On September 11, Alan Menken joined the Kennedy Center's festivities as a part of the 16-day Opening Festival for The REACH. The legendary composer's music was celebrated in a free concert on the festival's mainstage by Tony Award nominee Megan Hilty (Smash, the Kennedy Center's Little Shop of Horrors), Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, The Lion King), Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis (The Little Mermaid, the Kennedy Center's The Music Man), Tony Award winner Patina Miller (Sister Act, Pippin), the National Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke.
It is not often one opens a theater program and on page one sees a letter from composer Stephen Sondheim. I had the privilege of attending the joint Jason Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim concert on June 24, 2019 at Town Hall in New York City to raise funds for 'Brady United Against Gun Violence' (see link below). It was a very moving evening of great theatrical music by two of this country's best composers.
You may have heard of the long journey of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS from a 1060 Roger Corman horror film (with a young Jack Nicholson) to a 1982 Off-Broadway hit musical, a 1986 film with Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin, and a revival in 2003 this time on Broadway with Hunter Foster, Douglas Sills and Kerry Butler. And believe it or not, another revival coming to Off-Broadway previewing on September 17 and opening October 17 to the Westside Theatre Upstairs with Jonathan Groff, Tammy Blanchard, Christian Borle, and Kinglsey Leggs.
With more than 1,000 artists and more than 500 free events in three new sunlit pavilions and more than 130,000 square feet of new landscaped green space at the nation's cultural capital, the REACH opens its doors in exactly one month's time with 16 full days of creativity in action, providing artists and audiences with the opportunity to experience art as never before. Marking the first expansion at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in its 48-year history, the REACH welcomes the public with an inclusive, multi-genre, multidisciplinary Opening Festival on September 7a?"22. See the video trailer here.
BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature INTO THE WOODS in Los Angeles, Lea Salonga in SWEENEY TODD and more!
Into The Woods officially opened at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, July 26, for its three-performance run which ends today, July 28. Check out photos from opening night!
Today's top stories: The Jonathan Larson Project celebrates its album release at Barnes and Noble, read the reviews for Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl, and more!
Into The Woods officially opened at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, July 26, for its three-performance run which ends today, July 28. Let's see what the critics are saying...
An inspired choice of a show, the Hollywood Bowl has decided to present an effervescently buoyant new production of the Tony Award-winning 1986 musical INTO THE WOODS, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's much beloved twisted take on traditional fairy tale stories mashed together with witty charm, tongue-tying lyrics, and gallows humor. Directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom, this enjoyable, sublime production is exquisite and thoroughly delightful from start to finish---much of which can be attributed to its top-notch, musical theater-trained cast that includes Tony Winners Sutton Foster and Patina Miller giving exceptional acting and singing performances alongside theater favorites Cheyenne Jackson, Skylar Astin, Sierra Boggess, Hailey Kilgore, and Stranger Things breakout star Gaten Matarazzo. The show continues with two additional evening performances July 27-28, 2019.
Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning INTO THE WOODS opens this weekend Friday July 26, 2019, as this year's Hollywood Bowl's annual fully-staged Broadway musical. I had the enviable opportunity to interview the Tony Award-winning, über-talented Patina Miller who'll be portraying the Witch.
Michael Sterling, BroadwayWorld's LA On Air Host and Co-Producer for BWW TV and Jerry Evans of JLE Media in Los Angeles spent the day at rehearsal for Hollywood Bowl's upcoming, new production of Into the Woods.
Additional casting has been announced for the Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Into the Woods on Friday, July 26, at 8 PM, Saturday, July 27, at 8 PM and Sunday, July 28, at 7:30 PM.
This summer, the LA Phil introduces CODA Plus at the Hollywood Bowl. The new group offers young professionals an insider's view of five select LA Phil performances through exclusive pre-concert events, featuring guest speakers and complimentary drinks and small bites. CODA Plus members can then take in the concerts from premium bench seats.
Crystal Kay (Leading Player) and Shirota Yu (Pippin) give us their opinions about how theater is changing in Japan, and what it was like working on such a legendary show from Broadway.
Huntington Theatre Company announced today that tickets to The Purists are now on sale to the general public. The world premiere play, directed by Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, 'Pose' on FX), will begin performances at the South EndCalderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St., Boston) on Friday, August 30, 2019 and will run through Sunday, September 29, 2019.
BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature INTO THE WOODS, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, SIX and More!
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! First, we'd like to wish a happy opening night to Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, which officially opens tonight, following last night's opening night celebration!
What do you do if you're an aspiring lounge singer in the 70's, who accidentally witnesses her gangster boyfriend murder someone? How do you stay safe? And more importantly, where do you go that can possibly contain all of your fabulousness? Luckily, the fun and funny SISTER ACT now playing at San Diego Musical Theatre through May 26th is just the show to answer these questions.
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