Nominations for the 30th Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, which recognize excellence on the Broadway Stage and in film, were announced by New York Post Theater Critic Michael Riedel at a reception at the Lamb's Club last night, May 7. See below for photos of stars Elena Roger, Ashley Amber, Bahiyah Hibah, Matthew Broderick, Michael Riedel, Krystal Joy Brown, Leslie Odom, Jr., David Noh, Lisa Nicole Wikerson and more mingling at the gala!
The producers of the critically acclaimed and Tony-nominated Best Musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT are pleased to announce the launch of a US national tour in the fall of 2013. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT is the new musical comedy directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes) featuring music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis). The production is currently playing on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street).
On May 5, ABC7 presented 'Broadway Backstage: Spring Preview,' a program that highlighted the 2012 Broadway Spring season. Hosted by anchor Michelle Charlesworth and Tony winner John Larroquette, the four-part special features appearances by Broadway favorites Blair Underwood, John Lithgow, Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Broderick, Linda Lavin, Harvey Fierstein, and Raul Esparza.
Check out the full special below!
This Tuesday marked the second most exciting day of any given year for Broadway babies - the Tony Award nominations. The actual awards ceremony on CBS - Broadway's night of nights - is still a few weeks off, but now is certainly an ideal time to size up the competition(s) and see who will most likely walk away with Tony gold come June 10 - and this year's ceremony, more than most before, could very well be as surprising as this season was; or Tuesday's nominations themselves were, for that matter. While the 2011-2012 Broadway season certainly fell far short of the heady promise many ascribed to its prospects way back last Summer, we certainly saw the fulfillment of some big dreams for some notable names if not an all-in-all banner year for Broadway when collectively considered. The highly-praised Off-Broadway critical darling LYSISTRATA JONES landed with a thud early in the season, as did the re-jiggered, gender-bending revival of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and its star Harry Connick, Jr., and, even the lauded and relatively successful revival of Stephen Sondheim's peerless masterpiece FOLLIES failed to make any money and closed. GODSPELL did not fare much better, though it is still running. The two highly-anticipated revivals of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic early successes JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA were met with indifferent reviews - with the latter receiving some nasty press for its stars, neither of whom received Tony nominations - but receptive audiences so far. THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS could take Best Revival, after all - but will NICE WORK's Kelli O'Hara edge out four-time Tony recipient Audra McDonald? New plays did not fare much better than the measly crop of musicals, but OTHER DESERT CITIES and VENUS IN FUR seemed to hit their target demographics squarely, but CLYBOURNE PARK looks to be the frontrunner for Best Play despite all that. We shall see. Mike Nichols may take home another Best Director for his sensitive, if workmanlike revival of Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN, as conceivably could Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. John Lithgow is offering up some fierce competition in THE COLUMNIST, though. The acting races are tight, for sure, in both plays and musicals, with more newcomers and first-time nominees than any season this century.
Penguin Rep Theatre (Joe Brancato, Artistic Director, and Andrew M. Horn, Executive Director) and Morton Wolkowitz (Stomp, The Unexpected Man) will present the Off-Broadway premiere of Miracle On South Division Street, by Tom Dudzick, directed by Joe Brancato. Opening Night is Sunday May 13th at St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). See photos from the production below!
Broadway: Born Yesterday, Inherit the Wind, Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Democracy, Twentieth Century, Henry IV, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Tony® nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award). Off-Broadway: The Marriage of Bette and Boo. London: Deathtrap. Regional theater: A Delicate Balance, Proof, How I Learned to Drive, Angels in America, Betrayal, The Dining Room. Features: Going the Distance, Imaginary Heroes, Hearts in Atlantis, Company Man. TV: "The West Wing," "Shot in the Heart," "Law and Order" (all).
Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick, Robyn Hurder and the cast of the Tony-nominated Best Musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT performed 'Sweet & Lowdown' on CBS 'The Late Show with David Letterman' last night, May 3rd. Check out the full performance below!
