Laura Osnes News

On Sunday, September 27, thousands of Broadway's biggest fans gathered at Pier 97 for what's being called the Coachella of show tunes - the first annual Elsie Fest, a day-long music festival celebrating songs from the stage and screen. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the big day!

American composer Jonathan Reid Gealt is back in London to launch his third studio album WHATEVER I WANT IT TO BE on Sunday 11th October at St James Studio before its official worldwide release on 29th November.

Did you miss the festival? No worries, because we're taking you inside the special event below. CLICK HERE to check out a video roundup!

Deaf West Theatre's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's SPRING AWAKENING, directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, opened just last night, September 27, at Broadway's Brooks AtkinsonTheatre (256 West 47th Street). SPRING AWAKENING's strictly limited 18-week-only engagement started previews on September 8. BroadwayWorld was there for the big night and you can check out red carpet coverage below!

Dubbed New York City's first outdoor music festival, Elsie Fest celebrated tunes from the stage and screen just yesterday at JBL Live at Pier 97 (57th St and WestSide Highway in New York City). The lineup included broadway favorites like Aaron Tveit, Darren Criss, Lea Salonga, Laura Osnes, Seth Rudetsky, Leslie Odom, Jr., and StarKid. Did you miss the festival? No worries, because we've got some video highlights from the performances below!

On Monday, September 28, the Theater People podcast welcomes back Tony-winner Laura Benanti for part 2 of her interview. The first part of the interview launched earlier this month. In this episode, Benanti discusses her work in the short-lived WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN for which the actress received her fourth Tony nomination. Benanti also discusses her television work including the hugely popular SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE!, NASHVILLE, and the upcoming SUPERGIRL. Additionally, she discussed working with the Radio City Rockettes in last year's SPRING SPECTACULAR, and writing her first book.

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: DADDY LONG LEGS opens off-Broadway, Arnie Burton hits a 39 STEPS milestone, and two stage greats are celebrated tonight!

Listening to the HAMILTON cast album on repeat since Monday? Gearing up for SPRING AWAKENING's Opening Night? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2015-2016 season with the world premiere musical The Bandstand. As previously announced, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde), Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) and Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, 42nd Street) will star in The Bandstand. Check out interviews with the cast and a performance sneak peek below!

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2015-2016 season with the world premiere musical The Bandstand. As previously announced, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde), Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) and Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, 42nd Street) will star in The Bandstand. 

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2015-2016 season with the world premiere musical The Bandstand. As previously announced, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde), Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) and Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, 42nd Street) will star in The Bandstand. Check out photos from the performance sneak peek below!

For one day only, we are going to set up a photo booth that will allow YOU to get your picture taken with the (now famous) BroadwayWorld Mug. Because you have written us so many emails, loving the photos of your favorite Broadway stars and wanting to know how you can get your own 'mugshot', we will be taking photos of each of you. And the best news yet, is that over the next year, every Friday will feature a FAN of BroadwayWorld.com in these now famous photos that greet our readers each and every morning. Check out some of our favorites below!

To promote Elsie Fest and show solidarity with StarKid -- which propelled him to fame in A VERY POTTER MUSICAL -- Darren Criss stopped by Buzzfeed to sort Broadway characters into Hogwarts houses.

Rita Moreno returns to music with her first all Spanish Album- Una Vez Mas. The album was produced by Grammy winning producer Emilio Estefan and Nicholas Tovar. The album contains for the first time in Spanish, 'Somewhere' from West Side Story. Rita is the first Hispanic artist to win all four major American entertainment award including an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony. In December, Rita will receive the Kennedy Center Honor.

With just weeks until the big day, Criss just checked in with BroadwayWorld to update us on everything Elsie. Check out the full interview below!

On Monday, September 13, the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony-winner Laura Benanti. This is the first of two interviews in which Benanti will be featured on the podcast, The second part of will be released in two weeks!