TDF Stages

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 16 and Tuesday, August 17, for free or at low cost.

Monday, August 16

The Joyce Theater: Is Digital Dance Here to Stay?
On Monday at 6 p.m. ET, hot on the heels of TDF's hybrid theatre conversation comes the dance version of that discussion courtesy of The Joyce Theater's Dancing Dialogues series. Performer Danni Gee moderates a chat with choreographers Amy Hall Garner, Larry Keigwin and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and dancer Michael Trusnovec about whether digital dance has a future. Register for the free Zoom link.

Battery Dance Festival: Young Voices in Dance
On Monday at 7 p.m. ET, after going completely virtual last year, downtown's Battery Dance Festival returns as a hybrid event, with in-person performances also streamed to at-home audiences. Tonight, enjoy works by emerging choreographers ages 15 to 22. Attend in person at Robert F. Wagner Park or watch for free on YouTube. The recording is viewable until Thursday, August 26.

Tuesday, August 17

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.

Irish Repertory Theatre: George M. Cohan Tonight!
On Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, NYC's venerable Irish Rep presents George M. Cohan Tonight!, theatre historian Chip Deffaa's celebration of the Irish-American entertainer, songwriter and so-called "father of American musical comedy." A hit for the theatre back in 2006, this abridged version of that one-man show features Jon Peterson reprising his award-winning turn as Cohan as he croons some of the icon's most beloved tunes, including "Over There," "Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway," "You’re A Grand Old Flag" and "All Aboard for Broadway." Tickets are required to receive the free viewing link; a $25 donation is suggested.

Battery Dance Festival
On Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, after going completely virtual last year, downtown's Battery Dance Festival returns as a hybrid event, with in-person performances also streamed to at-home audiences. Tonight, enjoy an eclectic array of styles, including tap, contemporary and neoclassical ballet from Battery Dance, Company | E, Graciano Dance Projects, Jon Lehrer Dance Company, Rovaco Dance Company and others. Attend in person at Robert F. Wagner Park or watch for free on YouTube—the link will be posted on the fest's website at showtime. The recording is viewable until Friday, August 27.

Stars in the House: Broadway By the Decades - The '60s
On Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley geek out to their favorite show tunes of the 1960s. Tune in to sing along and see two-time Tony nominee Penny Fuller (Applause, The Dinner Party), Tony nominee Anita Gillette (Chapter Two) and Karen Morrow (I Had a Ball). Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

Adam Pascal: So Far...An Acoustic Retrospective
On Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, Tony nominee Adam Pascal performs So Far, a live concert career retrospective. With his shaggy sex appeal and raspy rock tenor, he rocketed to fame as Roger in the original production of Rent, and went on to star in Broadway's Aida, Cabaret and Chicago. In this intimate set, Pascal will share songs and personal stories, accompanying himself on guitar—how very Roger from Rent! Tickets start at $15 and a recording will be viewable until Monday, August 24.

Available to Watch Both Days

PBS Great Performances: Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
PBS Great Performances presents Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning 2003 documentary Broadway: The Golden Age, By the Legends Who Were There, written, directed and produced by the late Rick McKay. Hosted by two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff, this new movie focuses on Broadway musicals between 1959 and 1980, and features a starry lineup of artists sharing remembrances about the original productions of Once Upon a Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Ain't Misbehavin' and other beloved shows. Enjoy interviews with Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Glenn Close, André De Shields, Jane Fonda, Robert Goulet, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Dick Van Dyke and Ben Vereen alongside rare vintage clips. Watch for free until Saturday, September 11 on PBS Thirteen's website.

PTP/NYC: A Small Handful
PTP/NYC wraps up its digital season with A Small Handful, a trio of poems by Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Sexton presented in speech and song. Jim Petosa directs actor Paula Langton and soprano Kaileigh Riess in this performance of the controversial writer's searing work. Register to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged. The recording is viewable until Tuesday.

TADA! Youth Theater: Heroes
TADA!, NYC's 36-year-old, Drama Desk Award-winning youth company whose alums include Jordan Peele and Kerry Washington, presents Heroes, an original musical for all ages that was recorded live on stage earlier this summer. A fantastical tale of bickering kids who need to band together to save the world after the sun disappears, the song-filled fable celebrates teamwork and stars members of TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble, talented tykes ages 8 to 18 (including, full disclosure, my daughter). Tickets are $10 and the recording is viewable until Monday, September 6.

Jacob's Pillow: Life Encounters: Archie Burnett
The Berkshires' lauded Jacob's Pillow dance festival resumed in-person performances this summer, but select events are also being streamed to at-home audiences. Catch Life Encounters, a celebration of the evolution of NYC's underground dance scene choreographed by ballroom legend Archie Burnett. Guest performers include former Martha Graham Dance Company principal Abdiel, performance artist Princess Lockerooo and Bessie Award winner Ephrat Asherie. RSVP to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged. The recording is viewable until Thursday, August 26.

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.

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 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Thursday, September 16.

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. I highly recommend the poignant solo show Open by NYC playwright (and TDF teaching artist!) Crystal Skillman. I loved it Off-Off Broadway a few years back and it's free to watch online.

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 at 6 p.m. ET.

MCC Theater: FreshPlay Online Summer Festival
In addition to being a celebrated Off-Broadway company, MCC Theater also has a robust theatre education program, including playwriting classes for NYC adolescents overseen by award-winning dramatist Lucy Thurber. This week, catch five brand-new shorts by some of these talented teens that tackle timely subjects such as sexual assault and gun violence. Register to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged.

---

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

Top image: Adam Pascal, who's performing a live concert online Tuesday evening.