‘The Minutes’ confirmed for Broadway
“The Minutes,” a new comedy by Tracy Letts (“August: Osage County”) about an explosive town council meeting, will open on Broadway in March, following its recent premiere at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre. The cast will include Letts himself, who recently appeared on Broadway in “All My Sons,” Ian Barford, who is currently appearing in Letts’ “Linda Vista,” Austin Pendleton (“My Cousin Vinny”), Jessie Mueller (“Beautiful”), Armie Hammer (“The Social Network”) and Blair Brown (“Orange is the New Black”).
Chelsea Clinton’s kids book adapted into musical
“She Persisted,” a musical adaptation of Chelsea Clinton’s 2017 children’s book about 13 famous women who “persisted,” will be produced by Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company in February as part of its Atlantic for Kids series. In the musical, a fourth grader’s field trip to a women’s history museum turns into a time-traveling voyage that sounds similar to “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”
‘Love Actually’ parody to play Off-Broadway
A musical parody of the 2003 holiday romance “Love Actually” (retitled “Love Actually?”) will play the Jerry Orbach Theater in Times Square beginning Nov. 15. The writers behind it are Bob and Tobly McSmith, who are also responsible for earlier parodies of “The Office,” “Friends,” “Saved by the Bell” and “Full House.” Some sample song titles from “Love Actually?” include “He’s the Prime Minister (of Rom-Coms),” “Keira Knightly Actually” and “The Lament of Laura Linney.”
‘Freestyle Love Supreme’ receives extra week
The hip-hop improv comedy show “Freestyle Love Supreme” has extended its limited Broadway run by one week through Jan. 12. Recurring surprise guests at the show have included “Hamilton” alumni such as Lin-Manuel Miranda (a co-founder of the group), Christopher Jackson, James Monroe Iglehart, Wayne Brady and Daveed Diggs. On Sunday, Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren attended the show and took part in an onstage conversation.
Jacqueline Novak to bring back ‘Knees’
After playing back-to-back runs at two different theaters in the West Village over the summer, stand-up comic Jacqueline Novak will bring her contemplative and idiosyncratic one-woman show “Get On Your Knees” back to the Lucille Lortel Theatre for six weeks beginning Dec. 14. In the show, Novak spends 80 minutes obsessively analyzing, deconstructing and even humanizing a particular sexual act.
Patrick J. Adams joins ‘Take Me Out’ cast
Patrick J. Adams, best known for the TV series “Suits,” has joined the cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of Richard Greenberg’s baseball drama “Take Me Out,” which will be produced by Second Stage beginning in April. The cast will also include Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”) and Jesse Williams (“Grey’s Anatomy”).
Spotted…
Spike Lee at “Freestyle Love Supreme,” Lucy Lui and George Takei at “Soft Power,” Brendon Urie and Whoopi Goldberg at “Moulin Rouge!” Gaten Matarazzo at “Oklahoma!” and Joan Collins at “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation.”
