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With in-person theatre still a rarity, many companies and performers from Broadway and beyond are showcasing their work online. Below are performances you can watch Monday, August 9 and Tuesday, August 10, for free or at low cost.
Monday, August 9
Chichester Festival Theatre: South Pacific
On Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET, the UK's Chichester Festival Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved musical South Pacific. Filmed live on stage last month, this new production of the Tony-winning classic about romance and racism during World War II features British stage stars Gina Beck and Julian Ovenden as Navy nurse Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque, the dashing Frenchman with a secret; Joanna Ampil as Bloody Mary; Keir Charles as Luther Billis and Rob Houchen as Lt. Joseph Cable. Tickets start at £20, approximately $28 and the recording is viewable for 24 hours from the start time. Closed captions are available.
The Show Must Go On
On Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET, the new documentary The Show Must Go On, chronicling the herculean efforts to save theatre during the pandemic, will premiere at Broadway's Majestic Theatre in a special screening benefiting The Actors Fund. But you can also stream the movie at home courtesy of Broadway on Demand. The brainchild of celebrated theatre director Sammi Cannold and Emmy and Tony-winning filmmaker and producer Dori Berinstein, the film focuses on artists involved in two stage productions, the international tour of The Phantom of The Opera and the South Korean tour of Cats, which went on in 2020 and inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber's COVID-19 safety protocols for UK theatre. Tickets are $20 and the recording is viewable until Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Live from Feinstein's/54 Below: Liz Callaway: Comin' Around Again
On Monday at 7 p.m. ET, even though Feinstein's/54 Below has reopened for in-person performances, the swanky cabaret club is continuing to stream select shows live from its stage. Tonight, catch a rousing concert by Tony nominee Liz Callaway, who made her Broadway debut in Merrily We Roll Along when she was just 20! In addition to starring in Baby, Miss Saigon and five years as Grizabella in the original production of Cats, she's also provided the singing voice of many an animated heroine, including Princess Odette in The Swan Princess and the title character in Anastasia. In this intimate set, she'll celebrate the return of in-person performances with songs by Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz and Carly Simon, and a special duet with Broadway's Anastasia star Christy Altomare. Tickets are $25. If you prefer to attend in person, click here for info.
The Tank: The Lesbian Play
On Monday at 7 p.m. ET, indie theatre incubator The Tank presents The Lesbian Play, Riley Elton McCarthy's exploration of 21st century queer identity as the members of Boston University's Women Loving Women Club come together on the night of the 2016 Presidential election to celebrate the birthday of one of their own. Will they end the evening torn apart? Tickets start at $15.
Tuesday, August 10
Christopher Lloyd in King Lear
On Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET, Obie and Emmy Award-winning actor Christopher Lloyd (Taxi, Back to the Future) is currently headlining King Lear at Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshires, but you can also stream the show at home. Directed by Nicole Ricciardi, the production was filmed live on stage earlier in the run. Tickets are $25 and the recording is viewable for 72 hours from the start time.
Available to Watch Both Days
Putting It Together: An Evening with James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim
Last week, in honor of the release of James Lapine's book Putting It Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created 'Sunday in the Park with George', the creators of that Pulitzer Prize-winning musical came together on Zoom to talk about their brilliant collaboration. Now you can watch a recording of that fabulous event. Christine Baranski, who appeared in the original Off-Broadway production of Sunday in the Park with George, moderates the discussion between Lapine and Stephen Sondheim as they share behind-the-scenes stories about the making of their masterpiece and their fruitful friendship. Original Sunday stars Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters also appear. Tickets start at $25 and the recording is viewable until Thursday.
Together Apart
It's a collaboration that could only come out of the pandemic. After attending a Brown University musical theatre department reunion on Zoom, Grammy-winning songwriter Lisa Loeb decided to write a mini-musical about the experience. She then invited other talented alumni to pen their own short tuners. The result is an evening of 10 pieces written, composed, produced, directed and performed by Brown grads, including Broadway vets Josh Hamilton, Ann Harada and JoBeth Williams, and Julie Bowen from Modern Family. Watch for free online though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged. The recording is viewable until Friday, August 20.
Signature Theatre: Detroit '67
Virginia's lauded Signature Theatre presents Detroit '67, the first installment in Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau's Detroit Project exploring different periods in her beloved hometown's history. This powerful family drama about two Black siblings squabbling over how to move forward takes place against the backdrop of the Detroit Rebellion, as tensions rise indoors and outside. Directed by Candis C. Jones, this production was filmed live on stage. Tickets are $35 and the recording is viewable until Thursday, September 16.
Jacob's Pillow: Ballet Hispánico
The Berkshires' lauded Jacob's Pillow dance festival resumed in-person performances this summer, but some are also being streamed to at-home audiences. Catch a 50th anniversary program by Ballet Hispánico, featuring highlights from its rich repertoire, including Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Tiburones; Batucada Fantástica, composed of three solos by Vicente Nebrada; and Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's 18+1. RSVP to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged. The recording is viewable until Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The world's largest arts festival, Scotland's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is back in person this year, but many offerings are also being streamed to adventurous at-home audiences. Check out performances from artists around the world, including cutting-edge comedy, experimental theatre, wacky musicals and the indefinable. Some shows cost money, others are free; some are available on demand, others have specific start times. Browse the options to see what piques your interest. The fest ends on Monday, August 30.
ZooTV
Enjoy Fringe-y performances courtesy of ZooTV, a platform showcasing cutting-edge dance and theatre artists. During its three weeks of streaming, you can catch performances by established artists such as British experimental theatre-maker Tim Crouch and NYC solo artist Peter Michael Marino or discover exciting emerging talents. Browse the options to see what piques your interest.
Jacob's Pillow: Brian Brooks / Moving Company
The Berkshires' lauded Jacob's Pillow dance festival resumed in-person performances this summer, but some are also being streamed to at-home audiences. Catch a program by Brian Brooks' troupe The Moving Company, which was filmed live on stage last month. The lineup features Flight Study, a new work set to a string quartet by Bryce Dessner; an untitled solo piece performed by Brooks himself; and Closing Distance set to music by Caroline Shaw. RSVP to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged. The recording is viewable until Thursday, August 19 at 6 p.m. ET..
Lincoln Center Theater: The Wolves
Lincoln Center Theater presents The Wolves, Sarah DeLappe's Pulitzer finalist play about nine high school juniors on a soccer field exchanging ideas, thoughts and confidences as they pass the ball back and forth. The chatter is incessant but insightful, offering a glimpse into the insular and messy world of American teenage girls as they candidly discuss everything from periods to politics. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, this Obie-winning production stars Lauren Patten, Sarah Mezzanotte, Susannah Perkins, Tedra Millan and other up-and-comers, and was filmed live on stage at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in 2017. Register on Broadway on Demand to receive the free viewing link; the recording is viewable until Sunday.
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Raven Snook is the Editor of TDF Stages. Follow her at @RavenSnook. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.
Top image: Tony nominee Liz Callaway, who is performing an in-person concert at Feinstein's/54 Below on Monday that will also be streamed to at-home audiences.