Pat Cerasaro - Page 199

Today, BroadwayWorld is extremely proud to present an extensive conversation with the modern master of the musical theatre himself, Stephen Sondheim, all about the incredibly revealing and thoroughly riveting second volume of his complete collected (and annotated) lyrics (covering 1981-2011) - following last year's superlative FINISHING THE HAT - titled LOOK, I MADE A HAT. With ample insights pertaining to the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, INTO THE WOODS, ROAD SHOW, THE FROGS and many more, Sondheim and I also discuss some of his Hollywood endeavors - the proposed film adaptation of INTO THE WOODS, as well as the never-produced SINGING OUT LOUD and his Oscar-winning work for Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY - and his affection for - and process of adapting (in the case of WEST SIDE STORY, the CYMBELINE setting in THE FROGS and his recent scoring of the Public Theatre's production of KING LEAR starring Kevin Kline) - the works of William Shakespeare. Additionally, we discuss the upcoming Encores! revival of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the currently-running revival of FOLLIES starring Bernadette Peters (as well as its brand new cast album), the West End transfer of the Michael Ball/Imelda Staunton-led SWEENEY TODD in the UK and much, much more!

Modern-day master of musical theatre Stephen Sondheim is about to release the second book of his complete collected lyrics - covering mostly everything written in the last three decades and in this one so far - titled after a line from what may very well be his ultimate masterpiece, the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - LOOK, I MADE A HAT; Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Digressions, Anecdotes and Miscellany. So, today, we are going to be taking a look at a litany of the finest moments from Sondheim's post-SWEENEY TODD musicals that are highlighted in LOOK, I MADE A HAT and perhaps discover a few of the many reasons why Sondheim's musicals - whether late-period or early on- are the best of the best Broadway has to offer - now or ever. And, what an absolutely mind-blowing list it is - and what a masterpiece of a book!

Noted thespian and master theatre and film director Kenneth Branagh has found himself at a career peak in 2011, excelling in both entertainment arenas with his striking, visionary blockbuster THOR being one of the year's biggest hits as well as his simply incredible portrayal of Laurence Olivier in the new film MY WEEK WITH MARILYN generating considerable Oscar buzz. Sharing his cordial and candid insights on a number of topics ranging from his beginnings in Shakespeare to his directing and acting in a string of Shakespearean stage plays and films - his iconic films of HENRY V and HAMLET among them - Branagh also illustrates his impressions of fellow acting titans such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Ralph Fiennes, Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow and many more. Plus, he shares his deep affection for the most famous musical theatre Shakespeare adaptation of all time - the classic WEST SIDE STORY; based on ROMEO & JULIET - as well as his love of the work of Stephen Sondheim as a composer/lyricist in his own right. Plus, news on his desire to do Broadway in the future, as well as all about Branagh's new lead role in the Belfast-to-West End transfer of THE PAINKILLER - and much, much more!

The fine art of the mash-up has been a hallowed tradition that has been explored to a significant extent on GLEE since the very beginning, so a night filled with only such two-stack tracks would seem to be the ideal way to celebrate the show's 300th musical performance to date, which came in last night's "Mash-Off" episode. The mash-ups blasted off in a grand manner and the carefully-constructed couplings were often quite brilliant twists on the sounds of the original singles - the spectacular 300th performance showcase of Adele's "Rumor Has It' and "Someone Like You" acting as the musical apotheosis of the evening. Mixing disparate elements from the incredibly diverse musical catalogs of Adele, Lady Gaga, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Blondie, Van Halen, Eddie Rabbit and Crystal Gayle, "Mash-Off" managed to shine a light on the couples singing the musical mergings, as well as provide the high entertainment value implicit in any episode so far on the resoundingly strong third season of GLEE.

Today, today, BroadwayWorld is absolutely thrilled to present this World Premiere Exclusive clip from the 50th Anniversary Special Edition DVD/Blu-ray of WEST SIDE STORY - in stores today - in which Stephen Sondheim discusses his compositional process in working with Leonard Bernstein on the ROMEO & JULIET-based musical tragedy. Believe it or not, the melody that became 'One Hand, One Heart' actually began as a tune composed for Bernstein's CANDIDE, but, with Sondheim's smart suggestion (and parody lyric), Bernstein transformed the melody into something even grander - and infinitely more sing-able - and, married with Sondheim's simple and elegant lyrics, made it into the classic love song for the ages we all know and cherish. Additionally, the song has remained a standout of the score and was introduced to a new generation last Tuesday when Lea Michele and Darren Criss performed it on GLEE (as well as many other WEST SIDE STORY standards). Some love songs live forever and this is undoubtedly one of them - for very good reason!

