Odds & Ends: Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka, Peppermint Set for Wigstock 2018 & More
(Photo: Kristina Bumphrey/StarPix for Netflix)
Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed today.
Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka, Peppermint Set for Wigstock 2018
Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris and his husband, Broadway vet David Burtka, will join a starry lineup of talent as part of the 2018 edition of Wigstock, the legendary annual event that dominated drag culture from 1985 until 2003. The newest edition of the festival will take place on September 1 at Pier 17 Rooftop in New York City's Seaport District from 2:00pm-10:00pm. Tony winner Michael Mayer, who directed Harris in his Tony-winning Hedwig turn, will helm the event, also slated to feature Peppermint, a star of Mayer's current Broadway tuner Head Over Heels. Gay Men's Health Crisis will serve as the event's nonprofit partner.
Immersive Oklahoma! Extends Run at St. Ann's Warehouse
Audiences now have more chances to see Daniel Fish's reimagined staging of Rodgers & Hammerstein's iconic musical Oklahoma!, appearing this fall at Brooklyn's St. Ann's Warehouse. Originally slated to run through October 28, the production will now conclude on November 11. As previously announced, the company will be led by Ali Stroker as Ado Annie, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Laurey, two-time Tony nominee Mary Testa as Aunt Eller, Damon Daunno as Curly, Patrick Vaill as Jud Fry, James Patrick Davis as Will Parker, Michael Nathanson as Ali Hakim, Mitch Tebo as Andrew Carnes, Mallory Portnoy as Gertie Cummings, Anthony Cason as Cord and Will Mann as Mike. The intimate staging features a seven-piece band and chili shared by the audience and actors at intermission. Performances will kick off on September 27.
Jonah Platt to Play Dean Dillon in Jukebox Musical Tennessee Whiskey
This has been quite the news day for Jonah Platt! The Wicked alum and former Broadway.com vlogger who will soon appear in Reprise 2.0's Grand Hotel has now been cast as Dean Dillon in Tennessee Whiskey: The Musical, a new jukebox tuner featuring the country-music legend's hit songs. The previously reported musical, written by off-Broadway playwright/director Dewey Moss, is eyeing a Broadway run. "I'm so excited with this opportunity to bring the legendary Dean Dillon's life to the stage," said Platt in a statement. "His songs (which you definitely know, even if you didn't realize he wrote them!) are so full of heart, intelligence and depth. And his story of struggle and success will definitely resonate with audiences around the world. I'm eager and honored to take on the challenge of doing justice to his story and his incredible songs." A timeline, venue and additional casting for Tennessee Whiskey: The Musical will be set at a later date.
Cast Album Release Date Set for Who's Your Baghdaddy, Starring Ethan Slater
Broadway Records has announced a September 28 release date for the cast album of Who's Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War, a musical which appeared off-Broadway in 2017. Inspired by a true story, the musical comedy follows a handful of mid-level spies in a support group for people who started the Iraq War, whose vanity and office politics contributed to the worst intelligence blunder in modern history. Featured on the cast album is the full off-Broadway cast, including SpongeBob SquarePants Tony nominee and Broadway.com Audience Choice Award winner Ethan Slater, Brennan Caldwell, Jason Collins, Brandon Espinoza, Joe Joseph, Claire Neumann and Larisa Oleynik. Who's Your Baghdaddy is written by Marshall Pailet and A.D. Penedo, with musical direction by Rona Siddiqui and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen.
Matt Cavenaugh & Jenny Powers Set for Muny Magic at the Sheldon
St. Louis outdoor theater The Muny has recruited married Broadway alums Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story) and Jenny Powers (Grease) to headline the seventh installment of the bi-annual concert series Muny Magic at The Sheldon, set for October 17 and 18 at 7:30pm at the Sheldon Concert Hall. "I was so happy when Jenny and Matt agreed to join us this fall," said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. "Jenny has been a part of our Muny family for a while, with so many wonderful and varied performances to her credit. Having worked with Matt long ago on the first national tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie, and seeing his extraordinary career since, I'm thrilled for the Muny audience to finally have a chance to experience his talent." Featuring a variety of songs from Broadway, the Great American Songbook and a few pop selections, Muny Magic at the Sheldon will be music-directed by frequent Muny artist and season music director, Michael Horsley.
P.S. Andrew Rannells' debut book Too Much Is Not Enough will be released on March 12, 2019. Check out the cover below!