Jane Krakowski, Christopher Jackson to announce Tony Award nominations

WHAT Awards season

THE DEAL Theater awards season is just around the corner, if not here already. Jane Krakowski (who appeared last season in “She Loves Me”) and Christopher Jackson (the original George Washington in “Hamilton”) will announce the Tony Award nominations May 2 from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Meanwhile, nominations for this year’s Lucille Lortel Awards (which recognize Off-Broadway) were announced last week. The immersive Off-Broadway revival of “Sweeney Todd” received seven nominations. “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Oslo” and “Indecent,” which all began Off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway, were also recognized.

THE SHOW “Bye Bye Birdie”

THE DEAL Harvey Fierstein is currently doing double duty, appearing in “Gently Down the Stream” at the Public Theater while rewriting “Bye Bye Birdie.” The actor-writer told The Hollywood Reporter that he is making cosmetic changes to the 1960 musical comedy in preparation for its live television broadcast on NBC at the end of this year. For instance, Fierstein described the boss-and-secretary relationship between protagonists Albert and Rosie as “a little sexist and old-fashioned.” Both characters will now be teachers.

THE SHOW “Hello, Dolly!”

THE DEAL Understudies rarely go on while a show is still in previews. But on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, ensemble member Christian Dante White went on for Gavin Creel as Cornelius Hackl (the second largest male role) in “Hello, Dolly!” The hot-selling revival, which stars Bette Midler as Dolly, does not officially open until April 20. According to audience reports, Midler gave White the final bow in recognition of his performance.

THE SHOW “Significant Other”

THE DEAL Time is running out to find your significant other — at least at “Significant Other.” Joshua Harmon’s romantic comedy, about a single gay male in his late 20s (played by Gideon Glick) who has a crisis when his gal pals all wind up married, will end its Broadway run July 2, after what will have been a three-month run following previews. At the performance on April 13, a specially selected single individual will be brought onstage, and the cast will try to find a match for him or her.

WHAT Signature Theatre

THE DEAL Signature Theatre Company, one of the most prominent and prolific Off-Broadway institutions, announced that its 2017-18 season will feature plays by Suzan-Lori Parks (“The Red Letter Plays”), Stephen Adly Guirgis (“Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train,” “Our Lady of 121st Street”), the late Edward Albee (“At Home at the Zoo”) and Dominique Morisseau (“Paradise Blue”). Thanks to a subsidy initiative, tickets for each show’s initial run (i.e. before any extensions due to popular demand) are just $30 apiece. The current Signature season will finish with Annie Baker’s “The Antipodes” and Parks’ “Venus.”