Little Me Revival 1992 - Articles Page 17

Labyrinth Theater Company, the award-winning, downtown ensemble announced today the complete cast and creative team for their World Premiere production of Radiance, written by Cusi Cram and directed by Suzanne Agins. The complete cast of the upcoming production of Radiance includes Kelly AuCoin (Julius Caesar, Julie & Julia) and Ana Reeder (Top Girls, Sight Unseen), as well as Labyrinth Company Members Kohl Sudduth (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Take Me Out) and Aaron Roman Weiner (Thinner Than Water, The Glass Menagerie).

The 60th edition of the San Sebastian Festival will this year bestow its Donostia Awards on actors John Travolta, Ewan McGregor and Tommy Lee Jones and the Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award going to director Oliver Stone. In 1969, Jones made his Broadway debut in John Osborne's A Patriot for Me. His other Broadway appearances include Four on a Garden and Ulysses in Nighttown.

So many cabaret shows, so little time . . . to write reviews that is. During his almost two years as a cabaret reviewer, BroadwayWorld.com critic Stephen Hanks managed to do a pretty good job of writing critiques during a show's run or soon after the run ended. But this summer he just couldn't keep up. Finally, here are observations on 10 performances over the past two months.

Last Spring, the Painted Bride Art Center introduced audiences to the artistic talents of noted playwright/director/actor Ain Gordon and announced an 18 month residency with Gordon and Philadelphia filmmaker Nadine Patterson. The residency was to unearth an overlooked or little known story from the city's history. The challenge was to find something in a city where history is an industry and stories abound. The artists have worked with several organizations across the city and have found inspiration in the women reformers who lived in the city from the early to mid-1800s. Place Philadelphia Project research will culminate in an as yet untitled workset to run at the Painted Bride, last weekend in April and the first weekend of May during the 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. More information can be found at www.paintedbride.org, and www.pifa.org.

Cape May Stage will welcome another Broadway legend to the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. Tonight, July 23rd at 8pm, Faith Prince brings her critically-acclaimed one woman show Total Faith to Cape May.

Broadway Diva Faith Prince returns to Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" as Elaine Bingum, mother of series star Jane (played by another Broadway Diva - Brooke Elliot). This season, Prince, a "Drop Dead Diva" semi-regular, is back for two episodes.

Today we are taking a look at four sparkling new Blu-ray editions of well-regarded films from the Disney vault by focusing on three titles that are also currently running on Broadway in screen-to-stage adaptations at this very moment - EVITA, NEWSIES and SISTER ACT. The current trend of adapting hit films into musicals for the stage has sporadically proven that some stage adaptations can even be more entertaining onstage, while some recent movie musicals have one-upped their stage roots in a way a few Golden Age adaptations also managed to do. Such is the case with EVITA, NEWSIES, SISTER ACT and SISTER ACT 2 (the latter two both acting as inspiration for the Broadway SISTER ACT musical) - all available for the first time on Blu-ray and each certainly justifying consideration for inclusion in your library if only because each is regarded as a modern-day classic - of sorts - in its own unique and special way. And, without these films, we would never have the current versions of the shows now running on Broadway based upon them (even in the case of a classic like EVITA, whose stage version may have come first, but, as seen and heard in the hit Elena Roger/Ricky Martin/Michael Cerveris revival, now includes the film addition, "You Must Love Me"). Whatever the medium, all of these winning entities offer an entertaining way to beat the heat and celebrate the start of summer in style - with some tunes, old and new, you are not soon to forget.

Cape May Stage will welcome another Broadway legend to the Robert Shackleton Playhouse. On Monday, July 23rd at 8pm, Faith Prince brings her critically-acclaimed one woman show Total Faith to Cape May.

REBECCA, the new musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel, has found its male and female leads: Jill Paice will play the role of "I" and Ryan Silverman the role of "Maxim de Winter." REBECCA will open on Broadway Sunday, November 18 at The Broadhurst Theatre. Previews will begin Tuesday, October 30.

Happy Birthday, Danny Burstein! On Broadway, Burstein's appearances have included A Little Hotel on the Side (1992), Yakov in The Seagull (1992-93), in Saint Joan and Three Men on a Horse (both in 1993), Paul in Company (1995), 1st Officer William Murdoch in Titanic (1997-99), Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone (2006-07), Luther Billis in South Pacific (2008-10), and Taxi Driver in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010-11). He played the role of Buddy Plummer in the Kennedy Center production of Follies, which went on to play Broadway's Marquis Theatre and LA's Ahmanson Theatre.

