Tag: Broadway

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Free Streaming Event – ‘Sarah Brightman: In Concert At The Royal Albert Hall’

On Saturday, May 9th, the full performance of Sarah Brightman: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall will be streamed via YouTube for all to enjoy. The critically acclaimed performance, not commercially available, features Andrea Bocelli and Andrew Lloyd Webber and will be streamed to raise funds for COVID-19 relief charities. Recorded in September 1997 at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London, Sarah together with the English National Orchestra, perform an unforgettable concert of well-known Classical and Broadway pieces by composers such as Puccini, Gershwin, Delibes, Bernstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Included are memorable special guests: Andrea Bocelli, performing “Time to Say Goodbye” with Sarah, Andrew Lloyd Webber on piano while Sarah sings the title song from his musical Whistle Down the Wind and a special duet performance of “Pie Jesu” with Adam Clarke. The full performance will premiere exclusively via Sarah’s YouTube channel beginning Saturday, May 9th, 2020 @ 12:00 pm PT/3:00 pm ET/8:00 pm UK/9:00 pm Europe and will be globally available for everyone to enjoy for 72 hours.

In efforts to raise money and support the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief and COVID-19 Solidarity Response Funds, donations are encouraged to these music and health care industry professionals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah Brightman In Concert: Performance Track Listing 1. Overture: Capriccio Espagnol/Scena e Canto Gitano/Fandango Asturiano 2. Chanson Espagnol (from Les Filles de Cadiz) 3. O Mio Babbino Caro (from Gianni Schicchi) 4. Solveig’s Song (from Peer Gynt Suite No. 2) 5. Summertime (from Porgy & Bess) 6. Pie Jesu (from Requiem) – duet with Adam Clarke 7. Medley: Somewhere/I Feel Pretty/Tonight (from West Side Story) 8. Tu Quieres Volver 9. Who Wants to Live Forever 10. Whistle Down the Wind (from Whistle Down the Wind) – duet with Andrew Lloyd Webber 11. Overture/Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (from The Phantom of the Opera) 12. The Music of the Night (from The Phantom of the Opera) 13. Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) – duet with Andrea Bocelli 14. Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) Brightman’s 15th studio album HYMN, released on November 9, 2018, debuted at #1 on both the Classical and Classical Crossover Billboard charts. (via press release)

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News Round-Up: May 4, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • Monday Memory: I came across this photo (above) from a couple of years ago when Michael, I and some friends were invited to the opening of a new club in Las Vegas. We got there kind of early I guess as not many people were there. A photographer told us to pose for a pic laying down and flexing. For some reason, I (top right) was more fascinated with my cocktail than my bicep. • Boy Culture: Matt Rettenmund reminisces on Madonna making her Broadway debut in David Mamet’s acclaimed play, Speed-the-Plow, thirty-two years ago. • NBC News: On April 20, Trump estimated the death toll in the U.S. from the coronavirus threat could be 50,000 to 60,000; by that point, there had been 40,000 U.S. deaths related to COVID-19. Earlier last week, he spoke of 60,000 to 70,000 deaths. During a Fox News town hall Friday night, Trump shifted his estimates to perhaps 100,000. At this writing, there are over 68,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US.

• Gay Star News: Reports of Tunisia recognizing a same-sex marriage have put LGBT+ people in danger. Tunisian LGBT+ organization Mawjoudin – We Exist – told GSN the reports were probably based on an administrative mistake. Moreover, they said the reports have caused ‘a wave of queerphobic speech, attacks, and bullying’. • Twitter: Star Trek star George Takei jokes about people disregarding social distancing guidelines, “I’m starting a rumor on the Breitbart (conservative website) chats that Covid-19 turns you gay. That should keep a lot of these idiots at home.

