‘Gentleman’s Guide’ to close up in January
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” a silly English music hall pastiche which struggled to find an audience when it opened on Broadway two seasons ago but went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and recoup its production costs, will close in January after nearly 1,000 performances — or, as the producers put it, more than 6,000 deaths enacted by lead actor Jefferson Mays. Its place at the Walter Kerr Theatre will be taken by the revival of “The Crucible” with Ben Wishaw and Sophie Okonedo.
Demon Puppet show ‘Hand to God’ shuttering
“Hand to God,” the foul-mouthed comedy about a teenage boy whose hand becomes possessed by a demonic puppet, will end its Broadway run in January after a nine-month run. But the puppet Tyrone will live on, as the play will transfer to London’s West End the following month. A new show has yet to be announced for the Booth Theatre.
Fringe Encores announced
In case you missed out on last month’s New York International Fringe Festival, the Fringe Encores Series at the SoHo Playhouse will feature selections from both the New York and Edinburgh fringe festivals through the end of next month. Sample titles include “21st Century Jew,” “The Submarine Show” and “Beware the Chupacabra!”
Broadway revival of ‘Falsettos’ postponed
The Broadway revival of Bill Finn’s landmark 1992 musical “Falsettos,” about a gay man who tries to stay close to his former wife and son after leaving them for a lover, has been postponed to next season. No reason for the change was provided in a news release. It will be directed by James Lapine, who also staged the original production.
Roger Rees memorial service set for Sept. 21
Tony-winning actor Roger Rees, who died in July at age 71 due to brain cancer, will be remembered at a public tribute to be held at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Sept. 21. Rees was on Broadway just a few months ago in the musical “The Visit.” Before that, he took over for Nathan Lane as Gomez in “The Addams Family.”
Spotted…
Reba McEntire at “Something Rotten!”…Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jonathan Groff, Michael C. Hall, Cherry Jones and Bill Irwin at “The Odyssey” at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park…Taye Diggs at “Spring Awakening”…Michael Urie and David Hyde Pierce at “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.”
