15 Stage Performances to Watch Today, October 22
BRIC: DEBATE: Baldwin vs. Buckley
At 7:30 p.m. ET, in the wake of nationwide protests sparked by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans, theatre artists have been parsing our country’s recent racist past by acting out historical speeches, trials and conversations. There’s The Vineyard Theatre’s Lessons in Survival series and Rattlestick Playwright Theater’s Why Would I Dare?: The Trial of Crystal Mason. Now Brooklyn’s BRIC partners with the american vicarious for DEBATE: Baldwin vs Buckley, a recreation of the legendary 1965 debate between author and civil rights activist James Baldwin and conservative intellectual William F. Buckley Jr. around the subject, “Has the American Dream been achieved at the expense of the American Negro?” Christopher McElroen directs Teagle F. Bougere as Baldwin and Eric T. Miller as Buckley, though this isn’t impersonation, it’s about how far we haven’t come. Watch for free on BRIC’s YouTube channel.
The Metropolitan Opera: La Cenerentola
At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera‘s week of operatic comedies continues with David McVicar‘s captivating 2011 mounting of La Cenerentola, Rossini’s charming take on the Cinderella story, which includes mistaken identities on the royal side, too. Cecilia Bartoli, Ramón Vargas, Simone Alaimo and Alessandro Corbelli star in this 1997 mounting. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera’s website. You can still stream yesterday’s opera, Così fan tutte, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.
Fake Friends: Circle Jerk
At 7:30 p.m. ET, Slave Play scribe Jeremy O. Harris is producing a second show about white conservatives, the provocatively titled Circle Jerk. Cocreated by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, it’s an unsettling satire about gay right-wing trolls spreading misinformation and white supremacy online. The duo performs the play live from Brooklyn with support from Cat Rodríguez and codirector Rory Pelsue. Tickets start at $5.
Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy
At 7:30 p.m. ET, although foreign manipulation of our populace and our elections via social media is no joke, playwright Sarah Gancher mines the phenomenon for dark humor in Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy. Presented by TheaterWorks Hartford and TheatreSquared with an assist from docutheatre masters The Civilians, the play was created specifically for digital consumption and is performed live by Danielle Slavick, Mia Katigbak, Haskell King, Ian Lassiter and Greg Keller, who portray professional internet trolls. Elizabeth Williamson and Jared Mezzocchi codirect. Get ready to laugh-cry. Tickets cost (what else?) $20.20.
Black Lives, Black Words International Project: Plays for the People: Call for the Wailing Women
At 8 p.m. ET, Black Lives, Black Words International Project presents Call for the Wailing Women, Katrina D. RiChard‘s searing Afro-Centric adaptation of Euripides’ The Suppliants about two mothers at odds as they desperately fight for their respective sons. Valerie Curtis-Newton directs Bianca Laverne Jones and Allyson Lee Brown. Tickets start at $10.
Club Cumming: Amber Martin: Bette Bathhouse and Beyond: Live from Fire Island
At 8 p.m. ET, Alan Cumming, who hosted downtown divas at his eponymous East Village club pre-COVID, is now sharing their fabulosity online with streamed performances. Tonight, bask in the glory of Amber Martin, a powerhouse vocalist and uncanny impressionist, as she recreates early-career Bette Midler entertaining half-naked gay men at the Continental Baths in the ’70s. Filmed on Fire Island in front of (what else?) half-naked gay men, this performance is for adults only. Tickets are $15.
APAC: American Arcana
At 8 p.m. ET, Queens’ intrepid Astoria Performing Arts Center presents em>American Arcana, an apocalyptic comedy by Texas-based playwright Cyndi Williams about what feels like the end of the world, aka right now, and the fight for a better future. An ensemble cast stars, and proceeds benefit the theater and vote.org. Tickets are $25.
Available to Watch All Day
The Metropolitan Opera: Don Pasquale
Ever since the shutdown began, the Metropolitan Opera has been sharing productions from its Live in HD series nightly at 7:30 p.m. ET. But it also presents weekly student streams that debut on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. ET. These productions have been specially selected for families, and Zoom education sessions leading up to the screening teach school-age kids about opera. This week’s offering is Otto Schenk‘s staging of Don Pasquale, starring Anna Netrebko as Norina, the clever young widow who helps teach John Del Carlo‘s Scrooge-like title character much-needed lessons about generosity and love. Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien costar in this 2010 mounting. Watch for free until Friday at 5 p.m. ET on the Metropolitan Opera’s website.
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Top image: Jason Dirden and Nikiya Mathis in the Atlantic Theater Company’s 2016 production of Skeleton Crew, which is having a reunion reading tonight. Photo by Ahron Foster.
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