Tag: Broadway

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NYC: 7th Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant

Hey NYC – don’t miss the 7th Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant this coming Monday, May 20th, to benefit the very deserving Ali Forney Center.

The Broadway Beauty Pageant will feature male cast members representing their respective Broadway shows, competing for the title crown through talent, interview and swimsuit competitions. The contestants will go head to head in front of a panel of celebrity judges, but ultimately, the final vote is in the hands of the audience members.

This year’s event will be hosted by Tovah Feldshuh, and the fab celeb judges are Broadway favorites Billy Porter (KINKY BOOTS), Andrea Martin (PIPPIN) and Michael Urie (HOW TO SUCCEED…).

The mission of the Ali Forney Center is to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the harm of homelessness, and to support them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood. Find out more about the Center by clicking here.

Click here for tickets to the event.

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Broadway: Original Cast recording of KINKY BOOTS coming May 28th

Kinky Boots opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013 to RAVE reviews, and now the Original Broadway Cast Recording is coming!

In case you’ve missed a beat – USA Today called the show “a sizzling, high-spirited new musical that’s bound to put cheer in your heart!” KINKY BOOTS has also been chosen as the critic’s pick by The New York Times, New York magazine and Time Out New York, as well as Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List.”

In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price (Tony® Award nominee Stark Sands) has suddenly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola (Billy Porter). A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.

Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax motion picture, Kinky Boots features a book by four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies) and a musical score from Grammy® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, La Cage, Broadway Bares), with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus (Book of Mormon, Wicked).

bad iPhone pic of me with the fab Billy Porter backstage at KINKY BOOTS on Broadway

I was recently in NYC and had the chance to see what the much-deserved ballyhoo is all about. And all of it is true. Tony® Award nominees Stark Sands and Billy Porter lead a cast of thirty-two that left me breathless and exhilarated. It’s truly “must-see” theatre.

On a personal note, I’ve known Billy Porter (nominated for every award he can be this season) for 20 years, and it’s oh-so-very gratifying to watch his work be oh-so-celebrated at this point of his already fab career.

You can purchase the CD or download at Amazon.

You can download on iTunes by clicking here.

Follow KINKY BOOTS on Facebook here.

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Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper & Billy Porter win at 2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards

KINKY BOOTS won for Best New Musical, New Score (Cyndi Lauper) and Actor in a Musical (the fab Billy Porter).  Yay!

PIPPIN – which I recently saw and loved – also did very well winning Lead Actress (Patina Miller), Featured Actress (Andrea Martin) and Featured Actor in Musical (Terrence Mann), Best Choreography (Chet Walker) Best Revival, Best Lighting Design and Best Direction (Diane Paulus).

Here is a complete list of nominees and winners (bold) of the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards

Outstanding New Broadway Play:

  • Grace
  • Lucky Guy
  • The Nance
  • The Testament of Mary
  • Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Outstanding New Broadway Musical:

  • Chaplin: The Musical
  • A Christmas Story, The Musical
  • Hands on a Hardbody
  • Kinky Boots
  • Matilda The Musical

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play:

  • Bad Jews
  • Cock
  • My Name is Asher Lev
  • Really Really
  • The Whale

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical:

  • February House
  • Dogfight
  • Giant
  • Here Lies Love
  • Murder Ballad

Outstanding Book of Musical:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

  • Cinderella
  • Chaplin: The Musical
  • Dogfight
  • Kinky Boots
  • Matilda the Musical

Outstanding New Score:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

  • Chaplin: The Musical
  • Dogfight
  • Hands on a Hardbody
  • Here Lies Love
  • Kinky Boots

Outstanding Revival of a Play:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

  • Golden Boy
  • Orphans
  • The Piano Lesson
  • The Trip to Bountiful
  • Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

  • Annie
  • Cinderella
  • The Mystery of Edwin Drood
  • Passion
  • Pippin

Outstanding Director of a Play:

  • Pam MacKinnon: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
  • Nicholas Martin: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
  • Jack O’Brien: The Nance
  • Bartlett Sher: Golden Boy
  • Michael Wilson: The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding Director of a Musical:

  • Warren Carlyle: Chaplin: The Musical
  • Scott Ellis: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
  • Jerry Mitchell: Kinky Boots
  • Diane Paulus: Pippin
  • Alex Timbers: Here Lies Love

Outstanding Choreography:

  • Warren Carlyle: Chaplin: The Musical
  • Peter Darling: Matilda the Musical
  • Jerry Mitchell: Kinky Boots
  • Josh Rhodes: Cinderella
  • Chet Walker: Pippin

