On Thursday, Meryl Streep was among the many guests to congratulate Jeremy O. Harris at Broadway’s re-opening night of “Slave Play”. According to W Magazine and their coverage of the after-party, the provocative production made Tony Awards history with 12 nominations and established Harris as a critical darling. Naturally, there was an after-party, and the scene at Tao Downtown in New York City following the show at August Wilson Theater appears to have been almost pre-pandemic. (Harris noted that negative Covid-19 tests were required on Twitter.) A couple of pictures from the after-party have been added to the photo gallery.

It’s been a long time since we read a sentence that started with “Meryl Streep has attended…” but here we go :-) On Wednesday and Thursday, Meryl Streep has attended two Los Angeles screenings and Q&As for “Don’t Look Up”, hosted by Tastemaker and BAFTA L.A. While there aren’t many pictures from both screenings, there are some, and you can find them in the photo gallery. Edit: A third screening took place at the Bruin Theater in West Hollywood. Pictures have been added as well.

Whenever I plan to post “a couple of old pictures” and go through my files to see if there’s something else, I come up with a couple dozen of pictures that have never made it to the archives before. I have no idea where they were all hiding, but I’m glad to share those new additions with you. Updates go back as early as 1980 with appearances at the Academy Awards Luncheon for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and the Obie Awards, a bunch of press conferences throughout the 1980s for “Silkwood” and “A Cry in the Dark” and some lesser-publicised appearances in the late 1990s, including the Telluride and Toronto Film festivals. For a complete list of updates, have a look at the previews below. Enjoy the pictures and have a nice weekend everybody.

On April 29, Meryl Streep – who is a Honorary Event Co-chair – joined the 18th edition of Poetry & The Creative Mind to read three selected poems: “Poetry” by Marianne Moore, “To The Magazine” by Mary Ruefle and “Take the I Out” by Sharon Olds. The event was held virtually with appearances by Elizabeth Alexander, Lauren Ambrose, John Darnielle, Terrance Hayes, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Samin Nosrat, Sandra Oh, Jason Reynolds and Sarah Sze. You can watch Meryl’s appearance below or in the video archive. Screencaptures have been added to the photo gallery.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, quality Now is mounting the Make Equality Reality Gala, a virtual event scheduled for Dec. 3 to support the organization’s mission of fighting for an equal world for women and girls. The event’s program will feature a tribute written by Gloria Steinem and read by Meryl Streep in honor of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose work for legal equality has inspired Equality Now’s global work, per the organization. Other honors include the activists and filmmakers of On the Record, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s documentary exploring the sexual assault allegations against Russell Simmons, and a third annual Changemaker Award presented by Gucci and Chime for Change that will be accepted by Egypt #MeToo activist Nadeen Ashraf. Confirmed to appear during the gala are Jane Fonda, Kate Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Karamo Brown, Margaret Atwood, Marisa Tomei, Alicia Vikander, Paul Reiser, AnnaSophia Robb, Rob Reiner, Carmen Ejogo, Aasif Mandvi, Karen Robinson, Jess Glynne, Heather McMahon, Linda Perry, Christine Lahti, Scarlett Curtis and V, who was formerly known as Eve Ensler. “This has been an incredibly challenging year for women and girls worldwide — from the clampdown on reproductive rights in Poland and the United States to the rising rates of child marriage in Kenya and India, 2020 has had a profound impact on the status of gender equality,” said Yasmeen Hassan, global executive director of Equality Now. “These setbacks mean the work of human rights advocates and activists around the world is more crucial than ever. Equality Now is inspired by the incredible cohort that is participating in our first-ever virtual gala, and look forward to working with them to help ensure that women and girls have access to justice regardless of what stands in their way.” More information about the event can be found here. Many thanks to Alvaro for the heads-up.

According to Yahoo, Meryl Streep is showing her support for the freedom of the press by honoring Amal Clooney at the prestigious CPJ International Press Freedom Awards. The Oscar-winning actress, 71, will present the human rights lawyer, 42, with the 2020 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award during an online award ceremony on Nov. 19. The award ceremony will showcase the work of this year’s awardees — which include four journalists from Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria and Russia who have faced arrest or prosecution for their work. Streep will highlight Clooney’s work as counsel for many journalists under threat.

In times of unprecedented uncertainty, it’s journalists who are out there, gathering the facts and trying to help us make sense of it all. By asking tough questions, and pursuing the truth at any cost, they are essential workers – serving the public and protecting democracy. That’s why I’m proud to take part in this year’s International Press Freedom Awards and to continue supporting the vital work of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Clooney will also be interviewed by reporter and 2018 Gwen Ifill Awardee Maria Ressa. The lawyer previously defended Ressa when she was persecuted in her home country of the Philippines for reporting on government corruption. The award ceremony will be hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. He’ll be joined by several other notable journalists such as Christiane Amanpour, Margaret Brennan, David Muir, Yamiche Alcindor and others. Rosamund Pike, Samantha Bee and journalist Ronan Farrow will be included in calls to support press freedom. The 2020 International Press Freedom Awards will be broadcast online at www.ipfa2020.org as well as NBC News, CBS News and ABC News on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. EST.

