Odds & Ends: Kimber Elayne Sprawl, Jessica Hecht and More Win Actors’ Equity Awards; Jennifer Garner Joins 13 Going on 30 Producing Team

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.

Actors’ Equity Foundation Announces Recipients of 2025 Performance Awards
The Actors’ Equity Foundation has announced the recipients of its awards for performers from the 2024-25 season. The Richard Seff Award for two veteran actors goes to Jessica Hecht (Suzanne in Eureka Day), and Francis Jue (HYH and others in Yellow Face). The Clarence Derwent Award for the two most promising performances of the season is given to Nicholas Barasch (Frederic in Pirates! The Penzance Musical) and Julia Lester (Wilma in All Nighter). The Joe A. Callaway Award for the two best performances in a classical play is awarded to Steven Epp (Earl of Worcester/Francis/Silence in Henry IV) and Kimber Elayne Sprawl (Emilia in Othello). And finally, the Michael McCarty Recognition Award, honoring Los Angeles-based Equity actors who have built their lives in the theater, is awarded to Jennifer Leigh Warren. The Foundation will hold a ceremony to present these awards on June 23 at Green Fig in New York City.

Chaka Khan Musical Sets World Premiere
I'm Every Woman The Musical, telling the life story of the award-winning, multi-platinum selling Chaka Khan, will open at the Peacock Theatre in London for a strictly limited engagement from March 5-28, 2026 with an official opening night on March 11. The musical has a book by Nia T. Hill, direction by Racky Plews, choreography by Jade Hackett and casting by Debbie O’Brien with further creatives and casting to be announced.

Jennifer Garner Joins 13 Going on 30 Producing Team
Jennifer Garner, original Jenna Rink in the 2004 romcom 13 Going on 30, will be an executive producer of the musical stage adaptation, having its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in the fall. Lucie Jones will star as Garner’s character Jenna Rink in the musical, with further casting to be announced. The production will feature songs by Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary, a book by film writers Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa and direction by Andy Fickman. Performances will run from September 21 through October 12. 

Entertainment Community Fund Raises $1.6 Million at Annual Gala
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, raised $1.6 million at its Annual Gala on April 21. The evening celebrated Denzel Washington, Tony and Academy Award-winning actor, producer and director; Ariana DeBose, Academy Award-winning actor, dancer and singer; and James L. Nederlander, theater owner and producer, as they received the Entertainment Community Fund Medal of Honor. The evening was hosted by star of Broadway’s Once Upon a Mattress and Apple TV+’s Shrinking Michael Urie.