The Broadway company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome Grammy Award-winner Brandy Norwood making her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart beginning Tuesday, April 28, 2015. She will play an 8-week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC) through Sunday, June 21, 2015. BroadwayWorld was on hand to catch up with Brandy at a recent press preview - below, check out what she has to say about making her Broadway debut, and watch a performance sneak peek!
The New York Philharmonic presents a semi-staged production of Kern & Hammerstein's Show Boat, running through November 8, 2014. SHOW BOAT stars Christopher Fitzgerald as Frank, Norm Lewis as Joe, Alli Mauzey as Ellie, Julian Ovenden as Gaylord Ravenal, Edward Watts as Steve, Fred Willard as Cap'n Andy,NaTasha Yvette Williams as Queenie, Vanessa Williams as Julie, Jane Alexander as Parthy, Erika Henningsen as Kim, and Lauren Worsham as Magnolia. All cast members will be making their New York Philharmonic debuts in this production. As previously announced, the performances will be conducted and directed by Ted Sperling and choreographed by Randy Skinner. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the concert below!
Mary Bridget Davies, star of the new Broadway musical A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, appeared on ABC's "World News Now" late last night. In a backstage interview, she chatted about preparing for the role of a lifetime and teaching Broadway audiences through her performance about the blues singers who influenced Janis's music so deeply. Check out her interview below!
A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, the new Broadway musical, performed live on "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW" on Tuesday, December 10. Mary Bridget Davies, critically acclaimed for her portrayal of Janis, was joined by Taprena Michelle Augustine,De'Adre Aziza, Nikki Kimbrough, and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Aretha Franklin to perform the show-stopping Act One finale "Spirit in the Dark." Check out their performance below!
Featured in this week's event was the cast of Storyville (Ernestine Jackson, DC Anderson, Cory Bretsch, Karen Burthwright, Kyle Robert Carter, Demeka Hayes, Michael Leonard James, Leajato Robinson, Clifton Samuels, Christopher Spaulding, Carl Wallnau, Debra Walton, NaTasha Yvette Williams, and Zakiya Young) performing 'Welcome to New Orleans,' 'The Best Is Yet to Come,' and 'Animal Stomp.' Check out highlights below!
Manhattan Concert Productions just presented a special concert performance of RAGTIME at Avery Fisher Hall last night, Monday, February 18, 2013. Click below to hear a recording of Lea Salonga, who played Mother, singing 'Back to Before' at the concert!
Manhattan Concert Productions just presented a special concert performance of Ragtime at Avery Fisher Hall last night, Monday, February 18, 2013. The cast included: Michael Arden as Younger Brother, Phillip Boykin as Booker T. Washington, Kerry Butler as Evelyn Nesbit, Matt Cavenaugh as Henry Ford, Tyne Dalyas Emma Goldman, Jarrod Emick as Willie Conklin, Manoel Felciano as Tateh, Dick Latessa as Grandfather,Norm Lewis as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Jose Llana as Harry Houdini, Michael McCormick as J.P. Morgan,Howard McGillin as Father, Patina Miller as Sarah, Lea Salonga as Mother Lilla Crawford as The Little Girl and Lewis Grosso as The Little Boy and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Sarah's Friend.
BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert event and you can check out the full opening number below!
Manhattan Concert Productions will present a special concert performance of Ragtime at Avery Fisher Hall tonight, Monday, February 18, 2013. The cast will include: Michael Arden as Younger Brother, Phillip Boykin as Booker T. Washington, Kerry Butler as Evelyn Nesbit, Matt Cavenaugh as Henry Ford, Tyne Daly as Emma Goldman, Jarrod Emick as Willie Conklin, Manoel Felciano as Tateh, Dick Latessa as Grandfather, Norm Lewis as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Jose Llana as Harry Houdini, Michael McCormick as J.P. Morgan, Howard McGillin as Father, Patina Miller as Sarah, Lea Salonga as Mother Lilla Crawford as The Little Girl and Lewis Grosso as The Little Boy and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Sarah's Friend.
In celebration of ths special day, BroadwayWorld brings you a collection of highlights from the original 1998 production and the 2009 revival below!
