Thomas Kail News

Once in a while, one of the most fortunate things about west coast debuts of touring shows is when a Broadway hit finally transfers here, bringing with it some of the original stars that helped launch it. For those able to catch the Los Angeles premiere of the 2008 Tony® Award-winner for Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS (now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through July 25), the pleasant surprise is the presence of the show's original lead actor, who also happens to be the man who conceived the hit musical, as well as write the show's music and lyrics. Not to disparage those that have (and will) take on the same role, but at the very second Lin-Manuel Miranda appears on stage as Usnavi-the show's central hero and de facto narrator-the electric energy is palpable. In Miranda, we see the show's very heart and soul, filled with the hopes and dreams of the characters he helped personally craft. With his lead, the show literally comes to effervescent life.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony and Grammy Award-winning show In the Heights has a lot to shout about. First of all, it's a musical with and about Latinos - way overdue -plus it has a terrific book with a heartwarming storyline and a bevy of exceedingly likeable characters, an unusually varied score, joyful choreography and direction, and an ensemble that rocks.

The Lincoln Center Theater production of A. R. Gurney's new play, THE GRAND MANNER., directed by Mark Lamos, at the Mitzi E. will play at the Newhouse Theater (150 W. 65 Street). Kate Burton, Boyd Gaines, Bobby Steggert and Brenda Wehle comprise the four character cast of its world premiere production which will open on Sunday, June 27.

Join author David Maraniss, playwright Eric Simonson, director Thomas Kail, and actors Dan Lauria and Judith Light for a first look at LOMBARDI on Broadway!

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) will open A. R. Gurney's new play, THE GRAND MANNER starring Kate Burton, Boyd Gaines, Bobby Steggert and Brenda Wehle. The production, directed by Mark Lamos, began previews Tuesday, June 1 and opens on Thursday, June 24 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 W. 65 Street).

Corbin Bleu, who just added a final 3 weeks to his critically acclaimed run in In The Heights has been hard at work documenting his life backstage for BroadwayWorld.com with a Flip camera... Here's part 4.

LOMBARDI will be presented at Circle in the Square Theatre this fall by producers Tony Ponturo and Fran Kirmser. Here's a new video of the show's signage going up at the theatre and some new interviews with the creative team!

Dan Lauria and the creative team of LOMBARDI recently travelled to Green Bay, Wisconsin to introduce the production to Packers fans and speak candidly about the play with those who knew Vince Lombardi.

Broadway/L.A. has announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award®-winning creator, composer-lyricist and original star of Broadway's 2008's Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS will reprise the lead role of ‘Usnavi' when the show has its Southern California premiere engagement at the historic Pantages Theater in Los Angeles from June 22nd through July 11th. The gala opening night is Wednesday, June 23rd, following one lower-priced preview on Tuesday, June 22nd.

IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards® and the 2008 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, is coming to the Civic Theatre in San Diego from July 27 - August 1, 2010; as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation.

Corbin Bleu, who recently a final 3 weeks to his critically acclaimed run in In The Heights has been hard at work documenting his life backstage for BroadwayWorld.com with a Flip camera... Here's part 3.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned from a reliable source that Tony-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell is in final contract negotiations and is fully expected to join WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. All offers are said to be out to Sherie Rene Scott and other performers (that they are keeping under tabs) and a full casting announcement is expected in the coming days.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and his hip-hop/rap group, Freestyle Love Supreme, will perform at New York's Gramercy Theatre at 7pm on August 5. Miranda founded the group at Wesleyan University along with Bill Sherman, Anthony Veneziale, and Thomas Kail; others joined the group in New York. In performance, Freestyle Love Supreme uses words supplied by the audience in order to create new rap songs.

As BroadwayWorld reporter Tim Shawver first reported on June, 8, Lin-Manuel Miranda will be joing the IN THE HEIGHTS tour early, playing Tempe's Gammage Auditorium in Arizona June 15 - 20. Miranda was originally scheduled to join the tour in Los Angeles following the Arizona run.

LCT3, Lincoln Center Theater's programming initiative devoted to producing the work of new artists and developing new audiences, has announced the first two productions of its 2010-2011 season: the world premieres of THE COWARD, a new play by Nick Jones, directed by Sam Gold and WHEN I COME TO DIE, a new play by Nathan Louis Jackson, directed by Thomas Kail.

SummerStage has announced their first theater season debut with The Etymology of Bird, written by Zakiyyah Alexander and Directed by Jade King Carroll. This show is a part of SummerStage's summer-long FREE theater program and will take place on Friday, June 11th and Saturday June 12th at Von King Park in Brooklyn and Friday, June 18th and Saturday, June 19th at Betsy Head Park, Brooklyn at 8:00 p.m.

Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman Willis, the producers of the 2008 Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical In The Heights, announced today that Bianca Marroquin will take over the role of 'Daniela' for 9 weeks only from Saturday, June 12, through Sunday, August 15, 2010 at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). In The Heights currently stars Corbin Bleu (through August 17), and beginning August 19 will star American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.

As BroadwayWorld reporter Tim Shawver first reported on June, 8, Lin-Manuel Miranda will be joing the IN THE HEIGHTS tour early, playing Tempe's Gammage Auditorium in Arizona June 15 - 20. Miranda was originally scheduled to join the tour in Los Angeles following the Arizona run.

SummerStage has announced their first theater season debut with The Etymology of Bird, written by Zakiyyah Alexander and Directed by Jade King Carroll. This show is a part of SummerStage's summer-long FREE theater program and will take place on Friday, June 11th and Saturday June 12th at Von King Park in Brooklyn and Friday, June 18th and Saturday, June 19th at Betsy Head Park, Brooklyn at 8:00 p.m.

IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards® and the 2008 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, is coming to the Civic Theatre in San Diego from July 27 - August 1, 2010; as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation.