Brad Bradley News

Pride of Southern Utah announces the theme Everyone Belongs for the third annual pride celebration to span a week of festivities.

This summer and fall, Tuacahn Center for the Arts is presenting three exciting productions in repertory at its one-of-a-kind outdoor amphitheatre, including one of the very first productions in the world of DreamWorks' THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the first production of Roald Dahl's MATILDA THE MUSICAL following its national tour, and one of the first regional productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA. Three actors were happy to speak with BroadwayWorld about their time at Tuacahn.

In this episode: Chicago's Charlotte d'Amboise started dancing with Balanchine at 8 years old and hasn't stayed still since. It was a moment in a character class where she felt in her soul 'there I am' that began her path to Broadway. An admitted workhorse, Charlotte most enjoys working with people whose passion is as great as hers and more. She has always had a sense of self and aware the she is her instrument, her instrument is art, and art must change. Along with this self awareness, she is facing the heartbreak that her body can't do what it used to, but this is inspiring her new focus: re-invention.

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre is a breathtaking musical with originality and depth, theatricality and spectacle. It is without a doubt worth continued development, and it is already very close to ready for a Broadway bow, cast album, and eventual licensing. The world deserves to see and hear the gift that the creative team and Tuacahn have already given to Utah audiences.

 Tackling one of its biggest seasons to date, Tuacahn Center for the Arts in southern Utah is pleased to include several Broadway stars glittering among the cast of the regional premiere of Matilda the Musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and the first large-scale version of the Stephen Schwartz supervised production of Prince of Egypt.

In this episode: Broadway show shoe designer Phil LaDuca began his career singing and dancing on Broadway with choreographers like Agnus De Mille. Now choreographers like Jerry Mitchell are calling him to design shoes for singers and dancers. Phil LaDuca is a definition of having a second act in life that is just as grand as the first, and the term my 'LaDucas' has become a noun. After a reconstructive knee surgery he took his eye for beauty and experience onstage and created the most sought after shoe on stage and screen. Since dance has changed from the days of 'bring out the chorus girls', Phil thought that shoes should change with it. He brought his idea to the big companies and they said dancers don't have ideas and the rest is history. With accolades like a Drama Desk awards and thanks from dancers who say he's saved their legs and careers, it's the thought of a child getting inspired from a performer in his shoes that keeps him on pointe.

In this episode: My Fair Lady's Cameron Adams grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and devoted her time to basketball and dance. At 16 years old, she was cast in Susan Stroman's The Music Man, and basketball become a spectator sport. A self-proclaimed tomboy, Cameron loves to play Broadway dress up and it's usually in period clothing. Her secret to having worked with all the top Broadway choreographers is that she shows up, works hard and is always authentic. Her favorite part is the rehearsal process because that's where she gets to make things. In Lincoln Center Theatre's My Fair Lady, she was allowed to be seen as an actor within the ensemble and that path she has made.

In this episode: Victoria Bailey, Executive Director of TDF, talks about TKTS celebrating 45 years and parent company TDF celebrating 50 years in 2018. TDF (Theatre Development Fund) is an organization that believes the performing arts should be available to everybody. They sell the idea of going to all theatre, not shows in particular and that Broadway is for everyone. Victoria Bailey has been with the company for 17 years, started at Yale, and was the GM at MTC for 19 years. She believes that theatre creates empathy for lives different than our own, that TDF/TKTS has created theatre goers for generations, and is a prime example of having a successful life in the arts separate from the footlights.

In this episode: Victoria Bailey, Executive Director of TDF, talks about TKTS celebrating 45 years and parent company TDF celebrating 50 years in 2018. TDF (Theatre Development Fund) is an organization that believes the performing arts should be available to everybody. They sell the idea of going to all theatre, not shows in particular and that Broadway is for everyone. Victoria Bailey has been with the company for 17 years, started at Yale, and was the GM at MTC for 19 years. She believes that theatre creates empathy for lives different than our own, that TDF/TKTS has created theatre goers for generations, and is a prime example of having a successful life in the arts separate from the footlights.

