With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.
'Broadway will never be the same,' says MAMMA MIA! alum Courtney Reed. It's true... later tonight, after the Dynamos take their final bows as the reigning dancing queens of the Great White Way, an era will end in New York CIty that has lasted a whopping 14 years. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, will end its historic, record-breaking run tonight, September 12, 2015, after 5,773 performances.
Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson will serve as co-hosts as the leading lights of Tennessee theater are heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, to be held Sunday, September 20, at Nashville's iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre. The event will feature musical numbers by more than 150 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.
Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.
After four critically acclaimed seasons, Nashville's Blackbird Theater will produce what company founders call their 'magnum opus,' the new musical Myth, set for a world premiere run tonight, July 16, through July 26.
Today, we celebrate all the performers that earned the right to wear the robe this past season, including Tracee Beazer, Jess LeProtto, Jeremy Davis, Barrett Martin, Katie Webber, Cameron Adams, Jennie Ford, Ron Todorowski, Lainie Sakakura, Joseph Medeiros, and Matt Wall. Read below, as they reflect on what the honor meant to them!
Last night, acclaimed director Todd Graff unexpectedly announced plans to film a follow-up to 2003 cult favorite theatre-themed movie musical CAMP titled CAMP 2: FREAKS IN NATURE set to feature fellow Tony Award-winning icons Patti LuPone and Donna Murphy, among others, inspiring Broadway babies to excitedly anticipate the many musical selections that could potentially be presented as part of the project. Of course, the original film famously featured a young Anna Kendrick memorably belting out the COMPANY 11 o'clocker 'The Ladies Who Lunch' in addiiton to an unforgettable recreation of the original Michael Bennett-staged mini masterpiece from PROMISES, PROMISES, 'Turkey Lurkey Time' - plus some standout original tunes by the likes of Michael Gore and Lynn Ahrens, too - not to mention Stephen Sondheim himself appearing onscreen in a cameo role. Now, Graff himself promises at least one showstopper to match the ones in the first film, relaying, 'We're going to introduce some fabulous new additions, like Donna Murphy, Patti LuPone and a bevy of other reigning Broadway divas performing a demented version of 'Steppin' To The Bad Side' from DREAMGIRLS to be staged by the one and only Jerry Mitchell.' So, now, let's speculate on some must-see moments we would relish seeing onscreen in the sequel.
Today we are talking to a world renowned stage and screen star who has excelled in playing a dizzying array of recognizable characters onstage and onscreen over the course of his unique and diverse career - the affable Alfred Molina. Besides discussing his many upcoming endeavors, Molina points out the importance of The Actors Fund in Los Angeles and highlights his participation in the upcoming LA Actors Fund Tony Awards Viewing Party, which will be held on June 7, and reflects on some of his fellow honorees, as well. Offering news on many of his current and forthcoming projects, Additionally, Molina also looks back at some of his most memorable roles to date ranging from his work with Paul Thomas Anderson on both BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA to his recent rapturously reviewed indie hit LOVE IS STRANGE co-starring John Lithgow to the Joe Orton stage-to-screen adaptation PRICK UP YOUR EARS and much more. Besides of all of that, Molina also comments on his time spent on stages around the world, notably Broadway headlining the most recent revival of Golden Age classic FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, as well as outlines some future roles he would like to pursue onstage, as well. All of that and much, much more with one of Broadway and Hollywood's very best!
There is less than a month left until the biggest night on every theatre-lover's calendar- the 69th Annual Tony Awards, which will be co-hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming on Sunday, June 7 (8PM on CBS). As June approaches, BroadwayWorld will be counting down some of the very best Tonys performances from the past five years, and we need your help to decide who will make the list! Below, cast your vote by telling us which performance from 2010 was your favorite. Can't remember that far back? Just click 'WATCH IT' to refresh your memory!
The Program Launch for the second half of 2015 shows that the Independent Music Theatre team comprising Luckiest Productions (David Campbell, Lisa Campbell and Richard Carroll), Neglected Musicals (Michelle Guthrie), and Neil Gooding Productions, the driving force behind Hayes Theatre Company, have no intention of slowing down are staying true to their vision to provide a permanent home for small-scale musical theatre and cabaret.
Last fall, when we started this series - COLLEGIATE THEATRICS - we were talking to college students across the country about what lay ahead of them during the academic year and now we find ourselves at graduation time for the class of 2015, today represented by the beautiful, ethereal and brilliant Lacy Hartselle. Mere hours after her graduation from Nashville's Lipscomb University on Saturday, she reflected on our five questions to give us an intimate look into how her life was changed during her college career.
Today we are talking to a terrifically talented triple-threat who made a major mark on Broadway with her star turns in GYPSY and WICKED before appearing this season in the brand new Shakespeare-themed musical comedy SOMETHING ROTTEN!, the effortlessly cute and convivial Kate Reinders. Discussing her hilarious role in the fresh Broadway musical, Reinders praises her starry assortment of co-stars - including Brian D'Arcy James, Christian Borle and John Cariani - in addition to analyzing all the details about putting a brand new musical on its feet directly before the eyes of Broadway. Additionally, Reinders shares some of her favorite moments in the show and touches upon some of the changes that have been implemented to the new Shakespeare-themed musical as it was refined over the course of previews, having opened straight in NYC without an out-of-town tryout. Besides all about her fabulously jocular turn in SOMETHING ROTTEN!, Reinders also reflects on some of her most familiar performances to date on the Great White Way and beyond, including her star-making performance in the 2003 revival of GYPSY, starring Bernadette Peters and directed by Sam Mendes, in addition to her notable run in mega-hit Oz musical WICKED. All of that, INTO THE WOODS revival memories, A YEAR WITH FROG & TOAD and much, much more!
In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents a challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast!
In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents an exciting and challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's seminal 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Opening tonight, March 26, at Hillsboro High School Theatre in Nashville, Picnic runs through April 4.
In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents a challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast!
In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents an exciting and challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's seminal 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Opening Thursday, March 26, at Hillsboro High School Theatre in Nashville, Picnic runs through April 4.
?After four critically acclaimed seasons, Nashville's Blackbird Theater will produce what company founders call their 'magnum opus,' the new musical Myth, set for a world premiere run July 16-26.
Everything about Emily Eytchison, a Brentwood native now in her senior year at Nashville's Lipscomb University, says she's an actress. Outgoing and beautiful, quirky and even somewhat introverted (which might seem surprising coming from someone who is so obviously at home in front of an audience), she seems destined to a life theatrical, one filled with wonder, imagination and new discoveries around every piece of scenery…
Initial artwork for Circle Players' upcoming production of William Inge's Picnic, with art by Arthur Henry Kirkby IV and graphic design by David Arnold, has been released just as rehearsals get under way for the show's March 26-April 4 run at Nashville's Hillsboro High School.
Thanks to the team at Signature Theatre, audiences in the DC-area are being given the opportunity to see another world premiere of a new musical, Kid Victory! John Kander, legendary composer, along with his late composing partner, Fred Ebb, of such beloved musicals as Chicago and Cabaret, and of the iconic anthem, New York, New York, is behind this new work, and Kid Victory is Kander's second offering in partnership with playwright Greg Pierce [nephew of actor David Hyde Pierce]. Their previous new musical, The Landing, premiered Off Broadway at NYC's Vineyard Theatre in 2013.
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