Conductor extraordinaire John Mauceri, at 72 years young, has the memory of a straight-A college kid vividly recalling detailed facts of incidents long ago right off the top of his head. The go-to expert on all subjects Leonard Bernstein, John will be conducting BERNSTEIN ON STAGE at the Valley Performing Arts Center (The Soraya) November 17, 2017. John most graciously chatted on the phone with me for an hour from his New York home after just returning from Mexico.
? It's a toga party! Middlebury Community Players presents one of the brightest and funniest musicals ever written, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, at the Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, Vermont. Opening April 28 and closing May 7, the show runs Thursday through Sunday the first weekend and Thursday through Saturday the second weekend. Showtimes are 8:00 for April 28, 29, 30 and May 5, 6 and 7 with 2:00 matinees on May 1 and 7. Tickets are $15 for the Thursday shows, $23 for all other performances ($18 for students with ID), and can be purchased at the box office, (802) 382-9222, or online at www.townhalltheater.org. ASL interpretation will be available at the May 1 show.
Westchester Broadway Theatre presents TIM AND SCROOGE, A CAROL FOR A LATER CHRISTMAS, with music by Neil Berg and book & lyrics by Nick Meglin. Directed by Nick Corley with musical direction by Patrick Hoagland, the production will run tonight, December 3 - December 27, 2015.
Westchester Broadway Theatre presents TIM AND SCROOGE, A CAROL FOR A LATER CHRISTMAS, with music by Neil Berg and book & lyrics by Nick Meglin. Directed by Nick Corley with musical direction by Patrick Hoagland, the production will run December 3 - December 27, 2015.
Today we are talking to an accomplished director, actor and writer who has carved out an astonishingly unique career and is now taking charge of this weekend's annual Tony Awards Viewing Party sponsored by The Actors Fund LA, Luke Yankee. Shedding some light on growing up as the son of legendary Academy Award-winning stage and screen star Eileen Heckart, who famously collaborated with such theatrical luminaries as William Inge, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and many more. Most importantly, Yankee shares what the lucky attendees can expect from the viewing party in LA this weekend - the only official live feed in the world besides the East Coast airing - as well as highlights the starry honorees receiving special citations and the accomplished performers scheduled to appear at the hotly anticipated event.
The National Theater Institute includes a vibrant community of over 3,500 alumni. The many talents of these actors, writers, directors, and designers can be seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in films, television, London's West End, and at every major regional theater in the U.S. Today, in an excerpt from EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE: THE BIRTH OF THE MUSICAL FOLLIES, we hear from Ted Chapin (NTI Fall '70) who called his semester-away at NTI an 'extraordinary' 'experimental off-campus theater program.'
BWW caught up with the busy artist just days before the 87th ACADEMY AWARDS airs live on February 22nd, to find out what's in store for this year's ceremony, and get the behind-the-scenes scoop on NBC's PETER PAN LIVE and more!
In an all-new interview with Deadline, INTO THE WOODS producer Marc Platt shares some of the challenges he faced in bringing the iconic musical production to the big screen.
Today we remember stage and screen icon Joan Rivers in honor of her death this week at the age of 81 with this InDepth InterView originally presented in 2013.
BroadwayWorld.com is very excited to kick off a brand new partnership with THE SONDHEIM REVIEW. Each month we'll be bringing you special, and exclusive archives from the quarterly magazine dedicated to the work of the musical theatre and Broadway's foremost composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim. Each issue contains news, interviews, features, reviews, historical information, upcoming productions in your area, puzzles, and more. Our correspondents in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, and all over the world bring you the latest, most accurate information and insights.
