What’s going on around the country? Broadway.com has got the scoop for you on the hottest theater offerings right now around the United States. From a spiritual newscaster in Boston to a legendary baseball player in Kansas City, this week’s Countrywide Guide is not to be missed. Check out the highlights for the coming week below!
BOSTON, MA
FEEL THE POWER IN BOSTON
There’s a reason the Huntington Theatre Company won the 2013 Regional Theater Tony Award! Film and stage star Jennifer Westfeldt and off-Broadway favorite David Wilson Barnes lead the cast of Stephen Belber’s The Power of Duff, directed by Peter DuBois at the Boston Center for the Arts. The world premiere drama about a burned-out newscaster who begins offering prayers at the end of his broadcasts will run from October 11 through November 9. Make sure to tune in!
BALTIMORE, MD
GOOD ROCKING, BALTIMORE
Bow down to the Queen! After a smash hit run on London’s West End, the blockbuster musical We Will Rock You is launching its first U.S. national tour (starring Brian Justin Crum and Ruby Lewis) at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre on October 15. Act quickly, though—the show moves on to its next stop (Pittsburgh) on October 20! Step one: find “Somebody To Love”…then make them buy you tickets.
WASHINGTON, DC
LOVE BLOOMS IN AFGHANISTAN
Motown The Musical director Charles Randolph-Wright returns to his playwriting roots with the daring new drama Love in Afghanistan, premiering at Arena Stage, where Randolph-Wright is resident playwright. Directed by Lucie Tiberghien, the play follows the romance of a hip-hop artist and an Afghan interpreter in war-torn Afghanistan. Catch this explosive drama from October 11 through November 17.
LA JOLLA, CA
THE TALLEST TREE GROWS IN SAN DIEGO
Daniel Beaty takes on the towering figure of Paul Robeson in the world premiere of his solo show The Tallest Tree in the Forest at La Jolla Playhouse. Directed by two-time Tony nominee Moises Kaufman, Beaty's play with music examines Robeson's career and activism, which made him a victim of the McCarthy-era blacklist. This co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre will run from October 10 through November 3.
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
JACKIE ROBINSON GETS INTO THE SWING
The Tony-winning Crossroads Theatre Company plays host to Kansas City Swing, a gripping new drama about baseball and jazz in 1947. Spotlighting African-American baseball legends like Buck O’Neil and Satchel Paige, the play takes a historical look at the Negro Leagues and the shattering of baseball's color line. The play—penned by Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan—runs from October 10 through October 27, and isn’t just for sports fans!