Kenny Ortega News

Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!

While GLEE is on hiatus until its long-awaited return on November 1 and X-FACTOR was pre-empted and moved around as a result of the World Series games, DANCING WITH THE STARS has kept up the Broadway quotient on prime time TV in the interim in a major way thanks to this week's two-night Great White Way salute featuring Tony-winner and Emmy-winner Kristin Chenoweth. Fan favorites J.R. Martinez and his partner Karina Smirnoff made their mark with CHICAGO'S sizzling "Hot Honey Rag" and this week's InDepth InterView participant Ricki Lake - along with her partner, show favorite Derek Hough - made a splash with a rollicking "The Lady Is A Tramp" from Frank Loesser's classic score for GUYS & DOLLS, and even Nancy Grace got into the snazzy act with a spirited and jolly "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" from SPAMALOT with her partner Tristan MacManus. Yet, some groups fared less well - Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer failed to find the music or the magic of the night with "The Phantom Of The Opera" and they were sent home on Wednesday as a result (penguin critiques and Cher tweets notwithstanding). And, so, too, did Hope Solo and show-standout Maksim Chmerkovskiy falter with their less than impassioned performance of an outright odd head-scratcher of a quickstep song selection, RENT's "Seasons Of Love". Yet, on the ever-improving side of things reside Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke, who managed to bring some JERSEY BOYS-esque swagger to The Four Seasons smash "Walk Like A Man" from the Tony-winning musical revue. Additionally, David Arquette and Kym Johnson ended up somewhere in the middle, with a somewhat tentative treatment of the GREASE warhorse "We Go Together", which still managed to minisculely evoke John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the movie. While some stars certainly shone much brighter than others - J.R. and Ricki undoubtedly seem to be battling it out for top honors - Broadway Week on DANCING WITH THE STARS was generally a resounding success for many concerned. And, that's not even mentioning the spectacular group performance mash-up of "Hey, Big Spender" from SWEET CHARITY and "Money, Money" from CABARET (choreographed by Kevin Maher); Kenny Ortega's specialty number encompassing three famous theatrical standards, specially designed for HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and IN THE HEIGHTS star Corbin Bleu; or - most of all - Kristin Chenoweth's two stupendous star turns; first, singing a song she made famous for a whole new generation alongside Lea Michele on GLEE - the classic Kander & Ebb CABARET's "Maybe This Time"; which was followed by MY FAIR LADY's 'I Could Have Danced All Night' - and, on the second night, performing the title track from her new solo album, SOME LESSONS LEARNED. Broadway stars to dancing stars to reality stars and beyond, Broadway Week on DANCING WITH THE STARS managed to sparkle and shine with panache.

It was Broadway Week - Part 2 last night on the hit ABC TV show DANCING WITH THE STARS and the 'week' came to its end with another performance by Kristin Chenoweth, this time from her latest album - 'Some Lessons Learned'. That wasn't all though - Corbin Bleu, of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway fame sang and danced his way through a Kenny Ortega staged medley of Broadway hits from 42nd STREET, WEST SIDE STORY and IN THE HEIGHTS. Want bonus points? Spot Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda in the audience giving Bleu a standing ovation.

Tonight concludes Broadway week for DANCING WITH THE STARS, but not before a show packed with performances from some of Broadway's favorite players and best loved hits.

Lesli Margherita, star of the original West End production, will recreate her Olivier Award-winning role of Inez in the first international tour of ZORRO THE MUSICAL, opening next month at the Oriental Art Center in Shanghai.

Hundreds of Newsies fans (affectionately known as Fansies) attended the special Newsies Fan Day reception, talk-back and performance on Sunday, October 2nd at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ. The event sold out, weeks in advance, but hundreds of lucky fans had their childhood dreams come true. Along with the entire stage cast, members of the original movie cast and creative team participated in the event including: Gabriel Damon (Spot Conlon), Luke Edwards (Les Jacobs), Shon Greenblatt (Oscar Delancy), Arvie Lowe Jr. (Boots), David Moscow (Davey), David Sheinkoph (Morris Delancy), David Sidoni (Pie Eater), Kevin Stey (Swifty), David Moscow (Davey), Jack Feldman (Librettist), Ms Noni White (Screenwriter), Jeff Calhoun (Stage Director) and the film's director and choreographer Mr. Kenny Ortega.

