Bernie Telsey News

Marty Thomas Presents DIVA features NYC's finest female vocalists paying tribute to the greatest icons throughout history! The show performs weekly in midtown Manhattan hotspot, Industry Bar. It has also been seen around the country, as well as on Off Broadway and Broadway stages. In its fourth year, the show has featured such acts asShoshana Bean, Shayna Steele, Rachel Potter, Alysha Umphress, Lena Hall, Eden Espinosa, The Glamazons, The Skivvies, Ramona Keller, N'Kenge, Saycon Sengbloh, Kate Rockwell and many many more. To expand its talent pool, Industry Bar announces the second installment of the BE A DIVA Competition. Scroll down for photos from Round 1 on Monday, September 29!

Broadway dreams will come true for 47 young, aspiring performers when they take the stage to perform in The Broadway Dreams Foundation's 'Take It to the Limit' NYC Showcase at Queen of the Night at the Diamond Horseshoe (Paramount Hotel, 235 W 46th Street) on Monday, November 24, 2014 at 2:00 pm. Under the direction of acclaimed director/choreographer Otis Sallid (Smokey Joe's Cafe, Black Nativity), all 47 students will perform for the Broadway industry's top casting directors, agents, directors, and producers in the heart of New York City.

MCC Theater presents Douglas Smith, Pico Alexander, Lilly Englert, Lortel Award winner Annie Funke, Five-time Obie winner David Greenspan, Colby Minifie, Will Pullen, and Noah Robbins in the New York premiere of Punk Rock, a new play by Simon Stephens and directed by Trip Cullman. The show just opened last night at theLucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC). Tickets are now on sale. For information, visit www.mcctheater.org. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos from the special night below!

Williams appeared on the fourth hour of this morning's TODAY where she shared that she dreamed of playing the iconic role since she was a child. 'I hope flying will be seamless,' joked the star. Check out the appearance below!

MCC THEATER welcomes Heather Graham, Gia Crovatin, Golden Globe nominee Callie Thorne, and Frederick Weller for the world premiere of MCC Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute's new play, The Money Shot, directed by Terry Kinney. Performances for The Money Shot begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 4, 2014. An official opening is set for September 22, 2014 and it is currently scheduled through October 12, 2014. Tickets are now on sale. The cast just met the press yesterday and BroadwayWorld brings you complete photo coverage from the festivities below!

By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends the celebrated summer revival of This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, and featuring Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin and Tavi Gevinson. The play, featuring performances from Cera, Culkin and Gevinson continues for two additional performances July 13 and July 20 at 7:30pm.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson Managing Director, announces Stephanie Yankwitt as Artistic Associate/Director of New Play Development. Prior to joining the team at BSC, Stephanie was on the senior artistic staff at the Hangar Theatre from 2009-2013, including the role of Interim Artistic Director for the 2013 season.

The Philadelphia intensive at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts will include master classes devoted to mastering the college audition process led by Mary Anna Dennard, top college audition coach and author of 'I Got In!' Joining Dennard will be representatives from top musical theatre schools including, Kaitlin Hopkins (Texas State University), Grant Kretchik (Pace University, Dyson College), Robin Lewis (Rider University), Barbara MacKenzie-Wood (Carnegie Mellon University), Mark Madama (University of Michigan), and Amy Rogers (Pace University).

The Broadway Dreams Foundation will give aspiring performers across the country their "big break" when the program embarks on Take It To The Limit: Defining EXTA-Ordinary, the 2014 Summer Performing Arts Intensive Tour. The national non-profit training program will present an incredible roster of Broadway directors, performers, and industry insiders who will offer highly personalized musical theatre training and mentoring through unique, week-long performing arts intensive workshops for students of all ages, skill levels, and socio-economic backgrounds.

In last week's AMERICAN IDOL recap I mused that some enterprising theatre producer should snag the stage rights to the Jack Black movie SCHOOL OF ROCK and cast IDOL front-runner Caleb Johnson in the lead role. In addition, earlier in the season, I said that Caleb should cover a song by Meat Loaf, a Broadway vet three times over. So, that got me thinking, if I were going to fantasy cast the AMERICAN IDOL Top-5 in classic and "potential" musicals, what shows would work best?