In this episode: Broadway's Shannon Lewis grew up in a rural Canadian suburb and at age 19 was hand picked by Susan Stroman to make her Broadway debut, after a 'Crazy for You' casting director saw her in a Toronto theme park show. The essence of this podcast is having integrity, the importance of the respect of your peers, and to have your talent and drive ready, so that when someone opens a door for you, you can walk right in. With an impeccable work ethic that takes every opportunity seriously; whether in the ensemble, as a deputy, or as a principle; as well as having Gwen Verdon as a champion, the real Shannon Lewis is coming out of hiding. @realshanlew 

In this episode: Broadway's Shannon Lewis grew up in a rural Canadian suburb and at age 19 was hand picked by Susan Stroman to make her Broadway debut, after a 'Crazy for You' casting director saw her in a Toronto theme park show. The essence of this podcast is having integrity, the importance of the respect of your peers, and to have your talent and drive ready, so that when someone opens a door for you, you can walk right in. With an impeccable work ethic that takes every opportunity seriously; whether in the ensemble, as a deputy, or as a principle; as well as having Gwen Verdon as a champion, the real Shannon Lewis is coming out of hiding. @realshanlew 

In this episode: Broadway's Shannon Lewis grew up in a rural Canadian suburb and at age 19 was hand picked by Susan Stroman to make her Broadway debut, after a "Crazy for You" casting director saw her in a Toronto theme park show. The essence of this podcast is having integrity, the importance of the respect of your peers, and to have your talent and drive ready, so that when someone opens a door for you, you can walk right in. With an impeccable work ethic that takes every opportunity seriously; whether in the ensemble, as a deputy, or as a principle; as well as having Gwen Verdon as a champion, the real Shannon Lewis is coming out of hiding. @realshanlew 

Stephen Flaherty has two shows currently running on Broadway with 'Anastasia' and 'Once on this Island', a Tony award for 'Ragtime' and says that having an artistic faith is the best way to survive as a writer. In this episode he discusses how he had to audition for two of his biggest jobs, what true and honest collaboration is, and that in the theatre medium there is no such thing as final cut. He has learned that some of the best ideas came out of desperation, his greatest songs weren't written sitting in front of a piano, and that eventually you have to make a choice. You will learn soon enough if it was the right one.

In this episode: The topic of race in theatre and the whitewashing on the professional stage with special guests Ann Harada and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Alan H. Green. In this episode, the topics of white privilege, color-blind casting, and the systematic disenfranchisement of people based on the color of their skin are hashed out and discussed at an honest mature level. We live in a time that hatred is spouted so freely, when the ultimate goal should be to see people for what's under their skin. Everyone has an innate worth and sense of equality and that POC are as much as, not less than. The theatre world is known for being all-inclusive, so let's educate ourselves and understand there is enough for everyone.

A Sign of the Times, the new pop-fueled musical featuring songs made famous by Petula Clark and other hit-makers of the 1960s that played to a nearly sold out world premiere engagement at Goodspeed Musicals last summer, will continue its development with private industry presentations on December 14 and 15 in New York.

The Riverlea Theatre Company, which is located in Hamilton, New Zealand, will present the New Zealand premiere of the Off-Broadway hit, Boobs! The Musical: The World According To Ruth Wallis. The holiday performances will run from Nov 25-Dec 16, 2017.

In this episode: The topic of race in theatre and the whitewashing on the professional stage with special guests Ann Harada and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Alan H. Green. In this episode, the topics of white privilege, color-blind casting, and the systematic disenfranchisement of people based on the color of their skin are hashed out and discussed at an honest mature level. We live in a time that hatred is spouted so freely, when the ultimate goal should be to see people for what's under their skin. Everyone has an innate worth and sense of equality and that POC are as much as, not less than. The theatre world is known for being all-inclusive, so let's educate ourselves and understand there is enough for everyone.

Camp Broadway LLC, the award-winning theatre arts enrichment company, will perform Irving Berlin's This Is A Great Country in the 91st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featuring an ensemble cast of children

In this episode: James Walsh is a jack of all trades, who masters them all. His newest endeavors include director with 'As Much as I Can,' a theatrical event focusing on HIV infection in the African American community, and as playwright with an original new play beginning previews this weekend at Queens Theatre in the Park. 'Jimmy And Carolyn' is a hysterical, true-to-life world premiere which opens officially September 22nd. Jimmy and wife Carolyn drive from Florida to idyllic Weekapaug, Rhode Island to celebrate Jimmy's birthday at the fancy beach house of their gay son and his life partner from Costa Rica. Once the pepperoni loaf has been devoured, the Italian cookies eaten, the cigarettes smoked, and the Pinot Grigio drunk, amid the laughter, dark truths are exposed as the family struggles to make sense of their irreconcilable memories of the past, and the choices they face as they move forward. In this episode James discusses taking control of ones own career, being impervious to negativity, and the importance of finding the keyhole into the center of your performance. http://queenstheatre.org/jimmy-and-carolyn

The Riverlea Theatre Company, which is located in Hamilton, New Zealand, will present the New Zealand premiere of the Off-Broadway hit, Boobs! The Musical: The World According To Ruth Wallis. The holiday performances will run from Nov 25-Dec 16, 2017.