TDF Stages

With in-person theatre out of commission for the foreseeable future, many performers are sharing their talents online. Below are performances you can watch today, Friday, April 3, from the comfort of your couch for free (or at very low cost).

At 2 p.m. EST, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber shares recordings of his biggest blockbusters as part of his brand-new online series The Shows Must Go On!, with new musicals available every Friday. It kicks off with the 1999 film version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond, with cameos by Richard Attenborough and Joan Collins (and you thought Cats was kitschy!). Watch it for free anytime for 48 hours on YouTube.

At 2 p.m. EST, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley welcome one of Broadway's most adorable and talented couples, Tony nominees Andy Karl and Orfeh, on Stars in the House. Adding to the cuteness, animal wrangler Bill Berloni will also drop by with some of his pals. This twice daily series supports The Actors Fund, and you can watch for free on the organization's YouTube channel.

At 3:30 p.m. EST, This Is Not a Theatre Company presents Play In Your Bathtub: An Immersive Audio Spa for Physical Distancing, a site-specific interactive audio play meant to be experienced from your bathtub. These immersive masters have previously set shows on the Staten Island Ferry and in a swimming pool, but your bathroom is virgin territory! Tickets are free, but donations are appreciated.

At 6:30 p.m. EST, cabaret haven Feinstein's/54 Below continues its #54BelowatHome series with a recording of last year's Bright Lights, Big City 20th anniversary concert. Paul Scott Goodman's musicalization of Jay McInerney's novel about young writer losing himself in a drug-fueled haze in '80s New York was a cult hit, and this performance features Broadway favorites such as Christy Altomare (Anastasia), Matt Doyle (Company), Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Julia Murney (Wicked) and Margo Seibert (Rocky). Watch for free on Feinstein's/54 Below's YouTube channel.

At 7 p.m. EST, Tony winner Lillias White and other Broadway singers star in Kings and Queens of Soul, a tribute to the likes of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Patti LaBelle. The hour-long concert can be viewed for free on the producer's Facebook page.

At 7:30 p.m. EST, the Metropolitan Opera shares its 2016 mounting of Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles, starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien, and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. The production was filmed for the company's Live in HD series, and is available to watch for free for 23 hours after the start time at metopera.org. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Don Carlo, until 6:30 p.m. today.

At 7:30 p.m. EST, toy theatre artists from around the globe share shorts in Great Small Works' Toy Theater Festival. Given how detailed this intimate genre is—often shows are presented on tabletops and feature tiny puppets—watching these pieces online let's you appreciate just how breathtaking they are. Watch for free on the company's Facebook page.

At 8 p.m. EST, premier parodist and YouTube star Randy Rainbow joins Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley on Stars in the House. This twice daily series supports The Actors Fund, and you can watch for free on the organization's YouTube channel.

At 8 p.m. EST, This Is Not a Theatre Company presents Life on Earth, an interactive, multimedia adaptation of Charles Mee’s play Heaven on Earth. Watch the show unfold via video, audio clips, dialogue and songs, and join in by texting the characters. The performance takes place on the free app Discord, which you'll need to download in advance. Tickets are free, but donations are appreciated.

At 8 p.m. EST, the new live-streamed theatre series Play-PerView presents performances by and interviews with Tony winner Celia Keenan-Bolger and her husband John Ellison Conlee, Aladdin Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart and Derrick Baskin from Ain't Too Proud. The event takes place on the free app Zoom, which you'll need to download in advance. Tickets for the event start at $5, and proceeds benefit nonprofit theatre company Colt Coeur and the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL) COVID Childcare Relief Fund.

At 8 p.m. EST, experimental theatre mecca La MaMa presents the third installment of its online Downtown Variety show, featuring brief acts of dance, music, theatre, new media and comedy. Participants include Bad Buka, Kendall Cornell, John Gutierrez and Justin Sayre. Watch for free on the theatre's website.

At 8:30 p.m. EST, David Carl performs his comedic solo show Trump Lear live online. In this politically charged romp, Carl has been imprisoned for his Trumpian take on Shakespeare's tragedy, and the only way he'll avoid execution is by doing the show for the POTUS himself. The performance takes place on the free app Zoom, which you'll need to download in advance. Tickets are available online though TDF members get a discount.

And if you missed it yesterday, you can still watch James Corden in London's National Theatre's production of One Man, Two Guvnors, which was recorded for its NT Live series. It's available for free on the theatre's YouTube page through Wednesday, April 8.

Remember to check out our roundup of performances you can watch online anytime.

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Raven Snook is the Editor of TDF Stages. Follow her at @RavenSnook. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

Top image: Randy Rainbow.