WEST SIDE STORY is definitely back in a big way - in the last two weeks alone it has had its very own tribute episode on GLEE featuring four of the show's most famous songs, and, also, Fathom re-released the new HD remastering of the film in movie theaters nationwide for a one-night-only showing - so, given its 50th anniversary, the time has definitely come to pay tribute to one of the finest American movie musicals ever manufactured, which itself was based on one of the most innovative, controversial and progressive Broadway shows in history. From 'A Boy Like That' to 'Tonight' to 'Somewhere' and beyond, this is a score that has enraptured two or three entire generations - with very, very good reason; these songs are simply musical and lyrical magic. Truly, this is as good as musical theatre gets, and, furthermore, the 1960 film version by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise is just as good. The combination of the two? Transcendent. No, never before has WEST SIDE STORY presented the power, potency, prescience and put forth the plosive overall 'pow!' to the system - heart, mind and body - than it does, here, now, on the absolutely sensational new 3-disc 50th Anniversary Blu-ray edition, which will be released on Tuesday. I was lucky enough to get a copy early and I was simply blown away in every single imaginable way. A red, hot and blue all-American movie masterpiece given its full, magnificent, ecstatic due on Blu-ray. Be prepared to be blown away. Bam!

Two tremendous Tony-winning triple-threats make a grand return to the town that made them household names over thirty years ago in EVITA and set up show shop for two months - yes, Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin are back on Broadway with their new double-showcase concert spectacular, AN EVENING WITH PATTI LUPONE AND MANDY PATINKIN. In honor of these two theatrical heavyweights returning to the Broadway concert stage in this new special limited engagement beginning November 16, today we are shining a bright spotlight on some of Patti and Mandy's most beloved and most electrifying moments in their exceptional careers on stages and on screens large and small - EVITA being the white-hot beginnings of it all. EVITA opened on Broadway back in 1979 under the expert and assured direction of theatrical icon Hal Prince and went on to win 7 Tony Awards, including top honors for LuPone, Patinkin, Prince and the show's authors - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice (the latter of whom won two) - as well as Best Musical. So, with moments from LES MISERABLES, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, GYPSY, THE WILD PARTY and much, much more - in addition to some clips from their concert appearances of more recent vintage, such as when they both appeared in the thrilling SONDHEIM! THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT - today's countdown is sure to perfectly set the stage for the incredible virtuosity to be expected from these titanic talents come Wednesday's first preview (with the show itself running through the holidays until January 13) at the Ethel Barrymore Theater.

Today we are talking to one of the brightest stars on Broadway whose career has virtually exploded over the last few years with recurring roles on Fox's hit musical dramedy series GLEE, as well as NBC's multi-award-winning 30 ROCK - in addition to his newly minted classic character in the canon of unforgettable personalities on Larry David's HBO series CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM - the astonishingly gifted Cheyenne Jackson. Talking all about his Broadway roots and starring in musicals such as XANADU, FINIAN'S RAINBOW, ALL SHOOK UP and more, Jackson and I also discuss some of his favorite performers and co-stars and he shares fond remembrances of musicals and appearances past, as well as looks ahead to what he would like to do in the future, both near and far. Jackson also reveals what the next few months hold - the early 2012 return of 30 ROCK; the release of his new film THE GREEN - and describes what audiences can expect from his 50s and 60s-themed Carnegie Hall concert on November 18, CHEYENNE JACKSON'S COCKTAIL HOUR: MUSIC OF THE MAD MEN ERA. Plus, first news on his self-penned solo album with collaborator/muse Sia, as well as his upcoming film appearances - and much, much more!

The potential prospect of the entertainment behemoth known as GLEE taking on perhaps the finest American musical ever written - WEST SIDE STORY - is enough to make any Broadway baby near-exultant, yet when the songs of the classic Bernstein/Sondheim score then are allowed to act as all-too-apt musical commentary on risque dramatic content in the highly controversial episode itself - all-too-appropriately named "The First Time" - a cataclysmic consequence can almost be counted on to inevitably arise. And, it did. Again. And again. And again - all night long. While it may have very well been Kurt, Rachel and Blaine's first roll in the hay, it would be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack to find much - if any - fault whatsoever with GLEE's button-pushing and excellently played tribute to Tony and Maria. Given what resulted from the doomed coupling of those Shakespeareans - Tony and Maria being more modern-day answers to Romeo and Juliet, of course - the ire of all the up-in-arms conservative helicopter parents in the country - and Capulets and Montagues, too, for that matter - could not even dare to try and contain the joy, excitement and sheer pleasure of what is undoubtedly one of GLEE's finest hours to date. There was a message or two to be learned, too. Yes, indeed, GLEE taking on WEST SIDE STORY went all the way - and then some. So, whether you are a Jet or Shark, you must be compelled to give it up for GLEE and its ode to WEST SIDE STORY.

