Broadway
Broadway News: Lenny Bruce, Roundabout’s 100 Year, Vivian Reed, Miss You Like Hell and Christine Ebersole
Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) and American Airlines (Jim Carter, Vice President – Eastern Division Sales for American) are thrilled to celebrate 100 years of the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway, which opened on October 2, 1918 as the Selwyn Theatre on West 42nd Street, with Information Please by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin.
Through an unprecedented partnership, Roundabout and American Airlines engaged in a $24.5 million expansion and restoration of the Selwyn in 1998, returning the theater to its original neo-renaissance style as part of the 42ndStreet Development Project, thanks to generous support from the City of New York. The American Airlines Theatre opened on July 27, 2000, with a revival of Kaufman and Hart’s The Man Who Came to Dinner, starring Nathan Lane.
“We are so grateful for the partnership and extraordinary support of American Airlines in the restoration of the Selwyn Theatre, and for serving the last 18 years as Roundabout’s official airline,” said Roundabout Artistic Director/CEO Todd Haimes. “American Airlines recognizes the incredible impact of theater on tourism and on New York City’s economic and cultural life. Thanks to their exceptional generosity, we are able to produce new works and enduring classics for audiences year-round at our permanent home on Broadway.”
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Broadway’s newest intimate concert venue The Green Room 42 will present Vivian Reed in an encore performance of her centennial tribute to entertainment icon Lena Horne on Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 PM. The evening is back by popular demand after the first show at the venue on Horne’s birthday this summer. Reed, the two-time Tony Award-nominated, multi-award winning Broadway star and concert artist called “remarkable and ferocious” by The New York Times and “a force of nature” by The New York Post, will offer high-energy, fearless renditions of Lena classics such as “Stormy Weather,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “A Fine Romance,” “I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face” and “On A Wonderful Day Like Today.” She is accompanied by conductor James Davis on piano, with Kenny Davis on bass, Don Tipton on guitar and Damon Duewhite on drums.
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Miss You Like Hell — Original Cast Recording has been released in digital and streaming formats today, Friday, October 5. A physical CD will be available online and in stores Friday, November 16. The New York premiere production of the timely and emotional new musical was presented by The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) last season. With book and lyrics by Quiara Alegría Hudes, music and lyrics by Erin McKeown, and choreography by Danny Mefford, the show was directed by Public Theater Resident Director and Founder of Public Works Lear deBessonet, and starred Daphne Rubin-Vega and Gizel Jiménez. The recording was produced by Erin McKeown, with Kurt Deutsch serving as executive producer. To order the album, please visit: http://smarturl.it/missyoulikehll
A special video clip of the track “Mothers” — featuring exclusive studio footage — is available HERE.
Joe’s Pub will host an album release concert on Monday, October 8, featuring original cast members Daphne Rubin-Vega, Danny Bolero, Andrew Cristi, Latoya Edwards, Marcus Paul James, and Michael Mulheren, in addition to composer and co-lyricist Erin McKeown. Creative team members librettist and co-lyricist Quiara Alegría Hudes, choreographer Danny Mefford, and director Lear deBessonet will be on hand to help celebrate. The event, also featuring music supervisor Julie McBride and music director Cody Owen Stine, will benefit MADRE (www.madre.org), an organization that works with migrant mothers and families separated by migration.
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Christine Ebersole, the two-time Tony Award winner and star of “War Paint,” “Grey Gardens,” “42nd Street” and more, will be honored at The Workshop Theater’s fifth annual unGALA on Monday, October 22, 2018 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Manhattan Penthouse, 80 Fifth Ave. (17th Floor), NYC.
There will be live jazz, a cocktail supper, an open bar, and both a live and silent auction. Auction items will include:
* Orchestra seats to “Hamilton,” “My Fair Lady” and more
* Private plane ride for three to Nantucket, Block Island or Martha’s Vineyard
* Golf outing at exclusive Alpine Country Club
* Private tour of the United Nations, including lunch in the U.N. Delegates’ Dining Room
* Art, jewelry, luxurious accessories, Catskills getaways, vocal coaching, Off-Broadway theater subscriptions, acting classes, fine dining certificates and much more
The Workshop Theater, now 25 years old, is devoted to the rigorous development and production of new American plays and musicals that transport, challenge and surprise both artists and audiences. Notable successes include “The Man who was Peter Pan” by Allan Knee (debuted at Workshop in 2004; basis for the Academy Award nominated film “Finding Neverland” and the Broadway musical of the same name) and “The Navigator” by Eddie Antar (debuted at Workshop in 2012; recipient of two Drama Desk nominations).
Now under the direction of Thomas Coté (Artistic Director), the company maintains a full schedule of writers’ nights, intensives, several readings series, and more. This fall, its Sundays at Six series will offer developmental workshops of “The Red Wine Killer and Other Shorts” by Ben Alexander (October 14), “One Woman’s Story” by Fred Pezzulli (October 21), “The Thorns of Flower Children” by Michael McGovern (October 28) and “Singleton” by Jay Strong (December 2).
Tickets to the unGALA are $200 and can be purchased from The Workshop Theater website, https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.workshoptheater.org&data=02%7C01%7C%7C8dae9bd048664b0316d908d62ade9c56%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636743532918711493&sdata=%2FH1rNJP6MtQUVjOiR8KQ%2B%2FB5qQ3T9AkgNXW8253uRx4%3D&reserved=0.
The Workshop Theater’s Board of Directors are Emma Berry (chair), Alan Annex, Alan Breindel, Chris Jenkins, Lynda Kennedy, Dimitra Kessenides, Tracy Newirth, Kari Swenson Riely, Mahima Santhanam, Gillian Sheehan, Viviane Tubiana and Emily Zacharias. Artistic Director is Thomas Coté and Managing Director is Dana Leslie Goldstein.
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.