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

Lazarus in London A London production of Lazarus will be mounted this fall. Featuring music from the late, great David Bowie 's catalog (and a few new tunes) and a book by Enda Walsh , Lazarus is inspired by and is a continuation of The Man Who Fell to Earth . Michael C. Hall , Michael Esper , and Sophia Anne Caruso , who starred in the off-Broadway run last year, will reprise their roles across the pond. Lazarus will begin previews at the Kings Cross Theatre on October 25. Opening night is set for November 8, and the limited engagement is scheduled to conclude January 22, 2017. Broadway.com has more. Casting News Oscar winner and Tony nominee Lupita Nyong'o ( 12 Years a Slave , Eclipsed ), Tony nominee Danai Gurira ( Eclipsed ), and the great Michael B. Jordan ( Fruitvale Station ) have joined the previously announced Chadwick Boseman in Ryan Coogler's Marvel flick, Black Panther . Deadline has details. Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth ( On the Twentieth...

Taking This Horse by the Reins: What's Next for Daveed Digss Tony winner Daveed Diggs , who recently departed the Broadway company of Hamilton , has (at least) three screen projects lined up. Vulture reports he'll appear in the film adaptation of the children's novel, Wonder , alongside Julia Roberts , Owen Wilson , and Room 's Jacob Tremblay . (Up-and-comer Mandy Patinkin will also appear in the flick.) In addition, Diggs will be part of the HBO mockumentary (from Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island crew), Tour de Pharmacy , and will have a multi-episode arc on the next season of Black-ish . On the Emmy-nominated comedy series, Diggs will play Rainbow's brother. Tracee Ellis Ross , who plays Rainbow, sent this tweet to celebrate the news. Jake Gyllenhaal Sets Broadway Return The rumors that were reignited last week were confirmed this week: Jake Gyllenhaal ( Nightcrawler , Constellations ) will return to Broadway in a revival of Lanford Wilson '...

There's a lot of publicity surrounding the Public's production of Privacy , a modern morality tale created by James Graham and Josie Rourke . (This is a co-production with London's Donmar Warehouse.) Much attention has been paid to Privacy 's leading man, Daniel Radcliffe , someone who's grown up in the public eye; to the fact that audience members will be encouraged to use their phones during the performance; and to the taped appearance by Edward Snowden . Publicity is great, but the play's the thing, and this play, written by Graham and directed by Rourke, is more like a theatricalized TED talk than a play. Plot or character motivation is used as a device to explore and demonstrate how little privacy we have. (One thing that connects this to theatre history is social media being a stand in, of sorts, for the Greek chorus, or the townspeople who are constantly on stage in Our Town —someone is always watching and commenting.) Radcliffe ( The Cripple of I...

Tuesday and Wednesday in the Park with Jake and Annaleigh When (affordable, performance-only) tickets went on sale for City Center's one-night-only gala performance of Stephen Sondheim 's Sunday in the Park with George , starring Jake Gyllenhaal ( Nightcrawler , Little Shop of Horrors ), they sold out in minutes. Due to ticket demand, two additional benefit performances have been added, Tuesday, October 25, and Wednesday, October 26. Tickets to these performances go on sale to the general public at noon on Wednesday, July 20, but City Center members will have pre-sale access beginning at noon on Monday, July 18. (Gala tickets for the original Monday, October 24, performance are still available, and are on sale now.) In addition, it was announced that Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford ( You Can't Take It With You , Masters of Sex ) will join Gyllenhaal as George's muse, Dot. This will mark Ashford's Sondheim debut. Visit the City Center website to learn more and ...

The Emmys will be handed out on Sunday, September 18, in a ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Herein, nominees in select categories. Visit emmys.org for the full list of nominees. Comedy Series Outstanding Comedy Series Black-ish Master of None Modern Family Silicon Valley Transparent Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Veep Outstanding Lead Actor Anthony Anderson , Black-ish Aziz Ansari , Master of None Will Forte , The Last Man on Earth William H. Macy , Shameless Thomas Middleditch , Silicon Valley Jeffrey Tambor , Transparent  Outstanding Lead Actress Ellie Kemper , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Veep Laurie Metcalf , Getting On Tracee Ellis Ross , Black-ish Amy Schumer , Inside Amy Schumer Lily Tomlin , Grace and Frankie   Outstanding Supporting Actor Louie Anderson , Baskets Andre Braugher , Brooklyn Nine-Nine Tituss Burgess , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Ty Burrell , Modern Family Tony Hale , Veep  Keegan-Michael Key ...

Some things were revolutionary when they were created, and, because of that, there's a special place in the pantheon for them. That doesn't necessarily mean they're great things, that they hold up. Consider Citizen Kane . It was a declared a marvel in its time, pioneering in its cinematography, the storytelling, the material... But have you watched it recently? It doesn't hold up. Outside of appreciating its place in film history, there's not much to enjoy about it now. (A widely-revered classic that does  hold up? Casablanca .) This was the feeling I had walking out of the Encores! Off-Center production of Runaways , the Elizabeth Swados musical that tells runaway children's stories. When the piece was created and mounted in the late 70s (first at the Public, then on Broadway), it was considered daring and dangerous, punk and important, urgent and vital. Not exactly a musical (there's no plot, linear or otherwise), Runaways  is more a themed revue, mix...

Are You Aaron Burr, Sir? Pretty soon, Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon ( Shuffle Along or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed ) will be able to say yes. The actor is set to take on the role beginning in mid-August. Leslie Odom, Jr., who won a Tony last month for originating the role of Burr, plays his final performance on July 9. In the absence of an announcement otherwise, expect an understudy from Hamilton 's bench to fill in as Burr between Odom's departure and Dixon's arrival. Beginning July 11, Lexi Lawson will assume the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, taking over for Phillipa Soo, who also plays her final performance on July 9. And Michael Luwoye ( Invisible Thread ) will become the new Hamilton alternate. Javier Munoz will play Hamilton at seven performances each week, and Luwoye will play one. Broadway.com has more. Casting News Utkarsh Ambudkar ( Modern Terrorism , Freestyle Love Supreme), as well as Matt Lauria an...

Coming to the Boards Broadway Transfer —The fantastic Joshua Harmon play, Significant Other , will transfer to Broadway next year. Significant Other played at Roundabout Theatre's off-Broadway venue last summer, and was fantastic. ( It was one of my favorite things of the year .) Much like Harmon's Bad Jews , Significant Other is unflinchingly honest, and full of both comedy and pathos. Previews will begin in February 2017, and an opening night will be scheduled for March. Exact dates, a theatre, and casting have yet to be announced. The off-Broadway iteration featured Gideon Glick and Lindsay Mendez, giving knock out performances, and was directed by Trip Cullman. Broadway.com has more. Broadway —Comedians Nick Kroll and John Mulaney are bringing their hit show, Oh, Hello , to Broadway this fall. The limited engagement will take up residency at the Lyceum Theatre, where previews will begin on September 23. Opening night is scheduled for October 10, and the run w...