Today we are talking to a Broadway stalwart with a string of hit shows on his resume - CATS, A CHORUS LINE, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, THE WHO'S TOMMY, CHICAGO and more included - as well as hit solo albums of his own, such as his new release CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME; the one and only Matt Zarley. He also shares all about the shoot for the three music videos for the songs on his new dance album - "WTF" and "Forgive Me" included. Additionally, he shares his thoughts on Broadway now versus when he started out in the late-80s, Gillian Lynne versus Michael Bennett, as well as opinions on GLEE, his own favorite shows and scores, co-stars' careers and much, much more!

Today we are going to continue our ongoing interview series focusing on composers whose work transcends merely one medium with this highly-lauded and respected film and television composer known for over 100 film scores in his thirty year career - such as his Academy Award-nominated work on CRASH; as well as this year's WARRIOR starring Tom Hardy, in theaters now - the immensely talented Mark Isham! Detailing the challenge of scoring each and every episode of ABC's hit new fairytale-themed series ONCE UPON A TIME and what it is like bringing the magical Disney wonderland of the show to musical life every week - as well as some hints of what we can expect in future episodes - we also look back at many of his most notable collaborations over his accomplished career, many with some of the finest theatre and film directors of our age - Sidney Lumet, Robert Altman and David Mamet included. Additionally, Isham shares insights into the work of fellow composers soon to be featured in this column - such as Alexandre Desplat and Alan Menken - as well as what we can look forward to from him in the future, near and far - on screens, both small and large! Plus - much, much more!

Fiercely idiosyncratic and refreshingly impassioned, actress and performance artist Roslyn Hart is entirely her own entity unto herself - and with this year's previous hit solo show, SHELLS, and, now, next week's NEVER SLEEP ALONE, she is carving out a distinctively hip and edgy corner of the new 21st century theatre world as she takes her unique one-woman-shows around the world - and, always, back to New York. Talking all aspects of her new dating seminar-style spoof show, NEVER SLEEP ALONE, as well as its origins and inspirations - an engagement that defies description and which arrives with ample audience participation opportunities; as Hart is wont to offer so that all involved may relish her uproarious responses - Hart and I delve into the deep, dark depths of the dating pool in 2011 and discuss the finer aspects of the densely detailed characters she creates in her solo spotlight shows, new and old. Additionally, Hart also shares exciting news about SHELLS being developed into a television comedy, as well as her experience appearing earlier this year on HBO's BORED TO DEATH. Plus, what audiences can expect from NEVER SLEEP ALONE and the future appearances she may make as her freshly-born alter-ego, sexual psychologist and music therapist Dr. Alex Schiller - and much, much more!

Today we are talking to the songwriter responsible for the new collection of songs culled from his many musical theatre ventures, both new and old - oh-so-appropriately titled OUT OF CONTEXT - who perhaps is best known to Broadway babies as the composer/lyricist of the mid-00s Off-Broadway smash boy-band spoof musical ALTAR BOYZ - the versatile and fiercely committed Michael Patrick Walker. Talking all aspects of OUT OF CONTEXT - including working with the tremendous talent featured on the multi-faceted and highly entertaining album (many of whom are also InDepth InterView participants themselves), such as Cheyenne Jackson, Kelli O'Hara, Lisa Howard and many more - as well as describing the shows from whence these songs derived (such as THE DISTANT BELLS, which recently was work-shopped starring Chita Rivera and Ana Gasteyer, among others) Walker and I attempt to paint a picture of the career of a rising star composer such as himself and what we can look forward to from him in the future, near and far - and, of course, what is in the ether for the release party performance concert at Birdland on Monday night featuring Ann Harada, Lauren Kennedy, Peter Friedman, Kenita Miller, John Tartaglia, Julie Foldesi, Noah Galvin, Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard, Andy Mientus, Jim Stanek and Betsy Wolfe. Additionally, he shares his experiences working on screen-to-stage adaptations of KINKY BOOTS and SOAPDISH, as well as shares news of his upcoming musical with Rick Ellis of JERSEY BOYS fame and the Rockettes musical number that will be premiering this season at the annual Radio City Music Hall Christmas spectacular. Plus, we also discuss his compositional and lyrical inspirations, favorite scores and composers, thoughts on GLEE and much, much more!

Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!

