Carmen Cusack News

With direction by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreography by Josh Rhodes, Bright Star is now open at the Cort Theatre. Randy Jones and Victor Garber attended yesterday's performance - check out photos from their visit below!

The Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors (Dale Badway, President) has announced the 2016 Theatre World Award Honorees for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance who will be celebrated at the 72nd Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony on Monday evening, May 23, 2016 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Circle in the Square Theatre (West 50th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue), home of the current 2015 Tony® Award-winning Best Musical, Fun Home.   

At 8:30 AM tomorrow morning will be the announcement of the nominations for this year's Tony Awards! The announcements will be made by Tony nominee Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon; HBO's Girls) and Tony Award winner Patina Miller (Pippin; CBS' Madam Secretary). You can watch the first part of the announcement on CBS This Morning as well as a live webcast of the whole thing at TonyAwards.com.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met today for the fourth and final time this season to determine the eligibility of nine Broadway productions for the 2016 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The Tony Awards Administration Committee met a total of four times throughout the 2015-2016 season to decide the eligibility for the 70th Annual Tony Awards.   

Ghostlight Records has released the original cast recording of Bright Star, the new musical from Grammy and Emmy Award winner Steve Martin and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Edie Brickell in digital formats today, Friday, April 29.

This week, I put out a request for questions for me and the Bright Star cast. 

Drama Desk, Tony®, and Emmy® Award nominee and Theater World Award and NAACP Image Award winner Vanessa Williams (Into The Woods, The Trip to Bountiful, 'Ugly Betty') and Drama Desk, Tony®, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Drama League Award Nominee and SAG & TV Land Award winner Matthew Morrison (Finding Neverland, Hairspray, The Light in the Piazza, 'Glee') just announced the nominations for the 61st Annual Drama Desk Awards.

Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, this year's Easter Bonnet Competition (#BroadwayBonnets) was held at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th Street), home to Disney's The Lion King. Featuring performances by more than 230 Broadway and Off-Broadway singers and dancers, the Broadway Inspirational Voices and a stellar lineup of Broadway favorites, this year's fundraising total was a whopping $5,528,568! 

Our Bright Star original cast recording (OCR) comes out this week!

The 30th annual edition of Easter Bonnet Competition will feature performances by more than 230 Broadway and Off-Broadway singers and dancers, the Broadway Inspirational Voices and a stellar lineup of Broadway favorites, all celebrating six weeks of fundraising efforts by company members of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions.

Hello, Broadway World!

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was thrilled to present Tony-nominated composer Jeff Blumenkrantz, who was joined by his Bright Star cast mates to perform an evening of his original songs. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

The 2016 Drama League Award Nominees for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award were just announced this morning at Sardi's, by Aladdin stars Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed and James Monroe Iglehart. Check out the full list of nominees below!

Steve Martin and Edie Brickell introduced the cast of their new musical BRIGHT STAR, who gave a live performance of a number from the show, 'Whoa Mama,' led by Carmen Cusack and Paul Alexander Nolan.

Just this morning, Something Rotten and Spotlight star Brian d'Arcy James along with this season's break-out and genuflecting sensation Jennifer Simard from Broadway's Disaster announced the The Outer Critics Circle nominees for the 2015-16 season from New York's legendary Algonquin Hotel (59 W 44th Street.)  Outer Critics Circle nominations are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Bright Star Sings Jeff Blumenkrantz; The Legend of New York By Salzman & Cunningham Featuring Santino Fontana & Laura Osnes; Donna McKechnie: A Visit with Kander & Ebb; 54 Celebrates The Colonial Theatre; and The Girls in White: Songs from the Show.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for April 18-24, featuring Yellowjackets, Bright Star Sings Jeff Blumenkrantz, Arturo O'Farrill, and more!

Carmen Cusack, who currently stars in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's new hit musical on Broadway, Bright Star, sang the National Anthem earlier today at the New York Yankee's Opening Day. Scroll down for photos of her on the field!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its April 2016 schedule, featuring: Pharoah Sanders Quartet, Yellowjackets, Showbiz After Hours with Frank DiLella, The Birdland Big Band, Karrin Allyson, The Matt & Brian Show, Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more. Scroll down for details!

With direction by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreography by Josh Rhodes, Bright Star began performances on Thursday, February 25th, 2016 at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street), and opened last Thursday, March 24th, 2016. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the whole evening, starting with the sacred Gypsy Robe ceremony. Below, check out photos of gypsy robe recipient Sarah Jane Shanks with the company!