Curtain Call: David Harewood To Play Othello, Cecilia Violetta López General Director Opera Las Vegas

Taye Diggs - Jamie McCarthy

Broadway: Bryson Battle, J. Harrison Ghee, Joaquina Kalukango, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez are to star in the upcoming musical Saturday Church, with music and lyrics by Grammy nominee Sia. Based on the 2017 film written and directed by Damon Cardasis, the play has been described as a queer coming-of-age story set in New York City and has been co-written for Broadway by Cardasis, alongside Pulitzer Prize winning playwright James Ijames. It will be playing at New York Theatre Workshop, with dates and further casting still to be announced.

Wayne Brady and Taye Diggs have joined the cast for the upcoming Broadway production of the iconic Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with Brady appearing as Harold Zidler and Diggs in the role of the Duke of Monroth. Brady will be taking over the role from Boy George and Austin Durant, while Diggs will be taking over from Andy Karl. Both will be making their debuts on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, with Diggs committed until Sunday, September 28, 2025, and Brady remaining until Sunday, November 9, 2025. The musical, based on the film by Baz Luhrmann, is directed by Alex Timbers and is playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in Midtown Manhattan.

Tony-award winning actress and singer Ruthie Ann Miles is to star in the upcoming production of The Seat of Our Pants, a musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s 1942 absurdist satire, The Skin of Our Teeth. The musical will be part of the 2025-26 lineup for The Public Theater in New York, running from Thursday, October 23, 2025, until Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Aisha Jackson, who previously became the first Black woman to play Anna in Broadway's Frozen, will now be taking on the role of Daisy in an upcoming musical production of the celebrated novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The musical, which has already been playing at the Broadway Theatre, will see Jackson taking over the role from Sarah Hyland, starting Sunday, June 15, 2025. The musical is directed by Marc Bruni and features music and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Jason Howland.

Actor and singer James T. Lane, previously known for his roles in Chicago, The Scottsboro Boys, and King Kong, has joined the cast for readings of the new musical Time Stops, which has music and lyrics by Brett Boles and a book by Bonnie Logan. The reading, which also stars Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Stanley, is directed by Chad Larabee and invitation only, taking place at Manhattan Theatre Club Studios on Friday, May 30, 2025. The musical has been described as “deeply personal, about grief, resilience, reinvention, and the courage it takes to start again.”

The world-leading independent theatrical music company, Concord Theatricals, has acquired Broadway Licensing Global and its imprints: Broadway Licensing Group, Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, and Stage Rights. All these imprints will now become part of Concord Theatricals; however, this does not include Stageworks or the Broadway On Demand streaming service. Concord, which was founded in 2018, supports more than 125,000 artists and songwriters globally, with a catalog that includes 1.3 million songs, compositions, sound recordings, films, plays, and musicals. “Concord’s mission is to champion authors by promoting and protecting their work and empowering theatre makers to help their shows reach audiences worldwide,” stated Sean Patrick Flahaven, Chief Theatricals Executive of Concord. “Bringing together these catalogs combines 150 titles and 400 authors that are already shared between the companies, as well as creating new relationships. I’m thrilled to put our people and resources at their service. We’re grateful to the BLG team for all the work they’ve done building their catalog and for trusting us with it.”

Olivia Hardy - Cindy Ord

Off-Broadway: Olivia Hardy has joined the cast for the upcoming revival of the iconic Heathers: The Musical, appearing in the role of Heather Duke. As one of the three titular Heathers, she will be appearing alongside Elizabeth Teeter and McKenzie Kurtz. The play, based on the 1989 film starring Winona Ryder, is to be directed by Andy Fickman and will begin previews at New World Stages, Stage I on Sunday, June 22, 2025, running until Sunday, September 28, 2025.  “I couldn’t be more thrilled about the powerhouse trio stepping into those iconic red, green, and yellow costumes,” stated Fickman. “Olivia Hardy gloriously captures Heather Duke’s volcanic anger. These Heathers are bold, brilliant, and absolutely deadly, in the best way possible.” The cast will also include & Juliet star Lorna Courtney, with additional casting to be announced.