Coming after a nearly month-long mini-hiatus following the superb "Asian F" in early October, the gleeks of McKinley High on GLEE swept back onto the main stage last night with the hotly anticipated "Pot O' Gold" episode, which introduced new recurring cast members and THE GLEE PROJECT co-winner, Damian McGinty in the tailor-made role of sassy and offensive Rory Flanagan. While McGinty proved to be a winning addition to the roundly respectable line-up of GLEE Season Three, once again the musical performance highlight of the night goes to new GLEE regular Darren Criss - alongside show standout Lea Michele and the rest of the glee club - and their electrifying take on Katy Perry's campy anthem "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)". Much like with Lea Michele's emotionally shattering "Firework", once again a Katy Perry anthem has been rendered even better than the huge hit original by the gleeks of GLEE. Also, "Pot O' Gold" - directed by HAIRSPRAY movie musical helmer Adam Shankman - continued the season-long character arc of Tony-winning Broadway star Idina Menzel, in the role of rival McKinley glee club director Shelby Corcoran, and further developed her complex relationship with Quinn and Puck, played by sensitive Dianna Agron and imposingly forceful Mark Salling - the latter of whom contributed an emotionally charged and displayed his rarely seen softer side with his sensitive rendering of the 80s Foreigner power ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You". McGinty's two selections - Teddy Thompson's "Take Care Of Yourself" and Kermit The Frog's "Bein' Green" - were relatively lucky and charmed introductions to the foreign exchange student character. Additionally, Mercedes, Santana and Brittany also got a Christina Aguilera/BURLESQUE-esque moment in the spotlight with their sweet and sexy "Candyman" (written by Linda Perry) as the newly formed girl-group The Troubletones. So, as for the rest of "Pot O' Gold" and how the songs stacked up in their dramatic context - as well as virtually everything else? Read on! The rainbow certainly ends with a shiny, gleaming pot o' gold - and maybe a leprechaun or two to love, too! Thank goodness it's Tuesday (or was) - and thank St. Patrick it's GLEE! After all, we've been waiting for a GLEE like this all October!

Since the spookiest and scariest of seasons is aggressively upon us, now is the perfect time to take a look at some selected clips from the most theatrical and horrifying of Halloween treats available to view on YouTube and beyond - especially these six specially-chosen, seriously spooktacular entities! While SILENCE OF THE LAMBS has recently given birth to some new mutton in the form of the Off-Broadway camp spoof musical SILENCE! starring Brent Barrett, there are some surprisingly effective and engrossing horror-themed musicals on our list, as well - REEFER MADNESS: THE MOVIE MUSICAL and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW included - but, also, some theatrically-themed flights of fearsome fancy - such as Dario Argento's OPERA and Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN. Also, we have a historic classic helmed by the director of two of the most beloved movie musicals of all time - WEST SIDE STORY and THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Robert Wise and his original black and white horror-fest, THE HAUNTING - and a look at a modern-day master from the other side of the planet, Japan's Takashi Miike and his banned-from-American-broadcast IMPRINT. Julie Harris to Kristen Bell, Tim Curry to Alan Cumming, Ana Gasteyer to Natalie Portman - this Halloween countdown is definitely one that is all treats and no tricks! Well, maybe just one…

While GLEE is on hiatus until its long-awaited return on November 1 and X-FACTOR was pre-empted and moved around as a result of the World Series games, DANCING WITH THE STARS has kept up the Broadway quotient on prime time TV in the interim in a major way thanks to this week's two-night Great White Way salute featuring Tony-winner and Emmy-winner Kristin Chenoweth. Fan favorites J.R. Martinez and his partner Karina Smirnoff made their mark with CHICAGO'S sizzling "Hot Honey Rag" and this week's InDepth InterView participant Ricki Lake - along with her partner, show favorite Derek Hough - made a splash with a rollicking "The Lady Is A Tramp" from Frank Loesser's classic score for GUYS & DOLLS, and even Nancy Grace got into the snazzy act with a spirited and jolly "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" from SPAMALOT with her partner Tristan MacManus. Yet, some groups fared less well - Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer failed to find the music or the magic of the night with "The Phantom Of The Opera" and they were sent home on Wednesday as a result (penguin critiques and Cher tweets notwithstanding). And, so, too, did Hope Solo and show-standout Maksim Chmerkovskiy falter with their less than impassioned performance of an outright odd head-scratcher of a quickstep song selection, RENT's "Seasons Of Love". Yet, on the ever-improving side of things reside Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke, who managed to bring some JERSEY BOYS-esque swagger to The Four Seasons smash "Walk Like A Man" from the Tony-winning musical revue. Additionally, David Arquette and Kym Johnson ended up somewhere in the middle, with a somewhat tentative treatment of the GREASE warhorse "We Go Together", which still managed to minisculely evoke John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the movie. While some stars certainly shone much brighter than others - J.R. and Ricki undoubtedly seem to be battling it out for top honors - Broadway Week on DANCING WITH THE STARS was generally a resounding success for many concerned. And, that's not even mentioning the spectacular group performance mash-up of "Hey, Big Spender" from SWEET CHARITY and "Money, Money" from CABARET (choreographed by Kevin Maher); Kenny Ortega's specialty number encompassing three famous theatrical standards, specially designed for HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and IN THE HEIGHTS star Corbin Bleu; or - most of all - Kristin Chenoweth's two stupendous star turns; first, singing a song she made famous for a whole new generation alongside Lea Michele on GLEE - the classic Kander & Ebb CABARET's "Maybe This Time"; which was followed by MY FAIR LADY's 'I Could Have Danced All Night' - and, on the second night, performing the title track from her new solo album, SOME LESSONS LEARNED. Broadway stars to dancing stars to reality stars and beyond, Broadway Week on DANCING WITH THE STARS managed to sparkle and shine with panache.

