Many theatergoers took notice of playwright Rajiv Joseph in 2009 when his play, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, had its world premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for the play which found its way to Broadway in 2011 with Robin Williams heading the cast.

In 2008, New York’s Second Stage Theater gave the world premiere production of Joseph’s play Animals Out of Paper. In that play an origami artist takes a teenage prodigy, Suresh, under her wing at the suggestion of his high school teacher.

Joseph has revisited the character of Suresh for his new play, Letters of Suresh, which is having its world-premiere at Second Stage Theater. The play continues through Sunday, October 24th.

Letters of Suresh is told via letters sent by Suresh to a priest in Nagasaki, Japan, whom he encountered in the first play. After Father Hiromoto’s passing, his grand-niece, Melody, has taken possession of a box of letters Suresh sent to him. She tries to figure out exactly who Suresh is to her great uncle and why all these letters exist in the first place.

Last week I spoke via Zoom with Joseph about his new play, the lost art of letter-writing and the parallels to be found in origami and playwriting. What follows are excerpts from our conversation that have been edited for length and clarity.

Origami master Robert J. Lang said “The secret to productivity in so many fields and in origami is letting dead people do your work for you because what you can do is take your problem and turn it into a problem that someone else has solved and used their solutions.” Do you agree and how much does that represent perhaps what Suresh is doing in Letters of Suresh? 

I mean, that’s really interesting. Dead people. (LAUGHS) You know, I don’t know if that’s Suresh is doing. I think that is a really interesting observation by Robert Lang. I think that Suresh’s reckoning within this play is his own contribution and his own participation in a sort of violence or potential violence that can exist in the world. And I think that what we see in his letters to Father Hashimoto are, at first, kind of friendly getting to know you fuck off letters.

But then I think the play really begins when he writes to Father Hashimoto five years later. And I think therein begins his engagement with this priest. All the while wanting to ask or tell him something that he’s unable to do until the very end.

I think that most people who do origami and are passionate about it understand it on a metaphorical /perhaps spiritual level. They understand themselves in their folds and they understand the world in their folds. And I think that for me as the playwright, and also for Suresh, the examination of that talent is how he thinks about the world and also thinks about his own sort of complicity in his choices and the kind of business that he’s decided to go into.

Though he has major differences with Hashimoto, he still reaches out to him.

I think the reason that he always comes back to Hashimoto is because he understands Hashimoto has wisdom that he lacks. Even as he rails against Hashimoto’s religious tact or approach to life, he is curious about a different way of thinking, a different way of living. I think that the the characters in this play, not just Suresh and Hashimoto, but also Melody and Amelia, are all in these crisis points of trying to figure out a new way of approaching life. What’s interesting to me about spiritual thought is that if you begin to contemplate it in any way, there’s a sort of infinite reservoir of ideas that can come from it. And I think that that’s that’s what I see Suresh is looking for in Hashimoto.

In an era where we’re so used to texting and emailing, has society lost something, in your opinion, by not continuing in the tradition of writing letters? 

Yeah, I think so. I think that we always lose when we gain something else. I’m not one to bad mouth technology. I rely on it as much as anybody else. But I spent three years in the Peace Corps between 1997 and 2000. When I went into the Peace Corps in ’97, I didn’t, and no one I knew, had an e-mail address. And when I returned in 2000, all of my friends and parents and families, they all had e-mail addresses and I had to suddenly get one. My main communication with my friends and family had been through letter writing and through receiving letters from all of them – handwritten on paper and put in an envelope with a stamp and sent across the ocean.

I wonder if I was the last class of Peace Corps volunteers that wrote letters. I still have them, and my parents gave me back the ones I wrote to them. I remember the way that I thought about communicating with people. It was so much deeper, I think. I still think that people have significant communication with each other, but it’s different.

