Producer Daryl Roth announces that following a sold out developmental run last spring, THE DIVINE SISTER, the new comedy written by and starring Charles Busch, directed by Carl Andress, will transfer to the SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street) featuring the entire original company: Alison Fraser, Amy Rutberg, Jennifer Van Dyck, Jonathan Walker, and Julie Halston.
One of Orange County, California's newest theater companies, 3D Theatricals, will present HELLO, DOLLY! from July 9 through August 1 at the gorgeous O.C. Pavilion Theatre in the Arts District of downtown Santa Ana. Starring as the matchmaker Dolly Levi will be Broadway veteran (and Los Angeles-area theater favorite) Ruth Williamson. During a break from show preparations, Williamson paused briefly for a chat with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to discuss her extensive history in the theater and her excitement in taking on the iconic role.
Stars from the world of film, television and the stage walked the 'blue carpet' on June 10, 2010 to celebrate the World Premiere of WORLD OF COLOR, the brand new nighttime show at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim. A show five years in the making, WORLD OF COLOR combines water, music, fire, lights, animation, and a lot of Disney magic and storytelling to wow its audience with a 25-minute spectacle that rises from the waters of Paradise Bay.
Actor Tyler Murree seems to have a knack for landing roles in costume-heavy shows. Whether Shakespearean or Tolkien-esque, the Toronto-trained thespian likes disappearing into each and every role he takes on. His past shows have included the world premiere production of The Lord of the Rings: The Musical, the North American premiere of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage, A Christmas Carol, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and even the all-pantomime production of Aladdin: the Magical Family Musical. In 2005 he originated the role of charming villain Franco DiFortunato in Disney's Twice Charmed: An Original Twist On The Cinderella Story. Currently he stars as the hilarious Timon the Meerkat in the North American touring company of Disney's Tony® Award-winning stage musical THE LION KING, performing for a three-week engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from May 26 through June 13. While on break from the tour in Calgary, Murree spoke with Broadway World's Michael Lawrence Quintos about playing the world's most famous meerkat.
World-class musicians, including Joshua Bell, Bobby McFerrin, Philip Glass, Béla Fleck and Hilary Hahn, among many others, reflect on the power and genius of Bach's music and perform his greatest masterpieces in the new documentary Bach & Friends (Michael Lawrence, 2010).
World-class musicians, including Joshua Bell, Bobby McFerrin, Philip Glass, Béla Fleck and Hilary Hahn, among many others, reflect on the power and genius of Bach's music and perform his greatest masterpieces in the new documentary Bach & Friends (Michael Lawrence, 2010).
During what was called 'Andrew Lloyd Webber week' of the seventh season of the hit TV talent competition American Idol, Webber predicted to an audience of millions that Syesha Mercado will 'bring the house down' with a sexy, splashy take on one of his many musical hits. And that, she did. Then 21, she eventually lasted on the show to become the second runner-up. Fast forward two years later, and she is now in the midst of a multi-city national tour of the rebooted DREAMGIRLS stage musical, where she nightly plays Deena Jones, the beautiful and eventual front-woman of the semi-fictional musical group The Dreams. Before she takes the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center (April 21-May 2), Mercado spoke with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on the road, her American Idol roots, and what it takes to become Deena Jones night after night.
The Tony® Award-winning actress will once again be gracing the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater to close out this year's Broadway talent-heavy Cabaret Series from April 8 thru 11. Besides her winning performance as Ms. Adelaide in the critically-acclaimed revival of Guys and Dolls, she has been balancing a rich career in film and television with a string of iconic shows on the Great White Way, which include Tony-nominated turns in A Catered Affair, Bells Are Ringing, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway. Most recently she hung up her tentacles playing the final Ursula in Disney's stage adaptation of The Little Mermaid before it closed on Broadway last year. But before she makes her triumphant cabaret return to Orange County, Ms. Prince spoke with BroadwayWorld about her upcoming show, her Tony ceremony woes, and her mission to inspire the next generation of theater actors to live out their dreams.
Like many boys and girls bit by the performing bug (just watch that giddy TV phenomenon Glee and you'll understand), Teanna Berry is living her dream. She currently stars as 'Peaches' in the latest national tour cycle of the multiple-Tony Award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY, which returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a brief engagement from April 6 - 11. For Berry, HAIRSPRAY's week-long stop in Costa Mesa is expected to be an exciting homecoming.
