LGBTQ news and entertainment
In advance of his upcoming gig hosting this year’s Tony Awards, The Late Late Show’s James Corden HAD to do a Broadway version of his uber-popular segment “Carpool Karaoke,” right?
And who better to join him than Broadway stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Jane Krakowski and Jesse Tyler Ferguson?
Stick around for the “One Day More” from Les Miz (Audra’s last note!).
Harvey Fierstein, Cyndi Lauper, and the cast of Broadway’s Tony Award-winning “Best Musical” Kinky Boots shares this upbeat rewrite of the show’s finale – “Just Be” – weighing in on the current rash anti-transgender bathroom laws. #JustPee
In related news, Lauper performs tonight in Raleigh, North Carolina. According to reports, the proceeds from her concert will be donated to the campaign seeking to repeal the state’s HB2 bill; word is her concert rider requires the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts must have a gender-neutral bathroom.
Tony Award winner Savion Glover appeared with the cast of his on the new show “Maya and Marty” with his cast of the Broadway hit, Shuffle Along, to perform “The Pennsylvania Graveyard Shuffle.”
Note: Glover is nominated for another Tony Award this year for his resoundingly praised choreography. I expect the choreography category to be a close race between Savion and Hamilton‘s Andy Blankenbuehler.
It was recently announced that Savion will be joining the cast of Shuffle Along soon.
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| Pop star Leona Lewis will play “Grizabella, the Glamour Cat” in Broadway revival of CATS |
Producers The Shubert Organization and The Nederlander Organization announced today that chart-topping British pop star Leona Lewis will play the role of “Grizabella,” the Glamour Cat, in the first-ever Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical, Cats.
One of the biggest hits in theatrical history, Cats will return to Broadway this summer at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W 52nd Street) with preview performances beginning Thursday, July 14, 2016, and an official opening set for Sunday, July 31, 2016.
“Leona has one of the greatest voices of her generation,” said Andrew Lloyd Webber. “We are all hugely excited about working with her.”
“It is an incredible honor to be asked by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to join the Cats family,” said Lewis. “I will never forget seeing the show as a little girl and how blown away I was by the magical experience of it. I am beyond thrilled for my Broadway debut to be in such an iconic show. To work with a team as legendary as those on Cats is an experience I will cherish every moment of. I cannot wait to see the audiences out in NYC!”
British Singing Sensation, Leona Lewis has sold over 20 million records worldwide, reached #1 in over 35 countries, and is a 3-time GRAMMY nominee, a 7-time BRIT Award nominee also has also been nominated for MTV VMAs, EMAs, Billboard and most recently in 2016 a CMT award for her performance of ‘Girl Crush’ with Adam Lambert. Leona became the first British female solo artist to top the US Billboard 200 album chart in more than 20 years. Leona is a vocal powerhouse who is renowned for her massive four octave mezzo-soprano vocal range and power.
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| Lin-Manuel Miranda, author/star of Hamilton |
Pulitzer Prize-winner (and about to win a ton of hardware at this year’s Tony Awards) Lin-Manuel Miranda took to Twitter recently to let the world know HE CAN SEE you folks in the audience who pull out your phones to record his Broadway blockbuster Hamilton.
Check this from yesterday:
Our illegal photographers tonight: white guy black cap, 3 rows back, 3 seats in.
Older woman 9 rows back, 7 seats in.
We. Can. See. You.— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 11, 2016
They’re that specific because I report them to SM offstage. Then an usher comes to make them erase their pics. https://t.co/K3wXY98mek— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 11, 2016
You worked too hard to get those tix.
I worked too hard to finish this show.
So when I see your phone instead of your face…— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 11, 2016
…it’s gutting. It sucks. I block you out. I’m sorry. Too many people are working too hard. You forfeit.— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 11, 2016
Aaaaaanyway, other than that, heluva show. Grateful for you always. Grateful we finished the thing. Grateful we get to do it for you.— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 11, 2016
Ok, who wouldn’t want to see every one of those shows?
#TonyAwards #Broadway
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| Ricky Ubeda to play “Mr. Mistoffelees” in Broadway revival of Cats |
Ricky Ubeda, season 11 winner of So You Think You Can Dance, will be featured in the upcoming Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats as “the magical Mr. Mistoffelees.”
Previews will begin July 14 prior to an official opening July 31 at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52nd Street).
From Playbill:
The company will include Giuseppe Bausilio as Carbucketty, Quentin Earl Darrington as Old Deuteronomy, Jeremy Davis as Skimbleshanks, Kim Faure as Demeter, Sara Jean Ford as Jellylorum, Lili Froehlich as Electra, Daniel Gaymon as Macavity, Shonica Gooden as Rumpleteazer, Christopher Gurr as Gus/Bustopher Jones, Tyler Hanes as Rum Tum Tugger, Andy Jones as Munkustrap, Kolton Krouse as Tumblebrutus, Eloise Kropp as Jennyanydots / Gumbie, Jess LeProtto as Mungojerrie, Georgina Pazcoguin as Victoria, Emily Pynenburg as Cassandra, Arianna Rosario as Sillabub, Ahmad Simmons as Alonzo, Christine Cornish Smith Bombalurina, Corey Snide as Coricopat, Emily Tate as Tantomile, Ricky Ubeda as Mistoffelees, and Sharrod Williams as Pouncival,as well as Richard Todd Adams, Aaron Albano, Callan Bergmann, Claire Camp, Francesca Granell, Jessica Hendy, Harris Milgrim, Madison Mitchell, Nathan Patrick Morgan and Megan Ort.
Casting for the role of “Grizabella” will be announced at some point in the near future. Elaine Paige won the Olivier Award for her powerful turn as the “Glamour Cat” in the original London company, and Betty Buckley won the Tony Award for her powerful portrayal on Broadway.
I have a personal interest in the production, and in Ubeda’s casting, as I spent two years of my early career playing “Mistoffelees” on the national tour of Cats back in the 1980s when the show first hit the U.S.
Congrats to Ricky and all the new kitties!
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| Me as “Mr. Mistoffelees” in Cats |
Tony Award-winners Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel sing “For Good” together for the first time in 12 years.
The ladies got together to duet once again for a Second Stage Theatre’s gala honoring Wicked producer David Stone on Monday.
The two created their iconic roles of “Glinda” and “Elphaba” (respectively) in the original cast of Wicked, which recently crossed over $1 billion in box office for the Broadway company alone, and over $4 billion worldwide.
Years later, the connection between the two is just as magical.
I’ve been a fan of Terry’s work going all the way back to his rocking turn as the original “Rum Tum Tugger” in CATS on Broadway. I got to know him a bit when I was doing Chicago the Musical with his wife, the luminous Charlotte d’Amboise.
I agree with every answer he gives here – especially his best piece of advice to young actors.
Because we still love it.
#LaVieBoheme