Week in Review 6.3.16

Coming to the Boards

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• Dates and a theatre are set for the Broadway bow of The Present, Andrew Upton's adaptation of Chekhov's Platonov. Starring Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) in her Broadway (but not NY stage) debut, The Present will take up residency at the Barrymore Theatre. Previews begin December 17, with opening night set for January 8, 2017. The limited engagement is scheduled to conclude on March 19. Visit Playbill for more, including ticket on-sale dates.


• We'll have to wait a little while, but Angela Lansbury is confirmed for her Broadway return. (She was last seen on Broadway in The Best Man.) The nonagenarian will tread the boards in a revival of The Chalk Garden, written by Enid Bagnold, as part of the 2017-2018 season. Playbill has details.

Movie Musicals Moving Ahead

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• It's confirmed: Emily Blunt (Into the Woods) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) will star in the new Mary Poppins movie. As previously reported, this is not a remake of the Julie Andrews–Dick Van Dyke film; rather, it takes its inspiration from other Poppins tales in P.L. Travers's canon. Songwriting duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Catch Me If You Can) are writing the original score. Playbill has more.


• I have mixed feelings about movie remakes, but figure it's worth reporting: the Guys and Dolls film remake is moving forward. Michael Grandage (Red, The Cripple of Inishmaan) is now on board to direct. Deadline has more.


• Pitch Perfect 3 has a new release date. The flick about a cappella competition, starring Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson, is now slated for release on December 22, 2017. Playbill has more.


• The movie adaptation of In the Heights, written, of course, by Hamilton visionary Lin-Manuel Miranda, is moving forward. After Universal dropped the option (in 2011), the Weinstein Company has scooped up the property. No production dates or casting have been announced, but Miranda tweeted that Heights book writer Quiara Alegria Hudes has written a new screenplay.

Dig This

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• Barbra Streisand has joined the list of Tony Awards presenters. Streisand has a new album of Broadway covers coming out later this year. Tune into the Tonys on CBS on June 12. Broadway.com has more.


• A new block of tickets for On Your Feet is now on sale. You can conga over to the Marquis box office, and purchase tickets for performances through April 2, 2017. Playbill has more.


• Tony nominee and NYCB principal dancer Robert Fairchild (An American in Paris), as well as Jason Tam (If/Then), Spencer Liff (Hedwig) and Mara Davi, will be part of the company of this summer's Hollywood Bowl production of A Chorus Line. The musical will be presented at the LA open-air venue July 29-31. Playbill has more.


• Something Rotten will embark on a national tour, launching in Boston on January 17, 2017. Playbill has details.