Anika Larsen News

Happy Valentine's Day! Oh, it's not a happy Valentine's Day for you? Well, I'm sorry, but as you are probably all to aware of then, misery loves COMPANY; and yes, I am talking about the revolutionary 1970 Sondheim musical. Like all things, the lonliness, anger, and depression that is sometimes associated with being alone on this most Hallmark of holiudays is always made better by show tunes.

Birdland Jazz Club just announced its March 2015 schedule, featuring Mike Stern and Bill Evans Band, Barbara Carroll, John Abercrombie Quartet, Sheila Jordan with the Steve Kuhn Trio, Kevin Mahogany, Anika Larsen featuring Jessie Mueller and Jarrod Spector, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more. Scroll down for details!

Catch up on the week's biggest stories from Broadway and beyond in BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures,' featuring coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights, and more. Highlights this week include coverage of the off-Broadway debut of new musical ONE DAY, BEAUTIFUL's Grammy win for Best Musical Theatre Album, THE LAST FIVE YEARS movie premiere, and more!

On Sunday night, Beautiful took home the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, and just yesterday, the cast of the Tony Award-winning hit celebrated the show's recent Grammy Award victory on stage at the Sondheim Theatre. Their Grammy isn't here yet, but in its place, Carole King allowed them to celebrate their victory with one of her very own Grammy Awards trophies! BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special night below!

On Monday, February 9 2015, the Theater People Podcast welcomes Keala Settle, Tony nominee for HANDS ON A HARDBODY, currently starring as Madame Thenardier in the Broadway production of LES MISERABLES Keala shares stories from her three years on the road as Tracy Turnblad in the national tour of HAIRSPRAY, making her Broadway debut in PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT, how the HARDBODY Tony nomination changed her life, and how she won the role of Thenardier having never seen a single production of LES MIS. Keala also talks about the darker side of the business, the heartache of HANDS ON A HARDBODY being a a critical failure which resulted in a swift closure,how the HAIRSPRAY tour led to her decision to step away from acting, and her cherished time working as a stagehand while she tried to figure out if she should take another stab at performing.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Encores! LADY, BE GOOD kicks off, TUCK EVERLASTING premieres in Atlanta, and off-Broadway has a busy night!

ANIKA LARSEN, the 2014 Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner currently starring on Broadway in Beautiful -- The Carole King Musical, will introduce her debut solo CD Sing you to Sleep with a special concert at Birdland Jazz Club as part of the 'Broadway at Birdland' series on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 PM.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL has won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album!

On Monday January 26, 2015, the Theater People Podcast will release their 30th episode which was recorded live at Fontana's Bar in New York City as part of the NYC Podfest. For the event, Theater People welcomed back two time Tony nominee Laura Osnes (CINDERELLA, BONNIE & CLYDE) and KINKY BOOTS favorite Ellyn Marie Marsh. Laura talked about life after CINDERELLA, the roles she auditioned for but didn't get to play, starring in the upcoming CAROUSEL, raps Lin-Manuel Miranda style, and cruises hilariously through a lightening round. Ellyn Marie Marsh performs a hilarious excerpt from her sold out 54 Below debut solo show 'Inappropriate.'

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced today that Award-winning Canadian actress Chilina Kennedy, who made her Broadway debut as 'Mary Magdalene' in Jesus Christ Superstar, has nabbed the title role in Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, the smash hit musical about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter. Kennedy begins performances on March 7, 2015, succeeding Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller, who will play her final performance in Beautiful on March 6 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street).

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced today that they will be holding a nationwide open casting call for the most sought-after role on Broadway, the title role in Beautiful -The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter. The show's casting directors will hold an open call for 'Carole King' at New York City's Ripley Grier Studios (520 Eighth Avenue) today, January 16, 2015 and will also search nationally for Caroles and other cast members for the Broadway, touring and international productions of the smash hit musical.

Currently wowing audiences eight times a week as the sassy and tenacious Cynthia Weil in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Anika Larsen recently released her debut solo album, SING YOU TO SLEEP. Sprinkling in subdued jazz, Anika Larsen invites us to loosen our ties, kick off our shoes, and cuddle up with her gentle crooning as we listen to the deliciously soothing SING ME TO SLEEP.

The cast of the Tony Award-winning hit Beautiful just celebrated the show's one year anniversary with a celebratory curtain call and cake. Since opening on Broadway on January 12, 2014, Beautiful has broken all box office records at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, where it recently became the highest grossing production in the theatre's history. BroadwayWorld was there for the special night and you can check out photos from the festivities below!

The London cast of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical sent a video message, including a performance of 'You've Got a Friend,' to the Broadway company ahead of their one year anniversary - check it out below!

Ghostlight Records announced today that a podcast containing exclusive commentary from cast members of the Tony Award-winning hit Beautiful-The Carole King Musical is now available for download.

For the current episode of the Theater People Podcast, host Patrick Hinds interviews Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone, hosts of 'The Ensemblist' Podcast. The episode concludes with section of 'The Ensemblist' episode In Tech. Mo and Nikka are both Broadway performers in their own right--Mo is an THE ADDAMS FAMILY alum and Nikka was seen in WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN and as Velma Kelly in CHICAGO.

On Monday, December 29, Theater People podcast welcomes beloved Broadway belter, Lindsay Mendez. Mendez, who is well known for having taken on the role of Elphaba in the Broadway mega-hit WICKED for the show's 10th anniversary, made her Broadway debut as Jan in the 2007 Kathleen Marshall helmed GREASE. She was seen on Broadway in the 2010 Roundabout Theater production of EVERYDAY RAPTURE, as well as the 2011 Broadway revival of GODSPELL before being hand picked by famed director Joe Mantello to star in the off-Broadway Pasek and Paul musical DOGFIGHT at Second Stage. She also memorably appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in Miranda's short musical 21 CHUMP STREET which was commissioned by the NPR show 'This American Life' and performed at BAM.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include coverage of HAMILTON rehearsals, the NYC workshop of Sara Bareillis's new musical WAITRESS, Imelda Staunton in GYPSY, and more!

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced today that they will be holding a nationwide open casting call for the most sought-after role on Broadway, the title role in Beautiful -The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter. The show's casting directors will hold an open call for 'Carole King' at New York City's Ripley Grier Studios (520 Eighth Avenue) on Friday, January 16, 2015 and will also search nationally for Caroles and other cast members for the Broadway, touring and international productions of the smash hit musical.

The stars of the Broadway smash hit Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, just discussed their Grammy Nominated Originally Broadway Cast Recording at the Apple Store Soho (103 Princes Street, NYC) on yesterday, December 16. Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller was joined by her Tony Award nominated co-stars Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector ('Cynthia Weil' and 'Barry Mann') and Musical DirectorJason Howland for a performance and discussion moderated by journalist Suzy Evans (a contributor to Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times and more). BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photo coverage of the performances below!