The Associated Press reports that Andrew Lloyd Webber is in possible talks to join the judge's panel of the UK version of THE X FACTOR. Commenting on the rumor, the composer coyly told The Associated Press, 'There could be a little bit of 'you never know.'

Tonight, June 8 at 8pm, Little Anthony and the Imperials will grace the Warner stage for one performance only.

On Friday, June 8 at 8pm, Little Anthony and the Imperials will play the Warner stage for one performance only.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts has announced its 2012-13, 24th Season. Including LE POÈME HARMONIQUE IN "VENEZIA," on opening night, eight intriguing composer portraits, featuring John Cage, Jonathan Harvey, Olga Neuwirth, Sofia Gubaidulina, Enno Poppe, Rebeecca Saunders, Oliver Knussen and Julio Estrada. Bach, Revisted, highlights innovators, baroque and modern alike, featuring Jennifer Koh teaming up with mentor Jaime Laredo, harpsichordist Kristian Bezuidenhout and Ensemble Signal playing Bach, Rebel and Michael Gordon, and pianist Christopher Taylor juxtaposing Bach and Rzewski. The theatre also highlights early music ensembles, its jazz series, community programming, and pop-up concerts. See below for full details.

On Friday, June 8 at 8pm, Little Anthony and the Imperials will grace the Warner stage for one performance only.

On Friday, June 8 at 8pm, Little Anthony and the Imperials will grace the Warner stage for one performance only.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater produces the 2011 Tony Award-winning production of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, directed by George C. Wolfe. Wolfe, who directed the show's sold-out Broadway engagement last season, mounts the professional D.C.-area premiere of this production, which features returning Broadway cast members Patrick Breen and Luke MacFarlane, among others. Presented by special arrangement with Daryl Roth, The Normal Heart runs June 8-July 29, 2012 in the Kreeger Theater.

Sondheim is the winner of an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award. Described by Frank Rich of the New York Times as 'the greatest, and perhaps best-known artist working in musical theatre', his most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins. He also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. Lloyd Webber has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass. He has also gained a number of honours, including a knighthood in 1992, followed by a peerage from the British Government for services to Music, seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, fourteen Ivor Novello Awards, seven Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006. Several of his songs, notably 'The Music of the Night', 'I Don't Know How to Love Him', 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina' and 'You Must Love Me', 'Any Dream Will Do' and 'Memory' have been widely recorded and were hits outside of their parent musicals.

The cast features Tony Award nominee Keith Carradine (Nashville, Broadway's The Will Rogers Follies) as "JD Drew," Allison Case (Hair revival on Broadway) as "Kelli Mangrum," Tony Award winner Jarrod Emick (Broadway's Ring of Fire) as "Mike Ferris," Hunter Foster (Playhouse's Little Miss Sunshine; Broadway's Urinetown) as "Benny Perkins," Jay Armstrong Johnson (Broadway's Catch Me If You Can) as "Greg Wilhote," David Larsen (Broadway's Good Vibrations) as "Chris Alvaro," Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone (Legally Blonde national tour) as "Heather Stovall," Mary Gordon Murray (Broadway's Little Me) as "Virginia Drew," Connie Ray (author/performer, Smoke on the Mountain, Broadway's Next Fall) as "Cindy Barnes," Jon Rua (Broadway's In the Heights) as "Jesus Pe?a," Keala Settle (Broadway's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) as "Norma Valverde," Dale Soules (Grey Gardens) as "Janis Curtis," Jacob Ming Trent (Lincoln Center Theatre's On the Levee) as "Ronald McGowan," Scott Wakefield (Broadway's It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues) as "Frank Nugent" and William Youmans (Playhouse's Dracula, Twelfth Night) as "Don Curtis/Dr. Stokes."

