Carmen Cusack News

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) announced today that the theatre company's 2018 gala fundraiser, A Twist of Limelight, will star Tony Award-nominated actress Carmen Cusack (Bright Star, Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) in a special performance.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) announced today that the theatre company's 2018 gala fundraiser, A Twist of Limelight, will star Tony Award-nominated actress Carmen Cusack (Bright Star, Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) in a special performance. All proceeds of the evening will support upcoming productions by Bay Area Musicals! The gala will be held at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Tickets to this one-night-only event range from $45.00 - $175.00 and are available now at www.bamsf.org/twist-of-limelight.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the recipients of its 49th annual awards for distinguished achievement in theatre last night, Monday, March 19, 2018, at A Noise Within in Pasadena. Wenzel Jones presided over the festivities, and Christopher Raymond served as music director.

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra's annual Pops concert is coming up on March 18th, 4pm, at the Collins Center for the Arts. This year, it's all about Oz! The Wonderful Music of Oz, produced by Spot-On Entertainment, will feature hits from Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and more, sung by a talented cast featuring some of Broadway's best and brightest.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Dean Cestari in Here and Now on April 21st. Singing songs influenced by life's ups-and-downs, Dean explores the milestone moments that shaped who he is and have left lasting impressions. Here and Now wittily and earnestly highlights the difficulty of finding who you are in the face of adversity while also celebrating the freedom and victory that comes from rising above. Dean is ecstatic to bring you on his journey from three-year-old boy skipping around the house dressed as Dorothy to starving artist living his dream in the big city.

On Monday, February 19, the Theater People podcast welcomes Broadway favorite Adam Kantor back to the podcast. Kantor, currently co-starring as Telephone Guy in the critically acclaimed new musical THE BAND'S VISIT shares stories of how he won the role, working with the creative team on creating the role, and perfecting his character's haunting and beautiful song 'Answer Me.'

Just last night, the Tony Award-winning and acclaimed Williamstown Theatre Festival celebrated its annual gala, honoring Gary Levine, President of Programming at Showtime® and Former Managing Director at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Artistic Director Mandy Greenfield has announced the Williamstown Theatre Festival 2018 Summer Season, the 64th Season for the Tony® Award-winning theatre company, which will include three world premiere plays, a world premiere musical, and much more.

On Monday, February 5 Theater People podcast welcomes Tony winner Lea Salonga. For the episode, Salonga Talks about taking on the role of Erzule, The Goddess of Love in Michael Arden's Broadway revival of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, which is currently playing at The Circle in the Square theater on Broadway.

This February, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include:

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Calamity Jane concert starring Sara Jean Ford, comes to Feinstein's/54 Below, the 28th Annual Ovation Awards are held tonight, and more!

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County theatre for the year 2017 (Dec. 1, 2016 Nov. 30, 2017).

BRIGHT STAR at Pioneer Theatre Company is utterly ravishing. The masterful performances and staging will take your breath away as they unforgettably illuminate the moving story and songs. Essentially the original Broadway production transferred to the PTC stage, this is not a locally produced regional production, nor is it a typical national tour per se in its current state. This is the last city where it will be presented in this form, starring Carmen Cusack, who was Tony-nominated for her role. Suffice it to say, the experience of seeing BRIGHT STAR at Pioneer Theatre Company is something very special. In addition to reviewing, BroadwayWorld was provided the opportunity to speak with cast and band members about the production.

On Monday, January 8, Theater People podcast welcome's back Broadway favorite Telly Leung. For the episode, Leung discusses recently winning the title role in Disney's ALADDIN on Broadway. He also shares stories from his recent work on IN TRANSIT and ALLEGIANCE.

On Monday, December 18 the Theater People podcast welcomes Olivier Award winner Leslie Margherita (MATILDA THE MUSICAL, DAMES AT SEA, ZORRO THE MUSICAL). On what will be the final Theater People episode of 2018, Margherita discusses WHO'S HOLIDAY, The one woman show in which she is currently starring as a grown up Cindy Lou Hoo--the character from the beloved Dr. Seuss Christmas classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

C elebrated as one of the most inf l uential musicians and composers of the 20th century, Leonard Bernstein ushered in an era of m ajor cultural transition. He led the way in advocating an open attitude about what constituted good music, actively bridging the gap between classical music, B r oadway musicals, jazz and rock, and he seized new media for its potential to reach diverse communities of listeners, young and old. Longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic, renowned composer of works for the concert hall and Broadway stage, glamoro us television personality, virtuosic pianist and committed educator, Bernstein was an extravagantly gifted musician with a common touch. He maintained a life - long focus on advocating for social justice, notably civil rights at home and peace around the wor ld. To celebrate the maestro's 100th birthday, Segerstrom Center is pleased to present a tribute to the musical theater masterpieces Bernstein created while honoring the scope and reach of his genius.

Part One of A Broadwaysted Carol Channing premiered this week on the Broadwaysted Podcast and BroadwayWorld got an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creation of their second radio play. Written by Kevin Jaeger and featuring the Broadwaysted Crew with an All-Star cast of Friends of the Show, this spoof on the classic Dickens tale hopes to entertain and raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, San Francisco's Curran's will wrap up 2017 with the Tony Award nominated new musical BRIGHT STAR, from Grammy and Emmy winner Steve Martin and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. Original BRIGHT STAR lead, Carmen Cusack, will revive her role, for which she received universal raves and a 2016 Tony Award nomination.