TDF Stages

With in-person theatre out of commission for the foreseeable future, many companies and performers from Broadway and beyond are showcasing their work online. Below are performances you can watch this Presidents' and Valentine's Day weekend, Friday, February 12 to Monday, February 15, for free or at low cost.

Friday, February 12

Virtual Halston: Cady Huffman and Brad Oscar
On Friday at 5 p.m. ET, Broadway scene-stealer Julie Halston welcomes former Producers costars Cady Huffman and Brad Oscar to her weekly chatfest. Watch for free on YouTube.

The Metropolitan Opera: Akhnaten
On Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera shares Akhnaten, Philip Glass' epic opera inspired by the life and religious convictions of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. This production was a sold-out smash in 2019, with jugglers and acrobats performing alongside stars Dísella Lárusdóttir, J'Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, Richard Bernstein and Zachary James. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Un Ballo in Maschera, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

New Ohio Theatre: Hotel Good Luck
On Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, New Ohio Theatre and The Cherry Artists' Collective present Hotel Good Luck, Alejandro Ricaño's surreal play about a late-night radio deejay who tumbles down a rabbit hole of alternate realities in search of what he has lost. Performed and streamed live from Ithaca's State Theater, the show stars Seth Soulstein and is directed by Samuel Buggeln. Tickets start at $15.

Irish Repertory Theatre: A Touch of the Poet
On Friday at 8 p.m. ET, this winter, the venerable Irish Rep is presenting encore streams of its entire digital season. Tonight, catch Eugene O'Neill's compelling immigrant drama A Touch of the Poet, featuring Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli as Con, an Irish-American inn owner near Boston in 1828, clinging to a gentlemanly past that never was. Ciarán O’Reilly directs a cast that includes Ciaran Byrne, Kate Forbes and Mary McCann. Tickets are free but required to receive the viewing link; donations are encouraged.

The Shared Screen: Tape
On Friday at 8 p.m. ET, The Shared Screen presents a Zoom adaptation of Stephen Belber's mind-bending Tape, about the tense and toxic reunion of three high school friends whose troubled past bleeds into the present. Usually set in a motel room, this production reimagines the meeting as a video call. Register to receive the free viewing link and stick around for the post-show talkback—this play leaves you with a lot to discuss!

FLS Academy: Got Your Back III: Spread the Love
On Friday at 8 p.m. ET, members of the improvisational hip-hop collective Freestyle Love Supreme and its namesake school rap up a present for Valentine's Day: an hour-long holiday show invented on the spot using suggestions from the virtual audience. The lineup of talented performers includes alumni from FLS' Broadway run, including Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, Aneesa "Young Nees" Folds, Andrew "Jelly Donut" Bancroft and Tarik "Tardis Hardaway" Davis. Tickets are $15.

Isaac Mizrahi: Isaac@CaféCarlyle
On Friday at 8 p.m. ET, performer, wit and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi continues his cabaret series recorded at an empty Café Carlyle. For this concert, he's backed by a six-piece band and joined by Broadway belter and Orange Is the New Black star Lea DeLaria, who's sure to inspire much-needed laughs. Tickets are $22.

John Lloyd Young's Vegas Valentine
On Friday at 9 p.m. ET, John Lloyd Young performs a live concert from The Space in Las Vegas in honor of Valentine's Day. The perpetually boyish actor-singer won a Tony Award for his star-making turn as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. He'll croon tunes from that musical in between romantic favorites, including "Unchained Melody," "Since I Fell for You," "Only You" and "My Eyes Adored You." Tickets cost $30.

The Tank: Borders
On Friday at 9 p.m. ET, indie theatre incubator The Tank presents a live performance of Borders, Nimrod Danishman's timely play exploring the challenges of modern-day virtual romance, as two men from different countries fall for each other on Grindr. Eli M. Schoenfeld and Adrian Rifat star, and Michael R. Piazza directs. Tickets start at $10.

Saturday, February 13

Irish Repertory Theatre: Belfast Blues
On Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, this winter, the venerable Irish Rep is presenting encore streams of its entire digital season. Today, catch Belfast Blues, Geraldine Hughes' touching autobiographical solo show about growing up in Ireland during The Troubles in the '80s and how acting offered her a way out. After touring with this very personal play for more than a decade, Hughes, whose Broadway credits include Jerusalem and Harry Potter, did a final engagement at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast in 2019. This video comes from that run. Tickets are free but required to receive the viewing link; donations are encouraged.