Lesli Margherita, star of the original West End production, will recreate her Olivier Award-winning role of Inez in the first international tour of ZORRO THE MUSICAL, opening next month at the Oriental Art Center in Shanghai.

As announced on the FOX dance competition SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Katie Holmes and Kenny Ortega will step in and judge the final four dancers this week.

Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita (ZORRO - West End) makes her NYC nightclub debut with her critically acclaimed act ALL HAIL THE QUEEN (HAIL YES!). The show will play Tuesday, August 9th at 10:00pm at The Midtown Theatre (163 W. 46th St. NYC).

Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita (ZORRO - West End) makes her NYC nightclub debut with her critically acclaimed act ALL HAIL THE QUEEN (HAIL YES!).

As announced on the FOX dance competition SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Katie Holmes and Kenny Ortega will step in and judge the final four dancers this week.

Splash's Musical Mondays is proud to present a very special edition of 'Curtain Call' with funny girl Lesli Margherita. On August 1st, directly following the video clip extravaganza, host Emily McNamara welcomes Lesli as she makes her 'Curtain Call' debut.

Splash's Musical Mondays is proud to present a very special edition of 'Curtain Call' with funny girl Lesli Margherita. On August 1st, directly following the video clip extravaganza, host Emily McNamara welcomes Lesli as she makes her 'Curtain Call' debut.

Olivier Award Winner Lesli Margherita (ZORRO - West End) makes her NYC nightclub debut with her critically acclaimed act ALL HAIL THE QUEEN (HAIL YES!).

Think about it: How many times have you seen the title of a show or movie with an exclamation point on the end? There's Oklahoma! Airplane! ¡Three Amigos! Mamma Mia! Hot Shots! Oliver!....and those are only a few. Some of them actually, depending upon your response, may have deserved the exclamation. Most, however, do not. An exception to this general truism is Vegas! The Show.

Staging one of the theatre's most unique and unclassifiable pieces, Brecht & Weill's THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS for the New York City Ballet, starting May 11 and running through May 16, is just the latest act in a career made up of anomalies, seemingly built upon always attempting to do the impossible - from her Broadway debut, trying to bring balletic bravado to Trevor Nunn's terminally troubled 1988 musical CHESS (a project begun under the guidance of Michael Bennett before his death), up through the trying-but-Tony-winning TITANIC in 1997 and, this century, SWING! starring Ann Hampton Callaway and Laura Benanti and a succession of successful regional ballets and theatre pieces - the gifted and dynamic director/choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett continues to challenge herself, her peers and audiences with each of her audacious new endeavors. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, starring two-time Tony-winning Broadway legend Patti LuPone as Anna I, is a particularly problematic play - or is it a musical? Or, is it a ballet? A song-spiel? - and in this revealing and engaging discussion, Ms. Taylor-Corbett and I attempt to deduce the themes, analyze the structure and look back at the authors' lives to gain insight into the perplexing America painted by Brecht and Weill in the forty-minute-long theatrical experiment. Also, in this complete conversation, Lynne and I take a look back at her long and varied career and she generously shares her thoughts on where the place of dance is in the twenty-first century, the exhilaration of working with a theatre artist like Patti LuPone, her own inspirations and formative experiences in the theatre, the legacy of Michael Powell and THE RED SHOES, the theatre versus the dance world, her son Shaun's career, and much, much more! Further information on THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS - including tickets - is available here.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production of their 2010-2011 season of shows, the blood-thirsty musical comedy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by David O, choreography by Dana Solimando, directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite and starring Brett Ryback, Lesli Margherita and Bob Amaral. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS will open on Friday, April 15 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 16) and run through Sunday, May 1 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production of their 2010-2011 season of shows, the blood-thirsty musical comedy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by David O, choreography by Dana Solimando, directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite and starring Brett Ryback, Lesli Margherita and Bob Amaral.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production of their 2010-2011 season of shows, the blood-thirsty musical comedy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by David O, choreography by Dana Solimando, directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite and starring Brett Ryback, Lesli Margherita and Bob Amaral.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production of their 2010-2011 season of shows, the blood-thirsty musical comedy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by David O, choreography by Dana Solimando, directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite and starring Brett Ryback, Lesli Margherita and Bob Amaral.