Today we are talking to a remarkably accomplished writer and director who has amassed numerous top entertainment trophies over the course of his long and distinguished career, including multiple Emmy Awards, Tony Awards and even a Grammy - the uniquely talented Martin Charnin. Sharing his thoughts on the forthcoming big screen adaptation of his hit musical property ANNIE as well as previewing what we can expect from the forthcoming 2014-2015 national tour, Charnin also reflects on the original production of the classic Depression-era musical and analyzes why it remains a continual cultural touchstone for generations new and old while also looking ahead to a potential Broadway production of the sequel, written with original composer Charles Strouse, ANNIE WARBUCKS. Also, Charnin touches upon his time as a member of the original cast of iconic musical WEST SIDE STORY and recounts working alongside legends such as Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and more. Additionally, Charnin sheds some light on his illustrious string of collaborations with recently deceased composer Mary Rodgers Guettel, ranging from more than 50 songs written as a team to a string of special TV musicals as well as working together on the stage musicals HOT SPOT and THE MADWOMAN OF CENTRAL PARK WEST. Besides of all of that, Charnin also looks back to his heyday as a TV variety special helmer, having created award-winning tributes to a slew of Broadway's best composers and lyricists including George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter and many more. Plus, Charnin shares his thoughts on GLEE, how show business has changed, the possible future life for TWO BY TWO and much, much more in this wide-ranging chat with a major Broadway notable.
Iconic leading lady, theatrical grande dame Elaine Stritch is making a few select appearances this week in promotion of her upcoming documentary, ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, and the actress comments on her most recent Broadway role opposite Bernadette Peters in the 2009 revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC as part of a new interview.
Today we are talking to a legendary leading lady famous for a few of the most iconic roles in some of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s and 1990s as well as a versatile vocalist and concert performer set to make her cabaret debut later this month - the ingratiating and amusing Randy Graff. Looking back at originating the role of Fantine in the original Broadway production of mega-hit mega musical LES MISERABLES and singing the unforgettable 'I Dreamed A Dream' eight times a week (and on the best-selling cast recording) as well as recounting her Tony Award-winning work in the endlessly entertaining Cy Coleman/David Zippel musical comedy CITY OF ANGELS, Graff share stories from behind the scenes and gives us a rare look at theatrical history in the making and her elemental role in both productions. Additionally, Graff opens up about some of her other most fondly remembered work, including her fantastic turn in Ed Kleban's A CLASS ACT, William Finn's FALSETTOS, Cole Porter's HIGH SOCIETY, the stage play and documentary MOON OVER BUFFALO co-starring Carol Burnett, the most recent revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and much more. Most importantly, Graff generously outlines what we can expect from her upcoming solo shows at NYC hotspot 54 Below titled MADE IN BROOKLYN, in what will actually be the stalwart star's solo show premiere. In addition to all of that, Graff also touches upon some of her big screen and small screen work, ranging from LAW & ORDER to RENT, as well as recounts some theatrical tales involving theatre greats such as Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, John Simon and more. All of that and much, much more awaits in this rich resume recounting retrospective with one of Broadway's best!
In a new entry in the Masterworks Broadway LEGENDS OF BROADWAY web series, Tony-winning director/lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. discusses the inception of the idea through to conception, casting, enaction and reception of the Fats Waller revue AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'.
Today we are talking to a veritable legend in her own time - arguably the most influential and recognizable female stand-up comedian of all time, the one and only Joan Rivers. Opening up and revealing her trademark, impossible-to-top wit all the while, Rivers and I discuss many aspects of her life and career, with a particular focus on her many current projects - most importantly, the third season of her smash hit reality series JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? on WE TV. What will happen when Joan, Melissa and company visit Colonial Williamsburg? What illicitness will they discover on Willie Nelson's former tour bus? Will Joan get arrested for protesting her book being banned at a big retailer? Answers to these questions all will be arrived up on Saturday. In addition to all about JOAN & MELISSA Season Three and the current series-high ratings run of FASHION POLICE, Rivers and I take a look back at many of the remarkable figures she has encountered and worked with over the course of her career - among them: Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Woody Allen and many more - and she generously shares candid backstage stories and remembrances as only she can. Of paramount interest to theatre fans may be the announcement of a revival of her one-woman play SALLY MARR… AND HER ESCORTS, which she will be reviving in a special weekly pop-up theatre space on Broadway later this year. Also, as if all of that were not enough, Joan gives us the 411 on her new uncensored web series, IN BED WITH JOAN, as well as her cute new pet lover's web project, MY FAT PET. Plus, her fashion forecast for 2013 and best current trends, favorite films of awards season, thoughts on Broadway today and her picks for the best shows to see as well as much, much more awaits in this career-spanning conversation!
