Lacretta News

Birdland, the New York City landmark music room, was the place for Broadway and concert stage star Daniel Reichard to perform his annual New York City holiday show December 17, 18 and 19. Reichard, who created the role of Bob Gaudio in the Original Broadway Cast of Jersey Boys and currently tours with the vocal group, 'The Midtown Men,' has celebrated the holidays with a concert for the past nine years.

From a 14-year-old up and comer to a DANCING WITH THE STARS' mirrorball champion, 2016 has been a year filled with noteworthy debuts on the Great White Way. Below, BWW looks back on the talented actors who were profiled in this year's 'Debut of the Month' column.

We're breaking out the Mulled Cider and the Winter Sangria--okay, the full bar is out this week for a very special Holiday Episode recorded live at the Broadwaysted Holiday Party! Kimberly added 'Official Hostess' to her list of job titles this week as she opened her home to us and all of our #FriendsOfTheShow! We have a blast playing games and discussing favorite holiday memories with Lacretta, Max Crumm, Andrew Kober, Haley Podschun, Brendon Stimson, Robbie Rozelle, Squigs, Brian Charles Johnson, Stephany Mora, Emily Marshall, and #EnemyOfTheShow Jay Schmidt (who happens to live where we had the party #FianceOfTheGameMaster.)

Birdland, the New York City landmark music room, was the place for Broadway and concert stage star Daniel Reichard to perform his annual New York City holiday show December 17, 18 and 19.

Actress and singer Lacretta, who recently played Levora Verona in the Broadway musical, Disaster!, will join Daniel Reichard as the special guest star for his three-night engagement at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City on December 17th, 18th, and 19th.

Actress and singer Lacretta, who recently played Levora Verona in the Broadway musical, Disaster!, will join Daniel Reichard as the special guest star for his three-night engagement at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City on December 17th, 18th, and 19th.

It takes guts to write a parody of 1970s disaster movies. After all, AIRPLANE!, the parody of the AIRPORT series, is one of the most beloved comedies of all time. It also takes guts to write a 1970s jukebox musical. A show you may have heard of called MAMMA MIA! ran for nearly 14 years and 6,000 performances. Nevertheless, into this field of exclamation points flew DISASTER!, a parody of 1970s disaster movies...and a 1970s jukebox musical. The show, co-written by multi-hyphenate Seth Rudetsky (who also plays one of the main roles) and director Jack Plotnick, was perhaps a bit slim for the past Broadway season. Its silliness, specificity, and lack of original songs may have caused it to struggle amid the powerhouse shows surrounding it, and it closed in May after 72 performances. But it did receive some enthusiastic reviews, and in particular acclaim for the breakout performance of Jennifer Simard, who was nominated for a Tony for her performance of a nun with a gambling addiction. (Her big moment in the show, singing 'Never Can Say Goodbye' to a HAWAII FIVE-O-themed slot machine, can be viewed online.) Now Simard will be accompanying the show to London. In the meantime, we have Broadway Records' DISASTER! cast album, which contains 28 (!) songs from the show.

On Wednesday, September 14, original Broadway cast members Roger Bart, Kerry Butler, Rachel York and Jennifer Simard joined show creator and event host Seth Rudetsky for a special live performance and CD signing at Barnes & Noble - Upper East Side. Performances included 'Do You Wanna Make Love?' (Roger Bart, Kerry Butler), 'I Am Woman' (Kerry Butler), 'Mockingbird' (Rachel York, Seth Rudetsky), 'I Will Survive' (Rachel York), 'Never Can Say Goodbye' (Jennifer Simard) and a special performance of the Broadway for Orlando charitable single, 'What the World Needs Now is Love.' 

Broadway Records released the original cast album recording of the critically acclaimed musical comedy DISASTER! - digitally and in stores on Friday, September 9, 2016. Get a first listen to the track 'Sky High' from the album below!

Located in the heart of Times Square, Royal Family Productions is presenting a one-night-only, 'live concept album' concert performance of Serving Time, a new musical revue capturing the frantic, eclectic and eccentric world of restaurant life conceived by Michele Foor, who also wrote the lyrics, along with composers David Gaines, William TN Hall, Timothy Huang, Ryan Langer and Frank Spitznagel.

Not all the characters made it out alive in last season's hilarious Broadway musical comedy DISASTER!, but you knew that the disco queen cruise ship entertainer played by Rachel York would somehow survive because, well, she sang Gloria Gaynor's 1978 hit 'I Will Survive.'

This, in addition to the almost absurd talent of the cast and crew that is Unexpected Joy, is why you should all take a visit to WHAT as soon as you possibly can to witness the world premiere of this beautiful show. In association with Jim Kierstead, with a book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by Janet Hood and now under the direction of Lynne Taylor-Corbett, this one is truly a winner.

Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater presents the world premiere of UNEXPECTED JOY, starring Sally Mayes, Lacretta, Michele Duffy, and Charity Farrell.

Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater is proud to announce the cast for the world premiere of UNEXPECTED JOY: Sally Mayes, Lacretta, Michele Duffy, and Charity Farrell.

Ana Gasteyer, Ricky Gervais, Cecily Strong and Kevin Kline were among the guest stars on last night's episode of MAYA & MARTY on NBC.

All-star members of the Broadway community came together as Broadway for Orlando to perform 'What the World Needs Now Is Love,' on television for the first time on last night's MAYA AND MARTY on NBC

Accidental Pictures presents the online poetry miniseries entitled THE PRIDE PROJECT. They are releasing seven poems every Monday for seven consecutive weeks through June 27th on Facebook and YouTube. These poems, written by Timothy Ware (Broadway's KINKY BOOTS), are performed by 10 American actors of African, Latin, Asian, and European descent. Click below to watch Episode 5, 'xoxo Jasmine,' starring Lacretta Nicole and Pamela Shandrow!

Disaster! producers Robert Ahrens and Hunter Arnold and Broadway Records President Van Dean today announced the release of 'Never Can Say Goodbye,' the first single from the forthcoming Original Broadway Cast Recording (out Friday, September 9, 2016), available for digital download on the label's website at BroadwayRecords.com. The classic 70's single is performed by 2016 Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard of the critically-acclaimed new musical comedy.

Tony nominee Jennifer Simard stopped by this morning's TODAY to perform the original song 'Your Endless Love,' composed by Kathie Lee Gifford and David Friedman.

The company of the critically acclaimed musical comedy Disaster! will reunite to record the original Broadway cast album on Monday, May 16.  The cast recording will be released by Broadway Records onFriday, September 9, 2016. The album is produced by Michael Croiter, Bart Migal and Seth Rudetsky, with executive producers Hunter Arnold, Robert Ahrens, Carl Daikeler, Sandi Moran and Daniel Rafinejad. The album is now available for pre-order at www.BroadwayRecords.com and on Amazon.