Wake Up With BWW 5/30: INTO THE WOODS Hollywood Bowl Casting, HAIRSPRAY Tour, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

First, we'd like to wish a happy opening night to Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, which officially opens tonight, following last night's opening night celebration!

A national tour of Hairspray is in the works! Details have yet to be confirmed, but rumor has it that it may begin as early as fall 2020!

Additional star-studded casting has been announced for Into the Woods at Hollywood Bowl! Joining the previously announced Gaten Matarazzo, Patina Miller, Whoopi Goldberg, and Shanice Williams are Skylar Astin as The Baker, Sierra Boggess as Cinderella, Chris Carmack as Rapunzel's Prince, Anthony Crivello as Mysterious Man, Sutton Foster as The Baker's Wife, Cheyenne Jackson as Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf, Rebecca Spencer as Jack's Mother, and Hailey Kilgore as Rapunzel.

Read more about these and other stories below!

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1) Rialto Chatter: HAIRSPRAY To Launch National Tour Fall 2020?

BroadwayWorld has learned that a National Touring production HAIRSPRAY may launch as soon as launch fall 2020! A representative for Networks Tours was unable to confirm official plans but noted the production is in the works.. (more...)

2) VIDEO: Patti Murin Opens Up About Her Struggle with Depression and Anxiety
by Stage Tube

Patti Murin was a guest on Wednesday morning's episode of TODAY to discuss mental health awareness. Despite a skyrocketing career as a stage and screen actress, Murin was struggling with debilitating depression and anxiety. Since opening up about it, she's been met with an overwhelming response. . (more...)

3) Lincoln Center Theater Announces INTIMATE APPAREL Opera Written By Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon; Directed by Bartlett Sher

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop) has announced that it will produce Intimate Apparel, a new opera with music by Ricky Ian Gordon and a libretto by Lynn Nottage, based on her critically acclaimed play. The production, which will be directed by Bartlett Sher, will begin previews Thursday, February 27 and open on Monday, March 23 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). . (more...)

4) VIDEO: Randy Rainbow Channels Ariana Grande in Latest Parody, 'Just Impeach Him'
by Stage Tube

In his latest musical parody, Randy Rainbow channels Ariana Grande in his parody of her song 'breathin.' This parody, of course, takes on Trump, and is titled 'Just Impeach Him.' Check out the video!. (more...)

5) The Muny Announces Complete Casting For PAINT YOUR WAGON

The Muny announced today its complete cast, design and production team for Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon, the sixth show of its second century, July 27 - August 2. Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon is proudly sponsored by Ameren. . (more...)

Today's Call Sheet:

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune officially opens tonight!

Following last night's opening night celebration, the new Broadway production, starring Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald and two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, directed by Obie Award winner Arin Arbus, opens officially tonight, May 30, at the Broadhurst Theater.

In the new Broadway production, Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon, two of the most acclaimed actors of their generation, will bring new life to the bruised dreamers of Terrence McNally's timely and timeless romance. Director Arin Arbus, in her Broadway debut, directs this portrait of a lonely waitress and a short order cook whose first date turns into a one-night stand - and maybe more.

30 Days of Tony: Day 12- Rachel Chavkin's GREAT COMET Soars Over The Tonys

In 2017, Best Director of a Musical nominee, Rachel Chavkin, made one heck of a Tony Awards debut with the gleaming spectacle of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

Featuring another of this year's nominees, Hadestown star Amber Gray, Great Comet brought a small army of performers to their immersive Tony performance, reinvigorating the ceremony with happiness, freedom, life, dancing, drinking, portrait-smashing fun. See their performance below!

BWW Exclusive: STRANGER THINGS Star Gaten Matarazzo Hits The Stage At BE MORE CHILL

Stranger Things star and Broadway kid, Gaten Matarazzo hit the stage at Be More Chill tonight for a post-show performance of 'More Than Survive' with composer Joe Iconis and some of the cast! See his performance below!

The performance is part of Be More Chill's "Post Show Hang," a special Wednesday evening post-show encore series. Iconis accompanies an exciting lineup of actors as they each perform a song from the Tony Award-nominated score of Be More Chill.

What we're geeking out over: Sutton Foster, Skylar Astin, Sierra Boggess, and More Join INTO THE WOODS at the Hollywood Bowl

BroadwayWorld has learned that a ton of Broadway names will join the starry Hollywood Bowl staging of INTO THE WOODS. Joining the previously announced Gaten Matarazzo, Patina Miller, Whoopi Goldberg, and Shanice Williams are Skylar Astin as The Baker, Sierra Boggess as Cinderella, Chris Carmack as Rapunzel's Prince, Anthony Crivello as Mysterious Man, Sutton Foster as The Baker's Wife, Cheyenne Jackson as Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf, Rebecca Spencer as Jack's Mother, and Hailey Kilgore as Rapunzel.

Social Butterfly: On the Red Carpet at FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE

The new Broadway production of Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, starring Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald and two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, directed by Obie Award winner Arin Arbus, opens officially tonight, May 30, at the Broadhurst Theater.

The show might officially open tonight, but the company celebrated last night, May 29. Watch as the best of Broadway struts the red carpet!

And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Idina Menzel, who turns 48 today!

Menzel most recently starred in Skintight off-Broadway. She made her Broadway debut as Maureen in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner, Rent, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She followed that with her Tony Award-winning performance as Elphaba in Wicked, which she subsequently brought to London's West End. Other New York stage work includes See What I Wanna See (Public), The Wild Party (MTC), and Hair (Encores). Menzel's voice can be heard in the Disney animated musical, Frozen, singing its Oscar nominated song, Let It Go. She reprised her performance as Maureen in Chris Columbus' film version of Rent, and has appeared in movies as diverse as Enchanted and Ask the Dust. On television, Menzel had a recurring role over multiple seasons of "Glee" and has guest starred in numerous other shows. She starred in her own PBS special, Barefoot at the Symphony, with an accompanying live album of the same name. Menzel's highly successful international concert tour recently included a sold out performance at Carnegie Hall. In addition to cast albums, Menzel's prolific recording career includes solo albums: Barefoot At The Symphony, I Stand, Here, and Still I Can't Be Still.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!