I think that letter writing is a lost art form. To re-engage with it requires a sort of a purposeful fetish with the art rather than necessity. No one needs to write them anymore. So to do it is like going back to vinyl, which people do these days. It’s just going to take, if anyone is interested in doing it, a kind of purposeful reversion to an analog state.

Suresh says in one of his letters, “It’s strange how you can forget about the person you used to be.” I just stopped when I read that line because I started thinking who I used to be, which is something I don’t think we evaluate as we get older. We don’t look back. Do you think that forgetfulness about who we used to be is either a good or bad thing? 

I think it’s a sad thing. I don’t think it’s good or bad. It may be a sad and necessary thing – maybe. I have letters, but I’ve also been keeping a journal pretty consistently for the past twenty five years or so since I graduated from college. Every so often I go back and just read entries from it and they always kind of stun me.

They stunned me in two ways. In some ways they stun me because I’m so similar to that. I am the same person I was. But then it stuns me what my life used to be like and how I used to live and how I used to kind of think and do things.

I think that we have this endless capacity to change, to improve and evolve. But I think that, like in that evolution, you can lose a sense of wonder or lose a sense of curiosity. So there are things to mourn and also things to be like, I’m glad that kid’s no longer be around because what an asshole!

In the very next letter, Melody says, “A few years ago when I was a different person.” I feel like there’s a call and response. I don’t know if that if that was intentional in the way you structured the letters, but it feels like we get opposing views of exactly that concept in back-to-back letters. 

Absolutely. The Melody letter is actually the one that gets to the heart of it because in her case, it’s a very sad thing. She knew that she had this thing that she’s kind of not open for many years. And then the act of re-reading and re-reading Suresh’s letters has finally caused her to remember a mistake that she made that that sent her life in a different direction. I think everybody has those little moments. I know that I think about them sometimes. And I think that a lot of this is play is about considering the paths that have not been taken. For me this is really interesting. 

Are there ways in which playwriting and origami are similar? 

Absolutely. When you have origami you can fold the paper in half and and that can be a bird. You can be like that’s a bird. Then you can also have a crease pattern with hundreds and hundreds of folds, and that can be a three-dimensional bird. There’s not necessarily a corollary between complexity and beauty. I think that for me the most beautiful plays and the most beautiful origami are the surprising ones. And it’s not because they have so many folds or such a complicated structure, but it’s because somebody has taken a simple piece of paper and made something unexpected and beautiful out of it. And the more unique that design can be, and the more surprising it is, the more satisfying the work of art is.

For tickets to Letters of Suresh by Rajiv Joseph, please go here.

All production photos by Joan Marcus (Courtesy Second Stage Theater)

The post Playwright Rajiv Joseph and His World of Letters appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

We have fifteen different options for you this week. Attention Margaret Cho fans, we will tell you how to start and end your weekend with her.

Here are your Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th:

Solitude – LA Philharmonic’s Sound/Stage – November 6th

This week’s filmed performance from the Hollywood Bowl finds Gustavo Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program entitled Solitude. There are two works being performed and they both look at the idea of being alone in very different ways.

First up is the American premiere of Dawn by Thomas Adés. The work had its world premiere earlier this year in a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra conduced by Simon Rattle. It’s designed for our socially distant times and for an orchestra of indeterminate size.

Dawn will be followed by Duke Ellington’s Solitude as arranged by Morton Gould. It’s one of Ellington’s finest.

Both of these works are less than ten minutes. This will be a shorter Sound/Stage, but who wants to spend more time than that alone?

As a reminder, previous episodes of Sound/Stage are also available for viewing.

Virtual Halston – November 6th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

After a couple weeks off to shoot a film, Julie Halston returns with Virtual Halston. Her guest this week is Margaret Cho.

For the uninitiated, Halston holds an on-line salon where pithy conversation and witty repartee are the main ingredients. (Of course, I’d suggest having a martini in hand, too.)