Outstanding Set Design: (Play or Musical)

  • John Lee Beatty: The Nance
  • Rob Howell: Matilda the Musical
  • David Korins: Here Lies Love
  • Scott Pask: Pippin
  • Michael Yeargan: Golden Boy

Outstanding Costume Design: (Play or Musical)

  • Amy Clark & Martin Pakledinaz: Chaplin: The Musical
  • Gregg Barnes: Kinky Boots
  • Dominique Lemieux: Pippin
  • William Ivey Long: Cinderella
  • William Ivey Long: The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Outstanding Lighting Design:
(Play or Musical)

  • Ken Billington: Chaplin: The Musical
  • Paul Gallo: Dogfight
  • Donald Holder: Golden Boy
  • Kenneth Posner: Cinderella
  • Kenneth Posner: Pippin

Outstanding Actor in a Play:

  • Tom Hanks: Lucky Guy
  • Shuler Hensley: The Whale
  • Nathan Lane; The Nance
  • Tracy Letts: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
  • David Hyde Pierce: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Outstanding Actress in a Play:

  • Tracee Chimo: Bad Jews
  • Amy Morton: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
  • Vanessa Redgrave: The Revisionist
  • Joely Richardson: Ivanov
  • Cicely Tyson: The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:

  • Bertie Carvel: Matilda the Musical
  • Santino Fontana: Cinderella
  • Rob McClure: Chaplin: The Musical
  • Billy Porter: Kinky Boots
  • Matthew James Thomas: Pippin

Outstanding Actress in a Musical:

  • Lilla Crawford: Annie
  • Valisia LeKae: Motown: The Musical
  • Lindsay Mendez: Dogfight
  • Patina Miller: Pippin
  • Laura Osnes: Cinderella

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:

  • Danny Burstein: Golden Boy
  • Richard Kind: The Big Knife
  • Jonny Orsini: The Nance
  • Tony Shalhoub: Golden Boy
  • Tony Shalhoub: Orphans

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:

  • Cady Huffman: The Nance
  • Judith Ivey: The Heiress
  • Judith Light: The Assembled Parties
  • Kristine Nielsen: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
  • Vanessa Williams: The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:

  • Will Chase: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
  • Dan Lauria: A Christmas Story, The Musical
  • Raymond Luke: Motown: The Musical
  • Terrence Mann: Pippin
  • Daniel Stewart Sherman: Kinky Boots

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:

  • Annaleigh Ashford: Kinky Boots
  • Victoria Clark: Cinderella
  • Charlotte d’Amboise: Pippin
  • Andrea Martin: Pippin
  • Keala Settle: Hands on a Hardbody

Outstanding Solo Performance:

  • Bette Midler: I’ll Eat You Last
  • Martin Moran: All the Rage
  • Fiona Shaw: The Testament of Mary
  • Holland Taylor: Ann
  • Michael Urie: Buyer & Cellar

John Gassner Award:
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)

  • Ayad Akhtar: Disgraced
  • Paul Downs Colaizzo: Really Really
  • Joshua Harmon: Bad Jews
  • Samuel D. Hunter: The Whale
  • Aaron Posner: My Name is Asher Lev
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Cancelled: “SMASH”

This is a bit of a heart-breaker for me.

I loved the pilot and continued to watch the show.  It had it’s ups and downs along the way of it’s two seasons, but I really liked what the creators of the show were going for: how a Broadway show gets to the Great White Way and what goes on underneath the surface of all those lives along the journey.

Here’s Newsday‘s take on the cancellation:

Despite promise in the first season, the show’s storytelling deteriorated and ended up drawing a small crowd of spitball-throwers known as “hate viewers,” who traded social media barbs over the show’s storylines…  A new producer couldn’t turn matters around and “Smash” was sent to Saturday earlier this season where its end was foretold. 

In addition to many great moments on the show as the writers and producers were finding their voice again, the music was often just fab. Songs like “Let Me Be Your Star” and “Don’t Forget Me” sit in my head all day if I happen to play one.

Series’ star Katharine McPhee talked to The Hollywood Reporter about what the experience has meant to her, saying:

“Sure, I wish that it could have five more seasons, but we had two great seasons and all I can say is I loved every moment of it. I loved getting to the set, I loved the people, I loved my crew. We did amazing things on the show in two years,” she told THR. “With this business, you can never predict what people are going to like or love or hate. All I know is that when the show started and people were so excited about the plot, I was excited to finally be a part of something that could showcase me. Everyone has perceptions about what you’re capable of and what you can do and this show was a huge gift.”

