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    Theater to Stream: A Dispatch From Britain and a Greek Classic

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    Terrence McNally’s farcical “It’s Only a Play,” the revue “After Midnight” and productions from Russia are among the highlights.Theater is slowly returning to what it knows best: actors and audiences in the same room at the same time.Yet digital initiatives endure. Companies in Britain appear to be ahead of their American colleagues when it comes to putting on physical shows while also catering to audiences who, for one reason or another, don’t have access to them in person. As the Southwark Playhouse in London says on its website, “This is the beauty of online stuff *waves furiously to all our international pals.* You can view this show from anywhere in the world.” That company will livestream two performances (on the same day) of its production of the Charles Dyer “Staircase,” a 1966 drama about a couple of gay men at a time when their relationship was vilified. July 3; southwarkplayhouse.co.uk‘It’s Only a Play’Terrence McNally’s 1980s farce is set at the opening-night party (remember those?) of a Broadway show (they’re coming back, you know). To work at all, the play needs a cast of ace comedians who can milk the assembled egos and their petty feuds. Luckily, the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey has wrangled crackerjacks, including Andy Grotelueschen (a Tony Award nominee for “Tootsie”), Julie Halston, Christine Toy Johnson and Triney Sandoval. Through July 4; georgestreetplayhouse.org‘After Midnight’Sophia Adoum and Solomon Parker III in “After Midnight.”Christopher MuellerThe Signature Theater in Arlington, Va., is presenting an energetic full production of the revue “After Midnight,” which ran on Broadway in 2013. Christopher Jackson (“Hamilton”) leads the cast through a whirlwind of jazzy Cotton Club-era songs, held together by Langston Hughes texts. The show has many pleasures, like the heavenly vocal harmonies in “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” and a timely reminder that tap is exhilarating. Through Aug. 4; sigtheatre.org‘The Bitch Is Back: An All-Too Intimate Evening’Sandra Tsing Loh’s 2015 solo show tackled the subject of menopause. Anybody familiar with Loh’s bitingly funny essays will know that for her, tackling means wrestling to the ground. After all, her memoir on the subject was titled “The Madwoman in the Volvo: My Year of Raging Hormones.” In Los Angeles, the Broad Stage is bringing the show back for a digital encore, because Lord knows a lot of women out there need that outlet. Through June 30; thebroadstage.org‘The Third Day: Autumn’Created by Felix Barrett of the British company Punchdrunk (whose “Sleep No More” opened in New York just over 10 years ago) and Dennis Kelly (“Utopia”), “The Third Day” is a cryptic hybrid of serial television and theater starring Jude Law. “Summer” and “Winter” are available on HBO; the middle part, “Autumn,” was done last fall as a live theatrical broadcast, and is now streaming for free. In typical fashion for the envelope-pushing Punchdrunk, “Autumn” goes on for 12 hours. punchdrunk.com‘The Oresteia’Theater for a New Audience presents Ellen McLaughlin’s adaptation of this ancient Greek trilogy, which she has streamlined into a single piece. Of course this only means a more concentrated dose of murder, palace intrigue and revenge (Friday through June 29; tfana.org). Keeping busy, McLaughlin has another classic coming up this summer: the Jacobean play “Pericles, Prince of Tyre,” presented into consecutive streamable “episodes” for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (starting July 2; sfshakes.org).‘Tiny House’It’s a safe bet that when the Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut opened in 1931, its founders did not expect the 90th-anniversary season would be taking place in a virtual universe even H.G. Wells couldn’t imagine. But here we are, and Michael Gotch’s new play, about folks discussing retrofitting their lives and best environmental practices at a Fourth of July picnic, uses green screens for the sets. June 29-July 18; westportplayhouse.org‘Where We Stand’Steppenwolf, in Chicago, concludes its virtual season with Donnetta Lavinia Grays’s fable of community and forgiveness, directed by Tamilla Woodard. When the solo show premiered at the WP Theater in New York early last year, it ended with the audience voting on a tough decision. That element is maintained in this digital capture, perhaps without the emotional