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While in-person theatre is back in NYC, there are still wonderful shows to stream at home. Below are performances you can watch online this Presidents' Day weekend, Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21, for free or at low cost.
Friday, February 18
MPTheatricals: Is He Musical?
On Friday at 2 p.m. ET, direct from the UK comes Is He Musical?, a new tuner inspired by real-life stories of queer friends living it up in 1930s London. The performance will be live-streamed from The Performance Hub at the University of Wolverhampton. Tickets are £12, approximately $16.
FRIGID New York: FRIGID Festival
FRIGID New York is known for its theatre festivals, but this 16th annual event is its flagship and often the launchpad for bigger things—Broadway's Thoughts of a Colored Man made its NYC debut at FRIGID 2015. Over two and a half weeks, almost two dozen eclectic shows (all short, many comedic) will be presented at two East Village venues, the Kraine Theater and Under St. Marks, and most performances are also being live-streamed to at-home audiences for $5 to $15. On Friday, you can watch:
Company of Fools: Blackout
On Friday at 7 p.m. ET, Company of Fools presents a live-streamed reading of Blackout, Shann Smith's new play about a superhero mourning the demise of her mentor while trying to control her powers. Clare Solly directs a cast that includes TDF's own Tyler Riley. Watch for free on Company of Fools' YouTube channel. A recording will be available until Sunday.
Saturday, February 19
FRIGID New York: FRIGID Festival
FRIGID New York is known for its theatre festivals, but this 16th annual event is its flagship and often the launchpad for bigger things—Broadway's Thoughts of a Colored Man made its NYC debut at FRIGID 2015. Over two and a half weeks, almost two dozen eclectic shows (all short, many comedic) will be presented at two East Village venues, the Kraine Theater and Under St. Marks, and most performances are also being live-streamed to at-home audiences for $5 to $15. On Saturday, you can watch:
Sunday, February 20
FRIGID New York: FRIGID Festival
FRIGID New York is known for its theatre festivals, but this 16th annual event is its flagship and often the launchpad for bigger things—Broadway's Thoughts of a Colored Man made its NYC debut at FRIGID 2015. Over two and a half weeks, almost two dozen eclectic shows (all short, many comedic) will be presented at two East Village venues, the Kraine Theater and Under St. Marks, and most performances are also being live-streamed to at-home audiences for $5 to $15. On Sunday, you can watch:
Flushing Town Hall: The Black King of Vaudeville - Remembering Bert Williams in Song
On Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, in honor of Black History Month, Queens' Flushing Town Hall is presenting a trio of in-person performances that will also be live-streamed to at-home audiences. Tonight, Tony nominee Larry Marshall (Porgy and Bess, The Full Monty, Waitress) performs his heartfelt tribute to Bert Williams, a groundbreaking Black vaudeville entertainer who became a superstar on Broadway. Register to receive the free viewing link. If you prefer to attend in person, click here for info.
Monday, February 21
FRIGID New York: FRIGID Festival
FRIGID New York is known for its theatre festivals, but this 16th annual event is its flagship and often the launchpad for bigger things—Broadway's Thoughts of a Colored Man made its NYC debut at FRIGID 2015. Over two and a half weeks, almost two dozen eclectic shows (all short, many comedic) will be presented at two East Village venues, the Kraine Theater and Under St. Marks, and most performances are also being live-streamed to at-home audiences for $5 to $15. On Monday, you can watch:
The Seth Concert Series: Caitlin Kinnunen
On Monday at 8 p.m. ET, even though show-tune savant Seth Rudetsky is back doing shows in person, he hasn't completely abandoned the virtual realm. In fact, he's relaunched his weekly live-streamed concert series! Tonight his guest is Caitlin Kinnunen, who earned a Tony nomination for her moving performance as a lesbian teen in The Prom, in which she served as the laugh-out-loud musical comedy's aching (and unruly) heart. Except songs from her career, such as the musicals The Bridges of Madison County, Spring Awakening and the family show Rescue Rue. Tickets are $25.
All Weekend
Fiasco Theater: A Valentine for Sondheim
The acclaimed Fiasco Theater is well known for its scaled-down reinventions of classics, including the Sondheim musicals Into the Woods and Merrily We Roll Along—the genius even granted the company access to his archives for that last one. Now the troupe is showing the late musical master some love with the recorded hour-long concert A Valentine for Sondheim featuring tunes, letters and tales by or about the singular songwriter. Watch for free on Vimeo though donations are encouraged.
