Theatre Week

Glenn Close will join the record-breaking West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing Herod during the show's final week in London. The casting of the veteran Hollywood star in the musical has drawn wide coverage from theatre and entertainment outlets. Separately, she is also mentioned alongside Ryan Murphy's series All's Fair, whose season two features Drag Race stars.

A new comedy set during the French Revolution opens this week at Showtimers Community Theatre in Virginia, as featured by WDBJ7's Hometown Entertainment segment. The production brings a light-hearted take on the historic uprising to local audiences, continuing the community theatre's run of staging local productions for Roanoke-area theatergoers.

MPR News has released its weekly Minnesota Shortlist of cultural events for October 9-15. The picks include the Guthrie Theater's production of 'Kunene', the 75th anniversary of Minneapolis's Theatre in the Round, and a piece described as a love letter to Winona. The roundup highlights what to see across Minnesota's stages this week.

Roxy Regional Theatre in Clarksville will present Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical from October 23rd to November 1st. The show is a comedic spoof of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things, done in musical theatre style. The run gives local audiences a limited two-week window to catch the production, and the announcement is drawing attention from theatre fans in the region.

Pella Christian High School's theatre troupe in Pella, Iowa will present a production of Frozen next week. The announcement gives local audiences the chance to see the popular musical staged by students, and community members are being alerted to the upcoming performances in the area.

The Broadway stage adaptation of 'Paranormal Activity' has been extended for eight additional weeks, according to Deadline. The horror production, based on the popular found-footage film franchise, will continue performances in New York beyond its original schedule, indicating stronger-than-expected ticket demand for a genre show on Broadway.

A theatregoer has returned from a second viewing of Romeo & Juliet at the New Vic theatre, calling it just as fantastic as their first visit two weeks earlier. They described the production as brilliant and said they left singing Peter Gabriel's The Book of Love, suggesting music features prominently in the show.

MPR News' Art Hounds segment is highlighting a production of 'Young Frankenstein' alongside two other arts picks: a dance work described as defiant joy, and an exhibition of expressive woodcarvings. The recommendations point audiences in Minnesota toward local theatre, dance and visual art events this week.

Long Bay Theatre is opening a new venue in downtown Myrtle Beach this week, with a production of Mary Poppins as its inaugural show. The local theatre company is bringing live stage performances to the downtown area, and the opening production is drawing attention from residents and visitors in the South Carolina coastal city.

Theatre company Tg STAN is presenting '1, 2, 3 Poquelin', a series of pieces drawing on the work of Molière, at the Théâtre d'Hérouville in Hérouville-Saint-Clair from 8 to 10 October. The production revisits the playwright's language, with commentators praising the company's inventiveness and recommending the run as a chance to savour Molière's text on stage.

Peoria Players Theatre in Peoria, Illinois is mounting a stage production of 'Dracula', running October 9-11 and October 15-18. The community theatre company's Halloween-season staging of the classic vampire tale gives local audiences a seasonal horror option, with performances spread across two weeks in the run-up to the holiday.

Arena Stage in Washington is hosting Theatre Week, an initiative that invites members of the public to take part in theatrical activities and experience theatre firsthand. The event aims to broaden access to the performing arts and draw new audiences into the theatre community.

The Théâtre national de Strasbourg has joined the decentralised social network Mastodon, and the account reseauculture.fr welcomed it publicly. The theatre thanked the community for the reception and shared its first post, calling it a busy week. The welcome message drew modest engagement from theatre fans in the region.

StoryMakers, a creative faith resource group, is offering a free Advent Theatre House to anyone who starts a subscription. The paper craft set is designed to help families and churches act out the story of Advent during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The promotion was announced via Episcopal News Service.

Joliet Central High School's drama program is staging a production designed to draw audiences directly into the story, according to a report from The Times Weekly. The piece highlights the department's immersive approach to theatre, inviting local audiences to experience performances in a more participatory way. The report is drawing attention locally as a positive story about student arts in Joliet, Illinois.

The Ashe County Arts Council is presenting the Missoula Children's Theatre at the Ashe Civic Center. The touring troupe is known for staging productions with local children in a single week, giving young performers a chance to take part in a full show. Local coverage highlights the partnership as part of the council's ongoing arts programming for the community.

Nashville Scene has given a Critic's Pick designation to 'Silence! The Musical', the parody stage show playing at Street Theatre in Nashville. The nod from the alternative weekly's critics signals strong local buzz for the comedic spoof of 'The Silence of the Lambs', which reworks the thriller's characters and plot into a satirical musical format for theatre audiences.

Theatre troupe Les Éphémères will perform a science-fiction themed improv show in Villeurbanne on Thursday 8 October at 8pm. The evening features short stories created entirely on the spot, with nothing prepared in advance, and entry is free. The event is being shared locally as an accessible, playful night out for fans of improvisation and speculative fiction.

Tickets for Wild Kratts Live at the Hershey Theatre in Pennsylvania go on sale this week, local outlet ABC27 reports. The touring stage show brings the popular children's animated series to life for young fans and their families, and local parents are expected to snap up seats quickly once the box office opens.

The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, Florida has opened its new season with a production of "Sophisticated Ladies," the celebrated Duke Ellington revue. Florida Weekly describes the show as dazzling, and the musical — known for its jazz standards, tap dancing and glamorous staging — anchors the troupe's latest line-up as the regional theatre season gets underway.