Greg Roderick News

Like a page straight out of a comic opera, 'The Most Happy Fella' utilizes a trio of comic relief to introduce us to the world of Tony's Vineyard and just how damn Italian it all is. This relief comes in the form of three chefs that work for Tony and when not cooking, they belt out their powerhouse voices (you have NO idea what you're in store for until you hear them!) that bring down the house eight shows a week. This week I give you the actors that bring Pasquale, Guiseppe and Ciccio to life - Martin Sola, Greg Roderick and Daniel Berryman. I hope you enjoy getting to know this tasty trio! (I promise that sounded a lot less creepy in my head)

Tonight, October 25th , Goodspeed Musicals will host a private reading of actor Eric Ulloa's new play 26 Pebbles at the McMillan Rehearsal Studio on the Goodspeed campus. The play, by The Most Happy Fella ensemble member Ulloa will feature cast members from Goodspeed's current production for "Fella."

Goodspeed Musicals transports audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run through December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the production below!

Goodspeed Musicals will transport audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run from September 20 - December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. The Most Happy Fella will be sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights below!

Standing backstage in the wings of the theatre, you begin to notice that your pulse has increased and you're a little sweaty despite the freezing AC coming down on you. 'Rosabella' is singing the last 16 bars of 'Somebody, Somewhere' and you can feel the vibration of the automation kicking in that will soon roll the diner off and take the audience from San Francisco to the Napa Valley. You check and recheck that your prop comb is in your pocket and that your prop newspaper is tucked into your waistband and ready for use. The actors next to you are doing similar actions, whether checking their own props or running lines in their head, looking at times like a manic person on the New York City subway talking to themselves. The song ends and since the scrim is down in front of you, you only hear muffled applause, therefore unable to gauge how things have gone these first 15 minutes of the show. The scrim lifts, the lights blare into your eyes and you see the once vacant seats now full of strangers who have paid to have a great evening of theatre. The time has finally arrived…ladies and gentlemen, it's time for your first preview.

Goodspeed Musicals will transport audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run from September 20 - December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. The Most Happy Fella will be sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below!

Well hello there, my name is Eric Ulloa (pronounced oo- yo- ah), and I am in the cast of Goodspeed's upcoming revival of The Most Happy Fella. I am also your blogger for these next several weeks to give you an inside scoop on the cast, production, backstage happenings and what I'm calling, 'tell 'em all you can without getting a train ticket home.'

This summer's New York International Fringe Festival will host the new futuristic rock musical BARCODE which features book, music, and lyrics by Debbie Andrews and Mike Blaxill of the New York indie quartet Gladshot, and Hair co-author James Rado as creative consultant. Joe Barros (director of the 2011 FringeNYC hit The Legend of Julie Taymor) directs and choreographs.

Goodspeed Musicals will transport audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run from September 20 - December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. The Most Happy Fella will be sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power.

This summer's New York International Fringe Festival will host the new futuristic rock musical BARCODE which features book, music, and lyrics by Debbie Andrews and Mike Blaxill of the New York indie quartet Gladshot, and Hair co-author James Rado as creative consultant. Joe Barros (director of the 2011 FringeNYC hit The Legend of Julie Taymor) directs and choreographs.

The Muny is currently presenting the fourth show of its fantastic 95th Season, South Pacific, directed by Rob Ruggiero and choreographed by Ralph Perkins. South Pacific is sponsored by Emerson. Laura Michelle Kelly stars as Ensign Nellie Forbush, with Ben Davis co-starring as Emile de Becque. Joining them will be Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary, Josh Young as Lt. Joseph Cable, Sumie Maeda as Liat, Tally Sessions as Luther Billis, James Anthony as Capt. George Brackett, Michael James Reed as Cdr. William Harbison, Caitlin Chau as Ngana, andSpencer Jones as Jerome. Broadway brings you photos from the opening night festivities below!