Whether you know Cho for her music, her stand-up comedy, her film and television appearances or her activism, you know she’s smart, funny and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

There’s no charge to watch Virtual Halston. However, donations are encouraged and proceeds will go to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

Midori and Ieva Jokubaviciute – 92 Street Y – November 6th – 7:30 PM EST/4:30 PM PST

Violinist Midori and pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute perform works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, César Franck and Edvard Grieg in this recital.

Midori and Jokubaviciute have been collaborating since 2016. What began as a handful of recitals in Canada, Columbia, Germany and Austria has turned into worldwide performances together.

Grieg is first with his Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13. This three-movement sonata was written in what is now called Oslo in 1867.

Mozart follows with Sonata in E-flat Major, K. 302. This two-movement sonata was composed in 1778.

Franck closes the program with his Sonata in A Major. This four-movement sonata was written in 1886 as a wedding gift from the composer. It’s first public performance was in December of the same year.

Tickets are $15.

Alan Broadbent and Don Falzone – Mezzrow – November 6th – November 7th

Pianist Alan Broadbent and bassist Don Falzone will be performing four sets between Friday and Saturday night live from Mezzrow in New York City. There are sets each night at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST and 9:00 PM EST/6:00 PM PST.

If your first introduction to Broadbent was his Grammy Award-winning arrangement for Natalie Cole’s When I Fall In Love, you might be surprised to learn he’s been closely involved with some of the most celebrated music of all-time. Sometimes as a pianist, other times as an arranger.

A diverse list of his collaborators would include David Byrne, Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Diana Kroll, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart and Barbra Streisand. He’s also recorded 26 records as a leader.

In addition to working with Broadbent, Falzone has worked with David Lindley, Eric Person and Rufus Wainwright.

There is no cost to watch the performance, though donations are encouraged. Sponsorship tickets are also available at $40.

The link in the heading is for Friday night’s shows. To access Saturday night’s shows, please go here.

José James Celebrates Bill Withers – SFJAZZ – November 6th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

When this 2019 concert took place at SFJAZZ, James was supporting his 2018 album Lean on Me which celebrated Bill Withers. This concert, part of SFJAZZ’s Fridays at Five series, will be a bit more melancholy than it was originally as we lost Withers earlier this year.

The album found James performing classic Withers songs like Ain’t No Sunshine, Lovely Day, Just the Two of Us and the title track.

I enjoy James and his music, whether he’s performing jazz or soul or hip-hop influenced material. I’m looking forward to this concert.

SFJAZZ asks that you become a member to enjoy their Fridays at Five concerts. Membership is $5 for one month of shows or $60 for a full year. It’s a bargain in my book.

Fred Hersch – Village Vanguard – November 6th – November 7th

Jazz pianist Fred Hersch is offering two different performances this weekend from New York’s Village Vanguard. On Friday night he’ll be performing solo on the piano.

His latest album, Songs from Home, was released on Friday. The project finds him recording in quarantine from his home. Songs by Jimmy Webb, Joni Mitchell, Cole Porter, The Beatles and Duke Ellington’s Solitude are included on the record.

On Saturday night he’ll be performing with saxophonist Miguel Zenón.

Zenón has released twelve albums as a leader – the most recent being 2019’s Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera. He’s toured and recorded with numerous artists including David Gilmore, Charlie Haden, Danilo Pérez, Antonio Sánchez, Kenny Werner and Fred Hersch. He was named Jazz Artist of the Year on the 2014 Jazz Times Critics Poll.

Tickets for each concert are $10 and include the ability to stream the performance for 24 hours.

One Man, Two Guvnors – PBS Great Performances – November 6th – check local listings

I’ve written about this hilarious play starring James Corden before. I’m including it again because if you just want to laugh yourself silly for a couple hours, you should watch One Man, Two Guvnors.

The filmed performance is airing on Great Performances on PBS. As with all PBS programming, best to check your local listings for start time and exact airdate.

Border Crossings Part 1 – Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – November 6th – 9:30 PM EST/6:30 PM PST

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is launching an ambitious new program entitled Close Quarters. The series, which will have multiple episodes between now and June 4, 2021, will combine performances by select LACO members paired with images and art created by James Darrah.

