TDF Stages

With in-person theatre a rarity for the foreseeable future, many companies and performers from Broadway and beyond are showcasing their work online. Below are performances you can watch this Wednesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 25, from the comfort of your couch for free or at low cost.

Wednesday, March 24

Irish Repertory Theatre: The Aran Islands
On Wednesday at 3 and 8 p.m. ET, NYC's venerable Irish Rep presents The Aran Islands, director Joe O'Byrne's one-man adaptation of John Millington Synge's 1907 novel of the same name. Brendan Conroy stars as Synge, whose time in the grey, mystical landscape of the remote isles inspired many of his writings, including Riders to the Sea. This digital production was filmed primarily at Dublin's New Theatre, with additional footage from (where else?) the Aran Islands. Tickets are required to receive the free viewing link though a $25 donation is suggested.

The Metropolitan Opera: Don Pasquale
On Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET, 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. These productions have been specially selected for families and are complemented by online educational materials. 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.

Ballet Hispánico: Show.Girl.
On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET, Ballet Hispánico presents an archival recording of Show.Girl., Rosie Herrera's exploration of Latina identity using the Cuban cabaret aesthetic. Stick around for a post-performance Q&A with the choreographer. Watch for free on the dance company's Facebook page.

The Metropolitan Opera: Iphigénie en Tauride
On Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Iphigénie en Tauride, Gluck's adaptation of the Greek myth featuring Plácido Domingo as Oreste and Susan Graham as his long-lost sister Iphigénie. Paul Groves and Gordon Hawkins costar in Stephen Wadsworth's 2011 mounting. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, La Damnation de Faust, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

Stars in the House: Fiddler Celebration
On Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, it's a Fiddler on the Roof extravaganza on Stars in the House. Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley welcome artists involved in three revivals of the iconic musical, including Joel Grey, who directed Yiddish Fiddler; Danny Burstein, who starred in the most recent Broadway revival; Andy Nyman, who starred in the 2019 West End revival; and Judy Kuhn, who appeared opposite Burstein and Nyman as Golde in both productions! L'chaim! Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

Thursday, March 25

Brian Stokes Mitchell on Classic Conversations
On Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, Classic Stage Company presents a chat between artistic director John Doyle and Brian Stokes Mitchell, a Tony winner beloved for his performances on Broadway (Ragtime, Kiss Me, Kate, Shuffle Along) and out his window, as well as his tireless efforts as the chairman of The Actors Fund, which has been sustaining unemployed entertainment workers during the pandemic. Watch for free on Classic Stage Company's Facebook page.

Dylan McDermott in Night of the Iguana
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, La Femme Theatre Productions presents Night of the Iguana, Tennessee Williams' steamy tale of an Episcopal priest turned tour guide, who gets into love trouble south of the border. Dylan McDermott stars as the struggling reverend, and Phylicia Rashad, Roberta Maxwell, Carmen Berkeley and Jean Lichty are some of the ladies who complicate his life. Emily Mann directed this presentation, which premiered last December and is being restreamed in honor of the playwright's birthday. Tickets start at $15 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Sunday.

Lincoln Center Theater: Looking Back at Contact
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, Lincoln Center Theater continues its Spotlight Series with a Contact reunion. Director-choreographer Susan Stroman's genre-defying dance show won a total of four 2000 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. She'll be joined by writer John Weidman, and original stars Boyd Gaines, Seán Martin Hingston, Deborah Yates and Karen Ziemba. Register for the free Zoom link.

Irish Repertory Theatre: The Aran Islands
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, NYC's venerable Irish Rep presents The Aran Islands, director Joe O'Byrne's one-man adaptation of John Millington Synge's 1907 novel of the same name. Brendan Conroy stars as Synge, whose time in the grey, mystical landscape of the remote isles inspired many of his writings, including Riders to the Sea. This digital production was filmed primarily at Dublin's New Theatre, with additional footage from (where else?) the Aran Islands. Tickets are required to receive the free viewing link though a $25 donation is suggested.