BROADWAY BACKWARDS, the once-a-year celebration of the LGBT community, brought down the house Monday while raising a record-setting $347,060 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. This year's total surpassed the previous record of $329,000, set last year. Check out photos from this year's event below!

Tony Award nominee Liz Larsen (The Most Happy Fella), KT Sullivan (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Chris Hoch (La Cage Aux Folles, Shrek The Musical), Michael Mastro (Twelve Angry Men), Pilin Anice (Junie B. Jones), Cicily Daniels (The Little Mermaid), Tim Falter (Some Like It Hot), Nadine Isenegger (42nd Street), Matthew Labanca (Young Frankenstein), Drama Desk Award nominee Garrett Long (South Pacific, The Spitfire Grill), Kristin Maloney (The Talk of the Town), Brent McBeth (White Christmas), Jim Middleton (Goodspeed's 1776), Kevin Vortmann(A Little Night Music) and Tiffany Westlie (The Truth About Jane) have joined the cast of UnsungMusicalsCo.'s benefit concert presentation of the legendary 1935 musical revue At Home Abroad, set for tonight, October 15, 2012. Get a first look at the stars in rehearsal below!

Tony Award nominee Liz Larsen (The Most Happy Fella), KT Sullivan (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Chris Hoch (La Cage Aux Folles, Shrek The Musical), Michael Mastro (Twelve Angry Men), Pilin Anice (Junie B. Jones), Cicily Daniels (The Little Mermaid), Tim Falter (Some Like It Hot), Nadine Isenegger (42nd Street), Matthew LaBanca (Young Frankenstein), Drama Desk Award nominee Garrett Long (South Pacific, The Spitfire Grill), Kristin Maloney (The Talk of the Town), Brent McBeth (White Christmas), Jim Middleton (Goodspeed's 1776), Kevin Vortmann (A Little Night Music) and Tiffany Westlie (The Truth About Jane) have joined the cast of UnsungMusicalsCo.'s October 15, 2012 benefit concert presentation of the legendary 1935 musical revue At Home Abroad. Get a first look at the stars in rehearsal below!

Tony Award nominee Liz Larsen (The Most Happy Fella), KT Sullivan (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Chris Hoch (La Cage Aux Folles, Shrek The Musical), Michael Mastro (Twelve Angry Men), Pilin Anice (Junie B. Jones), Cicily Daniels (The Little Mermaid), Tim Falter (Some Like It Hot), Nadine Isenegger (42nd Street), Matthew LaBanca (Young Frankenstein), Drama Desk Award nominee Garrett Long (South Pacific, The Spitfire Grill), Kristin Maloney (The Talk of the Town), Brent McBeth (White Christmas), Jim Middleton (Goodspeed's 1776), Kevin Vortmann (A Little Night Music) and Tiffany Westlie (The Truth About Jane) have joined the cast of UnsungMusicalsCo.'s October 15, 2012 benefit concert presentation of the legendary 1935 musical revue At Home Abroad.

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC), whose mission focuses on the preservation of musical theater through the restoration and presentation of obscure but artistically sound works, has announced programming for its 2013 season. A one-night-only benefit concert presentation of the legendary 1935 musical revue At Home Abroad kicks off the season on October 15, 2012 at the Peter Norton Symphony Space. Bruce Vilanch, Julie Halston, Christine Pedi, Noah Racey and Margaret Colin are among the cast.

Making Books Sing (MBS), the New York-based non-profit that promotes children's literacy and social development through arts-in-education programs and professional theatre productions, will present the Off-Broadway premiere of the family musical THE BUTTERFLY - with book and lyrics by Barbara Zinn Krieger and music by Charles Greenberg - with previews beginning April 14 prior to an official press opening of April 15 at Theater 3 (311 West 43rd Street) in Manhattan. Brad Malow will direct and music direction is by Tim Rosser.

Goodspeed Musicals, the first two-time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, will breathe new life into the indelible American classic Show Boat. This heart-wrenching musical from the director who brought you Goodspeed's Camelot and 1776 will run from July 1 - September 11 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn.