Broadway
What To Watch June 29th To Take Away The Blues
To celebrate New York City pride, and to close-out pride month, Producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig today released an epic, multi-national, all-new music video of the stirring finale anthem, “Raise You Up” from the smash-hit, six-time Tony Award®-winning and three-time Olivier Award®-winning, global musical sensation Kinky Boots. The video features cast members from seven nations across four continents, and reunites original Broadway stars Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winner Billy Porter, Grammy Award winner Stark Sands, and Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford. Also making cameos are the musical’s Tony Award-winning book writer Harvey Fierstein, Tony and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist Cyndi Lauper, and Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell, including special appearances by previous cast members Wayne Brady, Jake Shears, David Cook, and Kirstin Maldonado.
2pm: Brave New World Rep: Hamlet Director Tamilla Woodward brings Ezra Barnes as Claudius and Toree Alexandre as the melancholy Dane; advance reservations are required to watch it live, after which it will remain viewable on the BNW site for four days, starting at 6pm.
4pm–9:30pm: Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar scheduled pianists are Alex Barylski (@Alexander-Barylski) and Brandon James Gwinn (@brandonjamesg).
5pm: Une Saison En Enfer – Selected Poetry by Arthur Rimbaud. This is part of Pride Week Virtual Event: NuWorks 2020. Directed, Adapted and Performed by Shigeko Sara Suga A love affair gone wrong – Arthur Rimbaud’s agony after being shot by his lover Verlaine and to be ostracized by the whole literary society in France.The three-member cast features Shigeko Sara Suga, Dinh Doan and Zack Lusk.NuWORKS 2020 is curated by playwrights Damon Chua (The Emperors Nightingale), Richard Chang (Citizen Wong), and Project Directors Ernest Abuba and Chongren Fan.For additional information, please visit the website at www.panasianrep.org
6pm: Broadway’s Best For Breast Cancer with Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton, Wicked, In the Heights) and Caroline Kohles, JCC Senior Director of Health and Wellness, for a special 5-week virtual series to celebrate life and foster learning. In this session we will learn how touch can move us towards pleasure and relaxation and away from pain. Learn helpful tips on how to touch either yourself or a loved one to reduce anxiety and fear and deal with treatment symptoms. Our special guests are Javier Muñoz, star of Broadway’s In the Heights and Hamilton and Ericka Clinton, licensed massage therapist and the head of the Swedish Institute, a college of health services. Dr. Alison Estabrook, a founding breast cancer specialist for BreastLink New York, will be available to offer up-to-date medical information and answer questions. Beneficial for everyone, but geared specifically to those living with or recovered from breast cancer.
7pm: New Voices 2010: Pure Imagination Paper Mill Playhouse’s Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, featuring 120 talented student performers ages 10–18, directed and choreographed by Paper Mill Playhouse’s professional artistic staff.
7pm: Bad Daughter by Create Theater. Winner of the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting, is a fast-paced romp to keep you laughing through dark times.
When Maddie’s father falls ill, she has to leave her secret life in Paris to return to the old family drama in New Jersey. But this is a comedy. If her family gets their way, it’s babka instead of baguettes forever. And that would be a tragedy.
The reading features three time Tony Award nominee Mary Testa, Tony Award winner Frank Wood, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Lindsay Brill, RJ Vaillancourt, and Kelechi Ezie. Stage directions will be read by Mac Stevenson. Brianna Rafidi will serve as production stage manager.
7:15: Lambs’ Virtual Conversation Jim Brochu On Zoom meeting ID: 811 9132 6391, password: 06291874JB. Jim Brochu is the winner of the Drama Desk Award, the Helen Hayes Award, two LA Stage Ovation Awards, the Carbonell Award and the GLAAD Media Award for his work as an actor and playwright. He is currently seen on the CBS drama The Good Fight as Judge Vernon Windsor opposite Audra McDonald and Christine Baranski and as Dr. James Corden on Lorne Michael’s new Comedy Central series The Other Two. On Broadway, he has appeared as Andrew McLaren in Brigadoon opposite Christine Ebersole and Len Cariou, and as Mr. Brownlow in Oliver! opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell’s Fagin. In Washington, DC he played Willy Clark opposite Theodore Bikel’s Al Lewis in Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys. Recently he starred at New York’s fabled Palace Theatre in Broadway Backwards with Florence Henderson and Estelle Parsons as well as in the major Off-Broadway revivals of The Man Who Came To Dinner as Sheridan Whiteside opposite Tony winner Cady Huffman, and as Sir in the Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse musical, The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of The Crowd. Over the past few years, Jim has been leading a double life – both as himself and as the great Zero Mostel in his multi-award winning play, Zero Hour. Since its premiere in 2006 Jim has been touring the country with the show, racking up over 600 performances, garnering both unanimous critical raves and major theatrical honors. Legendary producer Hal Prince praised Jim’s performance as “Dazzling! The work of a great artist!” Many thanks to Magda Katz for getting Jim. Friend of The Lambs, Foster Hirsch, will conduct the interview, Q&A held to the end.
7:30pm: Daniel J. Watts’ The Jam: Love Terrorists (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, The Last O.G., The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and WattsWords Productions present a transformative display of music, dance, spoken word, and storytelling. Watts will be joined by Grammy and Tony nominees Derrick Baskin and Ephraim Sykes, Taharqa Patterson, Michael Thurber, Jennifer “Flo” Florentino, and Emmy nominee Tituss Burgess.
The Monday night event will feature a live fundraiser. All proceeds will go to the Ali Forney Center which is dedicated to helping and housing homeless LGBTQAI+ Youth.
Watts’ reprisal of Love Terrorists is the third online installment of Jams since the pandemic, preceded by The Jam: No More Silences (where Watts investigated his own silence while inspiring his audience to speak out against social injustices) and The Jam: The Next Time is Now(inspired by James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time where Watts expressed the importance of educating oneself).
7:30: “A HOMELY SWAIN” WITH CHUCKWUDI IWUJI Celebrated Shakespearean Chukwudi Iwuji (Othello and Hamlet at The Public Theater) will join host Nathan Winkelstein, Red Bull’s Associate Producer, to discuss Henry VI, the man who would be ‘a Homely Swain’. Chuk tackled this role in all three plays of the Henry VI trilogy for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2006 in productions helmed by Michael Boyd. Chuk will read a passage from the play and discuss his thoughts on text and character in Shakespeare. They’ll take questions through Facebook LIVE.
They will also be selecting a few individuals to appear as part of the broadcast. If you would like to ask a question and have the opportunity to appear, please submit this form by Monday, June 29 at 10:00 AM EDT.
7:30pm: Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment One of the most ebullient works in the repertoire, Donizetti’s delightful comedy is the unlikely tale of a bright, headstrong young woman who has been raised among a French army regiment. When, much to the dismay of the doting but overprotective soldiers, Marie falls in love with the Tyrolean villager Tonio—a touchstone tenor role that overflows with both youthful ardor and ringing high notes—hilarity and virtuosic bel canto crossfire ensue.
8pm: On Seth Rudetsky fabulous series Stars in the House Guest Host Andréa Burns with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s Donna Lynne Champlin and Gabrielle Ruiz.
8pm: Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party The show will feature “Miranda Sings” creator and internet superstar Colleen Ballinger, showstopping belter Klea Blackhurst and her talented young nephew Henry Elliott, jazz vocalist La Tanya Hall, singer/songwriter, and uke specialist Andrew Swackhamer and singer/songwriter/recording artist Willis White.
8pm: Lincoln Center Dance Week: Tribute to Balanchine (1983) New York City Ballet After George Balanchine’s death in 1983, the New York City Ballet honored its revered co-founder in a tribute performance. In this Live From Lincoln Center rebroadcast from 1983, the company presents three of Balanchine’s ballets. Vienna Waltzes features dancers Kyra Nichols and Sean Lavery, Heather Watts and Helgi Tomasson, Elyse Borne and Bart Cook, Karin von Aroldingen and Peter Martins, and Suzanne Farrell and Adam Lüders. Mozartiana, set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky, is led by Suzanne Farrell, Victor Castelli, and Ib Andersen. Who Cares?, with music by George Gershwin, features Lourdes Lopez, Patricia McBride, Heather Watts, and Sean Lavery. Robert Irving conducts the NYCB Orchestra.
