The Wiz Revival 2018 - Articles Page 13

There's just one month left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

A fun, new musical adaptation of an audience favorite comes to First Stage this holiday season. Created by the talented husband/wife team of Jahnna Beecham (Playwright/Lyricist) and Malcolm Hillgartner (Composer/Lyricist) and based on the play by Barbara Robinson, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL is filled with catchy,'60s-inspired original music and a delightful story that both young and old will enjoy. The horrible Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. The entire town panics when these rowdy six siblings are cast in the church's annual Christmas pageant. It's up to good-hearted Mrs. Bradley to help the Herdmans - and the rest of the town - discover the true meaning of Christmas before it's too late. Silent night? Not a chance, but sometimes a little joyful noise is just right for Christmas. Sponsored by Associated Bank and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren.

With A Star-Studded Tribute to Celine Dion, Whitney Houston & Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Shania Twain's voices shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all believed in LOVE. Now, is your opportunity to experience it LIVE with your loved one as Broadway in the H.O.O.D brings '3 Divas, 16 Grammy's, 1 Voice;' staring Amber Sauer, contestant on Season 14 of The Voice as a part of Kelly Clarkson's, November 23 - 24, 2018, in Myron's Cabaret Jazz Theatre at The Smith Center for The Performing Arts!

Black Nativity by Langston Hughes will run December 7-16 with a special Community Night preview performance on Thursday, December 6 at the Marcus Center's Wilson Theater in Vogel Hall. 

A fun, new musical adaptation of an audience favorite comes to First Stage this holiday season. Created by the talented husband/wife team of Jahnna Beecham (Playwright/Lyricist) and Malcolm Hillgartner (Composer/Lyricist) and based on the play by Barbara Robinson, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL is filled with catchy,'60s-inspired original music and a delightful story that both young and old will enjoy. The horrible Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. The entire town panics when these rowdy six siblings are cast in the church's annual Christmas pageant. It's up to good-hearted Mrs. Bradley to help the Herdmans - and the rest of the town - discover the true meaning of Christmas before it's too late. Silent night? Not a chance, but sometimes a little joyful noise is just right for Christmas. Sponsored by Associated Bank and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren.

Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents Home for the Holidays on Friday, December 14, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. at the Brooklyn Music School Playhouse Theater, 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit www.brooklynmusicschool.org/calendar/home-for-holidays.

'ECLIPSED,' the colorful and fiery drama written by Danai Gurira (of The Walking Dead) & presented by Broadway in the H.O.O.D, settles in at the Troesh Theatre at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts for four intimate, powerful and captivating performances taking place November 2-4, 2018.

Tucked away in the newly renovated space behind the 924 Gallery downtown is the new gorgeous Cabaret. The space, formerly a warehouse and then a roller skating rink, is now a beautiful gem. Intimate tables sit close to a stage that hosts stars straight from Broadway. The theatre moved into its new location in April and the result is unbelievable. The Jazz Kitchen designed a menu with cocktails, starters and entrees perfect for any evening. If you haven't been to the new Cabaret yet, what are you waiting for? 

Theatre Under The Stars' production of The Wiz is now open!

Though it's 2018 in Houston, Texas, at the height of the 2018 primary election, but thankfully, there's an escape from the tumultuous political climate where blue and red are the subject. The color of today is green.

Manukau Performing Arts production of 'The Wiz' is an exuberant journey down the yellow brick road in an original Pasifika Panto style. It's entertaining, energetic and brimming with talent.  The diverse cast is bound in the unity of voice; each with a rich, unique sound that complements the funky soulful and bluesy music score.  The singing is stunning. Any of those voices could slip into a New York nightclub with ease.

"Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," Dorothy said upon stepping into the color-filled landscape of Oz bringing the magic of Technicolor pictures to moviegoers in the 1930s. Since then "The Wizard of Oz" has become a beloved classic with numerous adaptations including two re-interpretations of the Broadway stage, "Wicked" and "The Wiz." Pacific Symphony will bring the "Music of Oz" to life with vocalists Kelli Rabke, Law Dunford, Scott Coulter and pianist John Boswell on Nov. 9-10, led by Principal Pops conductor Richard Kaufman. The orchestra will play selected songs from each of the productions, including some of the beloved classics such as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Defying Gravity." 

Looking into the future, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for October 15, 2018, to help you plot your course through the end of the year...

