Karen Olivo News

Today we are talking to a multi-talented performer who has performed on Broadway in everything from BROOKLYN to WICKED who made her most recent Broadway bows standing by in both ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT - the dynamic and compelling Julie Reiber. Talking all about her new solo album, LOVE TRAVELS, and its various inspirations as well as casting a look back at her many Broadway, touring and regional roles thus far in her eclectic career - ALL SHOOK UP, SWEENEY TODD and many more included - Reiber and I attempt to illustrate her unique place on Broadway and what she would like to pursue in the future, both on the stage and in the recording studio. Additionally, Reiber opens up about her exhaustive song selection process for LOVE TRAVELS and shares candid stories of the recording process of her solo debut, including providing some background on the songs that did not make the cut, how the sterling arrangements arose out of the material and the process of becoming a singer-songwriter in her own right over the project's three-year-long creation. Also, Reiber outlines her experiences performing in the out-of-town tryout of the new musical adaptation of Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY penned by rock super group Scissor Sisters and expresses her desire to continue with future iterations of the 70s-set Broadway-bound tuner as she looks ahead to her new roles of recording artist, and, also, she is happy to announce, mother. Plus, Julie offers details on her role in the heretofore little-known Meat Loaf-inspired movie musical ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (hopefully released some red moon soon), expresses her thoughts on GLEE and SMASH, compared Broadway now versus a decade ago - and much, much more!

Tony Award-winning Broadway star Karen Olivo (West Side Story, RENT) and fellow Broadway star George Akram (West Side Story) attended Chico's Angles last night, July 29, 2012. Check out photos of the pair with the cast below!

Principal photography has begun on "Very Good Girls," written and directed by Naomi Foner, with Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Boyd Holbrook, Demi Moore, Ellen Barkin, Richard Dreyfuss, Clark Gregg, Kiernan Shipka and Peter Sarsgaard. Norton Herrick's Herrick Entertainment is producing and financing the project with Michael London's Groundswell Productions producing. "Very Good Girls" will shoot on location in New York.

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented triple-threat who has graced the silver screen in CHICAGO, as well as in the TV productions of THE MUSIC MAN, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and in many stunt and dance double roles in his career thus far who has since become the protegee of dance extraordinaire Kenny Ortega and broken out on his own with a string of striking and memorable sequences in entities as diverse as TV's HELLCATS and the recent feature films THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, SUCKER PUNCH, MIRROR, MIRROR and TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 1 - gifted dancer/choreographer/director Paul Becker. Talking about many of his most memorable past projects and filling us in on his many current and future ones - TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 2, a Ben Vereen documentary, an original movie musical titled STAGE FRIGHT, a James Gray film featuring Jeremy Renner and Marion Cotillard, a Lifetime movie musical with Karen Olivo and even more - Becker brings us into his unique and idiosyncratic world and gives us a glimpse into how he achieves consistent excellence in all of his many endeavors as he attempts to define his anomalous career for us. Additionally, Becker takes a look back at acting onscreen in the Oscar-winning Best Picture CHICAGO, choreographing the ultimate vampire wedding, judging SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE? Canada, producing CANADA'S GOT TALENT, giving two hundred dancers movement for a Michael Buble music video and he also shares some hopes and wishes for what he would like to take on in his blindingly bright future in show business - directing a feature film, perhaps? What about a Broadway show when time permits? The possibilities are multitude and seemingly endless and Becker is one of the most brightly shining behind-the-scenes talents on the rise, as is clear to qualify by all of the exquisitely exciting entities he is involved with on the horizon, both near and far. Plus, Becker shares his experiences choreographing various THE MUPPETS movies, working with Ortega on the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus concert tours, directing the first YouTube feature film, dancing with death in MASTERS OF HORROR, giving moves to monsters in THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, staging the spectacular finale of MIRROR, MIRROR showcasing Julia Roberts, choreographing the fairy tale characters of ONCE UPON A TIME, and he also offers opinions on GLEE and SMASH, reveals his early influences, favorite stars, formative films - and much, much more!

