Sara Gettelfinger may have a resume that other actresses covet-now starring as the mysterious, intriguing, maybe even a little bit frightening Morticia Addams in the national tour of The Addams Family, she's been on Broadway in A Free Man of Color, Seussical the Musical, The Boys from Syracuse, Nine and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and she's toured in Fosse and 101 Dalmatians-but, truth be told, the highlight of her resume for me, at least, is a stint on the storied, now lamented and defunct, CBS soap opera Guiding Light.
Today in 1972, Broadway veteran Taye Diggs was born. In 1996, he originated the role of the landlord Benny in Jonathan Larson's Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent, which also starred his future wife, Idina Menzel. After Rent he appeared as Mr. Black alongside Idina Menzel's character of Kate in Andrew Lippa's off-Broadway production of The Wild Party. Diggs also played The Bandleader in the 2002 film version of the long-running Broadway revival of Chicago and filled in as Billy Flynn on Broadway. He also temporarily filled in for Norbert Leo Butz (an original Rent standby) as the love interest Fiyero of Idina Menzel's Elphaba character in Wicked.
As the clock ticks towards 2012, BroadwayWorld caught up with 100 of your Broadway favorites and industry supporters about their hopes for themselves and those they love in the new year.
The Broadway production of the hit musical comedy THE ADDAMS FAMILY will end its run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th St.) today at 2 PM after 725 performances and 34 previews.
Currently playing Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is the national tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, which features an original story and it's every father's nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's 'normal' boyfriend and his parents.
Tickets to the upcoming Westchester premiere production of Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY, which will be produced by Little Radical Theatrics, Inc., are now on-sale to the general public. The jazz-tinged musical is slated to play a limited engagement at the Play Group Theatre in White Plains in January 2012.
Today, as a well-earned holiday surprise for all of the millions of Broadway babies who read Broadway World all year long, we have a sneak preview of next year's upcoming InDepth InterView with leading lady stage superstar Sierra Boggess, best known to Broadway and West End audiences for her creation of the title role in THE LITTLE MERMAID, as well as originating the role of Christine in both PHANTOM VEGAS - the Las Vegas iteration of the international sensation THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by original helmer Hal Prince - and LOVE NEVER DIES, the recent Andrew Lloyd Webber-penned musical sequel to the original thriller/romance tuner, as well as her most recent essaying of the role in the absolutely phantastic 25th anniversary production THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, which will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in the US in 2012. Before we get to all about PHANTOM 25 - lest we forget, Ms. Boggess was also generous enough to tell us all about the show when it was still in rehearsals (you can read that chat here) - Boggess shares her affection for another recent InDepth InterView participant who shared the stage with her at the thrilling encore for PHANTOM 25 - the one and only Phantom of legend himself, Michael Crawford, as well as all about her participation in the yearly ASTEP charity concert CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY and the cast recording of it featuring herself along with Raul Esparza, Andy Karl, Orfeh, Constantine Maroulis and many more! Plus, insight into her preparations for her next Broadway role, that of Rebecca in the lavish stage spectacular REBECCA and much, much more!
Christmas 2011 is just days away and in celebration of the holiday season, we reached out to the stars of Broadway to find out what traditions they like best about the holiday season. Between spending time with family and friends, blasting Christmas music and Christmas tree decorating, eating Chinese food and watching movies, the stars seem to love it all!
BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the musical adaptation of Tim Burton's BIG FISH, will hold a private industry reading next week in New York City. As previously announced, the show, which was initially aiming for Broadway in spring 2012, is now set to open in spring 2013.
According to the Chicago Trinune, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, which will close on Broadway later this month, will return to Chicago next week, and audiences should expect a reworked show. Creator Rick Elice said of the harsh critical response for the Broadway production: "It was difficult to get past that at the outset. To be told that this was the worst musical of the past 40 years. Really? That vitriol was part of my energy for reinvestigating the show."
John Logan, the playwright responsible for the Mark Rothko-inspired 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Play, RED, is also a name familiar to movie buffs around the world who may very well have enjoyed his considerable contributions to cinema - among them, the screenplays for 2000 Best Picture Oscar-winner GLADIATOR (directed by Ridley Scott), Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, Tim Burton's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2008 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture, Musical Or Comedy) and many more. Discussing his collaborations with those lauded directors as well as his work for the stage - going all the way back to his Chicago roots - Logan and I also touch on some of his incredibly exciting upcoming projects - the new Sam Mendes James Bond film, SKYFALL; the Ralph Fiennes-directed adaptation of Shakespeare's CORIOLANUS; Martin Scorsese's critically lauded HUGO, now in theaters; and, Steven Spielberg's forthcoming biopic of LINCOLN, co-written with Tony Kushner and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Additionally, Logan illustrates his appreciation for RED Tony-winning leading man Eddie Redmayne, who also starred in the Kathryn Bigelow-directed HBO pilot of Logan's aborted Broadway-themed musical series, A MIRACULOUS YEAR. All of that, plus early casting ideas for Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, as well as much, much more!
The New Voices Collective is gearing up for IN DEVELOPMENT: New Songs from New Shows, New Voices' triumphant return to its original home at Peter Norton Symphony Space, this coming Monday, December 12, at 8:00 p.m. An incredible roster of composers have contributed songs from their new musicals, providing a 'sneak peek' at an interesting array of projects, such as Homemade Fusion by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond and Bunnicula by Sam Davis and Mark Waldrop.
The New Voices Collective is excited to announce IN DEVELOPMENT: New Songs from New Shows, New Voices' triumphant return to its original home at Peter Norton Symphony Space, on Monday, December 12, at 8:00 p.m.
Casting has been confirmed for Little Radical Theatrics' latest offering, the Westchester premiere of Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY, which is slated to play a limited engagement in January 2012. The 'sizzling, vital and groundbreaking' jazz-tinged musical will star Britain Gebhardt as Queenie, Michael Mirra - who will also be directing - as Burrs, Melissa Bayern as Kate, and Sean Scott as Mr. Black?.
The national tour of the new musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY, based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will make its Nashville premiere January 3 through 8 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center as part of the HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC series
