Weekend Agenda: Gavin Creel and Andrew Rannells Are Tweeting About Naming Their Babies Edition

Though you’d never know it from the weather, February is well under way. So this weekend, while mother nature tries valiantly to make some snow happen, we’ll be seeing some Encores! and rehashing about the following theater-y stuff:

• Gavin Creel and Andrew Rannells took to the internets this week to discuss the names of their future children. Because they’re definitely not together. And they’re definitely not kidding. And they definitely knew it wouldn’t get a reaction out of you at all.

• If you were walking down 9^th Avenue and you thought the Rapture happened, think again. It’s just that everyone who works in theater got a TV show this week. Sutton Foster’s hideously named show “Bunheads” got picked up by ABC, and Jonathan Groff will join the political drama “Boss.” Meanwhile, Josh Gad will produce and star in a pilot called “1600 Penn” about life in the White House. These all sound interesting, but until someone produces “Laura Osnes: Vampire Slayer” we’ll stick to going to the theater for kicks.

• Paradise Lost, the planned film adaptation of John Milton’s epic poem that was slated to star Broadway’s Ben Walker, is canceled, according to people on the other side of the country who knows such things. You know what else was canceled in the process? A lot of bad CGI, Ben Walker with weird hair, and the massacring of great literature. All in all, it was a good week for American theater.

• Stick Fly will close on Broadway following lackluster performance at the box office. Not that shows prematurely close for any other reason…

• The mysterious and all-powerful Tony nominating committee decided this week that Hunter Parrish (Godspell), Josh Segarra (Lysistrata Jones), and Jeremy Jordan (Bonnie & Clyde) are all eligible to be nominated in the Best Actor in a Musical category for their performances. The last item is of note simply because we’re all starting mental preparations now for when Jeremy Jordan is nominated against himself. If that happens, we may barf from overexcitement like Nomi in Showgirls.

• Rumors have begun to swirl that Lea Michele may or may not be in talks to play Wendla in what could be some really age blind casting of McG’s forthcoming Spring Awakening movie. If she’s playing Wendla, we think they should just chuck it all to the wind and bring Gavin Creel back as Melchior. Why not go all out when you ask people to suspend their disbelief, right?

• If you haven’t seen this video of Mamma Mia star Jordan Dean working out, then you have lost your damn mind. Stop everything and watch it right now. Trust me; it’s rare to find a ginger-man this hot. Respect must be paid.

• In news that is either a total joke, or possibly just really, weirdly meta, long-lost-Beatle-looking Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini—he of “New Shoes” fame—is writing music and lyrics for a Nowhere Boy musical.  Honestly, does anyone else just think this may be weird British social commentary that they’re somehow not understanding?

• And last but not least, in your weekly Les Miz movie update… Hugh Jackman is growing his Valjean beard! It’s… strangely attractive. But that’s probably just because it’s on Hugh’s face. Another Hugh related item? He’s getting a new song in the film version. Because god forbid this movie musical not be eligible for an Oscar for Best Song.

• Will Chase and Tom Wopat will join Laura Osnes in Encores! Pipe Dream. Hotties for every generation of fangirl, y’all!