> Fresh on the heels of their Broadway openings, two new musicals have already announced national tours: the critically acclaimed An American in Paris, featuring a score of classics by George and Ira Gershwin and a book by Craig Lucas; and the less well-received Finding Neverland, which stars Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammer, and features an original pop score by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy and a book by James Graham. Producers for both shows announced the tours would kick off in fall 2016.
> Alicia Silverstone will star in the New York premiere of Melissa Ross’ play Of Good Stock Off Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center Stage I, the company announced this month. The play about three sisters revisiting their family home on Cape Cod for a summer weekend will begin previews on June 4 for an opening night of June 30. MTC’s artistic director Lynne Meadow directs.
> Amazing Grace, a new musical based on the true story behind that song, and the birth of the abolitionist movement, will play Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre beginning June 25 for an opening night of July 16. Featuring music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and book by Smith and Arthur Giron, the show had its world premiere in Chicago last fall and will be produced on Broadway by Carolyn Rossi Copeland and Alexander Rankin, under the direction of Gabriel Barre (The Wild Party) with choreography by Christopher Gattelli (Newsies).
> King Charles III, the 2015 Olivier Award-winner for Best New Play, will arrive on Broadway October 10 at the Music Box Theatre for an opening night of November 1. The “future-history” play by Mike Bartlett imagines Prince Charles’ ascension to the British throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Directed by Rupert Goold, the production will star Tim Pigott-Smith, who played the title role to much acclaim on the West End.
> Tony-winners James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson will star in a revival of D.L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Gin Game on Broadway at the Golden Theatre, producers OSTAR Productions announced last week. The play about two nursing home residents who strike up an acquaintance and revisit their lives in tense conversation will be directed by Leonard Foglia and begin previews on September 21 for an opening night of October 13.
> Two Broadway shows have announced closing dates this month. The Broadway revival of Wendy Wasserstein’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Heidi Chronicles, starring Elisabeth Moss and Jason Biggs, announced an early closing date of May 3 due to slow box office sales, just over six weeks after opening to mostly strong reviews. And after 14 years on Broadway, Mamma Mia!, the ABBA-scored hit that inspired a wave of other jukebox musicals, will shutter on September 5 at the Broadhurst Theatre (it was previously at the Winter Garden). Other current productions across the globe, including one on London’s West End, will continue.