impact of everybody being in the same room at the same time, but preserving the play’s anguished questioning. Through Aug. 31; steppenwolf.org‘Clubhouse’This spring, the Yangtze Repertory Theater commissioned five playwrights to adapt tales pulled from Pu Songling’s classic, often supernaturally tinged collection “Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio.” (The wonderful 1987 movie “A Chinese Ghost Story” was loosely inspired by Pu.) Now the company is streaming the results, with contributions by Stefani Kuo, Yilong Liu, Han Tang, Minghao Tu and Livian Yeh. Through July 18; yzrep.org‘Ghosting’This play, by Anne O’Riordan and Jamie Beamish (Nigel Berbrooke in “Bridgerton”), is less about abruptly ending a text chain than the lies we tell others and ourselves. The Irish Repertory Theater is now streaming the Theater Royal, Waterford, production, directed by Beamish and starring O’Riordan. Through July 4; irishrep.orgStage RussiaRussian theater productions are among the most creative in the world, but even at the best of times it’s been difficult to see them in the United States. This company is making it a lot easier by offering live captures and documentaries like “Rezo,” about the brilliant Georgian puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze, via various streaming options. One of them is Kanopy, which is free through many public libraries (though not, alas, New York’s). On-demand platforms include Stage Russia’s Vimeo channel and Digital Theater. stagerussia.com More

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      Theater to Stream: A Musical Throwback and ‘The Normal Heart’

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      Highlights include concerts by Melissa Errico and Sutton Foster, and an adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s “The Waves.”In 2018, New Yorkers in the know were buzzing about a new musical at the tiny York Theater. That show, Mark Sonnenblick’s “Midnight at the Never Get,” was subtly daring and thought-provoking, underneath a conventional, even old-fashioned exterior. Thanks to a streaming production from the Signature Theater in Arlington, Va., it should reach the greater audience it richly deserves.Set in 1960s Manhattan, the intimate musical follows the wistful romance between a cabaret singer, Trevor, and a songwriter, Arthur, as they try to come up with a hit act while staying true to themselves. What, for example, should they do about the pronouns in their love songs? Sonnenblick’s original numbers, which brilliantly emulate a vintage sound, are perfectly executed pastiches that also stand on their own. Sam Bolen, who was in the York production and created the concept with Sonnenblick and Max Friedman, returns as Trevor. April 30-June 21; sigtheatre.org‘We Have to Hurry’Here’s an intriguing pairing: Elliott Gould and Kathleen Chalfant as flirting Florida retirees, in a new play by Dorothy Lyman. (Ever busy, Chalfant will appear in a live production of Karen Malpede’s “Blue Valiant” at a Pennsylvania art farm May 29 and 30.) Gould got his start in Broadway musicals, so with a bit of luck he’ll break into song. A girl can dream. May 1 and 2; broadwayondemand.comTaysha Marie Canales in “No Child…”via Arden Theatre Company‘No Child …’Nilaja Sun wrote and performed in this solo play, from 2006, based in part on her eight years of teaching in the New York City public school system. Now, the Arden Theater Company in Philadelphia is staging it with Taysha Marie Canales, who handles all the characters — students, teachers, janitors and more — orbiting the fictional Malcolm X High School as they try to put on the Timberlake Wertenbaker play “Our Country’s Good.” April 27-May 9; ardentheatre.org‘50in50: Shattering the Glass Ceiling’For the fifth anniversary of its “50in50” monologue series, the Billie Holiday Theater in Brooklyn wrangled a stunning lineup for this anthology of stories read by Black actresses — Marsha Stephanie Blake, Marla Gibbs, Sanaa Lathan, Audra McDonald, Anika Noni Rose, Gabourey Sidibe, Wanda Sykes, Vanessa Williams and many, many others. May 6-9; thebillieholiday.org‘Il Parle, Elle Chante: Mystery’The performer Melissa Errico and Adam Gopnik, a writer for The New Yorker, conclude their collaboration at the French Institute Alliance Française with a livestreamed (then on-demand) concert dedicated to the dark universe of noir fiction, more specifically its back-and-forth between the United States and France. The songs, featuring Tedd Firth on piano, include David Raksin and Johnny Mercer’s “Laura” and the premiere