Cynthia Murray

Casting has been announced for the upcoming New York City premiere of Leaving the Blues, a new play by Jewelle Gomez, directed by Mark Finley. Rosalind Brown (original Broadway productions of Footloose and One Mo' Time) will play the lead role of Alberta Hunter, the great American jazz singer and songwriter. The cast also features Michael Michele Lynch, Joy Suddath, Cooper Sutton, Benjamin Mapp, Ameerah Briggs, Tsebiyah Mishael Derry and Erik Ransom.

Fire Island Pines Arts Project presents THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE August 31 and September 1.

Fire Island Pines Art Project (FIPAP) hosts a Laboy Day Weekend presentation of Tony Award-winning musical INTO THE WOODS, featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, at Fradd Theatre, Whyte Hall, which runs until tomorrow, August 31. Buy tickets ($70) at fipap.org.