Wake Up With BWW 1/22: Lin-Manuel Miranda May Write MOANA Sequel, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! We hope all of our northeast readers survived yesterday's windstorm. Settle in to this much quieter morning by reading the top Broadway stories.

First, we learned that the UK and Ireland tour of To Kill a Mockingbird was forced to cancel. However, the Broadway production may transfer to the UK at some point, so keep your eyes peeled!

Is Lin-Manuel Miranda getting ready to mount another project with Disney? We sure hope so! The rumor is that a sequel to Moana is coming, about a Latina princess, with Miranda serving as co-writer. This man is non-stop!

Read more about these stories and more below!

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1) VIDEO: Adam Lambert Performs NFL Parody of Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now'
by Stage Tube

On Sunday night, James Corden had a special NFL championship episode of 'The Late Late Show with James Corden.' Corden ended the episode with a rendition of Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' comprised of lyrics recapping the day's football games, with a special appearance from Adam Lambert.. (more...)

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2) LES MISERABLES Fans Unite Against Changes to Original Staging

Almost 2.7K fans have signed a petition to save the original staging, begging Cameron Mackintosh: 'By all means keep the 'reimagined' one for tours but don't replace the original!'. (more...)

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3) Photo Coverage: The Cast of SCHOOL OF ROCK Takes its Closing Night Curtain Call
by Jennifer Broski

Last night, January 20, School of Rock played its final Broadway performance. BroadwayWorld was there for the emotional night. Check out the photos from the final curtain call below!. (more...)

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4) Bob Greenblatt Addresses the Nudity in HAIR LIVE and Hints at Live Christmas Musical for NBC
by TV News Desk

Bob Greenblatt, who will soon bring a live staging of the musical Hair to NBC in May, will accept the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award at the 16th annual NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives) Conference in Miami, where other honorees include Byron Allen, Mara Brock Akil, Rita Moreno, Betty White and Henry Winkler. Greenblatt recently signed off as the entertainment chairman of NBC, and seems to be focusing on producing for now.. (more...)

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5) UPDATE: UK and Ireland Tour of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Forced to Cancel; Broadway Production 'Coming Soon'

The forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of To Kill a Mockingbird, previously announced on 16 July, 2018, has been forced to cancel.. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

Atlantic's EDDIE AND DAVE officially opens tonight!

Atlantic Theater Company stages the world premiere production of Eddie and Dave, written by and featuring Amy Staats (Miles for Mary, Atlantic's Tow Playwright-in-Residence) and directed by Margot Bordelon (Plot Points in Our Sexual Development).

A raucous retelling of the rise and fall of Pasadena's most groundbreaking 80s rockers told through the foggy lens of a lonely, out of work MTV-VJ. Eddie and Dave is a gender-bending new play about hubris, friendship, family, fame, musical genius and what happens when the person you need is the one you find most irritating.

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BWW Exclusive: Ali Ewoldt Explains Her Lessons Learned from ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

Royal Family Productions, a Times Square based non-profit theatre company known for its innovative productions and development of new original work, will soon present the the World Premiere of Anne of Green Gables: Part I (January 24-February 11), as well as a workshop presentation of Anne of Green Gables: Part II (January 31 - February 10).

Based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved novel, this production is adapted and directed by Chris Henry with choreography by Lorna Ventura and led by Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) in Part I and Doreen Montalvo (On Your Feet, In the Heights) in Part II.

Ewoldt just checked in with BroadwayWorld to tell us all about the new production. Check out the full interview here!

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Set Your DVR...

-Tinashe and Brandon Victor Dixon will appear on GMA DAY today!

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What we're geeking out over: Will Lin-Manuel Miranda Create Disney's First Latina Princess In A Sequel To MOANA?

The New York Post reports that "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has been in talks with Disney to co-write an animated musical that would feature Disney's first Latina film heroine.

According to the report, the project would be a follow-up to the 2016 Disney mega-hit, "Moana", for which Miranda co-wrote the score.

Luis Miranda, Lin's father confirmed to the Post that negotiations are taking place. He tells the Post, "He is talking to Disney about a sequel to 'Moana,' but the movie would be about a Latina princess."

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What we're watching: Travel Back to the 60's with a Sneak Peek of MY VERY OWN BRITISH INVASION at Paper Mill Playhouse!

Paper Mill Playhouse will soon present the world premiere of My Very Own British Invasion with book by Tony award-winner Rick Elice (Peter and the Starcatcher). My Very Own British Invasion is produced in association with Hal Luftig, Craig Haffner and Rodney Rigby.

My Very Own British Invasion will begin performances Thursday, January 31, 2019, and will continue through Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ).

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And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Katie Finneran, who turns 48 today!

Katie Finneran played a "lovely but dim fashion model" in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's Proposals in 1997-98, Sally Bowles in the 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret (from November 21, 2000 to January 18, 2001), and call girl Cora in the 1999 Broadway revival of The Iceman Cometh. She also has appeared in My Favorite Year with Tim Curry and John Guare's Bosoms and Neglect and Smell of the Kill, with Kristen Johnson.

She won the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2002 for her role as Brooke Ashton in the Broadway revival of Noises Off.

Finneran appeared Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theater in the Greg Kotis play Pig Farm, in the original opening cast as Tina. She also appeared in the original cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore, which opened Off-Broadway at the Westside Theater in September 19, 2009 for a four-week engagement ending on October 18, 2009. Finneran returned to the show (after her initial four-week engagement) on November 18, 2009, to fill in for Kristen Chenoweth, and continued on in the play in the next four-week rotation as well (from December 14, 2009 to January 3, 2010). She appeared in the first Broadway revival of the musical Promises, Promises as Marge MacDougall, opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes. She won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for this role.

Finneran originated the role of Miss Hannigan in the Broadway 2012 revival of the musical Annie. She left the role in May 2013 to pursue a TV pilot. Finneran returned to Broadway in 2015 to star in Terrence McNally's It's Only A Play as Julia Budder.

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!