There were rumors that the series fictitious musical “Bombshell” might find some life somewhere on a real theatrical stage. I’d love to see that happen.

With the music we’ve heard and the fantastic choreography by Joshua Bergasse, I think there are a lot of fans who’d head out to see it.

RIP SMASH.

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Neil Patrick Harris confirmed to host 2013 Tony Awards

Neil Patrick Harris has been officially announced as the host of this year’s Tony Awards on June 9.

Said Harris:

“I’m very excited to be back hosting the Tony Awards at the legendary Radio City Music Hall. It’ll be more impressive than ever – if my math is correct, it will be 267 times bigger than last year,” said Neil Patrick Harris. “Oh, wait. No, that can’t… hold on… carry the one… I’m awful at math. But rest assured, the show will rock!”

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ORPHANS starring Alec Baldwin to close on Broadway

The producers of the Tony Award-nominated play ORPHANS have announced that the Broadway production will play its final performance on SUNDAY, MAY 19 after 27 previews and 37 regular performances at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.

The production began performances on March 26 and opened on April 18. The Broadway production of Lyle Kessler’s ORPHANS stars Alec Baldwin, Ben Foster and Tom Sturridge and is directed by Daniel Sullivan.

ORPHANS has received several accolades including Tony Nominations for Best Leading Actor Tom Sturridge and Best Revival of a Play. Additionally Sturridge has been nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama League Award. Alec Baldwin has been nominated for a Drama League Award and the production was also nominated for Outstanding Revival of a Play by the Outer Critics Circle.

To be honest, I’m very surprised with the nominations and Alec Baldwin’s star power the play can’t seem to continue. I’m a fan of all three of the play’s stars.

For info about the play or to purchase tickets before it’s gone – click here.

(source)

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Broadway: A TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL with Vanessa Williams

Michael and I with Vanessa Williams after her glowing performance in
A TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL on Broadway

Michael and I saw the beautiful new production of A TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL last night starring Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and the FAB Vanessa Williams.

The nominations for awards are pouring in for the production, and the box office is doing hefty business as the theater community welcomes Cicely Tyson back to Broadway for the first time in 30 years.  The production also marks Cuba Gooding Jr’s Broadway debut and Vanessa’s return to the Broadway stage since her gorgeous performance in SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM three years ago.

 

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL is Horton Foote’s masterpiece about memory, mortality and the undeniable, universal yearning for home.

The Wall Street Journal calls TRIP, “is unforgettably excellent. I’ve never been more deeply moved by a theatrical production of any kind.”

The Associated Press says “The casting here is splendid. Not only is Tyson feisty and funny and glowing with inner light; Vanessa Williams is politely savage as her preening daughter-in-law, icy without becoming a dragon. Cuba Gooding Jr. nails the kind man unfortunately caught in the middle of these two women. The care and love all the creators have for this play pours out from the stage.”

EW wrote about the show “Tyson gives an awe-inspiring performance. She sings, she dances, she does everything but cartwheels. She’s well matched by Vanessa Williams – wickedly funny as her bossy daughter-in-law.”

As regular readers of TRR know, I’ve known Vanessa for years; and I am very proud of Vanessa for her work in the play.   Her role as “Jessie Mae Watts” is deceptively difficult as she sets the tone and environment that incites Cicely Tyson’s character to head home to Bountiful. Vanessa drives the entire beginning of the play with constant business and energy.  And she brings the pitch perfect touch of humor to the role, as only Vanessa can.

Make sure you see A TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL at the Stephen Sondheim Theater on Broadway.  I loved it, as did the sold-out audience I saw it with.

For more info, visit the show’s official website.

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Highlights from the 27th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition

From Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS: The 27th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised a staggering $4,250,542 — eclipsing the previous high of $3,734,129 set in 2007. The grand total was announced April 23, 2013, after six weeks of intensive fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by 47 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies.

With a standing-room-only audience filling Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre, two Easter Bonnet shows featured original presentations, songs, dances and 19 intricate, custom-made bonnets.

This year’s edition included special appearances by Tom Hanks, Cyndi Lauper, Harvey Fierstein, Reeve Carney, Victoria Clark, Deborah Cox, Robert Cuccioli, Katie Finneran, Shalita Grant, Ann Harada, Harriet Harris, Cady Huffman, Andy Karl, Ron Kunene, Nathan Lane, Tshidi Manye, Constantine Maroulis, Andrea Martin, Marin Mazzie, Christopher McDonald, Judy McLane, Mark Nelson, Christine Pedi, Billy Porter, Seth Rudetsky, Peter Scolari, Holland Taylor and Michael Urie.