Odds & Ends: Billy Crudup on the 'Phenomenal Experience' of Starring in Harry Clarke & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today and this weekend.

Billy Crudup on Why Starring in Harry Clarke Has Been a 'Phenomenal Experience'
Tony winner Billy Crudup has been stretching the limits of his abilities as an actor since late last year when he first started embodying 19 characters in David Cale's acclaimed solo play Harry Clarke. Now in its second off-Broadway engagement, the play has yet again proven veteran actor Crudup as one of the most multifaceted stage performers. Crudup paid a visit to Live with Kelly & Ryan on April 23 to talk about appearing in the new play and why he says it has been a "phenomenal experience." Watch the interview with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos below, and don't miss the chance to experience Crudup's tour-de-force performance at the Minetta Lane Theatre.



Mean Girls Stars Among Special Guests Set for 2018 Easter Bonnet Competition
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has announced a talent-filled docket of stage stars set to take part in the 32nd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition. The yearly compilation of songs, skits and dances featuring handcrafted bonnets takes place at the conclusion of six weeks of post-performance fundraising. This year's competition will be held at the Minskoff Theatre over two performances on April 23 at 4:30 pm and April 24 at 2:00pm. The first round of performers announced to participate include Mean Girls stars Erika Henningsen and Taylor Louderman; The Band’s Visit standouts John Cariani and Ari’el Stachel; SpongeBob SquarePants leads Ethan Slater, Lilli Cooper and Gavin Lee; The Lion King stars Bongi Duma and Tshidi Manye; Frozen leading lady Patti Murin; Once On This Island star Lea Salonga; Dear Evan Hansen lead Taylor Trensch; and A Letter to Harvey Milk cast members Adam Heller, Evan Pappas and Cheryl Stern. Easter Bonnet Competition winners will be announced at the conclusion of the April 24 performance by Hello, Dolly! stars Bernadette Peters and Victor Garber and Angels in America stars Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane.

Tiffany Villarin Completes Cast of Mike Lew's World Premiere Play Teenage Dick
Casting has been finalized for the world premiere production of Teenage Dick, Mike Lew's new play slated to appear at off-Broadway's Public Theater in a co-production with Ma-Yi Theater Company. Directed by Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God), the play will begin previews on June 12 with an opening scheduled for June 20. Teenage Dick is a comedic take on Shakespeare's Richard III, reimagining the most famous disabled character of all time as a 16-year-old outsider in the deepest winter of his discontent. New to the cast is Tiffany Villarin (Figaro); she joins previously announced stars Gregg Mozgala (Cost of Living), Shannon DeVido (The Healing), Nick Dillenburg (Orange Is the New Black), Sasha Diamond (Significant Other) and Marinda Anderson (Bella: An American Tall Tale).

Casting Announced for The Scottsboro Boys at D.C.'s Signature
Full casting is set for the new production of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s Tony-nominated musical The Scottsboro Boys, slated to play Arlington, Virginia's Signature Theatre this spring. The previously announced staging will play a limited engagement from May 22 through July 1. The Scottsboro Boys tells the true story of nine young African-American teenagers who were ripped off a train, falsely accused of a crime, hastily tried and sentenced to death in an outrageous disregard of due process. The company will be led by Lamont Walker II in the central role of Haywood Paterson, with Jonathan Adriel as Andy Wright, Malik Akil as Charles Weems/Victoria Price, Christopher Bloch as The Interlocutor, Chaz Alexander Coffin as Mr. Tambo, Felicia Curry as The Lady, C.K. Edwards as Roy Wright, DeWitt Fleming, Jr. as Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates, Andre Hinds as Willie Roberson, Darrell Wayne Purcell as Clarence Norris, Aramie Payton as Eugene Williams, Joseph Monroe Webb as Olen Montgomery and Stephen Scott Wormley as Mr. Bones. The Scottsboro Boys will be directed by Signature Theatre’s Director of New Works Joe Calarco and choreographed by Broadway alum Jared Grimes (After Midnight).