19 Stage Performances to See Today, May 19
The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues
At 6 p.m. EST, catch the latest installment of The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues, a six-hour series of solos about how we’re living today. Every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. until midnight, well-known actors—including Todd Almond, Maddie Corman, Ari Graynor, Cobie Smulders, Ryan Spahn and Kate Hamill—will perform tailor-made monologues, all penned and filmed within the last 24 hours. This week directors were paired with a single collaborator to create the pieces, including Colt Coeur’s Adrienne Campbell-Holt, Sammi Cannold, who helmed Evita at Encores! last year, Rock of Ages‘ Kristin Hanggi and Tony nominee Leigh Silverman. Watch on Instagram at instagram.com/24hourplays.
The Tank: 2020 Virtual Gala
At 6 p.m. ET, one of , The Tank, throws an online benefit with performances by Tony winners Tonya Pinkins and Denis O’Hare, performers from Hadestown, the cast of Tony winner Greg Kotis‘ I Am Nobody, which was forced to close early due to the pandemic, and others. Tickets are $30 and come with an at-home cook along by Chef Jenn de la Vega so you can complement your cutting-edge culture with tasty cuisine.
54 Sings One Direction at Feinstein’s/54 Below
At 6:30 p.m. ET, Feinstein’s/54 Below presents 54 Sings One Direction, a concert tribute to the beloved British boy band of the 2010s. Up-and-coming stage stars such as Nicholas Barasch (She Loves Me), Charlotte Maltby, Larry Owens (A Strange Loop), Andy Richardson (Newsies, Kinky Boots) and Colton Ryan (Girl From the North Country) show off their best Harry Styles ‘dos and vocals as they croon “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” “Drag Me Down” and other hits. Watch for free on the club’s YouTube channel. This performance won’t be available after-the-fact.
Café La MaMa Live with Karen Finley
At 7 p.m. ET, go avant-garde with Café La MaMa Live: Take 6, a smorgasbord of short performances that experiment with form. This week is curated by a pair of gleefully irreverent performance artists and political truth-tellers, Karen Finley and George Emilio Sanchez, and the lineup includes downtown darlings JD Davids, Dusty Childers and Pamela Sneed. Watch for free on La MaMa’s website, though donations are encouraged.
Lohengrin at the Met
At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera shares its 2010 mounting of Wagner’s Lohengrin, starring Eva Marton, Leonie Rysanek, Peter Hofmann, Leif Roar and John Macurdy, conducted by James Levine. The production was filmed for the company’s Live in HD series, and is available to watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera’s website. You can still stream yesterday’s opera, Idomeneo, until 6:30 p.m. today.
New York City Ballet: George Balanchine’s Diamonds
At 8 p.m. ET, New York City Ballet shares George Balanchine’s Diamonds, the third section of the legendary choreographer’s three-part Jewels, set to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29. Sara Mearns and Russell Janzen dance this masterwork, which was recorded in performance last year. Watch for free on NYCB’s YouTube channel through Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
The 37th Annual Michael R. Jackson Talk and Sing
At 8 p.m. ET, Musical Theatre Factory, which incubates work by underrepresented artists, shares a concert by Michael R. Jackson, newly minted Pulitzer Prize winner for his marvelous meta musical A Strange Loop, which was developed at the organization. Recorded at Joe’s Pub last year, this performance also features Natalie Walker, John-Andrew Morrison and Molly Hager. Watch for free on Musical Theatre Factory’s YouTube Channel though donations are encouraged.
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Shakespeare’s Globe: The Winter’s Tale
London’s Shakespeare’s Globe shares a recording of its 2018 mounting of The Winter’s Tale, Shakespeare’s genre-shifting comedy-tragedy-romance about an insanely jealous king, a pair of determined young lovers, an oracle, a magical statue and a bear. Watch for free anytime through Sunday, May 31 on the theatre’s YouTube channel.
National Theatre: Barber Shop Chronicles
London’s National Theatre shares Barber Shop Chronicles, Inua Ellams’ hit play about the thriving social scenes at six different barbershops, one in London, the others in Africa. A critically acclaimed production, the show presents a loving and insightful portrait of the African men who work and visit these hair-styling havens. Watch for free anytime through Thursday at 2 p.m. ET on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel.
Stratford Festival: The Tempest
Ontario’s venerable Stratford Festival continues its Shakespeare On Film series with The Tempest starring six-decade stage vet Martha Henry as Prospero the vengeful sorcerer. Stratford’s artistic director Antoni Cimolino helmed this well-received 2018 production, which you can watch for free on the Stratford Festival’s YouTube channel.
Odd Day Rain at TADA! Youth Theater
TADA! Youth Theater, NYC’s 35-year-old, Drama Desk Award-winning youth company whose alums include Jordan Peele and Kerry Washington, is sharing recordings of its original hour-long musicals for families. Recorded last year, the sci-fi rock musical Odd Day Rain is a tuneful cautionary tale about the perils of relying on technology, and features kids forced to live in isolation, which feels eerily timely. The production stars talented tykes from ages 8 to 18 who are members of TADA!’s Resident Youth Ensemble. Watch for free on TADA!’s YouTube channel.
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Top image: Lauren Patten and company performing “You Oughta Know” in Jagged Little Pill. Photo by Matthew Murphy..
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