Alysha Umphress News

The National Entertainment Fund for the Cultural Arts (NEFCA) and event Co-Chair Michael Steinhardt proudly present the 6th Annual Broadway Purim Shpiel at the Hudson Theatre on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 7pm. For one night only, stars from Broadway's biggest hit shows join together for the Broadway Purim Shpiel, a hilarious retelling of the Purim story. All proceeds from the NEFCA production will benefit The Birthright Israel Foundation, an organization dedicated to sending young Jews from across the world to Israel.

USA Network announced today the ten honorees for the second annual Character Approved Awards, including Green Day and playwright Nora Ephrron. The Character Approved Awards are a multimedia campaign honoring individuals who are changing the face of American culture. Inspired by USA's Characters Welcome brand, the initiative is dedicated to celebrating the true trailblazers across a variety of disciplines such as art, philanthropy, new media and film.

The St. James Theatre Box Office, 246 West 44 Street, will open on Monday, February 22, 2010 at 10a.m. for the Broadway production of AMERICAN IDIOT.

The St. James Theatre Box Office, 246 West 44 Street, will open on Monday, February 22, 2010 at 10a.m. for the Broadway production of AMERICAN IDIOT.

AMERICAN IDIOT will begin previews on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 and open on Broadway Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the ST. James Theatre (246 West 44 Street). The marquee is currently on it's way up!

The National Entertainment Fund for the Cultural Arts (NEFCA) and event Co-Chair Michael Steinhardt present the 6th Annual Broadway Purim Shpiel at the Hudson Theatre on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 7pm. For one night only, stars from Broadway's biggest hit shows join together for the Broadway Purim Shpiel, a comedic retelling of the Purim story.

Producers Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman announced the complete Broadway cast of AMERICAN IDIOT today. The production will begin previews on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 and open on Broadway Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44 Street).

This Friday January 8th THE AFTER PARTY is thrilled to welcome Finian's Rainbow's TYRICK WILTEZ JONES and American Idiot's ALYSHA UMPHRESS

This Friday January 8th THE AFTER PARTY is thrilled to welcome Finian's Rainbow's TYRICK WILTEZ JONES and American Idiot's ALYSHA UMPHRESS

Musical web series 'The Battery's Down' premiered its three-part Series Finale on December 1st at 11:00PM, Episode 16: 'The Party's Over,' which features original songs by Ryan Scott Oliver and Kirsten Guenther (Mrs. Sharp) and the Tony Award-winning Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal). BroadwayWorld was at Etc. Etc. in Manhattan to capture the fun!

Cassie Wooley has won NYMF's 2009 Next Broadway Sensation in the final round that took place Sunday, October 4th at New World Stages. Wooley will receive a special solo concert, co-presented by NYMF and Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as a featured track on an upcoming Stage Stars accompaniment album.

The final round of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation will take place starting at 9:30pm this Sunday, October 4th at New World Stages, with Susan Blackwell ([title of show]) hosting. The panel of judges this week includes Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), Kacie Sheik (Hair), Allison Case (Hair), and Vice President of Sh-K-Boom Records Noah Cornman. The three finalists for NYMF's ' Next Broadway Sensation' are Nathan Brisby, Lyle Colby Mackston and Cassie Wooley.

The first round of auditions for NYMF's Next Broadway sensation took place last Sunday night at New World Stages, with the live audience and the panel of judges, Bailey Hanks, Orfeh (Legally Blonde) and Marc Kudisch (9 to 5) selecting five finalists with a sixth finalist chosen by online voters who were able to see all of the performance at Theatermania.com thanks to DFD TV.

New York Musical Theatre Festival's 'Next Broadway Sensation,' formerly known as 'Broadway Idol,' returns for its fourth year. Diana DeGarmo, 'American Idol' (Season 3) runner-up, now in The Toxic Avenger at New World Stages, will serve as host for the competition's first round on September 13; celebrity hosts for the semifinals on September 20 and the Broadway Sensation October 4 finale will be announced shortly. Confirmed judges include Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, upcoming film Taking Woodstock), Bailey Hanks and Orfeh (Legally Blonde), composer/lyricist Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms), Kacie Sheik and Allison Case (Hair), and record producer Noah Cornman of Sh-k-boom Records... With more to be announced.

Preliminary auditions were held over the weekend and out of hundreds of auditions, NYMF has selected the 10 finalists that will compete to be the 'Next Broadway Sensation.' Belting this year at New World Stages will be: Nathan Brisby, Catherine Brookman, Starr J. Busby, Lisa Marie Gargione, Nkrumah Gatling, Lyle Colby Mackston, Zak Resnick, Angelo Rios, Louise Stewart and Cassie Wooley

New York Musical Theatre Festival's 'Next Broadway Sensation,' formerly known as 'Broadway Idol,' returns for its fourth year. Diana DeGarmo, 'American Idol' (Season 3) runner-up, now in The Toxic Avenger at New World Stages, will serve as host for the competition's first round on September 13; celebrity hosts for the semifinals on September 20 and the Broadway Sensation October 4 finale will be announced shortly. Confirmed judges include Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, upcoming film Taking Woodstock), Bailey Hanks and Orfeh (Legally Blonde), composer/lyricist Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms), Kacie Sheik and Allison Case (Hair), and record producer Noah Cornman of Sh-k-boom Records... With more to be announced.

New York Musical Theatre Festival's 'Next Broadway Sensation,' formerly known as 'Broadway Idol,' returns for its fourth year. Diana DeGarmo, 'American Idol' (Season 3) runner-up, now in The Toxic Avenger at New World Stages, will serve as host for the competition's first round on September 13; celebrity hosts for the semifinals on September 20 and the Broadway Sensation October 4 finale will be announced shortly. Confirmed judges include Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, upcoming film Taking Woodstock), Bailey Hanks and Orfeh (Legally Blonde), composer/lyricist Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms), Kacie Sheik and Allison Case (Hair), and record producer Noah Cornman of Sh-k-boom Records... With more to be announced.

Today, Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the cast for its world premiere of American Idiot. Based on the Grammy Award-winning album of the same name, the show features the music of Green Day and the lyrics of its frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. American Idiot is being staged by Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, who also collaborated with Armstrong on the story.

Broadway's Sutton Foster and Jennifer Laura Thompson are among the guest stars appearing in 'Something Just Broke,' the latest episode of Jake Wilson's web series 'The Battery's Down.'

Tonight, Friday, July 10th THE AFTER PARTY is thrilled to welcome back Guys and Dolls' TITUSS BURGESS plus we say goodbye (but only for five months!) to ALYSHA UMPHRESS. Alysha has been cast in the new Green Day musical American Idiot. She leaves us to begin rehearsals before heading to Berkeley Repertory Theatre, which is where the show will premiere.