The Tank: Borders
On Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, indie theatre incubator The Tank presents a live performance of Borders, Nimrod Danishman's timely play exploring the challenges of modern-day virtual romance, as two men from different countries fall for each other on Grindr. Eli M. Schoenfeld and Adrian Rifat star, and Michael R. Piazza directs. Tickets start at $10.

Play-PerView: Revenge Porn
On Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, Play-PerView presents a live reading of Revenge Porn, Carla Ching's unsettling drama about the phenomenon of public sexual shaming, as a woman considers whether to go after the ex who released an intimate video of her. Bernardo Cubría directs Tina Haung, Amy Hill, Kahyun Kim, Christopher Larkin, Ken Leung and Roland Ruiz. Tickets start at $5 and proceeds go to NYC's Ma-Yi Theater Company. Can't make the live performance? For $15, you can watch a recording until Wednesday, February 17 at 11:30 p.m. ET.

New Federal Theatre: When the Chickens Came Home to Roost
On Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, in honor of Black History Month, Woodie King Jr.'s half-century-old New Federal Theatre presents a series of readings of important plays from its past. First up is When the Chickens Came Home to Roost, Laurence Holder's 1981 two-hander about the relationship between Malcolm X and his mentor, Elijah Muhammad, longtime leader of the Nation of Islam. Ralph McCain directs Lawrence Winslow and Allie Woods. Watch for free until Monday on New Federal Theatre's website though donations are encouraged.

Fabulous Fanny: The Songs and Stories of Fanny Brice
On Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, if you only know Fanny Brice as Barbra Streisand's character in Funny Girl, time to get schooled. Kimberly Faye Greenberg portrays the legendary Jewish singer, comedian and Ziegfeld Follies star in this solo show, which delves into her incredible career and dramatic life. Expect torch songs, old-school shtick and Baby Snooks! (No relation to yours truly.) Tickets are $10.

The Metropolitan Opera: Les Troyens
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Peter Wexler's staging of Les Troyens, Berlioz's epic chronicling the aftermath of the Trojan War and the exploits of Aeneas, played by Plácido Domingo. Tatiana Troyanos, Jessye Norman and Allan Monk costar in this 1983 production. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Akhnaten, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

New Ohio Theatre: Hotel Good Luck
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, New Ohio Theatre and The Cherry Artists' Collective present Hotel Good Luck, Alejandro Ricaño's surreal play about a late-night radio deejay who tumbles down a rabbit hole of alternate realities in search of what he has lost. Performed and streamed live from Ithaca's State Theater, the show stars Seth Soulstein and is directed by Samuel Buggeln. Tickets start at $15.

The Studios of Key West: Smithtown
On Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, in our overwhelmingly remote world, it's easy for communication to be misinterpreted. That's what happens in Smithtown, a decade-old play by Drew Larimore that's taken on new resonance during the pandemic. Structured as a series of monologues, the drama explores how a text message about a tragedy kicks off an intense chain reaction that upends lives in a small college town. The impressive cast consists of Broadway regulars Michael Urie, Ann Harada, Colby Lewis and Constance Shulman, and Stephen Kitsakos directs. Tickets are $20 and the recording is viewable until Saturday, February 27.

Stars in the House: Harmony 2021
On Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley host Harmony 2021, an online gala benefiting New York City Gay Men's Chorus and its offshoots, Youth Pride Chorus and Tonewall. In addition to tuneful performances from the choirs, enjoy appearances by Broadway vets Nick Adams, Frenchie Davis, Ann Harada, John Tartaglia and Cyndi Lauper, who's receiving the annual Arts in Action Award. Watch for free on YouTube though donations are encouraged.

Irish Repertory Theatre: Molly Sweeney
On Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, this winter, the venerable Irish Rep is presenting encore streams of its entire digital season. Tonight, catch Molly Sweeney, Brian Friel's popular drama about a woman blind since infancy whose sight is restored with unexpected consequences. Geraldine Hughes and Ciarán O'Reilly reprise their performances as Molly and her husband from the theatre's hit 2011 production, alongside newcomer Paul O'Brien as the surgeon who changes the title character's life. Tickets are free but required to receive the viewing link; donations are encouraged.

