Taylor Trensch News

Many performers understudy lead roles and rehearse weekly, preparing for their moment in the spotlight. But what if their moment never arrives? On August 5, 54 Below featured 'Not At This Performance- a concert with Paul Castree, Robi Hager, Jesse JP Johnson, Veronica Kuehn, Bethany Moore, Libby Servais, Taylor Trensch & Donna Vivino.

Even the most tragic stories need a bit of comic relief, and that rule that holds up on the Great White Way. Broadway certainly has a sense of humor this season, with hilarity popping up in musicals and plays alike. Below, BroadwayWorld features Broadway stars that are making 'em laugh eight times a week.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosher is 15:54, and more:

Tonight, August 5th, 9:30pm, 'NOT At This Performance' returns to 54 Below for a second edition. The evening features past understudies who never got to go on in the roles they covered, finally get to play those roles in front of a live audience.

The concert stars Paul Castree (Young Frankenstein, 9 to 5), Robi Hager (How to Succeed in Business, Bye Bye Birdie), Jesse JP Johnson (Wicked, Altar Boyz), Veronica Kuehn (Avenue Q), Bethany Moore (Pippin), Libby Servais (Wicked), Taylor Trensch (Matilda, Bare), and Donna Vivino (Wicked). The audience can expect to hear music from All Shook Up, Hairspray, High Fidelity, Into the Woods, Lysistrata Jones, Rent, Spring Awakening, and Xanadu, as well as behind the scenes stories.

Broadway & Hollywood actress Missi Pyle returns to Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette St) tonight, June 15th @ 11:30pm with her solo show Sexy As Hell, following a nearly sold-out LA engagement. Come experience one of Hollywood's most exciting, hilarious and unpredictable actress, as she pushes SOME of your boundaries. Missi aims to prove that though funny and with 'strong features', Missi is in fact Sexy As Hell. She was just waiting till she turned 40 to show you.

Broadway & Hollywood actress MISSI PYLE returns to Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette St) Saturday, June 15th @ 11:30pm with her solo show Sexy As Hell, following a nearly sold-out LA engagement. Come experience one of Hollywood's most exciting, hilarious and unpredictable actress, as she pushes SOME of your boundaries. Missi aims to prove that though funny and with 'strong features', Missi is in fact Sexy As Hell. She was just waiting till she turned 40 to show you.

The contestants for the seventh annual Broadway Beauty Pageant included Callan Bergmann (Silence! The Musical), Julius C. Carter (SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark), Yurel Echezarreta (Matilda), Matthew Goodrich (The Nance), Orion Griffiths (Pippin), and Paul HeeSang Miller (Mamma Mia!). Four-time Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning actress Tovah Feldshuh hosted the event which took place last night, May 20th, at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the event below!

According to the Daily Mail, James Corden has signed on to appear alongside Daniel Mays in Nick Payne's play The Same Deep Water As Me at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by John Crawley. Corden also recently met with Into the Woods film director Rob Marshall to discuss appearing in the movie adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical. If the dates for both projects do not conflict, Corden will take part in the pair.

According to a recent casting notice, Rob Marshall's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical is set to begin shooting this September in the U.K.

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around. The most recent show featured a cast reunion of the entire original cast of Maltby & Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now: Loni Ackerman, George Lee Andrews, and Margery Cohen, who shared stories about creating the show and singing numbers that they originated in 1977. BroadwayWorld brings you concert highlights below!

Broadway's Andrew Keenan Bolger and other outstanding artists from the worlds of Broadway, television, film and other mediums came together on April 22 for the third annual broadwayUNLOCKED (formerly known as 'The Bridge'), a benefit concert celebrating the work of the Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. The event took place at WNYC / New York Public Radio's The Greene Space. Scroll below for photos from the concert!

Tonight, April 28 at 9:30pm, Krysta Rodriguez (Smash, The Addams Family), Lindsay Mendez (Dogfight, 35mm: A Musical Exhibition), and Barbara Walsh (Company) will join bright new composer and lyricist team Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne at 54 Below.

As BroadwayWorld.com previously reported, Meryl Streep will play the witch in the upcoming big screen adaptation of INTO THE WOODS. Now according to Variety, Johnny Depp is currently in talks to join the cast as well. There is no word yet on which part Depp would play.

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around. The most recent show featured a cast reunion of the entire original cast of Maltby & Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now: Loni Ackerman, George Lee Andrews, and Margery Cohen, who shared stories about creating the show and singing numbers that they originated in 1977. BroadwayWorld was there for the concert and you can check out photos below!

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around.

Theatre writers who were lured to that other coast by Hollywood greenbacks have been known to express their disillusionment with the film industry via the Broadway stage.  George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart based their comedy Once In A Lifetime on their maddening movie studio experiences as did Betty Comden and Adolph Green with the musical Fade Out – Fade In.

broadwayUNLOCKED will present a special performance of "I'm Gone" from the Broadway musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY. Allison Case and Jay Armstrong Johnson will perform the song in anticipation of GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS' upcoming Original Broadway Cast Recording, which will be recorded next month and released in June 2013. Broadway's Andrew Keenan Bolger and other outstanding artists from the worlds of Broadway, television, film and other mediums will come together on Monday, April 22, 2013 at 7:30 PM for the third annual broadwayUNLOCKED (formerly known as "The Bridge"), a benefit concert celebrating the work of the Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. The event will take place at WNYC / New York Public Radio's The Greene Space (44 Charlton St. at Varick).

MATILDA THE MUSICAL, produced by The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers, opened last night April 11, 2013 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street). Get a look at the arrivals for the after party below!

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around.