The holidays are over and you’re back in the swing of things. If you are a New Yorker, the  winter doldrums are about to set in and those resolutions of working out and a three-day juice fast are looming over you. Perhaps you’re a tourist converging on the Big Apple to capitalize on discount airfares and hotel rooms. In either case, this is one of the best times of year to snag seats to a Broadway show. While you’re at it, consider attending one of The Actors Fund‘s “Producer’s Picks”.

The Actors Fund “Producer’s Picks” is an 84-year-old tradition where producers add a special performance or hold a special block of seats and donate proceeds to this worthy organization. The Actors Fund is a national organization that helps performing arts and entertainment professionals by providing a safety net through programs and services for those who are in need, crisis, or transition.

Here’s what you can see this month (be sure to use links below to ensure that your ticket purchase benefits The Actors Fund):

Chaplin — special final performance!
Sunday, January 6, 8 p.m.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Wednesday, January 9, 8 p.m.

Dead Accounts
Thursday, January 10, 7 p.m.

Brian Stokes Mitchell performs for Harry Belafonte at the 2012 Actors Fund Gala. (photo: Lyn Hughes Photography)

Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr, Sara Ramirez and Kevin McKiddat "Grey's Anatomy: The Songs Beneath the Show". Photo by Scott Appel.

Our casting cup runneth over this week with theater news featuring big doings from big casts:

• The blockbuster gang at The Book of Mormon is ignoring their Momma’s advice and giving it away for free again. To celebrate the show’s first year anniversary, the show will offer its second Free Fan Performance on June 6 at 2pm. To be eligible for a seat, just sign up for one of their nightly ticket lotteries through Sunday, May 20 and hope your name is picked.

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  Image via BBB.

  Prince of Broadway is getting a cast fit for a king. Check out just some of the names set to star in the Broadway bound tribute to Director/Producer Hal Prince: the suddenly ubiquitous Linda Lavin, LaChanze (The Color Purple), Sierra Boggess (Master Class), Josh Grisetti (Enter Laughing), Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma), Richard Kind (The Producers), Caroline O’Connor (Moulin Rouge!!!), and Emily Skinner (Side Show).

• The gals of Steel Magnolias sure do love a makeover, so it’s no surprise that the southern fried, beauty parlor chestnut is getting remade as a Lifetime movie. The not-so-French twist this time is that it has been reset (and blowdried?) in Louisiana and features a who’s who of African-American screen stars including Queen Latifah (playing the Sally Field role), Alfre Woodard (taking over for Shirley MacLaine) and Phylicia Rashad (sitting in Olympia Dukakis’ chair).

• The day someone performs the epic flop musical Via Galactica is the day someone will revive Carrie off-Broadway. What is that you say? Really? Well, it seems pigs are flying all over town because that infamous 70′s sci-fi tuner with a score by Galt MacDermot (Hair) is getting a concert reboot March 23-25 at the Kraine Theater in NYC. I don’t know anything about the company presenting this new Via Galactica but I do know it’s a benefit for the Embrace Kids Foundation  and features an updated script by Erik Ludwig. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by writing vgreservations@gmail.com.

• If you were in LA this past weekend, I hope you caught Grey’s Anatomy: The Songs Beneath the Show, a benefit for the Actors Fund featuring the cast of the hit drama showing off their pipes–instead of surgically removing someone else’s. Watch a clip of the fabulous Tony-winning Sara Ramirez after the jump and you’ll want to plead for her to come back to Broadway. Stat!

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