Jesse Williams ("Grey’s Anatomy," "The Butler") will make his Broadway debut in a revival of Richard Greenberg’s Tony-winning baseball drama "Take Me Out," which will be produced by Second Stage at the Hayes Theater in the spring of next year. Williams will play a baseball star who publicly reveals that he is gay, which leads to tumultuous events. Scott Ellis ("Kiss Me Kate," "Tootsie") will direct.
‘Be More Chill’ inspires new Pinkberry flavor
The sci-fi teen musical “Be More Chill” was largely frozen out of the Tony Awards, except for a lone nomination for Best Score. But it has found an unlikely source of recognition from Pinkberry, which is mentioned in a song. Pinkberry is releasing a special edition frozen yogurt flavor honoring the show. “Two-Player Game” (which is also the name of a duet in “Be More Chill”) will be a swirled combination of pomegranate and matcha plus blueberries, mochi and granola.
Reneé Rapp to take over as Regina George in ‘Mean Girls’
Reneé Rapp, who won Best Actress at the 2018 National High School Musical Theatre Awards, will take over as high school queen bee Regina George in “Mean Girls” beginning Sept. 10. She will also play the role from June 7 to 26 when Tony nominee Taylor Louderman takes a leave of absence. Andrew Barth Feldman, who won Best Actor alongside Rapp, is now playing Evan Hansen in “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Charlottesville drama teacher receives Tony recognition
The 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Award (co-presented by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University) will go to Madeline Michel, the drama teacher of Monticello High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. According to the news release announcing the award, “in the aftermath of the Charlottesville rally, Michel and her students used theater to address racial inequality, elevating and leading the conversation for a wounded community.”
Spotted …
Stockard Channing, Colin Farrell and Mary-Louise Parker at “Beetlejuice” … Gayle King and Eric Stonestreet at “Network” … Rachel Brosnahan and Patti LuPone at “Oklahoma!”…Bryan Cranston at “Burn This” … Bradley Whitford, Mike Birbiglia and Alex Borstein at “Hadestown” … Kate Micucci at “Be More Chill.”
