ArtsWatch

The Philadelphia Theatre Company says that Kathy Bates isn't coming, and so they won't do the world premiere production of Terrence McNally’s drama Unusual Acts of Devotion Oct. 23-Dec. 2. Instead, the new Stephen Sondheim musical revue, Being Alive, will open the troupe's Suzanne Roberts Theatre.
This is what PTC says about the replacement: "Conceived and directed by award-winning musical theater performer Billy Porter, Being Alive blends the songs of Stephen Sondheim with the poetry of William Shakespeare to tell the universal story of man’s seven ages in African-American musical idioms including soul, jazz, blues, R&B, hip-hop, and gospel. Featuring such songs as Anyone Can Whistle, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Women, Children Will Listen, and Being Alive, this musical revue is Sondheim sung in a totally new and thrilling way."
Looking forward to seeing what they mean.
Kathy Bates withdrew from Unusual Acts of Devotion due to health reasons, PTC says.
"Because the world premiere play was written specifically with Ms. Bates in mind, and because the re-casting of a new actress of equal caliber could not be achieved under the time constraints, Philadelphia Theatre Company has decided to postpone the play for a future season," the theater company said in a statement.