Today we are talking to a breakout Broadway star who has made a name for himself with memorable turns in this century's revivals of Rodgers & Hammerstein's FLOWER DRUM SONG, Stephen Sondheim's PACIFIC OVERTURES and Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL on Broadway as well as turns in Schwartz's WICKED and Jonathan Larson's RENT in addition to his lauded work on the brand new Broadway-bound tuner ALLEGIANCE, co-starring Lea Salonga and George Takei - and, of course, his easily identifiable uniform-outfitted Warbler on Fox's hit musical dramedy series GLEE - the passionate and gifted Telly Leung! Besides taking a look back at many of his best-loved and most well-remembered roles to date, in this career-spanning conversation Leung and I also dissect the finer points of his new solo album, I'LL COVER YOU, as we look ahead to the splashy release party on December 2 at 54 Below, and he outlines his initial inspiration for the creation of it and recounts the recording process for the unique genre-crossing release. Plus, Leung generously shares some truly thrilling backstage stories involving luminaries such as Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Neil Patrick Harris and more as well as shares his infectious enthusiasm for future endeavors, near and far - after a well-earned vacation in January, that is. All of that and much, much more awaits!
Today we are talking to a Broadway superstar beloved from the time of her breakthrough performance in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's PASSION nearly twenty years ago all the way to two tremendous revivals in the early 00s - KISS ME, KATE and MAN OF LA MANCHA - to her most recent trio of roles on Broadway, first appearing in the straight drama ENRON, then as the troubled lead character of Diana in the Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL, and, most recently, as the tortured Margaret White in the long-awaited New York return of CARRIE - the one and only Marin Mazzie. Recalling many memories of working on the original productions of such seminal musicals as INTO THE WOODS, PASSION, RAGTIME, SPAMALOT and NEXT TO NORMAL with some of Broadway's best and brightest talents, Mazzie expresses her sincere appreciation for the unforgettable shows she has been associated with and opens up about her experiences as both an originator of a role, as in the cases of PASSION and RAGTIME, and also as a replacement star and the challenges that that position poses for a performer. Additionally, Mazzie shares her enthusiasm for the words and music of the Tony Award-winning RAGTIME creators Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, whom she will be saluting alongside a starry assortment of notables on Monday at the NY Pops JOURNEY ON Gala at Carnegie Hall. Plus, Mazzie clues us in on all aspects of her journey with the recent New York reworking and reappraisal of CARRIE and gives us first news on recording the cast album, which is set for a Fall release, as well as news on her second duets album with husband, Jason Danieley and solo album thoughts. All of that and much, much more!
Headlining the most successful entertainment of all time, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Michael Crawford was actually not the first name the creative team considered for the gothic musical undertaking during its creation in the mid-1980s, believe it or not. Steve Harley famously recorded the original single of the title song with composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's muse Sarah Brightman and subsequently starred in the grandiose Ken Russell fever dream music video. While the public and critics alike assumed Harley's bid for the lead role in the gestating show was all but guaranteed after the video debut, it was not meant to be. Master director Hal Prince had his sights set on a British stage and screen star who had made a name with American audiences decades before in the troubled film versions of two Broadway hits - A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and HELLO, DOLLY! - as well as made a name for himself the world over in the British sitcom SOME MOTHERS DO 'AVE 'EM. Crawford had also cemented his place in the musical theatre with his roles in FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON and BILLY, but it was PHANTOM that would catapult him into the ranks of iconic musical megastar. So, today, let us take a look at what made Michael Crawford's performance in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA so unforgettable as we celebrate this week's US release of the simply spectacular DVD/Blu-ray of the 25th anniversary production mounted late last year at the Royal Albert Hall starring Ramim Karimloo and Sierra Boggess, loving assembled and presented by original lead producer Cameron Mackintosh and featuring a grand finale complete with original PHANTOM cast-members Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, among a host of other glories.
