BWW Morning Brief June 8th, 2017 - 'ROMY AND MICHELE' Musical Begins in Seattle!

By: Jun. 08, 2017
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1) VIDEO: Practically Perfect! James Corden Presents 'Crosswalk the Musical: MARY POPPINS' on LATE LATE SHOW
by Caryn Robbins - June 07, 2017

Below, watch host James Corden and his acting company perform the iconic musical in the middle of a London crosswalk - with a little help from Sir Ben Kingsley!. (more...)


2) 2017 Theater Fans' Choice Awards Results! DEAR EVAN HANSEN, GREAT COMET, PLAY THAT GOES WRONG & MISS SAIGON Win Big!
by BWW Special Coverage - June 07, 2017

Your Voice Matters! Voting Opens Today for the 2017 Theater Fans' Choice Awards. Awards season in NYC is now in FULL swing, and with the critics, press, and industry all having their chances to nominate and vote -- now it's the fans' turn. Don't worry about snubs either, we've got our biggest and best nominee list ever!. (more...)


3) PHOTOS: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda in MARY POPPINS RETURNS + More Details Revealed!
by BWW News Desk - June 07, 2017

New details and images are revealed for Disney's highly anticipated MARY POPPINS RETURNS in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands this Friday.. (more...)


4) Breaking: Susan Stroman Will Direct Broadway-Bound CRAZY FOR YOU Revival in LA!
by BWW News Desk - June 07, 2017

Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie and Broadway producer Joey Parnes announced today that the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, 'Crazy for You,' with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award nominee Ken Ludwig ('Lend Me a Tenor'), will be produced by Center Theatre Group in an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre. Susan Stroman ('The Producers,' 'Show Boat,' 'Contact'), who won the first of her five Tony Awards for choreographing the original 1992 Broadway production of the musical, will direct and choreograph this limited Los Angeles engagement which will begin performances February 7, 2018, and run through March 18, 2018.. (more...)


5) Ariana Grande Releases 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' Cover to Benefit Manchester Bombing Victims
by BWW News Desk - June 07, 2017

Ariana Grande has released the cover of THE WIZARD OF OZ classic as a single with all proceeds going to the victims. (more...)


Next up in our "mug shots" series is Ann Hampton Callaway
(portrait by Walter McBride). Plus visit our merchandise shop
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Today's Call Sheet:

- 'WOODY SEZ' begins this evening at Irish Repertory Theatre.
- Melissa Leo leads a reading of SAFE SPACE at Williamstown Theatre Festival...
- And ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION makes its World Premiere tonight in Seattle!


BWW Exclusive: Check out Richard Ridge's Tonys interview with SWEAT nominee Johanna Day!


#ThrowbackThursday: Flash back to Judy Garland's original rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in THE WIZARD OF OZ, then go get Ariana Grande's single to support Manchester!


What we're geeking out over: Michael Korte's latest mashup, featuring THE COLOR PURPLE and Prince!


What we're watching: In honor of tonight's first performance, check out the cast of 'ROMY AND MICHELE' performing "I Invented Post-Its"!


Social Butterfly: Watch Cynthia Erivo sing from the opera TURANDOT at the WNO Opera Gala Concert in D.C. over the weekend!


And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Jefferson Mays, who turns 52 today!

Jefferson Mays is currently starring opposite Jennifer Ehle in OSLO Broadway. He also took the stage in THE FRONT PAGE this season. His past credits include Broadway's A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER, GORE VIDAL'S THE BEST MAN, PYGMALION, JOURNEY'S END and I AM MY OWN WIFE, which earned him a Tony Award in 2004. Mays has also appeared Off-Broadway in BLOOD AND GIFTS, OF THEE I SING at Encores!, LYDIE BREEZE, PARTS I & II, CULTURE OF DESIRE, QUILLS and MOE'S LUCKY SEVEN.

Jennifer Ehle and Jefferson Mays in OSLO on Broadway.
Photo by T. Charles Erickson

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!



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