John Cudia News

Find out which Broadway in Bryant Park performances left a lasting mark on our readers!

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents The Four Phantoms In Concert on January 9, 10, and 11, 2020. An extravagant celebration of the iconic music of Broadway and more, The Four Phantoms brings together four former Phantoms from the Tony Award-winning The Phantom of the Opera for an unforgettable night of entertainment. The Four Phantoms features an extraordinary quartet of performers, including Brent Barrett, John Cudia, Franc D'Ambrosio, and Ciarán Sheehan under the music supervision of two-time Grammy Award-winner David Caddick and music direction of Ryan Shirar.

Paper Mill Playhouse's New Jersey premiere of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz has officially opened! The new musical features a book by Marc Acito, musical adaptation & additional music by David Libby and conceived by and additional lyrics by Tina Marie Casamento.

As with each passing season, 2018 proved to be another exceptional year for theater not only in Souther California in general but also in Orange County---my home base. This year, the OC finally welcomed the debut of what has become this century's most awarded and most renowned stage musical ever about the Founding Father etched regally on the 10 dollar bill. Meanwhile, So. Cal. enjoyed a powerful surge of new stage works that explored Asian-American experiences, a positive step forward in the presentation of diverse voices we seldom hear from on the stage. A pair of touring musicals---both opening in the O.C. in early 2019---made such an impact in their Los Angeles engagements for me personally that I had to include them in my list, even though I have not 'officially' reviewed the productions for print. With that said, here is my 'Best of 2018' from Orange County and adjacent locales nearby---a mixture of outstanding shows and brilliant performances that made a lasting, memorable imprint in my theatergoing experience this year.

Ron Bohmer, who plays Elder Price's father in the national tour of BOOK OF MORMON, talks about this controversial musical which he calls a 'Love Letter to Musical Theatre.' As Bohmer said, 'It really is, in my lifetime, the biggest love letter to this art form. And I love this art form! To be part of something that gives audiences that feeling every night is a deep honor.'

Get ready to indulge in the Viennese torte known as Franz Lehar's comedic operetta The Merry Widow (Die Lustige Witwe). Set in the heart of vibrant fin de siecle Paris, the wealthy widow Hanna Glawari schemes to win the heart of dashingly handsome Count Danilo. A scandalous caper ensues while suitors conspire to obtain the widow's fortune.

Irish Repertory Theatre, the New York home for Irish and Irish-American theatre, will celebrate their 30th Anniversary this fall with a special public block party. The event, which is free and open to all ages, will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2018, 30 years to the day from the first-ever Irish Rep performance. Featured performers at the block party will include Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and Leeyna Rideout (War Horse), each of whom have conceived and will star in their own respective solo shows at Irish Rep this fall.

Tickets and subscription packages are now available for the upcoming blockbuster 2018-2019 Vancouver Opera's Season & Festival. The Season opens with Lehar's The Merry Widow (Die Lustige Witwe), an Art Nouveau-inspired comedic operetta (October 20-28, 2018, Queen Elizabeth Theatre) and continues with Puccini's much-loved La Boheme (February 14-24, 2019, Queen Elizabeth Theatre).

Irish Repertory Theatre announced today that Ben Davis (Violet, A Little Night Music) will join the cast of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER in the role of "Dr. Mark Bruckner" beginning Thursday, August 9.

This week the series continued with special performance from the cast of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Ben Crawford, Ali Ewoldt, Jay Armstrong Johnson); DESPERATE MEASURES (Lauren Molina, Conor Ryan); ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (Stephen Bogardus, Melissa Errico, John Cudia, Florrie Bagel, William Bellamy, Rachel Coloff, Peyton Crim, Caitlin Gallogly, Matt Gibson, Daisy Hobbs, Craig Waletzko); BEAUTIFUL (Kara Lindsay, Ben Jacoby, Sara Sheppard, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Salisha Thomas, Yasmeen Sulieman, Alex Hairston).

Broadway in Bryant Park is back! The 2018 program brings the best of Broadway together for free performances for six consecutive weeks through Thursday, August 16. New Yorkers and visitors to the Big Apple are invited to come at 11 a.m. every Thursday with performances running from 12:30 p.m. EST - 1:30 p.m. EST on the Bryant Park Stage. Hosted by 106.7 LITE FM's on-air personalities, this year's annual presentation continues this week.

This week's performers will include: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Ben Crawford, Ali Ewoldt, Jay Armstrong Johnson); DESPERATE MEASURES (Lauren Molina, Conor Ryan); ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (Stephen Bogardus, Melissa Errico, John Cudia, William Bellamy, Rachel Coloff, Peyton Crim, Caitlin Gallogly, Matt Gibson, Daisy Hobbs, Craig Waletzko); BEAUTIFUL (Kara Lindsay, Ben Jacoby, Sara Sheppard, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Salisha Thomas, Yasmeen Sulieman, Alex Hairston)

This week's performers will include: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Ben Crawford, Ali Ewoldt, Jay Armstrong Johnson); DESPERATE MEASURES (Lauren Molina, Conor Ryan); ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (Stephen Bogardus, Melissa Errico, John Cudia, William Bellamy, Rachel Coloff, Peyton Crim, Caitlin Gallogly, Matt Gibson, Daisy Hobbs, Craig Waletzko); BEAUTIFUL (Kara Lindsay, Ben Jacoby, Sara Sheppard, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Salisha Thomas, Yasmeen Sulieman, Alex Hairston)

This week's performers will include: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Ben Crawford, Ali Ewoldt, Jay Armstrong Johnson); DESPERATE MEASURES (Lauren Molina, Conor Ryan); ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (Stephen Bogardus, Melissa Errico, John Cudia, William Bellamy, Rachel Coloff, Peyton Crim, Caitlin Gallogly, Matt Gibson, Daisy Hobbs, Craig Waletzko); BEAUTIFUL (Kara Lindsay, Ben Jacoby, Sara Sheppard, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Salisha Thomas, Yasmeen Sulieman, Alex Hairston)

Irish Repertory Theatre announces an extension for ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, which features music by Burton Lane and book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.

Irish Repertory Theatre will present world premiere of WILD ABANDON by Leenya Rideout (War Horse). Directed by Lisa Rothe (Hold These Truths), WILD ABANDON begins performances on September 19, 2018 at Irish Rep Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) on the W. Scott McLucas Studio Stage, with an opening night set for September 25, and will run through October 21, 2018.

Irish Repertory Theatre's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever just opened last night, June 28 The show stars Tony Award-nominee Stephen Bogardus (Bright Star), John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico (Finian's Rainbow). ON A CLEAR DAY features music by Burton Lane and book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.

Irish Repertory Theatre's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever just opened last night, June 28 The show stars Tony Award-nominee Stephen Bogardus (Bright Star), John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico (Finian's Rainbow). ON A CLEAR DAY features music by Burton Laneand book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.

Irish Repertory Theatre's ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER begins performances tonight, June 15! The show stars Tony Award-nominee Stephen Bogardus (Bright Star), John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico (Finian's Rainbow). ON A CLEAR DAY features music by Burton Laneand book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.

Irish Repertory Theatre's ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER begins performances tonight, June 15! The show stars Tony Award-nominee Stephen Bogardus (Bright Star), John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico (Finian's Rainbow). ON A CLEAR DAY features music by Burton Laneand book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. The cast held a preview event last night, June 14, and BroadwayWorld got in on the action! Check out photos below!