Douglas Hodge News

Christine Andreas brings her much hailed and highly anticipated Cabaret 'be-Mused' to The Annenberg Theatre in Palm Springs tonight, January 18 at 8:00 pm.

Christine Andreas brings her much hailed and highly anticipated Cabaret "be-Mused" to The Annenberg Theatre in Palm Springs on Saturday, January 18 at 8:00 pm. Ms. Andreas first captured New York City theatre-goer's hearts and became a bonifide star in the 20th anniversary production of MY FAIR LADY as Eliza Doolittle (Theatre World Award); followed by the revival of OKLAHOMA!, as Laurey, working with Billy Hammerstein & Agnes deMillle (Tony Nomination); and ON YOUR TOES, as Frankie Frayne, directed by the legendary director George Abbott, (Tony Nomination). The LA Times called her "a mesmerizing musical presence".?I had the opportunity to chat with Ms. Andreas about her upcoming Cabaret Performance at The Annenberg Theatre in Palm Springs, and all things "Christine". Here are a few excerpts from that interview.

Featuring a classic score overflowing with standards and a certain rat-a-tat syncopation and sassy style all its own, Frank Loesser's indelible musical comedy GUYS & DOLLS is one of the greatest musicals of all time and the incredibly exciting cast just announced for the upcoming Carnegie Hall concert is icing on the cake insofar as an ideal presentation of it - Nathan Lane as Nathan Detroit, Megan Mullally as Adelaide, Patrick Wilson as Sky Masterson and Sierra Boggess as Sarah Brown.

Last week (Monday 28th October to Saturday 2nd November 2013) Roald Dahl's' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory broke the West End record for the highest reported weekly gross sales. Over the course of the nine show week almost 20,000 people saw the musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane achieving a record value of £1,062,606. This figure also breaks the show's own Drury Lane record set in August 2013. Since the box office opened in October 2012 the show has taken £21million in ticket sales and is now booking through to November 2014.

The hit West End production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Sam Mendes, announced today that it has extended its booking period by six months until 1 November 2014. The show had previously been booking until 31 May 2014. The production, which has so far been seen by almost 300,000 people since it began previews in May 2013, is extending its run due to popular demand, releasing almost 400,000 extra tickets.

Entertainment One has announced that it will release DIANA, director Oliver Hirschbiegel's biopic of the Princess of Wales, today, November 1 in a limited nationwide release, with expansion planned in subsequent weeks.

The longlist for the annual Evening Standard Theatre Awards has been announced, and includes Dame Judi Dench, Dame Helen Mirren, James McAvoy and Dominic West.

With top names already announced, the first LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET continues to attract more exciting performers to their roster, and they will perform throughout the exceptional month long Festival, setting London alive with the sound of Cabaret at its Songbook best. The LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET dates have been extended; with the Festival now starting TODAY 13 OCTOBER and the new end date is SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2013.

Nominees this year include stars from The Bodyguard, Merrily We Roll Along, The Book of Mormon, Once, Barnum, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Color Purple.

The original London cast recording of the new stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's celebrated children's novel CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is now available to purchase, featuring Tony Award-winning Douglas Hodge in the notable role of Willy Wonka.

Today in 1946, Cyrano de Bergerac opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), where it ran for 193 performances. Cyrano de Bergerac is a play written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand. Although there was a real Cyrano de Bergerac, the play bears a very scant resemblance to his life. The entire play is written in verse, in rhyming couplets of 12 syllables per line, very close to the Alexandrine format, but the verses sometimes lack a caesura. Notable English-speaking Cyranos include Ralph Richardson, DeVeren Bookwalter, Derek Jacobi, Richard Chamberlain, and Christopher Plummer, who played the part in Rostand's original play and won a Tony Award for the 1973 musical adaptation. Kevin Kline played the role in a Broadway production in 2007. The play is currently in previews at the American Airlines Theatre, starring Douglas Hodge in the title role.

Rom.Dot.Com is a comedy web series about online dating! Kate, an unemployed 20-something living in her crazy grandmother's basement takes the only writing job she can find: ghostwriting online dating profiles. Season 1 charts Kates foils through crazy dates -- both for herself and her clients. The series is created by Suzy Evans and Molly McGaughey. Check out the trailer below!

The national tour of Roundabout Theatre Company's ANYTHING GOES, the new Broadway revival of Cole Porter's timeless classic musical theatre masterpiece, will make its Orange County premiere tonight, September 24 - 29 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts as part of the Curtain Call Series.

Sam Mendes' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opened on June 26th in London's West End, is now playing through May 31, 2014 in the UK, and according to the New York Times, the show will be 'retooled' before moving to Broadway in the 2014-15 season.

London will celebrate CABARET in the inaugural LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET, celebrating The Great American and European Songbooks, and will see this extraordinary Cabaret genre playing in venues across the Capital from SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER to SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2013 - a Festival filled with unique opportunities to see world class cabaret acts, newcomers and artists who have never ventured into the world of cabaret….

Entertainment One has announced that it will release DIANA, director Oliver Hirschbiegel's biopic of the Princess of Wales, on November 1 in a limited nationwide release, with expansion planned in subsequent weeks.

Sam Mendes' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opened on June 26th in London's West End, is now playing through May 31, 2014 in the UK, and according to the Washington Post, the show will have a life overseas soon after.

On the heels of its successful first season in 2012/13, the Broadway @ NOCCA concert series has already updated the lineup for its second season. Five of New York theater's leading ladies (one of whom is famously a man in disguise) will perform in New Orleans in 2013/14 as the popular series leaps again to NOCCA's Lupin Hall from its original summer home at The Art House in Provincetown, MA. The series is hosted again by Sirius/XM radio star Seth Rudetsky at piano. The 2013 - 2014 Broadway @ NOCCA Season is made possible by the generous support of The New Orleans Hotel Collection and Gambit.

Billy Porter, 2013 Tony Award Winner for Best Actor in a Musical (Kinky Boots) surprised students of Broadway Artists Alliance Summer Intensive Session One with his appearance on July 25th. Porter entertained the students with tales of his experiences. In addition, he participated in a Q&A, answering student's questions and providing advice for young performers. Check out a look back below!

With top names already announced, the first LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET continues to attract more exciting performers to their roster, and they will perform throughout the exceptional month long Festival, setting London alive with the sound of Cabaret at its Songbook best. The LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET dates have been extended; with the Festival now starting on SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER and the new end date is SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2013.