Tag: Broadway

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Broadway: Ryan Murphy Announces All-Star Out Actor Casting For “The Boys In The Band”

The film cast of “The Boys in the Band”

Some of the most famous out actors in Hollywood have been cast in the upcoming Broadway production of The Boys in the Band to be produced by megaproducer Ryan Murphy (“Glee,” “American Horror Story,” “American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson”).

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Ryan Murphy will team with Wicked producer David Stone to bring a 50th-anniversary revival of The Boys in the Band to Broadway, assembling a deluxe cast that significantly includes some of the most prominent out-and-proud gay actors in Hollywood.

Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells will head the ensemble in a production directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello.

First produced in 1968, Crowley’s biting comedy drama is a groundbreaking work among pre-Stonewall depictions of LGBTQ characters, chronicling the fun and frictions that emerge when a group of gay male friends gather for a boozy birthday party in New York City. The play is loved and loathed to an equal extent, with some calling it a perpetuation of negative bitchy stereotypes and others hailing it as a breakthrough in its intimate exploration of the attitudes and behavior of gay men at a time when cultural representation was minimal.

“The significance of The Boys in the Band cannot be underestimated,” Murphy said Wednesday in a statement. “Mart Crowley made history by giving voice to gay men onstage, in this uncompromising, blisteringly honest, and wickedly funny play. While some attitudes have thankfully shifted, it’s important to be reminded of what we have overcome and how much further we still have to go.”

Added Stone: “Everything has changed. And nothing has changed.”

Also featured in the cast will be Robin de Jesus, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington and Tuc Watkins. The role of “Cowboy,” a hunky hustler presented by one of the guests as a gift to birthday boy Harold (played by Quinto), remains to be cast.

This production will mark Matt Bomer’s Broadway debut.

The comic drama debuted off-Broadway in 1968 hoping to run for five performances. The production became an instant sell-out and ran for over 1,000 performances.

The movie adaptation, released in 1970 featuring the original stage cast, continues to be a milestone in queer cinema.

While being touted as a “revival,” this will actually be the first appearance of the play on the Great White Way.

The Boys in the Band will begin a limited 15-week run at the Booth Theater on Broadway April 30, 2017.

From the film:

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Podcast: HIV Undetectable=Untransmittable; Will & Grace Returns; Eli Lieb’s “Kissing Your Tattoos;” And Cher On Broadway

On this week’s podcast:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that when an HIV+ person’s viral load is undetectable there’s zero chance of transmission to an uninfected person

• The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says transgender military members who meet physical and mental requirements should be able to serve in the U.S. military

• Azerbaijan is now rounding up and torturing gay men

• A new musical based on the life and music of Cher is heading to Broadway

• Will & Grace triumphantly returns to network TV after 11 years

• Eli Lieb’s latest single, “Kissing Your Tattoos”

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report podcast.

Listen below. Catch up on LGBT headlines in only a few minutes, and if you like – hit the Share button for your social media 🙂

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60 Years Ago Today: West Side Story Opens On Broadway

Sixty years ago today, a rumble began at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway as West Side Story took the theater world by storm.

With a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins, the edgy, urban musical has returned to Broadway several times and the movie adaptation went on to win 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture.

I made my debut as a professional actor in West Side Story back in 1984, and appeared in the show several times again. Along the way I played “Riff,” “Action,” “Snow Boy,” and “Baby John.” So the brilliance that is West Side Story resonates deeply for me.

My last experience with the show was choreographing a production in San Diego where I got to pass on some of what I learned over those years as a member of the “Jets.”

I don’t think there’s an actor/singer/dancer alive in the musical theater that isn’t inspired by the creative genius and visceral acting opportunities of WSS.

Me sitting in front rehearsing the Sharks in “Prologue” in 2016
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4th Annual Broadway & Ballet HERO Awards

I’m excited to see my longtime friend Rachelle Rak being honored at this year’s Broadway & Ballet HERO Awards.

I’ve known Rachelle, a force of nature, for 30 years. And the LGBT community could not have a more staunch ally 🙂

Via press release:

HIV Experience Resources Organization (HERO) is proud to present the fourth annual Broadway & Ballet HERO Awards on October 16th at 8pm at Stage 48, 605 West 48th Street. This year’s honorees are Broadway star and legend Rachelle Rak, and ABT principal and international ballet star, James Whiteside. Receiving the John Adams HERO Award for best Broadway debut is the star of Wicked, Michael Campayno, and the 2017 HERO Partner Award will be presented to The Jed Foundation (JED) for protecting the emotional health of teens and young adults, helping them grow into healthy thriving adults.

This spectacular event will feature 15 original performances and a cast of over 30 stars from the worlds of Broadway and ballet including: (honorees) Rachelle Rak (Fosse, Sweet Charity, Broadway Hero Awardee), Michael Campayno (Wicked, John Adams HERO Awardee), ABT Principal and International ballet star, James Whiteside (Ballet Hero Awardee), Casey Trenary (ABT Soloist), Michael-Leon Wooley (Little Shop of Horrors, American Buffalo, The Princess and the Frog), Michael Cusumano (All Shook Up, Chicago, American in Paris), Patrick Boyd (Grease, The Wizard of Oz, Gypsy, Touch: A Love Story), Sean Stewart (American Ballet Theatre), Alina Faye (American Ballet Theatre alumni), Jose Sebastian (American Ballet Theatre), Luis Villabon (A Chorus Line), Morgan Stinnett (soloist with Connecticut Ballet, member of Ajkun Ballet Company), Cristy Candler (Rock of Ages, Chicago), Georgina Pazcoguin (New York City Ballet Soloist), Brandon Leffler (Wicked, On The Town, Cinderella), Chris Messina (Jersey Boys, A Bronx Tale), Jesse JP Johnson (Wicked), Neil Starkenberg (Mamma Mia), Travis Nesbitt (Alter Boys), Seeley Stephens (American Idol Finalist), Evan Lacombe (The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall), Gabrielle Salvatto (Ballet West Demi Soloist), special performances by principal dancers from Ballet West, Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics, Icaurs-Ioannis Melissananidis, The Boy Band Project, the dance department of Pace University with an opening number choreographed by Madeline Rodrigue, and more!

The show will be hosted by Matty Maggiacomo (Television Journalist and Brand Manager of Barry’s Boot Camp), with technical direction from Tommy Mazza, produced by Stephen Leff. Sponsors include; Logo, NewNowNext.com, Biem- Biemteam.com (mobile phone STD care), DRA (Dancers Responding to AIDS), Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and Hugh Hysell- TheMenEvent.com. Tickets are $25 for General Admission and $100 for VIP Seated and are available at www.hivhero.org.

Rachelle Rak

“Nicknamed “Sas”, Rachelle began her dance training at the age of 2 under the direction of her mother, Rosalene, at the Rosalene Kenneth Professional Dance Studio in Pittsburgh. She is labeled a Triple Threat on Broadway for her immeasurable talent in dance, singing, and acting. Rachelle was presented with an award by Dance Educators of America for her contribution to the world of dance. She has had a huge impact on the Broadway Community. A few of her impressive credits, include leading roles in: “Fosse”, “Sweet Charity”, “Flashdance”, “The Jack Cole Project”, “Chicago”, “A Chorus Line”, “Catch Me If You Can”,” Cats”,” Starlight Express”, “West Side Story”, “Smokey Joe’s Café”, “Trip of Love”, “Thou Shalt Not”,” Oklahoma!”, “The Look of Love”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, “Sessions”, and “An Evening at the Carlyle.” Choreography credits include Norwegian Cruise Lines, Off Broadway: “An Evening at the Carlyle” and “Sessions”-Additional Choreography, Lifetime: “Dance Moms”, Fringe Festive “Vote the Musical” Benefits: “Broadway Bares”, Concerts: Staging for Cheyenne Jackson-Carnegie Hall. Her One-woman show “I’m In” Le Poisson Rouge, Nightclub shows “The Love Fest”, “Splash Around The World”, “VaVoom,” and web series on Broadway.com” I Love Rak n Roll”.

James Whiteside

James Whiteside joined the corps de ballet of Boston Ballet in 2003 and became a second soloist in 2006. He was promoted to first soloist in 2008 and to principal dancer with Boston Ballet in 2009. Whiteside then joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in September 2012 and was named a Principal Dancer in October 2013. Whiteside’s repertoire with Boston Ballet included Principal roles in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Coppélia, Ballo della Regina, Rubies, The Four Temperaments (Sanguinic), Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Who Cares?, Serenade, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Symphony in 3, and La Valse; Maina Gielgud’s Giselle; Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker and Swan Lake; John Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet; Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty and Raymonda Act III; Antony Tudor’s Dark Elegies; Jirí Kylián’s Bella Figura, Sarabande, Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze; Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room; Mark Morris’ Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes. He created roles in Jorma Elo’s Brake the Eyes, Plan to B, Carmen, Slice to Sharper, and In On Blue; Helen Pickett’s Eventide and Etesian; and Mark Morris’ Up & Down. His repertoire with the American Ballet Theatre includes Principal roles in La Bayadere, Cinderella, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, The Dream, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Raymonda Divertissements, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Sylvia, The Tempest, and Manon, as well as roles in Bach Partita, Gong, Theme and Variations, Duo Concertant, Fancy Free, Chamber Symphony, Sinfonietta, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, In the Upper Room, With A Chance of Rain, and Symphony in C.

