Singer/actress Nikki Blonsky truly embodies that notion of overnight success. Plucked from obscurity at age 17, then-newcomer Blonsky beat out hundreds of young girls from a nationwide open casting call to land the coveted lead role in the big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical HAIRSPRAY. On July 15-16, she will be slipping back into familiar territory as she joins MEN ALIVE: The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus for their 10th Anniversary Concert 'GREASY HAIRSPRAY' at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
Over the course of the next several weeks, we are going to be taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and dashing supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O‘Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everyone else, in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer, too. Season Three picks up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? All these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered (or beginning to be answered) come Sunday night! Plus, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned!
Legendary Willie Nelson is set to perform at bergenPAC on Wednesday, October 26 at 8 pm. Tickets will go on sale this Thursday, July 7th at 11:00 am. Willie Nelson is a sacred name in the country music industry, and he's been wowing audiences for three generations
Legendary Willie Nelson is set to perform at bergenPAC on Wednesday, October 26 at 8 pm. Tickets will go on sale this Thursday, July 7th at 11:00 am. Willie Nelson is a sacred name in the country music industry, and he's been wowing audiences for three generations
Abingdon Theatre Company - which has produced more than 60 new American plays in its 18-year history - launches its 2011-2012 Season of three world premieres, beginning this fall with BLAME IT ON BECKETT by John Morogiello, author of the recent Abingdon hit ENGAGING SHAW, set to begin previews October 7, prior to its official press opening October 16, at the Abingdon Theatre Complex's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre (312 West 36th Street), directed by Jackob G. Hofmann.
"Any Dream Will Do" sings the title character, Joseph, in Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. But for Anthony Fedorov, the former American Idol contestant and recording artist, who will don the multi-colored coat when that same show arrives at the Fox on June 26, those words aren't just lyrics in a play, but the theme of his own career that has evolved over the past 6 years. I had the chance to catch up with Anthony and talk about the show, his upcoming record and his musical journey so far.
The Ultimate Doo Wop Show returns to the Beacon Theatre on Saturday, June 18 at 8PM presented MSG Entertainment, Canterbury Productions & Star Productions.
The Ultimate Doo Wop Show returns to the Beacon Theatre on Saturday, June 18 at 8PM presented MSG Entertainment, Canterbury Productions & Star Productions.
Nashville's Blackbird Theater, fresh off its successful, critically lauded premiere season, is offering two rarely produced shows for audiences in the company's eagerly anticipated second season - G.K. Chesterton's Magic (running August 12-27) and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning Pacific Overtures (February 9-19, 2012) - creating a buzz that other theater companies can only envy and hope to create for their own season announcments.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' production of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's FOLLIES officially opened on May 21, 2011. The reviews for the show are still coming in and we've got a roundup of all the reviews below!
The New Musical Foundation and Off The Leash Productions are proud to announce that David Eric Davis' and Sam Forman's critically-acclaimed F#@KING UP EVERYTHING will premiere as part of the 2011 Capital Fringe Festival.
In a new article out in Billboard today, country sweetheart Taylor Swift reveals that the insiration for her groundbreaking, genre-defying concerts is good old fashion live theater. She tells Billboard: 'The first time that I fell in love with performing is when I went to go see theater in my hometown in Pennsylvania...I would see it done incredibly well -- going to see Broadway plays of 'Wicked' -- things like that just really inspired me from an early age to love putting on a theatrical performance where there are storylines and characters, and you're always seeing a scene change into another scene. I love telling a story in any way possible.'
The humidity is starting to climb and it's what we call around here -- 'corn weather'. But in the air-conditioned theatres in the Nation's Capital there is a harvest of new shows opening. So if you're here visiting the monuments and the Smithsonian museums, get out of the heat and come see a play or a musical.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' production of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's FOLLIES officially opened last night, May 21, 2011 after previews which began May 7. The cast features two-time Tony winner Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer, four-time Tony nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, two-time Tony nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion.
Bonnie Keen is, without doubt, one of the most fearless actors to ever take the stage in Nashville. With a gorgeous voice and a talent that is worthy of praise, she will do whatever it takes to connect with her audience, lacing her performances with warmth, wit and wonder. The first time I saw Bonnie onstage was years ago, back in the day, when she played the Witch in Circle Players' production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods; she was mesmerizing. Savvy and smart, she knows what works and what doesn't work onstage and in that role, in which she goes from ugly and twisted to beautiful and elegant, she displayed a range that other actors envy. At the time she did Into the Woods, she was taking a break from her burgeoning recording career: She's an award-winning member of the contemporary Christian music trio First Call.
Today we are talking to one of the brightest lights in the Broadway galaxy who has wowed West End and Broadway audiences alike with her tour de force performances in MISS SAIGON and LES MISERABLES, sold out stadiums the world over with her acclaimed concert appearances - many of them also available on CD and DVD - and, now, Lea Salonga tells us all about her experiences with LES MISERABLES over the years - the star-studded 10th Anniversary Concert Dream Cast performance, to essaying the role of Fantine in the Broadway revival opposite Norm Lewis and Aaron Lazar, among others, to preserving her take on the show‘s most famous song, 'I Dreamed A Dream', and the role of Fantine, for all time in the stunning 25th Anniversary LES MISERABLES: LIVE IN CONCERT, available now on DVD and Blu-ray. In addition to all things LES MIZ, including some fantastic behind-the-scenes stories, Lea and I also discuss her favorite moments in the show, its themes, how she got into the role every night - and, again, anew, for the concert celebration - and the unmistakable power and sweep of the concert as presented in full HD on Blu-Ray. Additionally, we touch on her favorite cast-mates, future roles, preferred performers, current obsessions and, even, a little GLEE - including her cross-Pacific flight with new breakout star Darren Criss. Most importantly, she shares her most pressing political and moral concerns as they pertain to our thorough consideration and discussion of the prescient themes at the core of Victor Hugo's classic tragedy and what message the novel and the show have for audiences today around the world - as well as much, much more! And, just what did Lea think of Anne Hathaway's take on 'On My Own' from LES MIZ at this year's Oscars? The LES MISERABLES: LIVE IN CONCERT DVD and Blu-ray are available now to own and can be purchased here.
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. The buzz from rehearsals tells us that things are going swimmingly, egos are being kept at-bay and all the cast members gather around the campfire to toast marshmallows and sing 'People' at the end of the evening (thus proving untrue my contention they were singing 'Kumbaya' every night). The dozen Fannys, of course, are my current 12 favorite singing actresses (I remind you, gentle reader, that I am contractually required to make that statement at least 12 times a day), and as you've gotten to know each Fanny one-by-one, we continue that tradition, today offering up the case of one, Ms. Bonnie Keen (who really is my favorite, but please don't tell Cori, Corrie, Sondra, Laura, Heather, Joann, Catherine, Alex, Nancy, Lindsay or Erica, they'll take it personally). So, here is today's interview with a Funny Fanny who, interestingly enough, has a funny fanny...read on to find out what I mean...
