Happy Birthday, Judy Kuhn! Kuhn made her Broadway debut was in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She then played Cosette in the 1987 multiple award winning Broadway production of Les Misérables brought her the first Tony Award nomination. The following year, Kuhn took on a transfer from London's West End, playing one of the main roles (Florence Vassy) in the Trevor Nunn-directed Chess, with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (formerly of ABBA) and lyrics by Tim Rice. Later in 1993, Kuhn played the role of Betty Schaefer in the U.S premier production of Sunset Boulevard at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. Kuhn sang the title role in the 1995 Disney animated film, Pocahontas, the film included her rendition of the song Colors of the Wind, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for its composers Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. On October 23, 2007, Kuhn returned to the Broadway Production of Les Misérables after 20 years, but this time assuming the role of Fantine.
Today in 1988, Chess opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 68 performances. Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other; all in the context of a Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, during which both countries wanted to win international chess tournaments for propaganda purposes.
The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which is making its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Check out performance highlighs below!
Today in 1987, Les Miserables opened at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 6680 performances. Written by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is set in early 19th-century France. The plot follows the stories of many characters as they struggle for redemption and revolution. An ensemble that includes prostitutes, student revolutionaries, factory workers, and others joins the lead characters. In January 2010, it played its ten-thousandth performance in London, at Queen's Theatre in London's West End. On 3 October 2010, the show celebrated its 25th anniversary with three productions running in the same city: the original show at London's West End; the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary touring production at the original home of the show, the Barbican Centre; and the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary concert at London's O2 Arena. The original Broadway cast included Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, David Bryant as Marius, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Braden Danner as Gavroche, Donna Vivino as Young Cosette, Jennifer Butt as Madame Thénardier, Leo Burmester as Thénardier, Randy Graff as Fantine, and Terrence Mann as Javert.
The sixth episode of Outside the Box has been posted. In the latest episode, Days of Our Lives and musical theatre star Matthew Ashford is asked to star in a new musical for the Outside the Box Musical Theatre Group. What is the musical? Will he accept the unusual role? Find out below!
The fifth episode of Outside the Box has been posted. In the latest episode, TV, film, and Broadway star Gregory Harrison (Trapper John, Broadway's Steel Pier and Chicago) is asked to star in a new musical. What's the musical? Will he accept the challenging role? Find out below!
Musical theatre performers Andy Taylor (currently off-Broadway and about to be on Broadway in Once; The Producers; Moon Over Buffalo), and Alet Taylor (The Brain From Planet X, The Producers, several Encores productions, and wife of Andy) are asked to star in a new musical for the Outside The Box Musical Theatre Company. What is the musical? Will they accept? Find out by clicking below!
The second episode of Outside the Box has been posted. In the latest episode, Jason Graae (Forever Plaid, The Grand Tour, Falsettos) is asked to star in a new musical for the Outside The Box Musical Theatre Company. Watch below to see if he accepts!
The second episode of Outside the Box has been posted. In the latest episode, Brad Oscar (The Producers, The Addams Family) is asked to star in a new musical for the Outside The Box Musical Theatre Company. Watch below to see if he accepts!
The first episode of the new web-series Outside The Box is now up and running on YouTube. Episode one stars Beth Leavel, Melody Hollis, Barry Pearl, Sandy Rosenberg, and Brandon Uranowitz. Written and Directed by Bruce Kimmel.
Outside The Box is a new musical comedy web series about a very outré musical theatre group called Outside The Box. Each episode features an entirely new cast, save for one recurring character, the director of the group. Each episode features between one and three musical numbers. The first episode of six (comprising season one) will premiere November 6 on YouTube (the YouTube channel is outsidetheboxseries), with new episodes every two weeks.
Signature Theatre, the current recipient of the Tony Award® for Regional Theatre, presents the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the acclaimed opera The Grapes of Wrath and the OBIE Award-winning Orpheus and Euridice, as well as the musicals My Life with Albertine and Dream True. Gordon's autobiographical setting of his family's struggles and triumphs over 50 years, Sycamore Trees will run through June 13, 2010 in the intimate playing space of the 276-seat MAX Theatre.
Seth Rudetsky-multi-talented actor, comedian, musician, radio host and published author has embarked on a breathless musical mission, his inspired new YouTube project: 30 Deconstructions in 30 Days!
THE SWEETEST SOUNDS -- ALLEGRO Written in 1947, ALLEGRO was preceded in the R&H canon by OKLAHOMA! and CAROUSEL, and followed directly by SOUTH PACIFIC and THE KING AND I. In this podcast, hosted by Jeff Lunden, the bold innovations and experimental aspects of ALLEGRO are explored in the context of the first complete recording of its score, released by Sony Masterworks Broadway today, February 3, 2009. The CD is produced by David Lai, Bruce Pomahac and Ted Chapin.