The Metropolitan Opera: Elektra
On Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Elektra, Strauss' adaptation of the ancient Greek myth featuring Nina Stemme in the title role. Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud Meier and Eric Owens costar in this 2016 mounting of the tragedy. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Iphigénie en Tauride, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

Broadway's Best Shows Spotlight on Plays: The Thanksgiving Play
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, since spring of 2020, Broadway's Best Shows has presented performances of important plays featuring big stars acting from their respective homes. The series continues with Larissa FastHorse's biting comedy The Thanksgiving Play, about four well-meaning, over-woke folks trying to mount a school holiday pageant that simultaneously celebrates Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month. Tony nominee Leigh Silverman directs Keanu Reeves, Heidi Schreck, Bobby Cannavale and Alia Shawkat as the clueless quartet. Tickets are $15 and the recording is viewable until Monday. If you're interested in seeing the other plays in the series with the likes of Meryl Streep, Kathryn Hahn, Kevin Kline and Audra McDonald, you can buy a seven-show pass for $59. Proceeds benefit The Actors Fund.

Stars in the House: #AAPI
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, in light of the horrifying increase in hateful speech and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Stars in the House amplifies the voices of actors and activists Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Pearl Sun and Ruthie Ann Miles. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

The Joyce Theater: Israel Galván: Maestro de Barra
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, Chelsea dance haven The Joyce continues its digital season with a world premiere from acclaimed flamenco dancer and choreographer Israel Galván. With theatres closed, Galván went to cafés and bars for inspiration, riffing off the organic rhythms of everyday life and translating them into lightning-fast and passion-fueled moves. The resulting piece, Maestro de Barra, was filmed live in and around real-life cafés. 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 Wednesday, April 7.

Center Theatre Group: Tango the Musical
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group presents Tango the Musical, a celebration of the title dance and the music of 20th-century Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla, who pioneered nuevo tango. This dance spectacle centers on a romance set against the backdrop of Argentina's Dirty War, when the military murdered thousands of citizens from 1976-1983. Recorded at the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, the production features 11 world-champion Argentine tango couples accompanied by a 10-piece orchestra. Tickets are $10.

Irondale: Walking with Bubbles
On Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, Brooklyn's Irondale presents Walking with Bubbles, Broadway vet Jessica Hendy's autobiographical solo show chronicling the dissolution of her marriage due to her husband's mental illness and her journey raising their son in a challenging new reality. Tickets are $15.

The Actors' Gang: Tim Robbins and Peter Brook Conversation
On Thursday at 10 p.m. ET, Tim Robbins, Oscar-winning actor and artistic director of the Los Angeles theatre The Actors' Gang, has an intimate conversation with groundbreaking theatre-maker Peter Brook, who continues to write and direct visionary work at age 96 (his birthday was this past Sunday!). Register to receive the free Zoom link.

Available to Watch Both Days

George Street Playhouse: Fully Committed
New Jersey's George Street Playhouse presents a new online production of Becky Mode's Fully Committed, a satire of NYC's haute cuisine scene. 30 Rock star Maulik Pancholy plays more than 40 characters in this one-man comedy, including an aspiring actor/harried restaurant reservationist, who's having a really bad day, along with all of his demanding patrons. The 1999 play was initially a smash Off Broadway, and was revamped and revived on Broadway in 2016. With sitcom and stage vet Pancholy as the main ingredient, we expect this digital reimagining will be a delicious tour de farce. Tickets are $33 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount. The recording is viewable until Sunday, April 11. Closed captions and audio description are available.

New York City Center: American Theatre Ballet: A Ratmansky Celebration
New York City Center presents an evening of works by American Ballet Theatre's celebrated resident choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. The program was recorded live on stage at City Center sans audience and features excerpts from The Seasons, Seven Sonatas and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as the world premiere of Bernstein in a Bubble, set to music by Leonard Bernstein. Tickets are $25 and the recording is available until Sunday, April 18.

The Shows Must Go On!: Letters Live
The Shows Must Go On! presents another star-studded edition of Letters Live, featuring well-known actors reading remarkable correspondence on stage. This performance features Taron Egerton, Claire Foy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Asa Butterfield, Olivia Colman and Damian Lewis. Watch for free until Sunday on YouTube though donations to Choose Love are encouraged.

