Donna Murphy News

It is a rare enough occurrence for a genuine born and bred Broadway star to emerge post-millennium, but one as astonishingly versatile as Raul Esparza, having scored accolades since his blazing debut in a string of hit plays and musicals, ranging from Mamet and Sondheim and Pinter to CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and his aforementioned Broadway bow in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, is a downright cause for celebration. Esparza makes his grand return to the Broadway stage in a musical with his upcoming starring role in Alan Menken & Glenn Slater's adaptation of the Steve Martin film LEAP OF FAITH, featuring a country and gospel influenced score and a spirited, energetic production by Christopher Ashley (who, incidentally, helmed Esparza's first Broadway show, ROCKY HORROR). While Esparza has been seen in many - most, if not quite all - Broadway seasons in the decade since 2001, he has also scored in leading roles in regional productions such as 2002's spectacular SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG revivals, part of the unprecedented Sondheim Celebration, as well as the Cincinnati Playhouse COMPANY, directed by John Doyle, which transferred to Broadway and was subsequently preserved on DVD and Blu-ray, in addition to being presented on PBS as part of Great Performances. Besides Esparza's many notable musical revival performances (lest we forget his essaying of the Emcee in CABARET), he also created the Broadway iterations of his roles in the controversial and brilliantly scored TABOO, produced by Rosie O'Donnell and composed by Boy George, as well as the stage adaptation of the hit family classic CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, as well as originating the lead role in TICK, TICK...BOOM! Having played three of Sondheim's most memorable male roles was not enough, though, apparently, for Esparza recently took on the part of the hapless Hapgood in Sondheim's ANYONE CAN WHISTLE when it was revived at City Center's Encores! - with Tony-winners Donna Murphy and Sutton Foster his co-stars, no less - with much success. Yet, in one of a myriad of examples of the broad spectrum of Esparza's abilities, it is instructive to remember he first made a name for himself with the role of Che in an Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice show, directed by no less than the ultimate man of the theatre himself, Harold Prince - EVITA, which, of course, is being revived this season with Ricky Martin in the role of Che. Besides Esparza's many musical roles throughout the past decade and prior, he has also carved out a seriously impressive straight drama resume, having appeared in plays by the great playwrights of our age, such as Pinter (THE HOMECOMING), Mamet (SPEED-THE-PLOW), Stoppard (ARCADIA) and, the greatest of all, Shakespeare (AS YOU LIKE IT, part of Shakespeare In The Park). ROCKY HORROR to ARCADIA to, now, with LEAP OF FAITH, Esparza constantly and consistently surprises fans and audiences alike with his audacious choice in roles and electrifying performances that are indelibly enjoyable in their uniqueness, variety and sheer breadth of emotion - time and time again. Yes, indeed, Raul Esparza is the best of the best Broadway has to offer, so let us hope LEAP OF FAITH is the ideal star vehicle for one of the most charismatic and multi-talented leading men of the 21st century and that it brings him his well-deserved Best Actor Tony at last.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents its annual 2012 Spring Gala honoring Academy Award, Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Rob Marshall.

Happy Birthday, Donna Murphy! Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens. She received three more Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in Wonderful Town as Ruth Sherwood, LoveMusik as Lotte Lenya and The People in the Picture as Raisel/Bubbie. She is known, most recently, for her role as Mother Gothel in the animated Disney film Tangled (2010), Anij, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love interest, in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and her numerous stage roles in musical theatre.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents its annual 2012 Spring Gala honoring Academy Award, Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Rob Marshall.

Today we are talking to one of the busiest lyricists in show business, Glenn Slater. In the first part of our extensive discussion, besides discussing all aspects of the writing of LOVE NEVER DIES with Andrew Lloyd Webber and its West End debut, Slater also elaborated on the rewriting of the show and how this new Australian production and unprecedented in-theater presentation of it across the US is the ultimate realization of Lloyd Webber's dream vision for the musical drama - something the Lord shared with me himself when he recently did this column. In addition to all about LOVE NEVER DIES, in this second half of our recent chat Slater and I also trace his career trajectory to date, with a focus on his recent collaborations with composer Alan Menken on the smash hit Disney animated film, TANGLED, along with the currently-running Broadway hit, SISTER ACT, and, the upcoming Spring opening of their new musical, LEAP OF FAITH, starring Raul Esparza, as well as their previous theatre venture, THE LITTLE MERMAID. Plus, Slater shines some light on his upcoming projects, which include a Dreamworks animated musical with Menken, as well as a stage collaboration with his wife, Wendy Leigh Wilf, titled BEATSVILLE - all of that and much, much more!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present its annual 2012 Spring Gala honoring Academy Award, Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Rob Marshall.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 12, 2012 - Sunday, February 12, 2012.

The 2012 Grammy for 'Best Song Written for Visual Media' has been awarded to composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater.

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Theatreworks USA celebrates its 50th Anniversary tonight at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square North).

On Monday, February 6, The Drama League honored Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth at the famed Pierre Hotel. BroadwayWorld was on hand to speak with Chenoweth and all of the evening's stars and takes you inside the event below!

This year The Drama League's Gala featured Academy and Tony Award-winner Joel Grey, Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti, Elaine Paige, Tony Award-winner Donna Murphy, pop sensation Nick Jonas, Cheyenne Jackson, Tony Award-winner Debra Monk, Andrew Lippa, Marlo Thomas, Brent Barrett, Tony Award-winner Carole Shelley, Josh Young, David Elder, Marni Nixon, Jason Graae, Eden Espinosa, Kevin Clash from 'Sesame Street,' plus original and current cast members from the Broadway musical Wicked and more - view the performances from the special event below!

Theatreworks USA has just announced the complete lineup for its upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration gala, set for this Sunday, February 12, 2012 at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square North).

The 28th Annual Drama League Benefit Gala, A Musical Celebration of Broadway Honoring Kristin Chenoweth, was held on February 6, 2012 at the famed Pierre Hotel in New York City. Check out photos from the red carpet below!

Victoria Clark, Brian D'Arcy James, Sutton Foster, Kellli O'Hara and Rebecca Luker are among the Broadway stars who will be featured on 'Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullay Project', a two-CD set which will be released this spring as a fund raising project for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition.

Audra McDonald, who currently stars in Broadway's Porgy and Bess was named a Givenik Ambassador. She talks to Givenik.com about Broadway Impact and Porgy and Bess. See the full video below!

Happy February!! Eager to get a jump start on booking up your calendar for the month? Since no one can be everywhere at once, here are my official BroadwayGirlNYC picks for the month of February.

The Drama League just announced that pop star Nick Jonas will join the roster of special guests for their 28th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring Tony® and EmmyAward®-winner Kristin Chenoweth, to be held on February 6, 2012 at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). Designed by celebrity event planner Preston Bailey, the Gala supports the educational initiatives of The Drama League Directors Project.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Tony Award Nominated actress & singer Anita Gillette will be presenting a wonderful evening of music and memories while taking an intimate, touching, and hilarious look behind the scenes from Broadway to Hollywood in her new autobiographical one-woman show "After All."