Glen Ballard News

On February 5th, Tony Award winner Idina Menzel made her debut with the New York Philharmonic. During the performance, the stage and screen star performed Lady Gaga's 'Pokerface.'

Idina Menzel, whose Broadway credits include originating the role of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked, released her latest solo album in 2008 and has been promoting it in concerts across the country since. On February 5th, she makes her debut with the New York Philharmonic; she met with Leonard Lopate to discuss the album, concerts, and more. Listen to the interview below!

The Prince of Wales Theatre in London's West End - home to Mamma Mia! since 2004 - will be host the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards. The awards are in their 11th annual presentation this year. Actor Christopher Biggins, perhaps best known for his various comedy roles for the better part of three decades, will host the event.

Superstar vocalist Idina Menzel, star of Wicked, Rent and Fox's hit television show Glee, lends her powerhouse talents to the North Carolina Symphony for her first-ever Raleigh concert.

Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, Thursday, January 13, that they have joined forces for one of the most anticipated musical events of the year, "The Heart & Soul Tour".

When Katy Perry burst onto the music scene in 2007/2008 with the hits You're So Gay and ?I Kissed A Girl,? it was a far cry from the sheltered minister?s daughter who began her career singing Christian-themed music.

BroadwayWorld.com has heard from those in the audience on Tuesday night that the show was stopped once and that stuffed into the Playbill was word of a new cast member, and multiple understudies.

BroadwayWorld.com was the first to report back on December 2 when Natalie Mendoza, who plays the lead role of Arachne in SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark had received a concussion and the role was to be played in her absence by understudy America Olivo. The star then returned to the show on December 15, but then was out of the show again with Olivo, and then Carpio playing the role.

When Katy Perry burst onto the music scene in 2007/2008 with the hits You're So Gay and ?I Kissed A Girl,? it was a far cry from the sheltered minister?s daughter who began her career singing Christian-themed music.

As BroadwayWorld had speculated earlier this week, SPIDER-MAN's Natalie Mendoza has recovered from her concussion and returned to the show last night, December 15.

Sh-K-Boom has announced that Broadway favorite Alice Ripley will realease a new album, Daily Practice - Volume 1 on February 15, 2011.

BroadwayWorld has been hearing that SPIDER MAN's Natalie Mendoza, who has been out of the show since December 2 due to a concussion she received during the first preview, could be out of the show for as long as another week. A spokesperson for the production stated that Mendoza 'would be going back into the production very soon,' in response. Reportedly, Mendoza underwent medical testing this week.

BroadwayWorld has been hearing that SPIDER MAN's Natalie Mendoza, who has been out of the show since December 2 due to a concussion she received during the first preview, could be out of the show for as long as another week. A spokesperson for the production stated that Mendoza 'would be going back into the production very soon,' in response. Reportedly, Mendoza underwent medical testing this week.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that SPIDER MAN's Natalie Mendoza, who has been out of the show due to an injury she received during the first preview, has missed yet another perfomance tonight, December 8. We have been notified that the Spidey team is hopeful that she will return 'very soon'.

4 Tracks from the cast's recording session at Abbey Road Studios are now available in streaming format on the show's official web site, right here.

Last night, BroadwayWorld.com reported that Natalie Mendoza, who plays the lead role of Arachne in SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark had received a concussion and the role will be played through Tuesday (at minimum) by understudy America Olivo. We've confirmed that Mendoza was indeed injured during the show's first preview when she was hit in the head by a rope (or by a piece of equipment). The actress knew on Tuesday that she had a concussion, but still performed in the show against doctors orders on Tuesday night. It's been speculated that this might have to do with the limited time that an understudy would have had to rehearse, but nothing has been confirmed as to the specifics of why she went on Tuesday and is now sidelined.

Last night, BroadwayWorld.com reported that Natalie Mendoza, who plays the lead role of Arachne in SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark had received a concussion and the role will be played through Tuesday (at minimum) by understudy America Olivo. We've just confirmed that Mendoza was indeed injured during the show's first preview when she was hit in the head by a rope and the extent of the injury was not realized until later in the week. We're told that an official statement with more information will be revealed shortly. We checked with Actors Equity who has confirmed that they are looking into the matter and also has no comment at the current time.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that Natalie Mendoza, who plays the lead role of Arachne in SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark has received a concussion and the role will be played through Tuesday by understudy America Olivo.

WONDERLAND - A New Alice. A New Musical has confirmed complete casting: Janet Dacal (In The Heights) as Alice, Darren Ritchie (Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as White Knight, E. Clayton Cornelious as Caterpillar, Jose Llana (Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song) as El Gato, Karen Mason (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Queen of Hearts, Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde) as Mad Hatter, Carly Rose Sonenclar (Les Miserables, Little House on the Prairie) as Chloe and Edward Staudenmayer (Spamalot, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) as White Rabbit. With a book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy, lyrics by Jack Murphy, music by Frank Wildhorn, choreography by Marguerite Derricks and direction by Gregory Boyd, WONDERLAND will open at Broadway's Marquis Theatre on Sunday, April 17, 2011, and performances will begin Monday, March 21.

Deadline.com has just revealed that Broadway darling Idina Menzel will be the star of a new musical drama by Samantha Who? scribe Bob Kushell for ABC. According to Deadline: 'Idina Menzel is headlining her own musical hourlong project, a mother-daughter relationship drama in the vein of Gilmore Girls. It will star the Broadway actress as the single mother of a teenager who, to make ends meet, waits tables and performs at weddings and bar mitzvahs, odd jobs that Menzel herself worked early on while pursuing a Broadway career.'