10+ Stage Performances to Watch August 23-24
Monday, August 23
Live at the Waldorf: The Ladies of Freestyle Love Supreme Academy
On Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the new online series Live at the Waldorf, which is streamed live from the stage of the storied venue, kicks off with an interactive performance by NYC’s celebrated hip-hop improv school Freestyle Love Supreme Academy. This event showcases the talented ladies of the institution, including beatboxer Kaila Mullady and rap master Aneesa Folds, who both opposite troupe cofounder Lin-Manuel Miranda. Come ready to shout (or type) out suggestions to get their creative rhymes flowing. Tickets are $10.
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater: Ni Mi Madre
On Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, NYC’s acclaimed Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is presenting a hybrid season, with its productions performed in person but also streamed to at-home audiences. First up is Arturo Luís Soria‘s autobiographically inspired solo show Ni Mi Madre, about the complex relationship between an over-the-top Brazilian woman and her queer son as they grapple with identity and what it means to be an immigrant family in America. Tickets are $35 for both streamed and in-person performances at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.
Tuesday, August 24
Christopher Lloyd in King Lear
On Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET, Obie and Emmy Award-winning actor Christopher Lloyd (Taxi, Back to the Future) is currently headlining King Lear at Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshires, but you can also stream the show at home. Directed by Nicole Ricciardi, the production was filmed live on stage earlier in the run. Tickets are $25 and the recording is viewable for 72 hours from the start time.
Stars in the House: Celebrating The Sixth Reel
On Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley celebrate the campy new comedy The Sixth Reel, the cinematic brainchild of longtime theatrical collaborators Charles Busch and Carl Andress. A romp about a lost reel of a classic movie, the film stars Busch, Margaret Cho, Julie Halston and Doug Plaut, who’ll drop by to talk about all the cross-dressing shenanigans. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.
Available to Watch Both Days
Signature Theatre: Detroit ’67
Virginia’s lauded Signature Theatre presents Detroit ’67, the first installment in Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau‘s Detroit Project exploring different periods in her beloved hometown’s history. This powerful family drama about two Black siblings squabbling over how to move forward takes place against the backdrop of the Detroit Rebellion, as tensions rise indoors and outside. Directed by Candis C. Jones, this production was filmed live on stage. Tickets are $35 but if you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Thursday, September 16.
Untitled Theater Company #61: Alma Baya
Untitled Theater Company #61 is presenting an in-person run of Alma Baya that was also filmed for at-home audiences. In this absurdist sci-fi drama, Alma and Baya are struggling to survive on a hostile planet. But when a refugee arrives begging for shelter, they face a moral dilemma. Two different casts perform this thought-provoking play, written and directed by Edward Einhorn. Tickets are $25 but if you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Sunday, September 19.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The world’s largest arts festival, Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is back in person this year, but many offerings are also being streamed to adventurous at-home audiences. Check out performances from artists around the world, including cutting-edge comedy, experimental theatre, wacky musicals and the indefinable. Some shows cost money, others are free; some are available on demand, others have specific start times. Browse the options to see what piques your interest.
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Top image: Kaila Mullady and Aneesa Folds from Freestyle Love Supreme Academy, who’ll be performing a improv hip-hop show on Monday evening.
RAVEN SNOOK