Last night, Broadway veteran Taye Diggs brought his mom to MEMPHIS to see friend Adam Pascal play 'Huey Calhoun'. Check out photos of Diggs with the cast below!
New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) last night honored New York Theatre Workshop Board Chair Barbara Warner Howard and Disney Theatrical Group and its president Thomas Schumacher at its 2012 Spring Gala at the Plaza Hotel. BroadwayWorld was ther for the festivities, and brings you full photo coverage below!
RENT owned the 90s. No other Broadway show managed to have the dual impact on society by becoming not only a pop culture phenomenon, but also changing perceptions of what a musical on Broadway could be - and, most importantly, how it could sound. Contemporary, cool, caustic and engaging, RENT updated LA BOHEME to the East Village just as Jonathan Larson updated the way the general public looked at Broadway at a time when musicals had fallen farther out of fashion than they had since their early years approaching the turn of the last century. Yet, at the end of the millennium - to quote one of the show's lyrics - RENT represented the hopes, dreams and desires of many Broadway babies and what we hoped would be achieved on the Great White Way in the new century. While SPRING AWAKENING, AMERICAN IDIOT and NEXT TO NORMAL certainly stand as solid continuations of the rock musical formula recalibrated and made anew in the mold made by RENT, no show since RENT has quite managed to have the cultural impact and win over audiences and critics alike in as major a way as that Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical has - with the exception, perhaps, of WICKED, which obviously owes a debt to its Oz-ian source inspiration and the built-in audience that comes along with that. Yes, indeed, RENT represents an entire generation in its sound, style, ideals and overall feeling, mood and tone and the subsequent success of the many members of the simply astounding assortment of talents that comprised the original cast acts as evidence that the show may have had the cast of the decade, as well.
While the Disney musical itself was suspiciously not nominated for Best Musical, the 2000 Tony Awards committee saw it fit to award Elton John & Tim Rice's stylish and emotional rock musical AIDA in four significant categories on June 4, 2000 - Best Actress In A Musical for Heather Headley charismatic lead performance, Best Score for Elton John and Tim Rice's moving and expressive music and lyrics, Best Scenic Design for Bob Crowley's stunning set-pieces and Best Lighting Design for Natasha Katz's enveloping illumination of the Palace Theatre's rightly famous stage. The show has gone on to a rich life around the world and in amateur productions, with generations of theatergoers hooked on the classic story once told in an opera by Verdi in a totally modern and dynamic new way - with some songs we are not soon to forget.
New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo just announced that the theatre will honor New York Theatre Workshop Board Chair Barbara Warner Howard and Disney Theatrical Group and its president Thomas Schumacher at its 2012 Spring Gala on Tuesday, May 22 at the Plaza Hotel.
On May 15, the first National Tour of the Tony Award-Winning MEMPHIS arrives in Dallas to stay until May 27. The company just released a promotional video in preparation for the upcoming performances in Texas, which features Bryan Fenkart, Felicia Boswell, and an amazing ensemble of singers and dancers.
Mary Kay Yezerski-Bondoc, of the MEMPHIS wig department, recently did an eight-step video about how to properly take curlers out of a wig and style it. Additionally, this video gives a glimpse at the astounding number of wigs used in the show.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center is hosting IMAGINE: A Celebration of LIFE, a unique musical ensemble tonight, May 7 in New York City. Led by Broadway actress and Cleveland native Betsy Werbel, the event raises funds for cancer research through the Brian Werbel Memorial Fund at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.
Now, a change.org petition has launched to bring the category back, with 1545 signatures at press time including well known industry members like Lin-Manuel Miranda, George Stiles, Larry Hochman, Alex Lacamoire, Lea Salonga, Larry Blank, Ann Harada, Marc Shaiman, Celia-Keenan Bolger, Kate Shindle, Jerry Mitchell, Patti Murin, Liz Caplan, Ted Sperling, Rob Sher, Adam Pascal among many other artists, musicians and fans.
'Submissions Only,' Broadway's favorite behind-the-scenes sitcom, wraps its second season today with an all-star guest line-up like none before. Guest stars for Episode 8 include Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Nick Jonas, Harvey Fierstein, Kerry Butler, Jackie Hoffman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lea DeLaria, John McDaniel, Molly Ranson and cast members from the Disney Broadway hit, Newsies.
Click below to watch the highly anticipated Season 2 finale!
The Annenberg Theatre will present Upright Cabaret's RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT tonight April 27 at 8:00 pm. RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT is the third installment of Upright Cabaret's "American Icon" Series and will star Olivier Award-Winner Lesli Margherita, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In The Heights)) and Rogelio Douglas Jr. (In The Heights, The Little Mermaid)). This high energy, multi-media Cabaret celebrates the music of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana and features pop favorites such as Livin' La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed live with the Upright Cabaret band!
"Submissions Only," Broadway's favorite behind-the-scenes sitcom, will wrap its second season this Friday, April 27 with an all-star guest line-up like none before. Guest stars for Episode 8 include Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Nick Jonas, Harvey Fierstein, Kerry Butler, Jackie Hoffman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lea DeLaria, John McDaniel, Molly Ranson and cast members from the Disney Broadway hit, Newsies. Tune in this Friday for the episode, which will air right here on BroadwayWorld, and click below to watch a preview of what's to come.
The limited engagement will be at The Way Off Broadway Theatre in the Willowtree Plaza off the Golden Mile (Route 40 West) in Frederick, Maryland with performances Thursday evening, May 24, Friday, evening May 25, and Saturday evening, May 26, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and must be purchased with cash or check. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the theatre's Box Office or calling (301) 662-6600.
The Hangar Theatre's Pilot Reading Series in NYC continues with a reading of Seeing Jerusalem, a new play by Seth Greenland. The reading is tonight, April 23rd at 7 pm at One on One Studios, 34 West 27th Street, 11th floor (between Broadway and Sixth Avenue). The reading will be directed by Roger Danforth.
54 BELOW, the nightclub and restaurant announced earlier this year, today confirmed additional bookings at the new space located at 254 West 54th Street. Taking the 54 BELOW stage will be world famous Tony Award winners, recording artists, as well as new talent from the New York and Broadway stage.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center is hosting IMAGINE: A Celebration of LIFE, a unique musical ensemble on Monday, May 7 in New York City. Led by Broadway actress and Cleveland native Betsy Werbel, the event raises funds for cancer research through the Brian Werbel Memorial Fund at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.
Bryan Fenkart, the star of the MEMPHIS tour, recently visited Schenectady and discussed his role as Huey. In this video, he shares how fun but tiring each performance is, how many cups of coffee he consumes, and racial inequality in the '50s.
The Annenberg Theatre will present Upright Cabaret's RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT on April 27 at 8:00 pm. RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT is the third installment of Upright Cabaret's "American Icon" Series and will star Olivier Award-Winner Lesli Margherita, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In The Heights)) and Rogelio Douglas Jr. (In The Heights, The Little Mermaid)). This high energy, multi-media Cabaret celebrates the music of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana and features pop favorites such as Livin' La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed live with the Upright Cabaret band!