Alysha Umphress News

On Monday, November 14, the Theater People podcast welcome's Tony nominee Brandon Uranowitz. He made his Broadway debut in 2011's BABY IT'S YOU. He earned a Tony nomination for his turn as Adam Hochberg in last year's AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, and he can currently be seen in the role of Mendel in William Finn and James Lapine's critically acclaimed revival of FALSETTOS. For the episode, Uranowitz discusses the six months of auditions he went through to win the role of Mendel, how James Lapine was lovingly hard on him during the show's rehearsal process, and shares a memory of accompanying Katie Holmes on a shopping spree during his pre-Broadway days when he worked as a sales associate.

After playing sold-out engagements in New York City and Europe, Bay Area native Alysha Umphress brings her solo show, Homecoming Queen, to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - Today, November 11 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, November 12 (7 p.m.).

LIVING FOR TODAY presented a benefit concert entitled Living for Today: 'My First Time' on Sunday, October 30 at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette St). The concert was produced and directed by David Alpert (IF/THEN, The Trip to Bountiful, Artistic Director of Headline Programming at BroadwayCon) with music direction by Jason Wetzel (After Midnight). BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

On Monday, Theater People podcast welcome's HAMILTON'S Mandy Gonzalez. She made her Broadway debut in 2000 in AIDA as the Amnneris standby. She eventually took the role over full-time. She went on to originate roles in DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and LENNON before winning her breakout role as Nina in Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS, a role she originated in the show's pre-Off Broadway days. She went on to take over the role of Elphaba in WICKED and can now be seen eight times a week in the hottest show on Broadway, HAMILTON.

An invitation-only reading of the new musical PopStar will take place today, October 21 (11am) at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue, Studio #1204).

The full lineup is set for the 13th installment of the acclaimed Broadway Sings concert series, Broadway Sings Beyonce, which will feature completely new arrangements of her record-breaking hits, accompanied by a 14-piece orchestra playing original orchestrations. Newly announced performers for the concert include Tony Nominee Charl Brown (Motown), Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening), Lesli Margherita (Matilda The Musical), and Kyle Taylor Parker (Kinky Boots).

Living for Today will present a benefit concert entitled Living for Today: 'My First Time', on Sunday, October 30 at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette St) beginning at 7PM.

On Monday, October 17 the Theater People podcast welcome's Broadway favorite Jay Armstrong Johnson. Armstrong made his Broadway debut in 2009 in HAIR. He next stood-by for Aaron Tveit in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. He originated the role of Greg Wihote in the 2013 Broadway production of HANDS ON A HARDBODY and then starred as chip in the critically acclaimed 2014 revival of ON THE TOWN. For the episode, Johnson talks about how discovering theater at a young age changed his life for the better, how he was able to make Broadway producers take him seriously as a leading man, and shares some of the music from his new album 'Jay Armstrong Johnson: Live at Feinstein's / 54 Below.'

An invitation-only reading of the new musical PopStar will take place on Thursday, October 20 (2pm) and Friday, October 21 (11am) at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue, Studio #1204). PopStar features a book by Martin Casella, music and lyrics by Jay Levine and Sophie Dupin and is conceived and directed by Sharon Rosen.

On Monday, October 3rd, Theater People podcast welcomes three-time Tony nominee Rebecca Luker. For the episode, Luker shares stories from her nearly three decades on Broadway, offers advice for actors just starting out, and offers her thoughts on 2016 Presidential election.

Jay Armstrong Johnson Live at Feinstein's/54 Below was officially released last week, and Johnson celebrated the album's release last Sunday evening, September 18, at The West End Lounge (955 West End Avenue). Scroll down for photos from the concert!

On Monday, September 18 the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony and Emmy Award winning director Thomas Kail. For the episode, Kail discusses creating the smash hit musical HAMILTON alongside his longtime collaborator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for September 19-25, including Coltrane Revisited With Steve Kuhn, Steve Smith, Eric Alexander, Jaleel Shaw and Lonnie Plaxico, Amanda Green With Constantine Maroulis, Will Chase, Alice Ripley, Jarrod Spector, Alysha Umphress, Miss Coco Peru, and more!

Last week, some of the brightest talents on Broadway were featured in Broadway Sings The Beatles, the latest concert in the Broadway Sings concert series. BroadwayWorld has your inside look below!

Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel and Tom Viertel confirmed today that there will be invited presentations of selections from the musical this September, in anticipation of a Broadway production to be announced.

After playing sold-out engagements in New York City and Europe, Bay Area native Alysha Umphress brings her solo show, Homecoming Queen, to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - Friday, November 11 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, November 12 (7 p.m.).

Kushnier made his Broadway debut in the lead role of Ren McCormack in the 1998 production of FOOTLOOSE. He went on to star on Broadway in RENT, JERSEY BOYS, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. He was a part of the original New York company of SHEAR MADDNESS, and he can currently be seen in PARAMOUR, Cirque Du Soliel's first-ever Broadway production.

The full lineup is set for the twelfth installment of the acclaimed Broadway Sings concert series, Broadway Sings The Beatles. Cast members from Broadway shows including Hamilton, Waitress, The Color Purple, and Wicked will sing completely new arrangements of the legendary band's greatest hits, accompanied by a 14-piece orchestra playing original orchestrations.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present NY1 theater journalist Frank DiLella back on the Birdland stage, with the sixth episode of his new talk show, 'Show Biz After Hours With Frank DiLella.'  Frank's very special guests were Nikki M. James ('BrainDead,' Book of Mormon), Max von Essen (An American in Paris), Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland), Michael Longoria (Jersey Boys) and the vocal group 'Range.'