Pat Cerasaro - Page 209

Today, BroadwayWorld is thrilled to present the world premiere of a song from this week's release of Lance Horne's sensational new album FIRST THINGS LAST with a strikingly sensitive and alluring track from Broadway and GLEE star Cheyenne Jackson titled "Strange Bird".

Today we are talking to the composer of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, Tom Kitt, about his influences - from Sondheim to Schwartz to Finn to Elton John to some of his own contemporaries - and working with Green Day on AMERICAN IDIOT and his own eponymous band, to the creation of a Broadway phenomenon by tracing the path of the show from FEELING ELECTRIC to NEXT TO NORMAL - plus, the many exciting projects that he has coming up this year and beyond, including a thorough discussion of his upcoming collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green and Jeff Whitty on BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL and the very first news of a new, original Kitt/Yorkey musical on the horizon - and much, much more.

Having essayed the roles of Belle in BEAUTY & THE BEAST and the title role in MARY POPPINS on Broadway, as well as having created a role in the jukebox revue ON THE RECORD, Ashley Brown has carved a place for herself as the premiere Disney leading lady of the 21st century and her participation in the recent symphonic presentation of SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARVES only furthers that point. I spoke to Ashley yesterday as she was on her way to rehearsals for SIR TIM RICE & FRIENDS, a special concert taking place in NYC on Friday at 6 PM and we discussed her career so far and her plans for the future, both near and far. Also, here you will find the first news of Ashley's upcoming PBS special airing in March and a forthcoming original Charlie Chaplin musical as well as a Cole Porter revue based on the film ROMAN HOLIDAY.

Broadway leading man and AMERICAN IDOL season 2 contestant Josh Strickland spoke to me yesterday about his career so far - on a trip from the Broadway stage in TARZAN, to the burlesque stage in Jerry Mitchell's PEEP SHOW in Las Vegas, right to the concert stage in NYC on Friday night in SIR TIM RICE & FRIENDS - all in just a handful of years. All of that is without even mentioning season two of the smash hit reality series HOLLY'S WORLD that he co-stars on, which will be following KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS: KARDASHIANS TAKE NEW YORK on Sunday nights starting January 23 on E!. Also, Josh shared with me the first news about his new dance album coming out later this year, as well, which is the centerpiece of his storyline on the show this season! More information about the one night only NY TIMES Arts & Leisure-hosted SIR TIM RICE & FRIENDS event on Friday at 6 PM is available here.

Rock tenor Rob Evan is perhaps most famous for his essaying of the dual title roles in Frank Wildhorn's JEKYLL & HYDE ten years ago on Broadway - and playing the leads in the new rock reinterpretation of the score known as JEKYLL & HYDE: RESURRECTION - but since that time he has appeared in entertainment entities as diverse as LES MISERABLES, Disney's TARZAN, Alan Menken & Howard Ashman's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, concert performances of CHESS, THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, The Dream Engine and, of course, his muse-like work for Paul O'Neill, creator and composer of the international phenomenon known as the Trans Siberian Orchestra, as well as the Lord of Excess himself and a rock god like none other, BAT OUT OF HELL visionary Jim Steinman. There's a lot more to the story of Evan, Steinman and DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES than may seem at first bite. In this exclusive conversation, Evan and I discuss his many stage and concert appearances, as well as his extensive studio work - including BATMAN and many new, unheard compositions - with the resplendent and reclusive rock icon known to friends as just Jimmy. Here's a big bloody bite of my conversation with Rob Evan, who can be seen in a number of upcoming appearances on concert stages across the world, including his upcoming ROCK TENOR series of shows. More information is available at his official site here.

Today we are taking a look and a listen to the biggest and brightest Broadway beacons of the year that was, all amidst the dismal landscape of the Street as we now know it, though I won't name names or titles (hyphenated or otherwise). Between the ultimate diva triptych of Barbra, Liza and Cher each releasing not only new albums in 2010, but also DVDs of their work - and, in Cher's case, a smash-hit big-screen original movie musical, BURLESQUE, to the stars-on-the-rise of two leading men of far off shores - Stuart Matthew Price and David Campbell. In a year with far too few new cast albums, these solo albums certainly shine with lots of luster. On Broadway it might have been the year of epic disaster, but on record we may be able to find the Broadway we knew and loved once in any number of these highly-recommended releases. Oh, yeah - and Sondheim, too!

