Allison Janney will headline a Broadway revival of John Guare’s 1990 comedic drama “Six Degrees of Separation,” which will open in April at the Barrymore Theatre. It seems especially appropriate that it will arrive when “Cats” is back on Broadway. One of the funniest bits in “Six Degrees of Separation” involves how a rich New York couple is made to believe that they will get to make a cameo in a film version of “Cats” directed by Sidney Poitier.
More ‘Hamilton’ cast changes ahead
Christopher Jackson, one of the last remaining original principals in the Broadway cast of “Hamilton,” will play his final performance on Nov. 13. Nicholas Christopher (“Motown”) will then take over as George Washington. Another new cast member will be Jordan Fisher (“Grease: Live”), who will inherit the part of John Laurens/Philip Hamilton from Anthony Ramos (who will appear in Spike Lee’s Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It”). In other “Hamilton” news, the show will offer a special performance to benefit the Actors Fund on Sunday night, Nov. 6, and a “Hamilton” gift shop has been created across the street from the Richard Rodgers Theatre at the Paramount Hotel.
Roundabout draws criticism for patron’s lounge
Following a round of negative reviews for its Broadway revival of “The Cherry Orchard,” the Roundabout Theatre Company announced that it had received a $1.5 million donation from fashion designer Michael Kors and his husband Lance LePere and the sum “makes possible the creation of a new VIP Patron’s Lounge.” The news that the not-for-profit organization was using the money for a VIP lounge did not sit well with many theater professionals. For instance, the Pulitzer-winning playwright Annie Baker (“The Flick”) tweeted “awful. This money should go to all the underpaid Roundabout actors and designers and directors and writers.” In response to criticism, the Roundabout issued a statement that the money will go toward a fund to support the development and production of new musicals, and that the VIP lounge is being named after Kors and LePere in recognition of the donation.
O’Hara, Rivera set for Carnegie Hall concerts
A decade after first appearing at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, Kelli O’Hara will play the historic venue for the first time as a solo headliner on Oct. 29. Accompanied by a small group of musicians, she will perform a selection of songs from her Broadway career. Not long after, Chita Rivera will play Carnegie Hall on Nov. 7 in a concert titled “Chita: Nowadays.” She will be joined by Alan Cumming, Andy Karl, Javier Muñoz, Brandon Victor Dixon, Stevie Van Zandt and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.
Donna Murphy playing title role once a week in ‘Hello, Dolly!’
Beginning June 13, Tony winner Donna Murphy will play Dolly Levi once a week in the upcoming Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!,” as first reported by the Huffington Post. Murphy will play Dolly on Tuesday nights and during Bette Midler’s vacations. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Murphy discussed how her husband recently died and said that doing the show only once a week would allow her to spend time with her child.
LuPone and Ebersole to battle on Broadway on ‘War Paint’
Want two Tony-winning divas for the price of one? Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole will come back to Broadway later this season in “War Paint,” a new musical about cosmetics trailblazers Helena Rubinstein (LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Ebersole). It will have direction by Michael Greif (“Rent”) and a score by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (“Grey Gardens”).
SPOTTED …
Will Ferrell and Jessie Eisenberg at “Oh, Hello” … RuPaul at “Something Rotten!” … Judd Apatow, Josh Radnor and Colin Quinn at “Career Suicide.”