Today we are talking to a five-time Grammy Award winning recording artist and concert star who is perhaps best known for her nearly forty albums - most in the gospel genre - but who soon will be taking on the titanic title role in a starry regional production of Jerry Herman's classic musical HELLO, DOLLY! - co-starring Tony-winner Gary Beach, no less - the cheery and incredibly talented Sandi Patty. In addition to discussing all aspects of her fantastic new musical theatre-influenced album BROADWAY STORIES - with tunes from THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE MUSIC MAN, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, LES MIZ, and the film version of HELLO, DOLLY!, among others - we also discuss her recent concert collaboration with Michael Feinstein and what we can expect from her upcoming dates throughout the rest of 2011. Also, we analyze the performances of some of the great Broadway vocalists - Barbra Streisand, Dame Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli and more included! Plus, she even shares her experiences working for a decade on the Christmas spectacular YULETIDE! in Indianapolis, as well as some of the songs she would like to have a chance to perform in the future and special concert material - and much, much more.

Today we are completing BroadwayWorld's seven part analysis of Shakespeare's works, all with an eye towards the new movie ANONYMOUS - which questions the authorship of William Shakespeare - with a look at the greatest moments of deception in theatre taken from the last few decades. While deception and betrayal are both tried and true tactics of creating some tense, terse, taught drama by playwrights and filmmakers the world round - both onstage and onscreen - and it is certainly as much a hackneyed trope used today as it was used five hundred years ago in Shakespeare's time - the acts themselves that we will be focusing on today are the most surprising, effective and entertaining examples of them all. Analyzing moments from entities as diverse as SWEENEY TODD, CARRIE, WICKED, GYPSY, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, THE MUSIC MAN, SISTER ACT, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, HAMLET, ENRON and more - split into three categories: musical tragedies, musical comedies and straight plays - it becomes quite clear over the course of analyzing these double-crosses that Shakespeare was not the only dramatist who could make the drama's biggest twist also be the moment that stays with us long after the curtain has come down or the screen has gone black. Note: given the nature of today's topic, be forewarned that spoilers copiously abound from here on out!

With one of the most refreshingly unique career trajectories in recent show business history, the quirky late-80s/early-90s film star known for her outlandish John Waters comedies - HAIRSPRAY, CRY-BABY and SERIAL MOM included - parlayed her big screen success to a decade-long running eponymous talk-show in the 90s and early 00s that is still talked about to this day - look no further than Nicki Minaj's verse on the remix of Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" for proof - and, now, with news of the 2012 syndicated return of a new iteration of her show, a new memoir, as well as her current compelling casting on the new season of DANCING WITH THE STARS, Ricki Lake has clearly reached a new career high. Imparting her contagious energy and enthusiasm and amply displaying why she is the foremost queen of gab, Lake generously shares her thoughts on a range of topics - Broadway, Hollywood, GLEE, Sondheim, BOOK OF MORMON and much more included - and reveals details about her many upcoming projects and passion, as well as her ongoing star turn on TV's hottest reality competition, DANCING WITH THE STARS. While in rehearsal on Friday night, talking to me from the backstage costume fitting for DANCING/STARS - tutu included - and on the road back to her LA home - before attending Chaz Bono's party later that evening - Lake and I cover it all and she shows why she has been a TV fixture in millions of homes for twenty years and most likely will continue to be so for the next twenty or more - if we are lucky, that is. Plus, she also happens to be a big BroadwayWorld fan, to boot! Who could ask for anything more?