The full line up for The Royal Conservatory’s season gala has been announced. As one of Toronto’s most exclusive and star-studded annual galas, The Resounding Concert is accessible to everyone this year on October 17 via livestream. The event is a benefit in support of the Fund for Koerner Hall. Appearances will include artists who have performed at Koerner Hall from around the world: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Lang Lang, Meryl Streep, Sondra Radvanovsky, Jan Lisiecki, Zakir Hussain, James Ehnes, Alex Cuba, Daniel Hope, k.d. lang, Lighthouse, Rhiannon Giddens, Danilo Pérez, Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Gerald Clayton (playing Oscar Peterson), Barbara Hannigan, Chilly Gonzales, and Skratch Bastid with Afiara Quartet. Although the livestream is free for everyone, The Royal Conservatory are asking for donations in support of the Fund for Koerner Hall in order to keep bringing live music to audiences and keep artists working. More information on the concert and ticket prizes can be found here. Many thanks to Alvaro for the heads-up.

According to Playbill, a re-imagined virtual gala from The Public Theater will be a star-studded affair as the institution looks to the future following the year’s reckoning around racism in the country. “Forever. Togehter.”, directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon, will take place October 20 at 8 PM ET. The event will be live streamed on The Public’s website, YouTube, and Facebook. While free to watch, donations are encouraged to support the Off-Broadway institution. The lineup includes Jelani Alladin, Jacqueline Antaramian, Antonio Banderas, Laura Benanti, Kim Blanck, Ally Bonino, Danielle Brooks, Jenn Colella, Elvis Costello, Daniel Craig, Alysha Deslorieux, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Holly Gould, Danai Gurira, Stephanie Hsu, David Henry Hwang, Oscar Isaac, Nikki M. James, Alicia Keys, John Leguizamo, John Lithgow, Audra McDonald, Grace McLean, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kelli O’Hara, Mia Pak, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Hyde Pierce, Phylicia Rashad, Liev Schreiber, Martin Sheen, Phillipa Soo, Meryl Streep, Sting and Trudie Styler, Will Swenson, Shaina Taub, Kuhoo Verma, Ada Westfall, and Kate Wetherhead. As previously planned for the June 1 ceremony, the gala includes a special tribute to this year’s honorees Sam Waterston and Audrey and Zygi Wilf. “Before the world was stilled, we were set to celebrate the institution of theater as we knew it,” said Leon. “What we now know is that we have much to learn and much to do to earn our sacred place in our community. We take this time to celebrate our artists, and as we move forward with our virtual event, we understand that these are precious moments. We must strive to build institutions worthy of the beauty of our artists, and we will meet the moment with the seriousness and attention it deserves.” The evening will feature stories from Public Theater alumni, songs from Public Theater musicals (including a performance by Alladin of a new song written just for Public Works’ production of Hercules), and a preview of “Say Their Names,” a visual installation to be projected on the facade of The Public’s Cooper Square home dedicated to the Black lives lost to police brutality and white violence. Anne McPherson will serve as the gala’s production stage manager with music direction by Ted Sperling. Many thanks to Glenn and Alvaro for the heads-up.

Meryl Streep may not have an Instagram account, but she is mugging on the platform for a cause with Kageno. Streep is among the more than two dozen stars and notable names who posed in vibrant aprons as part of a social media campaign on behalf of nonprofit Kageno as a way to spotlight its upcoming event. The organization — founded in 2003 and focused on transforming communities in need in Kenya and Rwanda — is hosting a virtual gathering Sept. 23, an annual Harambee, which has been reimagined to be a fundraiser-meets-cooking celebration. Streep, a longtime supporter of Kageno, will deliver the keynote address as part of a program that also features Minnie Driver and Dylan McDermott addressing attendees, pop star Anastacia performing, and celebrity chef Todd English spearheading a cooking demo that guests can follow along with at home (ingredients can even be delivered in advance). The event also includes a silent auction featuring items modeled by Lydia Hearst and Chris Hardwick. The aprons featured in the social media campaign were designed and made by the African villages supported by Kageno. All shoots were conducted via FaceTime and photographed by Scott Buccheit. In addition to Streep, those who participated include Anne Dexter-Jones, Allie Rizzo, Omar Shariff, Jr., Gillian Hearst, Naeem Delbridge, Daniela Lopez, Alex and Keytt Lundqvist, Scott Cullens, Maggie Rizer, Mia Moretti, Selita Ebanks, Robin Roberts and Amber Laign, Johnny Bananas, Sam Champion, Marc Forgione, Buster Skrine and many others. More information about the event can be found here. The article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter with many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

According to Deadline, Meryl Streep, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald are set to join an all-star line-up in a special virtual concert to celebrate Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday. Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration, hosted by Raúl Esparza, will take place this Sunday, April 26, the 50th anniversary of the opening night of Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical Company. The concert kicks off at 8 pm ET, and will be available for free at Broadway.com and the Broadway.com YouTube channel. In addition to Streep, Peters, LuPone and McDonald, artists performing songs from the Sondheim catalog will include Mandy Patinkin, Christine Baranski, Donna Murphy, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Aaron Tveit, Maria Friedman, Iain Armitage, Katrina Lenk, Michael Cerveris, Brandon Uranowitz, Stephen Schwartz, Elizabeth Stanley, Chip Zien, Alexander Gemignani and, from the cast of Pacific Overtures at Classic Stage Company, Ann Harada, Austin Ku, Kelvin Moon Loh and Thom Sesma. Host Esparza starred as Bobby in the 2006 Tony Award-winning revival of Company and in the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sunday in the Park With George and Merrily We Roll Along in 2002, as well as the City Center Encores! production of Anyone Can Whistle and in last year’s Road Show. “The world is in a hard place,” Esparza said in a statement, “and we are all searching for something great. Well, Stephen Sondheim is greatness personified.” Mary-Mitchell Campbell will be the music director, with Paul Wontorek serving as director. This online event will act as a fundraiser for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), the organization conceived by Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth through art. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up!