Jose Llana News

Asian CineVision opened The 42nd Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF42) with the timely immigration drama YELLOW ROSE on Thursday night at Asia Society in New York.

Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater closed out the Pride Plays' festival of play readings commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, with a benefit reading of Terrence McNally's Some Men, helmed by Logan Reed, on June 24 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.

The Drama League has announced an inaugural event: First Stage Festival, where new works take their first steps, featuring 10 resident directors who will have 10 hours to focus and manifest a particular moment or element of 10 new works, giving a glimpse into the future of the American Theater.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announces casting and creative teams for the summer season of new musicals and plays selected for development at the National Music Theater Conference and National Playwrights Conference.

Festival producers Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and Festival Director Nick Mayo announce casting for the benefit closing night reading of Some Men, written by Terrence McNally

Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization just celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific with a gala concert at The St. Regis New York (2 E 55th Street). The event also served as a fundraiser for Broadway Dreams, a not-for-profit performing arts training organization with global reach. 

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Welcome to a new week full of Broadway goodness! Catch up on the latest news below!

Lincoln Center's American Songbook continued this week with a thrilling performance from Broadway veteran Jose Llana.

Broadway vet Jose Llana returned for the 20th season of Lincoln Center's American Songbook, four years after his sold-out appearance at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Llana performed in The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center and was joined by his Here Lies Love cast members Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Renee Albulario and Billy Bustamante on February 1st.

The King and I's Jose Llana dazzled in his return to Lincoln Center's American Songbook Concert Series on February 1st, four years after his sold-out appearance at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Mr. Llana's glorious tenor filled The Appel Room, where he was accompanied by his Here Lies Love cast members Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Renee Albulario and Billy Bustamante.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Get through hump day with today's top Broadway stories!

Lincoln Center's American Songbook kicks off Wednesday, January 30 with a thrilling performance of classic Broadway song and dance numbers by Tony Yazbeck. See Tony dancing his way to his latest gig below!

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.

It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

Following the critically acclaimed Broadway smash hit run of the THE KING AND I and its box office sold out record breaking season at the world famous London Palladium, comes the announcement that the multi Tony Award winning production will now embark on a major UK tour from Spring 2019.

This week, Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization hosted the 70th Anniversary gala concert celebration of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific. 

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization announced today that two-time Grammy Award-winner Isabel Leonard, Broadway vet Eden Espinosa, and Tony Award nominee Erin Dilly will join the cast of the previously announced 70th Anniversary gala concert celebration of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific. The evening will take place on Monday, December 10, 2018 at The St. Regis New York (2 E 55th Street) and will serve as a fundraiser for Broadway Dreams, a not-for-profit performing arts training organization with global reach. Tickets for the event start at $1,000 and can be purchased at broadwaydreams.org/event-tickets.

The 2018 Inaugural NAAP (National Asian Artists Project) Gala took place on December 2nd celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Rodgers & Hammerstein's groundbreaking musical 'Flower Drum Song'. Cast members from numerous productions including the original 1958 Broadway company, tours, the 1961 film and the 2002 Broadway revival took over the Golden Unicorn Restaurant in the heart of Chinatown for a magical evening that included a spectacular eight course Chinese banquet and a sensational show.