Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera star Ramin Karimloo absolutely kills “Make Them Hear You” from RAGTIME. I’m such a fan of Ramin’s work. His focus, clarity and open heart command your attention with ease. And that voice. Oh, and then there’s the fact he’s so easy on the eyes 🙂 Plus, the message of the song seems particularly relevant in this time.
Your sword could be a sermon or the power of the penTeach every child to raise his voice and then my brothers, then…
Will justice be demanded by ten million righteous menMake them hear you, When they hear you, I’ll be near you – again…
InstaHunk Petr Hollesch (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: I think what drew me to this photo of Czech fitness guy Petr Hollesch was his chill, subdued demeanor 🙂 Follow him on Instagram here. • Global News: Vancouver police are recommending charges of aggravated assault after a confrontation downtown Saturday that left a man with a broken leg. In a series of tweets, Sportsnet 650 host Justin Morissette said he “stood up to anti-gay evangelical bullies in the West End … and they purposely broke my leg for the trouble.” • Instinct Magazine: JLo recently released the trailer for the short film, Draw With Me. The film introduces the world to the pop star’s nibling, a non-binary term for a family member, Brendon Scholl. Scholl is the 19-year-old child of Jennifer’s sister, Leslie Lopez. • CNN: A California Superior Court judge has ordered Donald Trump to pay $44,100 to Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, to reimburse her attorneys’ fees in the legal battle surrounding her nondisclosure agreement. Clifford, an adult-film actress, went public in January 2018 with the news she had an affair with Trump from 2006 to 2007. • NY Times: Trump administration officials told congressional leaders last month they would probably give emergency approval to a coronavirus vaccine before the end of Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States, perhaps as early as late September. The move would be highly unusual and would most likely raise concerns about whether the administration is cutting corners on approvals for political purposes. • HBO: David Byrne’s critically acclaimed Broadway show American Utopia comes to HBO beginning October 17 in a one-of-a-kind film directed by Oscar and Emmy-winner Spike Lee. Recorded during its run at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre in New York City, David Byrne is joined by an ensemble of 11 musicians, singers, and dancers from around the globe, inviting audiences into a joyous dreamworld where human connection, self-evolution, and social justice are paramount.
Tony Award Productions announced today that they will present the American Theatre Wing’s 74th Annual Tony Awards digitally this fall. Final eligibility determinations will be made by the Tony Awards Administration Committee in the coming days. Additional information, including a date and platform for the awards ceremony, will be announced soon. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. “Though unprecedented events cut the 2019-2020 Broadway season short, it was a year full of extraordinary work that deserves to be recognized,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “We are thrilled not only to have found a way to properly celebrate our artists’ incredible achievements this season, but also to be able to uplift the entire theatre community and show the world what makes our Broadway family so special at this difficult time. The show must go on, no matter what – and it will.” The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Award, which was founded by the American Theatre Wing in 1947, is bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway. As a reminder, here’s the opening number from the 2019 Tony Awards hosted by James Corden:
(image via the original poster for the Broadway production of Carrie) Michael and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Saturday night’s edition of Stars in the House which brought together the creative team and actors from the 1988 Broadway musical Carrie. Adapted from the 1976 movie of the same name by Stephen King, the musical was first produced at Stratford-upon-Avon in England starring Linzi Hately as Carrie and Broadway veteran Barbara Cook as her mother, Margaret White. Directed by Terry Hands and choreographed by Debbie Allen, the cast also included Charlotte d’Amboise (Song & Dance), Gene Anthony Ray (Fame), R&B star Darlene Love, and Sally Ann Triplett. In order to achieve the effects of Carrie’s telekinetic powers, the production boasted an elaborate technical design in terms of sets and lights utilizing lasers. According to theater lore, Cook tendered her resignation on opening night when she was nearly decapitated by a set-piece. Betty Buckley and Linzi Hately in ‘Carrie’ (production photo) Tony Award winner Betty Buckley (who had played the gym teacher in the film) was summoned to save the show as it transferred to Broadway. But after 16 previews and 5 performances, the producers pulled out their money following mixed reviews despite packed houses and standing ovations each night. In a time before smartphones, little video footage exists of the Broadway production although, during last night’s streaming reunion, it was revealed cast member and soon-to-be Tony Award winner Scott Wise had planted an old-school video camera in the back of the audience before the audience was admitted in hopes of capturing footage. Apparently, Wise’s camera was able to capture Act One before the battery ran out of juice. Just to give you a peek into the power and sensitivity Buckley brought to the role, this is the haunting “When There’s No One.”
The show, capitalized at a then-enormous $8 million, was considered the most expensive flop in Broadway history. I was on the road performing in CATS at the time, but my bestie Carlye saw the closing night performance. According to her well-informed opinion, while much of the show proved problematic I’ve never forgotten her final assessment – that the scenes between Buckley and Hately were some of the most thrilling musical theater she’d ever experienced. Playbill put together a terrific recap of some of the existing footage along with interviews with cast members including Charlotte D’Amboise here. Here’s the full reunion show from last night hosted by SiriusXM’s Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley. The creative team of Lawrence D. Cohen, Michael Gore, and Dean Pitchford share the history of creating the book and score and are then joined about halfway through by Buckley, Hateley, D’Amboise, and Triplett. Over the past four months, the streaming series has brought theater fans the backstage stories they’ve longed for (for free!) while raising over $442,000 for The Actor’s Fund in donations.
Pennsylvania legislator Brian Sims (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • LGBTQ Nation: A Republican lawmaker called the police this week on out Pennsylvania Democratic lawmaker Brian Sims saying that the gay legislator made him fear for his family’s safety. Sims denies the allegations. • Instinct Magazine: Walt Disney Studios and Hulu have decided to renew Love, Victor for a second season after the first season’s well-received debut in June. Hulu later announced that Love, Victor was the number one most-watched drama on the streaming platform during its premiere week in June. • theOUTfront: Premiering today on Disney+, the new documentary Howard pays tribute at the life of gay director/librettist/lyricist, Howard Ashman who also helped give a genie his magic and a carnivorous plant his menace and has made generations want to be part of that world.
• Means Happy: Get ready to be celebrated because Gay Uncles Day is a thing. Since around 2016, Gay Uncles Day has been widely celebrated on the second Sunday in August – it’s a great way of recognizing the diversity of our families, and also the important contribution that queer men make to family life. • Washington Examiner: With the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Joe Biden, leading President Trump by a wide margin in national polling, there could very well be a another “blue wave” come November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted ratings in four more House races this week in the direction of the Democrats. • New Music: Australian pop star Kylie Minogue recently released the music video to her new single, “Say Something,” and it is all you could want in galactic glitter goodness. The vibe of the video could be described as XanadumeetsStarlight Express as the pop princess galavants across the universe on a golden steed surrounded by shirtless men. #TotallyNotGayAtAll
Michael Turchin (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: Lance Bass’s hubby, Michael Turchin (above), shares the lovely view from Grand Teton National Park. The mountains, trees, and lake look nice, too. 🙂 • The Advocate: Amid the results of Tuesday night primaries, Marko Liias, a gay man, appears to have advanced to the general election for lieutenant governor in Washington State. Transgender woman Stephanie Byers was unopposed in her primary for a state representative post in Kansas and is likely to become the state’s first trans legislator. And openly gay Jon Hoadley won a U.S. House nomination in Michigan and, if elected in November, will be the first out member of the state’s congressional delegation. • EW: Disney is developing an adaptation of the musical Once on This Island. Set in the Caribbean’s French Antilles, the tuner tells the story of a peasant girl named Ti Moune who falls in love with an aristocrat. I raved about the recent revival which deservedly took home the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
• Out: If there wasn’t enough nonsense going on, it looks like the Straight Pride folks in Modesto, California, are gearing up for a return. You know, the celebration of cisgender, hetero white men whose organizers once called themselves a “totally peaceful racist group?” • LGBTQ Nation: A violent mob attack on two young gay men at the Joffa Port has shaken Israel as shocking video circulates of a lone man coming to their rescue while hundreds watched and did nothing to help. • CNN: A new ad from the Trump campaign deceptively alters a photo of former Vice President Joe Biden campaigning outdoors in Iowa to make it seem as if Biden is “hiding” in his Delaware basement. The ad also uses two other images in misleading ways: one of Biden at an Iowa house party and one of Biden praying at a Delaware church. • The Daily Beast: Trump campaign senior advisor Mercedes Schlapp Schlapp attempted to defend Donald Trump’s whiplash-inducing hypocrisy, attempting to not only make the distinction between absentee and mail-in voting but also trying to justify why some states’ mail vote is “safe and secure” while others are not. CNN’s Brianna Keilar finally had enough telling Schlapp she was “sowing doubt” and fear into the minds of voters. “This is just pointless, okay,” Keilar exploded. “This is pointless. I get it, you’re just saying a bunch of crap! Okay. You’re saying a bunch of crap.”
CNN’s Brianna Keilar to Trump campaign advisor Mercedes Schlapp on mail-in-voting: “This is just pointless, okay. This is pointless. I get it, you’re just saying a bunch of crap. Okay. You’re saying a bunch of crap.” pic.twitter.com/vhD4ftJsWM
My actual headshot from back in the day… Ok, a post about … me 🙂 A couple of months ago, Joey Hernandez, of the uber-popular podcast An Older Gay Guy Show, interviewed me about the work I do here on The Randy Report. Joey and I have been a virtual mutual admiration society on Twitter for years. I love his podcast, I never miss it, and he’s been a big supporter of mine. Over the years, An Older Gay Guy Show has received many award nominations and twice been a finalist (wow) for The People’s Choice Podcast Awards. During our chat, though, he realized that I’d had this whole other life as a dancer/singer/actor on Broadway and he asked if I’d come back and share some of that journey. We ended up chatting so much about my beginnings in the theater, moving to NYC, and my differents jobs that he’s sharing it as a two-part show (those that know me are aware I can share a story or two…). Hit the play button to hear me chat on how my career in theater began, including the not so great, early salad days before I finally got a break. And this is just Part One, folks…LOL And if you enjoy, you can click over to The Podcast Awards to nominate An Older Gay Guy Show in the Best LGBTQ category as well as the People’s Choice Award.
(screen capture) This definitely qualifies for a #ThrowbackThursday post 🙂 On Tuesday night, the theater world celebrated the 65th annual Obie Awards honoring the best of Off and Off-Off-Broadway in a most virtually virtuous night on the internet! Viewers were treated to a special moment as members of the 1994 York Theatre Company revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along joined members of the original Broadway and 2019 Fiasco Theater revival casts for a special performance of “Our Time” in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the York production’s Obie Award wins. Based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the show chronicles the story of three friends from early adulthood to midlife – but in reverse. The musical is about optimism, idealism, holding friends accountable and the fallout when those ideas collide as we journey through life. As the show begins, we meet the three anti-heroes at difficult crossroads in their lives and their friendships. With each proceeding scene, the story is rewound ultimately arriving at their younger selves – lacking any cynicism and simply bursting with optimism about what lay ahead for them. But by then, we’ve seen the future. “How did you get to be here? What was the moment?”Cast members from the original, 1994 revival and 2019 revival of ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ The original production opened (and closed) in 1981. I was a freshman musical theatre major at Syracuse University that fall, and even though we were hours away from New York City, the new show was very much on the minds of my fellow theater students as a recent graduate has scored the lead role of Franklin Shepard. A very, very big deal. Unfortunately, in an almost ‘only in a musical’ twist, my fellow Syracuse alum was replaced before opening night. Garnering brutal reviews, the show quickly closed. It was the first (and rare) critical failure among successful collaborations between Sondheim and Broadway director/producer Hal Prince (21 Tony Awards). While the reverse storytelling reportedly confused the audience – even though each scene’s year was projected on a screen for the audience – the score has been almost universally lauded as “brilliant.” It’s been revisited in several high profile productions over the years in the hope that the show might be ‘fixed.’ The show finally hit its stride with the original London production in 2001 winning 3 Laurence Olivier Awards including Best Musical. In 2014, the show would repeat that success at the Olivier Awards winning Best Revival of a Musical. The song “Our Time” is what we would call the 11 o’clock number or emotional apex of the show. Set on the roof of an apartment house in New York City in 1957, young Frank and Charley are staring at the nighttime sky waiting for a glimpse of the first-ever earth-orbiting satellite, Sputnik. During the scene, Mary, their neighbor, arrives to view the satellite and meets the boys for the first time. Suddenly, Sputnik is there in the sky, and in that moment, for the young friends, anything seems possible. Check out the moving virtual reunion of three casts of Merrily We Roll Along singing “Our Time.”
While the show didn’t survive its original 1981 incarnation, many of the young actors in that cast were – like the show’s subjects – just beginning. Among them were future Broadway luminaries including future Tony Award winners Jason Alexander (Jerome Robbins’ Broadway) and Tonya Pinkins (Jelly’s Last Jam), as well as Tony Award nominee Liz Callaway (Baby, Miss Saigon, Cats), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) and Jim Walton (42nd Street, Sweeny Todd). In 2016, original cast member Lonny Price (Charley) directed the acclaimed documentary, Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, reuniting many of the 1981 cast members to reflect and remember the impact the show and its idealism had on the actors. I wrote about the film here.
Clockwise from top – Idina Menzel, Lindsay Mendez, Shoshana Bean, Stephanie J. Block Eleven “Elpahbas” from the blockbuster musical Wicked unite to support the arts. This epic “Defying Gravity” features (in order of appearance) Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Stephanie J. Block, Alexia Khadime, Julia Murney, Lindsay Mendez, Lindsay Pearce, Rachel Tucker, Jessica Vosk, Idina Menzel, and Kerry Ellis. Excerpted from the virtual concert Shoshana Bean and Friends: An Evening of Broadway, which premiered live on July 13, 2020. Shoshana organized the event to support and benefit the arts programs at her alma mater, Beaverton High School. Click here for more info and/or donate. Folks, this is worth hitting play 😉 As the first comment on the YouTube page says, “This is what gay heaven sounds like.”
