Theatre World (i) News

Bianca Del Rio is sitting on a tour bus, laughing. 'You'd be surprised what you can get away with in drag. Trust me, I'm proof!'

Jess here. As some of you may know, I just graduated from a performing arts high school. Now that I'm on summer vacation I've taken some time to reflect upon my experiences in the high school theatre world. I thought I'd share some observations/insight with my fellow thespians, and attempt to shed a little light on topics that remain a mystery.

The King's Head Theatre announced today the appointment of two new staff members, the latest step in their exciting expansion as a producer of original, contemporary work and developing new talent.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Liza Vann who will play Vivacity in James McLure's IAGO. Directed by the SuzAnne Barabas, the show will be performed at New Jersey Repertory Theatre from August 25th to September 25th.

Chart-topping pop star and onetime West End player Jessie J recounts a horrific mishap that occurred while performing in the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman's WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND as well as recounts the recent wardrobe malfunction experienced by her 'Bang Bang' trio partner at this week's VMAs as part of a new interview.

Hot on the heels of Les Miserables' box office success, Broadway producer Cameron Mackintosh has set his sights on a film version of Miss Saigon, according to the Associated Press. He also told the AP in an interview that he wants to revisit My Fair Lady ('One day', Mackintosh said) and Oliver!, but conceded that the role of Fagin, which is extremely difficult to cast, may prove daunting.

This year the holiday show at Bucks County Playhouse is MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: A RADIO PLAY. They are keeping with the tradition of performing a holiday themed radio play where the audience plays the part of a live studio audience of the radio show. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: A RADIO PLAY is based on the 1944 movie-musical of the same name that starred Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. We had a chance to speak with one of the actors in the show at Bucks County Playhouse, Garth Kravits, about the musical, growing up in a theatre family and the importance of the arts to the community.

One of my favorite things in life was the Broadway musical, but I'd never actually seen one. I had seen school and community and regional productions of musicals with Broadway origins. I had seen Equity and non-Equity tours that replicated Broadway staging. I had even had the incredible opportunities to see the pre-Broadway tryouts of The Little Mermaid and Shrek the Musical with their original star-studded casts in Denver and Seattle, respectively. But not on Broadway.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through the paces in preparation for another opening night. But this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show, you see, is every dancer's favorite musical: A Chorus Line. Kate's cast is a blending of familiar faces and newcomers and so over the next few weeks, you'll get to know the members of The Keeton Theatre's cast - as you'll see, some of them have much to learn about being interviewed by 'Nashville's favorite theater critic.' Next up is Chad Ray...who has quickly learned his way around a tricky interviewer on just his second show...

Today we are talking to the composer of the new Broadway musical WONDERLAND, who is the only American composer to have had three of his shows running concurrently on Broadway - JEKYLL & HYDE, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and THE CIVIL WAR - and has since solidified himself as one of the most successful international musical theatre composers of the 21st century, with his globe-spanning productions of everything from THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in Switzerland to CYRANO in Tokyo to TEARS OF HEAVEN in Korea to the forthcoming Broadway production of BONNIE & CLYDE - the warm and gracious Frank Wildhorn. Over the span of our considerable discussion last week we touched on everything from his pop music roots writing hits for Whitney Houston and Kenny Rogers, to his tenure at Atlantic Records and his series of recordings, shows and concerts with muse Linda Eder, as well as a thorough discussion of his compositional process, what inspires him in a story, his own favorite musicals, what the future holds - EXCALIBUR with Jim Steinman, perhaps? The world premiere of the long-awaited HAVANA? JEKYLL & HYDE: THE MOVIE MUSICAL? - and much, much more!

Quadrophenia Special with director Tom Critchley.

Two time Tony nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega talks about her new solo CD, 'Les Miz', the movie version on 'Rent', her early recording deal with Mercury Records and more in this revealing interview.

The first roundup of 2005 kicks off with lots of exciting news - Nathan Lane leaves Producers early, Jerry gets Christian boycott and Jane Krakowski comes to London!