Courtney Reed News

Actors Bridge Ensemble's critically acclaimed production of Sarah DeLappe's The Wolves and Cumberland County Playhouse's stunning mounting of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street were named as the top shows of the year during Midwinter's First Night, the annual tribute to theater in Tennessee, held at Nashville's The Larry Keeton Theatre Sunday night, January 13.

As with each passing season, 2018 proved to be another exceptional year for theater not only in Souther California in general but also in Orange County---my home base. This year, the OC finally welcomed the debut of what has become this century's most awarded and most renowned stage musical ever about the Founding Father etched regally on the 10 dollar bill. Meanwhile, So. Cal. enjoyed a powerful surge of new stage works that explored Asian-American experiences, a positive step forward in the presentation of diverse voices we seldom hear from on the stage. A pair of touring musicals---both opening in the O.C. in early 2019---made such an impact in their Los Angeles engagements for me personally that I had to include them in my list, even though I have not 'officially' reviewed the productions for print. With that said, here is my 'Best of 2018' from Orange County and adjacent locales nearby---a mixture of outstanding shows and brilliant performances that made a lasting, memorable imprint in my theatergoing experience this year.

We take a closer look at 100 Instagram profiles you should add to your feed as we close out the year, accounts noted for stellar content in 2018 and hints as to more excitement to come in 2019. By no means, however, could this list include all of our favorite creatives, industry representatives, and theatrical performers.

Last week, Laura Osnes and all of her fairytale friends brought a holiday edition of The Broadway Princess Party back to NYC at Sony Hall! We're bringing you videos galore below with highlights such as 'Colors of the Wind', 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas', and 'I Won't Say (I'm in Love)'. Watch below!

This past Saturday, we took you behind the scenes of The Broadway Princess Party with Laura Osnes as she took over the BroadwayWorld Instagram. If you missed out on all of our exclusive coverage, take a look at these photos from the event featuring Ms. Osnes, in addition to Susan Egan, Corey Cott, Courtney Reed, and more!

Brush off your tiara and unleash your inner princess with Broadway's original Cinderella, Belle, and Jasmine as they celebrate the season in this hit concert, direct from NYC! Two-time Tony-nominee Laura Osnes (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella), Tony-nominee Susan Egan (Disney's Beauty and the Beast and voice of 'Meg' in Hercules), and Grammy-nominee Courtney Reed (Disney's Aladdin) host the festivities alongside their Fairy Godfairy (musical director extraordinaire), Benjamin Rauhala (Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof) and special guest prince Adam J. Levy (Dave, the Musical).

Brush off your tiara and unleash your inner princess with Broadway's original Cinderella, Belle, and Jasmine in this hit concert, direct from NYC!

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Monday, December 17th at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

Since its inception in 2015, the Broadway Princess Party concert series has gone from a cute one-time show to a fan favorite at Feinstein's/54 Below to a nationwide tour complete with a full-fledged merchandise line. Now, they're expanding the brand once again, with the Broadway Princess Holiday Party, touring through California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and New York this December. It's a new twist on a concept that's won hearts for its sometimes-winking but genuine and heartfelt embrace of nostalgia, optimism, and girl power.

Food Network gets the new year started right with new series, new seasons and new episodes of fan-favorite shows in January. First, Guy Fieri welcomes Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives families to Flavortown for the tournament premiere of Guy's Grocery Games: DDD Family Tournament on Wednesday, January 2nd at 9pm. Next, Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence welcome a new batch of hapless recruits to whip into shape on the season premiere of Worst Cooks in America on Sunday, January 6th at 9pm. Next, 12 talented young bakers enter the kitchen with the hopes of impressing Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman on a new season of Kids Baking Championship premiering Monday, January 7th at 9pm. Then, at 10pm, Giada De Laurentiis hosts brand-new competition series, Winner Cake All, with four of the best cake-baking teams in the country facing off each episode to create epic cakes for clients such as TLC's The Busbys, Rashad Jennings, Apolo Ohno and more. Also, catch primetime premieres of Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy's Grocery Games and Triple D Nation. In daytime, Giada De Laurentiis is sharing her hosting tips and tricks on a new season of Giada Entertains premiering Sunday, January 20th at 11:30am. Also, in daytime, don't miss premieres of Girl Meets Farm, Guy's Ranch Kitchen, The Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman and Trisha's Southern Kitchen. FoodNetwork.com is serving up healthy options for the new year and seasonal recipes perfect for the cold weather. Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat Discover.

Three unbelievably talented, real ORIGINAL Broadway Princesses singing the petticoats off every beloved princess song in the book! We're throwing a magical musical event and you're invited!

This past Saturday, we took you behind the scenes of The Broadway Princess Party with Laura Osnes as she took over the BroadwayWorld Instagram on November 17th! if you missed out on Saturday for the takeover, we have a video recap! Watch the video  below as Osnes shows you her day leading up to a performance of The Broadway Princess Party in Huntsville, Alabama!

But in the rarefied world of make-believe and magic aka musical theater, in which comedy and tragedy are equally celebrated and where a memorable song can lift one's spirits soaring toward the heavens, a princess means so much more: The princess of musical theater legend and lore is able to transform from a poor orphan who has found herself tempest tossed throughout her difficult life into a woman of great stature and regal deportment, she can express herself with such artistry and majesty that all those around her may feel the impact of her actions, their dreary lives brightened by her very existence.

Go behind the scenes of The Broadway Princess Party with Laura Osnes as she takes over the BroadwayWorld Instagram tomorrow, November 17th! Follow along as Osnes shows you her day leading up to a performance of The Broadway Princess Party in Huntsville, Alabama! Be sure to tune in!

What might you expect if you find yourself caught up in the spectacle of the Broadway Princess Party's festivities at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre today, November 16? A theatrical concert like none other, predicts Laura Osnes, one of the three aforementioned princesses of the Great White Way who will bring their magical blend of entertainment, theatrical revelry, onstage magic - and pure, unadulterated pleasure (and boatloads of fun, we suspect) - to Music City for a one-night stand that promises to leave audiences feeling 'transported, enchanted, empowered and inspired.'

Looking ahead, you'll find a number of new productions on tap, including a whole slew of holiday favorites, for your entertainment pleasure, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for November 12, 2018, to help you plot your course through next February...

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Monday, November 19th at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

What might you expect if you find yourself caught up in the spectacle of the Broadway Princess Party's festivities at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre on Friday, November 16? A theatrical concert like none other, predicts Laura Osnes, one of the three aforementioned princesses of the Great White Way who will bring their magical blend of entertainment, theatrical revelry, onstage magic - and pure, unadulterated pleasure (and boatloads of fun, we suspect) - to Music City for a one-night stand that promises to leave audiences feeling 'transported, enchanted, empowered and inspired.'

Looking ahead, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for November 5, 2018, to help you plot your course through the end of the year...

Looking into the future, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for October 29, 2018, to help you plot your course through the end of the year...