Katie Finneran News

Just last night, The Public Theater celebrated its Annual Gala, HAIR TO HAMILTON, 50 Years of Revolutionary Musicals, at the Delacorte Theater. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, with musical direction by Rob Fisher and Nadia DiGiallonardo, the 90-minute concert featured songs from The Public's most beloved and groundbreaking musicals performed by some of the most celebrated voices in theater. 

Broadway's Danny Burstein, Katie Finneran and Christopher Fitzgerald served as gala award presenters at the 67th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony just last week, May 25th, at the legendary Sardi's Restaurant. BroadwayWorld is taking you inside the special day below!

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced its award winners for the 2016-17 season in 27 categories earlier this month. Broadway's Danny Burstein, Katie Finneran and Christopher Fitzgerald served as gala award presenters at the 67th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony yesterday, May 25th, at the legendary Sardi's Restaurant. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos below!

Just last night, Manhattan Theatre Club presented its annual Spring Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42nd Street) honoring Matthew C. Blank, Chairman of Showtime Networks Inc. This year's Gala was hosted by Emmy and Tony Award winner Mandy Patinkin and featured performances by many of the most acclaimed musicals on Broadway including Bandstand; A Bronx Tale; Come From Away; Dear Evan Hansen; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812; Sunset Boulevard; and a sneak peek of Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming production of Prince of Broadway.

On Tuesday, May 23rd the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony winner and Broadway legend Betty Buckley. For the episode, Buckley shares hilarious and fascinating stories from her nearly five decades as a Broadway and West End star. She also shares cuts from her new album STORY SONGS.

On Monday, May 8 the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony Award winner Gabriel Ebert. Ebert is currently starring alongside Harvey Fierstein in the critically acclaimed gay history play Gently Down the Stream which was written by Martin Sherrman (BENT, THE BOY FROM OZ). Gently Down the Stream plays at the Martinson Theater at The Public Theater through May 21st.

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2016-17 season in 27 categories.

On Monday, May 1st Theater People podcast welcomes MISS SAIGON star Eva Noblezada. For the episode, Noblezada shares her story of being discovered by casting director Tara Rubin at the 2013 National High School Musical Theater Awards (AKA The Jimmy Awards) and being fast-tracked to audition for the West End revival of MISS SAIGON.

On Monday, April 24 the Theater People podcast welcome's COME FROM AWAY star Jenn Colella. For the episode, Colella recounts her experience with the new Broadway musical--based on true events--from winning the role to meeting and befriending her real-life counterpart. She also shares fascinating stories from her previous work on Broadway.

Manhattan Theatre Club's new Broadway production of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan, opened just last night, Wednesday, April 19, at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). The limited engagement began performances on Wednesday, March 29. BroadwayWorld was on hand for opening night and we're taking you to the red carpet below!

On Monday, February 13th, Theater People podcast welcomes Tony-winner LaChanze. For the episode, LaChanze talks about how growing up in Connecticut afforded her the opportunity to make frequent trips into New York City where she saw such shows as the original CHICAGO and EVITA with Patti LuPone.

Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced that the annual WTF Gala will be held this year at Tao Downtown in New York City (92 Ninth Avenue) on Monday, March 13, 2017 at 6:30 PM.

HB Studio, one of New York's most venerable institutions for theater training and practice, is shaking things up this year for their annual benefit. This year HB Studio is bringing attention back to its roots, and back to the process of making great theater. Instead of one big benefit bash honoring esteemed alumni and colleagues (such as Fritz Weaver, Austin Pendleton, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Eric Bentley and David Hyde Pierce, Amanda Peet and Lee Grant, Tony Walton and Katie Finneran, Alfred Molina), HB will be hosting a series of intimate benefit performances featuring notable HB alumni and friends, exclusively produced in the HB Playwrights Theater. First up for the exciting 2016-17 season is:

On Monday, November 14, the Theater People podcast welcome's Tony nominee Brandon Uranowitz. He made his Broadway debut in 2011's BABY IT'S YOU. He earned a Tony nomination for his turn as Adam Hochberg in last year's AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, and he can currently be seen in the role of Mendel in William Finn and James Lapine's critically acclaimed revival of FALSETTOS. For the episode, Uranowitz discusses the six months of auditions he went through to win the role of Mendel, how James Lapine was lovingly hard on him during the show's rehearsal process, and shares a memory of accompanying Katie Holmes on a shopping spree during his pre-Broadway days when he worked as a sales associate.

On Monday, Theater People podcast welcome's HAMILTON'S Mandy Gonzalez. She made her Broadway debut in 2000 in AIDA as the Amnneris standby. She eventually took the role over full-time. She went on to originate roles in DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and LENNON before winning her breakout role as Nina in Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS, a role she originated in the show's pre-Off Broadway days. She went on to take over the role of Elphaba in WICKED and can now be seen eight times a week in the hottest show on Broadway, HAMILTON.

On Monday, October 17 the Theater People podcast welcome's Broadway favorite Jay Armstrong Johnson. Armstrong made his Broadway debut in 2009 in HAIR. He next stood-by for Aaron Tveit in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. He originated the role of Greg Wihote in the 2013 Broadway production of HANDS ON A HARDBODY and then starred as chip in the critically acclaimed 2014 revival of ON THE TOWN. For the episode, Johnson talks about how discovering theater at a young age changed his life for the better, how he was able to make Broadway producers take him seriously as a leading man, and shares some of the music from his new album 'Jay Armstrong Johnson: Live at Feinstein's / 54 Below.'

On Monday, October 3rd, Theater People podcast welcomes three-time Tony nominee Rebecca Luker. For the episode, Luker shares stories from her nearly three decades on Broadway, offers advice for actors just starting out, and offers her thoughts on 2016 Presidential election.

On Monday, September 18 the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony and Emmy Award winning director Thomas Kail. For the episode, Kail discusses creating the smash hit musical HAMILTON alongside his longtime collaborator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

On Friday, August 5th, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance received a visit from Tony Award winner, Jessie Mueller. She charmed them from the first moment when she sat down for her interview and rescued an eyelash from Artistic Director Jennifer Johns' cheek so that she could make a wish. Mueller's down-to-earth insight and wisdom was welcomed by the students of Broadway Artists Alliance in a Q&A that seemed to fly by. Scroll down for photos!