of Gopnik and Peter Foley’s “We Live, We Love, We Lie, We Die.” The first two installments in Errico and Gopnik’s series, “Love” and “Desire,” are still available to stream. May 6; fiaf.org‘The Normal Heart’This one is by appointment only, so mark your calendar for the ONE Archives Foundation’s reading of Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart” with — deep breath — Sterling K. Brown, Jeremy Pope, Laverne Cox, Jake Borelli and Danielle Savre, among others. The foundation supports the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern California libraries — said to be the largest of its kind in the world. Paris Barclay directs. May 8; onearchives.orgRaúl Esparza in “The Waves in Quarantine.”via Berkeley Repertory Theatre‘The Waves in Quarantine’When Lisa Peterson and David Bucknam’s adaptation of the Virginia Woolf novel premiered in 1990, The New York Times wrote that the book, score and lyrics were “suffused with a Woolfian intensity and intoxication.” Now Peterson directs a revised, virtual version that she conceived with the actor Raúl Esparza, with additional music by Adam Gwon. In addition to Esparza, the cast includes Carmen Cusack, Nikki Renée Daniels, Darius de Haas, Manu Narayan and Alice Ripley. April 29-May 28; berkeleyrep.orgCabaretIn “Bring Me to Light,” Sutton Foster’s on-demand concert at New York City Center, she covers a decent amount of Broadway ground. A six-time Tony Award nominee and two-time winner, she will swing from golden oldies from “Camelot,” “Oklahoma!” and “South Pacific” to excerpts from lesser-known shows, including “Anyone Can Whistle,” “Violet” and Andrew Lippa’s “The Wild Party.” April 28-May 31; nycitycenter.orgThere’s no rest on the virtual cabaret stages this month. John Lloyd Young is letting fans choose the songs for his “By Request” concert at the Space in Las Vegas. There is a 99 percent chance that they will select something from “Jersey Boys,” for which Young won a Tony in 2006. May 1-9; thespacelv.comJeremy Jordan in “Carry On,” presented by Feinstein’s/54 Below.Jenny AndersonIn New York, Feinstein’s/54 Below is covering different bases and constituencies with Jeremy Jordan’s “Carry On” (May 6-June 17) and Marilyn Maye’s “Broadway, the Maye Way” (May 8-June 19). 54below.comAt the GoodmanThe Goodman Theater in Chicago is out with two productions staged by Robert Falls, its artistic director. First is “Measure for Measure,” from 2013, a tale of bad hypocrisy and even worse policing that might feel resonant these days (through May 9). Next, Falls tackles a livestreamed staging of Adam Rapp’s “The Sound Inside,” a two-hander — in this case Mary Beth Fisher and John Drea — that has turned into a pandemic staple thanks to its relatively simple logistical demands and suspenseful pace (May 13-16). goodmantheatre.org‘Eurobeat: The Pride of Europe’The Will Ferrell movie “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” introduced many Americans to the glories of the title’s Pan-European competition. If you want to warm up before this year’s edition, May 18-22, stream an update of a revival, which The Guardian called a “sparkly, spandex-clad, bad-taste extravaganza” when it ran in the West End in 2008. In the Eurovision context, this description amounts to high praise. And yes, viewers can vote for the outcome. April 30-May 10; stream.theatre More

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      ‘Only Child’ Review: A Magnetic Performer Without a Story to Match

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      The autobiographical solo show from Daniel J. Watts shows off his skill with spoken word and dance, but doesn’t add up to more than the sum of its parts.What’s your name? What’s your story?In classrooms and job interviews, on dating profiles and first dates, we’re often asked to craft an abridged narrative of our lives, to single out the events and characteristics that best define us. It’s a lot of pressure, and an impossible task, so we settle for formulaic prompts and cheesy icebreakers.The chasm between the raw material of a life and the manipulation of facts into a coherent narrative is wide enough that a writer too shaky on his feet may very well fall right in.That’s where we find Daniel J. Watts, the magnetic creator and star of “The Jam: Only Child,” a filmed rendition of his one-person show, presented for streaming by the Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia. (The show also had a brief run at the Public Theater in 2020, as part of the Under the Radar festival.)Watts, who earned a well-deserved Tony Award nomination for his performance as Ike Turner in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” has the irrepressible energy and timing of a stand-up comic, and his bouncy jabber-jawed delivery connects even through the screen.And while the production, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, is sleek, stylish and technically sound, the script finds Watts unable to transcend platitudes, relying instead on our current conversations about race and gender to shape his story and give it pertinence.