Adrianna Hicks is to feature in the cast for a reading of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, alongside Kimberly Immanuel, Keshav Moodliar, Reynaldo Piniella, Dana Scurlock, and David Shih. The reading will act as the conclusion to the 20th season of Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw series, which has been celebrating the humanitarianism of Wilde’s contemporary, George Bernard Shaw. The reading will take place at The Players Theatre in New York on Monday, June 23, 2025, and will be followed by a discussion afterwards. “We’ve waited for our 20th anniversary to present this most famous of all Oscar Wilde plays,” stated GTG Artistic Director David Staller. “Wilde explores every aspect of the treacherous means of navigating that element of society: subterfuge, hiding, clandestine encounters, education, male/female relationships, marriage, finance, and above all, the importance of knowing oneself without illusion. We’ve scheduled this play to celebrate the first Monday of New York Pride week! Come party with us!”

Tony nominee and star of A Strange Loop, John-Andrew Morrison, is to star in the title role of Medea in an upcoming revival of Medea of the Laundromat. The play, written by H.M. Koutoukas, has been described as “an ancient Greek tragedy set in a laundromat that unfolds in a 1960s coffeehouse.” A seminal production that premiered in 1965, it helped to launch the Off-Off-Broadway theater movement and established camp as a genre, winning Koutoukas an Obie Award for “Assaulting Established Tradition.” The revival of the play is set to be directed by Arthur Adair and is scheduled from Thursday, June 12, 2025, until, Sunday, June 22, 2025, at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York.

New Yorks’ Working Theater and the Broadway Advocacy Coalition is launching the Stage Left Festival, which will feature six readings of plays inspired by frontline fights for racial and economic justice. These will include La Dureza by Ed Cardona Jr., Hit Machine by Jonathan Caren, The Garbologists by Lindsay Joelle, Foot Wears House by Laura Neill, The Hero U Took by Pedro Rosario, and Date of Release by Andrea Ambam. Each of these readings will be followed by advocacy coalitions working at the frontlines of their respective movements for meaningful action, including REI Union Soho, Los Deliveristas Unidos/Workers Justice Project, and the Releasing Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign. “Theatre is uniquely positioned to function as cultural organizing,” stated Working Theater’s artistic director Colm Summers. “Stage Left is about bringing together our city’s creative and activist communities to do just that. By putting new plays in conversation with some of the most urgent organizing work in the country, we’re creating a space where the rubber meets the road. It’s intended as a direct response to our current moment.” The festival will be held at The Judy Theater at Playwrights Horizons across two weekends: Friday, June 13, 2025, to Sunday, June 15, 2025, and Friday, June 20, 2025, to Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Cecilia Violetta López

Regional: Amber Gray and Taylor Iman Jones have been announced in the cast for the upcoming musical adaptation of the science fiction novel A Wrinkle in Time. Featuring a book by Doris Duke Artist Award recipient Lauren Yee, the play will also be starring Nicholas Barrón, Mateo Lizcano, and Stacey Sargeant. The musical will be playing from Thursday, June 12, 2025, until Sunday, July 20, 2025, at the Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater in Washington, D.C.

As part of national efforts to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Day on Monday, May 5, 2025, the Native Theater Project is amplifying upcoming works in theater that addresses these issues. The Project has awarded four cash prizes of $250 to Marci Rendon, Carolyn Dunn, Isabella Madrigal, and Honokee Dunn, each of whom are indigenous playwrights who have sought to raise the profile of issues facing their communities through their theater work. “One of the things I love about this group is that it’s multi-generational, celebrating longtime genius writers like Marci Rendon and Carolyn Dunn, and also reflects the promising young voices writing today,” stated Native Theater Project creative director Jeanette Harrison. “In my work with Native youth, almost two-thirds of them choose to write about MMIR. This topic is so front of mind for our youth. Our kids need us to address this issue, so that they can thrive.” Native Theater Project will also be developing the new play I is for Invisible, alongside Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE) and Bag&Baggage Productions. Written by Cherokee playwright DeLanna Studi, the play will focus specifically on the violence disproportionately faced by Indigenous women and the coming together of a family in the face of indifference from the authorities.

Zhailon Levingston is to direct a new production of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart, which will be part of the Washington, D.C. Pride Plays 2025. The festival, held at D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre, will mark the beginning of Pride Month and WorldPride, which will also be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary in Washington, D.C. The Normal Heart will be running on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, and Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Woolly Mammoth, with casting still to be announced. "Bringing The Normal Heart to the Pride Plays stage alongside a slate of bold new works is a powerful reminder of our lineage,” stated the Pride Plays’ producers and original founders. “Larry Kramer’s words ignited a movement, and at a time when queer rights are once again under attack, his work reminds us of what’s at stake.”

