Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: IF/THEN gets fresh faces on tour, three shows begin off-Broadway and more!
Over the past few years, the theatre community has been quietly buzzing about the stage work of Jackie Burns, the young actress whose credits include Elphaba in Broadway's WICKED, a soloist in the tribe of the 2009 HAIR revival, the original off-Broadway production of ROCK OF AGES, and most recently, as standby to IDINA MENZEL (WICKED, RENT) in the 2013 Broadway musical IF/THEN. This week, during her lunch break from rehearsals in New York City, Jackie sat down to chat with me about revisiting the show, and the pressure of stepping in for the FROZEN star.
Much like the opening night performance I experienced at the show's debut at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood last month, I was once again blown away by Menzel's incredible musical gifts with the show's opener at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa (which plays through January 24). Even better: she is still surrounded by the same equally astonishing support cast, particularly her original Broadway co-stars LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, and James Snyder. So how was the experience this time? While my initial reaction to the show itself hovered somewhere in the middle, I have to admit that I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the show the second time around. Dare I say, I even think I *loved* it more.
BroadwayWorld learned tonight at GREASE: LIVE's TCA panel that IF/THEN, NEXT TO NORMAL and FREAKY FRIDAY songwriters Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey have written a new tune for 'Frenchy', played by Carly Rae Jepsen in FOX's upcoming live production.
In addition to Idina Menzel's predictably powerhouse vocals, IF/THEN features a stellar performance by LaChanze. She is a non-stop engine of energy, delivering one knockout song after another and acting up a storm. Janine DiVita stands out as well as a talent to watch.
Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that tickets for the Minneapolis debut of the national tour of If/Then, named the "Best Musical of the Year" by New York Magazine, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.
Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Austin Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!
The L.A. Premiere engagement of IF/THEN, starring Tony Award-winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee), began performances at Hollywood Pantages Theatre on December 8, 2015 for a limited four-week engagement through January 3, 2016. Menzel recently stopped by FOX 11 Los Angeles to talk about the show. Click below to watch her interview!
BroadwayWorld has just learned that theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) has secured worldwide licensing rights to Broadway's Tony® nominated IF/THEN.
As expected, Tony Award winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel drew thunderous applause a mere second into the the start of IF/THEN's opening night performance at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre last Wednesday night. It's no stretch then to say that her mere existence in this very same role she herself originated in the original Broadway production seems, above everything else, to be the immediate draw to the recently launched national tour now on stage at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for a four week engagement through January 3, 2016. The bonus? She is joined onstage by her original co-stars LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, and James Snyder!
Producer David Stone and the Nederlander Organization present the L.A. Premiere engagement of IF/THEN starring Tony Award-winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee), opening at Hollywood Pantages Theatre on December 8, 2015 for a limited four-week engagement through January 3, 2016. Go inside the opening night curtain call below!
Producer David Stone and the Nederlander Organization present the L.A. Premiere engagement of IF/THEN starring Tony Award-winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee), opening at Hollywood Pantages Theatre on December 8, 2015 for a limited four-week engagement through January 3, 2016. Check out the red carpet arrivals below!
Broadway In Chicago has announced Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Chicago native and Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, playing Broadway In Chicago's Oriental Theatre for a limited two-week engagement February 23, 2016 - March 6, 2016.
?Producer David Stone and the Nederlander Organization announce that the L.A. Premiere engagement of IF/THEN starring Tony Award-winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee) will begin performances at Hollywood Pantages Theatre tonight, December 8, 2015 for a limited four-week engagement through January 3, 2016.
Broadway In Chicago has announced Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Chicago native and Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, playing Broadway In Chicago's Oriental Theatre for a limited two-week engagement February 23, 2016 - March 6, 2016.
Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, starting Wednesday, January 27 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.
Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, starting Wednesday, January 27 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.
JACKIE BURNS (Elizabeth) is thrilled to be starring in If/Then, returning to many of the same cities she visited playing Elphaba in Wicked, a role for which she received an IRNE Award nomination. She subsequently played Elphaba on Broadway, to great acclaim. Other Broadway: Hair (Revival, Original Cast), If/Then (Original Cast). Off-Broadway: Rock of Ages (Original Cast), Unlock'd, Ripper. Regional: Aldonza in Man of La Mancha (PCLO), Wedding Singer, A Grand Night for Singing (Connecticut Critics Circle Award), The Full Monty, Singin' in the Rain, Joseph..., Sweeney Todd, Drood, Candide, Smokey Joe's Cafe (Paper Mill). TV: 'All My Children.' Concept Albums: Lucifer (Michael Mott), Swept Away (Disney), Tears from Heaven, and Excalibur (Frank Wildhorn).
ANTHONY RAPP (Lucas). Broadway: Rent; You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Six Degrees of Separation; Precious Sons (Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk nomination). Off-Broadway: Raised in Captivity, Sophistry, The Destiny of Me, Some Americans Abroad, among others. Film: Adventures in Babysitting, School Ties, Dazed and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation, Rent, Man of the Century, Roadtrip, Winter Passing, A Beautiful Mind. TV: 'The X-Files,' 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Psych.' Author of Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, which was adapted into the one-man show Without You and performed nationally and internationally. @albinokid on Twitter
TAMYRA GRAY (Kate). After the acclaim that followed her appearances in the inaugural season of 'American Idol,' Tamyra parlayed the attention into a successful theater, televison, and film career. Broadway credits include: Bombay Dreams, Rent. Film: Sony's The Gospel, Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married. Tamyra won the Hollywood NAACP award for 'Best Lead Female' for her role in Debbie Allen's Twist. Tamyra is a devoted wife and mother who leans on spirituality to maintain balance between work, home, and health.
MATTHEW HYDZIK (Josh). Broadway: Side Show (Buddy), West Side Story (Tony), Grease (Kenickie), It Shoulda Been You. Off-Broadway: Tomorrow Morning. Some regional favorites: The Lyric Opera of Chicago, La Jolla Playhouse, Kennedy Center, Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, Fulton Opera House. National tours: Rent, Fame, Grease, and Flashdance. Proud grad of Penn State University. Insta/Twitter: @matthew_hydzik
?Producer David Stone and the Nederlander Organization announce that the L.A. Premiere engagement of IF/THEN starring Tony Award-winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee) will begin performances at Hollywood Pantages Theatre on December 8, 2015 for a limited four-week engagement through January 3, 2016.
BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our November 21 #SIP round-up! Check out Part 1 HERE.
IF/THEN - Captivating Tale of What Might Have Been, Now Thru Dec. 6
Tickets for the National Tour of IF/THEN, which was named the "Best Musical of the Year" by New York Magazine, are on sale now.
BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our November 7 #SIP round-up! Check out Part 1 HERE.
This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Connecticut, Omaha, South Africa, and more. Check out our top 10 spooky stories around our Broadway World below, which include DISGRADED in Connecticut, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in Omaha, and SWEENEY TOOD in South Africa, just to name a few.
When I first saw "If/Then" in New York I thought the same thing I think now, "Cute show but it'll never make it without Idina Menzel since the show is basically a vehicle for her." Well, I guess the producers of the tour agreed with me since more than half of the original leads including Menzel are on tour with the show currently at the Paramount Theatre.
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