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New York Times
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Nina Hoss and More, Off Broadway in March
Many times we have asked, 'Dear God, 'Streetcar' again?' And many times we have been reminded that Tennessee Williams's haunting tale of desire and violence is presented often because it is a masterpiece. This latest production, a London import directed by Rebecca Frecknall ('Cabaret'), stars Paul Mescal ('Gladiator II') as Stanley, Patsy Ferran ('Miss Austen') as Blanche and Anjana Vasan as Stella. In a New York Times review of this production's original run, Matt Wolf described it as being 'deeply empathic' and served by an 'electrifying' ensemble cast. (Through April 6, Brooklyn Academy of Music) The necessary and illuminating rediscovery of Alice Childress's work continues with this piece, directed by the Tony Award winner LaChanze — who, in 2021, starred in the belated Broadway premiere of Childress's brilliant satire 'Trouble in Mind.' Set in Harlem in 1964, as a riot turns the city red, 'Wine in the Wilderness' actually premiered on Boston public television in 1969, as part of a series titled 'On Being Black.' The story centers on the fraught relationship between a painter (Grantham Coleman, a terrific Benedick in Shakespeare in the Park's 'Much Ado About Nothing') and his would-be model and muse (Olivia Washington). (Through April 13, Classic Stage Company) Set in a tight-knit community in the Pacific Northwest, Abe Koogler's deceptively simple play about the mysterious disappearance of an orca pod requires a strong cast to evoke the group's ties and bring the show fully alive. Such was the case in the premiere production a couple of years ago, as part of the Clubbed Thumb company's Summerworks series. Luckily, some of the actors, led by the wondrous Maryann Plunkett, return for this encore run, along with worthy additions including Mia Katigbak and Miriam Silverman (a Tony winner for 'The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window'). (Through March 29, Public Theater) In 1960, Jane Goodall set off to study chimpanzees in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) at the age of 26, yet that country's government still required a chaperone. So Goodall took her mother, Vanne. Researching that story, the playwright Michael Walek discovered that the two women liked each other and got along, so at least his comedy shouldn't rely on overused tropes of pent-up mother-daughter acrimony. Bonus: There is puppetry. (Through March 30, Ensemble Studio Theater) One of the spring's most intriguing ensembles gathers Julia Lester ('Into the Woods'), Kathryn Gallagher ('Jagged Little Pill'), Kristine Froseth, Alyah Chanelle Scott and the rising star Havana Rose Liu ('Bottoms' and a staggering number of upcoming high-profile screen projects). They portray the friends and roommates assembled by the gifted comic playwright Natalie Margolin (whose star-studded pandemic Zoom play 'The Party Hop' is available on YouTube) for a nightlong studying marathon fueled by Adderall, hummus and kibitzing. (Through May 18, Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space) Sometimes you can take a title literally: The main character of this autofictional new show is portrayed by five actors — Matthew Antoci, Alma Cuervo, Enette Fremont, Frankie Placidi and Jon Norman Schneider ('Poor Yella Rednecks') — as well as by the playwright himself, Chad Kaydo. In a series of vignettes, we meet a refracted version of Kaydo and his family, most notably the sister who slowly emerges as a focal point. Staged in the round by Carsen Joenk, this gentle, slightly melancholy production seems to suggest that intimacy is hard, no six ways about it. (Through March 15, The Brick) Since his home country invaded Ukraine, the Russian director Dmitry Krymov has been living in exile in New York, where he now creates work that is, quite simply, unlike anything else in town. In 2023 we saw 'Big Trip,' based on texts by Pushkin, Hemingway and O'Neill. Now he returns to La MaMa with a new show that he wrote in collaboration with his company, Krymov Lab NYC, and that is said to explore grief in a surreal, darkly comic vein. Of course, what we're curious about is what Krymov, who can spin wonders out of simple props, will pull out of his hat this time. (March 7-23, La MaMa) New Yorkers can't seem to go a few months without another dose of Chekhov, with 'Uncle Vanya' being a big favorite. Hot on the heels of a production headlined by Steve Carell and two that were staged up-close-and-very-personal