Wake Up With BWW 8/6: THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE, GRAND HORIZONS on Broadway, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE will air Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. Auli'i Cravalho will star as Ariel, Queen Latifah will star as Ursula, and Shaggy will play Sebastian. No additional casting has been announced at this time.

Mandy Patinkin is hitting the road! The Tony and Emmy Award winner will embark on a 30-city concert tour of Mandy Patinkin in Concert: DIARIES, accompanied by Adam Ben-David on piano, beginning October 30th at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

Casting has been announced for GRAND HORIZONS on Broadway! Priscilla Lopez, Ashley Park, Michael Urie, Maulik Pancholy, and Thomas Sadoski will lead the cast of the Second Stage Theatre production, directed by Leigh Silverman!

Read more about these and other top stories below!

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1) ABC Announces THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE With Auli'i Cravalho, Queen Latifah and More

ABC has just announced that THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE will air Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. as part of The Wonderful World of Disney. Auli'i Cravalho, of Moana fame, will star as Ariel. Queen Latifah will star as Ursula and Shaggy will play Sebastian. No additional casting has been announced at this time.. (more...)

2) Stephanie J. Block Will Perform Concerts in London in 2020

Broadway star concert producers Club 11 London and Take Two Theatrical are excited to announce that Broadway star and the 2019 Tony Award winning, Stephanie J. Block will make a return London on Sunday 12th April 2020 for two solo concerts at London's iconic Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square.. (more...)

3) Mandy Patinkin to Launch 30 City Tour This Fall

After wrapping production on the eighth and final season of Showtime's 'Homeland', Tony and Emmy Award winner Mandy Patinkin will launch a 30-city concert tour of Mandy Patinkin in Concert: DIARIES, accompanied by Adam Ben-David on piano, on October 30th at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Mandy will then take his tour across the US and Canada through February, 2020.. (more...)

4) Priscilla Lopez, Ashley Park, Michael Urie, and More Will Lead GRAND HORIZONS on Broadway

Second Stage Theater has announced casting for the upcoming Broadway production of BESS WOHL's GRAND HORIZONS. Directed by LEIGH SILVERMAN, the production will feature PRISCILLA LOPEZ (Carla), MAULIK PANCHOLY (Tommy), ASHLEY PARK (Jess), THOMAS SADOSKI (Ben), and MICHAEL URIE (Brian).. (more...)

5) Renee Fleming to Become Artistic Director of Aspen Music Festival Summer Opera Program

In 2020, the Aspen Music Festival and School will launch the new Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS under the leadership of co-artistic directors Renée Fleming and Patrick Summers. The program provides a unique and premier-level opportunity for developing opera singers by combining performance with intensive individual instruction and mentorship with two of opera's leading performing professionals.. (more...)

Today's Call Sheet:

Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders join the cast of Dear Evan Hansen beginning tonight!

Ivan Hernandez (who made his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn in Chicago in 2015) will take over the role of Larry Murphy, and Ann Sanders will temporarily take over the role of Cynthia Murphy (through October 20).

Original Broadway cast members of Dear Evan Hansen Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park played their final performances as Cynthia Murphy and Larry Murphy, respectively, on Sunday, August 4.

BWW Exclusive: Podcast: LITTLE KNOWN FACTS with Ilana Levine and Playwright Jonathan Marc Sherman

BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Broadway actress Ilana Levine, who makes her entrance onto the podcast stage with her critically acclaimed show Little Known Facts. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview, "Podcast Vérité," is unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny. Her twitter account @ilanalevine was named one of the " 100 Twitter accounts to follow in 2018.

This week Ilana chats with Jonathan Marc Sherman. He was born and raised in New Jersey, graduated from Bennington College, and lives in New York City. His plays include: Things We Want; Clive; Knickerbocker; Evolution; Wonderful Time; Sons & Fathers; Sophistry; Veins & Thumbtacks; Serendipity & Serenity; Jesus on the Oil Tank; and Women & Wallace (also adapted for PBS-TV's American Playhouse). They have been performed at Malaparte(co-founder), The New Group, The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Williamstown Theatre Festival, WPA Theater, Los Angeles Theatre Center, and the Young Playwrights Festival, as well as in England, Australia, Israel, Istanbul, and Japan.

What we're geeking out over: THE ILLUSIONISTS - MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS Returns To Broadway This Winter For Fifth Year

The Illusionists - Magic Of The Holidays will return to Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52nd Street) for a record fifth holiday season, playing from Friday, November 29, 2019 through Sunday, January 5, 2020.

Back in New York by popular demand for a strictly limited run, this mind-blowing holiday spectacular showcases the jaw dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth. The Illusionists has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

What we're watching: Lesbian Couple Ties the Knot Onstage at THE PROM!

There was a very Broadway wedding at the Longacre Theater last night! A script coordinator for The Prom, Armelle Kay Harper, and actress/singer Jody Smith Harper tied the knot onstage in a brief ceremony officiated by the show's creator, Bob Martin.

Why did they chose the Prom as the backdrop for their big day? "There are so many shows where lesbians are secondary characters or the butt of the joke," Harper told the New York Times. "We all love 'Fun Home,' but it's a drama. So 'The Prom' is really unique in that it's a celebration, and it's funny without being at the expense of lesbians. It's just so much joy."

And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Leslie Odom, Jr., who turns 38 today!

Leslie Odom Jr. shot to fame for his Tony and Grammy Award-winning turn as Aaron Burr in the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton." In his new book, "Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning," he shares personal stories and life lessons to help you follow your dreams.

Odom, Jr. most recently appeared on the big screen opposite Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench in Fox's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, The actor remains world-renowned for his Tony Award- and Grammy Award-winning turn as Aaron Burr in HAMILTON on Broadway. Odom Jr. starred in "Rent" at just 16 years old and kicked off a whirlwind acting career that saw him appear in Lucasfilm's 2012 "Red Tails" on the big screen as well as in high-profile recurring television roles on "Smash," "Person of Interest," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and many more. In 2015, his role in "Hamilton" earned him the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical and a Grammy as a principal singer on the cast album in the Best Musical Theater Album category.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!