The Shared Screen: Tape
On Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, The Shared Screen presents a Zoom adaptation of Stephen Belber's mind-bending Tape, about the tense and toxic reunion of three high school friends whose troubled past bleeds into the present. Usually set in a motel room, this production reimagines the meeting as a video call. Register to receive the free viewing link and stick around for the post-show talkback—this play leaves you with a lot to discuss!

Metropolitan Playhouse: Enemies
On Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, Metropolitan Playhouse, an Obie-winning company that revives forgotten works, presents Enemies, a 1916 comedy about the challenges of free love, written by married Greenwich Village bohemians Neith Boyce and Hutchins Hapgood. How's that for Valentine's Day realness? Laura Livingston directs Kersti Bryan and Nate Washburn. Watch for free on the company's YouTube channel though donations are encouraged.

Sunday, February 14

ACT of Connecticut: Stephen Schwartz's Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook
ACT of Connecticut presents Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook, a chamber musical featuring songs by Stephen Schwartz, the genius behind Wicked, Pippin, Godspell and multiple Disney movie musicals. His iconic hits are integrated into a fresh story about an estranged couple looking back on the decades they shared. The theatre's artistic director, Daniel C. Levine, helms this intimate digital production. Tickets are $20 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Sunday, February 28.

Irish Repertory Theatre: YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom
On Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, this winter, the venerable Irish Rep is presenting encore streams of its entire digital season. Today, catch YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom, Aedín Moloney's solo adaptation of the "Penelope episode" from James Joyce's Ulysses. This monologue play was a hit at the theatre in 2019 and offers intimate insights into one woman's desires and dreams, with brief musical interludes composed by Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains. Tickets are free but required to receive the viewing link; donations are encouraged.

Irish Repertory Theatre: Love, Noël
On Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, this winter, the venerable Irish Rep is presenting encore streams of its entire digital season. Tonight, catch Love, Noël, a virtual reinvention of its 2019 celebration of playwright, songwriter and sparkling wit Noël Coward. Barry Day devised this two-person tribute featuring seasoned cabaret stars Steve Ross and KT Sullivan singing Coward's songs, such as "Mad About the Boy," "Together with Music" and "I'll Follow My Secret Heart," and channeling his famous friends, including Gertrude Lawrence, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo and Elaine Stritch. Tickets are free but required to receive the viewing link; donations are encouraged.

Andrea Marcovicci: A Kern Valentine
On Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET, cabaret legend Andrea Marcovicci celebrates Valentine's Day with a concert of romantic songs by the acclaimed composer Jerome Kern, whose oeuvre includes Showboat, "A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "The Way You Look Tonight." Watch for free until Saturday, February 20 on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre
On Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Die Walküre, the second opera in Wagner's Ring cycle, with Brünnhilde defying her god father Wotan. Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris and Kurt Moll star in this 1989 Otto Schenk/Günther Schneider-Siemssen production. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Les Troyens, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

A Night with Josh Groban
On Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, celebrate Valentine's Day with Josh Groban! The international recording sensation and Tony-nominated Great Comet star is performing a live online concert filled with love songs and longtime favorites. Tickets are $30 and a recording is viewable for 48 hours.

The Seth Concert Series: Laura Osnes
On Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, apparently, hosting a daily online talk show and a Sirius XM Satellite Radio series isn't enough for the multitalented Seth Rudetsky. Well-known for his skills as a pianist, musical director and interviewer, he's hosted a series of intimate live concerts with Broadway stars for the past decade. This year he brings the show online, and tonight's headliner is Laura Osnes. The two-time Tony nominee is known for her crystalline soprano and enchanting performances in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde and Bandstand. Since it's Valentine's Day, expect songs to put you in a romantic mood. Tickets are $25.

Monday, February 15

The Seth Concert Series: Laura Osnes
On Monday at 3 p.m. ET, apparently, hosting a daily online talk show and a Sirius XM Satellite Radio series isn't enough for the multitalented Seth Rudetsky. Well-known for his skills as a pianist, musical director and interviewer, he's hosted a series of intimate live concerts with Broadway stars for the past decade. This year he brings the show online. Last night's headliner was Laura Osnes and you can watch a recording today. The two-time Tony nominee is known for her crystalline soprano and enchanting performances in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde and Bandstand. Tickets are $25.

