Tag: Broadway

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Saturday Sun song: Norm Lewis – Go The Distance

Candi and I just interviewed my friend the fab, handsome, charming Norm Lewis who has been deservedly nominated for every award possible this season on Broadway for his performance as “Porgy” in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.  (By the way, today is his birthday!)

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Norm.  I’m thinking good thoughts for him as the Drama Desk Awards are tomorrow and the Tony Awards are next Sunday.  As those of us who know him are aware, he’s really one of the great gifts on Broadway today.

Wanted to hear him sing a bit, so I chose this.  This song is from his solo CD This Is The Life.
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New CBS series “Partners” to star Michael Urie of “Ugly Betty” & “How To Succeed…”

From Playbill: CBS has announced its new primetime lineup for the 2012-13 season. The new comedy “Partners,” starring Ugly Betty/How to Succeed‘s Michael Urie and David Krumholtz (Conversations with My Father), will air Monday nights at 8:30 PM ET.

Based on the lives of creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, “Partners,” according to CBS, is “about two life-long best friends and business partners whose ‘bromance’ is tested when one of them is engaged to be married. Joe (Krumholtz) is an accomplished architect who leads with his head and not his heart, especially in his love life. That’s in stark contrast to his gay co-worker, Louis (Urie), who is spontaneous, emotional and prone to exaggeration. Both have found joy in their love lives: Joe is newly engaged to Ali (Sophia Bush), a beautiful and sophisticated jewelry designer, while Louis is dating Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a vegan nurse who Louis insists is just a promotion away from becoming a doctor. As news of Joe’s engagement settles, time will tell if their business and personal bond can adapt to the addition of two other important relationships.” James Burrows directed the pilot.

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Actor & Broadway producer Kevin Spirtas on The Candi & Randy Show

Listen to internet radio with CandiXRandy on Blog Talk Radio

For 7 1/2 years, Kevin Spirtas played the dashing and frolicking Dr. Craig Wesley on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives”.

This was followed by his return to Broadway as the standby for Hugh Jackman as the title role in the musical “The Boy From Oz,” having previously appeared on the Great White Way in “A Chorus Line” and “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Kevin has now moved into the role of Broadway producer as part of the producing team for the current hit show “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” – his second stint as a Broadway producer following the acclaimed 2009 revival of “Finian’s Rainbow.”

Kevin also tours with his acclaimed one man show “Night and Days” – which features his singing, dancing & story telling talents as he tells tales of his adventures as a successful TV and stage actor.

Listen in wtih Candi and Randy as we talk with Kevin about the entertainment industry from both sides of the producing table. Plus we share songs from his CD based on his one man show – “Night and Days” plus music from his Broadway production of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”

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2012 Tony Award nominations announced!

Nominations for the 2012 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards®

Personal shout-out to Norm Lewis, Rob Ashford, Kathleen Marshall, Chris Gattelli and Wayne Barker!  Congrats guys!


Best Play
Clybourne Park
Author: Bruce Norris
Producers: Jujamcyn Theaters, Jane Bergère, