Broadway
Alex Brightman, James Monroe Iglehart, Lesli Margherita, Ashley Park, Michael Urie and More in The Quarantine Soap Opera As The Curtain Rises
The Broadway Podcast Network is pleased to announce Broadway’s first digital Soap Opera, As The Curtain Rises. Written by Dori Berinstein (CEO Broadway Podcast Network, The Prom, Legally Blonde) and Mark Peikert (former Editor in Chief Playbill), As The Curtain Rises takes you on a never before behind the scenes look at the drama behind the most dramatic business in the world. Produced and released exclusively by Broadway Podcast Network the first episode of As The Curtain Rises is available Thursday, October 22 wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts and www.BPN.FM/ATCR. The next three episodes of the on-going series will be released subsequent Thursdays, with more coming soon after.
After the ‘Broadway Disher’ leaks news of a top secret, in-the-works, new mega musical, the Broadway community goes off-the-charts batty. Top-of-their-game Broadway Producers Cheryl Philips and Steve Jones, arch enemies, pounce. Who will get the rights? Will way-out-of-their-comfort-zone creators Kaye and Bobby manage to deliver a draft of the show before their marriage implodes? Will Director/Choreographer Zoey Taylor send the show’s budget into a free fall with her wildly ambitious vision? Will Broadway Diva Emma-Olivia get a Schmackery’s cookie (with Sprinkles) named in her honor? Will newbie Agent Maxwell Fernsby step into his new big shoes? And will Science Consultant Andrew Barth Feldman protect the integrity and authenticity of the in-the-works mega musical, before he needs to leave this top secret show to star in a new Broadway musical?
The drama on stage pales in comparison to the drama behind the curtain….
You don’t want to miss this.
As The Curtain Rises stars Alex Brightman (Tony Award-Nominee Beetlejuice) as the Narrator, Ariana Debose (The Prom Film, Hamilton, Summer) as Zoey Taylor, Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen) as “himself”, James Monroe Iglehart (Tony Award-Winner Aladdin), Ilana Levine (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown) as the CAAA agent, Lesli Margherita (Matilda The Musical) as the Broadway Texter, Mauricio Martinez (On Your Feet!) as Thomas, Ashley Park (Netflix’s Emily in Paris, Tony Award-Nominee Mean Girls) as Kaye, George Salazar (Be More Chill) as Maxwell Fernsby, Sarah Stiles (Tony Award-Nominee Tootsie, Hand to God) as Emma-Olivia, Michael Urie (Grand Horizons) as Bobby, and Lillias White (Tony Award-Winner The Life) as Cheryl. Featuring Danny Marin, Mark Peikert, and Jacob Smith.
With special appearances by Matt Britten (CEO Broadway Briefing), David Korins (Set Designer), Natasha Katz (Lighting Designer), Alex Lacamoire (Music Director/ Arranger),
Lynn Nottage (Playwright/Lyricist) and Jordan Roth (Producer and President, Jujamcyn Theatres).
As The Curtain Rises is produced by Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network (Brittany Bigelow, Yoanna Nikolova, Katie Rosin, Cyndy Schatz, Beatriz Westby) and Executive Produced by Liz Armstrong. The Soap Opera is edited and sound designed by Bart Fasbender, Avvatar music by Matthew Sklar, sound engineering by Alan Seales, banshee wrangling by Bill Berloni and directed by Dori Berinstein.
As The Curtain Rises was created and recorded entirely in Quarantine.
This Broadway Soap Opera celebrates and supports The Actor’s Fund and the BPN Frontline Worker Initiative which you can find at: Bpn.fm/frontlineworkers
Website: https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/
Instagram: @asthecurtainrises
The Podcast Will be Available on Apple/iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart, TuneIn, Deezer, Player.FM, Pocket Cast, Podcast Addict and everywhere else you listen to podcasts.
“Keeping Broadway magic alive during the Pandemic with our incredible company of actors, composers, sound engineers and artists has been reaffirming, inspiring and a total joy. Just can’t wait until we can all ‘create ‘ again IN PERSON!!” – Dori Berinstein
“One of the reasons I came to NYC is because As the World Turns and Guiding Light filmed here,” co-creator Mark Peikert says. “So to be able to go back to my first passion, soap operas, with the industry I spent the last 15 years reporting on is a dream come true. Too bad the real-life stories are so over-the-top we couldn’t include them!” – Mark Peikert
Dori Berinstein (writer/director/producer) is not a TV Soap Opera aficionado. Rather, Dori’s nirvana is living inside the reliably dramatic, real-life Soap Opera that exists behind-the-curtain on Broadway and in Film, where the drama backstage is often just as thrilling as the drama on stage or on screen. Consequently, Dori is often found producing Broadway Shows (The Prom, Legally Blonde, etc), directing films about Broadway (ShowBusiness: The Road To Broadway, Carol Channing: Larger Than Life, etc.) or producing Broadway shows as films (The Prom). She very much loves celebrating all this spectacular drama with her Lights of Broadway Show Card partner, artist extraordinaire, Justin ‘Squigs’ Robertson.
Mark Peikert (writer), when Mark Peikert was a little boy, he’d take one bite out of an apple and then pretend to faint, like Snow White. Is it any wonder he ultimately combined Broadway and soap operas into As the Curtain Rises, in between stints as a writer and editor for publications including Town & Country, Backstage, and Out?
BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK (BPN) is the premiere digital destination for everyone, everywhere who loves theatre and the performing arts.
Broadway Podcast Network is all about creating an engaging, immersive, user-friendly experience where theatre stories of all kinds can be easily found, shared, and enjoyed. Part original programming, part hub for the podcasts you know and love, Broadway Podcast Network is building the perfect hub that includes tremendously talented content creators, all-star hosts, producers, writers, industry leaders, and storytellers of all kinds. With a vast range of theatre-related programming, Broadway Podcast Network podcasts offer something for everyone, may they be interested in starring on stage, working behind-the-scenes, or just enjoying theater from the best seats in the house. The content on Broadway Podcast Network offers audiences behind-the-curtain access to the creative process, advice on everything from how to break into the business to how to audition, theatre history, candid interviews with your favorite stars, and so much more. Broadway Podcast Network’s audience includes theatre professionals and industry leaders, theatre students, up-and-coming artists, and theatre fans from all over the world. www.BroadwayPodcastNetwork.com fb: @BroadwayPodcastNetwork/ inst: @broadwaypodcastnetwork/ tw: @BwayPodNetwork yt: @broadwaypodcastnetwork
Broadway’s newest show Appropriate starring Sarah Paulson, at Second Stage’s Hayes Theatre nearly sold out their first week. The play, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and co-starring Elle Fanning and Corey Stoll, opens December 18th.
Paulson has received an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards in her three-decade career. She made her Broadway debut in 1994 as an understudy in Wendy Wasserstein’s The Sisters Rosensweig. She later took on the role of Tess Goode in the production. She returned to the stage in two other Broadway productions: 2005’s The Glass Menagerie (as Amanda Wingfield) and 2010’s Collected Stories (originating the role of Lisa Morrison). She also appeared in six Off-Broadway productions between 1994 and 2013, including Crimes of the Heart, Still Life,Colder Than Hereat the Lucille Lortel Theatre, Killer Joeat SoHo Playhouse, Talking Picturesat Signature Theatre andthe Pulitzer-nominated Talley’s Folly with Roundabout Theatre Company.
Paulson is perhaps best known for starring in nine seasons of Murphy’s American Horror Story, first appearing on the show in 2011. Her performances collectively earned nine Emmy Award nominations.
In 2023, after 10 years away from the New York stage, Paulson returns to Broadway as Toni in Appropriate, the Broadway-debut play of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
As we head into the holiday season, The Algonquin Hotel’s December event lineup is open to both hotel guests and New York City locals. The hotel will spread holiday cheer with a variety of festive performances, cocktails, and experiences including:
- Cocoa and Carols Happy Hour: Daily, 5-8PM, Every evening this December, all are invited to enjoy Specialty Cocoa while Christmas carols chime at the Blue Bar. Drinks will include Mexican Hot Chocolate spiked with mezcal
- KT Sullivan Cabaret: December 5th, 12th and 19th, Sullivan will perform her iconic Christmas Cabaret. As noted by The New York Times, Sullivan is a thrilling Off-Broadway performer with over eight published albums
- Rocco Dellaneve’s Rat Pack Christmas: December 7th, 14th and 21st, Rocco Dellaneve will perform iconic songs from the Rat Pack Christmas album with special inclusions of Santa with Sinatra, Rocco of the Snow, Rudolph and the Rat pack
- The Serafina’s and Broadway Vocalists: December 8th, 15th and 22nd, enjoy the high kicking – precision line dancing Christmas tradition around The Algonquin tree. The Serafina’s will be available for pictures and autographs from 6pm to 7pm, followed by special Broadway vocalists
A portion of proceeds from all events will be donated to Toys for Tots.
Beyond the December events, The Algonquin Hotel is located in a prime position nestled in the heart of Times Square and Fifth Avenue, making it the perfect launchpad for a New York City holiday experience. The hotel is a historical jewel that emphasizes the importance of making unique, storied experiences. Since its opening in 1902, The Algonquin Hotel is famous for its timeless style and desire to honor the literary and cultural elite. The distinguished Round Table Restaurant and Blue Bar offer tasteful dining inclusions and curated cocktails that are sure to excite everyone.
Photo credit: The Algonquin Hotel, Autograph Collection
2o days to go! Every year people panic to find the perfect gift. We at T2C have been collecting idea’s all year long to bring you the perfect gift guide at all price levels. When you’re at the end of your rope trying to find the perfect Christmas present this year, come to this guide for some great suggestions.
Chita & Patrick Pacheco at Drama Book Shop event May 15, 2023 Photo by Merle Frimark
There are a lot of books out there this year but we highly recommend Chita: A Memoir , the critically-acclaimed book is written by the legendary Broadway icon Chita Rivera with arts journalist Patrick Pacheco. Chita takes fans behind-the-scenes of all her shows and cabaret acts, she shares candid stories of her many colleagues, friends, and lovers. She speaks with empathy and hindsight of her deep associations with complicated geniuses like Fosse and Robbins, as well as with the mega-talent Liza Minnelli, with whom she co-starred in The Rink. She openly discusses her affair with Sammy Davis, Jr. as well as her marriage to Tony Mordente and her subsequent off-the-radar relationships. Chita revisits the terrible car accident that threatened to end her career as a dancer forever. Center stage to Chita’s story are John Kander and Fred Ebb, the songwriters and dear friends indelibly tied to her career through some of her most enduring work: Chicago, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and The Visit.
Chita’s love of performing began as a child in Washington, D.C., when her mother enrolled her in a local ballet school to channel her boundless energy. Still a teenager, she moved to New York to attend the School of American Ballet after an audition for George Balanchine himself and winning a scholarship. But Broadway beckoned, and by twenty she was appearing in the choruses of Golden Age shows like Guys and Dolls and Can-Can. In the latter, she received special encouragement from its star Gwen Verdon, forging a personal and professional friendship that would help shape her career. The groundbreaking West Side Story brought her into the orbit of Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Hal Prince, and Stephen Sondheim. After Bye Bye Birdie further burnished her rising star, she reunited with Verdon and her then-husband Bob Fosse to work on the film version of Sweet Charity and the celebrated original Broadway production of Chicago.
Chita: A Memoir was published in English and Spanish and the English audio version of the Memoir was recorded by Chita. A Spanish audio version is also available.
“Chita Rivera blazed a trail where none existed so the rest of us could see a path forward. She has been part of some of the greatest musicals in the history of the form, from Anita in the trailblazing West Side Story through Claire Zachanassian in the underrated masterpiece The Visit, over 60 years later. She is a Puerto Rican Broadway icon and the original ‘triple threat.’ We’re so lucky to be alive in the same timeline as Chita Rivera.” — Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“A frank and fascinating memoir from one of the truly great artists of the American Theater. Lots of stories … Lots of insight … and quite a few caustic statements from Chita’s alter ego, Dolores. An illuminating history and a guaranteed pleasure!” — John Kander
Broadway legend and national treasure Chita Rivera, multi-Tony Award winner, Kennedy Center honoree, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom – has taken no prisoners on stage or screen for seven decades. From her trailblazing performance as the original Anita in West Side Story—for which she tapped her own Puerto Rican roots—to her haunting 2015 star turn in The Visit. Chita has proven to be much more than just a captivating dancer, singer, and actress beloved by audiences and casts alike. In her equally captivating and one-of-a-kind memoir, Written with Patrick Pacheco, the woman born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero shares an incomparable life, both on stage and behind the curtain.
By the way this Memoir has won a Gold Medal for “Best Autobiography – English” at the 2023 International Latino Book Awards. https://www.latinobookawards.org/
Click here to buy your copy.
Here is the amazing cast of Spamalot. Christopher Fitzgerald as Patsy, James Monroe Iglehart as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as The Lady of the Lake, Ethan Slater as The Historian/Prince Herbert, Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere, Michael Urie as Sir Robin, Nik Walker as Sir Galahad andTaran Killam as Lancelot.
I was so inspired I drew the whole cast.
To read T2C’s review click here.
Art
Ahead of the Broadway Opening of Lempicka The Longacre Theatre Is Showcasing Art Work By Tamara de Lempicka
The Longacre Theatre (220 W 48th St.), soon-to-be home of the sweeping new musical, Lempicka, is showcasing a curated selection of renowned artist Tamara de Lempicka’s most famous works. Eschewing traditional theatrical front-of-house advertising, the Longacre’s façade now boasts prints, creating a museum-quality exhibition right in the heart of Times Square. The musical opens on Broadway on April 14, 2024 at the same venue.
The Longacre’s outdoor exhibition includes works of Self Portrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti) (1929), Young Girl in Green (1927), Nu Adossé I (1925), The Red Tunic (1927), The Blue Scarf (1930), The Green Turban (1930), Portrait of Marjorie Ferry (1932), Portrait of Ira P. (1930), Portrait of Romana de la Salle (1928), and Adam and Eve (1932).
Starring Eden Espinosa and directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin, Lempicka features book, lyrics, and original concept by Carson Kreitzer, book and music by Matt Gould, and choreography by Raja Feather Kelly.
Spanning decades of political and personal turmoil and told through a thrilling, pop-infused score, Lempicka boldly explores the contradictions of a world in crisis, a woman ahead of her era, and an artist whose time has finally come.
Young Girl in Green painted by Tamara de Lempicka (1927). Oil on plywood.