Alysha Umphress News

On The Town choreographer Joshua Bergasse choreographed a performance of the show's iconic opening number, 'New York, New York,' featuring the Top 20 finalists.

Virginia's Signature Theatre opens its' air-conditioned doors once again for the annual Sizzlin' Summer Nights Series. For two and a half weeks, Signature's intimate cabaret venue hosts an eclectic mix of Signature favorites, DC-area stars, and some of New York's most exciting performers. The cabaret series runs today, July 9 through July 26, with a different performance each night.

On June 16, The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out, celebrated its first anniversary with a live show at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club. The audio from the first half of the live show is now available free to download at theensemblist.com, as well as on iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn.

The Lobby Project, a series of free pre-show events presented in conjunction with New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center series, will feature a free pre-show event before the Today, June 28 performance of Jonathan Larson's tick, tick… BOOM!. 54 Below Meets 55 Above will feature selections of Larson's rarely heard work, curated by Jennifer Tepper (programming director of the cabaret venue 54 Below) sung by Broadway performers Nick Blaemire, Joe Iconis, Anne L. Nathan, Taylor Trensch and Alysha Umphress.

ON THE TOWN, the musical comedy love letter to New York City, is set to begin previews on Saturday, September 20, 2014 and officially open on Thursday, October 16, 2014 at Broadway's Lyric Theatre (213 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036). The show's star trio Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson and Clyde Alves has disembarked in New York City and took to the streets today in uniform -- check out photos (via Instagram) of their tour of the city below!

LUDO'S BROKEN BRIDE: A ROCK OPERA, starring Drew Gasparini (John Lennon Songwriting Award), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot) and Caitlin Kinnunen (Bridges of Madison County) will make its world premiere tonight to a sold out audience at The Cutting Room. The concert will also star Randy Blair (Fat Camp) and Brian Charles Rooney (The Threepenny Opera) with Nate Begle (John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean), Aymee Garcia (Shrek, Avenue Q), Maddy Jarmon (), Dan Kohler (Flashdance), Brendan Malafronte (John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean), Anthea Neri (NAA's Oliver), Azudi Onyejekwe (Violet), and Kate Steinberg.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: JERSEY BOYS serenade us on the big screen -- the movie opens wide today; the cast of ALADDIN appears at Barnes & Noble; tickets to King & Mellencamp's 'GHOST BROTHERS' tour go on sale; and BROADWAY BARES: ROCK HARD! hits the stage this Sunday!

The producers of ON THE TOWN announced today that Megan Fairchild(New York City Ballet Principal Dancer), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot) and Elizabeth Stanley (Company) will join the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, directed by John Rando (Tony Award® for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for 'Smash'). Fairchild, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, will make her Broadway debut playing 'Ivy Smith'. Umphress will play 'Hildy' and Stanley will play 'Claire', both reprising their performances from last summer's acclaimed Barrington Stage production.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present a live recording of 'The Ensemblist' with an all-star cast on Monday, June 16. Scroll down for photos!

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre announces the creative teams and casting for the two original book musicals, Afterland, music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, which will be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.

LUDO'S BROKEN BRIDE: A ROCK OPERA, starring Drew Gasparini (John Lennon Songwriting Award), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot), and Caitlin Kinnunen (Bridges of Madison County), has announced it's complete casting. Joining Gasparini, Umphress and Kinnunen will be Randy Blair (Fat Camp), Brian Charles Rooney (The Threepenny Opera), Nate Begle (John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean), Aymee Garcia (Shrek, Avenue Q), Maddy Jarmon, Dan Kohler (Flashdance), Brendan Malafronte (John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean), Althea Neri (NAA's Oliver), Azudi Onyejekwe (Violet), and Kate Steinberg.

Patrick Hinds, host of Theater People Podcast, recently told me that he considers The Ensemblist to be the Radio Lab of theatre podcasts. For podcast aficionados, that is extremely high (and well-deserved) praise. Nikka Graff Lanzarone (WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, CHICAGO) and Mo Brady (THE ADDAMS FAMILY, SMASH) are two Broadway vets that have been giving listeners a look at Broadway 'from the inside out' for over a year. Next week, they are having a party to celebrate, and you're invited.

The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out, announces new guests for its first anniversary live show - a week from today!

The Lobby Project, a series of free pre-show events presented in conjunction with New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center series, will feature a free pre-show event before the Saturday, June 28 performance of Jonathan Larson's tick, tick… BOOM!. 54 Below Meets 55 Above will feature selections of Larson's rarely heard work, curated by Jennifer Tepper (programming director of the cabaret venue 54 Below) sung by Broadway performers Nick Blaemire, Joe Iconis, Anne L. Nathan, Taylor Trensch and Alysha Umphress.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 16 - June 20, featuring Ravi Coltrane Quartet, The Ensemblist with Nikka Graff, Lanzarone & Mo Brady, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, and more!

LUDO'S BROKEN BRIDE: A ROCK OPERA, based on the concept album by the alternative rock band LUDO will be presented in a one night only concert event at The Cutting Room on Monday, June 23, tickets are now on sale. The cast will include Drew Gasparini (John Lennon Songwriting Award), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot), and Caitlin Kinnunen (Bridges of Madison County), Additional casting to be announced at a later date.

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre announces the creative teams and casting for the two original book musicals, Afterland, music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, which will be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.

Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone announce the release of The Ensemblist's 24th episode: 'Tony Awards.'

The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out, comes to the legendary Birdland Jazz Club in June to celebrate its first anniversary with a live show! Hosts Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone have invited some of their favorite Broadway performers to the stage to celebrate their ensemblist experiences. Click below to watch the announcement for the concert!

This June, July and August, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.