Michael Orland News

On the Television show 'Lets Make A Deal' you're only a winner if you open one door. At Birdland last night you were a winner no matter what door you opened. On the legendary Jazz Stage it was John Pizzarelli with The Swing 7, arguably the most talented guitarist/vocalist/comic performer on the planet. The door to the new Birdland Theater brought you into Susie Mosher's Lineup. A room full of celebs and lucky New Yorkers got to see an 'insane' guest list of phenomenal performers in her wild, semi structured variety show. Both doors at Birdland led you to superlative entertainment last night but the surprise guests direct from the Broadway Stage of Waitress, Erich Bergen (Jersey Boys, Madame Secretary) and Katharine McPhee ( TV, Smash, Scorpion) made you a winner if you also chose the door to the Birdland Theater.

Kristin Chenoweth recently held her 4th annual Broadway Bootcamp, followed by the 2nd annual Kristi Awards. BroadwayWorld is giving you a look inside the Popular program to see all the stars, students, and stellar cosplay! Check out the photos below!

Broadway World has an exclusive look at photos from Saturday night's 2nd Annual Kristi Awards celebrating the 4th year of Kristin Chenoweth's Broadway Bootcamp held in the Kristin Chenoweth Theater at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Kristin Chenoweth recently held her 4th annual Broadway Bootcamp, followed by the 2nd annual Kristi Awards. BroadwayWorld is giving you a look at the video that introduced the awards ceremony.

Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) expands across America this holiday season, including a multi-year deal at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium beginning with their newest production - THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ. It will be directed by Bonnie Lythgoe and choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo (NappyTabs), with book by Kris Lythgoe and Michael Orland (American Idol) serving as musical arranger and supervisor. Casting is by executive producer Becky Lythgoe. This will be the seventh holiday season of Lythgoe Family Panto in Pasadena, and their second in this larger venue.

Today, the Nederlander Organization and Hollywood Pantages Theatre announced the nominees for THE 7TH ANNUAL JERRY HERMAN AWARDS, a celebration of the achievement and excellence in high school musical theatre in Los Angeles.

From the stage of last year's premiere edition of the bootcamp's Kristi Awards show at the Broken Arrow PAC, the world renowned 'local girl makes good' Kristin Chenoweth told the audience it took her three years to figure out what she wanted for the program.

Now entering its 28th year, Broadway Theatre Project (BTP), announces vocal coaches Peisha McPhee and Michael Orland return for summer 2018. BTP faculty range from professional dancers and choreographers to vocal coaches and directors.

Erich Bergen doesn't utilize his singing and dancing talents on the CBS television series Madam Secretary, but he displayed them magnificently last night at Lynn University.  Jan McArt, producer of the highly popular Live at Lynn series literally had to send a car and plane to fetch Erich off the set of Madam Secretary (which is filmed in New York City) to get him on the stage of the Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn for 'A Perfect Evening with Erich Bergen'. Jan also has to get him back to NYC after his matinee performance the following day at Lynn for the filming of this season's last episode of the the TV show. 

Kelli Barrett and Jarrod Spector made their West Coast debut in Funny How It Happens at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood on Sunday, March 18.

Bay Area Cabaret is thrilled to present Broadway rising star Will Roland in his Bay Area concert debut with his solo show, 'Loser Songs.' Roland is currently starring in the 2017 Tony award-winning Best Musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN.

This just in! Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) announces Ashley Argota (ABC Family's The Fosters ) as Tinker Bell, Riley Costello (NBC's Hairspray Live! ) as Peter Pan, Clarice Ordaz (FOX's So You Think You Can Dance ) as Tiger Lily, Mark Ryan ( Black Sails on STARZ) as Captain Hook, David F.M. Vaughn (Broadway's Shrek The Musical) as Smee, and Audrey Whitby (Nickelodeon's The Thundermans ) as Wendy in PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL - A PIRATES CHRISTMAS at the Balboa Theatre.

Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP), in association with Pasadena Playhouse, announces Nickelodeon's Thomas Hobson (Nick Jr.'s Fresh Beat Band ) as The Beast for the final 2 performances of the world premiere of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A CHRISTMAS ROSE at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on December 24 (at 1:00pm and 5:00pm). The role of The Beast is played by Jonah Platt (Broadway's Wicked) at all other performances. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A CHRISTMAS ROSE, opened to rave reviews December 13, and must close December 24.

This just in! Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) announces Ashley Argota (ABC Family's The Fosters ) as Tinker Bell, Riley Costello (NBC's Hairspray Live! ) as Peter Pan, Clarice Ordaz (NBC's So You Think You Can Dance ) as Tiger Lily, Mark Ryan ( Black Sails on STARZ) as Captain Hook, David F.M. Vaughn (Broadway's Shrek The Musical) as Smee, and Audrey Whitby (Nickelodeon's The Thudermans ) in PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL - A PIRATES CHRISTMAS at the Balboa Theatre.

In partnership with Lythgoe Family Panto, Theatre Under the Stars has opened their family-fun, holiday-filled interactive production Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight to Houston audiences. With a star-studded cast, popular music, and a storybook vibe, Kris Lythgoe's Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight had both the children and the parents in the audience laughing, shouting at the characters onstage, and erupting in applause. This production tells the tale of the cursed Princess Aurora (Lauren Taylor) on the brink of her eighteenth birthday, and the handsome Prince (Garrett Clayton) on the road to his wedding day with the Princess, as the evil fairy Carabosse (Debbie Gravitte) does everything in her power to sabotage the kingdom.

Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) in association with The Pasadena Playhouse expands this holiday season at The Pasadena Civic Auditorium with their newest production - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, A CHRISTMAS ROSE. 

Lythgoe means talent and for several years the family have been entertaining us at Christmastime, with a British panto, American style. A panto is an interactive entertainment that starts with a very contemporary retelling of a fairy tale such as this year's treat Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose and turns it into a highly imaginative show with pop music that will appeal to both children and their parents...but primarily to expose kids to an engaging theatrical experience. There's usually an actor or two in drag, and a villain ... and audience are encouraged to root for the heroes and BOO loudly at the villains. It begins first and foremost with an upbeat script by Kris Lythgoe, replete with silly lines and a lot of play.on.words. To put the younger audience into the spirit, apart from the screaming and booing, Beast masks are on sale and for the adult ladies, long-stemmed roses. This family show plays at the Pasadena Civic through December 24.

Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP), in association with Pasadena Playhouse, presents BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - A CHRISTMAS ROSE, which expands this winter at The Pasadena Civic Auditorium (300 East Green Street, Pasadena CA 91101) for 14 performances only, December 13 -24, 2017 with the official press opening tonight, December 13.

BroadwayWorld's Michael Sterling of BWW TV Los Angeles talks to the cast and creative team members during at rehearsal at the beautiful Pasadena Civic Auditorium for the world premiere of the Lythgoe Family Panto production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - A CHRISTMAS ROSE, produced in association with Pasadena Playhouse.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) announce that Kira Kosarin (3-time Kid's Choice Award-nominee of Nickelodeon's hit show The Thundermans ), Jason Gotay (World Premiere of Stephen Schwartz's The Prince Of Egypt, title role of Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Barry Pearl ( Grease ) and Josh Adamson (Big Fish, Taboo) star in Lythgoe Family Panto's ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH. Check out a first look at the production here!