Gorgeous video of the new Lyric Opera of Chicago production of Carousel starring two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes as Julie Jordan and Steven Pasquale as Billy Bigelow.
The production is directed and choreographed by Tony, Emmy and Olivier Award winner Rob Ashford.
Also in the mix are Tony Award winner Jarrod Emick (Jigger Craigin), opera singer Denyce Graves (Nettie Fowler), and two-time Tony Award nominees Charlotte d’Amboise (Mrs. Mullin) and Tony Roberts (Starkeeper).
Carousel plays the Civic Opera House from April 10th to May 3rd. Tickets are now available at lyricopera.org/carousel.
Broadway favorite Jeremy Jordan killed it earlier this week at the annual MCC Theater’s MISCAST gala concert event with his performance of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from FUNNY GIRL.
The official description of MCC Theater’s MISCAST 2015 is as follows: “MCC Theater’s annual Miscast gala is one of the most exciting and unique theater events in town. Broadway’s hottest stars perform songs from roles in which they would NEVER be cast. And the results are thrilling!
Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster returns to TV tonight with a new dramedy series ‘Younger,’ where she plays a 40-year-old woman pretending to be 26.
Series description:
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40.
After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution: Try to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie.
The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana.
Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career — while no one discovers her secret.
Always great to see Broadway artists get a successful ride to television fame. Love Sutton’s talent, so I hope this lands for her.
Premieres tonight at 10 p.m. EDT with two back-to-back episodes.
Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer attend the TCM Classic Film Festival to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the much loved musical, ‘The Sound Of Music,’ and reflect on why they think it’s such a iconic film.
Day Three of the Artist’s Challenge (For 5 days, 1 post each day, 1pic or several pics or video of your artistic journey so far. Each day nominate 2 people to join).
I had auditioned for the 2001 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s FOLLIES (choreographed by Kathleen Marshall), but after a few cuts, it was clear it wasn’t my day. It happens. Not meant to be, right?
A few months later, I was working at Walnut Street Theatre dance captaining A Chorus Line. The Friday before we were to open, another Kathleen Marshall show on Bway – SEUSSICAL – offered me a contract to replace Darren Lee who was leaving. I knew the show wasn’t doing great at the box office, so I asked how long the powers that be thought the show would run. The answer – “we wouldn’t be hiring you if we didn’t know the show was going to run.”
So for the first time in my career, I gave notice at Walnut Street. Five days later, the closing notice went up at SEUSSICAL. My replacement had been hired already at Walnut Street and so I headed back to NYC unemployed and despondent.
A week after getting back to NYC, I received a call from folks in casting at the Roundabout Theatre Company. Out of the blue. One of the guys in FOLLIES had given his notice and Kathleen Marshall had told them (knowing I got the short end over at SEUSSICAL) that if the costumes fit, the job was mine. I was two blocks from the Belasco Theater. I RAN straight there. And the costumes fit. Squeeee!!!
And so, I ended up in a beautiful, magnificent show with a cast that was equally special. And they took me in as if I’d been there all along. My run was only 2 months with the show, but the experience and the cast have stayed close to my heart.
We closed on my birthday which I shared with the fabulous (and Tony Award-nominated) Polly Bergen. Her performance of “I’m Still Here” KILLED. My work in Act One was done by the time her number came, and I would work through the basement and stand in the back of the house several times each week to watch her powerhouse performance.
So, there you go. I was wrong. FOLLIES was meant to be. I just took a while to get there.
My FOLLIES family gathers again this week to honor dear Polly, who we lost last year. I love this cast. They always feel like family to me.
No pics of me in the show since I replaced. But you have to watch Polly knock it out of the park with her number below.
Closing night of FOLLIES on Broadway with Polly Bergen
Day Two of the Artists Challenge – (For 5 days, 1 post each day, 1pic or several pics or video of your artistic journey so far. Each day nominate 2 people to join).
I have to include my first Broadway show – HELLO, DOLLY! with the incredible Carol Channing. I joke with folks that practically every show I ever went after I never got. And then the incredible blessing that happened were things I never dreamed of. DOLLY was one of those.
The show had been cast for months, but a week before rehearsals were to start one male dancer got a Broadway show (DOLLY was set to tour for a year before coming into NYC). I went to the audition – something like 120 guys were there. One spot available. They taught one combination and cut to 30. I was kept. We did another combination, they cut to 15. I was kept again. It was here that I heard they needed someone 6 foot something because they’d started costumes and the guy was that tall. Clearly – I am not. I went in to sing thinking “I’m so not getting this” so I threw caution to the wind and just sang. I went home and considered how I was going to have to wait tables again for the first time in four years. The call came within an hour.
Thank you Lee Roy Reams for the amazing gift that is DOLLY. It was a wonderful family. In 22 months no one left the show. We all loved what we were doing.
I ended up handling choreography duties for the post-Bway tour and have done something like 9 productions since. Oh – and I should mention that DOLLY (like a good matchmaker) introduced me to my husband, Michael Caprio. We’ve been together over 20 years. Can you ask more of a Broadway debut?
I’m second from the left in the Waiters Gallop pic below – please note the pulled up feet 🙂
Me as “the magical Mr. Mistoffelees” in CATS in 1986
Over on Facebook, several of my theatre friends are taking part in The Artist’s Challenge.
For 5 days, 1 post each day, 1 pic or several pics or video of your artistic journey so far. Each day nominate 2 people to join.
I was nominated by my friend Arminae Reames, who I’ve known for years since NYC acting days. So, I thought I’d also share my posts here.
I have to start with my first big job – “Mistoffelees” in the national touring company of CATS – 1986!
What a rush to be in an original cast of such a hot show – with an amazing cast. We were the first to share the show with Dallas, Atlanta, St. Louis, Miami, Houston, Louisville, Memphis,… so many citiies. Can you imagine? It was the WICKED of it’s time 🙂
I couldn’t have been more blessed. What a head-spinning experience. Everyone should get to live this kind of roller-coaster.
My PR guru husband, Michael Caprio, tracked down this original press pic. #luckyinlife
The Broadway stage adaptation of Doctor Zhivago begins previews this week at the Broadway Theater.
The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller (Ragtime), music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon(The Secret Garden), lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie (Grey Gardens) and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers (Ella Enchanted), and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine (Rocky).
Based on the highly acclaimed movie of the same name, Doctor Zhivago is an epic romance, revolving around the search for love during the final days of Czarist Russia, the First World War and the chaos of the Russian revolution.
Previews begin March 27th.
“Lara’s Theme” (or “Somewhere My Love”) from the acclaimed film was my parent’s “song.”
