Complete casting has been announced for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which comes to Broadway in the spring. Joining Christian Borle as Willy Wonka are Jackie Hoffman (“On the Town”), Emily Padgett (“Side Show”) and John Rubinstein (“Pippin”). The role of Charlie Bucket will be shared by Jake Ryan Flynn, Ryan Foust and Ryan Sell — not unlike how multiple children have alternated playing Billy Elliot and Matilda from performance to performance.
‘Holiday Inn’ will be livestreamed
The Roundabout Theatre Company’s current production of the Christmastime musical “Holiday Inn” will be livestreamed after the holidays on Jan. 14 by the online content provider BroadwayHD. “Holiday Inn” will play its final performance at Studio 54 on Jan. 15. Earlier this year, the Roundabout’s revival of “She Loves Me” was livestreamed by BroadwayHD and then shown in movie theaters.
Harry Groener joins ‘Crazy for You’ concert
Following the news that Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck will star in the Feb. 19 concert revival of the 1992 musical comedy “Crazy for You” at Geffen Hall, word now comes that Harry Groener (the male lead of the original Broadway production) will play producer Bella Zangler (a part originated by the late comic Bruce Adler). Susan Stroman (who rose to fame choreographing “Crazy for You”) is staging the concert.
Hal Prince directing ‘Candide’ for revived City Opera
New York City Opera, now attempting a comeback following a devastating bankruptcy, will present the madcap Leonard Bernstein operetta “Candide” next month at Jazz at Lincoln Center under the direction of the legendary Hal Prince, who first staged “Candide” for the company in 1982. Prince also directed Broadway revivals of “Candide” in 1974 and 1997. The Broadway caliber cast will include Linda Lavin, Gregg Edelman, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Chip Zien and Brooks Ashmanskas.
‘A Chorus Line’ sanitized for students
It just got a whole lot easier for high school drama clubs to present “A Chorus Line.” As reported by Playbill.com, Tams Witmark, which licenses the rights to perform the landmark 1975 musical, has released a revised student version that is intended to accommodate performers of different ethnicities and less extensive dance abilities. It can also be assumed that some of the show’s racier content has been edited.
Murdered Tony winner to be explored in one-man show
Tony-winning actor George Rose, who was murdered in the Caribbean in 1988 by his adopted son, will be the subject of the new one-man show “Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose,” which stars Ed Dixon (who was Rose’s longtime friend) and is directed by Eric Schaeffer (“Follies”). It will play the Loft at the Davenport Theatre beginning Jan. 25
Spotted …
Carol Burnett at “Hamilton” … Michael Moore at “Chris Gethard: Career Suicide” … Henry Winkler, Larry Wilmore and Taylor Schilling at “Oh, Hello” … Kristin Chenoweth at “Cats” … Debra Messing at “Dear Evan Hansen.”
