Reviewing the Drama: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Ballet, Movies, and TV Reviews

The nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards have been announced. The main event is scheduled for Sunday, September 17, on CBS. Herein, nominees in some categories. For the full list of nominees, head to emmys.com . Comedy Outstanding Comedy Series Atlanta black-ish Master of None Modern Family Silicon Valley Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Veep   Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Donald Glover , Atlanta Zach Galifianakis , Baskets Anthony Anderson , black-ish Aziz Ansari , Master of None William H. Macy , Shamelss Jeffrey Tambor , Transparent  Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Pamela Adlon , Better Things Tracee Ellis Ross , black-ish Jane Fonda , Grace and Frankie Lily Tomlin , Grace and Frankie Allison Janney , Mom Ellie Kemper , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Veep   Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Louie Anderson , Baskets Ty Burrell , Modern Family Alec Baldwin , Saturday Night Live ...

Casting News Jake Gyllenhaal ( Sunday in the Park with George ) is set to re-team with his Nightcrawler collaborators, actress Rene Russo and writer/director Dan Gilroy , for an untitled film set in the art world. Netflix has already won distribution rights. Deadline has more. Freida Pinto ( Slumdog Millionaire ) will join the cast of The Path for its upcoming third season, now filming in New York. She joins as a series regular. The Path stars Aaron Paul , Michelle Monaghan , and Hugh Dancy . Deadline has more. The terrific Victoria Clark  ( Cinderella ) will appear in the upcoming Encores! production of Assassins , starring alongside Steven Pasquale . The Tony winner (for The Light in the Piazza ) takes on the role of Sara Jane Moore, filling in for the previously announce Julie White. Assassins  runs July 12-15. Playbill has more. Tony and Academy Award winner Mercedes Ruehl is joining the company of Torch Song , the Second Stage production of Harvey Fier...

Casting News Following last week's announcement of the ART production of Jagged Little Pill , inspired by the Alanis Morissette album, this week we learned Tony winner Idina Menzel ( Rent , Wicked , If/Then ) will lead an upcoming industry reading of the musical. As noted in the Broadway.com report, though, Menzel is not likely to appear in the ART production since she is already slated to star in Joshua Harmon's Skintight , which runs at the same time as the ART Jagged Little Pill production. Joe Tippett ( Familiar ) will join the company of Waitress beginning with the June 13 performance. He'll take on the role of Earl, the titular waitress's abusive husband. (Will Swenson plays the role through June 11.) Tippett's first performance will also mark the first performance of Betsy Wolfe in the title role. Playbill has more. Additional casting has been announced for Steven Speilberg's The Papers , a telling of the Pentagon Papers. Sarah Paulson (...

Casting News NYCB principal dancer Sara Mearns will appear as a guest artist in the Matthew Bourne ballet adaptation of The Red Shoes , which will play at New York's City Center this fall. Mearns will alternate performances with Ashley Shaw , who originated the role of Victoria Page, the tortured dancer, in the London premiere. The Red Shoes runs October 26 through November 5. The New York Times has more , and the City Center website has the cast schedule. Lin-Manuel Miranda ( Hamilton ) has joined the cast of the upcoming reboot of the beloved animated series, Duck Tales . Miranda joins a cast that already includes Ben Schwartz and Danny Pudi . Theater Mania has more. It's an Honor Drama League Awards —Winners of the Drama League Awards were announced, with Ben Platt  making history as the youngest winner of the Distinguished Performance Award. Elsewhere, Oslo  took home the Outstanding Play honor, and Platt's show, Dear Evan Hansen , won Outstanding Music...

Rising in the Ranks at NYCB Several New York City Ballet  dancers were promoted just before the February 19 performance. Russell Janzen  was promoted to principal dancer. He joined the company in 2008, and was promoted to soloist just a couple years ago. In addition, seven corps de ballet members were promoted to soloists: Sara Adams , Harrison Ball , Emilie Gerrity , Joseph Gordon , Unity Phelan , Troy Schumacher , and Indiana Woodward . Merde to all the dancers! The NYCB winter season continues through this weekend, and the spring season begins in April.  The New York Times  has more about the promotions. Oscar Isaac–led Hamlet Confirmed You might recall that a production of Hamlet , starring Oscar Isaac ( Inside Llewyn Davis ) and directed by Tony winner Sam Gold ( Fun Home , John ), was supposed to play at Theater for a New Audience this year. Those plans fell through, and it was heavily rumored that the production would play at the Public. This ...

Jake Gyllenhaal Welcomes You to the Hudson Theatre Academy Award nominee (and emerging musical theatre sensation) Jake Gyllenhaal invited viewers into Sunday in the Park with George rehearsals backstage at the Hudson Theatre. The Hudson, which began operation in 1903 but has been out of use as a legit theatre since 1968, is set to reopen with this production, becoming the 41st active Broadway theatre. ( See photos from this week's ribbon-cutting ceremony .) In the video below, directed by Emmy winner Cary Joji Fukunaga ( True Detective ), Gyllenhaal walks through the Hudson while singing the show's signature song, "Finishing the Hat." The City Center production of the Stephen Sondheim – James Lapine musical, also starring Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford , begins previews February 11; opening night is set for February 23, and the strictly limited engagement will conclude April 23. Visit the Hudson Theatre website to purchase tickets. (A rush policy for previe...

Casting News Andre Holland ( Moonlight ) will appear in the film, Widows , co-written by Steve McQueen and Gillian Flynn, and directed by McQueen. Holland joins the previously announced Tony winners Viola Davis and Cynthia Erivo. Variety has more. Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart will join the Hamilton Broadway company as Lafayette/Jefferson in mid-April, succeeding Seth Stewart . Iglehart won his Tony for playing the Genie in Aladdin , and will conclude his three-year run in that show on February 19. Major Attaway will take over the Genie role beginning February 21. Theater Mania has more. Richard Armitage ( Love, Love, Love ) has joined the cast of Ocean's Eight , the female-led Ocean's 11 flick. Armitage joins stars Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, and Helena Bonham Carter. Deadline has more. Golden Globe winner Rachel Bloom ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ) and Jerry O'Connell ( Seminar , American Hero ) have joined the starry lineup of the Febru...