The Huntington: The Bluest Eye
Boston's The Huntington is currently presenting an in-person theatricalization of Toni Morrison's celebrated debut novel The Bluest Eye, but you can also stream a recording of the production online. Adapted for the stage by award-winning dramatist Lydia Diamond, the play centers on Pecola, a young Black girl who believes the world would be wonderful if she could have blue eyes. Awoye Timpo directs. Tickets start at $20 and the recording is viewable until Saturday, April 9.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Unfold & Fandango
Love is in the air as the invaluable Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presents a pair of romantic pieces: artistic director Robert Battle's Unfold, a duet set to opera diva Leontyne Price's lush rendition of an aria from Gustave Charpentier's Louise about the first day of love; and Lar Lubovitch's sensual and athletic Fandango set to Maurice Ravel's Bolero. Watch for free until Sunday, February 27 on Ailey's YouTube channel though donations are encouraged.
Mark Morris Dance Group: Layla and Majnun Week
Throughout the week, the Mark Morris Dance Group is presenting interviews, classes and activities inspired by the namesake choreographer's Layla and Majnun, his exquisite adaptation of the well-known Middle Eastern love story. You can also stream the classic for free until Sunday on the troupe's YouTube channel. There is separate registration for the complementary events.
Mosaic Theater Company: Dear Mapel
Washington, DC's Mosaic Theater Company presents Dear Mapel, an autobiographical solo show by hip-hop theatre-maker Psalmayene 24 about how growing up with an absent father impacted his life. Through correspondence real and imagined, he examines the power of the written word to connect us with our loved ones, our past and our future. Tickets are $40 and the recording is available until Sunday, February 27. Closed captions are available.
New Victory Theater: Air Play
NYC's premiere family theatre, the New Victory, is presenting an in-person production of Air Play featuring married clowns the Acrobuffos exploring the power of air in a series of entertaining experiments. But this science-themed circus spectacle is also streaming online. Tickets are $25 and the recording is viewable until Sunday, March 6. Prefer to attend in person? Click here for info or, if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase discount tickets.
Project Y Theatre: Women in Theatre Festival
Off-Off Broadway's venerable Project Y Theatre presents its seventh annual Women in Theatre Festival online, with a quintet of commissioned two-handers by women playwrights, including Amina Henry, Erin Mallon and TDF Stages contributor Eliza Bent, alongside a collection of fresh, female-forward monologues. All of the pieces were filmed live on stage and a streaming pass allows you to watch the program anytime on demand for a week. Tickets are $25 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase discount tickets.
Pasadena Playhouse: Teenage Dick
Although California's Pasadena Playhouse was forced to cancel its in-person run of Teenage Dick due to COVID-19, the good news is the production was captured on film. Mike Lew's modern-day, darkly comic take on Richard III is set in a high-pressure high school, where a bullied adolescent with cerebral palsy mounts a ruthless campaign to become student body president. How far will he go to win? Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God) directs and Gregg Mozgala and Shannon DeVido reprise the roles they originated Off Broadway in the play's critically acclaimed world premiere. Tickets start at $25 and the recording is viewable until Monday, February 28.
Starz: Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Tony nominated tap-dance great Maurice Hines (Hot Feet, Uptown...It's Hot!, Eubie!) is the subject of the new documentary Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, an intimate portrait of his life and career, including his complicated collaboration with his late brother Gregory. Debbie Allen, Chita Rivera and Charles Randolph-Wright are just a handful of the theatre legends who chat about Hines' groundbreaking work. Starz subscribers can watch for free.
PBS: Stars on Stage From Westport Country Playhouse
Last chance! In January, PBS presented Stars on Stage From Westport Country Playhouse, a series of recent concerts performed by Broadway favorites at the Connecticut theatre. All three are viewable until Sunday for free on PBS' website: Watch hour-long sets by:
Hypokrit Productions: Running
Hypokrit Productions presents Running, an autobiographical cinema-stage hybrid by sitcom star Danny Pudi (Community) about his quest to learn about the father he never knew. With some scenes filmed in a theatre, others in the real world, this is a moving documentary journey of self-discovery. Arpita Mukherjee directs. Tickets are $20 and the recording is viewable until Monday, February 28.
Living Record Festival
Last chance! The UK-based Living Record Productions presents the Living Recording Festival, a monthlong event featuring original digital performances. The eclectic lineup includes irreverent cabarets, outrageous comedians, interactive plays and even kid-friendly options such as Peter Michael Marino's charming toy theatre epic Planet of the Grapes. Browse the full schedule to see what piques your interest. Tickets start at £7, approximately $9.
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Raven Snook is the Editor of TDF Stages. Follow her at @RavenSnook. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.
Top image: Hadar Busia-Singleton in The Huntington's production of The Bluest Eye, which is available to stream all weekend. Photo by T Charles Erickson.
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