• Instinct: Trenton Councilwoman Robin Vaughn became unhinged during a city council conference call and launched vicious, homophobic personal attacks against Reed Gusciora – Trenton, New Jersey’s first openly gay Mayor. The slur-laden screed included calling the mayor a “pedophile” and “bitch-ass.” Gov. Murphy has called for her resignation. You can hear the conference call here. • Pink News: Homophobe Franklin Graham has been asked to pack up his tents and leave New York after exploiting the setting up of a tent hospital during the coronavirus crisis to discriminate against gay people and evangelize. • People: And finally, something uplifting to end this round-up. Check out the video below 🙂

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‘Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration’ Was A Musical Gift That Kept Giving

L-R Audra McDonald, Christine Baranski, Meryl Streep (screen capture)
It began with some tech problems, but when Broadway.com’s salute to legendary composer Stephen Sondheim – Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration – finally got underway it was truly a gift for musical theatre fans. So many fantastic performances of Sondheim’s lengthy and rich catalog. One of the highlights was easily Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald serving up a spectacular “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company as a kind of  Zoom cocktail hour. Donning white robes and pouring generous drinks, the approach was not only hilarious but solved the problem of trying to live up to Elaine Stritch’s legendary performance of the song. In case you missed it, I’ve cued up Christine, Meryl and Audra’s brilliant performance below, but you can view the entire 2+ hour livestream below. Other highlights include: • Melissa Errico’s “Children and Art” (Sunday in the Park with George) was the picture of understated perfection at the 41:04 mark • Mandy Patinkin, standing outside alone amid an enormous, empty grassy field, shared a moving a cappella “Lesson #8” (Sunday in the Park with George) at the 54:21 mark • Laura Benanti – “I Remember” (Evening Primrose) at 1:08:28 mark • Chip Zien, the original “Baker” (Into the Woods) was heartbreaking as he reprised his song “No More” at 1:14:06 • The event’s host, Raúl Esparza, sang a beautiful take on the event’s title song, “Take Me to the World” (Evening Primrose) at 1:50:59 • Donna Murphy’s poignant, pensive rendition of “Send in the Clowns” (A Little Night Music) at the 1:53:55 mark • Bernadette Peters closing out the event with a gorgeous, a cappella take on a song she didn’t sing in Into The Woods, “No One Is Alone” at 2:11:18
Bernadette Peters (screen capture)
In truth, there are tons of terrific performances – I’m sure I’ll have missed mentioning something I loved. If you click here, you’ll find the full show with a complete breakdown of shortcuts to each individual performance. Stay with it to the end as there’s a much fun postscript to the shindig with the song “Broadway Baby” from Follies. The event served as a fundraiser for ASTEP – Artists Striving to End Poverty. You can donate at this link.

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Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration

A starry line-up of Broadway favorites are toasting Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday with a once-in-a-lifetime concert event live on Broadway.com titled, ‘Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.’ As I was planning this post, I realized how much I admired Sondheim’s incredible talent, but how much his work impacted my own career in theater. The first musical I ever appeared in was one of the greatest musicals ever written – Gypsy (lyrics by Sondheim). I earned my actor’s union card in a gorgeous production of West Side Story (lyrics by Sondheim).

Performing ‘Into The Woods’ – I’m the one hugging the cow
Over the next couple of decades, I appeared in productions of Into The Woods (score by Sondheim), more West Side Story (playing about every Jet you can think of), and more. And the last Broadway production I appeared in was the 2001 revival of his masterpiece Follies starring Blythe Danner, Treat Williams, Judith Ivey and Gregory Harrison – a joyful experience from beginning to end.
With Sondheim backstage during the 2001 Broadway revival of ‘Follies’
So, yes, I’ll definitely be watching tonight’s event. Hosted by Raul Esparza the Broadway-palooza will feature musical performances by: Iain Armitage • Annaleigh Ashford • Christine Baranski • Laura Benanti • Michael Cerveris • Melissa Errico • Beanie Feldstein • Sutton Foster • Maria Friedman • Alexander Gemignani • Josh Groban • Jake Gyllenhaal • Ann Harada • Neil Patrick Harris • Austin Ku • Judy Kuhn • Linda Lavin • Katrina Lenk • Kelvin Moon Loh • Patti LuPone • Lin-Manuel Miranda • Audra McDonald • Brian Stokes Mitchell • Donna Murphy • Kelli O’Hara • Mandy Patinkin • Bernadette Peters • Ben Platt • Randy Rainbow • Lea Salonga • Stephen Schwartz • Thom Sesma • Elizabeth Stanley • Meryl Streep • Aaron Tveit • Brandon Uranowitz • Chip Zien Directed by Paul Wontorek with musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the event will benefit Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP). You can watch the live stream below or at Broadway.com here  beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. https://www.youtube.com/live/A92wZIvEUAw?si=acVXCThYDK5IGxwH

