Krysta Rodriguez News

Featured this week was the cast of FIRST DATE (Zachary Levi, Krysta Rodriguez, Sara Chase,Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest andBryce Ryness) and Kinky Boots (Timothy Ware, Andy Kelso, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle TaylorParker, Kyle Post, Nathan Peck and Joey Taranto). Check out highlights below!

Academy Award-winning DREAMGIRLS actress and international recording star Jennifer Hudson appeared for a short arc on the second season of the recently-cancelled NBC musical drama series SMASH and a new deleted scene featuring Hudson alongside some of the show's stars has now been released in anticipation of the forthcoming Season Two DVD set being released next week.

While the first and only Broadway-themed TV series on a major network thus far has unfortunately been cancelled by NBC following its second season, fans of the musical series SMASH now have their chance to ring in the new year - and every day of 2014 for that matter; and even beyond - with the characters of the cult show thanks to a new 2014 wall calendar now available to own.

This Thursday, August 1, Michael Urie, star of Buyer and Cellar (and formerly on "Ugly Betty" & "Partners"), will be co-hosting the fourth week of 106.7 LITE FM's Broadway in Bryant Park. The event will also feature perfermances from the casts of LET IT BE, SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off The Dark, Big Fish (Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger), FIRST DATE (Zachary Levi, Krysta Rodriguez, Sara Chase, Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest and Bryce Ryness) and Kinky Boots (Timothy Ware, Andy Kelso, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Taylor Parker, Kyle Post, Nathan Peck and Joey Taranto).

Spending five weeks inside the iTunes top 100 pop albums, Drew Gasparini's I Could Use a Drink will return to where it all began at Joe's Pub, for a live performance of album hits, as well tunes still hot off the presses. But here's the catch; audiences will get a glimpse of Gasparini's singer/songwriter catalogue in addition to crowd favourites presented in an exclusive and intimate performance.

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, currently in previews at the Longacre Theatre. Rodriguez just celebrated her birthday with her FIRST DATE castmates after last night's show, and BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photo coverage below!

'Broadway Stands Up for Freedom,' the annual benefit concert of the New York Civil Liberties Union (the state affiliate of the ACLU), was presented last night, Monday, July 22 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. BroadwayWorld brings you full coverage from the concert below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, July 21, 2013 - Sunday, July 21, 2013.

'Broadway Stands Up for Freedom,' the annual benefit concert of the New York Civil Liberties Union (the state affiliate of the ACLU), will be presented tonights, July 22 at 7:30pm at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City.

'A concert could feature the cast and additional performers from Broadway. That would be a wonderful way for the show to live on,' Shaiman told THR.

Zachary Levi stopped by THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO last night to chat about his starring role in the new Broadway musical 'First Date.' Check out his appearance below!

Additional performers have been announced for 'Broadway Stands Up for Freedom,' the annual benefit concert of the New York Civil Liberties Union (the state affiliate of the ACLU), which will be presented Monday, July 22 at 7:30pm at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City .

Hey, CEC fans! This week's featured composer is Drew Gasparini. And we have a summer treat for you: two Gasparinis for the price of one! Drew and his sister Kasie perform his song 'Two Little Lines' in the video below. Don't miss Drew's star-studded concert at Joe's Pub on July 29th at 9:30pm to celebrate his album 'I Could Use a Drink,' with Krysta Rodriguez, Jason Gotay and more!

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, currently in previews at the Longacre Theatre. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics byAlan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Date is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). BroadwayWorld is excited to debut production shots for the new musical below!

In the video below, standby Eric Ankrim teams with Krysta Rodriquez, Zachary Levi and the rest of the cast to rap about filling in for Levi, who will be out of the show to attend Comic-Con in San Diego.

On July 15th Sparkification Productions presents An Evening Celebrating Emerging Female Composers: a concert to promote gender parity in musical theatre. The concert will feature the songs of Jennifer Lucy Cook, Shoshana Greenberg, Kathryn Hathaway, Janine McGuire, Julia Meinwald, Nicky Phillips and Sarah M. Underwood with contributions by Carmel Dean, Laura Kleinbaum, Tina Lear, Gordon Leary, Jeffery Dennis Smith, and Stephanie Smith. Performers include Erin Davie, Lesli Margherita, Christiane Noll, Alice Ripley, Krysta Rodriguez, Betsy Wolfe, and more to be announced. The evening features Musical Direction by Mary-­?Mitchell Campbell.

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. Featuring Sara Chase ('Arrested Development,' The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot) and Kate Loprest('Boardwalk Empire,' Hairspray), the cast of First Date also includes Vicki Noon(Wicked, Mamma Mia!). First Date opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). The check out the full marquee at the Longacre Theatre below!

Leading man Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, makes his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Date is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). Featuring Sara Chase ('Arrested Development,' The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot) and Kate Loprest ('Boardwalk Empire,' Hairspray), the cast of First Date also includes Vicki Noon (Wicked, Mamma Mia!). First Date begins performances tonight, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street).

To make Broadway an experience affordable for all, FIRST DATE has instituted $25 student rush tickets and $35 balcony seats. A limited number of student rush tickets priced at an inexpensive $25 can be purchased with a valid student ID at the box office (one ticket per ID) on the date of the performance. In addition $35 balcony level seats are available in advance for all performances at the Longacre Theatre box office or at www.Telecharge.com (212.239.6200). FIRST DATE,Broadway's new romantic musical comedy, begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street).