Week in Review 3.31.17

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Presenters

Snoop Dogg will induct Tupac Shakur into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this spring, Rolling Stone reports. The April 7 ceremony (in Brooklyn) will be recorded, and an edited version will be broadcast on HBO on April 29. Shakur's music was the basis for the Broadway musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me, which took its title from one of the late West Coast rapper's songs. In addition, Lenny Kravitz will perform a special tribute to Prince (not one of this year's honorees), and Pharrell, Dhani Harrison, and Train's Pat Monahan will be on hand to induct Nile Rodgers, Electric Light Orchestra, and Journey, respectively. Rolling Stone has more.

Casting News

  • Frank Wood (Clybourne Park, Born Yesterday), Amber Tamblyn (making her off-Broadway debut), Darren Pettie (Dinner with Friends), and Ella Dershowitz make up the cast of Can You Forgive Her?, the new Gina Gionfriddo play bowing at the Vineyard Theatre. Previews begin May 4, with opening night set for May 23. The limited engagement is scheduled to conclude on June 11. Broadway.com has more.

  • Initial casting for the Broadway revival of Scott McPherson's  Marvin's Room has been announced. Janeane Garofalo (patron saint of sarcastic 90s girls) will make her Broadway debut alongside Lili Taylor and Celia Weston. Previews begin June 8, with opening night set for June 29. Directed by Anne Kauffman, the limited engagement is scheduled to conclude August 27. Theater Mania has more.

     
  • Norbert Leo Butz will be joined in The Whirligig by Dolly Wells, who is taking over the role from the previously announced Maura Tierney, who has departed the production due to scheduling conflicts. The Hamish Linklater play begins previews May 4, with opening night set for May 21. Playbill has more.
On Stage: Extensions, Rush Tickets, and Start Dates

Extension—Though it's yet to begin previews, the new Annie Baker play, The Antipodes, has been extended again. The world premiere Signature Theatre production, starring Josh Charles and directed by Lila Neugebauer, is now scheduled to run through May 28. Previews begin April 4. Baker won a Pulitzer for The Flick, and was last at Signature with John. Visit Playbill for more.

Rush Tickets—Rush policies for Six Degrees of Separation, A Doll's House, Part 2, and Bandstand have been announced. Playbill has information about Six Degrees of Separation's rush policy as well as A Doll's House, Part 2's front-row rush policy, available during previews. Theater Mania has information about Bandstand's rush policy.

Start Dates—Dates are set for the Broadway revival of Once on this Island, the Lynn Ahrens–Stephen Flaherty musical. Previews, at a theatre TBD, will begin November 9, with opening night scheduled for December 3. Tony nominee Michael Arden (Spring Awakening) directs. Broadway.com has more.

"Over the Rainbow," "Straight Outta Compton" Added to Library of Congress

25 songs have been added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Songs/recordings on the registry (there are now 475) are those deemed to have cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance, and must have been released at least ten years ago. This year's class includes: "Straight Outta Compton," the NWA single; Judy Garland's recording of "Over the Rainbow"; the Funny Girl standard, "People," sung, of course, by Barbra Streisand; Sister Sledge's "We Are Family"; David Bowie's album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider from Mars; the original cast album of The Wiz; Richard Pryor's Wanted: Live in Concert record; the campfire classic "American Pie"; and a recording of Vin Scully announcing the September 8, 1957 Brooklyn Dodgers–New York Giants game. Broadway World has the full list of recordings.

It's an Honor

Astaire Awards—The Astaire Awards, honoring excellence in dance and named for Fred and Adele Astaire, are getting a new name: the Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography. Honoring the legendary Ms. Rivera, the awards will continue to honor dance and choreography on stage and screen. Of the new honor, Rivera said, "What a wonderful surprise... It's so important to encourage young dancers and choreographers...they are our future. Nominees for this year's award will be announced on May 1, and winners will be honored on September 11. Broadway.com has more.

Golden Globes—The full Golden Globes timeline has been announced. Of note, the nominations will be announced on Monday, December 11. As previously reported, winners will be announced and feted at the January 7, 2018, ceremony. Variety has more.

In Other News

  • The film adaptation of Jordan Harrison's Marjorie Prime will be released midyear, and will also be available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Lois Smith reprises the role she originated on stage, and stars alongside Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, and Tim Robbins. Theater Mania has more.


  • There will be an In Transit cast album. The original Broadway cast recording for the a cappella musical will be released digitally April 28; hard copies will be available beginning June 9. Theater Mania has more.


  • Mindy Kaling announced on Twitter that her show, The Mindy Project, will return to Hulu for a sixth and final season. She later spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the decision to bring the series to an end.

  • Santa Clarita Diet, the silly and charming Netflix series starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, has been renewed for a second season. Variety has more.

  • The Broadway cast recording for Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 will be released in May. As a tease, the production released this music video of Denee Benton (Natasha) singing "No One Else." Watch below (and fall in love with Benton), and then head to greatcometbroadway.com to purchase tickets.

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