Every conga line must eventually come to an end. “On Your Feet!,” the jukebox musical about Cuban-American pop star Gloria Estefan and her husband, Grammy-winning producer Emilio Estefan, will end its Broadway run on Aug. 20 after 780 performances. A national tour will launch in September and be followed by multiple international productions. Ana Villafañe, who originated the role of Gloria Estefan, still leads the Broadway cast. At one point, there was speculation that Estefan would join the Broadway cast and play the role of her mother.
‘Jagged Little Pill’ musical to debut at ART
Three years ago, it was first reported that Alanis Morissette was working on a stage musical adaptation of her hugely popular 1995 alternative rock album “Jagged Little Pill,” which contains the hit songs “Ironic,” “One Hand In My Pocket” and “You Oughta Know.” On Tuesday, the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge announced that it will present the musical’s world premiere next year. It will have direction by Diane Paulus (“Waitress”) and a book by Diablo Cody (screenwriter of “Juno”). “Diablo and Diane are already taking these deeply personal songs that are part of my soul’s marrow to a whole other level of hope, freedom and complexity,” Morissette said in a statement.
Johansson, Colbert and more to join Spacey at Tony Awards
Celebrity presenters at the Tony Awards (to be telecast on CBS on June 11) will include Scarlett Johansson, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Bette Midler, Anna Kendrick, Keegan-Michael Key and Orlando Bloom. As previously announced, Kevin Spacey will serve as the host. The set list of musical numbers to be presented should be announced shortly.
‘1812’ seeking more people for Tony broadcast
The electro-pop-operatic Broadway musical “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” is seeking “people of all ethnicities and genders,” especially those with “fresh faces and edgy looks, piercings, alternative hair colors (and) tattoos,” to join Josh Groban, Denée Benton and the rest of the young cast in order to make its musical number on the Tony Awards broadcast as big and splashy as possible. To be considered for the gig, email your photograph to Tonycomet2017@gmail.com.
LaBelle claims she was original choice for ‘Dolly!’
In an interview with WWD.com, Grammy winner Patti LaBelle claimed that she was offered (and turned down) the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in the current Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!” four years ago and that she is now open to joining the show once Bette Midler departs. Two years ago, LaBelle briefly joined the Jazz Age revue “After Midnight” as a guest vocalist.
Abby Lee Miller working on ‘Dance Moms’ musical
Abby Lee Miller (of the reality TV series “Dance Moms”), who was recently sentenced to a year in federal prison for bankruptcy fraud, told Us Weekly that she is developing a Broadway musical version of “Dance Moms.” However, she claimed that work on the project has been strained by “a big fight with Lifetime (TV)” over how to proceed with it. Rosie O’Donnell has already tweeted that she wants to star in the proposed musical.
The Public Theater reveals 2017-18 season
The Public Theater (which is currently presenting “Julius Caesar” as the first of its two Shakespeare in the Park productions) revealed the contents of its jam-packed 2017-18 season on Thursday, which will mark the company’s 50-year anniversary of staging work at its iconic building at Astor Place in the East Village. The season will include Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” (performed by the experimental group Elevator Repair Service), an encore engagement of the hit play “Tiny Beautiful Things” (again starring Nia Vardalos), Richard Nelson’s “Illyria” (about Public Theater founder Joe Papp in 1958), Luis Alfaro’s “Oedipus El Rey,” Julia Cho’s “Office Hour,” Sarah Burgess’ “Kings” (directed by Thomas Kail of “Hamilton”), Bruce Norris’ “The Low Road” and Lynn Nottage’s “Mlima’s Tale.” “Each of these plays participates in the great issues of the age; that is what makes them Public plays,” artistic director Oskar Eustis said in a statement.
Spotted …
Paul Rudd at “Waitress”… Kevin Spacey at “Groundhog Day”… Katie Couric at “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.”