With A Star-Studded Tribute to Celine Dion, Whitney Houston & Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Shania Twain's voices shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all believed in LOVE. Now, is your opportunity to experience it LIVE with your loved one as Broadway in the H.O.O.D brings '3 Divas, 16 Grammy's, 1 Voice;' staring Amber Sauer, contestant on Season 14 of The Voice as a part of Kelly Clarkson's, November 23 - 24, 2018, in Myron's Cabaret Jazz Theatre at The Smith Center for The Performing Arts!

The life of late legendary producer Craig Zadan will be celebrated by the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) - the organization dedicated to supporting theatre arts in schools and nurturing students all over the country - at the organization's annual West Coast gala Thespians Go Hollywood - Honoring the Life and Work of Craig Zadan. The celebration will take place on November 11, 2018 at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' headquarters in North Hollywood.  The announcement was made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment, and Julie Cohen Theobald, President of the Educational Theatre Foundation.

Park Square Theatre announces the area premiere production of Marie & Rosetta by George Brandt, to be directed by Wendy Knox, who directed the early workshops of the play at the Minneapolis-based Playwrights' Center. Soulful and spirited, this play with music tells the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a 2018 inductee into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame who has become a Facebook sensation with tens of thousands of shares of the vintage video of her playing electric guitar on the street cropping up in feeds for the past several years. Tharpe brought fierce guitar playing and swing to gospel music and went on to influence rock musicians from Elvis to Jimi Hendrix and Ray Charles.

Circle Players continues to celebrate of its 2018-19 season with tonight's opening of Hair, the 1969 tribal love-rock musical that made musical theater history with its premiere 50 years ago. Directed by Jason Lewis and choreographed by Tosha Pendergrast, the eagerly anticipated production features a cast of Nashville's favorite actors, with Nicholas Page as Claude.

Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors) announced the cast and creative team for the THE COLOR PURPLE, which will play at the Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles). Performances run from November 9 through December 9 with the official press opening on Saturday, November 10. The Tony Award-winning musical features a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Directing and choreographing the cast of 15 is NAACP Theater Award-winner Jeffrey Polk (Smokey Joe's Cafe).

Independent artist collective - known as the Indie Collaborative - is proud to announce their debut public performance at the world famous Carnegie Hall at the Weill Recital Hall in New York City on Monday, November 19, 2018 at 8 PM. The show features three different genres of music: Musical Theater, World Music, and American Roots/Country Music.

Broadway Records today announced that Tonya & Nancy (Highlights from the Rock Opera) - Live at Feinstein's/54 Below will be released digitally and in stores on Friday, September 28, 2018. The album is currently available for pre- order at www.BroadwayRecords.com.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2016, launches its 80th milestone season with The Color Purple, directed by Tony Award-winner John Doyle. The Color Purple is the Tony Award-winning musical revival based upon the novel written by Alice Walker and the Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment motion picture with a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. Cast members from the 2015 Broadway revival lead the Paper Mill Playhouse company, including Adrianna Hicks (Aladdin, Sister Act - Germany) as Celie, Carla R. Stewart (Ghost - National Tour, Rent - Regional) as Shug Avery and Carrie Compere (Holler If You Hear Me, Shrek the Musical - National Tour) as Sofia.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts,  which brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music performed by many of the most sought-after artists,presents Chris Walden Big Band with a program that pays tribute to the "Rat Pack" era on Saturday, October 27, 2018, 7:30 pm,in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at The Wallis. Walden, a seven-time Grammy-nominated composer/arranger/conductor, has scored more than 40 feature and TV films and written more than 1,500 orchestral and big band arrangements for artists ranging from Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand to Diana Krall and Rihanna, among many others.

Broadway Records today announced that Who's Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War (Original Cast Recording) will be released digitally and in stores on Friday, September 28, 2018.

dick clark productions and ABC today announced “2018 American Music Awards” performances from 10-time American Music Award-winning icon, Mariah Carey, as well as a collaboration from award-winning record producer and songwriter, benny blanco with multiplatinum artist Halsey and global superstar Khalid, who is up for four AMAs this year. These artists join previously announced performers Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Carrie Underwood. Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the “2018 American Music Awards,” the world's largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, on ABC.

Broadway Records today announced that The Boy Who Danced on Air (Original Cast Recording) will be released digitally and in stores today, September 21, 2018. The album is currently available for pre-order at www.BroadwayRecords.com and Amazon.com.