Christian Borle News

The Off-Broadway League today announced this year's host and several of the presenters confirmed to participate in the 2012 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The 27th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at NYU Skirball Center, beginning at 7:00pm EST. This year's ceremony will once again benefit the Actors Fund.

The casts of Broadway's ONCE and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER went out to Sardi's last night, April 24, for New York Theatre Workshop's Night on Broadway. See photos from the night out below!

According to the Hollywood Reporter, SMASH's Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty, whose characters specnt most of the season battling over Marilyn, will both be submitted in the 'Supporting Actress' category for the 2012 Emmy Awards. Debra Messing, who plays Julia, will be the only actor submitted in a 'Leading' catergory.

On the Monday, April 30 episode of NBC's SMASH entitled 'Tech', 'Bombshell' moves to Boston. Ivy (Megan Hilty) faces trouble as Derek (Jack Davenport) finds himself drawn ever closer to Rebecca Duvall (special guest Uma Thurman), while Karen (Katharine McPhee) reaches a turning point -- she must choose between Dev (Raza Jaffrey) and the show. Eileen (Anjelica Huston) faces off against Julia (Debra Messing) over the possible return of Michael Swift (Will Chase). Sam (Leslie Odom, Jr.) brings Tom (Christian Borle) into the biggest battle of all - family dinner. The episode airs Monday, April 30 at 10:00 pm/ET on the NBC network. View a sneak peek below!

On Monday night's episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH entitled 'Tech', as Rebecca Duvall (Uma Thurman) gets ready to take center stage when Bombshell goes on the road to Boston, it looks like Ivy may lose Derek once and for all as the production's director looks to continue his track record of bedding his leading ladies. Ivy is overcome with jealous as she sings Rose Royce's 'I'm Goin' Down'. To get a first look at the performance, click here!

Next week on SMASH,'Bombshell' moves to Boston. Ivy (Megan Hilty) faces trouble as Derek (Jack Davenport) finds himself drawn ever closer to Rebecca Duvall (special guest Uma Thurman), while Karen (Katharine McPhee) reaches a turning point- she must choose between Dev (Raza Jaffrey) and the show. Eileen (Anjelica Huston) faces off against Julia (Debra Messing) over the possible return of Michael Swift (Will Chase). Sam (Leslie Odom, Jr.) brings Tom (Christian Borle) into the biggest battle of all- family dinner. Check out a sneak peek of the episode below!

The 78th Annual Drama League Awards will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on Friday, May 18, 2012 at noon. Check out the 2012 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award.

This week on SMASH the show hit its peak insofar as synergy of story, plot, character and music - especially the music. Karen (Katharine McPhee) offered up a touching Snow Patrol cover, "Light Up", but the big musical moments of the show stand alongside the finest on the series so far - at least. Yes, "1001 Nights" and "Second Hand White Baby Grand" were the most captivating musical sequences on the show since the pilot's "National Pastime" and "Let Me Be Your Star", seamlessly weaving together the disparate elements of the series and amplifying the emotion into a heightened, exuberant expression of the character's deepest feelings, thoughts, hopes and wishes - exactly what the best numbers always do in the finest Broadway musicals, which SMASH is ostensibly about, more or less. The eleven episodes leading up to "Publicity" have prepared us perfectly well for the potential plights and victories about to be experienced by the colorful cast of characters as we enter the final triptych of Season One - with this one being a definite standout. Helmed by pilot director Michael Mayer and written by creator Theresa Rebeck, "Publicity" is surefire proof that SMASH has developed into a rewarding experience for the attentive viewers among us - the "1001 Nights" sequence alone so rife with detail pertaining to the entire arc of the character's journey on the show so far; and so much more - and a consistently compelling viewing experience for those seeking out great song sequences done up in a grand style. While the barebones "Second Hand White Baby Grand" was outfitted with merely rehearsal accoutrement, Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) made her big bid for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the musical-within-the-show and elicited every sentimental, sad, sweet and mournful note of perhaps the finest Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman original ballad yet to appear on the series. Yes, "1001 Nights" was the most extravagant entertainment experience presented thus far on SMASH - as promised by show stars Megan Hilty and Anjelica Huston weeks ago to me themselves - but the heart and soul of the series has always remained in the big ballads - look no further than the pilot's "Beautiful" and aforementioned duet finale coup de tele-theatre - and "Second Hand White Baby Grand" was a stunning moment allowing a soul-barred Marilyn just as the characters begin to find their own new levels of intimacy in their various entanglements - romantic, familial, professional, personal and otherwise. "Publicity" proved SMASH is set to hit high gear for the Boston tryout of BOMBSHELL that will close out the first season over the course of the next three weeks.

Tonight's episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH will be paying homage to 'Bollywood', the colorful movie genre of India. The episode will include an elaborate dream sequence, set to the original song 'A Thousand and One Nights' written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The dream stems from the strained relationship between Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Dev (Raza Jaffrey). Reveals series creator Theresa Rebeck, 'They have dinner in an Indian restaurant and there are Bollywood numbers playing in the videos on the wall.' Check out the full musical number below!

