The Audience (i) News

Richard Greenberg's Tony award-winning play is at the Warren, RI theater through February 12th.

Q&A with Blue Man Group's Kalen Allmandinger

TV, film,and Broadway actress J. Elaine Marcos can't shy away from the fact that she's a distant relative of the Marcoses, the Philippines' most controversial political clan. Apart from the obvious last name and broadly similar facial features as Imee Marcos, the current governor of the northern province of Ilocos Norte, J. Elaine even made a cameo appearance as Imee's mom, Imelda Marcos, the Philippines' former first lady, in the Broadway musical comedy THE WEDDING SINGER five years ago. Nonetheless, the Marcoses (and Filipinos around the world) should pay attention to this petite, brown-skinned, talented actress - J. Elaine happens to be carrying an impressive Broadway resume that includes MISS SAIGON, FLOWER DRUM SONG, WONDERFUL TOWN, SWEET CHARITY, again THE WEDDING SINGER, A CHORUS LINE, and her latest assignment, PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT, where she does a show-stealing turn as Cynthia, a feisty Filipina mail-order bride who performs the late '70s hit single 'Pop Muzik' (interspersed with lyrics in Filipino, e.g.'isa, dalawa, tatlo, I'm rapping in Filipino') while blowing out ping pong balls into the audience.

Wayde King and Brett Raymer are back, and they are making outlandish dream tanks a reality for their fish-loving clients.

Having composed the musical scores for some of the biggest films of the century so far, Alexandre Desplat has displayed an uncanny ability to tap into the thoughts, emotions and even the very dramatic themes inherent in properties as diverse as - just to use his most recent projects as examples - TWILIGHT: NEW MOON, HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Roman Polanski's THE GHOST WRITER and CARNAGE, Stephen Daldry's upcoming EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH (another stage-to-screen adaptation like CARNAGE), Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE, as well as the main theme for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - performed on the soundtrack by noted pianist Lang Lang. Discussing all aspects of his compositional process as well as outlining his interactions with the respective directors of each entity - his ongoing collaboration with Roman Polanski, first and foremost - Desplat and I delve into the delicate art of film composing and how he has achieved such great success and international acclaim for his incredibly impressive work on a heady list of projects in a relatively short period of time - last year's Best Picture Oscar-winner THE KING'S SPEECH included. Desplat and I also touch on some of his own favorite film composers and he shares his opinions on Broadway and Hollywood music icons such as Bernstein, Sondheim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, fellow Modern Music Master Mark Isham and also sheds some light on his plans for the future - and much, much more!

Peter Mac is headlining two nights at the Gardenia in West Hollywood! The man who has been critically acclaimed as tribute artist of all things Judy Garland will be showing off his masculine side.

Today, BroadwayWorld is extremely proud to present an extensive conversation with the modern master of the musical theatre himself, Stephen Sondheim, all about the incredibly revealing and thoroughly riveting second volume of his complete collected (and annotated) lyrics (covering 1981-2011) - following last year's superlative FINISHING THE HAT - titled LOOK, I MADE A HAT. With ample insights pertaining to the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, INTO THE WOODS, ROAD SHOW, THE FROGS and many more, Sondheim and I also discuss some of his Hollywood endeavors - the proposed film adaptation of INTO THE WOODS, as well as the never-produced SINGING OUT LOUD and his Oscar-winning work for Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY - and his affection for - and process of adapting (in the case of WEST SIDE STORY, the CYMBELINE setting in THE FROGS and his recent scoring of the Public Theatre's production of KING LEAR starring Kevin Kline) - the works of William Shakespeare. Additionally, we discuss the upcoming Encores! revival of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the currently-running revival of FOLLIES starring Bernadette Peters (as well as its brand new cast album), the West End transfer of the Michael Ball/Imelda Staunton-led SWEENEY TODD in the UK and much, much more!

Broadway legend Patti LuPone visited Pittsburgh this week, performing her one-woman show 'COULDA, WOULDA, SHOULDA', accompanied by the Pittsburgh Symphony. Fans of LuPone were treated to a biographical exploration of music - both LuPone classics and things LuPone wished she had performed - as LuPone explained, 'the songs that I coulda sung, I woulda sung if someone had cast me, I shoulda sung because I would have been better in the part.'

Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!

Peter Mac is headlining two nights at the Gardenia in West Hollywood! The man who has been critically acclaimed as tribute artist of all things Judy Garland will be showing off his masculine side.

Judy Garland is spending the evening with some of her her favorite gal pals! Those dropping by will be Mae West, Liza Minnelli, Tallulah Bankhead, Katherine Hepburn and Peter Mac! The show has acclaimed Tribute Artist Peter Mac performing all roles as the iconic ladies of yesteryear.

Judy Garland is spending the evening with some of her her favorite gal pals! Those dropping by will be Mae West, Liza Minnelli, Tallulah Bankhead, Katherine Hepburn and Peter Mac! The show has acclaimed Tribute Artist Peter Mac performing all roles as the iconic ladies of yesteryear.

Judy Garland is spending the evening with some of her her favorite gal pals! Those dropping by will be Mae West, Liza Minnelli, Tallulah Bankhead, Katherine Hepburn and Peter Mac! The show has acclaimed Tribute Artist Peter Mac performing all roles as the iconic ladies of yesteryear.

As 'Bridge to Terabithia' opens at Stages Theatre Company (STC) Oct. 14 Theo Emo won't have to go very far for acting advice.

As 'Bridge to Terabithia' opens at Stages Theatre Company (STC) Oct. 14 Theo Emo won't have to go very far for acting advice.

Becoming Judy tackles both issues of homophobia and domestic abuse. It also delves into the reasons for Garland's everlasting and cross-generational appeal -- both in and out of the gay community. Based upon the hit Off B'way play Judy and Me and the forthcoming documentaryBecoming Judy.

Becoming Judy tackles both issues of homophobia and domestic abuse. It also delves into the reasons for Garland's everlasting and cross-generational appeal -- both in and out of the gay community. Based upon the hit Off B'way play Judy and Me and the forthcoming documentaryBecoming Judy.

The venerable entertainer shows no signs of slowing down as he embarks on a concert tour with fellow Monkees band mates Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz.

So, this is how it all started: Cori Laemmel, who despite her many flaws (she's too sweet, too talented and too pretty, not to mention that she is, well, just darling) is one of my favorite theatrical types, calls me up and asks me to come see The Most Amazing Anything of Evertime, the new show she wrote and directed for the first, big-scale, open-to-the-public, onstage production of The Theater Bug, her performing arts training program for younger actors.

ON AN AVERAGE DAY by playwright John Kolvenbach is a bizarre story, but made for several funny (loved the fridge bit) and profoundly affecting (mania and depression) moments. At times I wondered if I was in a dirty kitchen or an insane asylum. When they warn of gunshots before entering the theater, you know you are in for an interesting time! On the surface, the story appears to be about two brothers, Jack and Bobby, drinking beers and catching up on life after years apart. The actual story, however, runs deeper, bringing to the fore issues of parental abandonment, self-isolation, guilt and blame.