Sarah Hyland, best known as Haley Dunphy on “Modern Family” and recently seen on Broadway in “The Great Gatsby,” will join the hit Bobby Darin musical “Just in Time” as singer Connie Francis beginning Oct. 8.
Hyland replaces Gracie Lawrence, who departs after the Oct. 5 performance.
Sadie Dickerson will also join the company. She will make her Broadway debut as Sandra Dee on Sept. 16, following Erika Henningsen’s final performance on Sept. 14.
Starring Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, “Just in Time” features Darin classics such as “Beyond the Sea,” “Dream Lover,” and “Mack the Knife.” Tickets are currently on sale through Jan. 11, 2026.
Jane Krakowski to star in ‘Oh, Mary!’
Jane Krakowski will take over as Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escola’s smash Broadway comedy “Oh, Mary!” for an eight-week run beginning Oct. 14, following Jinkx Monsoon’s departure on Sept. 28. Company member Hannah Solow will cover the role from Sept. 30 to Oct. 12.
A Tony winner for “Nine” and nominee for “She Loves Me,” Krakowski also co-starred with Tituss Burgess (who previously took over as Mary Todd Lincoln) on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
“I am so honored to slip into the bratty curls previously worn by (my Tony Award-winning zaddy) Cole Escola, (my sister wife) Betty Gilpin, (my comedy brother) Tituss Burgess, and (mother) Jinkx Monsoon,” Krakowski said in a statement.
“Oh, Mary!” reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln as a melodramatic, booze-soaked First Lady in the midst of the Civil War. Written by and originally starring Escola, the show blends camp, absurdist humor, and biting satire into one of Broadway’s most unlikely blockbusters, recently extending its run through July 5, 2026.
Metropolitan Opera announces Saudi partnership
On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Opera announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission and the Royal Diriyah Opera House to become the new opera house’s resident winter company.
Under the agreement, the Met will travel to Riyadh each winter for five years beginning with the venue’s completion, performing fully staged operas and concerts over three-week periods. The company will also train aspiring Saudi artists and technicians and will collaborate on commissioning a new opera.
In a statement, Met general manager Peter Gelb described the partnership as a “cultural exchange between countries” and noted that the plan “will also provide new avenues of significant support for the Met.” Since reopening after the pandemic, the company has faced sluggish ticket sales, shrinking donor support, and operating deficits that have sparked internal debate over how to balance tradition with financial survival.
The announcement is almost certain to stir controversy. While Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in cultural projects as part of its Vision 2030 development drive, its human rights record and restrictions on free expression have led to criticism of similar partnerships in sports and entertainment.
The move also comes as the Met continues to defend itself against soprano Anna Netrebko’s lawsuit, in which she alleges discrimination after the company cut ties with her over her perceived closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many are likely to note the contrast between the Met’s decision to cut ties with Netrebko and its willingness to embrace a high-profile partnership with Saudi Arabia.
