The Lion King North American Tour to Welcome Back Mukelisiwe Goba as Rafiki beginning performances on September 26 at the Showcenter Complex in Monterrey, Mexico, where the award-winning musical will play a two-week premiere engagement from September 19 through October 1, 2023. Goba, who previously played the role from 2015 – 2016 and intermittently from 2018 - 2023, succeeds Gugwana Dlamini, who will play her final performance as “Rafiki” on September 10 in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music.
Pearl Sun leads the cast of A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) of Connecticut's production of Sunset Boulevard. Michael Burrell plays Joe Gillis, and Helen J. Shen is Betty Schaefer.
Zachary Noah Piser has withdrawn from Tiananmen, a musical about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests weeks before its 4 October 2023 debut in Phoenix, Arizona. Piser posted a simple statement to this effect to his Instagram while on tour in China, prompting speculation that his withdrawal was due to pressure from the Chinese government.
Also in Connecticut, Goodspeed Musicals has announced casting for The 12, a new musical by
Robert Schenkkan and Neil Berg. The 12 is about the apostles in the days following the crucifixion, which will begin previews on September 8 ahead of an official opening on September 27 2023. Performances are scheduled through October 29. Pete will be played by Akron Lanier Watson, Andrew will be played by Wonzaā Johnson, Tom by Wesley Taylor, Jimmy by Etai Benson, Simon by Gregory Treco. John by Kyle Scatliffe, James by Kelvin Moon Loh, Tee by Mel Johnson Jr, Phil by Brandon J. Ellis, Bart by Rob Morrison, Matt by F. Michael Haynie, Mags by Adrienne Walker, Mother Mary by Rema Webb, with understudies Matt Caplan, Dion Simmons Grier, and Aurelia Williams.