Many theater-goers today have a keen sense of what 'musical theatre' should look like. For some, a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic fits the bill. Others may think of some of the mega-musicals that have graced the stage over the years, but for some, a new show like Spring Awakening excites, energizes, and adds a whole new facet to the musical theatre experience. Atlanta audiences will have the opportunity to experience this revolutionary show at the Fabulous Fox Theatre March 9 - 14 presented by Broadway Across America - Atlanta.
While the Northern East Coast of the U.S. was hammered with blizzard-like conditions last week, Broadway vet Kevin Kern was busy with the launch of THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, the concert revue he co-stars in, which compiles many of the prolific composer's musical hits that are in turn interpreted by six talented, well-known performers of the Broadway stage. Luckily, he and the extraordinary cast will get the chance to thaw out a little bit when the show pays a visit to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a limited, one-week engagement on February 16 through 21. Kern-whose theater credits include Broadway's Wicked, The Wedding Singer, and Les Miserables, as well as the pre-Broadway runs of 9 to 5: The Musical and Next to Normal-recently took some time in between performances to talk with BroadwayWorld/Costa Mesa to discuss the concert, as well as his early work in the original casts of Altar Boyz and 9 to 5 (in the latter, he divulges his early star-struck shyness towards a certain Ms. Parton). He also breaks the exclusive news (to us first!) about his upcoming involvement in a hit Broadway musical that's about to cross the pond over to London!
Before the hit stage musical MARY POPPINS' three-month-long tour stop at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre comes to an end on February 7, BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos sat down with Bolger for a nice, long chat about his year on tour, his stay in Los Angeles, his video blog stardom, and his future plans after he dances his final super-CALI-fragilistic jig.
In just the span of a few short years, Kelli O'Hara has become one of Broadway's most beloved women of musical theater. With three Tony® Award nominations in a row under her belt (The Light in the Piazza, The Pajama Game and, most recently, the critically-acclaimed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific), the revered stage star is now getting ready to debut an updated version of her much-lauded cabaret act from New York's Café Carlyle at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater on January 21. The intimate series of concerts will feature not only some familiar Broadway hits but also a few songs close to the singer-actor's heart, some of which can be found on her debut album Wonder of the World. She will also sprinkle the show with a few stories and anecdotes from her life: from her early childhood in Oklahoma to her debut on the Great White Way. O'Hara recently sat down for a quick chat with BroadwayWorld to discuss her early influences, her distinguished Broadway roles, and even some of her guilty pleasures.
Currently starring in South Coast Repertory's West Coast production of Adam Gwon's musical ORDINARY DAYS (ending January 24), David Burnham (Wicked, The Light in the Piazza) recently sat down with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about his humble beginnings as a farm boy, his admiration for John Raitt, being a Broadway performer, and living his dream job.
Winter Festival 2010 Saturday, January 2nd
NewFilmmakers starts the second annual Winter Fest and its 2010 Winter Series. A ticket for the whole evening tonight and every night is only $6.
BroadwayWorld/Costa Mesa's Michael Lawrence Quintos looks back at the highs of this past year. Orange County (or 'The O.C.' as it's more popularly nicknamed) saw a plethora of amazing theater this past year, thanks to a hits-driven national tour line-up at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, as well as some great productions at some local/regional companies such as South Coast Repertory and The Laguna Playhouse. And nearby L.A. and San Diego provided O.C. residents even more choices for great theatergoing experiences.
Before the official launch of the national tour of XANADU arrives at the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a two week run from December 15 through 27, ELIZABETH STANLEY, who stars as Kira (yes, the role Olivia Newton-John played in the movie), sits down with BroadwayWorld correspondent Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about the danger of performing on skates, her Broadway debut in Company, and what it takes to step into a feel-good musical.
Before the official launch of the national tour of XANADU arrives at the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a two week run from December 15 through 27, ELIZABETH STANLEY, who stars as Kira (yes, the role Olivia Newton-John played in the movie), sits down with BroadwayWorld correspondent Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about the danger of performing on skates, her Broadway debut in Company, and what it takes to step into a feel-good musical.
Winter Festival 2010 Saturday, January 2nd
NewFilmmakers starts the second annual Winter Fest and its 2010 Winter Series. A ticket for the whole evening tonight and every night is only $6.
Before the official launch of the national tour of XANADU arrives at the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a two week run from December 15 through 27, ELIZABETH STANLEY, who stars as Kira (yes, the role Olivia Newton-John played in the movie), sits down with BroadwayWorld correspondent Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about the danger of performing on skates, her Broadway debut in Company, and what it takes to step into a feel-good musical.