in lofts, comes this British import that combines star power and intimacy as Andrew Scott ('All of Us Strangers,' 'Ripley') takes on all the characters. Adapted by Simon Stephens — who used a modern vernacular and made the older professor a filmmaker, among other tweaks — and directed by Sam Yates, the London iteration won the 2024 Olivier Award for best revival. (March 11-May 10, Lucille Lortel Theater) Another Chekhov crosses the Atlantic to land in New York this spring. This time, the big draw is the extraordinary German actress Nina Hoss ('Tár,' 'Returning to Reims'), who takes on the role of Ranevskaya, the charismatic matriarch of a landed family in need of cash. Houman Barekat, who wrote the New York Times review of the Donmar Warehouse production in London, found 'plenty to admire in this refreshingly playful retelling,' which comes courtesy of Benedict Andrews — a director used to wildly theatrical takes on classics, as with 'A Streetcar Named Desire' starring Gillian Anderson and 'The Maids' with Cate Blanchett and Isabelle Huppert. (March 26-April 20, St. Ann's Warehouse) A year after his 'Prayer for the French Republic' ran on Broadway and got a Tony nomination for best play, Joshua Harmon returns with another show about a family. His new dramedy draws a tight focus on just three characters, representing successive generations: a grandmother (Joanna Gleason), her grandson (Andrew Barth Feldman) and the young man's mother (Jeanine Serralles), stuck in the middle. Since his breakthrough play, 'Bad Jews,' in 2012, Harmon has demonstrated an enduring knack for biting dialogue and lacerating looks at family and relationships. Fasten your seatbelts. (Through April 27, Manhattan Theater Club)
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tate McRae Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With ‘So Close To What'
Tate McRae scores her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as her third full-length studio set, So Close To What, debuts atop the list dated March 8. It arrives with 177,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 27, according to Luminate — marking the biggest debut week, by units, for a studio album by a woman in five months. It's the second top 10-charting effort for the singer-songwriter, who previously visited the region with the No. 4-peaking Think Later in December 2023. The album generated a trio of charted songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 3-peaking 'Greedy.' More from Billboard Tate McRae Lights Up 'SNL' with Electrifying Performances of 'Sports Car' & 'Dear God': Watch Brad Paisley Announces 2025 Truck Still Works World Tour Dates Alanis Morissette Sets Fall 2025 Las Vegas Residency at Colosseum at Caesars Palace So Close To What was announced in November 2024 and its release was preceded by three charted titles on the Hot 100, including a pair of top 40 hits: 'It's OK I'm OK' (No. 20, September 2024) and 'Sports Car' (No. 21 in February). The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new March 8, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard's website on March 4. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Of So Close To What's 177,000 first-week equivalent album units, SEA units comprise 105,000 (equaling 137.30 million on-demand official streams of the set's songs; McRae's biggest streaming week ever, and it debuts at No. 2 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 71,000 (her best sales week ever, it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000. With So Close To What's launch of 177,000 equivalent album units, the set tallies the biggest debut week for a studio album by a woman since Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet bowed at No. 1 with 362,000 units on the Sept. 7, 2024-dated chart. So Close To What's streaming activity was led by the tracks 'Sports Car,' 'Revolving Door,' 'It's OK I'm OK' and 'Dear God,' which collectively comprise a little more than a third of the album's total streams for the week. So Close To What was released across an array of permutations and variants. It was issued as a standard 11-song digital download album, a 13-song physical set (on CD, cassette and vinyl), a 15-song digital download and streaming edition, a 16-song digital download and streaming set, and an 18-song digital download sold exclusively in McRae's webstore. Each variation of the album beyond the 11-song set contained the core 11 songs found on the standard edition, as well as additional tracks (which varied depending on the version). The album's