Wake Up With BroadwayWorld August 21, 2026- Meet the Cast of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY on Broadway and More

Good Morning, BroadwayWorld!

Welcome to Wake Up with BroadwayWorld! Here’s what you missed yesterday on the site:

We had an exclusive sneak peek at Steven Skybell and Michael Khalid Karadsheh in THE WINTER’S TALE at Shakespeare in the Park, and got to meet the cast of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY as the show began previews on Broadway. We also announced the complete cast for THE HEART at Roundabout and got a first look at Jinkx Monsoon in OH, MARY! in the West End.

On the industry front, we covered casting news for THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, revealed the OH, MARY! tour cast, and shared exclusive first listens from THIS AIN’T NO DISCO and NIGHT SIDE SONGS.

Don’t miss our exclusive karaoke fundraiser story featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Paul Rudd, and Hillary Clinton, plus reviews and more!

But first…

Cory Lippiello Named Chief Producing Officer at Austin Opera
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Austin Opera has named Cory Lippiello, formerly of Lyric Opera of Chicago, as Chief Producing Officer, overseeing the company’s Artistic and Production departments.. (more…)

Concord Theatricals Acquires Worldwide Licensing Rights for ALMOST FAMOUS: THE MUSICAL
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Concord Theatricals has acquired exclusive worldwide licensing rights to a newly reworked version of Broadway’s Almost Famous: The Musical, a dazzling, semi-autobiographical show from Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt.. (more…)

Theatrical Songwriters Julia Mattison and Noel Carey Sign With Concord Music Publishing
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Concord Music Publishing has signed Tony and GRAMMY Award-nominated theatrical songwriting duo Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, known for co-writing the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Death Becomes Her. . (more…)

Life Jacket Theatre Company and Page 73 Select Playwrights for 2026 Writers Room
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Life Jacket Theatre Company and Page 73 have revealed the four playwrights selected for the 2026 Writers Room, a new three-week immersive residency in Upstate New York for early-career LGBTQ+ playwrights.. (more…)
 

Review Roundup: Nadia Falls’s ABIGAIL’S PARTY Lands In The West End
by Aliya Al-Hassan
Essex, 1977. Beverly is hosting, the alcohol is flowing, Demis Roussos is on the record player and the cheese and pineapple cocktail sticks are ready to go. Queen of the castle in her suburban semi, Beverly and husband Laurence welcome new neighbours Angela and Tony round for drinks. Sue from next door is invited too but the real party is happening back at her place, as Sue’s teenage daughter Abigail can’t seem to keep the racket down. Awkward small talk quickly descends into inappropriate flirtation and marital disputes: a soiree from hell, but it’d be rude to leave. What did the critics think?. (more…)  

Wesley Taylor, Pooya Mohseni and Michael Lepore Complete OH, MARY! Tour Cast
by Chloe Rabinowitz
 The full cast has been revealed for the 2026–27 National Tour of Oh, Mary!, including Wesley Taylor, Pooya Mohseni and Michael Lepore joining Alaska Thunderf*ck as “Mary Todd Lincoln” and Tony Award  winner J. Harrison Ghee as “Mary’s Husband”.. (more…)

Review: BBC PROMS: ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Royal Albert Hall
by Louise Penn
This production, direct from Glyndebourne, is a delight from start to finish, with laughter and glorious voices leading to a true emotional climax to send us soaring into the summer night.. (more…)

Ali Stroker and Laurie Hernandez to Join THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker will play Rona Lisa Peretti, and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez will play Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  . (more…)

Review: ABIGAIL’S PARTY, Starring Tamzin Outhwaite, Harold Pinter Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan
Nadia Fall is now firmly ensconced in her role as Artistic Director of the Young Vic, but her final show at Stratford East back in 2024 was a brilliantly realised revival of Mike Leigh’s seminal work, Abigail’s Party. Now having a much-deserved West End transfer, it lands on the Harold Pinter stage in all its excruciating glory.. (more…)

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Paul Rudd and Hillary Clinton to Team Up for Karaoke Fundraiser
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Paul Rudd, and Hillary Clinton will be hosting a special karaoke fundraiser for Latino Victory Project and Onward Together. Fans can enter to win tickets now. . (more…)

Gabby Beans, Elizabeth Marvel and More to Star in THE FORD/HILL PROJECT at BAM
by Chloe Rabinowitz
BAM has revealed the complete cast for The Ford/Hill Project, a Waterwell production created by Elizabeth Marvel and multi-Obie winner Lee Sunday Evans, who also directs.. (more…)

Judy Kuhn, Nicholas Barasch and More to Star in RAGS Benefit Concert
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Classic Stage Company will present a one-night-only benefit concert performance of Rags, featuring a book by Jospeh Stein, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.. (more…)

Exclusive: First Listen to Lena Hall Singing ‘Lay Your Head’ From THIS AIN’T NO DISCO
by Chloe Rabinowitz
BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to Lena Hall singing Lay Your Head from This Ain’t No Disco: World Premiere Recording – Songs from the Musical.. (more…)

WINDOWS at Arizona Theatre Company Starring Bryan Batt, Rachel York to Stream
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Windows, a new play written by Tawni O’Dell, will be presented for two performances at Arizona Theatre Company at the Temple of Music and Art, featuring Bryan Batt, Rachel York and more.. (more…)

Janette Manrara and Rupert Young Join and More Noah Schnapp-Led AFFLUENZA in the West End
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Janette Manrara, Rupert Young, Juliet Cowan, and Wallis Currie-Wood will join Noah Schnapp in Affluenza, the world premiere play written and directed by Andy Sandberg at Riverside Studios.. (more…)

Exclusive: Listen to ‘I Will Check In On You’ From The Lazours’ NIGHT SIDE SONGS
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Night Side Songs – the cast album, will be released in streaming and digital formats. BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to the song “I Will Check In On You’ now!. (more…)

Listen Up

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!