This first concert features Baroque works and Baroque-inspired composers originating from Bolivia, Mexico and Spain. On the program is Diferencias sobre la gayta by Anónimo and Martín Y Coll; Sonata Chiquitana IV by anonymous, Concierto barroco by José Enrique González Medina and Gallardas by Santiago de Murcia.

Patricia Mabee, who curated the program, leads from the harpsichord. She will be joined by Josefina Vergara and Susan Rishik on violin, Armen Ksajikian on cello, Ben Smolen on flute, Jason Yoshida on theorbo/baroque guitar and Petri Korpela on percussion.

There is no charge to watch the performance which will be available on the LACO website, their YouTube channel and Facebook Live.

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera – San Francisco Opera – November 7th – November 8th

Nicola Luisotti conducts; starring Julianna Di Giacomo, Thomas Hampson, Ramón Vargas, Heidi Stober, Dolor Zajick, Efraín Solís, Christian Van Horn and Scott Conner. This Jose Maria Condemi production is from the 2014-2015 season.

Verdi’s opera, translated A Masked Ball, had its premiere in Rome in 1859. Librettist Antonio Somma used the libretto written by Eugène Scribe for the opera, Gustave III, ou Le Ballo masqué, written by Daniel Auber in 1833. 

The opera is based on the real life assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden who was killed while attending a masquerade ball in Stockholm. 

Verdi takes some dramatic liberties which certainly enhances the drama. Riccardo is in love with Amelia. She, however, is the wife of his good friend and confidante, Renato. Riccardo is warned by his friend that there is a plot to kill him at the ball. Paying no attention to the warning, Riccardo instead seeks out Ulrica, a woman accused of being a witch. In disguise he visits Ulrica to have his fortune read. She tells him he will be killed by the next man who shakes his hand. That next man turns out to be Renato. What follows is a story of intrigue, deception, questions of fidelity and, of course, the assassination.

Di Giacomo made both her company debut and role debut as Amelia in this production. Lisa Hirsch, in her review for the San Francisco Gate, said of her performance, “Di Giacomo has the ideal voice for this role, beautiful, fresh and easily produced, from glowing top to bottom. She lacks for nothing technically, singing with a gorgeous legato and noble, long-breathed phrasing, not to mention exquisite dynamic control, whether pleading for a last view of her child in Morrò, ma prima in grazia or contemplating the gallows at midnight in Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa.”

Marcus Strickland Trio – Smalls – November 7th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

This is the same trio about which I wrote when they played in September at Blue Note. The difference here is you don’t have to pay to see the performance, though donations are encouraged for both the artist and the venue.

Strickland was named “Best New Artist” in the 2006 JazzTimes Reader’s Poll.

In Critic’s Polls for DownBeat he was named the 2008 “Rising Star on Soprano Saxophone” and the 2010 “Rising Star on Tenor Saxophone.”

He’s been releasing albums since 2001’s At Last. His most recent recording was 2018’s People of the Sun. 

Joining Strickland again will be Ben Williams on bass and E.J. Strickland (his twin brother) on drums.

There is a second set at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST. Sponsorship seats are available for $40 per set.

Amor y Odio – Verdi Chorus – November 8th – November 22nd

Los Angeles-based Verdi Chorus has put together their first pandemic-era concert. It is called Amor y Odio and the concert will celebrate Songs of Spain and the New World.

A subset of the Verdi Chorus known as The Fox Singers make up the singers for the first of several virtual concerts they are producing. The singers for Amor y Odio are sopranos Tiffany Ho and Sarah Salazar; mezzo-soprano Judy Tran; tenors Joseph Gárate and Elias Berezin; and bass Esteban Rivas.

Anne Marie Ketchum, Artistic Director, leads the performance. Laraine Ann Madden is the accompanist.