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Showtune Slowdown: Eden Espinosa “One Song Glory”

The luminous Eden Espinosa brings her own vocal “glory” to this fantastic arrangement of “One Song Glory” from the iconic Broadway musical, RENT.

From Eden’s CD Look Around.

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All-Star Streaming Event Announced For Stephen Sondheim’s 90th Birthday Celebration

(image via Broadway.com)
Deadline reports a cavalcade of stars will take part in Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration, a virtual 90th birthday celebration for legendary Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, and many more are scheduled to appear on Sunday, April 26, which just happens to be the 50th anniversary of the opening night of Sondheim’s iconic musical, Company. The streaming event will be hosted by Raúl Esparza beginning at 8 pm ET and will be available for free at Broadway.com and the Broadway.com YouTube channel. Esparza has a long history with Sondheim’s work having starred as Bobby in the Tony Award-winning revival of Company in 2006, as George in the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sunday in the Park and as Charlie in Merrily We Roll Along in 2002. Additionally, he starred in City Center’s Encores! productions of Anyone Can Whistle and last year’s Road Show. “The world is in a hard place, and we are all searching for something great,” says Esparza in a statement. “Well, Stephen Sondheim is greatness personified. So, we’ve assembled a group of people who love Steve and have worked with Steve and have been inspired by Steve to sing his music and share some joy and some heartache together. We may be far from Broadway right now, but Broadway is never far from us. Besides, Stephen Sondheim turned 90. How many times do you get to be 90? 11? So come on, say it, get it over with, come on, quick…happy birthday.” Mary-Mitchell Campbell will be the music director, with Paul Wontorek serving as director. This online event will act as a fundraiser for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), the organization conceived by Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth through art.

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Michael Urie Recreates Award-Winning ‘Buyer & Cellar’ Performance Tonight

Theater fans – what to watch tonight? How about TV and Broadway star Michael Urie (Ugly Betty, Torch Song) recreating his award-winning performance in the one-man play Buyer & Cellar live from his living room? About the Show:

In the basement of a house on her Malibu estate, Barbra Streisand created a private fantasy world to display her accumulated tchotchkes: a narrow, cobblestoned “street” of boutiques, from an antique doll store and confectionery with its own taffy-making machine to a dress shop filled with favorite costumes from her films. In this one-man comedy, Urie plays Alex More, who is down on his luck after being recently fired from Disneyland. He lands a job curating the basement of Barbra Streisand.

Presented by Broadway.com, the livestream will serve as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund which is helping those onstage, backstage and behind the scenes receive urgent medical care and financial assistance during the pandemic and work shutdown. Hit the play button below at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

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2-Time Tony Award Winner Brian Dennehy Dead At 81

Brian Dennehy (photo: Justin Hoch)

Physically imposing, powerhouse actor Brian Dennehy has passed away at the age of 81 from natural causes.

From Variety:

Brian Dennehy, the winner of two Tonys in a career that also spanned films including “Tommy Boy,” “First Blood” and “Cocoon,” and television, died on Wednesday night in New Haven, Conn. He was 81.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends,” his daughter, actress Elizabeth Dennehy, tweeted on Thursday.