9pm: Mondays in the Club with Lance songwriter, pianist and performer Lance Horne hosts a night of piano-bar singing, storytelling and dancing at the East Village Club Cumming. Contributions to the nonprofit Orchard Project. You can tip Horne directly via Venmo at @LanceHorne.)
9:15 – 10:15: Muny Magic in Your Home: Our Leading Ladies featuring Danielle Bowen, Ali Ewoldt, Stephanie Gibson, Gertie Cummings, and Elena Shaddow.
Oscar and Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge’s autobiographical musical My Window is an informative, riveting, raw, intimate and musically thrilling alsmost 3 hours of entertainment. With 22 albums to her name, Etheridge is a female rock goddess and is on par with Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Ann Wilson, Grace Slick, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry and the incomparable Janis Joplin.
I originally saw this show when it opened at New World Stages almost a year ago and Etheridge’s theatrical solo show has only gotten better and tighter. She invites theatergoers into an exhilarating evening of storytelling and music. Starting with her birth, we learn about her childhood in Kansas, groundbreaking career highlights, coming out, her lovers, the drugs she has taken, her spiritual journey, her wives, her kids, cancer and what makes Melissa who she is. She is charming, revealing, illuminating as she bares her heart & soul to all who attend.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
In between learning about this bluesy warrior are her confessional lyrics, the raspy, smoky vocals and classics numbers like “Like The Way I Do,” “Twisted Off To Paradise,”“I’m the Only One,” “Come to My Window,” “I Want to Come Over”.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
Winning a tiny trophy gave way to winning a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocalist in 1998 and again in 1995. Before that in 1993 Etheridge came out publicly, early on in her career. In 2005 Etheridge took the Grammy stage after having cancer to join in a tribute to Janis Joplin. She appeared hairless. Etheridge also won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2007 for “I Need To Wake Up” for the film “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Photo by Jenny Anderson
It turns out Etheridge has always loved musical theatre, as she treated us to a wonderful rendition of “On Broadway.” She did make her Broadway debut in a weeklong stint as St. Jimmy in Green Day’s American Idiot in 2011, but she doesn’t talk about that.
Melissa Etheridge My Window, is wonderfully is written by Etheridge with additional material by Linda Wallem-Etheridge (“Nurse Jackie” showrunner, “That ’70s Show”). The direction by Amy Tinkham is succent and well done.
Everything about this production is well done from the scenic design by Bruce Rodgers, lighting design by Abigail Rosen Holmes, fabulous projection design by Olivia Sebesky and the sound design by Shannon Salmon, which keeps this show clear and clean.
Kate Owens is hysterical as the Roadie/ Stage Manager. This little girl is a star in the making with her rubber face and facial expressions galore. She adds to this show immensely and I definitely want to see more of what she can do.
This is a must see show for anyone LGBTQIA. The message is positive and life affirming. This is a women who owns her talent, charisma and choices, which makes this a joy to watch.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
Melissa Etheridge My Window: Circle In The Square, 235 West 50th Street. Closes November 19th.
Yesterday we told you how the cast and creative’s met the press.
The cast and creatives
In today’s edition hear director Warren Carlyle, Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman describe their show.
Then it was a treat as the cast sang 5 songs from the show. Including “Harmony,” Hungarian Rhapsody,” “Where You Go’ and “Stars in the Night.”
Hear The Harmonists Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman and Steven Telsey, along with Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko.
The hit song of the show will be the gorgeous ballad “Every Single Day” sung by Danny Kornfeld.
Harmony begins previews at the Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Photo’s by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
G.H. Harding
JESSE L MARTIN — We caught the debut of Jesse L. Martin’s The Irrational Monday night and really enjoyed it. I’ve been aware of Jesse since his role in Broadway’s Rent and he’s really tremendous. He was great on Law & Order as Ed Green (10 years and 9 seasons); and his role on the CW’s The Flash (as Joe West) was simply terrific.
The show, based on the book by Dan Ariely and created by Arika Mittman, certainly reminds one of The Mentalist or Instinct. This first case isn’t wondrous by any means, but Martin’s charisma carries it all through.
Lauren Holly (NCIS) is in it too, thought her one-scene was over and out in a flash.
I hear the third episode of the show is magnificent, so stay tuned. Don Johnson said many years ago that Don Johnson was made for TV … so is Martin!
Will Swenson and Neil Diamond
SWENSON OUT — (per Deadline) Will Swenson will play his final performance as Neil Diamond in Broadway’s A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Sunday, Oct. 29, producers announced today.
A replacement for the starring role will be announced at a future date.
“It’s been the thrill of a lifetime to get to stand in Neil’s shoes,” Swenson said in a statement. “It’s been such an incredible honor to get to know Neil, to tell his powerful story, and bring his amazing songs to Broadway audiences every night. I’m immensely proud of the moving, beautiful show we made. I will miss it very much.”
A reason for Swenson’s departure was not disclosed, but his planned departure date suggests a year-long contract coming to a close: He and the bio-musical began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre last Nov. 2 (official opening was Dec. 4).
“Making A Beautiful Noise with Will Swenson was a deep and wonderful experience,” said director Michael Mayer. “The true affection he has for Neil’s work and life is palpable in every aspect of his tremendous performance. I will miss him terribly, of course, but will always treasure our time together, and very much look forward to the next show we do.”
Swenson has been one of Broadway’s go-to leading men since his breakthrough performance in 2009’s Hair, and he has since starred on the New York stage in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Little Miss Sunshine, Waitress and Assassins, among many other shows.
In addition to Swenson, the cast of A Beautiful Noise features a principal cast of Mark Jacoby as the aged Neil Diamond, Robyn Hurder and Shirine Babb.
The musical includes a score of Diamond’s hits, a book by Anthony McCarten, direction by Mayer, and choreography by Steven Hoggett.
He’s pretty tremendous as Diamond. I didn’t see the show straight away, but absolutely loved it when I did. His exit of kind of short notice … but let’s see what happens.
SHORT TAKES — How about those snappy new graphics for NBC’s Today Show. Introduced a week ago, they certainly look more relevant and certainly more fun. They did the same for Nightly News a week ago. Per TVNewser:The network said the decision to unveil a new logo and graphics for Nightly was made as a way of appealing to younger viewers who primarily consume news using digital media. It’s safe to assume is true for Today, the youngest-skewing of the linear morning shows that boasts a robust digital presence. Here’s their whole story:
The Rolling Stones
The next Rolling Stones single, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” is tremendous. Mick hasn’t sounded this good in years and Lady Gaga is an added treat. Magnificent! Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJd5xtbEPY …
Donnie Kehr
Donnie Kehr and Cori Gardner’s Rockers On Broadway (their 30th edition) is coming up on Monday, October 16 at SONY Hall.
Debbie Gibson
Joining honoree Melissa Etheridge will be KT Tunstall and Debbie Gibson, Simon Kirke, Dan Finnerty and Ty Taylor … Happy Bday Chuck Taylor!
NAMES IN THE NEWS –— Anthony Noto; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Paul Lester; Ian Harrison; Magda Katz; Pete Townshend; Miko Blanco; Brad LeBeau; Mal Evans; Derek Taylor; Andrew Sandoval; Rick Rubin; Bill Adler; Cory Robbins; Manny Bella; Race Taylor; Scott Shannon; Buddy Blanch; Steve Walter; Benny Harrison; and BELLA!
Broadway
Theatre News: Here We Are, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain and The Laramie Project
The curtain rose last tonight on the first performance of the final Stephen Sondheim musical. Here We Are, the new musical from David Ives and Sondheim, is on stage at The Shed’s Griffin Theater (545 W. 30th Street), with an Opening Night on Sunday, October 22, for 15 weeks only.
Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, the cast of Here We Are will feature Francois Battiste, Tracie Bennett, Bobby Cannavale, Micaela Diamond, Amber Gray, Jin Ha, Rachel Bay Jones, Denis O’Hare, Steven Pasquale, David Hyde Pierce, and Jeremy Shamos. The understudies for Here We Are are Adante Carter, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Bradley Dean, Mehry Eslaminia, Adam Harrington, and Bligh Voth.
Here We Are is inspired by two films, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel, by Luis Buñuel.
Here We Are will include choreography by Sam Pinkleton, set design and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Tom Gibbons, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, musical supervision and additional arrangements by Alexander Gemignani, hair & make-up design by Wigmaker Associates, and casting by The Telsey Office.
Tickets are on sale on TheShed.org.
For each performance, a limited number of $25 tickets will be available via a weekly lottery, which will open for entries on the TodayTix app each Sunday at 12:01 AM for the coming week’s performances and will close at 12:00 PM on the day before each performance. Winners will be notified by push notification and email between 1 – 4 PM on the day before their selected show, and will have 30 minutes to claim their tickets in the app. Entrants may request 1 or 2 tickets, and entry is free and open to all.
Via TodayTix’s mobile rush program, a limited number of $40 same-day rush tickets will be available for that day’s performance of Here We Are at 9:00 AM each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Users can download the app and “unlock” rush tickets by sharing the program on social media ahead of their desired performance day.
The most award-winning musical of the 2022-2023 season, Some Like It Hot, will play for 13 more weeks through Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) before launching a national tour and West End production.
Awarded Best Musical by The Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, Some Like It Hot received over 20+ major awards throughout the 2022-2023 season, including four Tony Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Musical (J. Harrison Ghee), Best Choreography (Casey Nicholaw), Best Orchestrations (Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter) and Best Costumes in a Musical (Gregg Barnes). J. Harrison Ghee made history as the first non-binary performer to take home the Tony Award in their category.
A national tour will launch in September 2024 and a West End production will follow in 2025, produced by The Shubert Organization and Neil Meron in partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group.
At the time of the final performance, the production will have played the Shubert Theatre for over a year, for a total of 483 performances.
Will Swenson and the cast. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Will Swenson, who is electrifying audiences with his star turn in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical, will play his final performance as ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) on Sunday, October 29. Casting for the role of ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ will be announced at a future date.
The unofficial commencement of “spooky season” takes place this Friday, September 29, when Tony Award® Nominee and Grammy Award® Winner Patrick Page returns to the New York stage in All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain, a new work created and performed by Mr. Page, based on the villains of William Shakespeare. Directed by Simon Godwin, the solo show will play the DR2 Theatre (103 E 15th Street) beginning Friday, September 29, with an Opening Night set for Monday, October 16, for 14 weeks only.
Tickets are now available at allthedevilsplay.com, Telecharge or by visiting the DR2 Theatre box office (103 E 15th Street).
Julie White
Julie White and Brandon Uranowitz will join Ato Blankson-Wood in a staged benefit reading of The Laramie Project. Moises Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theatre Project’s The Laramie Project, will bedirected by Dustin Wills (Wolf Play, Wet Brain). The event, which will raise funds to support the work of The Trevor Project, will take place on Monday, October 16th at 7:00 PM at Peter Norton Symphony Space, and is being produced by District Productions. Additional casting is soon to be announced. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-the-laramie-project-a-benefit-staged-reading
Harmony, has been in rehearsals for 3 weeks and yesterday morning, they meet the press.
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow, wrote the original music.
Bruce Sussman
Bruce Sussman, who wrote the book and lyrics
Warren Carlyle
Warren Carlyle
director/choreographer Warren Carlyle
Ken Davenport
and producer Ken Davenport started the show off to a harmonious roll. Harmony begins previews Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Many of the cast are making their Broadway debuts with Harmony, including 5 of the 6 actors playing the Harmonists.
The Harmonists, along with Chip Zien finished out the morning with a performance of the song “Stars in the Night.”
Chip Zien
The production also stars performers Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko.
Sierra Boggess
Julie Benko
Tomorrow meet the men of Harmony
Events For October
Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Musical Director Ian Niederhoffer
New York Film Festival to Host Cinephile Game Night
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Broadway3 days agoBarry Manilow’s and Bruce Sussman’s Harmony Meets The Press
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Broadway2 days ago
Barry Manilow’s and Bruce Sussman’s Harmony Meets The Press Part 2
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Entertainment3 days ago
The Mayor of Times Square Interviews Billionaire John Catsimatidis on The Motivation Show Podcast
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Broadway2 days ago
Theatre News: Here We Are, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain and The Laramie Project
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Food and Drink4 days ago
Ubah Hassan and Serafina Launch the Sizzling Hot Pizza of the Season
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Cabaret3 days ago
My View: Barrington Stage Co. on 42nd Street Oct. 30 For Its Gala at Green Room 42
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Off Broadway3 days ago
Meet Michel Wallerstein and Spencer Aste of Chasing Happy
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Celebrity4 days agoThe Glorious Corner