Michael Campayno

A Pittsburgh native and recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, Michael Campayno made his Broadway debut in Wicked in the role of Fiyero. He debuted on television as Rolf in NBC’s live telecast of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood and can be heard on the cast recording. His stage credits include Carnegie Mellon University productions as well as productions at Pittsburgh CLO; he also played Lancelot opposite Robert Sean Leonard in Camelot. Film: Cheerleader.

About JED

JED is a nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. JED partners with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention programs and systems. JED equips teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other and encourages community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health. Learn More at jedfoundation.com

About HERO

HIV Experience Resources Organization (HERO) is a completely volunteer-based non-profit 501(3)(c) organization founded in 2009 by Michael Cavnaugh, former vice president of Event Presentation at Madison Square Garden. HERO helps people find the most pressing, up-to-date information available critical to their health, including sharing extensive video coverage from current national and international AIDS conferences. HERO’s websites, HIVhero.org and HEROnews.org, provide local, national, and international resources and interactive tools which provide assistance in finding doctors, getting medication, mental health counseling, housing, financial assistance, medical insurance, and much more. It also serves as a portal site providing free content and video production, promoting the services, activities, and fundraising efforts of many community/partner organizations, including red carpet coverage of high profile events and one-on-one interviews. Seen throughout their video archive and messaging, HERO founded the #condomsarehot movement, with the help of stars such as Angela Lansbury, Matt Bomer, Mary Louise-Parker, Rosie Perez, David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Blythe Danner, and many more to build more awareness for sexual health and STD prevention.

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Bernadette Peters To Succeed Bette Midler In Broadway’s “Hello, Dolly!”

Bernadette Peters

Two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters will succeed Bette Midler as “Dolly Levi” in the blockbuster Broadway revival of Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly!

 Additionally, Broadway favorite Victor Garber will replace David Hyde Pierce as “Horace Vandergelder.”

From Variety:

The casting, which had been the subject of persistent rumors in the theater industry, was seemingly confirmed Tuesday morning in a social media post, now removed, that said that Peters and Victor Garber would join the cast early next year. By Tuesday evening, the producers of “Hello, Dolly!,” led by Scott Rudin, had confirmed that Peters would step into the role. Garber, who would presumably replace Midler’s co-star David Hyde Pierce, was not mentioned in the confirmation.

The question of who would replace Bette Midler in “Dolly!,” one of the top-selling shows on Broadway, has been a hot topic of speculation this summer. In the theater-industry rumor mill, a slew of names made the rounds — including Dolly Parton and Sutton Foster — but by August, Peters, last on Broadway in the 2011 production of “Follies,” began to look like the frontrunner. At the time, the comment from Scott Rudin, the show’s lead producer, was the coy, “There’s no replacement for Bette.”

But earlier on Tuesday, Garber’s husband, Rainer Andreesen, mentioned the “Dolly” casting in a comment on an Instagram post. That post has since been removed, but a screenshot remains.

Like Donna Murphy, who currently plays the role of Dolly for one performance a week, Peters and Garber are fan favorites among theater lovers. Peters, who’s won two Tony Awards, has starred in a string of notable productions, including the original stagings of “Sunday in the Park With George” and “Into the Woods,” while Garber, who stars in CW series “Legends of Tomorrow,” has appeared in Broadway shows including “Deathtrap,” “Noises Off” and, most recently, “Present Laughter” in 2010.

In terms of box office impact, Midler, who’s kept sales in the stratosphere since the show began performances in the spring, will be a tough act to follow. It’s uncertain that Peters would keep weekly grosses as high, but at the very least she’d get an initial boost from theater avids anxious to see her in the role. The revival, one of the last season’s biggest buzzmagnets, also seems likely to benefit from the momentum built up for the title itself over the course of its big-money run.

Peters begins her run in “Hello, Dolly!” Jan. 20 prior to an opening night set for Feb. 22. Midler plays her final performance in “Dolly!” Jan. 14; there will be no performances between then and Peters’ start date.

Two-time Tony Award winner Donna Murphy, who performs the role of “Dolly Levi” at select performances including all Tuesdays to rave reviews, will take her last trip down the Harmonia Gardens staircase on January 9, 2018.

Peters will reportedly be performing all 8 performances a week.

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Ariana Grande & Seth MacFarlane Belt Out “Suddenly Seymour” For Carpool Karaoke

I just found out the uber-popular “Carpool Karaoke” segments from The Late Late Show has begun transitioning into an Apple TV series.

