I'll Say She Is - 2016 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 11

Taking on a stage role that was indelibly created onscreen by Erich Von Stroheim has got to be a daunting experience, but Nashville actor Randal Cooper takes on the theatrical challenge in The Larry Keeton Theatre's production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, onstage in Donelson through March 5.

Throw on some makeup, grab your highest heels, and hold on to your wigs because something fabulous is strutting into New Orleans tomorrow that you won't want to miss!  KINKY BOOTS is a fairly new, Tony Award-winning musical production brought to you by creative dream team Jerry Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, and Harvey Fierstein.  Inspired by the true-life events of Steve Pateman, it tells the story of a young man who inherits his family's failing shoe factory. 

The staff, board, and community of Diversionary Theatre, America's third oldest LGBT theatre, are hosting a very special Gala event: Daring Decadence: Celebrating 30 Years of Diversionary Theatre on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the Shiley Suite at the San Diego Central Library (330 Park Blvd).

Amphibian Stage Productions (Kathleen Culebro, Artistic Director) launches its seventeeth season.

Nicci Canada pays tribute to Lady Ella Fitzgerald on Valentine's weekend in Charlotte, NC. It's all about Love!

The wildly popular musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder will be at The Memphis Orpheum February 9 - 14th. This daring, dark comedy hails from Roy Horniman's 1907 novel, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal, told through the eyes of a man who bumps off the aristocrats standing in the way of his title. In 1949, the book was loosely adapted into the movie, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' which starred Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson, and Alec Guinness. In 2014, Robert Freedman and Steven Lutvak set the story to music. It has been nabbing awards and slaying audiences ever since.

News spread quickly among Nashville-area theaterati last week: Denice Hicks would be taking the stage of Belmont University's Troutt Theater to take on what could conceivably be her greatest theater challenge: Playing King Lear in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's production of the Shakespeare tragedy which had opened a week earlier.

BroadwayWorld has heard from Carol Channing, our amazing readers, and more since Bette Midler was announced for the role of 'Dolly Gallagher Levi' in the Broadway return of one of the most cherished shows in musical theater history, HELLO, DOLLY! And now the diva herself has chimed in on coming back to the Great White Way in an interview with The New York Times.

Artistic Director Michael Kahn truly proves a great director of comedy.

New year, new...clones?  Alright, fine, it may not be the catchiest slogan ever, but it does sum up last week's episode of HEROES REBORN quite nicely. Our beloved EVOs started off 2016 by really pumping up their powers and showing the corporate gang who's boss, and if the previews are any indication, they'll continue sticking it to the man in tonight's episode, too. Take that, big business.

2015 proved to be a banner year for Lady Gaga - not only did she receive her 17th Grammy nomination, but was also named Billboard's Woman of the Year. 2016 is looking to be no different.

A round table chat at Sardi's has the stars discussing the whirlwind experience.

Below, check out quotables from NBC's 'THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON' January 4 – January 8?.

Annie Enneking is an actor, singer and fight choreographer who plays Thea in new work, LULLABY, the world premiere in Theater Latte Da's new work initiative, NEXT 20/20. She tells a little about her part in this show and her future plans in this 6 Questions & a Plug.

The West End transfer of GUYS & DOLLS opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 6, for a limited run through March 12. Sophie Thompson and Jamie Parker reprise their roles as Miss Adelaide and Sky Masterson, with David Haig as Nathan Detroit and Siubhan Harrison as Sarah Brown. Let's see what the critics had to say:

As a new year begins, Connecticut's professional theater scene offers many exciting viewing opportunities including premieres of new shows as well as some old some old favorites. What shows am I most looking forward to? Here are some tops picks for 2016:

On Tuesday, December 22 exciting singer Laura Dickinson brought her BIG BAND HOLIDAY to the El Portal Mainstage in NoHo. The house was SRO, and Dickinson, needless to say, accompanied by a 17-piece band, knocked it out of the park. When I reviewed her CD release party a year ago at Vitello's I noted, 'She blew the roof off the joint with her dynamic delivery, oozing charm and warmth from every pore. Not only is she beautiful, but oh so terribly engaging as she grabs hold of you and won't let go. She's been called 'masterful'; I'll go a step further and add 'captivating and spellbinding'. She's a singer to be reckoned with!' A year later, she's even more appealing with a talent and drive that will not quit.

Tony nominee Lauren Worsham spoke with BroadwayWorld about her new Sky Pony album and upcoming role in Dog Days. Worsham also makes a special announcement about what is in store for her next year!

If you read my previous article you already know that Swedish West End performer, Marsha Songcome is taking over the role of Gigi Van Tranh in Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil's MISS SAIGON from 14 December 2015 until the closing date 27 February 2016 at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. I was very lucky to get an interview with Marsha who recently also got a role in the West End production of Aladdin and won Broadwayworld.com's Understudy of the year.

SCREAM QUEENS, since its inception, has been a satire of college Greek life, a system that breeds hateful, self-obsessed people. Every few weeks in the news there's a story of a fraternity throwing a racist party, or spitting on veterans, or leaked sorority emails. Chanel and her cronies have been representations of these people. I would say exaggerations, but they're not. SCREAM QUEENS returns to these roots in a more than satisfying two-part conclusion.

Amphibian Stage Productions (Kathleen Culebro, Artistic Director) has announced programming for its seventeeth season. 

Can YOU feel a brand new day? We're gearing up to ease on down the road with powerhouse newcomer Shanice Williams and the rest of the gang from Oz, when THE WIZ LIVE! premieres Thursday, December 3, at 8pm on NBC.  Of course, as was the case in 2013's THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! and last year's PETER PAN LIVE!, the cast is certainly not short on big-name talent — and most come with Broadway or theatrical credits, no less. As if you didn't already know, be sure to look out for Queen Latifah (of 2002's CHICAGO and 2007's HAIRSPRAY), Elijah Kelley (also of 2007's HAIRSPRAY), Uzo Aduba (of CORAM BOY and 2011's GODSPELL), and David Alan Grier (2012's PORGY AND BESS). 

Whether she's in the lead role or in the chorus of the latest musical, Ann Michels is a Twin Cities actor/singer who stands out and who finds a connection with her audiences.

World renown British actor/playwright Ray Cooney will be performing the zany farce Cash on Delivery, written by his son Michael Cooney, on the mainstage of the El Portal in Noho December 3-20.  Cooney performed Out of Order at the El Portal in 2001, and was a tremendous hit. In our conversation Cooney, who was bestowed the honor of OBE (Order of the British Empire) by the Queen, and wife Linda talk about the play, and among other topics, theatre and its importance in our world right now. Linda is a landscape painter and former actress, and her work will be exhibited in the El Portal lobby during the run of the play and on to January 1, 2016.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith moves the action to current day to emphasize the similarities of poverty in the London of Charles Dickens' London and today.