In an absolutely uncannily coincidental occurrence last night, the Valentine's Day episode of GLEE included among its song-stack the all-time most memorable Whitney Houston ballad of all time, originally sung by Dolly Parton in 1974 but made famous by Houston on the soundtrack of the 1992 film THE BODYGUARD, in which she also starred, "I Will Always Love You". While this episode was filmed weeks ago - long before Houston's sudden passing, of course - the fact that this was the moment GLEE finally tackled one of the biggest songs ever - a single that originally stayed atop the chart for more than 3 months - comes as a definite shock and surprise; and, also, somehow, a fitting tribute. The tasteful "We Will Always Love You" card at the end of the program dedicated the episode to Houston's memory, in a last minute addition to the long-wrapped show by the powers-that-be. It hit just the right chord - as did the effervescently enjoyable if slight episode. Amber Riley wrought the high emotion out of the Houston barn-burner in a manner that surely would do the gospel singer of Whitney's own roots more than merely proud and the overall show was a sure success as far as knockout musical numbers go. As for the rest of the "Heart" Valentine's show, we were treated to a number of well-played guest appearances, such as Rachel's two dads, essayed all-too-deliciously by Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell, in addition to THE GLEE PROJECT winner Samuel Larsen's much ballyhooed debut on the show. Former TGP finalist and Season Three GLEE featured player Damian McGinty also got more focus than usual, as did Amber Riley, who emerged as the star of this particular episode. Courtesy of a lively and raucous "Love Shack", Darren Criss made his welcome return after a few episodes out. The rest of the songs added to the overall candy-coated allure of the sweet and sugary confection of a show. No, "Heart" was not an episode that will linger forever in the memory like some in GLEE's past, but the music made the night - and, in the case of "I Will Always Love You", made it really pack a punch when we needed it. It most closely resembled the wedding episode from last season, I thought - which is certainly a compliment. Plus, "Heart" featured the return of Karofsky - in gorilla suit, no less - and many dramatic twists for the gleeks we have all come to know and love. And, just how adorable is Sugar Motta?!

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

In a recent chat with BWW, Boykin shared his thoughts on what it was like to finally appear on the Broadway stage in a play that has literally been a part of his life since the time he was a little boy growing up in West Greenville, South Carolina.

Today we are honoring the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, which went on to win in the categories of Best Song and Best Score for Broadway's own Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - Disney's tale as old as time; the much-beloved and cherished BEAUTY & THE BEAST. Based on the French fairytale of its namesake, BEAUTY & THE BEAST was a landmark achievement in animated film and proved that Disney's previous animation renaissance mega-hit THE LITTLE MERMAID - also penned by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - was much more than merely a fluke. A new age of animated film treated totally seriously by critics and audiences alike allowed for Disney to continue on with even more success in the following years with even bigger family-friendly hits like ALADDIN and THE LION KING. Yet, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is the most elegant and enrapturing of all Disney animated films from the last century and just may be the very finest of all their animated features that came to pass during that era of renewed interest in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Featuring the vocal talents of legendary stage and screen star Angela Lansbury - check out our extensive InDepth InterView for a few recollections about that experience here - as well as Broadway's own Paige O'Hara and TV/film notable Robby Benson - both of whom will be featured in extensive InDepth InterViews right here on BroadwayWorld next week. Beginning with a prologue and opening song sequence - "Belle" - to rank among the very best not only in film, but stage musicals, as well, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is a rich French country meal topped off by a dizzying array of aural, visual, emotional, comedic and dramatic treats. 'Belle' is merely the starter bread - or, should I say, pain. So, today, we pay tribute to BEAUTY & THE BEAST as it roars back to movie theaters nationwide, now in a diligently-recreated and astonishingly imagined brand new 3D realization. Before you go see all the stunning sights and sounds of the film itself, whether sampling the 3D version in your home 3D studio or out at the Cineplex, here we have some of the finest musical moments to delight in from the storied history of the immensely successful Disney classic in all three of its versions - original animated film, Broadway stage musical and 3D movie experience.

As previously reported, Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that Stephanie J. Block will join the Tony Award winning company of Anything Goes performing the role of 'Reno Sweeney' while Sutton Foster is filming the television pilot, Bunheads, for 3 weeks in November. Specific dates have been announced today and Block will officially be stepping into the role November 4 through November 22.

Producers Ben Sprecher, Louise Forlenza, The Shubert Organization, Peter Bezemes, Tony Fusco, Larry Feinman, Nanda Anand and Peter Bogyo by special arrangement with/and based on the Vereinigte Buhnen Wien GmbH production, announced that the new musical REBECCA, based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel, will open on Broadway Sunday, April 22 at The Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). Previews will begin Tuesday, March 27. Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid, Love Never Dies, Master Class and as Christine in last month's 25th Anniversary Concert of The Phantom of the Opera in London) will play the lead role of 'I'. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.