The premiere of the concert will take place at 1:00 PM EST/10:00 AM PST on Sunday, November 8th. The concert will remain available through November 22nd.

Be sure to read our interview with Sarah Salazar who has quite a story of determination against the odds.

Johnny O’Neal and Mark Lewandowski – Mezzrow – November 8th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

Jazz pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal will be joined by bassist Mark Lewandowski for these performances from Mezzrow in New York.

Perhaps you caught the October 14th performance by Johnny O’Neal I wrote about. If not, you are in for a treat. That preview tells you a bit about O’Neal and his incredible story.

Lewandowski is a bassist and composer who, like most jazz musicians, works as a sideman in addition to his own work. He’s toured and recorded with such artists as Sheila Jordan, Wynton Marsalis, Zoe Rahman, Jean Toussaint, Bobby Wellins and with these shows, O’Neal.

There is a second set at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST. Sponsorship seats are available for $40 per set. Regular viewing is free, but donations are encouraged.

Modern Beauty Part 2 – Pittance Chamber Orchestra – November 8th – 6:00 PM EST/3:00 PM PST

In last week’s Best Bets, I included Pittance Chamber Orchestra’s three-part performance series entitled Modern Beauty. The series, featuring pianist Gloria Cheng, continues this week with clarinetist Donald Foster joining her.

The program features Garlands for Steven Stucky. Four works for solo piano will pay tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer who passed away in 2016. Cheng will perform Iscrizione by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Green Trees Are Bending by Stephen Andrew Taylor, Waltz by John Harbison and Interlude by Kay Rhie.

Foster will join her for a performance of Stucky’s Meditation and Dance.

There is no charge to watch the performance, but donations are encouraged. By the way, if you missed last week’s performance, you can still watch it on Pittance Chamber Orchestra’s website.

Jessie Mueller with Seth Rudetsky – November 8th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM EST

Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) is Seth Rudetsky’s guest for his concert series this weekend.

In addition to her role as King, Mueller has appeared on Broadway in the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, the 2012 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, she originated the role of “Jenna” in Waitress and appeared as “Julie Jordan” in the 20128 revival of Carousel.

Mueller was in previews in The Minutes, a play by Tracy Letts, when the pandemic hit.

If this live performance does not work for your schedule, there will be a re-streaming of the concert on November 9th at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST. Tickets for either date are $25. Uber fans who purchase a ticket for the live performance can also purchase (for an additional $25) a VIP Upgrade allowing access to the sound check taking place at 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST.

Beth Lapides’ Uncabaret – November 8th – 10:30 PM EST/7:30 PM PST

If any week in recent memory has called for a thought-provoking but gentle way to end the weekend, this might just be that weekend. So I offer you Uncabaret. Joining for Zoom #16 of the long-running comedy show are Jamie Bridgers, Margaret Cho, Alex Edelman, Judy Gold, Alec Mapa, Apart Nancherla and Julia Sweeney. As usual, Mitch Kaplan is the music director.

If you are unfamiliar with Uncabaret, check out my interview with Beth Lapides as she started the second quarter century of the show in 2019.

Tickets range from free to $100 with perks along the way the more you are able to pay to see the show.

Those are my fifteen Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th. However, you know that I’ll always give you some reminders just in case you want more. And what’s wrong with wanting a little more?

This weekend’s offerings from the Metropolitan Opera are La Forza del Destino by Verdi on Friday; Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette on Saturday and Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg on Sunday.

This is the penultimate weekend for Table Top Shakespeare: At Home. This weekend’s shows are Troilus and Cressida on Friday; As You Like It on Saturday and Othello on Sunday.

Atlantic Theater Company’s Fall Reunion Reading Series has performances remaining on Friday and Saturday of Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at the Taj.

That officially ends all my selections for you this weekend. I hope you will relax and enjoy these Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th.

