I'm Still Here...Damn It! - 1998 - Broadway Articles Page 8

Singer-guitarist Wendell Ferguson is the anti-Claus. And I was reminded how much I enjoy his Yuletied parodies earlier this month at the CBC taping of this year's Royal Canadian Air Farce New Year's Eve comedy special. Remember the kid in the horror movie 'The Omen' who turns out to be the anti-Christ? Gregory Peck checked the lad's scalp and found three sixes - the sign of the beast - in a circle? Well, if you were to check Wendell's scalp, you'd find three 'Hos' in a circle instead!

Tonight, the mammoth Disney Theatricals pulls back the curtain on the eight Broadway shows that they have brought to the stage over the past 20 years. BACKSTAGE WITH DISNEY ON BROADWAY: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS will be hosted by Broadway favorite, and ABC Family member, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and will feature performances by Elton John, Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen (from ABC's NASHVILLE), Ashley Brown (Broadway's original Mary Poppins), Darren Criss (GLEE), Adam Jacobs (Broadway's Aladdin), and more.

Last week, the newly reimagined tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA set up shop at The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Orlando. The production continues its run in the City Beautiful through Sunday. Two of BroadwayWorld Orlando's editors, Matt Tamanini and Kimberly Moy, attended the press night, and discussed their differing impressions afterward.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to Joe's Pub at The Public Theater on Sunday, December 7 at 9:30 PM to continue its landmark 6th season. The December show marks the 5th annual Holiday Spectacular from The Meeting*, with special guests to be announced. Tracy Stark serves as the show's Music Director.

I have to admit that I was very excited when I read that veteran actor Michael Winther would be returning to Center Stage to star in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL. It was Director David Schweizer who asked Winther to come to Center Stage for the role of Dan. Schweizer also directed Winther back in 2007 when he played the role of Dromio in BOYS FROM SYRACUSE along with Manu Narayan and Paolo Montalban. Winther became friends with Narayan when the two both worked on Broadway at the same time, Narayan was the star of BOMBAY DREAMS at the Broadway Theater and Winther was down the street at the Winter Garden in MAMMA MIA! Winther related it was Narayan who called him up last year to take Narayan's place in San Paolo, Brazil to perform in the KIezmer musical THE NIGHT IN THE OLD MARKET PLACE. So Winther spent ten days in Brazil along with another actress from the BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, Charlotte Cohn.

The inimitable Sandra Bernhard returns to Joe's Pub at The Public with her new show Sandra Bernhard is #blessed for her annual year-end residency, which starts December 26 and leads up to her New Year's Eve spectacle. Performances run nightly from Friday-Tuesday, December 26-30 at 7:30PM and 9:30PM and Wednesday, December 31 at 9:00PM and 11:00PM. Garland Jeffreys kicks off New Year's Eve at Joe's Pub with his own show at 7:00PM on December 31.

These are just some of the ways NTI students have responded to working with our alumni company, The Debate Society. The Debate Society is an Obie Award winning, Brooklyn based company that creates new plays through the collaboration of Hannah Bos (writer/performer/NTI Fall '98), Paul Thureen (writer/performer/ NTI Fall '98/ MATS '00), and Oliver Butler (director/developer). The company specializes unexpected stories set in supremely intricate, vividly theatrical worlds.

Today we are talking to a world famous triple-threat star of stage and screen who first shot to fame in the 1980s as the first African American Miss America and found considerable success as a recording artist and actress thereafter, the divine Vanessa Williams. Sharing sage wisdom from her life and career as well as reflecting on many of her most popular properties to date, Williams reveals some of her many secrets to success while also looking ahead to next month's hotly anticipated all-star concert presentation of legendary Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein musical SHOW BOAT, co-starring Julian Ovenden, Norm Lewis, Jane Alexander and many more along with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Ted Sperling. Also, Williams shares her enthusiasm for setting out to create new renditions of some of SHOW BOAT's most noted selections, including 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man Of Mine'. Additionally, Williams opens up about her multiple musical theatre endeavors highlighting the work of Stephen Sondheim, including the Tony Award-winning 2002 Best Revival production of INTO THE WOODS and the recent original revue SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM. Plus, Williams details her ongoing participation in THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, after having starred in the well-received Broadway production last season and now finishing up headlining the Los Angeles production before bringing the drama to Boston. All of that, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN memories, saving Audra McDonald's wedding day and much, much more with one of Broadway's brightest stars!

Sting's THE LAST SHIP marks The Police lead singer's Broadway debut tonight, but he's far from the first music industry transplant on the Great White Way. Scroll down to learn more about some of the greatest music stars turned Broadway composers, and be sure to tell us your favorite (or any we left out) in the comments below!

