'No Child...' is a Dream DeferredMarch 13, 2008In No Child?, Sun's highly entertaining and message driven one-woman play, now running at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, the life altering affect theatre can have on children is thrown center stage...
TV Exclusive: Wicked's Hilty & Bean, Together AgainMarch 10, 2008BroadwayWorld's own James Sims sat down for an exclusive interview with Megan Hilty and Shoshana Bean at the Chamberlain Hotel in West Hollywood, getting the witchy duo to dish on their time performing in Wicked together, both on Broadway and the National Tour, and found out a little of what they are planning for their upcoming Upright Cabaret show...
BWW Video Show Preview: 'Sweeney Todd' Tour in L.A.March 8, 2008The national touring production of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, will begin performances at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles beginning with one preview on March 11 at 8 p.m. and is set to run through April 6.
Photo Coverage: Upright L.A. Sings 'La Vie En Rose'March 6, 2008Jil Aigrot, the critically acclaimed singer and voice behind the role of Edith Piaf in this year's 2-time Academy Award winning/Golden Globe-winning film, 'La Vie En Rose,' performed last week at the Upright Cabaret at the Viceroy in Palm Springs alongside Wilson Cruz, Jennifer Leigh Warren and others...
TV: Joan Rivers Opens 'A Work in Progress' in LAFebruary 24, 2008BroadwayWorld's own James Sims recently caught up with Joan Rivers before an evening performance, talking to the comedienne about her long-lasting career, including re-inventing television's coverage of red carpet events, her future on the internet with America Online and a possible transfer of A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress to New York.
'Almost Maine' Warms a City Slicker's HeartFebruary 19, 2008Almost Maine, the delightful, new comedy enjoying its Los Angeles premiere at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, is the best advertisement for our country's northern most state that any chamber of commerce could hope for...
PBS is Alive With the Sound of 'Company'February 19, 2008If ever there were a time to make a strong argument in support of public broadcast television, today would be the day, as the vultures are circling. With government funding getting slashed quicker than George Bush's approval ratings can drop, and The New York Times posing questions like, 'is PBS still necessary?' perhaps only Stephen Sondheim can mount a worthy fight. On February 20, the series Great Performances is set to air a filmed evening of the recent Sondheim Broadway revival of Company, which proves as a shining beacon for poor endangered PBS...
TV Exclusive: Look Back at Composing The Color PurpleFebruary 18, 2008With the production coming to a close in New York, BroadwayWorld's own James Sims caught up with The Color Purple's composers/lyricits Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, in Los Angeles, to discuss how the pair, along with Brenda Russell and Marsha Norman (libretto), turned a Pulitzer Prize winning novel and Oscar nominated film into a Broadway musical...
Joan Rivers Delivers the Goods with 'A Work in Progress'February 17, 2008For anyone wishing to catch a glimpse of a bright star that by all means of logic should have faded decades ago, then Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress is a fantastic showcase of laughs and tears. And a note to any network executives reading this review, neither Ryan Seacrest nor Lisa Rinna can ever come close to the genius that is Joan Rivers on the red carpet...
LaBute Gives a Good Fight with 'Some Girl(s)' at GeffenFebruary 14, 2008With his latest West Coast premiere of Some Girl(s) at the Geffen Playhouse, LaBute has delivered yet another exceptional piece of theatre, scouring to the depths of male bashing with utter finesse. And to ensure the production is living up to the book's potential, its playwright has directed as well, although LaBute's stronger suit is directing screen rather than stage (not counting that horrendous misstep called 'The Wicker Man')...
TV: JoAnne Worley Flies into LA's 'Wicked'February 15, 2008BroadwayWorld's own James Sims sat down with JoAnne Worley backstage at the Pantages Theatre to catch up with the musical theatre star before an evening performance of Wicked. Worley talks about her recent experience back on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone and how it feels to join the blockbuster musical in Los Angeles.
TV: LA's Reprise Visits Dogpatch USA with 'Li'l Abner'February 6, 2008BroadwayWorld's own James Sims was on hand for Li'l Abner's dress rehearsal earlier this week and spoke with the cast and creative team regarding the rigorous Reprise! schedule and about the comic strip-turned musical production.
'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,' Yea... WhateverJanuary 22, 2008Center Theatre Group's latest musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, has a central message, and it is rather simple, f@$k theatrical conventions. Thanks to the progressive nature of recent offerings including Spring Awakening and the soon to open Passing Strange, Broadway has been breaking away from tradition with rock music infiltrating the stage and concert style staging springing up...
'Orson's Shadow' is a Gift to the StageJanuary 21, 2008With so many larger-than-life figures on stage, and the inevitable egos that follow, there are plenty of laughs to be had as they are each bursting with arrogant overtones and plenty of pent up frustration at their stalled careers. Yet, beyond such comical moments, Orson's Shadow is filled with poignant glimpses at the insecurities and even disturbed mental states of actors and all those involved with theatre...
Deborah Voigt, a True SopranoJanuary 20, 2008The American Songbook, in its Broadway musical form, is often sung with varying degrees of interpretation from singers in nightclubs and symphony halls across the country, yet rarely has the genre sounded so regal as when the magnificent soprano Deborah Voigt lends her glorious vocal styling to the mix, as was the case Wednesday at UCLA's Royce Hall...
Bacharach Themed S.T.A.G.E. Benefit set for March 8 & 9January 16, 2008The 24th Annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event-S.T.A.G.E-will present Blame it on Bacharach!, a celebration of the magic that is composer Burt Bacharach, on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 at the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills...
TV: NBC's 'The Office' Star Melora Hardin Sings in LAJanuary 3, 2008BroadwayWorld's own James Sims sat in on NBC's 'The Office' Star Melora Hardin's rehearsal before catching up with the actress to talk about her singing background, working with Alexander and how she juggles film and television roles with motherhood and song-writing...