MCC THEATER will present Greta Gerwig, Max Baker, Jason Butler Harner, Lucy Owen, Cara Seymour, and Scott Shepherd in the American premiere of Penelope Skinner's celebrated play The Village Bike, the final production of MCC's 2013-14 Main Stage season. The Village Bike, directed bySam Gold, who recently directed the much-raved new musical Fun Home and this season's The Realistic Jones on Broadway, will premiere at The Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) beginning May 22, 2014 with an official opening on June 10, 2014. The cast just met the press and you can check out photos from the big event below!

Charitybuzz bidders have the opportunity to win some pretty fabulous prizes in support of MCC Theater, now through April 2, 2014.

MCC THEATER has announced that the annual Miscast 2014 gala has added Billy Porter, Jeremy Jordan, Megan Hilty, and Raul Esparza as performers, joining the previously announced Zosia Mamet, Christian Borle, Anika Noni Rose, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Steven Pasquale, Jesse L. Martin, Sasha Allen, Keala Settle, and Nicole Parker. Phil Reno will serve as Musical Director. Additional performers will be announced at a later date. Miscast 2014 will be held Monday, March 31, 2014 at The Hammerstein Ballroom (311 West 34th Street). The evening will begin with a cocktail hour and gala dinner followed by the Miscast performances. Gala and show-only tickets are now on sale at www.mcctheater.org.

Today we are talking to a legendary leading lady famous for a few of the most iconic roles in some of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s and 1990s as well as a versatile vocalist and concert performer set to make her cabaret debut later this month - the ingratiating and amusing Randy Graff. Looking back at originating the role of Fantine in the original Broadway production of mega-hit mega musical LES MISERABLES and singing the unforgettable 'I Dreamed A Dream' eight times a week (and on the best-selling cast recording) as well as recounting her Tony Award-winning work in the endlessly entertaining Cy Coleman/David Zippel musical comedy CITY OF ANGELS, Graff share stories from behind the scenes and gives us a rare look at theatrical history in the making and her elemental role in both productions. Additionally, Graff opens up about some of her other most fondly remembered work, including her fantastic turn in Ed Kleban's A CLASS ACT, William Finn's FALSETTOS, Cole Porter's HIGH SOCIETY, the stage play and documentary MOON OVER BUFFALO co-starring Carol Burnett, the most recent revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and much more. Most importantly, Graff generously outlines what we can expect from her upcoming solo shows at NYC hotspot 54 Below titled MADE IN BROOKLYN, in what will actually be the stalwart star's solo show premiere. In addition to all of that, Graff also touches upon some of her big screen and small screen work, ranging from LAW & ORDER to RENT, as well as recounts some theatrical tales involving theatre greats such as Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, John Simon and more. All of that and much, much more awaits in this rich resume recounting retrospective with one of Broadway's best!

MCC Theater presents the New York Premiere of John Pollono's celebrated Small Engine Repair, which plays through December 15, 2013 due to popular demand. Keegan Allen, James Badge Dale, playwright/actor John Pollono, and James Ransone star in the production directed by longtime MCC collaborator Jo Bonney (MCC's The Break of Noon, Fat Pig). Small Engine Repair at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) had its official opening last night November 20, and you can check out photos from the special event below!

Three members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' newly created Casting Directors Branch have been elected to the Academy Board of Governors.

"Fox 5 News" correspondent Jill Nicolini attended MOTOWN THE MUSICAL's nationwide open call casting search along with hundreds of excited hopefuls. Auditionees hoping to portray famous icons like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson were dancing in the streets as Nicolini herself experienced the thrill of auditioning for casting directors Bernie Telsey and Bethany Knox in the historic Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Watch the segment below!

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL hosted a nationwide open call casting search inside the historic Lunt Fontanne Theatre for African American singers for both the flagship Broadway production and the upcoming national tour. NY1 anchor Cheryl Wills was on hand to capture the excitement as hopefuls lined up around the block to audition for the smash hit musical. In the segment below, Wills speaks with MOTOWN's own Broadway star Tony Award nominee Charl Brown, casting director Bernie Telsey, several auditionees, and even does a little singing of her own! Check out the segment below!

Hangar Theatre continues its 39th season with the regional premiere of Bruce Norris' award-winning play, Clybourne Park, running from tonight, August 8th through 17th.