Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.
Merrily We Roll Along Extends Through January 21, 2023 It's a hit—and it hasn't even begun! The previously announced production of Merrily We Roll Along at New York Theatre Workshop has extended its run by two weeks. The show will begin previews on November 21 and open on December 12. Originally set to run through January 8, 2023, the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical will now run through January 21. Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends: writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. This production will star Jonathan Groff as Franklin, Lindsay Mendez as Mary and Daniel Radcliffe as Charley. The cast of 19 additional performers will be announced at a later date.
Tony Nominee Jason Moore to Helm The Guncle Film Jason Moore, who directed Pitch Perfect as well as Broadway's The Cher Show, Shrek The Musical, Steel Magnolias, Avenue Q and more, has been tapped to develop and direct an adaptation of Steven Rowley’s bestseller The Guncle for Lionsgate, Deadline reports. The story follows a once-famous gay television star who takes his young niece and nephew into his Palm Springs home after their mother dies. Further details, including casting, will be announced later.
Suzan-Lori Parks to Take the Stage in Plays for the Plague Year In addition to. the Broadway revival of Topdog/Underdog , Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks will debut a new work off-Broadway. On March 13, 2020, as theaters shut their doors, she picked up her pen and set out to write a play every day. The end result is Plays for the Plague Year, a personal story of one family's daily lives, as well as a sweeping account of all we faced as a city, a nation and a global community. Parks will make her stage debut in the show. The cast will also include Leland Fowler, Greg Keller, Orville Mendoza, Kenita R. Miller, Lauren Molina, Martín Solá and Pearl Sun. The production, directed by Niegel Smith, will play Joe’s Pub beginning on November 4, open on November 16 and run through November 27.
Elizabeth Stanley to Play Marilyn Monroe in Reading Broadway Baby Productions will present private industry readings of Who Killed Marilyn, a new play by Sharleen Cooper Cohen about the iconic Marilyn Monroe. Directed by Dick Scanlan, the readings will be held on September 16. Leading the cast is Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley as Marilyn Monroe with Marcia DeBonis, Chris Ghaffari, Charlie Hofmeier, Edward James Hyland, Lou Rios-Gonzalez, Matthew James Thomas and John Zdrojeski.