BWW Morning Brief January 15th, 2018: Kandi Burruss Makes Her Broadway Debut in CHICAGO, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Scroll down for the latest news, and click HERE to learn more about how we've revamped our morning brief for 2017! Want our morning reports delivered via email? Subscribe here!

1) Goodbye, Dolly! Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, and Taylor Trensch Depart HELLO, DOLLY! Today
by Stephanie Wild - January 14, 2018

Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce and Taylor Trensch will take their final bows in Hello, Dolly! today, January 14. As BroadwayWorld has previously announced, Bernadette Peters will be assuming the title role beginning January 20. Victor Garber will be taking over as Horace Vandergelder and Charlie Stemp will be playing Barnaby Tucker.. (more...)

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2) One Last Time...Javier Munoz Plays His Final Performance in HAMILTON Today
by Stephanie Wild - January 14, 2018

Javier Munoz plays his final performance in Hamilton tonight, January 14, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Michael Luwoye who was an alternate for the role on Broadway and went on to lead the Angelica tour, will be taking over as Hamilton.. (more...)

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3) So Long, Saigon! MISS SAIGON Takes Final Broadway Bows Tonight
by BWW News Desk - January 14, 2018

This is the hour! Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Sch nberg's legendary musical Miss Saigon plays its final Broadway performance today, January 14, 2018, after 340 performances.. (more...)

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4) Laura Benanti Would 'Probably Run Away' If She Ever Met Melania Trump
by Stephanie Wild - January 14, 2018

Broadway star Laura Benanti has told Page Six that she has no desire to meet First Lady Melania Trump, who she has become famous for portraying on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.. (more...)

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5) Closing Up Shop! CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Takes Final Broadway Bows Today
by BWW News Desk - January 14, 2018

The factory is all out of golden tickets. Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory plays its final Broadway performance today, January 14, 2018 after playing 27 previews and 305 regular performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

-Atlanta Real Housewife Kandi Burruss makes her Broadway debut in CHICAGO tonight!

-Now in its ninth season, the Obie Award winning The Fire This Time Festival will kick off tonight at Atlantic Theater Company!

-The Playthings Theatre presents its annual gala PlayFresh 2018 tonight at the Irish Repertory Theatre!

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BWW Exclusive: In our exclusive interview with Adam Pascal, he discusses life, work, and the National Tour of Something Rotten!, where he is currently playing Shakespeare!

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What we're geeking out over: Leslie Odom, Jr. will sing America the Beautiful at the Super Bowl this year!

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What we're watching: Hamilton tweeted a tribute to Javier Muñoz, who has been involved with the show for five years and played his final performance yesterday. The video features clips and photos from Muñoz' time with Hamilton.

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Social Butterfly: Lea Salonga shared a photo on Instagram last night with Lin-Manuel Miranda who attended yesterday's performance of Once on This Island!

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And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Andrea Martin, who turns 71 today!

Andrea Martin is the legendary comedy star of SCTV and the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." She won her second and most recent Tony Award in 2013 for her performance as Berthe in the Broadway revival of "Pippin" and was nominated for another Tony Award last season for the 2016 production "Noises Off." Her new series "Great News," premieres April 25th on NBC, Executive produced by Tina Fey, and Andrea can currently be seen on the Hulu hit series "Difficult People" created by Julie Klausner. Martin's big break came when she got cast in the original Toronto production of Godspell, in what is now considered the legendary cast of Victor Garber, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Jayne Eastwood and Paul Shaffer, their musical director. She went on to join the famous SCTV troup winning two Emmy awards for writing, winning her first Tony award for Featured Actress in a Musical for "My Favorite Year,' and also garnering Tony nominations for her roles in "Young Frankenstein," "Oklahoma" and "Candide." Her film credits include "Breaking Upwards," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," "All Over the Guy," "Young Triffie's Been Made Away With," "Stepping Out," "Bogus," "Wag the Dog," "New York Minute," "Black Christmas," and "Cannibal Girls." In addition to her legendary work on SCTV, her television credits include "My Big Fat Greek Life," "Ed," and "Nurse Jackie."

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!