Laura Osnes News

On Sunday, the Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present songwriter Jonathan Reid Gealt, who celebrated the release of his new cd, "Whatever I Want It To Be," with a concert at the historic music room starring a bevy of Broadway stars. The cast included vocalists Jane Monheit, Loren Allred, Whitney Bashor, and Addi McDaniel and Michael Deleget. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

On Monday, November 30, the Theater People podcast welcomes Broadway favorite Elizabeth Stanley. She is currently headlining the first national tour of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY in the role of Francesca. Stanley made her Broadway debut as April in the 2006 John Doyle helmed production of COMPANY. She went on to originate the role of Allison in CRY BABY, and then Dyanne in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. She was most recently seen on Broadway as Claire in last year's Tony-nominated ON THE TOWN.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld New Jersey Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Daniel and Laura Curtis will be releasing a new album in the later part of 2016.  The album comes on the heels of their chart topping, 'Love On 42nd Street, that featured Broadway and West End artists like: Lea Salonga, Ramin Karimloo, John Owen-Jones, Sierra Boggess, Samantha Barks, and Simon Bowman. Due to the success of their first album, Daniel and Laura have been greatly anticipating working with many more wonderfully talented artists within the industry.

Neither Laura Osnes, nor Billy Porter has loomed as large over the community in the past three years. Neither Lin-Manuel Miranda, nor Sydney Lucas has had as lasting of an impact on Broadway since 2013. Neither Laura Benanti, nor Lesli Margherita has revolutionized what it means to be a theatre celebrity as much as Annoying Actor Friend has since debuting on Twitter over three years ago; and he/she is about to do it again. On Cyber Monday, November 30th, 2015, the beloved internet personality releases a follow-up to the 2013 Best-Seller #SOBLESSED in the 'Create Your Own Show Business Destiny' novel #GRATEFUL: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

On Monday, November 23, the Theater People Podcast welcomes back Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford. Ashford, who was Theater People's third ever guest. For this episode, Ashford talks about her Tony Award winning turn in last year's YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, her critically acclaimed work on the Showtime series MASTERS OF SEX, and working alongside Matthew Broderick and Julie White in the current Broadway revival of SYLVIA.

Happy Birthday Laura Osnes! Osnes made her Broadway debut in the 2007 revival of Grease. On March 10, 2009 Osnes took over the role of Ensign Nellie Forbush from Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara, who went on maternity leave, in the Lincoln Center Theater Broadway revival of South Pacific. She then starred as Hope Harcourt, alongside Sutton Foster and Joel Grey, in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes. Osnes then played Bonnie Parker opposite Jeremy Jordan in Bonnie & Clyde, which opened at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in 2011. She most recently as the title role in the Broadway premiere of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE ILLUSIONISTS re-appear on Broadway and more!

Just last night, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust hosted the 2015 Steinberg Playwright Awards honoring Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Dominique Morisseau at Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023). The event featured readings byJocelyn Bioh, Marc Damon Johnson, Jason Dirden, Austin Durant, Dominique Fishback, Lynda Gravatt, Nikiya Mathis, Chris Myers, Carra Patterson, Will Rogers, Michele Shay and Brian Tyree Henry.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its lineup for November 23 -29, featuring Cyrill Aimee, Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch, Barbara Carroll, and more. Scroll down for details!

On Friday, November 13th, the Theater People Podcast is releasing a bonus 'catching up' episode with previous guest, Tony Award-winner Daisy Eagan. Eagan became the youngest female Tony Award winner, when she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for originating the role of Mary Lennox in the 1991 Broadway production of THE SECRET GARDEN. She was also seen on Broadway in LES MISERABLES and JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD.

On Tuesday night, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA opened a week-long run at Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Running through Sunday, I was fortunate enough to attend the tour stop's opening night, as was fellow BWW Orlando editor Kimberly Moy. As we did when we discussed THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, first show of the 2014-2015 Orlando Broadway Series, we had a back-and-forth conversation about CINDERELLA. While I tend to look at things from a more historical and critical point of view, Kim is an admitted fan girl.

Only Make Believe's Annual Gala, MAKE BELIEVE ON BROADWAY, hosted by Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart and honoring Tony winner and Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Alan Cumming and Morgan Stanley Chief Legal Officer Eric Grossman, just took place last night, November 9 at the St. James Theater, directed by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro.

For generations, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA existed only as a beloved television movie. First with a live broadcast in 1957 starring Julie Andrews; then in 1965 with Lesley Ann Warren, a version which was regularly re-broadcast into the 90s (which I grew up watching); and finally in 1997 with Brandy in the title role and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. However, in 2013, over 55 years after its first broadcast, led by Broadway's favorite princess Laura Osnes and crowned prince Santino Fontana, R&H 's CINDERELLA took its first Broadway bow. The show earned nine Tony nominations, running for nearly two years. Now, CINDERELLA's First National Tour sets up shop in its own little corner at Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, with performances beginning on Tuesday night.

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our November 7 #SIP round-up! Check out Part 1 HERE.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: ALLEGIANCE brings George Takei to Broadway, JERSEY BOYS hits a milestone and more!

BroadwayWorld has just learned that following a critically acclaimed, hit world premiere engagement at Paper Mill Playhouse this fall, the new musical will open on Broadway in the2016 - 2017 season starring Tony Award® nominee Laura Osnes(Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella) and Corey Cott (Newsies).

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our October 31 #SIP round-up! Check out Part 1 HERE.

This fall, beloved Broadway internet personality, Annoying Actor Friend is releasing its second book, '#GRATEFUL: Everything Happens for a Reason.' Described as a 'Choose Your Own Show Business Adventure' book, it hits shelves and Amazon Kindles on November 30th, 2015.

Singer Natalie Weiss, who will appear in concert at Oakland University at 8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 30, has a huge YouTube following for her Breaking Down the Riffs (BDTR) series.