Andréa Burns, Trey DeLuna, Alan H. Green, Tamika Lawrence, and Jason Tam are amongst the cast announced to be playing in the summer production of Come From Away at the Muny, the Tony-award winning non-profit theater venue in Forest Park, Missouri. The musical, which had previously won seven Tony nominations at Broadway, focuses on a group of air passengers stranded in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. Directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn, the latest production will be running at the Muny from Thursday, June 26, 2025, until Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

Savy Jackson has joined the cast for the Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, which is also playing at the Muny over this summer. Directed by Rob Ruggiero, the play will be running from Monday, July 28, 2025, until Thursday, August 3, 2025.

Maurice Emmanuel Parent has been named artistic director at Front Porch Arts Collective, Boston’s premiere Black theater company committed to advancing racial equity. Having been the company’s co-founder, he will be taking up sole leadership following fellow co-founder Dawn M. Simmons’ departure to work as artistic director with SpeakEasy Stage Company. Parent will be joined by former director of education Pascale Florestal, who has been appointed to the role of associate artistic director. “It’s an incredible honor to carry the torch as the Porch enters this exciting next phase,” Parent said in a statement. “Dawn and I built this company from the ground up, and I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I’m thrilled to lead an extraordinary team – Pascale and the entire staff and board – as we deepen our commitment to telling powerful Black stories on Boston stages and beyond.”

Storm Lever, star of Broadway’s Six: The Musical, has joined the cast of Jonathan Larson’s musical Rent, alongside High School Musical star Frankie Rodriguez. The musical, which follows a group of artists in New York’s East Village during the 1990s, will also be starring Jordan Barrow, Ashley Blanchet, Tsilala Brock, Terrance L. Johnson, and Olivia London. The play is to continue the summer season at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts, and will be showing from Wednesday, June 25, 2025, till Saturday, July 12, 2025.   

Melvin Gray Jr. has joined the national tour of MJ the Musical, appearing as the titular role from Tuesday, May 20, 2025, onwards. He will be sharing the title role with current star Jodan Markus, alternating twice a week. Also joining the cast on the same date will be Bryce A. Holmes and Austin Rankin, in the roles of Little Michael and Little Marlon, respectively. The musical, which tells the story of Michael Jackson, has previously won four Tony awards since opening in 2022. Tickets and tour schedules can be found via the official website.

The cast has been announced for the premiere of the upcoming production, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, directed by Christopher Ashley. Eric William Morris, George Abud, Darlesia Cearcy, and George Salazar are to star in the play, which is about the pioneer of Gonzo journalism. Performances are to be held at the Signature Theatre in the MAX in Arlington, Virginia, from Tuesday, June 3, 2025, until Sunday, July 13, 2025.

Byron Au Yong and Aaron Jafferis’s Stuck Elevator will be holding its Michigan premiere on Friday, February 20, 2026, and Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center. The production recounts the real-life story of an undocumented Chinese immigrant who was trapped in a Bronx elevator for 81 hours. It will form part of the Opera Grand Rapids 2025-26 season, which will open with a showing of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore on Friday, October 10, 2025, and Saturday, October 11, 2025, and will conclude with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Friday, May 15, 2026, and Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Cecilia Violetta López has been appointed as the next General Director and CEO of Opera Las Vegas, starting from Tuesday, July 1, 2025. López had previously performed at many of the most important regional opera houses, including the Minnesota Opera, Opera Southwest, the Northern Lights Music Festival, Madison Opera, Pacific Symphony, and Virginia Opera. “My life is comprised of a collection of full circle moments and this new chapter of my career is another,” López stated. “I have remained active and connected with the Opera Las Vegas family. Knowing where I started, working alongside my mother in the beet fields of Southern Idaho, to my studies at UNLV, to the many stages where I’ve taken some of the most gratifying bows, it’s humbling to know I’ll be following in the founders’ footsteps. It’s a privilege to expand upon the existing Opera Las Vegas legacy.”

