Sally Field is hoping to come to Broadway in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie,” directed by Sam Gold (“Fun Home”), as per ShowBiz411. As it happens, “The Glass Menagerie” was seen on Broadway just two seasons ago with Cherry Jones and Zachary Quinto.
‘The Bodyguard’ to launch at Paper Mill
The upcoming national tour of the musical “The Bodyguard” (based on the Whitney Houston film and incorporating many of her hit songs) will launch in the fall at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse. The production will be headlined by R&B singer-songwriter Deborah Cox. The Paper Mill season will also include “The Producers,” “Mary Poppins,” “Million Dollar Quartet” and “A Comedy of Tenors” (a sequel to the popular comedy “Lend Me a Tenor”).
‘Nerds’ names its Bill Gates and Steve Jobs
Rory O’Malley (“The Book of Mormon”) and Bryan Fenkart (“Memphis”) will play Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively, in the new “musical dot-comedy” “Nerds,” which will explore their rise as computer wizards. Also in the cast are Patti Murin (“Lysistrata Jones”) and Lindsay Mendez (“Dogfight”). It will begin previews on April 1.
Boe to go from ‘Les Miz’ to ‘Neverland’
Alfie Boe, who is about to end his extended run as John Valjean in “Les Miz,” will take over as “Peter Pan” creator J.M. Barrie in the musical “Finding Neverland” on March 29. The part was originated by “Glee” star Matthew Morrison and is currently being played by Tony Yazbeck (“On the Town”).
King Lear has a wife, and she’s got a play
Have you ever wondered what happened to King Lear’s wife? In Shakespeare’s tragedy, the title monarch complains a lot about his three daughters, but not much is said about their mother. “Queen Mair,” a prequel to “King Lear” by Matthew Wells that focuses on Lear’s wife, will receive a free public reading on Monday night at Goddard Riverside’s Bernie Wohl Center on Columbus Avenue.
Weisz takes on political drama ‘Plenty’ off-Broadway
Rachel Weisz, who appeared in a Broadway revival of Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal” in 2013 alongside her husband Daniel Craig, will star in an off-Broadway revival of David Hare’s 1978 political drama “Plenty” at the Public Theater next season. Weisz will play a British secret agent during and after World War II. As it happens, Craig is already set to appear in “Othello” in the fall at off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop.
‘Falsettos’ revival finally set to open after delay
William Finn’s 1992 rambunctious family musical “Falsettos,” which was slated to be revived on Broadway this season but got pushed back for financial reasons, is now set to open in the fall at the Walter Kerr Theatre. It will be coproduced by Jujamcyn Theaters and the nonprofit powerhouse Lincoln Center Theater. James Lapine, who directed the original production, will also helm the revival.
Spotted …
Common and Tonya Pinkins at “Dot” at the Vineyard Theatre … Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal and Neil Patrick Harris at “The Secret Garden” at David Geffen Hall … Richard Dreyfuss, Sting, Emmy Rossum, Russell Simmons and Judah Friedlander at “Hughie.”
