Tony-winning actor Bill Irwin, who is best known for his expert clowning abilities, will explore his attraction to the works of the enigmatic and absurdist playwright Samuel Beckett in his new one-man show “On Beckett,” which will play Off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre beginning Sept. 26. In 2009, Irwin appeared in Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” on Broadway with Nathan Lane and John Goodman. He also did the play Off-Broadway in 1988 with Robin Williams and Steve Martin. A scaled-down revival of the notorious flop musical “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” is currently playing an extended run at the Irish Rep.
TKTS moves toward listing discount price instead of the percentage discounts
What is the cost of an orchestra seat to “Waitress” after a 25 percent discount — or a mezzanine seat to “Kinky Boots” with a 50 percent discount? Traditionally, the TKTS booth in Times Square (as well as its sister locations at lower Manhattan, Lincoln Center and Downtown Brooklyn) have listed on electronic boards the names of the musicals and plays for which tickets are available each day and their individual percentage discounts. But as an experiment, the TKTS booth at Lincoln Center has begun instead listing the discounted ticket price (instead of the discount percent) for each show, leaving open the possibility that all TKTS locations will follow suit. Considering how theater ticket prices can vary wildly from show to show nowadays, and how expensive theater tickets are to begin with, this is a welcome and useful change.
‘Hamilton’ cast members to host voter registration drive outside theater
Looking for a way to meet an actor or two from “Hamilton” while also taking care of a basic civic responsibility? Select “Hamilton” cast members will host a New York State voter registration drive in front of the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Saturday from 5:15-7:15 p.m. “Voting honors our democracy; honors our founding fathers; and honors the spirit of the show. We want to do our part to help all citizens participate in an election that will deeply affect the direction of our country,” “Hamilton” producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement.
Bedlam to mash up ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Uncle Vanya’
Not so long ago, Bedlam (the experimental-classical theater company behind recent Off-Broadway hits like “Sense & Sensibility” and “Saint Joan”) announced that it would perform “Romeo and Juliet” and “Uncle Vanya” in repertory in the fall. In an unexpected change of plans, the company has instead decided to merge the two plays into a single five-actor work titled “Uncle Romeo Vanya Juliet.” In a statement, director Erick Tucker explained that he saw “an opportunity to display their strong thematic similarities in a new way. Both plays showcase characters experiencing longing for love at different times in their lives.” It will play the Mezzanine Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres beginning Sept. 14.
Spotted …
Hillary Clinton at “Hello, Dolly!” … Elle Macpherson and Sarah McLachlan at “Pretty Woman” … Chris Martin at “The Band’s Visit” … Ellen Page at “Come From Away” … Samantha Bee and Laverne Cox at “Head Over Heels.”