first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across four download variants (three widely available, and one exclusive to the artist's webstore), three CD variants (including one signed), seven vinyl variants (including two signed editions) and a cassette. McRae ushered in the release of the new album with an appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, along with interviews with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, iHeartRadio and Allure, among other outlets. The performer's Miss Possessive Tour kicks off on March 18 in Mexico City and has dates scheduled through Nov. 8 in Inglewood, Calif. McRae will play more than 80 dates in over 20 countries on three continents. As for the rest of the top 10 on the latest Billboard 200 chart, it's a quiet week, as McRae's set is the lone new arrival in the region. PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U falls to No. 2 in its second week, earning 119,000 equivalent album units (down 52%). The next five titles on the Billboard 200 are all former No. 1s: Kendrick Lamar's GNX holds at No. 3 (106,000 units; down 22%); SZA's SOS is a non-mover at No. 4 (82,000; down 13%); Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet slips 2-5 (76,000; down 51%); Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos falls 5-6 (63,000; down 6%); and The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow drops 6-7 (50,000; down 14%). Chappell Roan's The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess dips 7-8 (46,000 equivalent album units; down 5%), Morgan Wallen's chart-topping One Thing at a Time is stationary at No. 9 (41,000; up 4%), and Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft falls 8-10 (nearly 41,000; down 11%). Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tate McRae Lights Up ‘SNL' with Electrifying Performances of ‘Sports Car' & ‘Dear God': Watch
Tate McRae made her return to Saturday Night Live on March 1, delivering a pair of standout performances from her latest album. The 21-year-old pop star graced the stage for her second appearance on the iconic NBC sketch comedy show, captivating viewers with electrifying renditions of 'Sports Car' and 'Dear God.' Both tracks are from her third album, So Close to What, which was released on Feb. 21. More from Billboard Morat Shines in Viña del Mar Debut, Wins Gold & Silver Gaviotas Liam Payne Remembered in Emotional Tribute at 2025 BRIT Awards At 2025 Brits, Chappell Roan, Myles Smith & The Last Dinner Party Send Strong Messages in Their Acceptance Speeches For her first performance of 'Sports Car,' McRae stepped onto a stage filled with stacked metal chairs, surrounded by male dancers in suits who appeared to be snapping photos of her. Later in the episode, she returned to the same minimalist stage design for a slower, emotional performance of 'Dear God.' Saturday's episode was hosted by comedian Shane Gillis. McRae is fresh off the release of her latest album, So Close to What. The project features previously released viral singles like 'It's OK I'm OK' and '2 Hands,' as well as a collaboration with Flo Milli ('Bloodonmyhands'). The set also includes a track with McRae's boyfriend, The Kid Laroi, titled 'I Know Love.' So Close to What follows her 2023 album, Think Later, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album was bolstered by singles like 'Greedy' and 'Exes.' The Canadian-born star first appeared on SNL in November 2023, with Jason Momoa as the pre-Thanksgiving episode's host. She performed two songs, 'Greedy' and 'Grave,' to promote her then-upcoming sophomore album, Think Later. Later this month, McRae will launch a world tour in support of So Close to What. The Miss Possessive Tour will begin on March 18 in Mexico City and will see the singer touring through Europe, Canada and North America until the end of September 2025. Special guests for the tour include Zara Larsson and Benee. Watch McRae's SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Elton John Slams Trump Administration's USAID Cuts: ‘Devastating Effects on the HIV Response'
