I Only Just Got Here Myself 1981 - Articles Page 2

Langan has performed with such opera luminaries as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Marilyn Horne

When scheduling an interview with Broadway and now West End star: Marisha Wallace, I was quickly reminded that London is five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, so when we found an appointment that was congruently free; it was a little early for me... Flash forward to a 7am interview that started my day on the highest of notes: Marisha's bubbly and down to earth personality drew me in the first moment I saw her perform in the hit musical 'Something Rotten!'

Alysha Umphress will star as Rhetta in Paper Mill Playhouse's spring musical, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES. She speaks exclusively with BWW about why her character Rhetta is a kick in the pants!

Doubtless, there's a lot of hustling, bustling and what-not going on at Murfreesboro's Center For The Arts today as the company prepares for tonight's premiere of the musical extravaganza Dreamgirls. Directed by 2013 First Night Most Promising Actor Matthew Hayes Hunter (who may or may not answer to the name of "Matt" these days), the grand-scale production features four of the loveliest, most talented and mesmerizing leading ladies to be found on any stage, anywhere: Ra'Shaun Simon (playing Deena Jones), Brianna Booker (Lorell Robinson), Brittany Easley (Michelle Morris) and Robbyn "Vyrgo" Daniel, who plays the clarion-voiced Effie Melody White, the part made famous on Broadway by Jennifer Holliday.

It was 25 years ago when South Coast Repertory first staged the World Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley's dark comedy ABUNDANCE. Fast forward to 2015, and Orange County's Tony Award-winning regional theater saw it fitting to once again revisit the property in a brand new production now viewed through 21st Century eyes, that has been beautifully directed by SCR Founding Artistic Director Martin Benson. The play continues performances in Costa Mesa through November 15.

Last week, Wall Street Journal drama critic Terry Teachout received the Bradley Prize from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. An abridged version of his acceptance remarks were printed by the Wall Street Journal and appear below!

The Tony winner talks about her Brooklyn upbringing, her Broadway triumphs and her brand-new cabaret show.

Our intrepid cabaret columnist/reviewer Stephen Hanks catches up on some reviews of fall 2013 shows, including Mary Foster Conklin's BroadwayWorld.com Award nominated tribute to Fran Landesman, solo shows from Bernard Dotson, Gary Crawford, and Lauren Glazer, and a duo show from Alison Nusbaum and Jackie Kristel.

A special tribute concert to Stephen Sondheim, including 17 premieres of commissioned works inspired by his songs, will be taking place at "Music in the Loft" in Chicago's historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 801, on April 7, 2013 at 3:00 pm. Pianist Anthony de Mare will be premiering/performing some of the 36-piece "LIAISONS Project" featuring Sondheim-inspired pieces by composers ranging from Nico Muhly and Steve Reich to Duncan Sheik and Jason Robert Brown.

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning Broadway and Hollywood notable all about his terrifically theatrical background - having appeared in musicals ranging from his debut in the ill-fated MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG to his Tony Award-winning work in JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY to most recent role as the artistic director of LA's lauded Reprise! Theatre Company - the one and only Jason Alexander. Expounding upon his big Broadway break in Stephen Sondheim & Harold Prince's MERRILY and what it was like to witness the two titans as they developed the piece, Alexander shares his insights into the art of Broadway and also casts a glance back at his roles in Kander & Ebb's THE RINK, Mel Brooks's THE PRODUCERS and directing Sondheim‘s musicals himself (such as SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with frequent InDepth InterView participant Kelli O‘Hara). Alexander also opens up about some of his most celebrated dramatic and comedic work to date - to say nothing of the iconic TV dynasty of SEINFELD, we also touch upon the TV movie musicals adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (with a score by Alan Menken & Lynn Ahrens), co-starring Kelsey Grammer, and Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, (with fellow InDepth InterView participant Bernadette Peters), as well as his recent appearance on HARRY'S LAW and more. Plus, Alexander outlines his featured role in the forthcoming Christopher Ashley feature film adaptation of the Ahrens & Flaherty musical comedy LUCKY STIFF, the future for a revival of the Richard Rodgers/Martin Charnin Bible-based Moses musical TWO BY TWO (co-starring SMASH's Megan Hilty once again, perhaps?) - and much, much more!

