Week in Review 2.26.16

Wyatt Cenac: Furry Dumb Fighter
Wyatt Cenac, comedian and one-time Daily Show correspondent, just released a new comedy album, Furry Dumb Fighter. (His last one, Brooklyn, was nominated for a Grammy.) While promoting the new album, he stopped by Conan (part one, part two) and HuffPost Live to talk about comedy, diversity on his upcoming TBS show, People of Earth (which also stars Noises Off's Tracee Chimo), and his Grammy-going experience. He also chatted with Vulture about those topics, as well as his memorable WTF Podcast appearance. Visit iTunes to purchase your copy of Furry Dumb Fighter.

Casting News
Broadway—Casting for Nerds, A Musical Dot-Comedy has been announced. Tony nominee Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon, Little Miss Sunshine) and Bryan Fenkart (Nobody Loves You, These Paper Bullets) will star as titular nerds Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively. They'll be joined by Lindsay Mendez (Godspell, Significant Other), Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones, Fly by Night) and others. Nerds is written by Hal Goldberg (music) and Jordan Allen-Dutton + Erik Weiner (book and lyrics). Previews begin April 1, with opening night set for April 21. Nerds will play the Longacre Theatre. Broadway.com has more.

TV—Academy Award nominee Amy Adams (The Fighter, Big Eyes) will star in the television adaptation of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects. (Flynn wrote the novel Gone Girl, and later adapted her novel for the screen.) The Hollywood Reporter has more.

Broadway—Finding Neverland will welcome a couple of new stars. Beginning March 29, Alfie Boe will take on the lead role of J.M. Barrie, replacing Tony Yazbeck, who'll play his final performance March 27. Sally Ann Triplett (The Last Ship) will head to Neverland on March 1; she'll play Madame du Maurier through May 1. Broadway.com has more.

Film—Tony winner Billy Crudup (Arcadia, Spotlight) has been cast in two upcoming, high profile films, according to Deadline. Details of both roles are under wraps, but the versatile actor is set to appear in Alien: Covenant, a sequel to the Alien prequel, Prometheus, and Jackie, a biopic about Jackie O after JFK's assassination. In Alien: Covenant, a Ridley Scott film, he'll star alongside Prometheus star Michael Fassbender. Meanwhile, Jackie is directed by Darren Aronofky, and stars his Black Swan leading lady, Oscar winner Natalie Portman.

Broadway—Tony nominee Rebecca Luker (The Music Man) will temporarily take up residence at the Tony-winning musical, Fun Home. She'll take over the role of Helen Bechdel while Judy Kuhn is on medical leave. Luker can be see in Fun Home April 5-May 22. Broadway.com reports that Emily Skeggs, who plays Medium Alison, is also on temporary leave; understudy Lauren Patten is covering the role through May 22.

Coming to the Boards
A handful of shows have been added to the 2016-2017 season:
  • The Broadway revival of Falsettos is back on. The Lincoln Center Theater–Jujamcyn production of the William Finn–James Lapine musical will play the Walter Kerr Theatre, where previews will begin on September 29. Opening night is set for October 27. Broadway.com has more.

  • Second Stage's summer uptown shows have been announced. The summer season will include Sofia Alvarez's Friend Art and Lucy Teitler's Engagements. Theater Mania has more.

  • Oscar winner Rachel Weisz will return to the stage in the Public's revival of David Hare's Plenty, which will be part of the downtown theatre company's 2016-2017 season. Broadway.com has more.
Awards and Honors
  • Kendrick Lamar will induct N.W.A. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this April. (Remember that an edited version of the ceremony will be broadcast on HBO on April 30.) N.W.A. founding member Ice Cube announced the news on Twitter.

  • In The Hollywood Reporter, former White House director of speechwriting (2009-2013) Jon Favreau gives advice to Oscar nominees about how to prepare an acceptance speech. The Oscars are this Sunday on ABC. Here's the full list of nominees.

  • Variety has the skinny on how Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) and Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, Carol) survive award season with such style. The trade paper spoke to the stars' stylists, Evet Sanchez and Elizabeth Stewart, respectively.  
Hamilton Updates
Lin-Manuel Miranda can add the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History (did you get all that?) to his mantle. Hamilton won the award, which was presented on the late senator's birthday, and honors theatre that "explores the past of the United States." The award, established in 2013, comes with a $100,000 prize for Miranda. Playbill has more. Miranda was also the recipient of the Dramatists Guild's Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition. Playbill has more about that, as well.

Christopher Jackson (George Washington) is featured on Broadway Style Guide. Jackson talks about how he and Miranda met, and how their relationship—both personal and professional—has grown over the years. Meanwhile, Leslie Odom, Jr. (Aaron Burr) chatted with Slant news about his road to success, creativity, and what freedom means to him. Daveed Diggs (Lafayette/Jefferson) chatted with the ladies at New York Live, talking about being part of the juggernaut and performing on the Grammys. And the great Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler) stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers (fast-forward to the 22-minute mark). She spoke about auditioning for Hamilton, performing on the Grammys, and being recognized as a rapper.

Dig This
  • The New Yorker offers insight into NYCB soloist and resident choreographer Justin Peck's appeal. Peck's latest work, The Most Incredible Thing, debuted earlier this month.

  • Head to Broadway.com to hear Tony nominee Leanne Cope talk about her An American in Paris character, Lise.

  • The New York Times spoke to several Hollywood movers and shakers, like Mindy Kaling, about what it's like to be an "other"—someone other than a straight, white man—in Hollywood.

  • Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years) talks to Backstage about his current show, the Fiddler on the Roof revival, and its resonance.

  • The men of She Loves Me, lyricist Sheldon Harnick and stars Zachary Levi (First Date) and Tony nominee Gavin Creel (Hair) spoke to Playbill about love and other themes of the musical. She Loves Me is now in previews.

  • Broadway Box spoke to Tracee Chimo, who can be seen in the fantastic revival of Noises Off, about the funny women who inspire her.

  • Tony nominee Arian Moayed talks to Playbill about race, and how it doesn't really play a role in The Humans, which I saw off-Broadway and recently opened on Broadway.

  • It's possible Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) will be among the cast and creative team of the fledgling Mary Poppins sequel. Variety has details.

  • Head to Vogue for a great profile on Public Theater artistic director, Oskar Eustis. 

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