Check out pop star Ariana Grande and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane belt out a terrific “Suddenly Seymour” from the musical Little Shop of Horrors.

Not only are the vocals on point, near the end of the song MacFarlane almost has a mini-crash while driving the vehicle. But no one drops a note!

“We almost died! But the belting was more important!” said Grande after finishing the song. “I like that we didn’t skip a beat. That is what comes from being a theater person. You stay in it!”

Watch the clip, below.

(h/t OUT)

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First Look At The Upcoming Broadway Adaptation Of FROZEN

I know, I know… no one wants to see a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Broadway adaptation of FROZEN. But, if you did… 🙂

FROZEN will play its out-of-town tryout at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts August 17 – October 1, 2017.

Tickets for Broadway performances will go on sale later this year.

Visit http://frozenthemusical.com for more info.

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Trailer: “Hello Again”

Glad to see Michael John LaChiusa’s musical HELLO AGAIN finally coming to the big screen. I remember seeing the original Lincoln Center production on Broadway in 1994 and loved it.

The musical consists of a series of two person scenes. Each actor appears in back to back scenes as a similar character, and as the scenes play out, each actor drops for a new one. So, for example, scene one features actors A and B; scene 2 features actors B and C; scene 3 features actors C and D, and so forth. And each scene changes time periods.

Throughout the characters flip from being the pursuer to the pursued. And the music is terrific.

From the press release:

SPEAKproductions, in association with TBD Productions and Martian Entertainment, have just released a sneak peek at the first trailer for HELLO AGAIN.

The highly anticipated film adaptation of Michael John LaChiusa’s musical. HELLO AGAIN chases 10 fleeting love affairs across 10 periods in New York City history.

The ensemble cast features six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Emmy Award-winner and Tony nominee Martha Plimpton, Emmy and Drama Desk nominee T.R. Knight, Rumer Willis, Cheyenne Jackson, SAG Award-winner and Grammy nominee Jenna Ushkowitz, Teen Choice Award-winner Tyler Blackburn, Sam Underwood, Nolan Gerard Funk and Al Calderon. HELLO AGAIN, directed by Tom Gustafson, features a screenplay by Cory Krueckeberg and music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa.

Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s 1896 controversial play, Der Reigen, and the classic 1950 Max Ophuls film La Ronde, the film HELLO AGAIN is based on the Michael John LaChiusa stage musical of the same name. HELLO AGAIN was first presented on stage by Lincoln Center Theatre in 1994 featuring John Cameron Mitchell, Donna Murphy, Malcolm Gets, Carolee Carmello, Michael Park, Michelle Pawk, John Dossett and Judy Blazer.

The film closed Italy’s Lovers Film Fest last night and will be seen on the film festival circuit throughout the summer.

Watch the trailer below.

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Podcast: A Tale Of Two Theatrical Adventures

Join me for “A Tale of Two Theatrical Adventures” as two longtime out actors have separate, but euphoric experiences with New York Theater on the same weekend.

I followed both simultaneously on social media as they shared the elation of their personal milestones, and the journeys made my Grinchy heart swell.

Up first, Stephen Blackwell.

As his 50th birthday approached, Stephen made the decision to venture forth on his own to the Big Bad Apple for the first time and see his first productions on the Great White Way.

We all know New York City can be expensive for visiting fans of Broadway. As he recounts his big adventure, Stephen also has tips that helped him save money along the way, including:

• The app TodayTix (and the website version todaytix.com) helped Stephen buy discounted tickets to Broadway shows in advance without standing in lines or worrying about what his choices would be.

• Instead of pricey hotels, Stephen stayed in an apartment blocks from the theater district and saved hundreds using AirBNB. If you haven’t tried the popular travel site, Stephen shares his experience.

• And don’t be afraid to reach out to friends you’ve made on social media. Stephen met up with someone he knew from Facebook, and that friend acted as a guide to what to do after an evening in the theater.

The other gentleman in this dual adventure, Ed Dixon, has enjoyed a long, successful career on Broadway, off-Broadway and beyond. He’s an actor, playwright, composer and author.

After more than four decades of great work, Ed was honored by the Drama Desk Awards for his latest project, Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose, on the same weekend Stephen was experiencing NY theater for the first time.

I interviewed Ed weeks before during the aftermath of his grand rave-review opening, but watching him share his big Drama Desk win on Facebook felt like I was there.

You can listen to my previous interview with Ed here.

At a time when it feels there’s so much doom, gloom and grousing on social media, I loved watching these stories play out in front of me in real time on the Book of Face.

Hit play below to listen to the two men’s simultaneous journeys.

Sometimes, it’s great to savor the good times 🙂