Photo: James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors (Photo by Johan Persson/Courtesy PBS)

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It is 1648 in India. Two Imperial Guards, Humayun (Metwally) and Babur (Moayed), are tasked with guarding one area of the newly built Taj Mahal, but are not permitted to looked at it. Their responsibility is to be quiet at all times and keep their backs to the building. As the walls that surrounded the building come down and workers who helped complete the mausoleum are afforded a chance to go inside, Humayun and Babur are tasked with an assignment that will shake them to their core and shock the audience.

Charles Isherwood, in his New York Times review, said, “Guards at the Taj, which has been directed with a rich sense of atmosphere by Ms. Morton (star of August: Osage County and the recent Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), raises potent questions about the human price paid throughout history for the caprices of the mighty, even when they result in architectural wonders that ultimately give pleasure to the masses.”

I saw the West Coast premiere of Guards at the Taj in late 2015 at the Geffen Playhouse with a different cast and director. Joseph’s play is powerful, funny and truly unforgettable.

Guards at the Taj reading will be available November 5th – November 7th with four different viewing options. There is no charge to watch the readings, but reservations are recommended as is a $25 donation. The reading runs 80 minutes.

On Sunday, November 8th, Joseph and Morton will hold a live conversation at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST

Photo from the original production of Guards at the Taj. (Photo courtesy Lucille Lortel Archives)

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Macbeth – Stratford Festival – Now – May 28th

In their continuing series of providing films of 12 Shakespeare plays, Canada’s Stratford Festival is adding Macbeth to the list of available films this week.

This drama tells the story of a Scottish general who is told by three witches that he will ascend to the throne and be King of Scotland. The combination of his singled-minded pursuit of power and the assistance of his wife, Lady Macbeth, allows him to stop at nothing to become King.

Ian Lake plays the title character, Michael Blake is Macduff, Krystin Pellerin is Lady Macbeth, Scott Wentworth is Banquo and Sarah Afful is Lady Macduff. Antonio Cimolino directed the production.

Remember that King Lear with Colm Feore will be available for one more week. Coriolanus also continues for two weeks.

Antony and Cleopatra – National Theatre Live at Home – Now – May 14th

If you love Shakespeare, but don’t want to spend time with Macbeth, you have another option. National Theatre Live begins live-streaming today their sold-out 2018 production of Antony and Cleopatra which starred Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo as the ill-fated couple.

In this historical love story, written by Shakespeare around 1606, Antony is smitten with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus share the power to rule Rome, but hints of scandal and libelous stories lead to death and destruction.

Daniel Barenboim Conducts the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra – Carnegie Hall – Now – May 11th

In this Carnegie Hall concert from November 2018, Daniel Barenboim takes to the podium to conduct a program that includes Richard Strauss’ Don Quixote and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. He and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra are joined by soloists soloists Miriam Manasherov (violin) and Kian Soltani (cello).

The concert includes three encores: Saint-Saëns’ The Swan from The Carnival of the Animals, Elgar’s Nimrod from Enigma Variations, Op. 36 and finally Wagner’s Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

These concerts become available at 3 AM EDT/12 AM PDT on May 8th for 72 hours.

Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things – YouTube – May 8th

On Friday at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT, Lena Hall, Tim Realbuto, Katie Rose Clarke and Jonah Platt will do a live reading of Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things. After the reading, LaBute will join for a Q&A.

In the play, Evelyn (Hall) attempts to change Adam (Realbuto) which leaves his friends Jenny (Clarke) and Phillip (Platt) concerned about how influential Evelyn is being and how beneficial that ultimately is for Adam.

This reading is a benefit for The Actors Fund. There is no charge to view this event, but they are suggesting a $5 donation.

The King and I – Broadway HD – May 8th

Beginning at noon 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT, Broadway HD is making available a film of the 2015 Broadway Revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. This production starred Kelli O’Hara as Anna Leonowens, Ken Watanabe as The King of Siam and Ruthie Ann Miles as Lady Thiang. Not only did O’Hara and Miles win Tony Awards for their performances, the production was awarded the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.

