Joe Locke & Patti LuPone are BFFs, Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestley, & David Sedaris strikes again

Welcome to The Callboard, Queerty’s curtain-raising theater news, where we share the latest news from Broadway and beyond. From casting announcements and openings to viral moments with our favorite stars, here’s a front-row seat to all the drama happening onstage and off!

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Patti may have quit Broadway, but that’s not stopping her from going to Broadway. The three-time Tony winner dropped by the Lunt-Fontanne theater to catch Heartstopper cutie Joe Locke in Sweeney Todd. 

The pair co-stars in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, a WandaVision spin-off scheduled to release in the fall of 2024. Until then, fans can flounder over Locke’s Broadway debut in Sondheim’s diabolical musical thriller. LuPone is no stranger to the show either, appearing as Mrs. Lovett in a minimalist version directed by John Doyle, in which she also showed off her tuba-playing skills. 

Locke and LuPone were caught dashing from the stage door into a private car — where to? Nobody knows.
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, through May 5

@tveit_on_the_brain Patti Lupone walking out with Joe Locke at Sweeney Todd stage door on Saturday 02.10.24. Aaron Tveit is signing playbills as she walks out and he quickly notices her, takes a short pause for a brief greeting…playbill in hand. My friend Amy and I were so excited to know that she was sitting just 3 rows behind us and Amy recorded this video. Joe Locke is currently starring with Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster. Patti was the iconic Mrs. Lovette character in this Stephen Sondheim musical. C#Creditamymlau instagram #aarontveit #joelocke #pattilupone#sweeneytodd ♬ original sound – Lisa| Aaron Tveit Fan Account

An Art Deco diva comes to life

Unless you’re an art history major, you may not be familiar with Tamara de Lempicka, the Polish-born painter who rose to fame in the mid-20th century for her portraits and still-life works. She also lived a robust romantic life, marrying Hungarian baron Raoul Kuffne in 1934 and carrying out numerous affairs with men and women. Madonna fans can discover some of Lempicka’s work in several music videos, including “Open Your Heart,” “Express Yourself,” and “Vogue.”

Last season, Sean Hayes proved that a niche artist can be box office gold, winning the Tony Award for portraying Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar. Producers hope former Wicked star Eden Espinosa can deliver the goods in the title role alongside Amber Iman and Natalie Joy Johnson as her sapphic lovers. If you’re worried that this unfamiliar topic may be like watching paint dry, think again. A recently released video of “Woman Is” featuring powerhouse Espinosa leaves no doubt of the musical’s potential force.
Longacre Theatre, New York City. Performances begin March 19.

‘Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.’

There’s no boss we’ve loved to hate more than Miranda Priestly in 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada. While nobody can replace Meryl Streep’s sly side eye, this new musical adaption featuring music by Elton John requires a slightly different skill set (yes, Meryl likes to sing — Mama Mia!, Into the Woods, but…). Enter Vanessa Williams, who’s proved her prowess six times over on the Broadway stage, including replacing Chita Rivera as the title character in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The musical snagged a hem in Chicago last year, but hitmaker and Queerties Pride Icon honoree Jerry Mitchell knows how to make a show land and returns to direct and choreograph the London production.
Dominion Theatre, London. Performances begin October 24.

‘Divorced! Gave head! Fired!’ — Trump’s women musicalized

The Broadway smash Six turned the fates of Henry VIII’s wives into a pop musical confection. In the spirit of Forbidden Broadway, creators Shimmy Braun, Moshiel Newman Daphna, and Billy Recce drew inspiration from women associated with Donald Trump to write Five: The Parody Musical.

Expect familiar faces in unfamiliar territory, including Ivana, Stormy, Marla, Melania, and Ivanka — and a special guest played by drag diva and New York City nightlife entertainer Jasmine Rice Labeija. And while we don’t want to give any spoilers, let’s say she wears pantsuits and won the 2016 presidential election by popular vote.

Staged as a primary debate from a “premier public access TV station” in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, the cast leaves no hammy bit unturned. Each performer has their moment to shine, leaning into the Trumpian tropes for which they’ve become famous, from Melania’s deadpan pout to Stormy’s unapologetic attitude. (“I’m Stormy, pronouns she/her, they/them, he/him, depends on who’s paying.”)

Director and choreographer Jen Wineman has assembled a high-octane cast with vocals on par with their Broadway sisters at the Lena Horne Theatre. And while the movement occasionally feels like a show choir on its last gasp, there’s no denying the comedic timing and vocal prowess, including Jamie Lyn Beatty as the potato-toting formal model Melania and Gabriella Joy Rodriguez as 1984 Miss Georgia USA runner-up and wife #2 Marla.

In an election year where we’re all on the verge of tearing our eyes out, Five reminds us that laughter, while it may not cure democracy, is still the best medicine.
Theater 555, New York City. Through March 10

Wardrobe malfunction

New York Fashion Week recently wrapped, but apparently, theatergoers didn’t notice. Despite skyrocketing ticket prices that make Broadway often unattainable for most budgets, those who can afford to attend might as well be headed to weekend errands. At least, that’s David Sedaris‘ observation. The essay and humorist recently appeared on CBS Sunday Morning to bemoan his sartorial dismay, asking, “Is this a Broadway theater or a Home Depot?”

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