved. (There’s also a Pride and Prejudice rap battle you didn’t know you needed.) Watch the full performance (shot in one take) below! View Comments Here’s a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today. Of Course Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Working on Another ThingWith the highly anticipated release of Moana on November 23 as well as his forthcoming role in Mary Poppins Returns and his Little Mermaid-team-up with Disney legend Alan Menken, Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda has officially earned those Mickey Mouse ears. According to New York Magazine, Miranda is in talks with Zootopia co-director Byron Howard to create a brand new animated film. “We literally haven’t gotten in the room yet,” Miranda said. “But we’re plotting.” If Miranda’s ears for music (Mickey or otherwise) are involved, we’re sure he won’t throw away his shot.Idina Menzel Dishes on Her First TimeTony winner and Broadway fave Idina Menzel recently stopped by The Late Late Show with James Corden to perform the touching track “Perfect Story” off of her latest solo release .idina. Menzel also told a perfect story of her own. Sharing the Corden couch with Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez, she pivoted Rodriguez’s request for funny man Corden to share his first time story (“My parents are here!!!”) and stepped up to the plate with her own. Atta girl, Elphie. Be sure all of the little Elsas are out of earshot and watch the interview below! P.S. The Broadway community is already in the holiday spirit! Not only can you now gift your loved ones (or, let’s be real here, treat yo’self to) a glittering Patti LuPone ornament to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; you can also put it on your tree while you listen to Broadway bombshell Megan Hilty’s Christmas album, A Merry Little Christmas, which is now available on iTunes. Lin-Manuel Miranda(Photo: Emilio Madrid-Kuser)
(Photo: Emilio Madrid-Kuser & Caitlin McNaney) Denée Benton, The Great Comet Josh Groban, The Great Comet Jordan Fisher, Hamilton Kimiko Glenn, Waitress Anthony Rosenthal, Falsettos Carmen Cusack, Bright Star View Comments Mark Ballas, Jersey Boys Today’s Broadway newcomers could be tomorrow’s Tony winners, and there was an epic batch of Great White Way debuts in the year 2016. Whether the performer originated a role in a brand new production or added a refreshing take to a beloved character in a long-running classic, these triple threats were up to the task. We asked the fans to shout out their favorite Broadway debuts of 2016, and they were eager to praise the delicious, revolutionary, luminous and out-of-this-world newcomers. Take a look at the top 10, and get excited for a slew of new debut-makers in 2017! Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed Lexi Lawson, Hamilton Michael Campayno, Wicked