Theater Update: Elizabeth McGovern as the sultry Ava Gardner

Lupita Nyong'o in 'Twelfth Night'; the Delacorte Theater's renovation

View in browser|nytimes.com August 13, 2025 Dear Theater Fans, "It's very liberating to take off that psychological corset," said Elizabeth McGovern, who is portraying the sultry film star Ava Gardner after 16 years of embodying the prim Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey." McGovern talked to Elisabeth Vincentelli about changing gears for her new play, "Ava: The Secret Conversations" (at New York City Center through Sept. 14), which she also adapted from a British journalist's "decidedly nontraditional book" about his power struggles with his controlling subject. At the Delacorte Theater, the stars are in abundance — and not just the ones audiences can see in the sky above Central Park. Lupita Nyong'o, Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and others are performing in "Twelfth Night" at the newly reopened theater. Alexis Soloski spent some time with Nyong'o and her younger brother, Junior, as they prepared to play the show's shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian. Onstage together, they are resuming their childhood adventures. "He really enjoyed make-believe as much as I did," Lupita Nyong'o said. In a visually stunning piece, Michael Paulson and the photographer Sara Krulwich take us on a tour of the $85 million upgrade of the Delacorte, which received "all sorts of modifications and modernizations," including a barrier to keep raccoons from burrowing under the seats. And Sarah Bahr surveyed the fan mail landscape in New York theater, where declarations of admiration come in all forms: papier-mâché "Little Shop of Horrors" fly traps, friendship bracelets and, for Joey Fatone, the former 'N Sync singer who had a run in "& Juliet," a customized track suit. Michael also reported that "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)" will open at the Longacre Theater in November. The show had its own journey — across England with a stop in Boston before coming to New York — and has racked up glowing reviews along the way. Here's a video of the show's two stars, Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty, singing one of the production numbers, "American Express." Please reach out to me at theaterfeedback@nytimes.com with suggestions for stories or to offer your thoughts about our coverage. And urge your friends to subscribe to this newsletter. Have a wonderful week, Nicole Herrington Theater Editor Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Inside the $85 Million Renovation of Central Park's Home for Shakespeare A combination of preservation and polish aims to make the Delacorte Theater a better experience for the performers and audiences. By Michael Paulson and Sara Krulwich Amir Hamja for The New York Times For Lupita and Junior Nyong'o, 'Twelfth Night' Is Child's Play, Revisited The siblings "really enjoyed make-believe" as kids. Now they are playing Shakespeare under the stars at the newly reopened Delacorte Theater in Central Park. By Alexis Soloski Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. NEWS AND FEATURES Kristina Dittmar for The New York Times Elizabeth McGovern as a Sultry Bombshell? This Isn't 'Downton Abbey.' "It's very liberating to take off that psychological corset," the actress said of portraying the rambunctious Hollywood star Ava Gardner onstage. By Elisabeth Vincentelli The Pillows, Track Suits and Letters That Fans Send to Broadway Stars Joey Fatone, Michelle Williams and other actors share some of the declarations of admiration they've received during their runs onstage. By Sarah Bahr and Amir Hamja Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall A Rom-Com Born in Britain and Set in New York Is Coming to Broadway "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)", a musical charmer with a cast of two, will open at the Longacre in November. By Michael Paulson THEATER REVIEW Emilio Madrid Critic's Pick 'Well, I'll Let You Go' Review: A Fog of Grief Bubba Weiler's quietly absorbing new play, directed by Jack Serio, is a showcase for a blue-chip cast that includes Quincy Tyler Bernstine and Michael Chernus. By Laura Collins-Hughes BOOK REVIEW Sarah Mazzetti Fiction A Drama Teacher on the Run From a Lurid Past and a Risky Present Alexis Soloski's new thriller follows the evolution, and erosion, of a young performer ensnared in a cultlike theater troupe. By Catherine Chidgey EDINBURGH FESTIVALS Marc Brenner Theater Review In This Financial Crisis, Brian Cox Is Hauntingly Good The "Succession" star, playing the ghost of the Scottish philosopher Adam Smith, is a bright spot in a new play about the 2008 banking crunch. By Houman Barekat Robert Ormerod for The New York Times Blown Away by Bubble Art Performers are delighting crowds with bubble blowing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, using a mixture of dish soap, water and lube — and occasional acrobatics. By Alex Marshall SALLIE BINGHAM, 1937-2025 Camila Motta Sallie Bingham, Author at the Center of a Newspaper Drama, Dies at 88 A novelist and memoirist, she famously clashed with her brother, leading to the fall of a Kentucky publishing dynasty that her paternal grandfather established in 1918. By Anita Gates THEATER GUIDES Jeff Lorch A Dozen Off Broadway Shows to Energize Your August Elizabeth McGovern channels Ava Gardner, a starry "Twelfth Night" reopens the Delacorte and Luke Newton of "Bridgerton" plays Alexander McQueen. By Laura Collins-Hughes Jeenah Moon for The New York Times Broadway Shows to See This Summer: 'Maybe Happy Ending' and More A guide to every show on Broadway, including Tony-winning musicals, new dramas, quirky hits and veterans like "Hamilton." By Laura Collins-Hughes Don Perdue Theater to Stream: Morgan Freeman in 'Gospel at Colonus' and More Can't catch the live revival of this retelling of "Oedipus at Colonus"? Stream a version with Freeman and Robert Earl Jones, or four more stage-related shows. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Marc Brenner What to See in London Theaters This Summer A handpicked guide for visitors (and residents), including classic drama, musicals, new plays and shows for children. By Matt Wolf Craig Stewart Dozens of Festival Plays Worth Traveling to This Summer Across the country, you'll find Shakespeare in amphitheaters, exciting new works on intimate stages and many regional repertories in bucolic settings. By Laura Collins-Hughes and Elisabeth Vincentelli If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Theater Update from The New York Times. To stop receiving Theater Update, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018