Hercules heads to Germany, Cheyenne Jackson’s knightly return, Audra McDonald steps into an iconic role
So much theater tea to spill! Is it Audra's turn for "Rose's Turn," why is Jesse Tyler Ferguson being honored & who's that hunky Hercules?
Welcome to The Callboard, Queerty’s curtain-raising theater news, where we share the latest news from Broadway and beyond. From casting announcements and openings to viral moments with our favorite stars, here’s a front-row seat to all the drama happening onstage and off!
Everything’s coming up roses for Audra McDonald
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The new year started with a spotlight on Audra McDonald, with rumors swirling that the six-time Tony winner will take on the iconic role of Mama Rose in yet another Broadway production of Gypsy. That would make revival number SIX, with McDonald following in the footsteps of Ethel Merman (1954), Angela Landsbury (1974), Tyne Daley (1989) — headed back to Broadway this season in a revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Doubt) — Bernadette Peters (2003), and Patti LuPone (2008). And we can’t forget Betty Buckley’s tour de force at Papermill Playhouse (1998).
McDonald, often categorized as a mezzo-soprano, might not be the first name that comes to mind for the role of Rose, known for its big belty numbers like “Some People, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” and “Rose’s Turn.”
But the powerhouse performer, who slayed last season on Broadway in Ohio State Murders and can be seen in Max’s star-studded The Gilded Age, doesn’t buy into type.
‘I have a chest voice and I can sing very low, but my tone, my timbre is more that of a lyric soprano,” McDonald told the New York Times. “I can’t stand categories. I’m like always hopping around, I mean not for the sake of hopping around. I just don’t want to be boxed in.”
An audio recording of a recent concert performance offers a hint of what McDonald’s Rose might sound like:
@sweatyoracle Replying to @sweaty oracle a sneak peak at Broadway’s next Mama Rose?? #broadway #audramcdonald #rosesturn #gypsymusical #gypsybroadway #mamarose #sondheim #stephensondheim #broadway #theatrekid #fyp ♬ original sound – sweaty oracle
Sarah Paulson serves sisterly sarcasm in ‘Appropriate’
What happens when your father dies, leaving an old plantation house filled with memories and macabre memorabilia? Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins pits siblings against one another in Appropriate, a bristling new play starring Emmy and Golden Globe winner Sarah Paulson.
With more shade than a Bianca Del Rio special, Paulson rules the roost in this contemporary dramedy, co-starring Corey Stoll and Michael Esper as brothers Bo and Franz, and a hilarious turn by Elle Fanning as the latter’s spiritually minded girlfriend, River.
But it’s Paulson’s recently divorced, wickedly sharp Toni that kicks the play into high gear as she navigates past family traumas, the pressure of settling her father’s estate, and the sinking discovery that the man she admired as a child kept more than skeletons in his closet.
Of Toni’s tirades, her confrontation with River cuts deepest, saying to the Gen Z optimist, “You know what happens to Sweet Girls? Life gobbles you up – faster than the others because we run around making ourselves so tasty, sprinkling our sugar all over everyone else’s sh*t. But let me tell you now what no one ever told me: you don’t get an unlimited supply. That sugar is gonna run out and that’s when they’ll start calling you bitter.” Queerty prediction: a Tony nomination for Paulson for excavating the pain that festers beneath rage.
Hayes Theater, New York City. Through March 3
Off-Broadway casting coups
They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but they’re rainbow-hued this season Off-Broadway, with queer talent and shows bursting at the seams. Two to watch out for:
Oh, Mary — Leave it to comedian Cole Escola to take on Mary Todd Lincoln in a hilarious historical romp. Better yet, MTL’s husband is played by Fire Island’s Conrad Ricamora.
Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City. January 26-March 24
Make Me Gorgeous! — LGBTQ+ trailblazer Kenneth Marlowe comes to life in this one-person Off-Broadway hit. From call boy to missionary to private hairdresser to the stars, “Mr. Madam” Marlowe did it all … and then some. Wade McCollum has received raves for his performance, but Broadway beckons and he’ll be leaving the production to appear in the premiere of Water for Elephants. Lucky for us, Darius Rose (aka Jackie Cox, season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race) takes over the role beginning February 1.
Playhouse 46, New York City. Through February 25
Must-see spotlight
Our favorite LGBTQ+ stars head to the stage in revivals and regional premieres.
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive — The name speaks for itself in this hilarious political romp, which makes its Los Angeles premiere at Geffen Playhouse. A presidential PR nightmare kicks in motion a series of farcical events that pokes at both major political parties. A bit of laughter to balance the levity of primaries this winter is just what we need, especially with fan favorite Alexandra Billings co-starring alongside some of LA’s best film, TV, and stage actresses.
Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles. January 17-February 18
tick, tick… BOOM! — Long before Rent became the biggest pop musical hit of the 20th century, composer Jonathan Larson penned this semi-autobiographic musical about his life as a struggling artist in New York City. Posthumously, the work has been heavily produced, including a big-screen adaptation directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield. Neil Patrick Harris directs a revival as part of The Kennedy Center’s Broadway Center Stage series, starring Tony winner Brandon Uranowitz (Leopoldstadt), Grey Henson (the original Damian Hubbard in Broadway’s Mean Girls), and Denée Benton (The Gilded Age).
Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, Washington, D.C. January 6-February 4
Once Upon a Mattress — Carol Burnett’s breakout role as Princess Winnifred earned her a Tony nomination when the show opened in 1959. Sarah Jessica Parker later portrayed the unusually “shy” ingenue with modern sensibilities for a 1996 revival. Two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster steps into the role, accompanied by a cavalcade of queer talent, including Queerties Catalyst Award honoree Michael Urie as Prince Dauntless, Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee as Jester, and the always adorable Cheyenne Jackson as Sir Harry.
New York City Center, New York City. January 24-February 4
Musical muscle & more…
Hercules —The annual charitable Royal Variety Performance gathers some of the UK’s most celebrated stage performers. This year’s participants included Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) and a Disney tribute celebrating 100 years of Mickey and friends. But the real eye-catcher was Bradley Gibson in the title role of Hercules singing a soaring rendition of “Go the Distance.” If you, too, want to go the distance, head to Hamburg, Germany, this spring to see the musical.
Stage Theater Neue Flora, Hamburg, Germany. Performances begin March 24
Jesse Tyler Ferguson honored Off-Broadway — Jesse Tyler Ferguson pivots between stage and screen, recently winning a Tony Award for his performance in Take Me Out. Vineyard Theatre celebrates Ferguson at this year’s gala, with artistic director Sarah Stern praising his longstanding association with the theater. “Jesse is an incredible and beloved artist and colleague, who we first had the joy of working with at the Vineyard nearly 20 years ago,” Stern said in a statement. “His tremendous talent, creativity and dedication to his craft are matched by his kindness, humor and support for his fellow collaborators. Jesse is an inspiring advocate for our theatre community and for social justice and LGBTQIA+ rights, and has been a champion for the Vineyard’s work and artists over two decades.”
Edison Ballroom, New York City, February 26
Show-stopping slumber party — There’s no better time to head to New York City than the heart of winter, when hotel rates (and temperatures) drop, and you can snag affordable tickets to new shows while they’re still in previews. Our friends at GayCities discovered Civilian Hotel, a boutique theater-themed property designed by legendary theater designer David Rockwell and featuring an extensive collection of memorabilia from our favorite shows. Head to the Blue Room for pre-show cocktails or up to Starchild, the swanky rooftop bar, for soaring views of the City That Never Sleeps.
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