The imposingly tall, barrel-chested Dennehy won his first Tony for his performance as Willy Loman in a revival of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” in 1999 and his second Tony for his turn as James Tyrone in a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” in 2003.

Dennehy had a decades-long association with the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, where most of his explorations of O’Neill originated.

The production of “Death of a Salesman” that won Dennehy his first Tony originated at the Goodman, later went to the West End and was brought to the small screen on Showtime in 2000, resulting in an Emmy nomination for Dennehy as well as a SAG Award and a Golden Globe. The New York Times called it “the performance of his career.”

He is survived by second wife Jennifer Arnott, a costume designer, whom he married in 1988; three daughters by Scheff, actresses Elizabeth and Kathleen, and Deirdre; as well as son Cormac and daughter Sarah with Arnott.

I was captivated by Dennehy’s incredible performance in “Death of a Salesman” in 1999. I remember I walked out of the theater feeling like I’d been wrung out emotionally.

Rest in peace Brian Dennehy.

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Musical Goodness: Disney Stars Perform Stunning Virtual “Go The Distance”

Please stop and enjoy the musical goodness… From Good Morning America, nine current and former Disney on Broadway cast members virtually perform Alan Menken’s “Go the Distance” to honor food bank workers, volunteers and struggling families on ABC’s “Day of Hope.”

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 400,000 people and killed at least 13,000 in the United States so far.

Another serious consequence of the outbreak: food insecurity.

With sky-rocketing unemployment and millions of children unable to receive free or reduced-price school lunches, more people are now facing hunger because of this crisis, according to Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the U.S.

Due to this crisis, ABC is launching Day of Hope, in partnership with Feeding America, to highlight food banks and food pantry personnel working on the front lines, and to share food resources with all Americans who need it.

Feeding America officials report they are seeing a massive increase in demand. Approximately 37 million people are food insecure, including 11 million children and 5.5 million seniors.

Learn more about Feeding America’s work and get involved at FeedingAmerica.org/FeedTheLove. They are all exquisite talents, but I do love me some Heather Headley…

(h/t to Larry at TheOUTfront.com)

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News Round-Up: April 8, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • Broadway: Broadway choreographer Bob Avian (above), who worked alongside director/choreographer Michael Bennett on his greatest achievements (Follies, Company, A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls) has written a not-to-be-missed autobiography. Click here to find it on Amazon. • Washington Blade: Advocacy groups have sharply criticized a bill that would prevent transgender people in Hungary from legally changing their gender. Without the ability to legally change their gender marker, trans people face harsh workplace and healthcare discrimination can be accused of stealing when they use their credit cards, and questioned whenever they use their ID. • The Gaily Grind: President Trump on Tuesday falsely claimed that his daughter and senior advisor Ivanka Trump had “created 15 million jobs” before the economy imploded as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Ivanka has created 15 million jobs even though official estimates indicate the country had gained only 6.7 million jobs since 2017 before the recent economic collapse. • CNN: A new SSRS poll shows 43% say Donald Trump is doing everything he could to fight the outbreak, while 55% say he could be doing more. Trump’s overall approval rating in the polling stands at 44% approve to 51% disapprove. • WFSU: The Tallahassee City Council unanimously voted to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors in the Florida city today. “The Trevor Project applauds the Tallahassee City Commission for taking bold action to protect LGBTQ young people from conversion therapy,” said The Trevor Project’s Sam Brinton in a statement. “This new ordinance will send a message to the LGBTQ youth of Tallahassee that they should be proud of who they are, and hopefully, it will inspire other localities in Florida to take similar action as well.” • RealClearPolitics: The news today that Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT-I) dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination comes a day after Wisconsin voters went to the polls. We won’t have tallies until next Monday, but perhaps Sanders got exit polling that mirrored recent polls showing former Vice President Joe Biden leading in the state by 28 points. • Raw Story: Donald Trump on Tuesday boasted about the television ratings that he’s been getting for his daily coronavirus press briefings at a time when deaths from the disease in the United States have surged past 13,000.