In a conversation encapsulating everything from Albee and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF to Aristophanes and Virginia Woolf herself - and even a little Stephen King - this concluding portion of this exclusive interview with this remarkably gifted actor ends with a look ahead to LEAP OF FAITH. Plus, what's on his iPod, what books he's reading, and a whole lot more!

Celebrating twenty years of THE JERRY SPRINGER SHOW on the air, the controversial talk show host and stage personality was kind enough to set aside some time this week to talk to me about his stints as Billy Flynn in CHICAGO - on Broadway and in the West End - as well as joining recent InDepth InterView participants Raul Esparza and Alice Ripley onstage as the Narrator in the 2000 revival of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW on Broadway. Coming up, Jerry will be playing the role of Captain Hook in the UK special holiday event panto production of PETER PAN next month. In this revealing discussion, we also touch upon the rise of reality TV, DANCING WITH THE STARS, Howard Stern, Rosie O'Donnell, why theatre is the best art form on the planet, and much, much more. And, no theatre-centric Springer discussion would be complete without a thorough analysis of the shockingly brilliant JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA, winner of the Olivier Award for Best Musical and now available on Region 2 DVD.

Tonight is the annual ASTEP benefit concert at 7 PM on at Joe‘s Pub, so be sure catch Raul Esparza as the host of NEW YORK CITY CHRISTMAS, directed by Lynne Shankel, to benefit Actors Striving To End Poverty. Information available here!

Since today is only a week away from Christmas Day, we are taking a special look at the absolute must-own Christmas- themed releases for the Broadway baby on your list. From Barbra Streisand to Sondheim, Raul Esparza to Liza Minnelli, Barbara Cook to Straight No Chaser - there's certainly a little bit of holiday cheer to cast some winter starlight upon even the saddest of Charlie Brown Christmas trees. Here are seven ways to make your holiday a little more sparkling and bright - and some cool Yule selections for how to change-up your Christmas tune listening for the last seven days until Santa Claus & Co. arrive late next Friday night!

In this super special edition installment of FLASH FRIDAY, we are taking a look at this weekend's featured performer on BroadwayWorld, the incandescent star of stage and screen, known for his roles in everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim to Pinter and Mamet, the one and only Raul Esparza. We have some of his personally chosen favorite moments from his career, as well as some highlights from his phoenix-like rise to the very top of Broadway. Sondheim and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE to "There's A Sucker Born Every Minute", TABOO, CAROUSEL and more, this column is a perfect compliment to the exhaustive, 10,000 word interview with Raul Esparza, his most comprehensive interview to date, available only on BroadwayWorld. Also, we even have a preview of what we can expect in his upcoming emceeing duties and performance at this year's ASTEP CHRSTMAS IN NEW YORK benefit, with his inimitable performance of "O Holy Night", which is available in pristine audio form on the stupendous album on Sh-K-Boom.

Over the course of our ninety minute conversation earlier this week, Tony-winning Broadway star Alice Ripley was kind enough to open up about her role in the phenomenon of the Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL, which is now kicking off a US Tour beginning in Los Angeles, as well as offer thoughts on many of her significant stage roles that she has taken on over the course of her impressive and varied career. Pete Townshend and THE WHO'S TOMMY to Andrew Lloyd Webber and SUNSET BOULEVARD and TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, to Sondheim with COMPANY (as the greatest Amy of all time), and even a turn in ROCKY HORROR; Alice Ripley has seemingly done it all,and her passion, dedication and insight into her craft are amply evident in both her studied performances on stage as well as in discussing the art of acting in musical theatre in conversation and her inspirations as Diana Goodman, ranging from Albee to O'Neill to actors like Cynthia Nixon, Toni Collette and more. In her most comprehensive print interview to date, BroadwayWorld is proud to present InDepth InterView: Alice Ripley.

Here is the second part of our three-part discussion, in which Esparza and I analyze his roles and performances in plays, as well as a thorough discussion of the art of acting - and, additionally, a chat about roles he would like to play in the future, both near and far.

In this exclusive interview with BroadwayWorld, Raul Esparza takes a comprehensive look back at his spectacular rise to fame from this time ten years ago in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW on Broadway, his first New York stage role, to now, with career-defining reviews for the out-of-town tryout of the new Alan Menken musical LEAP OF FAITH - as well as his sold-out American Songbook concerts early next year in New York. What does the future hold for Raul Esparza onscreen and onstage? Will it be Shakespeare or Sondheim or something completely new? Mamet or MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG? You may very well find your answer here.