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Tony Award-winning SPRING AWAKENING songwriter Duncan Sheik all about his staggering spate of upcoming stage projects - the musical stage adaptation of the controversial Bret Easton Ellis bestseller AMERICAN PSYCHO, as well as his Steven Sater collaborations on THE NIGHTENGALE, WHISPER HOUSE, MR. CHESS and ALICE included - in addition to all about his upcoming concert appearance on November 23 at the Gramercy Theatre. Additionally, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter also expounded upon his career thus far and we took a look back at some of his favorite scores and composers, as well as the individuals to have the most impact on him and how that has played out in both his theatre and recording career. Plus, Sheik shares exciting exclusive news on the development of the forthcoming film adaptation of SPRING AWAKENING, directed by McG, to potentially begin filming next summer if all goes as planned, as well as opens up with his feelings on GLEE's recent homage to his hit 90s single "Barely Breathing" and his original SPRING AWAKENING leads Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff, as well as news about his upcoming solo album and the many, many stage projects he currently has in development. All of that and much, much more!

When I'm not at a show, I keep my eyes and brain busy by learning as much as I can about Broadway from my favorite books on the subject. My current favorites range from fiction to memoir to history. Here are the books that I'm currently keeping close by.

Is there a trend with Tony-nominated stars of Broadway musicals taking the show on the road?

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance.

Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its fourth consecutive year of providing holiday entertainment to military service families. A star-studded gathering of Cabrillo stars past and present will join stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy in The CABRILLO 2010 HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR, directed by Cheryl Baxter at the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its fourth consecutive year of providing holiday entertainment to military service families. A star-studded gathering of Cabrillo stars past and present will join stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy in The CABRILLO 2010 HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR, directed by Cheryl Baxter at the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its fourth consecutive year of providing holiday entertainment to military service families. A star-studded gathering of Cabrillo stars past and present will join stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy in The CABRILLO 2010 HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR, directed by Cheryl Baxter at the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its fourth consecutive year of providing holiday entertainment to military service families. A star-studded gathering of Cabrillo stars past and present will join stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy in The CABRILLO 2010 HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR, directed by Cheryl Baxter at the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full company of the new Broadway production of Anything Goes, starring Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as 'Reno Sweeney' and Tony and Academy Award winner Joel Grey as 'Moonface Martin.'

Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its fourth consecutive year of providing holiday entertainment to military service families. A star-studded gathering of Cabrillo stars past and present will join stars Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy in The CABRILLO 2010 HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR, directed by Cheryl Baxter at the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

The onetime movie star, now in a play off-B'way, talks about giving up Hollywood, acting on stage and running an herb farm in N.M.

In just the span of a few short years, Kelli O'Hara has become one of Broadway's most beloved women of musical theater. With three Tony® Award nominations in a row under her belt (The Light in the Piazza, The Pajama Game and, most recently, the critically-acclaimed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific), the revered stage star is now getting ready to debut an updated version of her much-lauded cabaret act from New York's Café Carlyle at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater on January 21. The intimate series of concerts will feature not only some familiar Broadway hits but also a few songs close to the singer-actor's heart, some of which can be found on her debut album Wonder of the World. She will also sprinkle the show with a few stories and anecdotes from her life: from her early childhood in Oklahoma to her debut on the Great White Way. O'Hara recently sat down for a quick chat with BroadwayWorld to discuss her early influences, her distinguished Broadway roles, and even some of her guilty pleasures.

Soap star Robert Newman joins cast of Off-Broadway musical Sessions and talks about the end of an era with Guiding Light leaving the air after 72 years.

Amy Tan's acclaimed novel 'The Joy Luck Club' has woven the warm and intriguing stories of four Chinese mothers and their daughters for readers of all generations today and still to come. This fall, Pan Asian Rep revives Susan Kim's stage-adaptation of The Joy Luck Club with a cast brimming with new and seasoned Asian-American actors, eager to bring this cherished tale to life. The four 'daughters' of The Joy Luck Club - Han Nah Kim, Rosanne Ma, Tina Chilip and Sacha Iskra - to discuss their shared experience in this play and the important role of Asians in American theatre...