Anika Larsen News

Kurt Elling, the preeminent male vocalist in jazz, celebrated Passion World - his fifth album from Concord Records at Birdland last night and BroadwayWorld was there - check out photos below

Just yesterday, the company of Beautiful celebrated a milestone- two years on Broadway! Since opening on Broadway on January 12, 2014, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter has broken all box office records at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, where it is now the highest grossing production in the theatre's history.  It recently passed the $100 million in grosses and is already the 27th highest grossing musical in Broadway history.  BroadwayWorld was there for the special day and you can check out photos below!

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that the first national tour of BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical, the smash hit musical about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, has recouped in just four months on the road. The Broadway production of BEAUTIFUL, which opened on Broadway on January 12, 2014, celebrates two years tonight at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street).

On Monday, January 4, the Theater People podcast welcomes HAMILTON star Renee Elise Goldsberry. In the episode, Goldsberry talks about why she turned down her audition for the show several times, learning her showstopping number 'Satisfied,' and how it feels to be a part of the phenomenon that is HAMILTON. 

Ghostlight Records will highlight the beloved score for The Bridges of Madison County in its exclusive iTunes podcast series 'Ghostlight Shines On,' in which artists explore their albums in-depth, track-by-track, with music interwoven with commentary. In the series, key figures from each musical discuss the songs, recording the album, and share personal stories behind the music. The Bridges of Madison County, which won 2014 Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Orchestrations, is currently on a national tour through July 2016. The podcast includes remarks from three-time Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and the show's original leading lady Kelli O'Hara, who earned her fifth Tony Award nomination for this role. Download the podcast and subscribe on iTunes here.

Anika Larsen, who originated the role of Cynthia Weil in the smash hit Broadway musical BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL, has returned to the Broadway following her maternity leave. Recently, I went back stage at BEAUTIFUL and chatted with the celebrated actress in her dressing room. We talked about what it's like being a Broadway actress and a new mom, the upcoming holidays, and more.

On Tuesday, December 15, the Theater People Podcast welcome's Tony-nominee Norm Lewis, whose career on and off Broadway, in London's West End, and on the international concert circuit, spans nearly 25 years, and counting. He will be making his Feinstein's/54 Below debut with a holiday show running from December 20th to 24th at 9:30pm.

On Monday, November 30, the Theater People podcast welcomes Broadway favorite Elizabeth Stanley. She is currently headlining the first national tour of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY in the role of Francesca. Stanley made her Broadway debut as April in the 2006 John Doyle helmed production of COMPANY. She went on to originate the role of Allison in CRY BABY, and then Dyanne in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. She was most recently seen on Broadway as Claire in last year's Tony-nominated ON THE TOWN.

On Monday, November 23, the Theater People Podcast welcomes back Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford. Ashford, who was Theater People's third ever guest. For this episode, Ashford talks about her Tony Award winning turn in last year's YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, her critically acclaimed work on the Showtime series MASTERS OF SEX, and working alongside Matthew Broderick and Julie White in the current Broadway revival of SYLVIA.

On Friday, November 13th, the Theater People Podcast is releasing a bonus 'catching up' episode with previous guest, Tony Award-winner Daisy Eagan. Eagan became the youngest female Tony Award winner, when she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for originating the role of Mary Lennox in the 1991 Broadway production of THE SECRET GARDEN. She was also seen on Broadway in LES MISERABLES and JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD.

Matt Farnsworth is an accomplished voice teacher, actor, and pianist living and working in NYC. He has been teaching voice since 1995 when he became the consulting coach on Broadway's production of Rent. Since then, Matt has taught hundreds of Broadway actors, film stars and recording artists which include Sara Bareilles, Carly Rae Jepsen and American Idol finalists Constantine Maroulis and Pia Toscano.

DRESS CIRCLE PUBLISHING just hosted a special celebration of the new book by Sirius XM radio host SETH RUDETSKY. The launch event for SETH'S BROADWAY DIARY, VOLUME 2, featured Stephanie J. Block, Andrea Burns, Ana Gasteyer, Mandy Gonzales, Jackie Hoffman, and Christopher Sieber, who performed excerpts and some of Seth's favorite songs. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos below!

On Monday, October 26, the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony winner Lena Hall. Hall, who won her Tony Award for her gender bending performance as Yitzhak in the 2014 Broadway production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, shares stories of her ten-plus career as a working actor and musician in New York City.

A few years ago, her Elle in the national tour of Legally Blonde earned her a Helen Hayes nomination. Now, Becky Gulsvig is back in DC singing some more familiar tunes in BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical.

On Monday, September 28, the Theater People podcast welcomes back Tony-winner Laura Benanti for part 2 of her interview. The first part of the interview launched earlier this month. In this episode, Benanti discusses her work in the short-lived WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN for which the actress received her fourth Tony nomination. Benanti also discusses her television work including the hugely popular SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE!, NASHVILLE, and the upcoming SUPERGIRL. Additionally, she discussed working with the Radio City Rockettes in last year's SPRING SPECTACULAR, and writing her first book.

On Monday, September 13, the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony-winner Laura Benanti. This is the first of two interviews in which Benanti will be featured on the podcast, The second part of will be released in two weeks!

On Monday, September 9, the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony-winning director Michael Mayer and writer/lyricist Dick Scanlan. For the episode, Mayer and Scanlan discuss their new collaboration, WHORL INSIDE A LOOP which Scanlan co-wrote with Sherie Rene Scott and which Mayer and Scanlan co-directed. The play, currently running Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater, is loosely based on Scanlan and Scott's experience working with prison inmates on putting together a show based on monologues written by the inmates about the circumstances that landed them in jail.

On Monday, August 31st, the Theater People podcast welcomes the Tony-nominated HAND TO GOD star Geneva Carr. In making her Broadway debut with HAND TO GOD, Carr gave one of last season's most critically acclaimed performances in the role of Margery, the protagonist's mother.

Broadway and NYC performing artists once again will donate their time and talents as teaching artists at the 8th Annual Dare to Go Beyond (D2GB) Children's Performing Arts Camp, hosted by R.Evolucion Latina (RL).

Broadway star Chilina Kennedy stopped by News 4 New York over the weekend to talk about her role in the musical, BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL.