Category: Broadway

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Funny: Broadway Shows Reimagined Under Quarantine

(all images via Jeremy & Jeffrey West)
Creative brothers Jeremy and Jeffrey West tapped into their love of musical theater during the COVID-19 threat to come up with re-imagined Broadway musical titles and posters, a project they dubbed #QuarantineAMusical. “After being under quarantine and maintaining social distancing recommendations for the past three weeks, my brother Jeffrey and I have been brainstorming fun projects to keep our creative juices flowing,” Jeremy West told Playbill. “This project started when I tweeted a joke about John Guare releasing a revised version of his play titled Six Feet of Separation, making changes in light of 2020 social distancing. From there, we made a list of parody musicals re-imagined during a quarantine and dubbed it #QuarantineAMusical.” Check out some of the clever tweaks on these award-winning musicals. You can see more over at Playbill.com.

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Good Night: Ben Platt & Casts Of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Sing “You Will Be Found”

Hey, folks. I usually end the day with my News Round-Ups, but this feels a little better tonight. Tonight, The Late Late Show with James Corden closed with Tony Award-winner Ben Platt joined by members of the Broadway and touring companies of the smash musical Dear Even Hansen singing, appropriately, “You Will Be Found.” This feels like a better note to end the night. Thanks for reading TRR folks. Have a great night. (and wash your hands…) …signed, human being, me…

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Rosie O’Donnell’s ‘Broadway-Palooza’ Raises $500k For Actor’s Fund

Rosie O’Donnell offered up a heaping helping of Broadway stars (all from the comfort of their own homes) during a 3+ hour streaming revival of her eponymous talk-show on Sunday evening. From her garage/craft room, Rosie welcomed folks like Barry Manilow, Randy Rainbow, Judith Light, Billy Porter, Chita Rivera, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, and many, many more via Skype.

Billy Porter on The Rosie O’Donnell Show
And yes, there were performances including Patti LuPone (singing a lovely “Smile”), Kelli O’Hara (singing Sondheim’s “Take Me to the World”), Audra McDonald & hubby Will Swenson (also choosing to sing “Smile”), Lea Salonga (singing “Reflection”), Darren Criss (singing “Being Alive” from Company), Shoshana Bean (“Don’t Rain on My Parade”), and Kristin Chenoweth popping off a funfilled “Taylor the Latte Boy” (with her hottie boyfriend making a cameo). The project was the brainchild of Broadway and TV actor Erich Bergen who popped in every now and then to address small sound or tech issues. And Rosie’s former music director John McDaniel was on hand as well.
Kelli O’Hara on The Rosie O’Donnell Show
The event served as a fundraiser for The Actor’s Fund, which helps not only actors but everyone in the theater world during hard times including stagehands, stage managers, and more. At the end of the Broadway-palooza, over $500,000 was raised for the charity. Bravo to everyone involved! Hit the play button below and enjoy 🙂  

If you want to jump to a particular perf0rmer, here at the time marks for each (in chronological order): John McDaniel – 2:42 Jesse Tyler Ferguson – 4:56 Tituss Burgess – 8:09 Gloria Estefan – 12:57 Lin-Manuel Miranda – 19:40 Cynthia Erivo – 23:55 Patti LuPone – 28:50 Ben Platt – 36:07 Laura Benanti – 41:50 Idina Menzel – 48:10 Aaron Tveit – 53:35 Rob McClure – 54:03 Jordin Sparks – 54:31 Bernadette Peters – 55:01 Chita Rivera – 56:13 Alan Menken – 1:02:15 Neil Patrick Harris – 1:09:40 Brian Stokes Mitchell – 1:15:43 Audra McDonald and Will Swenson – 1:23:30 Andrew Lloyd Webber – 1:29:52 Stephen Sondheim – 1:30:23 Jeremy Jordan – 1:32:33 Jane Krakowski – 1:33:05 Uzo Aduba – 1:33:36 Andrew Rannells – 1:33:49 Annette Bening – 1:34:20 Judith Light – 1:37:02 Darren Criss – 1:41:23 Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker – 1:47:37 Kelli O’Hara – 1:54:16 Jeremy Pope – 2:03:20 Nate Berkus – 2:08:01 Adrienne Warren – 2:11:40 Kristin Chenoweth – 2:18:16 Harvey Firestein – 2:25:25 Katharine McPhee and David Foster – 2:29:12 Billy Porter – 2:33:40 Shoshana Bean – 2:40:17 Gavin Creel – 2:43:54 Miranda Sings / Colleen Ballinger – 2:48:19 Lauren Patten- 2:54:43 Skylar Astin – 2:59:25 Michael Gladis and Beth Behrs – 2:59:53 Ben Vereen – 3:00:21 Sutton Foster – 3:00:41 Frankie Valli – 3:01:09 Matthew Morrison – 3:01:42 Jordan Fisher – 3:04:47 Maria Tomei – 3:11:32 Lorna Luft – 3:12:02 Miguel Cervantes – 3:12:33 Andy Karl and Orfeh – 3:12:55 Elizabeth Stanley – 3:13:26 James Wesley and Seth Rudetsky – 3:13:54 Lea Salonga – 3:13:34 Randy Rainbow: 3:20:59 Barry Manilow: 3:23:59

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‘The Rosie O’Donnell Show’ Returns For One-Night-Only Streaming Event

Rosie O’Donnell is bringing her talk-show back for a one-night-only special fundraiser to benefit The Actors Fund to help the theater community during the ongoing coronavirus threat. All Broadway theaters are currently dark with April 13 set as the target date for curtains to rise again. The all-star event will be streamed live on March 22 on Broadway.com and YouTube. Daytime fans will recall The Rosie O’Donnell Show was THE afternoon talk show during its six-year run from 1996 to 2002. Along the way, the gabfest scored numerous Emmy Awards, including five Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show and six for O’Donnell as Outstanding Talk Show Host. An avid fan of musical theater, O’Donnell used her platform to showcase dozens of performances from Broadway productions on the show.

“Everybody who knows me knows that Broadway has been one of the brightest lights in my life since the time I was a little girl,” said O’Donnell in a statement. “It has also been the lifeblood of New York City for generation after generation. After all Broadway has given to the world, now — in this time of tremendous need — it’s our turn to give something back.” “There is no better way to support this community than via The Actors Fund,” she added. “And, with a line-up like this, I dare you not to tune in.” Actor Eric Bergen (Broadway’s Jersey Boys, CBS’ Madame Secretary), who is co-producing the Broadway-palooza with O’Donnell, foreshadowed the event on his Instagram featuring The Rosie O’Donnell Show logo: “Everyone could use a little Rosie in their lives right now don’t ‘cha think?” Bergen followed that up with this message: “I told my friend @rosie that I had an idea. I thought the world needed The Rosie O’Donnell Show back…even for just a night. I’m so thrilled she said yes and that I get to produce this event. Join us Sunday night on @broadwaycom and on YouTube as we raise money for @theactorsfund with the biggest names on Broadway!”

PEOPLE reports the star-studded event will feature performances and appearances from celebrated actors and entertainers including Sarah Jessica Parker, Darren Criss, Gloria Estefan, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Harvey Fierstein, David Foster, Morgan Freeman, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Hilty, Judith Light, Barry Manilow, Rob McClure, Audra McDonald, Katharine McPhee, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Lauren Patten, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Randy Rainbow, Andrew Rannells, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Miranda Sings, Jordin Sparks, Ben Vereen, Adrienne Warren, James Wesley, Sebastian Arcelus, Skylar Astin, Beth Behrs, Erich Bergen, Nate Berkus, Stephanie J. Block, Matthew Broderick, Tituss Burgess, Norbert Leo Butz, Kristin Chenoweth, Gavin Creel, Lea Salonga, Idina Menzel, and more. And yes, they’ll all appear from the comfort and safety of their own homes! John McDaniel, The Rosie O’Donnell Show‘s original music director and producer, is also slated to return. The big show will stream live on Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. ET on Broadway.com and its YouTube channel. To make a tax-deductible donation to The Actors Fund, visit here.  

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Sunday Showtunes: Liz Callaway ‘On & Off Broadway’

Liz Callaway (image via official website)
So, a few months ago, hubby Michael and I caught Broadway/cabaret performers Liz Callaway and sister Ann Hampton Callaway in concert here in Las Vegas and I was reminded how much I love their awesome talents. We’ve known the two artists for over 20 years going back to the time Michael handled publicity duties for Liz’s album The Story Goes On – Liz Callaway On & Off-Broadway.
L-R me, Alex Rybeck, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Michael Caprio
A few days later, I fell into a YouTube hole listening to that entire album. I can’t recall the last time I listened to an entire album in one sitting. So, I wanted to share some of the tracks from the collection that have been playing in my head constantly for weeks now. But first, a little bit about the luminous Liz:

Liz Callaway is a Tony nominee and Emmy Award-winning actress, singer and recording artist. She made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in Baby, and for five years, won acclaim as Grizabella in Cats. She has also starred in the original casts of Miss Saigon, The Three Musketeers, and The Look of Love.

Off-Broadway she received a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in The Spitfire Grill (Playwrights Horizons), and also appeared in Brownstone (Roundabout), No Way to Treat a Lady, Marry Me a Little, and Godspell. Other New York appearances include the legendary Follies in Concert at Lincoln Center, A Stephen Sondheim Evening, Fiorello!(Encores!), and Hair in Concert.

If you’re a musical theater fan, you probably know many of the songs I’m about to share, but even if you don’t – these are songs that are easy to digest on their own. First, the winsome “You There in the Back Row” from the Cy Coleman musical 13 Days to Broadway, which was heard about in gossip circles for years, but unfortunately never made it to the Great White Way. The show told the backstage story of a musical in trouble on the road to Broadway. Truly a loss to theater audiences if the score was full of songs like this.

Next up, “Since You Stayed Here” from the 1986 off-Broadway musical Brownstone, a musical by Josh Rubins (book and lyrics), Andrew Cadiff (book) and Peter Larson (music). The productions focused on a group of five people living in a brownstone apartment in New York City. A member of the original cast, Liz played Claudia, a young woman getting over a breakup.

As you might have guessed by now, Liz thrives in her story-telling. And this is one of the great story songs of the musical theater canon, “The Meadowlark” from Stephen Schwartz’s 1976 musical, The Baker’s Wife, which closed out of town before making it to Broadway. Talk about a song that capitalizes on all of Liz’s gifts…just hit play. Trust me. I also want to give a tip of the hat to Liz’s long-time music director and arranger, Alex Rybeck, who is one of the VERY BEST in the business.

Just one more (then go listen to the whole album): “The Story Goes On” from the 1983 Broadway musical Baby wherein Liz played the youngest of three expectant mothers. This song closed Act One, most probably because the audience needed time to pull themselves together. In the bridge, Liz’s character feels her baby kick for the first time which provides the dramatic device to send her soaring into the finale of the song. Just check out the sweep of those strings underneath her at the 3:31 mark. “All that was is part of me / As I am part of what’s to be / And thus it is / Our story goes on…”

If you like, click here to listen to a YouTube playlist where the full album is curated and will play in order for your listening pleasure. You can find more about Liz and her concert dates at her official website – what else? – LizCallaway.com. And I always encourage folks to actually BUY the great music I share with you. You can check out most of Liz’s music on Amazon here. And no, I didn’t leave sister Ann out. I plan a post in the near future on her solo music as well 🙂 Happy Sunday everyone!

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Danny Tidwell, Of ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ Dead At 35

Danny Tidwell on So You Think You Can Dance (screen capture)
Acclaimed dancer and choreographer Danny Tidwell, who first came to the national spotlight as the runner-up of Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance, has passed away. He was 35. Eonline is reporting Tidwell died in a car accident on Friday. Travis Wall, who was the runner-up of Season 2 of SYTYCD, shared the news via a post on Instagram. “My heart is broken,” began Wall. “Yesterday I lost a brother. And we all lost a gift. I’m not ready. But I never think I will be. Because I can’t believe this is real.” “I can’t believe you’re gone,” continued Wall. “You were more than my brother. You were my inspiration. I idolized you growing up. Wanted to dance just like you. Wanted to be you!” “I wish I could jump in your arms again like we used to when we were kids and onstage dancing,” he added. “We will all remember the joy and passion you brought to everyone you came in contact with through out your journey. A journey cut to short. You are a legend. And I love you so much Danny. Rest In Peace my brother. I can’t believe I’m even typing this . Please pray for my mom and my family during this difficult time.”

 

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My heart is broken. Yesterday I lost a brother . And we all lost a gift. I’m not ready. But I never think I will be. Because I can’t believe this is real. I can’t believe you’re gone. You were more than my brother. You were my inspiration. I idolized you growing up. Wanted to dance just like you. Wanted to be you! I wish I could jump in your arms again like we used to when we were kids and onstage dancing. We will all remember the joy and passion you brought to everyone you came in contact with through out your journey. A journey cut to short. You are a legend. And I love you so much Danny. Rest In Peace my brother. I can’t believe I’m even typing this . Please pray for my mom and my family during this difficult time. 💔💔💔

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Tidwell was adopted by Wall’s mother when he was 12-years-old. Tidwell began his dance journey when he was only 8-years-old in an after-school program for at-risk kids. He would go on to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet and win a silver medal in the USA International Ballet Competition. His performing career included dancing for Debbie Allen, Mia Michaels, and the American Ballet Theatre. In September 2009, he made his Broadway debut in Memphis.

Since September 2010, Tidwell has lived in Oslo where he was hired as a soloist for Norway’s National Ballet. In 2014, Tidwell married journalist David Benaym who also paid tribute to his late husband on Saturday. “I’m devastated that my Danny, the love of my life, my beloved friend, the artist, the talented angel, fierce mind, legendary dancer, my now late husband, Danny Tidwell died last night in a car crash while his friend was driving him home from work,” wrote Benaym. “We were so lucky to have him, life was so challenging for him. But he was a warrior, and he came back standing, always. We loved each other so much, he was and always will be family.”

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I'm devastated that my Danny, the love of my life, my beloved friend, the artist, the talented angel, fierce mind, legendary dancer, my now late husband, Danny Tidwell died last night in a car crash while his friend was driving him home from work. I'm thinking of Denise, Travis, Scott, Tyler and Shannon, Grandma, his sisters Latoya and Ronda, his friend that was with him, Eddy, that survives him, and all his dance family that is already expressing the state of shock we are all in. We were so lucky to have him, life was so challenging for him. But he was a warrior, and he came back standing, always. We loved each other so much, he was and always will be family. He made me the happiest for so many years, we were able to create so much together, a book and a show, Moving Still, an amazing magazine adventure for 7 years, movmnt magazine, that made us so proud. He had such an impact on the dance world, life gave him so much to deal with from a young age. I will write more about you Danny, tell your story, continue your legacy, make sure that you are not forgotten, that you are celebrated. An angel with no wings you said you were, you were flying all along, and you'll be our guardian angel from now on. I love you, I'll forever miss you. You're now in peace, mon Danny, and I know you know how much you were loved. #dannytidwell

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Rest in peace, Danny Tidwell. Here’s just a small taste of the talent and brilliance we have lost.

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Highlights: Ramin Karimloo & Samantha Barks in CHESS

Ramin Karimloo and Samantha Barks in CHESS
Ramin Karimloo and Samantha Barks star in CHESS in Osaka. #perfection
Samantha Barks sings ‘Nobody’s Side’ in CHESS
I loved working with Samantha in CHICAGO in LA at the Hollywood Bowl. What a knockout talent! And the most down-to-earth person you’d ever want to meet. And Ramin is, well, Ramin. It’s a proven impossibility for me to listen to him sing anything just once. The cast also features Luke Walsh and Takanori Sato.
Ramin Karimloo sings ‘Anthem’ in CHESS
I have a slight obsession with this musical. I saw the original production in London starring Elaine Paige and Tommy Körberg, both of whom delivered gorgeous performances. That production ran three years. The Broadway production fared less well as Trevor Nunn attempted to ‘fix’ the show. And he fixed it into a flop. But the gorgeous score remained including a new song for the leadling lady Florence in the form of “Someone Else’s Story.” Tony Award nominee John Herrera starred in the first U.S. national touring company along with Carolee Carmello and Stephen Bogardus (I can’t believe I know them all) which attempted to re-fix the show again. Part of the problem with the show was it was written during the Cold War with Russia. As the world moved past that political impasse, it’s now hard to make that aspect of the story play. If you head over to Wikipedia, there’s an extensive breakdown of the history of the show and the many attempts to bring it to the level of success so many of us want to see. In any case, the score (by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) remains a glorious thing. Lucky Osaka… For now, we have this:

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Broadway Legend Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles) Dead At 88

Broadway composer Jerry Herman (image via official website)
Broadway legend Jerry Herman, who wrote blockbuster musicals including Mame, La Cage aux Folles, and Hello, Dolly!, has passed away at the age of 88. The Associated Press reports Herman was taken to the hospital Thursday night after experiencing chest pains. He died of pulmonary complications in Miami, Florida, where he had been living with his longtime partner, Terry Marler. He made his Broadway debut contributing songs to a revue titled, From A to Z (which included material by Woody Allen and Fred Ebb) in 1960. His first full-fledged Broadway score (and first Tony Award nomination) was for Milk and Honey, about a couple on vacation in Israel. But in 1964, he penned the songs to mega-hit Hello, Dolly! which snagged a record-breaking 10 Tony Awards including one for Herman for ‘Best Score,’ and one for its luminous leading lady, Carol Channing. The production ran for 2,844 performances becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history at the time.

The show would be revived several times on the Great White Way, most recently in 2017 with Bette Midler earning the Divine Miss M a Tony Award for her performance as the indomitable Dolly Levi. Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters followed Midler in the show-stopping role.  

And, of course, it was Barbra Streisand who brought “Dolly Levi” to life in the film version.  

He scored again with Angela Lansbury starring as the glamorous title character in Mame in 1966. Winning several Tony Awards (including trophies for Lansbury and Bea Arthur), the show went on to run for 1,508 performances.

As the 1970s came around, musicals began to become darker and more experimental, and Herman’s shows (Dear World, Mack & Mabel, The Grand Tour) didn’t fare as well. But in 1983, Herman found the inspiration for his next hit in the French film, La Cage aux Folles, about a gay couple living on the French Riviera running a drag nightclub. He would win his second Tony Award (among six awarded the production) for the score of the groundbreaking La Cage which gave the world one its first gay anthems written to be a gay anthem, “I Am What I Am.”

I am what I am I don’t want praise…I don’t want pity I bang my own drum Some think it’s noise…I think it’s pretty And so what if I love each feather and each bangle Why not try to see things from a different angle? Your life is a sham ‘til you can shout out loud, ‘I am what I am’

The song not only packed a punch on stage but also in discos as Gloria Gaynor’s version (which reached #3 on the Billboard Dance chart) resonated with the LGBTQ community everywhere as the gay pride movement was hitting its stride.

Connecting theatergoers with a loving, openly gay couple, the show touched audiences in New York City and around the world. The production’s storyline also put drag front and center. In the end, it’s the nightclub’s star Zaza that saves the day leading a conservative couple out of a tight situation decked in glamorous drag. The show would run for 1,761 performances and return to Broadway twice reminding audiences of the power of drag and the depth of love held by the leading characters for each other. Harvey Fierstein, who wrote the book for La Cage, saluted his colleague on Twitter today:  

“I’m certainly aware of how different popular music is today from when I started in this business, and I realize that my songwriting is not generally in fashion,” he shared with the New York Times in 1985. “But ‘La Cage’ made me feel secure about going on and just being what I am, and writing simple, hummable tunes.” There were other projects following La Cage, including songs for the television movie Mrs. Santa Claus reuniting Herman with Ms. Lansbury. The effort would snag him an Emmy Award nomination. In 2009, he was honored with a Special Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Tony Awards. And the next year, he was celebrated alongside Sir Paul McCartney and Oprah at the Kennedy Center Honors.

In full disclosure, this writer will share that, in another lifetime, I was an actor in New York City, and the 1995 revival of Hello, Dolly! was my Broadway debut. Jerry was very involved in the production as the only living creator of the show at the time, and I was fortunate to witness Jerry’s genius first hand. I give Jerry and Dolly! a lot of credit for my life, both professional and personal, taking a great leap forward. It was on October 17, 1994, at Paisley Park recording studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that I met my future husband during the pre-Broadway tour of Dolly! We were recording our Broadway cast album prior to heading into New York City and my Michael was the 24-year-old Vice President of Marketing and PR for the record label.

Hubby Michael Caprio with Jerry Herman in October 1994
I won’t go into the details but suffice to say, by the end of the day “Dolly” had worked her matchmaking magic. We’ve been together for over 25 years now. Jerry was always very fond of taking credit for our relationship and we happily saluted him for it. After the show closed on Broadway, Jerry was involved in the decision to ask me to stage the dances for the ensuing national touring company of Dolly. Jerry’s belief in me propelled my career forward again, this time as a choreographer. Since that time, I’ve staged nearly a dozen productions of the show with Jerry’s blessing.
Jerry Herman (center) with me on the right in 1995
And in 2011, Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and director Jack O’Brien were in talks to mount a new revival of Dolly! One Saturday morning, my phone rang and it was Jerry. He shared the news of the possible revival and asked me to choreograph the new production. At the time, he wanted the creative team to explore new ideas for the show, but there were a few concepts from the Gower Champion original he wanted integrated into the new production. He told me, “I know you’ll have my back.” As if my life hadn’t been blessed enough by Jerry, his confidence in me was surely the crowning moment we would share. In the end, LuPone and O’Brien exited the production and for several months the lead producer and I thought of a raft of leading ladies to approach, including Midler who would finally say ‘yes’ to the role a few years later. The production never happened, but I’ve never forgotten the buoyant, upbeat confidence he instilled not only in me but in everyone he worked with. The constant theme throughout his work – his songs, his shows, the characters he wrote for – was that life was meant to be lived. The titles of just a few of his songs – “Before the Parade Passes By,” “It’s Today,” “I’ll Be Here Tomorrow,” “The Best of Times,” “Tap Your Troubles Away,” “We Need a Little Christmas” – tell the tale of someone who found his truth in hope and celebration.  

Even in the late 1980s, when he was diagnosed with HIV and lost his partner Martin Finkelstein to AIDS, he never stopped embracing the power of positivity. In 2010, he seemed content as he reflected on his long, successful career telling the Washington Post, “It’s a very long, colorful parade. With lots of balloons. And banners. And confetti. And all of that. But it’s also kind of near the end of it. That’s very moving and very rewarding.” Along the way, Herman gave us fabulous, bigger-than-life diva characters to cheer for including a drag queen who told the world (and us) how to love ourselves. Rest in power Jerry Herman, Broadway’s gentle giant.

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Trailer: Broadway Musical ‘In The Heights’ Heads To The Silver Screen

Broadway hit musical In The Heights comes to the silver screen in Summer 2020

Broadway hit musical In The Heights comes to the silver screen in Summer 2020 Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical In The Heights has made it to Hollywood and we finally get the official trailer. Set in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, the musical chronicles the lives of immigrants and the generations that follow them, including Usnavi played by Anthony Ramos. Usnavi owns the local bodega and dreams of winning big in the lottery and making it out of the barrio. The quintessential steamy New York summer brings complications for characters from all parts of the neighborhood, including a love interest for Usnavi in the form of Vanessa (Melissa Barrera). In The Heights dances into theaters Summer 2020.

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Four Evan Hansens Sing “For Forever”

Four ‘Evan Hansens’ sing “For Forever” from Dear Evan Hansen
Today, the London production of Dear Evan Hansen begins performances officially launching the fourth company of the Tony Award-winning musical to date. To commemorate the occasion, the producers released this never-before-heard arrangement of “For Forever,” performed by a quartet of Evans: Sam Tutty (London), Andrew Barth Feldman (Broadway), Stephen Christopher Anthony (North American Tour), and Robert Markus (Toronto).

The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical also continues on Broadway, in Toronto and cities all across North America. In case you aren’t familiar, from the synopsis:

A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in.

Both deeply personal and profoundly contemporary, Dear Evan Hansen is a new American musical about life and the way we live it.

The producers have released a series of videos featuring actors from the multiple companies of the hit musical. One of my favorites showcases four actresses who have played the role of Evan’s mother on Broadway and in the national touring company – Lisa Brescia, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jessica Phillips, and Christiane Noll – singing, “Anybody Have A Map?” Like the above video, the musical team turns these powerful solos from the show into expanded quartets with new arrangements. I love seeing the actors relate to each other as only those who’ve played the roles can; there’s a knowingness present in their connections.