Red Bull Theater: Galatea
NYC's Red Bull Theater, known for reimagining classics, presented a live reading of MJ Kaufman's Galatea on Monday, and you can watch a recording until Friday. Loosely based on John Lyly's Elizabethan play Gallathea, this contemporary work is a trans love story set against the backdrop of a climate crisis. Will Davis directs a cast of trans and gender-nonconforming performers, including Ty Defoe, Jo Lampert, Aneesh Sheth and TL Thompson. Watch for free on Red Bull's YouTube channel; a $25 donation is suggested.

The Mint Theater: Yours Unfaithfully
Off Broadway's esteemed Mint Theater Company, which has been unearthing forgotten plays since 1992, presents a recording of Yours Unfaithfully, Miles Malleson's 1933 dramcom about the cost of free love, centering on an artistic couple trying to embrace open marriage. Tony nominee Max von Essen, Mikaela Izquierdo and Elisabeth Gray star in this production, which was recorded on stage in 2017. Watch for free until Sunday, May 16 on the Mint's website by clicking on the photo and entering your email address. Donations are encouraged and closed captions are available.

Goodman Theater: How to Catch Creation
Chicago's lauded Goodman Theatre is presenting recordings of recent shows, beginning with Christina Anderson's How to Catch Creation, about how a couple's drama impacts four artists 50 years later. Acclaimed director Niegel Smith helmed this 2019 production. Reservations are required to receive the free viewing link. The recording is viewable until Sunday and closed captions are available.

BKLYN–The Musical
On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET, revisit an undersung gem with this virtual production of BKLYN, a modern-day urban fairy tale about five street performers who share their talents and one big story with passersby. Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson's chamber musical enjoyed a brief run on Broadway under the title Brooklyn. This digital reimagining was recorded in London during quarantine and stars West End vets Sejal Keshwala, Emma Kingston, Newtion Matthews, Jamie Muscato and Marisha Wallace. Tickets are £18, approximately $25.

IAMA Theatre Company: Anyone But Me and The Oxy Complex
Los Angeles' IAMA Theatre Company presents a pair of compelling solo shows by Latinx performers. Sheila Carrasco's Anyone But Me explores the personas women create to get by in a patriarchal society. Anna LaMadrid's The Oxy Complex is set on the 500th day of quarantine (!!!) and examines how loneliness, trauma and the lack of oxytocin impact our well-being. Tickets are $15 per show, $20 for both. The recordings are viewable until Sunday, April 18.

Giles Terera: Black Matter
British actor and singer-songwriter Giles Terera, who won an Olivier Award for his powerful performance as Aaron Burr in the West End production of Hamilton, presents his new song cycle Black Matter, his response to the upheaval of the pandemic and the demands for social justice. The concert was filmed during lockdown at London's Crazy Coqs cabaret, with Giles capturing the intense emotions of the past year, singing alone on stage with his piano and guitar. Tickets are £12, approximately $17 and the recording is viewable until Wednesday, March 31.

Goodspeed Musicals: Passing Through
Connecticut's acclaimed Goodspeed Musicals presents Passing Through, about a young man traveling across the country on foot, collecting stories and wisdom that he ultimately applies to his own unresolved family issues. Based on Andrew Forsthoefel's best-selling memoir Walking to Listen: 4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time, this heartwarming show features songs by Brett Ryback and a book by Eric Ulloa, and was filmed live on stage in 2019. Max Chernin stars as Andrew, and Broadway vets Jim Stanek and Garrett Long play his parents. Igor Goldin directs. 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, April 4.

Out of the Box Theatrics: The Last Five Years
On Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET, Jason Robert Brown's musical dissection of a romance, The Last Five Years, has proven to be a pandemic favorite, with multiple productions in the UK and stateside. It makes sense since the two-hander is about disconnection, as the man tells his side of their love story chronologically while the woman recalls their relationship in reverse. This digital reimagining of the show was coproduced by Out of the Box Theatrics and Holmdel Theatre Company and filmed inside a New York City apartment, giving it an air of verisimilitude. Nasia Thomas and Nicholas Edwards star as the ill-fated couple, and celebrated musical director Jason Michael Webb helmed the production. Tickets start at $29.

Raven Snook is the Editor of TDF Stages. Follow her at @RavenSnook. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

Top image: Keanu Reeves, who's appearing in a digital production of The Thanksgiving Play starting Thursday evening.