Thirty years after proclaiming 'It's Raining Men,' music legend Martha Wash will make her debut at Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - tonight, October 23 (8 p.m.) and Friday, October 24 (8 p.m.).

Stephen Edwards' TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES, a musical adaption of Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel, is a musical that never found its proper footing. Prior to opening on the West End, the UK tour was met with positive reviews, but poor critical reception at London's Savoy Theatre saw the musical shutter faster than anyone anticipated. Yet, TESS still has life thanks to TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES (Original Cast Recording).

Thirty years after proclaiming "It's Raining Men," music legend Martha Wash will make her debut at Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - Thursday, October 23 (8 p.m.) and Friday, October 24 (8 p.m.). Ms. Wash's music career spans genres from pop to dance to R&B, and is responsible for some of the most celebrated music to ever hit the airwaves. Her more than three decade career has produced two Grammy nominations and #1 hits such as, "It's Raining Men," "Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", and "Carry On." Tickets for Martha Wash range in price from $35 - $50 and are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Hands on a Hardbody is a new rock musical about 10 Texans whose new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end and armed with nothing but hope and ambition, they'll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. In this hard-fought contest, only one winner can drive away with the American dream.

Greetings! I am thrilled to join you here at BWW to recap the new series “Forever.” The premise of the show is that Dr. Henry Morgan, an N.Y.P.D. coroner, has a small secret: He's about 200 years old and cannot die. Shows about immortality have always intrigued me, mostly because they have rarely been very successful. That's odd. Everyone has a fantasy of immortality, at least at times one is not rebalancing one's retirement account. It seems immortality shows should exercise a lure to viewers. That does not appear to be the case.

When the Marriott Theatre in far north suburban Lincolnshire announced it was mounting a production of the 1944 landmark musical comedy 'On The Town,' most cognoscenti were excited. I mean, this is a show that everyone who takes musical theater seriously has studied, but that few have actually seen.

Hands on a Hardbody is a new rock musical about 10 Texans whose new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end and armed with nothing but hope and ambition, they'll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. In this hard-fought contest, only one winner can drive away with the American dream.

Following the recent release of Clearlight's critically acclaimed 'The Impressionists Symphony' CD, comes another groundbreaking new album composed by Cyrille 'Clearlight' Verdeaux titled 'Tribal Hybrid Concept' on Gonzo MultiMedia.

HERE announces its 2014-2015 producing season, commencing Labor Day Weekend with the premiere of the Artistic Director production, Trade Practices, by Kristin Marting & David Evans Morris; and followed by the HERE Resident Artist productions Send for the Million Men by Joseph Silvosky and Bloowst windku by Rebecca Davis. HERE's upcoming season also includes the third annual PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/ Now festival and HERE's yearly CULTUREMART festival, which gives audiences a first look at new work in process from artists in the HERE Artist Residency Program (HARP). The multidisciplinary productions in HERE's 2014-2015 season represent the culmination of commissions and developmental residencies of up to three years through HARP, and/or the Dream Music Puppetry Program.

A great, big Broadway season is on its way, with fourteen productions already slated to open in the next few months. With several weeks until the craziness begins, there is still plenty of time to catch up on what's been going on at Broadway's already occupied theaters . BroadwayWorld will be profiling the hits of the Great White Way that continue to draw crowds after months, years, and (in some cases) decades. Meet the current cast of Broadway's The Lion King below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's the TOP TEN HOT TOPIX for the first half of 2014! Did your favorites make the list?

The Royal Court Theatre announces a new season of work today, Friday 27 June, including new plays from Molly Davies, Zinnie Harris, Rory Mullarkey, Tim Price and Jack Thorne; a debut play from first-time playwright Diana Nneka Atuona; a collaboration between scientist Chris Rapley, playwright and director Duncan Macmillan and director Katie Mitchell and a new production for young people and their families - Enda Walsh's new adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Twits.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its upcoming shows, today, May 21 through June 1, 2014. Details below!

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its upcoming shows, May 21 through June 1, 2014. Details below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Welcome to the '60s, with 'How To Succeed,' 'Motown,' 'Cabaret' and 'Hair,' plus tributes to Jack Lemmon and the Carpenters, the upcoming 'Jersey Boys' film, 'Option Up!,' that one-night 'Parade' concert and the BroadwayWorld Chicago Tony Award Viewing Party!

Neil Patrick Harris returns to Broadway in the new production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the musical with book by John Cameron Mitchell and music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, directed by Michael Mayer. The limited engagement, featuring Lena Hall (Kinky Boots, lead singer of The Deafening), opens tonight, April 22 at the Belasco Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...