Elton John is speaking out against the Trump administration's proposed cuts to USAID. The Trump administration announced plans on Thursday (Feb. 27) to eliminate more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development's foreign aid contracts, as well as $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance worldwide, according to the Associated Press. USAID has been the world's largest single aid provider for decades. More from Billboard Tate McRae Lights Up 'SNL' with Electrifying Performances of 'Sports Car' & 'Dear God': Watch Morat Shines in Viña del Mar Debut, Wins Gold & Silver Gaviotas Liam Payne Remembered in Emotional Tribute at 2025 BRIT Awards 'The U.S. Administration's abrupt decision to cut over 90% of USAID contracts could have devastating effects on the HIV response,' John wrote on Instagram Saturday (March 1) alongside an official statement from his Elton John AIDS Foundation. 'We are working with our 90+ partners to ensure they can continue to provide lifesaving services and are launching The Rocket Response Fund to help cover immediate gaps in essential care.' John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 to fund research aimed at eradicating HIV and AIDS. Over the past three decades, the organization has grown into one of the world's largest independent AIDS charity organizations. The iconic musician continued, 'We urge the U.S. government to continue the lifesaving work of bipartisan programs like PEPFAR.' PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was launched by President George W. Bush in 2003. The program has reportedly been credited with saving millions of lives globally by providing access to antiretroviral treatment, which helps people living with HIV manage the virus and stay alive. The Trump administration's announcement follows a 90-day review period initiated in January, during which all projects funded by U.S. taxpayer money were evaluated to ensure alignment with the president's 'America First' policy, Reuters reports. The decision to cut funding has sent shockwaves through HIV programs in South Africa. 'We are being pushed off a cliff,' Dr. Kate Rees, a public health specialist with one of the largest nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) fighting HIV in South Africa, told the AP. 'We will see lives lost,' added Professor Linda-Gail Bekker, director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Center. 'We are going to see this epidemic walk back because of this.' Bekker told the AP that they expected the Trump administration to target specific programs, such as those supporting gay men and sex workers, but were surprised to find that the cuts affected almost every program. She noted that she wasn't aware of an HIV NGO or health center in South Africa that hadn't lost its USAID funding. 'This has been across the board,' Bekker said. 'This is programs for children, orphans, for young women and girls. It is not hyperbole that I predict a huge disaster … unless we can fill the gap.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘SNL': Watch Tate McRae Perform ‘Sports Car,' ‘Dear God'
Tate McRae's second Saturday Night Live musical guest spot saw her perform two tracks from her newest album, So Close to What, which came out late last month. The first was 'Sports Car,' which McRae has said was 'such a fun song to write.' More from Rolling Stone 'SNL': Shane Gillis Tries to Survive Winery Tour With Crazy Girlfriend 'SNL' Weekend Update Tackles Trump-Zelensky Meeting, Musk's Demands of Federal Workers 'SNL' Cold Open: Mike Myers' Elon Musk Clumsily Waves Chainsaw Around Trump's Head 'I wrote it with Julia Michaels, Ryan Tedder, and Grant [Boutin] and we wanted to kind of capture the adrenaline of love, sex, and the excitement of it all,' she told Vogue. 'I felt like a sports car reminded me of that feeling of love, and like you are right in the middle of it. We referenced the Ying Yang twins with the whisper chorus and it ended up being really fun.' McRae followed that up with 'Dear God.' The Canadian pop singer recently told Rolling Stone that she began writing songs that would end up on her latest album shortly after her second, Think Later, was released in Dec. 2023. 'Even though it's work, writing feels like my safe space,' she explained. 'The stable part of my life is when I'm able to talk about my feelings. So, I feel like amidst how crazy the year was on tour, it actually was nice to come home and keep writing about my perspective on where I was at in life.' McRae previously debuted as SNL's musical guest in Nov. 2023, performing Think Later's ' Grave' and 'Greedy.' The latter, which rose to the third spot on the Billboard Hot 100, would go on to win the 2024 Juno Award for Single of the Year. In a few weeks, McRae will begin a 50-date world tour in Mexico City. Her Miss Possessive Tour winds through South America, Europe and North America, wrapping up in Inglewood in November. Opening for her in the U.S. and Canada is Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson, while Benee will do the same in Europe. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
