Merle Dandridge News

The producers of Broadway's Once On This Island announced today that Merle Dandridge will return to the Tony Nominated production for a limited time from June 18 - August 19. Current cast member Tamyra Gray will return as Papa Ge on August 20.

Broadway Kids Jam has released their latest jam, 'Waiting For Life' From Once On This Island. This jam features Mckayla Twiggs (Anastasia, Les Miserables, Once), Joshua Turchin (The Pill, TrevorLIVE LA, A Christmas Story the Musical), Hudson Loverro (A Bronx Tale, Ragtime/Ellis Island), Molly Richardson (Matilda), Madeleine Pace (Once), and little 'jammers' Shaina Turchin, Lyla Twiggs, and Chloe Loverro.

Beginning today, the New Broadway Cast Recording of Once On This Island is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. The album is currently available for purchase at www.BroadwayRecords.com, www.Amazon.com and at Circle in the Square Theatre.

BroadwayWorld has been checking in with Tony Award nominees all morning! We caught up with the nominated cast and creative from Once On This Island on Broadway to get their first reactions at being up for Tony Awards this season.

Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera that tells the story of the final week in the life of Jesus Christ. It begins with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem and ends with the crucifixion. It also highlights the political and interpersonal struggles between Jesus and one of his 12 apostles, Judas Iscariot that are not present in the Bible narratives.

Hey! It's been a minute since I've written, but oh so much has happened in the last few weeks. From spring break adventures to being seen at my first (two!) Equity Chorus Calls and performances in between, March Madness is certainly underway.

Merle Dandridge, star of Oprah Winfrey Network's Greenleaf and recent star in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island, will receive a Chicago College of Performing Arts Distinguished Artist Award from Roosevelt University.

According to Deadline, Patti LaBelle is set to star in a recurring role on the second season of OWN's GREENLEAF. She will play a motivational, Christian speaker named Maxine Patterson. Read more about from Deadline here!

Today, Broadway Records released the New Broadway Cast Recording of Once On This Island on CD and digitally through most major music retailers. The album is currently available at www.BroadwayRecords.com, www.Amazon.com and at Circle in the Square Theatre.

There's a certain reliability to a score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. You can count on elegant orchestrations, tidy and effective lyrics, and a heartfelt yet epic tale. All of this and more can be found on the new cast recording of the revival of Once On This Island, a Caribbean-tinged fairytale about love, destiny, and sacrifice.  It's a lushly produced recording that balances the voices of the chorus with quieter character moments.

Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) will mark 150 years of its music conservatory and the 20th anniversary of its theatre conservatory on March 14 at the University's Auditorium Theatre.

Mama provided! The cast of Once on This Island appeared on last night's Late Night with Seth Meyers, where they performed 'Mama Will Provide.' Watch the full performance below!

The winners of the 49th NAACP Image Awards in the non-televised categories were announced during a gala dinner celebration that took Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the Pasadena Conference Center the event was hosted by The Real's Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai and Tamera Mowry-Housley.

Lea Salonga took to Instagram today to share a photo she took with Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda, who visited Once on This Island today with his wife! 'So Lin-Manuel came to the show today!!!' Salonga writes. 'Needless to say, we all were thrilled. Thanks to you and Vanessa for coming to the island!!!'

The producers of Broadway's newest hit, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, announced today that Broadway veterans Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray will step into the roles of Agwe and Papa Ge, respectively, on January 8. Merle Dandridge exits for a contractual leave to shoot her television series Greenleaf. Quentin Earl Darrington will also be on a contractual leave.

The cast of Once on this Island recently got visits from Tina Fey, Brian d'Arcy James, Will Chase, Ingrid Michaelson, and David Henry Hwang. The show's official Twitter account posted photos of cast members with the visitors. Check out the tweets, and the photos here!

Mama Will Provide...a cast album for the revival of Once on This Island! Broadway Records announced that the album will be released on CD and digitally at most major music retailers on February 23, 2018. The release of Once On This Island will mark the 100th new release by Broadway Records since the label was established in 2012. The album is produced by Elliot Scheiner, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Hunter Arnold and Ken Davenport.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top events: the final day of the off-Broadway toy drive is today! Donate and receive free tickets! Pasadia Familiar closes off-off-Broadway today. And more!

The producers of Broadway's newest hit, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, announced today that Broadway veterans Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray will step into the roles of Agwe and Papa Ge, respectively, on January 8. Merle Dandridge exits for a contractual leave to shoot her television series Greenleaf. Quentin Earl Darrington will also be on a contractual leave.

In Broadway by Design, BroadwayWorld is shining a spotlight on the stellar designs of this Broadway season, show by show. Today, we continue the series with Dane Laffrey and Clint Ramos, who acted as scenic and costume designers for Broadway's most vibrant revival, Once On This Island.