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Musicals Are Back, and Masks, Too

Broadway Requires Vaccinations: The Broadway League, the group representing producers, theater owners, and others, will require audiences to show proof of full vaccination before entering theaters when Broadway reopens this fall. Masks inside the theater will be required also. Exemptions will be made for those under 12 or those with medical conditions or “closely held religious belief” that prevents them from receiving the vaccine. Those guests will need to show proof of negative test within 72 hours of the performance. The policy is in response to the surge in the Delta variant and CDC guidance.

Unique Perspective: Ivoryton Playhouse is presenting Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years through Sunday, Sept. 5. The show is based on the book the two sisters wrote. As they prepare a celebratory dinner, the two women (then 103 and 101) remember the historic and personal events they have experienced in their lifetimes, including their pioneering careers as African-American professionals. As the press release says, “their story is not simply African-American history or women’s history. It is our history.” For tickets, visit IvorytonPlayhouse.org. The theater uses socially distanced seating so tickets are limited.

On the River: Goodspeed on the River—the series of concerts in a tent behind the theater and with a view of the river, theater, and the bridge—is presenting Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical through Sunday, Aug. 29. The show is in development with hopes that it will go on to other productions and maybe even Broadway. For tickets, visit goodspeed.org.

Returning This Year: Long Wharf Theatre has announced four productions for a 2021-’22 season, though dates for each have not yet been announced. The season will open with The Chinese Lady, a show canceled as the shutdown began, followed by Anna Deavere Smith’s Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities, then Dream Hou$e, and concluding with Queen, billed as “a thrilling moral drama.” For more information, keep an eye on LongWharf.org

Musicals Are Back: Music Theatre of Connecticut limited productions last year to one-person, non-musical shows performed in front of a very limited audience and streamed live. Its 35th anniversary season will feature four musicals and one play. The season opens with Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical (Sept. 17 to Oct. 3), Falsettoland (Nov. 5 to 21), the holiday show The Who’s Holiday (Dec. 10 to 19), The Mountaintop (Feb. 4 to 20) and concluding with Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (March 18 to April 10). Subscriptions details are at MusicTheatreofCT.com.

Audience Relocates: Three short world-premier plays, collectively titled The Suburbs, are being presented by Thrown Stone Theatre in Ridgefield from Thursday, Aug. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 12. Each play will be performed in a different location and the audience will walk from venue to venue. (The distance is about a mile from parking lot to the venues and return.) The shows are at The Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, and West Lane Inn. For information and tickets, visit ThrownStone.org. It will also be available online Thursday, Sept. 2 to Sunday, Sept. 12.

Familiar Titles: The upcoming season for ACT-CT in Ridgefield will include two popular and frequently performed shows. The season opens with Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller from Sept. 30 to Oct. 24. In the new year, a new musical, Nickel Mines, which is about the 2006 shooting at an Amish schoolhouse, will run for just 10 performances, Jan. 20 to 30. The season will conclude with two classics, Jesus Christ Superstar from March 24 to April 17 and Rent from May 26 to June 19. For information and tickets, visit ActOfCt.org.

New York Notes: The holiday spectacular and the Rockettes will return to Radio City Music Hall this November and December. Tickets are on sale at Rocckettes.com/Christmas.

Karen Isaacs of East Haven is a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, New York’s Outer Critics Circle, the League of Professional Theater Women, and the American Theatre Critics Association. To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.wordpress.com.