BWW Morning Brief January 18th, 2018: Lena Hall Answers Your Questions, 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) VIDEO: Broadway's Gina Gershon Takes Her Turn as 'Melania Trump'
by BWW News Desk - January 17, 2018

On last night's TONIGHT SHOW, 'President Trump' handed out Fake News awards to the media with help from First Lady Melania (Broadway 's Gina Gershon) and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (Rachel Dratch). Check out the clip below!. (more...)

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2) Mia Gerachis and Tiffany Haas Join Constantine Maroulis-Led JEKYLL & HYDE at Virginia Musical Theatre
by BWW News Desk - January 17, 2018

Broadway Wicked's Tiffany Haas, and Elf: The Musical's Mia Gerachis join Virginia Musical Theatre's limited engagement of Jekyll & Hyde at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, March 2-4. As previously reported, Constantine Maroulis will lead the cast.. (more...)

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3) Photo Coverage: Back to the Diner! Sara Bareilles Returns to WAITRESS
by Walter McBride - January 17, 2018

Tony and Grammy Award nominee Sara Bareilles, the composer and lyricist of the Broadway smash hit Waitress, returned to the Brooks Atkinson stage as Jenna Hunterson yesterday, January 16, 2018. She will remain in the role for six weeks only. Sara made her Broadway debut in the show earlier this year, breaking house records at the theatre.. (more...)

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4) Photo Coverage: Real Housewife Kandi Burruss Makes Her Broadway Debut in CHICAGO!
by Walter McBride - January 17, 2018

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, actress & TV sensation Kandi Burruss (Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta') made her Broadway debut in the role of 'Matron 'Mama' Morton' in Chicago on January 15. Burruss will be in the cast for eight weeks only, through March 11, 2018, at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.).. (more...)

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5) Fellow Ozians! Welcome New Citizens Isabel Keating and Martin Moran to WICKED
by BWW News Desk - January 17, 2018

Beginning Tuesday, January 30th, the Broadway blockbuster WICKED will welcome, to the Gershwin Theatre, Tony Award nominee ISABEL KEATING as Madame Morrible and Obie Award winner Martin Moran as Doctor Dillamond.. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

-HANGMEN begins previews tonight Off-Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater!

-Educational Alliance and The 14th Street Y present #NASTY WOMEN: A Night Of Female Resistance Comedy tonight!

-TNC's AMERICA'S FAVORITE NEWSCASTER officially opens tonight!

-HINDLE WAKES revival opens off-Broadway at the Mint Theater tonight!

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BWW Exclusive: Meet the musicians of ROCKTOPIA on Broadway in our exclusive video!

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What we're geeking out over: Broadway casts, crews, and fans will unite in Times Square for Big Hug Day on Sunday!

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What we're listening to: Check out the latest episode of our podcast Behind the Curtain. On this episode they talk to Richard Skipper about Carol Channing's 97th birthday celebration.

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Social Butterfly: Watch BroadwayWorld's chat with Tony Award Winner Lena Hall, broadcast live on Facebook last night!

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And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Mark Rylance, who turns 58 today!

Mark Rylance is currently starring in Farinelli and the King on Broadway. Rylance was born in England in 1960 and emigrated with his family to America in 1962. He lived in Connecticut until 1969 and then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he lived until returning to London in 1978. Mark trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1978-1980) under Hugh Cruttwell, and The Glasgow Citizens Theatre gave him his first job in 1980, a year in repertoire, a trip to the carnival in Venice with Goldoni, and an Equity card. Mark last appeared in New York at Brooklyn's St. Ann's Warehouse in 2016 in Nice Fish, which he co-authored with the Minnesota poet Louis Jenkins, and was directed by Claire van Kampen. The play was produced by The A.R.T. and St. Ann's, having originally been produced by Joe Dowling at The Guthrie Theatreand subsequently produced by Sonia Friedman for The Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End. Mark last appeared at The Belasco Theatre in 2013 as the Countess Olivia in Twelfth Night, and Richard in Richard III. Both productions originated at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. They were subsequently produced by Sonia Friedman and directed by Tim Carroll, Artistic Director of The Shaw Festival, Canada. He has also appeared on Broadway as Johnny "Rooster" Byron in Jerusalem directed by Ian Rickson(The Music Box); Valere in La Bête (The Music Box) and Robert in Boeing-Boeing (The Longacre), both directed by Matthew Warchus. He first played in NYC for A Theatre for a New Audience, Henry V and Touchstone, 1992-94. Recent film work includes Chris Nolan's Dunkirk, Steven Spielberg's Big Friendly Giant and Bridge of Spies. He is heard as Flop in "Bing Bunny" for the BBC and Thomas Cromwell in "Wolf Hall," directed by Peter Kosminsky, which was aired in America in 2015 on PBS. He will appear in Steven Spielberg's new film Ready Player One, due for release in 2018. Mark was the Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (1996-2006) and during his career has acted in over 50 productions of plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries. He is an honorary bencher of the Middle Temple Hall in London; trustee of The Shakespearean Authorship Trust; an ambassador of SURVIVAL the movement for tribal peoples; and a patron of PEACE DIRECT, working for non-violent resolution of conflict. In 2017, he was knighted by HRH Prince William for services to Drama.

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!