Jake Speck News

With its 2010-2011 season ready to kick off next month with a production of Hello, Dolly!, Studio Tenn promises to fully engage the Nashville theater community as their primary source of talent, and likewise commit to having Broadway, film and/or national tour-credited talent involved in every production.

A cast of more than 125 performers took to the stage of the Troutt Theatre at Belmont University to fete the eight members of the 2010 Class of First Night Honorees in a production that featured the best of the best of Nashville theater and included a surprise appearance by Joseph Mahowald, winner of a 1989 First Night Award, now playing the role of Franklin Hart Jr. in the national tour of 9 to 5: The Musical, which opened in Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, September 21.

The Broadway stars of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning JERSEY BOYS: Sebastian Arcelus, Matt Bogart, Dominic Nolfi and Jarrod Spector will appear on 'Rachael Ray' on Monday, May 24. 'Rachael Ray' airs in the New York area at 10am on WABC-TV, Channel 7 (check local listings for times outside the New York area).

The Broadway stars of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning JERSEY BOYS: Sebastian Arcelus, Matt Bogart, Dominic Nolfi and Jarrod Spector will appear on 'Rachael Ray' on Monday, May 24. 'Rachael Ray' airs in the New York area at 10am on WABC-TV, Channel 7 (check local listings for times outside the New York area).

What with all the star power of the assembled cast - featuring such theatre luminaries as Heather Headley, Alli Mauzey, Jodi Benson and Anthony Fedorov - it should come as something of a surprise that showHOPE's concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella was very nearly stolen out from under them by some homegrown Nashville talent. No matter how you look at it, Cinderella was a completely magical and enchanting success, but had it not been for Nashville's very own Nan Gurley, Bonnie Keen and Carolyn German as Cinderella's nefarious stepfamily, the show wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as it actually was.

Fedorov's castmates in the star-studded production - directed and designed by Matt Logan, a Nashville native, whose work in New York City included staging events much like this - include Tony Award-winner Heather Headley (Aida) as The Fairy Godmother, Tony nominee Jodi Benson (Crazy for You) as Queen Constatina, BeBe Winans as King Maximillian, Jake Speck (Jersey Boys on Broadway) as Lionel and Alli Mauzey (Hairspray, Wicked, Cry-Baby) in the title role. Fedorov will sing the role of Prince Christopher and backstage spies tell us his duets with Mauzey are certain to dazzle audiences.

Heather Headley, Alli Mauzey, Jodi Benson and Anthony Federov will headline a special concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, set for Friday, May 14, at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center. They will be joined by a cast of Nashville theatre luminaries - and featuring BeBe Winans and Nashville native Jake Speck, currently on Broadway in Jersey Boys - Cinderella is the spring celebration of the locally based showHOPE organization, which hopes to bring both attention and awareness to its efforts across the globe.

The altogether charming and amazingly talented Mauzey claims an impressive theatrical resume, which includes her starmaking turn in Cry-Baby, the Broadway musical based on the John Waters film, that resulted in a 2008 Theatre World Award, as well as a Drama League Award nomination. She's also had roles in both Wicked and Hairspray - two of the musicals that have helped define the first decade of the new millennium in Broadway terms - playing Glinda in Wicked (a role she'll play again later this year in San Francisco) and Brenda in Hairspray.

Perhaps best known to the general public for her performance as Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid (the animated blockbuster that is credited with reaffirming the Disney brand as the ultimate in film animation), Benson has delighted legions of fans over the years with her ageless vocal abilities, even while delighting Broadway audiences who know her as far more than the voice of Ariel. In fact, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her critically acclaimed performance as Polly in Ken Ludwig's Crazy for You, the updated version of Girl Crazy, the 1930s musical that features a score of iconic songs by George and Ira Gershwin.

For Matt Logan, staging a special concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is the culmination of a long-held dream of his to bring just such a production to his hometown of Nashville, perhaps best known as Music City USA. Now, with Nashville rebuilding after devastating floods in early May, the benefit performance for Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman's showHOPE organization is perhaps even more timely -- and it has certainly taken on a deeper meaning and a more compelling resonance.

Heather Headley, Alli Mauzey, Jodi Benson and Anthony Federov will headline a special concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, set for Friday, May 14, at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center. They will be joined by a cast of Nashville theatre luminaries - and featuring BeBe Winans and Nashville native Jake Speck, currently on Broadway in Jersey Boys - Cinderella is the spring celebration of the locally based showHOPE organization, which hopes to bring both attention and awareness to its efforts across the globe.

Today, November 6, is one of celebration for JERSEY BOYS everywhere. Four years ago to the day, the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning monster hit musical opened on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre, launching an international empire. The famous foursome will also be celebrating the Yankees World Series win this week with a special performance at City Hall between 12pm & 1pm.

The Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning smash musical JERSEY BOYS, celebrates four stars (*The London Times), Four Seasons and four years on Broadway Friday, November 6.

As part of Back2Broadway Month, the Tony®, Grammy® and Olivier® Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS will host an open house at the August Wilson Theatre, 245 West 52nd Street, on Saturday, September 26 sponsored by the Broadway League and Jujamcyn Theaters. This event will be open to the public. Turn up any time between 10 AM and 12 PM to see a presentation.

Beginning Tuesday, March 31st, the Broadway production of JERSEY BOYS, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical, will launch a day-of performance mobile student lottery. JERSEY BOYS is the only currently running Broadway production to employ a mobile lottery at this time.

Andrew Rannells will step into the role of Bob Gaudio in the Broadway cast of JERSEY BOYS, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning smash hit musical, on Tuesday, January 13. Sebastian Arcelus, who currently plays the role of Bob Gaudio, will play his final performances on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

Andrew Rannells will step into the role of Bob Gaudio in the Broadway cast of JERSEY BOYS, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning smash hit musical, on Tuesday, January 13. Sebastian Arcelus, who currently plays the role of Bob Gaudio, will play his final performances on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

The Tony® and Grammy® award-winning musical Jersey Boys celebrated three standing-room-only years on Broadway this past Thursday, November 6. BroadwayWorld.com sent in ace photographer Peter James Zielinski to capture all the birthday ‘Boys' fun!

The Tony® and Grammy® award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS celebrates three standing-room-only years on Broadway this Thursday, November 6.

As of September 30th 2008 the cast of Jersey Boys is now led by Sebastian Arcelus (Bob Gaudio), Matt Bogart (Nick Massi), Dominic Nolfi (Tommy DeVito) and Jarrod Spector (Frankie Valli) as The Four Seasons; with Peter Gregus and Mark Lotito. The cast also includes Miles Aubrey, Bridget Berger, Kris Coleman, Douglas Crawford, Ken Dow, Heather Ferguson, Russell Fischer, Eric Gutman, Katie O'Toole, Joe Payne, Dominic Scaglione Jr., Sara Schmidt, Eric Schneider and Jake Speck.