Earlier today, Megan Hilty, Justin Long and Raven-Symoné announced the 78th Drama League Award Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Best Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a chart that illustrates the number of Drama League nominees that were subsequently nominated for Tony Awards. Additionally, we calculated the percentage of eligible nominees that earned Tony Awards in the past five years (discounting off-Broadway nominations). Check out the chances that this years DL nominees have at a Tony nod below!

Select songs from tonight's new episode of NBC's musical drama series "Smash" (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), are now available from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store at http://www.itunes.com/NBCSmash.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: MATILDA wins big, Signature Theatre honors Patti, Corbin starts as Jesus, and so much more!

The Drama League has gathered together a team of Broadway's best to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for the 78th Annual Drama League Awards set for Friday, May 18, 2012 at 12:00 p.m., at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). The team of Broadway luminaries includes Nina Arianda, Christian Borle, Norbert Leo Butz, Kathleen Chalfant, Raul Esparza, Rosemary Harris, Jeremy Jordan, Christine Lahti, Linda Lavin, Norm Lewis, Judith Light, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare and Blair Underwood. The Honorary Co-Chairs serve as ambassadors for The Drama League Awards and the excellence of the New York theatre season, and welcome the attendees of the Awards Luncheon at a cocktail reception before the event.

The April 23rd episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH will be paying homage to 'Bollywood', the colorful movie genre of India. The episode will include an elaborate dream sequence, set to the original song 'A Thousand and One Nights' written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

On the April 23 episode of the NBC musical drama SMASH, Megan Hilty will perform an original song by composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The tune is a tribute to Marilyn Monroe's most prized possession, her family's white baby grand piano that was auctioned off after her mother was committed to a psych ward.

Megan Hilty, who plays Ivy on NBC's SMASH, where her character was recently cast in the leading role of Marilyn Monroe, has released a studio recorded cover of 'Breakaway.' The song aired during a recent episode, and Perez Hilton has released the full version online.

New details for the upcoming April 23 episode of SMASH have been revealed on EW.com. According to the report, NBC's musical drama will be paying homage to 'Bollywood', the colorful movie genre of India.

Last night on SMASH, 'Bombshell' was turned upside-down by the arrival of movie star Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman). Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) were drawn into an uneasy alliance against their new rival -- but could they overcome their history? The romance between Tom (Christian Borle) and Sam (Leslie Odom, Jr.) heated up, while Julia (Debra Messing) and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) had to put aside their differences to address a family crisis. Miss the episode? Catch up below!

"Now, there's a movie star!" quoth Eileen (Anjelica Huston) of Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman) following her breathy and spastic performance of a new Julia/Tom musical number for the Marilyn Monroe-based musical-within-the-show on SMASH - BOMBSHELL - titled "Dig Deep". While last night's "The Movie Star" episode of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH was light on the musical numbers - only Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Rebecca managed a musical moment - the drama was dense and delectable, with the rapport between the motley crew of characters comprising the enterprise improving by the week (and it started strong). Yet, despite the best efforts of Eileen, Tom (Christian Borle), Julia (Debra Messing) and Derek (Jack Davenport) in attempting to create a new version of the Marilyn musical that showcases her best (and limited) abilities. Rebecca is a tentative talent who lacks a lot in the vocal and dance departments - to say the least - yet it is undeniable that she also possesses a certain air of a star - perhaps because she is one; on SMASH (as in real life, given Thurman's A-list status), a big one. Portraying the movie star trying out a Broadway show for the first - and, most likely, last - time, Thurman brings a caustic, nutsy vibe to the seemingly bipolar screen siren - "36-ish", meaning more like 40-ish in actuality - and gives gravitas to the cartoonishly written role. Just as the Marilyn musical has shown its astonishing, chameleon-like adaptability in its iterations starring Karen and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) - not only in its star, but also in its style, sound, mood, conception and musical arrangements - now BOMBSHELL is being retrofitted for Rebecca. But, at what cost? Stripping the show of its big Broadway leading lady musical potential and showing off the supporting cast to take the focus off of the shaky star at the center, BOMBSHELL's "Dig Deep" yet again gave the simply astounding songwriting duo responsible for the songs of the shows-within-the-shows on SMASH (including all of the BOMBSHELL songstack heard and seen so far, as well as the glimpses at the previous Tom/Julia collaborations, HEAVEN & EARTH and THREE ON A MATCH) "Dig Deep" was a WEST SIDE STORY-esque hot jazz song complete with the syncopation and stylization implicit in the best songs of the Actors Studio era which the 50s-set scene set out to depict (Lee Strasberg and all).

The new featured song from tonight's episode of NBC's musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), is now available from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store at http://www.itunes.com/NBCSmash.