Chris Walker News

Broadway might be dark, but that doesn't mean that theatre isn't happening everywhere! Below, check out where you can get your daily fix of Broadway this weekend, February 27-28, 2020.

What do you do when you can't hit the road in 2020? You turn your home studio into a premiere virtual performance destination with a popular ongoing series of weekly shows on the StageIt Platform, invite your musical friends to be your guests, record all the performances, and a year later release an extraordinary album of duets Alone Together.

Tony winner Daveed Diggs will take us under the sea in the upcoming live action film adaptation of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' - he plays Sebastian the Crab, the nervous right-hand man to King Triton. 

The Narrators, Denver’s longest running and most popular live storytelling event, announce the return of their popular podcast, with new episodes starting January 8th.  Founded in 2010, The Narrators has long called Denver’s eclectic Buntport Theater home.

Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham announced the line-up today for The Public's free digital fall season. The Public will present new digital works, deepen community relationships through its artistic programs, and continue its long tradition of civic engagement in this crucial election season.

The Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre was certainly abuzz last night for the opening night of Sleepless - the first fully staged musical to take place in the UK since the beginning of lockdown.

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, officially begins performances tonight, August 25, at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre!

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, which announced last month it would begin socially distanced indoor performances at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 25 August, will begin using a new accurate COVID-19 test on cast, musicians, crew and theatre staff on a daily basis during rehearsals and during the run of the show.

A new video has been released of Kimberley Walsh singing 'Outta My Hands' from the new musical SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, which will begin socially distanced indoor performances at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 25 August. 

SLEEPLESS, which will begin socially distanced indoor performances at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre on 25 August, will begin using a new accurate COVID-19 test on cast, musicians, crew and theatre staff on a daily basis during rehearsals and during the run of the show. ests results will be sent directly to crew, cast and staff phones via a secure app within an hour of a swab being taken.

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, based on the original screenplay Sleepless in Seattle, will premiere at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London on Tuesday 1 September 2020, with previews from 25 August. The limited season will run until Sunday 27 September 2020.  Performances will begin pending Government guidance.  Audiences will be socially distanced and the producers and venue will follow COVID-secure guidelines for cast, crew and audiences.

Sue Simmerling, owner of costume design company Carry on Costumes, is doing her bit to help the NHS in its battle against COVID-19. Sue was contacted by fellow designer Dulcie Scott, who started the crowdfunding group 'Helping Dress Medics'. The group's aim is to purchase fabrics that are then made into scrubs for the NHS medics dealing with the virus in hospitals.

Jay McGuiness, Kimberley Walsh and Daniel Casey will star as Sam, Annie and Walter respectively in SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, based on the original screenplay Sleepless in Seattle. They are joined by Harriet Thorpe as Eleanor, Tania Mathurin as Becky and Jake Sharp as Rob. SLEEPLESS will premiere in London on 1 April 2020 at the newly opened Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London, with previews from 24 March.

On 19a?"20 July 2020 the Royal Academy of Music in London will host the inaugural International Musical Director Symposium. This exciting event will be the first of its kind in the world, bringing together Musical Directors and leading theatre practitioners to explore the interdisciplinary facets of this unique art form. The keynote speaker will be the renowned Broadway Musical Director, Conductor and Orchestrator Larry Blank. 

HIT HER WITH THE SKATES, a new musical about life, love and the roller rink starring American Idol power couple Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young, has announced full casting for the world premiere of the Chicago production at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Preview performances are slated to begin March 10.

Dave Koz's music and multitalented friends lit up the Kravis Center For The Performing Arts last night on all levels. It was a spectacular presentation of swinging holiday music and multi media lighting effects that had the West Palm Beach audience dazzled during the entire concert. The friends who joined Dave for this tour were, Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington and special guest Chris Walker. Broadwayworld was there…check out the photos below.

A holiday tradition returns as the McCallum Theatre welcomes the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2019 at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 18. The show is made possible through the generosity of Wayne and Rachelle Prim. Since the beginning of his career, Koz has been all about dodging expectations and traditions. His brand-new holiday album, Gifts of the Season, is his seventh holiday release, and features the very same guests with him on this year's Christmas tour.

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will celebrate the joyous holiday season with four different concerts, shows and special presentations, ranging from family-friendly to hilariously offbeat.

I am often asked what my all time favorite Broadway musical is. I always reply A Chorus Line. I consider it to be a perfect musical in every way. The show's original director/choreographer Michael Bennett captured the heart and soul of the dancer so beautifully in what I consider to be his masterwork. Marvin Hamlisch's music and Edward Kleban's lyrics were and still are one of the most inventive theatre scores ever written. James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante's book (based off of taped interviews of Broadway dancers conducted by Bennett) frame the songs to sheer perfection. Paul's monologue in the show is actually based on Dante's true story.

In October 2019, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz released his new holiday album, Gifts of the Season. In the 11-track collection, Koz takes a very different stylistic approach, bringing a buoyant, soul/funk/pop feel to Christmas classics across different eras, and shedding new light on their rich musicality and lyrical depth. The accompanying 22nd annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour will feature Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington, and special guest Chris Walker, all of which appear on the new album. Butler and Lington have also released new Christmas albums this fall, so in a first for the tour, the show will feature material from three brand new holiday albums.