Bartlett Sher directed this production which features such beloved songs as “Hello Young Lovers,” “Getting to Know You,” “Shall We Dance” and “Whistle a Happy Tune.”

Gruesome Playground Injuries – Red Line Productions YouTube Channel – May 8th

Saturday morning in Sydney, Australia, Red Line Productions will live-stream a reading of Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries with Rose Byrne and Ewen Leslie. With the time difference, this reading will be available at 8:30 PM EDT/5:30 PM PDT.

The play, which appeared in New York in 2011, tells the story of Kayleen and Doug, two friends who meet in school and are reunited over the course of three decades. That they turn out to be masochists is just one of the intriguing aspects of their personalities.

Joseph was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his play, Bengal Tiger at the Bagdad Zoo. Amongst his other plays are Guards at the Taj and Describe the Night.

Mefistofele – San Francisco Opera – May 9th

San Francisco Opera starts making filmed productions available this weekend with this 2013 production of Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele, based on Goethe’s Faust. Boito is best known and the librettist for Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Otello and Falstaff.

SF Opera’s production starred Russian bass-baritone Ildar Abdrazakov in his staged role debut as the devil Mephistopheles, Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas as Faust and American soprano Patricia Racette in the dual roles of Margherita and Elena. The production was directed by Robert Carsen and conducted by Nicola Luisotti.

The opera had its world premiere in Milan in 1868 were it was not well-received. Seven years later a new production with significant changes by Boito, was more warmly received.

Mefistofele becomes available on May 9th at 1 PM EDT/10 AM PDT and will remain available for streaming until midnight the following day. San Francisco Opera is making additional productions available for streaming over the next few weeks. We will be including them in our weekend Best Bets at Home.

Broadway Does Mother’s Day – May 10th

The Broadway community continues to rally for its own with this Sunday afternoon concert that celebrates Mother’s Day and serves as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares. Broadway Does Mother’s Day begins at 3 PM EDT/12 PM PDT.

A partial list of those participating in the concert includes Annaleigh Ashford, Kate Baldwin, Laura Benanti, Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, Carolee Carmello, Victoria Clark, Lea DeLaria, Beanie Feldstein, Harvey Fierstein, Victor Garber, Mandy Gonzalez, Jennifer Holliday, James Monroe Iglehart, Judy Kaye, Celia Kennan-Bolger, LaChanze, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bernadette Peters and Vanessa Williams.

Cast members from the shows Ain’t Too Proud, Beetlejuice, Chicago, Come From Away, Company, Dear Evan Hansen, Diana, Girl from the North Country, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jagged Little Pill, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge!, Mrs. Doubtfire, Sing Street, Six and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical will appear in sketches and make special appearances.

Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin – May 10th – 8 PM EDT/5 PM EDT

Unlike the other events listed on this page, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin is not a free event. Felder has teamed up with theatres around the world to perform the show as a fundraiser for those theatres. Tickets are $50 per household and will allow access to the live performance for 72 hours. There is also a live talk-back after the performance.

Felder, who will be giving the performance in Florence, Italy, is known for his one-man shows celebrating various composers including George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Debussy.

Berlin is the songwriter who gave us “Always,” “Blue Skies,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “White Christmas” and “God Bless America.” He also wrote the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

The link above is to raise money for The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

Those are our choices for your Best Bets at Home: May 8th – 10th. But we also want to remind you of a couple additional selections that we wrote about earlier this week.

Reminder:

Great Performances on PBS is airing on Friday the Los Angeles Philharmonic Centennial Concert from October 2019. It features conductors Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel. Check your local listings.

The operas available this weekend from the Met Opera in New York are La Boheme from 1977 with Luciano Pavarotti and Renata Scotto on Friday; the documentary The Opera House on Saturday and Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliaci on Sunday. Each program becomes available at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

Main Photo: Kelli O’Hara and Ken Watanabe in The King and I (Photo by Paul Kolnik/Courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre)

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