Manhattan Concert Productions will present a special concert performance of Ragtime at Avery Fisher Hall on Monday, February 18, 2013. The cast will include: Michael Arden as Younger Brother, Phillip Boykin as Booker T. Washington, Kerry Butler as Evelyn Nesbit, Matt Cavenaugh as Henry Ford, Tyne Daly as Emma Goldman, Jarrod Emick as Willie Conklin, Manoel Felciano as Tateh, Dick Latessa as Grandfather, Norm Lewis as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Jose Llana as Harry Houdini, Michael McCormick as J.P. Morgan, Howard McGillin as Father, Patina Miller as Sarah, Lea Salonga as Mother Lilla Crawford as The Little Girl and Lewis Grosso as The Little Boy and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Sarah's Friend.
The full cast met the press just yesterday and you can check out what they had to say about the special concert below!
A devout theater fan knows no holiday, and thankfully, many of Broadway's most beloved shows and performers nationwide don't either. So what's a theater enthusiast to do on this Independence Day? Check out a sampling of this year's most exciting 4th of July offerings and click below to revisit some of your favorites saluting our nation in song!
Last night, June 10, Audra McDonald took home her 5th Tony Award for for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role of 'Bess' in THE GERSWIN's PORGY AND BESS. Though we'd think she'd be used to the feeling of winning by now, McDonald spoke with BroadwayWorld just moments after her win only to reveal how it still feels 'out of body'. Click below to hear from the Broadway darling herself!
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. In the video below, the audience got a special surprise when the cast welcomed a couple onstage for a heartwarming marriage propsal. Click below to check it out!
Fred Barton returns to the Metropolitan Room on Sunday, April 15, at 7:00 PM with his show Fred Barton PRESENTS - AND THINKS YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT! - in which he hosts, sings and plays with his 9-piece Broadway Band, presenting classic Broadway show tunes, with some of his favorite performers. This is Barton's last show until later this summer. In this video, Damon Kirsche sings Kander & Ebb's 'Ten Percent,' cut from the original 1975 production of CHICAGO. The video was recorded at 'Fred Barton Presents -- And Thinks You're Gonna Love It!' on January 15, 2012.
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. Last night, McDonald was a guest on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. The four-time Tony Award-winner chatted with Stephen Colbert about her return to Broadway and performed 'Summertime.' Click below to check it out!
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. McDonlad and Lewis will appear on 'The Rosie Show' tomorrow March 2, and BroadwayWorld brings you previews of their performances of 'Summertime,' 'I Got PLenty O' Nuttin,' and 'I Loves You, Porgy' below! Check your local listings to tune in live!
As in years past, BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Seth to exclusively bring you the full length episodes right here and we're pleased to bring you Seth's latest candid chat with PORGY & BESS' Joshua Henry, NaTasha Yvette Williams and Nikki Renee Daniels. Find out how the stars got started in theatre, hear about their PORGY & Bess auditions, and what it's like working with four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald!
The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS officially opened on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. Today, McDonald and Lewis appeared on The View to promote the show and BroadwayWorld brings you their performance of 'Bess, You Is My Woman Now' below!
The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS officially opened on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). The cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. The cast also includes Phillip Boykin as Crown, Nikki Renée Daniels as Clara, Joshua Henry as Jake, Christopher Innvar as Detective, Bryonha Marie Parham as Serena and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Mariah, as well as Sumayya Ali, Allison Blackwell, Roosevelt André Credit, Trevon Davis, Joseph Dellger, Wilkie Ferguson, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Gavin Gregory, Heather Hill, David Hughey, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Alicia Hall Moran, Cedric Neal, Phumzile Sojola, Nathaniel Stampley, Julius Thomas III, J.D. Webster and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson.
Check out the just-released promo for the show below!
On Thursday, January 12, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Broadway Beat was on hand for exciting opening night party to chat with the cast and company and takes you inside below!
'Wow' is all that we could say after watching this thrilling show preview for The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS on Broadway! Check out the footage below of Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis, David Alan Grier & company lighting up the stage in this new production which opens on Thursday, January 12!