BWW Morning Brief January 23rd, 2018: 90th Annual ACADEMY AWARDS Nominees Are Announced Today, and More!

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1) Will Katharine McPhee Make Broadway Debut This Spring?
by Rialto Chatter - January 22, 2018

Karen Cartwright may have already made it to Broadway, but Katharine McPhee has plans to make her debut in 2018. McPhee recently revealed on Instagram that she'll appear in a Broadway show in just matter of weeks.. (more...)

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2) Backstage with Richard Ridge: Keegan-Michael Key Talks Sketch Comedy, Shakespeare, Steve Martin and Beyond!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - January 22, 2018

In just a year, he's gone from comedy icon, to Shakespearean player to bonafide Broadway star. And he's not done yet!. (more...)

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3) BWW Review: THE RAILWAY CHILDREN, Cadogan Hall
by Nicole Ackman - January 22, 2018

The Railway Children is a delightful show with beautiful music and a wonderful message about the importance of kindness. The concert staged at Cadogan Hall featured lyrics and a book by Katie Lam and music by Alex Parker, who also conducted.. (more...)

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4) Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director Accused of Sexual Misconduct
by Alexa Criscitiello - January 22, 2018

The New York Times is reporting that Gordon Edelstein, artistic director of the Long Wharf Theater, has been placed on administrative leave after several former employees and collaborators of the company have come forward with claims of sexual misconduct.. (more...)

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5) OTHELLO, TWELFTH NIGHT Announced for Shakespeare in the Park 2018 Season
by BWW News Desk - January 22, 2018

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced the line-up today for the 2018 Free Shakespeare in the Park season, continuing a 56-year tradition of free theater in Central Park.. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

-Eric Huebner and Steven Beck perform a pop-up concert tonight at Miller Theatre at Columbia University!

-Tadeusz von Moltke premieres THE HOLLYWOOD ADRIANA tonight at Dixon Place!

-Seaport Museum presents a book launch for The Stowaway tonight!

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BWW Exclusive: Check out our photos from when the cast of Broadway-bound PRETTY WOMAN met the press!

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Set Your DVR... The nominations for the 90th Annual ACADEMY AWARDS will be announced this morning on a global live stream. BWW will be bringing you the announcement live, along with updates on which of your favorite theater stars received a nomination!

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What we're geeking out over: WAITRESS has set a new house record at the Brooks Atkinson!

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What we're watching: Go behind the scenes of THE BOYS IN THE BAND in all new video!

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Social Butterfly: HAMILTON Set Designer David Korins reveals secrets from the show's Off-Broadway run on Instagram!

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And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Chita Rivera, who turns 85 today!

Chita recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNallymusical directed by J.H. Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival ofThe Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas.

Chita Rivera trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and became the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. In November 2016, she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!

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