“Only Child” opens with Watts emanating such ease that you can’t help but want to be seduced by the beats and bops of the performance. In denim overalls, a matching jacket and red cap, he cruises out on what looks like the concert platform of the flyest club in town. There’s a mysterious depth to the intimate room, thanks to Adam Honoré’s lighting design, with DJ Duggz behind turntables in the back center, there to accompany the monologue with sounds as varied as Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” and perky, easy listening.With the lackadaisical swagger of the cool kid in school, Watts greets DJ Duggz with a choreographed handshake, then somersaults into a spoken word rhythm, the hybrid of theater and rap that recalls the master of the form, Lin-Manuel Miranda. (Watts gets the connection, declaring himself “somewhere between Sammy Davis, Dave Chappelle, Leguizamo and Lin-Manuel.”)He begins with his 1980s childhood in North Carolina, eating Gushers and Zebra Cakes, watching “ThunderCats” and discovering the fun of lighting things on fire in the bathroom while his single mother isn’t around. He grows up awkward around girls, perennially friend-zoned, and has a breakdown in college that has him question his relationship to masculinity and sexuality. All the while the shadowy absence of his father looms in the background.The show finds Watts describing his North Carolina childhood and struggling with his identity as a Black man.via the Signature TheaterAs a writer, Watts is enamored with metaphor, but his analogies get muddled. Within the first few minutes, he has already described the process of putting together this theatrical memoir, from scraps of poetry and raps and recollections, as unearthing skeletons in the closet, unpacking boxes in an attic and grabbing jars of jam from the pantry shelves.And where is he headed? Despite its title, the show never effectively captures how being an only child affected his development. He describes his admiration for his mother, but she isn’t presented as a fully developed figure. And he glosses over his relationship with his father, until, more than halfway in, he drops the briefest mention of abusive behavior, and refers to the rage he holds onto, before moving along.In casting about for shape to his story, Watts reaches for politics. He uses his college sexual experiences to talk about consent, but his attempt to hold himself accountable for a questionable drunken hookup — plus his regret at the loss of an idol in Bill Cosby after the comedian’s sexual assault allegations — come across as tone-deaf.Similarly, a section in which he shares his anger as a Black man in America, name-dropping many of the unjustly killed Black people in recent years, reads like a grasp for political relevance more than a personal tie-in. Because Watts fails to unpack — or even really mention — his relationship to race until this roll call of victims, it feels incidental, despite how poignantly these tragedies may ring true for him in real life.Late in the 90-minute show, Watts dons tap shoes to dance out a drunken spiral, a physical representation of his tumble down to rock bottom. He trips across the stage with his upper body slumped over, arms carelessly flailing in a pantomime of a man stumbling after one too many beers.It’s a cleverly conceived performance, shifting from spoken word to tap, another medium in which Watts tells us he found comfort. But Watts struggles to transition back to his story, making the routine feel more like a musical interlude set to the sounds of Bob Marley.So what’s the upshot of a show electrically performed yet sloppily composed? Watts seems to fumble for the answer himself, ending on a handful of clichés and bumper-sticker affirmations about living one’s truth and saying yes to life.“Only Child” is a reminder that translating a life into art can take time and distance. Watts has talent to spare, and as for the story — well, doesn’t the saying go that all writing is rewriting?Daniel J. Watts’ The Jam: Only ChildThrough May 7; sigtheatre.org. More