Leavel will play Miranda Priestly in ‘Prada’
Tony winner Beth Leavel (who appeared last season on Broadway in “The Prom”) has won the plum role of fashion editor Miranda Priestly in the upcoming musical version of “The Devil Wears Prada.” Meryl Streep played Priestley in the 2006 film adaptation. She will be joined by Taylor Iman Jones (“Head Over Heels”) as editorial assistant Andy Sachs (played in the film by Anne Hathaway). The musical’s pre-Broadway world premiere has been pushed back by a year to summer 2021 in Chicago.
Dan Stevens joins ‘Hangmen’ cast
“Downton Abbey” actor Dan Stevens has joined the cast of Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy “Hangmen,” which will play a limited run on Broadway beginning in March. He will play Mooney, a young Londoner who becomes an unexpected source of menace for the protagonist. Johnny Flynn played the role during the play’s Off-Broadway run last year. The cast will also include Mark Addy (“Game of Thrones”) and Tracie Bennett (“End of the Rainbow”).
‘Forbidden Broadway’ moves to the York
Reports of the demise of “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation” were apparently premature. Following its final performance at the Triad nightclub space, the latest edition of Gerard Alessandrini’s long-running revue skewing current and classic Broadway musicals will reopen at the York Theatre Company in January. In a statement, Alessandrini said moving to a larger venue will allow for enhanced choreography and lighting design.
Mizrahi leads ‘Peter and the Wolf’
Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will direct and narrate a production of Prokofiev’s 1936 children’s orchestral classic “Peter and the Wolf” this and next weekend at the Guggenheim as part of the museum’s Works & Process series. Not surprisingly, Mizrahi also designed the cast’s costumes. The score will be performed by the NY-based Ensemble Signal.
Bareilles to host final ‘Waitress’ karaoke session
Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, who penned the score of the Broadway musical “Waitress” and also took over the lead role of Jenna on multiple occasions, will host the show’s final “Cast Album Karaoke” session following the performance on Dec. 17. As part of the program, audience members can volunteer to perform songs from the musical while accompanied by the onstage band. “Waitress” will end its three-and-a-half-year Broadway run on Jan. 5.
Jordan Fisher set for run in ‘Evan Hansen’
Jordan Fisher, winner of the 25th season of “Dancing with the Stars,” will play the title role in the Broadway production of “Dear Evan Hansen” for 16 weeks beginning Jan. 28. Fisher previously appeared on Broadway in “Hamilton” and also played Mark in “Rent Live.” In a statement, Fisher remarked that “Evan Hansen is a 16-course meal for an actor. The complexity of this boy is akin to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in my opinion.”
Spotted…
Bill and Hillary Clinton at “Oklahoma!”…John Oliver at “Frozen”…Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas at “Tina”…Tiger Woods at “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”…Julianne and Derek Hough at “Beetlejuice.”
