Jason Robert Brown News

Today's top stories: go inside opening night of The Inheritance, including photos, video, reviews, and more!

Great comedy is often the byproduct of political scandal and those who humorously comment on the news often overshadow the newsmakers themselves.  You might say that more Americans learned about the controversies of Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon from watching The Smothers Brothers and Mort Saul, rather than Walter Cronkite.  For over forty years our perceptions of world leaders have been defined more by the impersonations seen on Saturday Night Live than by actual news clips.  And today there are a multitude of television hosts combining comedy with deep analysis and investigative journalism to editorialize on the goings-on of the current administration.

SubCulture, the performing arts venue in downtown Manhattan, is pleased to announce Jason Robert Brown's special guest for his artist-in-residence concerts on November 23rd, 24th and 25th: Tony Award-winning actress/singer BETTY BUCKLEY (Cats, Sunset Boulevard).

Moonbox Productions, winner of numerous IRNE and Elliot Norton Awards, is thrilled to present Parade, the Tony Award-winning musical from the composer of The Last Five Years and The Bridges of Madison County, December 11th a?" 28th at the Boston Center for the Arts Roberts Theatre.  Produced by Sharman Altshuler, directed by Jason Modica with music direction by Catherine Stornetta and choreography by Kira Troilo, Parade is a powerful story with a soaring musical score.  Tickets are $50 general admission/$40 Seniors/$25 Students and are available at bostontheatrescene.com or by calling 617-933-8600. 

Kelli O'Hara was briefly back to London on Sunday the 10th for a two-show day at Cadogan Hall. The last time the city embraced her was in the guise of Anna in The King and I at the Palladium, which marked her West End debut and the chance for audiences over the pond to appreciate a performer who's been making waves in the US since the start of her career. Her comeback saw two solo concerts that blew the roof off the Hall.

San Antonio's newest Theater, Openstage Theatre Company, is bringing Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS to life! Openstage is putting everything they have into sharing such a moving tale of love, following your dreams, and the consequences of the choices we make. The story follows the ups and downs of the relationship between Cathy Hiwatt, a young struggling actress in the Big Apple, and Jamie Wellerstein, a talented writer on the brink of success. BWW had the privilege to sit down with Rachel Holdman, the music director and co-founder of Openstage, as well as Emilie Miller who plays Cathy, to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the upcoming production.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced the release of Legrand Affair (Deluxe Edition) from Tony Award-nominated singer, actress and writer Melissa Errico today, Friday, November 8. The extended and complete version of the album Legrand Affair, originally produced by Phil Ramone and Richard Jay-Alexander, features Errico with the 100-piece Brussels Philharmonic. The highlight of this special release is the last song Legrand wrote before passing away earlier this year, a?oeI Haven't Thought Of This In Quite A While.a??

On Saturday, November 2nd, Broadway's longest running Elphaba, Jackie Burns, worked with a group of students at Broadway Artists Alliance, workshopping audition material and sharing stories about her experiences in the industry. Burns garnered critical acclaim for her long running portrayal of Elphaba in the musical Wicked. She holds the distinction of most performances as the green-skinned witch on Broadway.

Former resident of OZ and Disney, Ryan McCartan comes of age in his debut solo show, currently playing at Feinstein's/54 Below

George Gershwin loved going to nightclubs. One evening when he was “on the town' with his pal Fred Astaire as they were in a club enjoying a group of entertainers George turned to Fred and said…”Where do all these new young talented people come from”?

We Are Here Productions in collaboration with Cue to Cue Productions announces the first musical from Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, Songs for a New World to benefit the Canadian Women's Foundation. Generously supported by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Canadian Actor's Equity Association, and MTI Licensing, We Are Here Productions will be donating every dollar made to support the Canadian Women's Foundation over three shows. With six of Toronto's hottest emerging musical theatre artists, a full band, and moving choreography, Songs for a New World will remind us how to move forward when faced with our breaking point.

Love is never easy, and breakups are even harder. Yet the musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS now playing at Cygnet Theatre through November 17th has compelling performances and impressive vocals which make this musical easy to love.

The Drama League honored Sutton Foster at the organization's 36th Annual Benefit Gala this fall. The black-tie evening honoring Foster - a two-time Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Fred Astaire, and Gracie Award winner and star of TV Land's hit television series 'Younger' -- took place on Monday, October 28, 2019.

Broadway Records announced today that a first listen track of the song SMELL OF REBELLION from the upcoming album Hayden Tee: Face to Face is now be available to stream on SoundCloud.

Tony and Drama Desk nominees Kate Baldwin (Hello Dolly, Big Fish, Giant, Finnian's Rainbow) and Bob Stillman (Grey Gardens, Dirty Blonde, Saturn Returns, Hello Again) team up on November 20 for a special recital in the Fabbri Chamber Concerts series, in the magnificent library of the historic Fabbri Mansion (now the House of the Redeemer) on the Upper East Side (7 East 95th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues).

The Drama League has revealed more of the artists who will be celebrating Sutton Foster at the organization's 36th Annual Benefit Gala next week. The black-tie evening honoring Foster a?" a two-time Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Fred Astaire, and Gracie Award winner and star of TV Land's hit television series a?oeYoungera?? -- will take place on Monday, October 28, 2019 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in New York City at The Plaza (768 Fifth Avenue). As previously announced, EY is the 2019 recipient of The Drama League's Arts Ally Award, to be accepted by Herb Engert at the Benefit Gala.

Today's conversation is with Betsy Wolfe, who has established herself as one of the most versatile and keenly intelligent Broadway performers of her generation. She recently starred as Jenna Hunterson, the title role in the Tony nominated musical Waitress.  Prior to that, she played Cordelia, one of the one of the lovable a?oelesbians from next door,a?? in the Broadway revival of Falsettos directed by James Lapine, which recently aired on PBS. She is perhaps best known for her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years.

It's amazing to think that it has only been just six weeks since Tony Award winning stage and screen actress Betty Buckley ended her much-lauded 13-month-long engagement starring as the title role in the recent Broadway national tour production of HELLO DOLLY. During that brief stretch of time post-Dolly Levi, Ms. Buckley has been preparing to go back out on the road again, this time returning to her series of touring intimate one-woman concerts---no elaborate period costumes or scripted story dialogue this time, just her selection of favorite songs and her undeniable talent in its purest form. Luckily, Orange County is the first stop of her new show, which continues through October 19, 2019 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Samueli Theater in Costa Mesa, where the show serves as the 2019-2020 Season Opener for the Center's Cabaret Concert Series.

The Sound Inside began performances, Saturday, September 14, and officially opened last night, October 17, on Broadway at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street). We're taking you to the star-studded red carpet below!