Today marks the last episode review of the second season of Fox's hit musical dramedy series GLEE and I'm sure that many will agree with me that last night's show was as good a Season Two send-off as could have possibly been expected from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan and company given what has gone on this year so far. Besides the sights and sounds of the dramatic NYC wrap-up, the Broadway babies amongst the gleeks were treated to the extended returns of fan favorite Jonathan Groff and new cast member Cheyenne Jackson, in addition to a characteristically fabulous cameo by Broadway legend Patti LuPone - and the grand return of international singing sensation - as well as a participant in this column; in addition to Mr. Groff, yesterday (and, coming up: Mr. Jackson) - the big-voiced-diva known as Charice. While original songs dominated the episode, we were also treated to a mash-up of Madonna's 'I Love New York' and the Leonard Bernstein/Betty Comden/Adolph Green ON THE TOWN anthem 'New York, New York' (and a sample of the Kander & Ebb version elsewhere in the episode, 'for good' measure), in addition to one of the musical highlights of not only this episode, but all of Season Two - a song which was incidentally premiered in this very column on BroadwayWorld last week: Lea Michele and Chris Colfer putting their own spin on the WICKED curtain song 'For Good' on the very stage of the Gershwin Theater where the Broadway smash plays eight times a week - and has since 2004 - right where fellow GLEE guest stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel first sang it. While the musical quotient on GLEE is always appreciably entertaining - with few exceptions - this season has been significantly more expansive and varied in its storytelling style, so the question of the season undoubtedly is: was it all wrapped up satisfactorily? Well, we'll just have to stack it all up side-by-side-by-side-by-side and see, now, won't we? But, one thing is crystal clear: GLEE in NYC was all it was cracked up - and built up - to be. The big pay-off. Finally. Or, make that more to the point: finale.
Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), The Players Theatre and Back Stage present the industry panel Catch Me If You Can Get the Rights: Adapting Films into Musicals on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 7:30pm at The Players Theatre, 3rd Floor Loft Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street (below W. 3rd Street), NYC.
Diane Warren, considered the most prolific and successful songwriter of our time, will present Due Voci: The Music of Diane Warren on interactive, multichannel retailer HSN during a LIVE one-hour primetime special of her greatest hits on HSN on Thursday, June 2 at 11p.m. (EDT).
2009 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNER
CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Outrageous and true celebrity memoirs performed live on stage
by some of the funniest people in entertainment
Miami cast to feature stage and screen stars
Sex and the City's MARIO CANTONE
Saturday Night Live star RACHEL DRATCH
Burn Notice's Emmy-winning SHARON GLESS
Desperate Housewives'Tony Winner ROGER BART
Drama Desk Award-winning creators EUGENE PACK and DAYLE REYFEL
Plus, local surprise celebrities
The 2009 Drama Desk Award winner and 2010 Bistro Award winner Celebrity Autobiography performs Monday, May 16 at 7:30pm at New York's Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street, with a cast that is scheduled to include Roger Bart, Mario Cantone, Illeana Douglas, Rachel Dratch, Laraine Newman, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, and Alan Zweibel.
Amongst the details about the $6 million dollar episode is word that the cast filmed in the Gershwin Theatre, home to Broadway's WICKED. And, the song Chris and Lea are singing in the Gershwin? 'For Good' from WICKED! Lea explains: 'We feel like we're Elphaba and Glinda. Chris likes to be called Guylinda, though'
2009 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNER
CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Outrageous and true celebrity memoirs performed live on stage
by some of the funniest people in entertainment
Miami cast to feature stage and screen stars
Sex and the City's MARIO CANTONE
Saturday Night Live star RACHEL DRATCH
Burn Notice's Emmy-winning SHARON GLESS
Desperate Housewives'Tony Winner ROGER BART
Drama Desk Award-winning creators EUGENE PACK and DAYLE REYFEL
Plus, local surprise celebrities
2009 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNER
CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Outrageous and true celebrity memoirs performed live on stage
by some of the funniest people in entertainment
Miami cast to feature stage and screen stars
Sex and the City's MARIO CANTONE
Saturday Night Live star RACHEL DRATCH
Burn Notice's Emmy-winning SHARON GLESS
Desperate Housewives'Tony Winner ROGER BART
Drama Desk Award-winning creators EUGENE PACK and DAYLE REYFEL
Plus, local surprise celebrities
The Hurly Burly Show®, directed by William Baker, closes in the West End at the Garrick Theatre on 1 May 2011. The Hurly Burly Show® has musical direction by Steve Anderson, choreography by Ashley Wallen, vocal arrangements by Terry Ronald and lighting by Nick Whitehouse. The Hurly Burly Show ® is produced in the West End by AEG Live and Steve Dixon.
Pop music trendsetter Britney Spears, who has continually captivated crowds around the world with her live music events, today confirms special guest Nicki Minaj will join the Femme Fatale touring event of the summer.
Due to strong demand, an additional performance has been added to the Detroit stop of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World TourTM at Joe Louis Arena. The new performance is Sunday, October 16, 2011 which is in addition to the previously announced performance on Saturday, October 15, 2011.
2009 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNER
CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Outrageous and true celebrity memoirs performed live on stage
by some of the funniest people in entertainment
Miami cast to feature stage and screen stars
Sex and the City's MARIO CANTONE
Saturday Night Live star RACHEL DRATCH
Burn Notice's Emmy-winning SHARON GLESS
Desperate Housewives'Tony Winner ROGER BART
Drama Desk Award-winning creators EUGENE PACK and DAYLE REYFEL
Plus, local surprise celebrities
FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will continue its Spring 2011 season with the debut of platinum-selling, Grammy Award winning vocalist and songwriter, DAN HILL - best known for his hit "Sometimes When We Touch" - from April 28 through 30.
Yesterday, international singing sensation and fresh-faced new GLEE cast member Charice - proclaimed by Oprah herself to be 'the most talented girl in the world' - was kind enough to take some time out while rehearsing her new song for an upcoming Season Two episode of GLEE as Sunshine Corazon to talk to me about all things GLEE - Showrunner/Creator Ryan Murphy, her audition, singing with Lea Michele, what duets she wants to do, 'All By Myself', 'Telephone', 'Listen', etc. - as well as working with writer/producer Bruno Mars on her new single 'Before It Explodes', continuing a theme begun with Mars's own 'Grenade' - as well as singing Mars songs for a number of tracks on her forthcoming album. Additionally, we discuss her musical influences, her favorite songs to sing in concert, what inspires her, her favorite films of the year and her deep desire to star in a horror film someday soon - plus, comments on everyone from Barbra Streisand, Lea Michele and Idina Menzel to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z and Justin Bieber. Also: news on her feature film debut, HERE COMES THE BOOM, co-starring Kevin James, Salma Hayek and Henry Winkler - and much, much more!
In the upcoming Keeping Scores' concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 different, yet very funny and somehow uniquely qualified actresses to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice. First brought to national, then international, acclaim by the legendary Barbra Streisand, the role of Fanny Brice is a coveted role among musical theater performers. Despite that, however, things offstage seem to be going swimmingly at rehearsals; meanwhile we attempt to ferret out any backstabbing and catfights - as well as introducing you to all the Funny Fannys, one-by-one. You've met Alex Maddox (who plays a prominent role in today's interview), Cori Laemmel and Corrie Miller, who are all my favorites, of course. Today, the spotlight falls on relative newcomer Catherine Mai Holder, who remains inscrutable and mysterious throughout her interview. Read on, dear ones, and see what you can deduce from this funny Fanny...