Stephen Sondheim to Jerry Herman to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael John LaChiusa to Kander & Ebb to Dempsey & Rowe, PUTTING IT TOGETHER to MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET on Broadway - the phenomenally gifted co-founder of the Signature Theater is one of the brightest lights in directing today - whether in regional theatre or on Broadway or the West End - and a mere glance at his resume reveals many of the reasons why. Discussing the current production of SUNSET BOULEVARD opening later this month at the Signature, plus a complete rundown of the upcoming Kennedy Center production of FOLLIES, in this, his most comprehensive interview to date, Eric Schaeffer bares all and reveals what makes his productions shine so bright on Broadway and beyond.

In this special edition of FLASH FRIDAY we are taking a look at a number of TV appearances by Tony-winning Broadway star and this week's InDepth InterView participant Alice Ripley in celebration of the tour of the Pulizter prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL kicking off in Los Angeles starring the incandescent original Broadway leading lady herself. SUNSET BLVD, SIDE SHOW, LES MIZ, LITTLE FISH and NEXT TO NORMAL are just a few of the many marvelous faces of the multi-talented Alice Ripley.

Over the course of our ninety minute conversation earlier this week, Tony-winning Broadway star Alice Ripley was kind enough to open up about her role in the phenomenon of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, which is now kicking off a US Tour beginning in Los Angeles, as well as offer thoughts on many of her significant stage roles that she has taken on over the course of her impressive and varied career. Pete Townshend and THE WHO'S TOMMY to Andrew Lloyd Webber and SUNSET BOULEVARD and TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, to Sondheim with COMPANY (as the greatest Amy of all time), and even a turn in ROCKY HORROR; Alice Ripley has seemingly done it all, and her passion, dedication and insight into her craft are amply evident in both her studied performances on stage as well as in discussing the art of acting in musical theatre in conversation and what she has taken as her inspirations to play Diana Goodman, ranging from Albee to O'Neill to actors like Cynthia Nixon, Toni Collette and more. In this portion of her most comprehensive interview to date, BroadwayWorld is proud to present Part I of InDepth InterView: Alice Ripley.

Today we are taking a look and a listen to the winter finale of Fox's hit musical comedy series GLEE and its accompanying soundtrack, GLEE: THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM, both of which premiered this week. 'Tis the season for all good GLEE gifts and if a special Christmas episode - 'A Very Glee Christmas' - just wasn't enough, then the two recently released soundtrack albums can surely fuel your fire until the post-Superbowl special episode in the new year!

Today, we are concluding our spotlight on the new school of Disney feature film directors begun last week with Byron Howard and Nathan Greno of TANGLED - now in Disney Digital 3D in movie theaters nationwide - and continuing yesterday with Don Hahn of WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY, with a indepth conversation with Jeff Sherman and Greg Sherman, the directors of THE BOYS documentary - now available on DVD - tracing the glorious career of their famous songwriting fathers, even if life was anything but 'A Spoonful of Sugar' behind the scenes. MARY POPPINS to THE TIGGER MOVIE, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG on screen and on Broadway to BUSKER'S ALLEY, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and much more, the Sherman Brothers' career continues on in their twilight years as their sons carry on the tradition of incisive, emotional storytelling in THE BOYS documentary just as their fathers have done in their hundreds of beloved songs - some, such as those from MARY POPPINS, Academy Award winners. The rich legacy lives on with the Sherman Sons in THE BOYS, new on DVD this week.

What has made Season Two of GLEE must-see TV above all else? Who is the newest star soon to soar to the loftiest heights? Who has 'it' in a cast of ver-it-able all-consuming it-itis? Clue A: In just two performances and a handful of scenes in a couple of appearances he has made his star power shine, and on last night's especially strong episode of the wildly inconsistent second season of GLEE it is now safe to say that by any measure whatsoever a blazing star has been born, by any measure of Broadway, Hollywood, or anywhere else. Clue B: Find out what his name is, what songs to download, and some recent glimpses of his sure-to-be meteoric rise to global fame in the very near future in the content below. Clue C: 'Teenage Dream' and 'Hey, Soul Sister' are merely the humble beginnings of... Darren Criss, Superstar.