Amina Edris - Capucine de Chocqueuse

International: I’m Every Woman, the upcoming jukebox musical about Chaka Khan, has announced its West End premiere to be at London’s Peacock Theatre, from Thursday, March 5, 2026, until Saturday, March 28, 2026. The musical, which has been in production since 2023, is to be directed by Racky Plews and will tell the story of the life and career of Chaka Khan, featuring many of her most iconic songs. “Many of you know that my life has always influenced my music—but you may not know the full story," says Khan in a statement. "I've lived a rich, beautiful, and sometimes difficult life, and now those experiences will come alive on stage. It’s the greatest honor to have my journey and work celebrated in this way. London holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to share this moment with the fans who have sung, danced, and stood by me through it all. This is for you!” Tickets for the play are on sale starting Monday, May 19, 2025.

David Harewood is to take on the role of Othello in a new production of the William Shakespeare play, appearing alongside Toby Jones and Caitlin FitzGerald. The play, which will be directed by Tom Morris and feature music from PJ Harvey, is set to show at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket from Thursday, October 23, 2025, until Saturday, January 17, 2026, with opening night scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Harewood had previously played the role in 1997, becoming the first Black actor to play Othello at the National Theatre. "It’s very exciting to be tackling this monumental part once again,” he stated. “Last time around I was very conscious of breaking through a particular glass ceiling, and I probably felt the weight of that. No concerns this time, and I’m looking forward to starting afresh."

The cast for a new production of the hit play Hamilton has been announced, which will be coming to the West End this summer. Playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, beginning Monday, June 16, 2025, this latest production will star Bente Mulan as Eliza Hamilton, Jonathan Andrew Hume as George Washington, Yeukayi Ushe as Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, and Jasmine Jia Yung Shen as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds. The role of Alexander Hamilton will continue to be played by Alex Sawyer, with certain performances by Adam J. Bernard. As well as this London production, Hamilton will continue on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Manhattan.

Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo is reportedly in talks to make his debut at London’s National Theatre, according to the NT’s artistic director and co-chief executive Indhu Rubasingham. This comes after Rubasingham announced her inaugural season of plays and musicals, which will feature a host of high-profile stars, including the likes of Black Panther’s Letitia Wright. Domingo, who had worked with Rubasingham on the London production of his 2013 one-man show, A Boy and His Soul, previously appeared on the West End in plays including The Scottsboro Boys and Retrograde, and recently, in Rustin, Sing Sing, and The Four Seasons. However, it is likely that Domingo will not be appearing at the NT prior to its 2026-27 season, or possibly as late as 2028, due to his prior commitments on Steven Spielberg’s upcoming UFO movie and the third season of HBO’s Euphoria.

Egyptian actress Amina Edris will be joining the cast of Massenet’s Manon, with the Opéra de Paris. She will be taking over the title role from Nadine Sierra, who has reportedly withdrawn from the production due to illness. Edris had previously played the role back in 2019 for her European debut, and again at the Paris Opera in 2020. Manon will be running from Wednesday, May 26, 2025, until Friday, June 20, 2025.

Levy Sekgapane has taken on the title role in the upcoming productions of Mitridate at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, and the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Sekgapane is best known for his work in the Bel Canto repertoire, singing works by Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, as well as performing songs by Mozart. The tenor had previously performed Mitridate with the Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier and will be performing the opera in concert at the Teatro alla Scala on Sunday, May 18, 2025, and at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées on Sunday, May 25, 2025. 

Washington National Opera has announced its class for the 2025-26 Cafritz Young Artists program, which provides intensive study, coaching, and opportunities to perform for young singers and pianists on the verge of international careers. Among its first-year artists are tenor Hakeem Henderson and baritone Thandolwethu Mamba, while its returning artists include soprano Viviana Goodwin, pianist Tongyao Li, and mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa. “We’re so pleased to welcome another distinguished class of Cafritz Young Artists, now in its 24th year,” stated WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. “These young artists represent the future of opera, not only in great vocal and dramatic talent but in terms of defining where the art form is headed.” 

Charlene Adhiambo and Amy B. Tiong

Industry: Graduate students Charlene Adhiambo and Amy B. Tiong have been announced as the 2025 recipients for the Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship, a fellowship named after playwright Lorrain Hansberry and works to ensure that the next generation of women and non-binary playwrights of color are able to follow in Hansberry's footsteps. It achieves this by giving out stipends of $25,000 to cover fees and expenses for select writing programs, thereby allowing recipients to further their careers as writers regardless of their economic situation. Adhiambo, a Kenyan-American dramatist from Atlanta, is an MFA candidate in playwriting at Columbia University. Tiong is a Chinese-American director and writer who is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage at Northwestern University.