Lea Salonga News

Manhattan Concert Productions (MCP) has announced casting for Broadway Classics in Concert, on Tuesday, February 20, 8:00 PM, in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The concert will feature Michael Arden (Ragtime, Hunchback of Notre Dame), Sierra Boggess (The Secret Garden), Carolee Carmello (Broadway Classics 2013), Allan Corduner (Titanic), Quentin Earl Darrington (The Secret Garden), Ramin Karimloo (Parade, The Secret Garden), Norm Lewis (Ragtime), Laura Osnes (Crazy For You), Lea Salonga (Ragtime), Ryan Silverman (Titanic), and Tony Yazbeck (Crazy For You).

Lea Salonga took to Instagram today to share a photo she took with Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda, who visited Once on This Island today with his wife! 'So Lin-Manuel came to the show today!!!' Salonga writes. 'Needless to say, we all were thrilled. Thanks to you and Vanessa for coming to the island!!!'

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Atlanta Real Housewife @Kandi Burruss makes her Broadway debut in @ChicagoMusical, and more!

On Monday, January 8, Theater People podcast welcome's back Broadway favorite Telly Leung. For the episode, Leung discusses recently winning the title role in Disney's ALADDIN on Broadway. He also shares stories from his recent work on IN TRANSIT and ALLEGIANCE.

If you are lucky enough to have something like a podcast that people are actually listening to and supporting, then the new year is always a time to find out the most listened to podcast of the previous year. Last year, I thought 20 was a great number to countdown without realizing how much time it would be to crunch the numbers. SO, this year I am gonna keep it very simple, and thankfully after almost 100 episodes this past year, here are the most listened to podcasts of 2017. Please revisit and enjoy.

Maestro Luke Frazier and The American Pops Orchestra - Washington, DC's innovative hometown orchestra - will continue their star-studded third season with Around the World in 80 Days, the world premiere of a new family-oriented musical written by Claybourne Elder ('Gossip Girl,' Broadway's Sunday in the Park...) and directed by Kelly Crandall d'Amboise.

The new musical POSTCARD AMERICAN TOWN will have its first industry presentation in New York City on January 12th. This timely new musical features a book by Crystal Skillman (Geek, Mary & Max) and music and lyrics by Lynne Shankel (Allegiance, Cry- Baby, bare: The Musical, Altar Boyz), with direction by Stafford Arima (Allegiance, Carrie, bare: the Musical, Altar Boyz), musical direction by Michael Gacetta (Groundhog Day, Matilda) and music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Mean Girls, Tuck Everlasting, Finding Neverland, Company).

Recently on Broadway, Leung has starred in the musicals Allegiance and In Transit. He also appeared on Broadway in Flower Drum Song and Pacific Overtures and was part of the final Broadway company of the hit musical Rent. He originated Boq in the Chicago production of Wicked and played Dalton Academy Warbler Wes on Fox's smash television series 'Glee.'

The votes have been counted... Check out the fill list of winners for the 2017 BWW Regional Awards!

The cast of Once on this Island recently got visits from Tina Fey, Brian d'Arcy James, Will Chase, Ingrid Michaelson, and David Henry Hwang. The show's official Twitter account posted photos of cast members with the visitors. Check out the tweets, and the photos here!

Presumed to be a first: Jason Robert Brown and Kelli O'Hara performing together in concert. Undoubtedly a first in Utah: two Tony winners performing together in concert. Definitely: a Tony-deserving concert. In a major coup, the BYU Bravo! performing arts series assembled the vanguard composer and the luminous muse for his last Broadway musical -- for what appears to have been their first performance together in concert. And they decisively demonstrated how divinely delightful a concert can be.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

Mama Will Provide...a cast album for the revival of Once on This Island! Broadway Records announced that the album will be released on CD and digitally at most major music retailers on February 23, 2018. The release of Once On This Island will mark the 100th new release by Broadway Records since the label was established in 2012. The album is produced by Elliot Scheiner, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Hunter Arnold and Ken Davenport.

The 2018 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company kicks off with five intimate concerts by award-winning stars of the Great White Way, including Tony Award-winner FAITH PRINCE (Guys and Dolls), L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award-winner JASON GRAAE (RTC's Return to the Forbidden Planet, Falsettos), Helen Hayes Award-winners DAVID BURNHAM (The Light in the Piazza) and TAMI TAPPAN (RTC's Streetcar Named Desire, Miss Saigon), husband-and-wife duo MEGAN MCGINNIS and ADAM HALPIN (Daddy Long Legs), Ovation nominee ERIC KUNZE (Evita), and Nashville-based singer MELISSA HAMMANS (Back to the Garden).

Director Isaac Klein stops by the studio to talk about his new book, SCHOOL OF DOING, featuring the lessons of Master Teacher, Director, and personal mentor, Gerald Freedman.

The producers of Broadway's newest hit, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, announced today that Broadway veterans Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray will step into the roles of Agwe and Papa Ge, respectively, on January 8. Merle Dandridge exits for a contractual leave to shoot her television series Greenleaf. Quentin Earl Darrington will also be on a contractual leave.

In one of the most versatile careers on record, Richard Jay-Alexander has pretty much done it all. Starting first as a PA on Broadway, then moving his way up to stage manager, it was his collaboration with uber-producer Cameron Mackintosh where Richard really thrived, becoming the Associate Director and Executive Producer of a new show called LES MISERABLES.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

Maestro Luke Frazier and The American Pops Orchestra - Washington, DC's innovative hometown orchestra - will continue their star-studded third season with Around the World in 80 Days, the world premiere of a new family-oriented musical written by Claybourne Elder ('Gossip Girl,' Broadway's Sunday in the Park...) and directed by Kelly Crandall d'Amboise.

In Broadway by Design, BroadwayWorld is shining a spotlight on the stellar designs of this Broadway season, show by show. Today, we continue the series with Dane Laffrey and Clint Ramos, who acted as scenic and costume designers for Broadway's most vibrant revival, Once On This Island.