Darius De Haas, described by The New York Times as "electrically thrilling," by Variety as "a performer who can reveal the sorrows, pains and joys of the composer's richly layered repertoire with an intensity and honesty that easily envelops and mesmerizes the listener," and by the Jazz Times as "blessed with a gorgeous voice and a keen theatrical sophistication," brings his brand new concert and vocal magic to Feinstein's/54 Below, April 26th and 27th.
I am so fortunate that I live, work, and cover theater in a town like New York. It never fails to surprise me at how much talent is brimming over in New York. When I meet young actresses like Stephanie Courtney aka Sayonne, I am very excited to talk to them, because they are really embarking on a wonderful journey, especially when they are as grounded as this young diva to be. Many times, I feel like the proud and fun fairy godfather to so many of these performers.
Ghostlight Records has announced that PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording is available in physical, digital and streaming formats today, Friday, April 20. The 16-page CD booklet includes color production photography and liner notes by Hal Prince and David Thompson.
Among the Broadway names of the past several decades, producer and director Hal Prince surely stands as one of the greatest. His name has been attached to some of the most iconic musicals of all time: She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, Evita, Sweeney Todd, and The Phantom of the Opera, just to name a few. The musical Prince of Broadway featured an all-star cast taking audiences on a journey through some of the highlights of Prince's career, and the cast album is a best-of-the-best compilation, preserving some of the brightest performances and clever takes on these well-loved songs.
Any actor worth their salt will tell you that every great play begins with the words on the page. Because of the worlds that playwrights (and Librettists) create, many people, even more than actors, have jobs inside and outside of the theater. So any chance to talk to a young playwright as delightful and talented as Chicago-based playwright, Philip Dawkins, I will take. His current opus, The Gentleman Caller is currently in rehearsals to make its New York debut at Cherry Lane Theater, as it coincides with its simultaneous World Premiere production, still running at Chicago's The Raven Theater, through May 27, 2018.
Audiences have started to listen again at Studio 54. That's because Children of a Lesser God is back, and it officially opened last night on Broadway. Directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, Children of a Lesser God stars film and television favorite Joshua Jackson and breakout star Lauren Ridloff, alongside Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe Award winner Anthony Edwards, Drama Desk Award nominee and Obie Award winner Kecia Lewis, Julee Cerda, Treshelle Edmond, and John McGinty. The play will open on Wednesday, April 11 at Studio 54.
Check out photos from the opening night red carpet below!
Ghostlight Records has announced that PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available for digital pre-order. The album will be available in physical, digital and streaming formats on Friday, April 20.
FABULOUS NEWS, The Actors Fund will present a one-night benefit concert of When Pigs Fly, featuring the cast from the recently canceled production. I went to the major press event for the show and managed to secure some fab interview moments with the entire cast and some of the creatives.
Though the songwriting team of Robert Wright and George Forrest is best remembered by Broadway enthusiasts for adapting the music of Edvard Grieg into SONG OF NORWAY and similarly using the melodies of Alexander Borodin to create their score for KISMET, their greatest success came when director/choreographer Tommy Tune took interest in a musical of theirs that fizzled into obscurity on its way to Broadway, then known as AT THE GRAND.
Encores! is back for round two! The second production of this season is Grand Hotel, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. Grand Hotel, The Musical will run for seven performances at New York City Center from March 21 - 25. The Encores! at 25 season concludes with Me and My Girl (May 9 - 13). Let's see what the critics had to say!
Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, announces the 2018 season of performances at Mr. Finn's Cabaret, located on the lower level of the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield.
Encores! is back for round two! The second production of this season is Grand Hotel, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. Grand Hotel, The Musicalwill run for seven performances at New York City Center from March 21 - 25. The Encores! at 25 season concludes with Me and My Girl (May 9 - 13). Check out a first look at the cast in action below!
When Encores! decided to begin a search for the show's biggest fan from the original run- a woman who appeared in a commercial for the show in 1992- the internet came to the rescue.
William Ryall has been around for all of it. Not only was he a member of the original 1989 cast, but he will star as Colonel Doctor Otternschlag when the Encores! run begins tonight. We checked in with Ryall to get the scoop on Grand Hotel then and now...
Encores! is back for round two! The second production of this season is Grand Hotel, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. Grand Hotel, The Musicalwill run for seven performances at New York City Center from March 21 - 25. The Encores! at 25 season concludes with Me and My Girl (May 9 - 13).
Encores! is back for round two! The second production of this season is Grand Hotel, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, featuring music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. Grand Hotel, The Musical will run for seven performances at New York City Center from March 21 - 25. The Encores! at 25 season concludes with Me and My Girl (May 9 - 13).
I get so many great opportunities to chat with the legends, and under normal circumstances, I try to hold it together. Holding my Broadway fan boy energy at a safe distance, while maintaining a professional and coherent conversation with probing questions is something that I try to balance with every interview that I do. However, when you are in the room with 2x Tony Award Winning actress, singer, dancer, Chita Rivera, AND 2x Tony and Emmy Award Winning, dancer, actress, singer, Bebe Neuwirth, the balancing act is soooooooooo hard.