Today BroadwayWorld's 2012 Tony Awards Clip Countdown continues by highlighting one of the most innovative and unforgettable musicals ever composed - the Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim/Arthur Laurents/Jerome Robbins masterpiece WEST SIDE STORY.

NBC previously announced that it will shift the season finale of HARRY LAWS to tonight, May 27th and bump its broadcast of THE FIRM. Encores of 'America's Got Talent' will replace both series this weekend.

NBC has announced that it will shift the season finale of HARRY LAWS to May 27th and bump its broadcast of THE FIRM. Encores of 'America's Got Talent' will replace both series this weekend.

Viva Broadway, a new audience development partnership with the Hispanic community, to help bridge the world of Broadway with Latino audiences around the country. The Viva Broadway advisory board includes Lucie Arnaz, Raúl Esparza, Gabriela García, John Leguizamo, Bianca Marroquín, Karen Olivo, Chita Rivera, Luis Salgado and Sergio Trujillo, among others.

West Side Story is arguably one of the most well known and beloved musicals of all time, and Toronto audiences have a chance to see this gorgeous new production for the next four weeks. Featuring some original Spanish dialogue and gorgeous sets and costumes, the show is fresh, energetic and yet timeless at the same time.

NBC will not bring back 'Harry's Law' for a third season, according to co-star Kathy Bates (Harriet 'Harry' Korn), who broke the news yesterday afternoon on Twitter.

Beginning on May 9, 2012, Broadway Inspirational Voices will be holding an online auction to raise funds.

Tony Award-winning actress Alice Ripley was the special surprise guest at the Broadway Artists Alliance 2011 Winter Workshop. Ripley had a Q&A with the students of Broadway Artists Alliance. She surprised the students with a performance of her new single 'Beautiful Eyes,' and a song from Next to Normal.

NBC has posted an exclusive 'on the set' video of its hit primetime legal drama HARRY'S LAW. The video is hosted by Broadway vet Karen Olivo who portrays Cassie Reynolds on the show. In the video, Karen catches the action everywhere on and around the Harry's Law set, including visits with Kathy Bates, Nate Corddry and the production team.

On December 10th and 11th, Christopher J. Hanke and Telly Leung joined Broadway Artists Alliance to lead master classes. Hanke led a How to Succeed...-themed master class, and Leung led a GLEE-themed master class. Both performers worked on song interpretation with a very fortunate group of students, and led a Q&A session. Check out photos from both events below!

With Annie returning to Broadway in 2012, Broadway Artists Alliance of New York City was pleased to present an Annie-themed master classes on December 11th with original Annie star Andrea McArdle and a casting representative from Telsey + Company.

On tonight's episode of NBC's HARRY'S LAW entitled, 'Purple Hearts', Harry (Kathy Bates), Oliver (Mark Valley) and Cassie (Karen Olivo) struggle to defend their client, a mother who stands accused of killing her infant son who suffered from a debilitating disorder with no hope for a cure. Meanwhile, Tommy (Christopher McDonald) and Adam (Nate Corddry) represent a former-soldier-turned-clown who, after suffering a minor traumatic brain injury in the Iraq War, was deemed ineligible for a Purple Heart. In the holiday spirit, Tommy and Adam try to get the veteran the recognition he deserves.

On tonight's episode of HARRY'S LAW, Tommy (Christopher McDonald) represents a struggling single mother who resorted to robbing a bank in order to pay her mounting bills. With Cassie's (Karen Olivo) help, they put the government on trial by arguing a rarely used defense. Mark Valley also stars.

'Bring It On: The Musical' opened on Friday, November 11 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Currently in previews, the production will continue through December 10. BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage from opening night below.

Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) will join millions of lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and allies by participating in Spirit Day and wearing purple on October 20, 2011.