18 Stage Performances to Watch Today, June 22
The Metropolitan Opera: La Traviata
At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera shares La Traviata, Giuseppe Verdi’s romantic tragedy about a courtesan whose chance at true love is thwarted by bourgeois mores. This production was filmed for the company’s Live in HD series in 2017, and stars Sonya Yoncheva, Michael Fabiano and Thomas Hampson, with Nicola Luisotti conducting. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera’s website. You can still stream yesterday’s opera, Satyagraha, until 6:30 p.m. today.
Bindlestiff Open Stage: Quarantine Edition
At 7:30 p.m. ET, run away with the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus at the troupe’s weekly live-streamed variety show, hosted by adorkable ringmaster Keith Nelson. This edition’s cavalcade of amazing acts is particularly impressive, including Jenny Vidbel, the Big Apple Circus’ erstwhile equestrian and awe-inspiring animal trainer, yo-yo spinner Mark Hayward, aerialist Montana Miller, mesmerizing mentalist Eric Walton and Denny Daniel, the loquacious propriter of the Museum of Interesting Things . Watch for free on Bindlestiff’s Facebook page though donations are encouraged.
Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids
At 7:30 p.m. ET, Barrington Stage Company and Capital Repertory Theatre present a live reading of Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids, Vincent Terrell Durham‘s of-the-moment play about a progressive white couple in Harlem throwing a dinner party for Black Lives Matter activists, where the uncomfortable conversation includes systemic racism, police brutality and environmental disaster. The companies originally performed the play on Juneteenth, and this encore event will be followed by a live discussion. Watch for free on Capital Rep’s Facebook page though donations to the Fund for Black Theatre in the US are encouraged.
At 8 p.m. ET, Lincoln Center at Home presents rarely seen gems from New York City Ballet‘s archives that showcase the genius of the troupe’s cofounder George Balanchine. This program features highlights from the 2004 broadcast of the Balanchine 100 Centennial Celebration, including the fourth movement of the Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet with Wendy Whelan and Damian Woetzel and “The Man I Love” pas de deux from Who Cares? starring Alexandra Ansanelli and Nilas Martins, with Wynton Marsalis playing the Gershwin score. There’s also an excerpt from the 1978 broadcast of Coppélia featuring Patricia McBride and Helgi Tomasson. Watch for free until Tuesday, July 14 on Lincoln Center’s Facebook page.
Stars in the House: Andréa Burns
At 8 p.m. ET, On Your Feet! diva Andréa Burns continues her Monday night guest hosting duties on Stars in the House. Guests have yet to be determined. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund are encouraged.
Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party
At 8 p.m. ET, cabaret maven Jim Caruso welcomes renowned singers and up-and-comers at Pajama Cast Party, a live-streamed version of his popular weekly Cast Party gatherings that have taken place at Birdland for years. Tonight’s lineup includes Next to Normal Tony winner Alice Ripley; former New York City Ballet dancer and An American in Paris Tony nominee Robbie Fairchild; the voice of Sesame Street‘s Abby Cadabby Leslie Carrara-Rudolph and legendary jazz crooner Allan Harris. Watch for free on YouTube though tips via the Venmo app are appreciated.
Muny Magic in Your Home: The Buddy Holly Boys
At 9:15 p.m. ET, after 102 years, the shows won’t go on at The Muny this summer. Thankfully, the beloved St. Louis institution is sharing some past performances from its intimate cabaret series. Tonight, bop along to The Buddy Holly Boys as the quartet plays hits by the pioneering ’50s rocker. This concert features Andy Christopher, Joe Cosmo Cogen, Kyle Lacy and Nathan Yates Douglass, who headlined the Muny’s acclaimed 2015 mainstage production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Watch for free on the Muny’s website.
Queerly Festival
The Queerly Festival, an annual showcase of cutting-edge LGBTQ artists usually held at FRIGID: New York’s Kraine Theatre, goes virtual this year with two and a half weeks of indie performances. Tonight there are three separate shows:
- At 7 p.m. ET, Peter Michael Marino performs Desperately Seeking the Exit, his riotous solo comedy about the behind-the-scenes drama at his notorious 2007 London flop musical Desperately Seeking Susan. Tickets are available to purchase from the theatre but TDF members get a discount.
- At 8:15 p.m. ET, Big Gay Love Story: The Musical explores the challenges of modern-day romance through the eyes of a group of young LGBTQ friends living in L.A. Tickets are available to purchase from the theatre but TDF members get a discount.
- At 9:30 p.m. ET, It’s Not Me, It’s You: A Paradise Lost Reimagining is a queer take on the story of Lucifer’s fall from grace. Tickets are available to purchase from the theatre but TDF members get a discount.
Available to Watch All Day
Blair Underwood and Joe Morton in Cuttin’ Up
If you missed the star-studded live reading of Cuttin’ Up on Sunday, a recording is available to watch for the next 24 hours. Charles Randolph-Wright‘s stage adaptation of Craig Marberry’s book focuses on three Black barbers of different generations, and the humor and wisdom they bestow on their customers and each other. Stage and screen stars Blair Underwood, Joe Morton and Dyllon Burnside lead a cast that includes Tisha Campbell as all the women who drop by the shop. Watch for free on Playbill’s website though a $10 donation to the Classical Theatre of Harlem is suggested.
Lincoln Center Theater: Act One
Lincoln Center Theater shares a recording of Act One, James Lapine‘s Tony-nominated adaptation of legendary theatre-maker Moss Hart‘s memoir about how he got into showbiz. The cast includes Tony winners Santino Fontana and Tony Shalhoub, who plays Hart as an older man as well as his longtime collaborator George S. Kaufman. It’s a charming, history-filled love letter to the enduring allure of the stage. Watch for free until Friday, July 3 on Lincoln Center’s YouTube channel.
Holland Taylor in Ann
PBS presents Ann, Holland Taylor‘s one-woman bio-play about the late Ann Richards, an outspoken Democrat who served as Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. Taylor’s compelling portrayal earned her a Tony nomination as best actress. It’s an inspiring portrait of a woman who captivated as a politician and as a person. Watch for free until Friday, July 17on PBS’ website.
National Theatre: Small Island
London’s National Theatre presents Small Island, Helen Edmundson’s acclaimed 2019 stage adaptation of Andrea Levy’s novel exploring the complicated history between Jamaica and the U.K. through a trio of interconnected stories as the protagonists try to find their way in post-WWII Britain. Directed by Rufus Norris and featuring a diverse cast of more than 40 actors, this three-hour epic is available to watch for free until Thursday at 2 p.m. ET on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel.
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Top image: Wendy Whelan and Damian Woetzel in Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. Photo by Paul Kolnik.
RAVEN SNOOK