Broadway: Grease (Marty), Chicago (Mona), Wedding Singer (Donatella), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang(Violet). Off-Broadway/NYMF: Play It Cool (Lena), Tour De Fierce (starring as Broadway Doll). National Tours: A Chorus Line (Cassie, 1st Nat'l), Spamalot (Lady of the Lake u/s), Starlight Express (Pearl). Regional: Chicago (Roxie). Gratitude must go out to Kathleen, Jay Binder, Professional Artists, BBS, and my beloved friends. So much love to the amazing Hurder and Alves family, and to the love of my life, Clyde.
Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick, Robyn Hurder and the cast of the Tony-nominated Best Musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT will perform "Sweet & Lowdown" on CBS "The Late Show with David Letterman" tonight, Thursday, May 3rd between 11:35 p.m. and 12:35 a.m. Check local listings.
Broadway: Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lion King, Jelly's Last Jam, Oh Kay! Off-Broadway: ResurGents: The Reappearance of Hope, Real Black Men Don't Sit Crosslegged On The Floor, City Center's St. Louise Woman. Regionals: Ruined, Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Master Harold and the Boys, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Cinderella . TV: "2-2," "Criminal Intent," "Late Night With Conan O'Brien." Film: Brother To Brother, Family On Board, Steve McQueen's Shame.
The New Group presents the world premiere of An Early History of Fire, a new play by Tony Award-winning playwright David Rabe. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production features Gordon Clapp, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini, Devin Ratray, Dennis Staroselsky, Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom. Limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated April 5 - May 26 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). The official Opening Night was Monday, April 30 at 7:00 PM. Check out the after-party photos below featuing Meryle Streep and all the cast.
Broadway: Lend Me A Tenor (Diana); Urinetown (Hope Cladwell, originated - Tony® nomination, Best Leading Actress in a Musical); Footloose (Ariel Moore, originated); Wicked (Glinda, first replacement). Off-Broadway: Jenny in Lincoln Center's recent production of Company; Little Fish; Urinetown. She has had the pleasure of doing several concerts with ENCORES! productions at City Center and has sung with symphonies across the country and Europe. Television/film: "Law & Order SVU," "Person of Interest," Company, Construction. Graduate: The University of Michigan, B.F.A. Musical Theatre.
'I'm so excited for the show! 10 nominations is a really nice round number. My husband and I were watching NY1 this morning and simultaneously trying to get our twins out the door to go to music class. So, we were wrangling them and watching the nominations at the same time. My husband Scott Landis is a producer for NICE WORK and for VENUS IN FUR so we were especially thrilled. We're a quadruple nomination household! The cast is performing on David Letterman on Thursday so we have a rehearsal for that. I'm thrilled that i'll get to see them!'
Earlier this morning, stage and screen stars Kristin Chenoweth & Jim Parsons announced this year's Tony nominees from the New York Public Library. In a season as rich as this past theatrical season though, there are only so many spots for nominees and some very talented shows and performers were not nominated. Below are the eligible performers and shows who were not nominatined in the major categories.
Joe DiPietro, Best Book of a Musical for NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
'I gotta say, I'm a kid at heart with this stuff so hearing about my Tony nomination and 10 for the show just makes me feel about 12 years old again! It was thrilling morning. This afternoon I have a work session with my writing partner David Bryan, so that to me is celebration - getting to work on the next on! These nominations are a testament to Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara and all of the hard work everyone has put into the show.'
Stage and screen stars Kristin Chenoweth & Jim Parsons will announce this year's Tony nominees tomorrow morning, May 1, 8:30am EST at New York Public Library. The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, which are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from the Beacon Theatre, on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 10, 2012.
In preparation for the big announcement, TonyAwards.com has released a Cheat Sheet that reminds you of the eligible shows/people of this season. The full Cheat Sheet is as follows:
Broadway: Born Yesterday, Memphis, Spamalot (Tony® and Drama Desk nominations), Is He Dead?,Wonderful Town, Little Me, Swinging On A Star (Theater World Award winner, Drama Desk nominaton), The Goodbye Girl, My Favorite Year. Encores: Follies, The Boys from Syracuse, DuBarry Was A Lady. Off-Broadway: The Cocoanuts, The Butter and Egg Man, Game Show, Louisiana Purchase, Forbidden Broadway. Television: side man to Martin Short on "The Martin Short Show." Film: The Interpreter, Changing Lanes, Ira and Abby. Wife: Toni DiBuono. Daughter: Kathleen Claire.