Broadway Advocacy Coalition: #BwayforBLM: What Now? Part I
On Monday at 6 p.m. ET, Broadway Advocacy Coalition presents part I of #BwayforBLM: What Now?, a forum examining the industry's commitment to promoting BIPOC leaders. Richard Gray and Broadway vet Amber Iman serve as moderators, and panelists include composer Jeanine Tesori, director Rachel Chavkin, President of the Actors' Equity Association Kate Shindle, Warren Adams from Black Theatre Coalition, Brandon Michael Nase from Broadway for Racial Justice and Destinee Rea from BOLD. Register to receive the free viewing link.

Keen Company: Sorry, Wrong Number
On Monday at 7 p.m. ET, Off Broadway's Keen Company presents Sorry, Wrong Number, Lucille Fletcher's classic radio play about a bedridden woman who accidentally overhears a murder plot. Four-time Academy Award nominee Marsha Mason stars, with supporting performances by Broadway vets Chuck Cooper and Matt Saldivar. Stay tuned for a talkback after the audio thriller. Tickets are $25 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount.

Broadway's Best Shows: Piaf… Her Story… Her Songs
On Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, Broadway's Best Shows presents Piaf... Her Story... Her Songs, Raquel Bitton's tribute to French chanteuse Edith Piaf. In between numbers performed in French, Bitton shares the inimitable singer's dramatic life story as she chats with Piaf's friends, lovers and collaborators. Watch for free until Thursday, February 18 on Broadway's Best Shows' YouTube channel though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
On Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Franco Zeffirelli's staging of La Bohème, Puccini's timeless romantic tragedy about love, bromance and art. Angela Gheorghiu and Ramón Vargas star as the ill-fated young couple. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Die Walküre, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

Jim Caruso's Pajama Cast Party
On Monday at 8 p.m. ET, cabaret maven Jim Caruso welcomes renowned singers and up-and-comers at Pajama Cast Party, a live-streamed version of his popular weekly Cast Party gatherings that have taken place at Birdland for years. Tonight's lineup includes Broadway vet Avery Sommers, opera singer Zachary James and stand-up comic Gianmarco Soresi. Watch for free on YouTube though tips via the Venmo app are appreciated.

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Open Stage Variety Show: Quarantine Edition
On Monday at 8 p.m. ET, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus continues its live weekly variety show hosted by adorkable ringmaster Keith Nelson. Tonight's awe-inspiring lineup includes the magical Fiery Jack Family, cyr wheel masters Artists of Änver, juggler Edge and acrobats Mike and Frida. Watch for free on Bindlestiff's YouTube channel though donations are encouraged.

All Weekend

Southwark Playhouse: The Last Five Years
Jason Robert Brown's musical dissection of a romance, The Last Five Years, has proven to be a pandemic favorite with multiple productions in the UK and stateside. It makes sense since the two-hander is about disconnection, as the man tells his side of their love story chronologically while the woman recalls their relationship in reverse. This mounting was filmed live on stage last fall at London's Southwark Playhouse with a pair of actor-pianists, Oli Higginson and Molly Lynch, as the star-crossed couple. Tickets are $18 and the recording is viewable until Friday, February 19.

Mischief Movie Night In
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET, Mischief Theatre, the uproarious British troupe behind NYC's long-running comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, presents a live improvised movie, with the audience tasked with suggesting the title, genre and setting. Beyond lots of laughs, no one has any idea of what to expect—not even the performers. Tickets are £10, approximately $14.

Romeo & Juliet 2021
On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET, fall in love with a brand-new digital mounting of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. A stage-cinema hybrid filmed last year, the production stars Olivier Award winner Sam Tutty and Emily Redpath as the ill-fated lovers, and theatre legend Derek Jacobi as the narrator. Tickets are £20, approximately $28.

San Francisco Ballet
The celebrated San Francisco Ballet continues its digital season with a trio of works. Two are archival recordings: Dwight Rhoden's Let's Begin at the End and Mark Morris's Sandpaper Ballet. The third, Colorforms, is a brand-new piece by troupe soloist Myles Thatcher, known for his politically charged performances. Tickets are $29 and the recording is viewable until Wednesday, March 3.

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

Top image: Josh Groban, who's performing a live online concert on Valentine's Day.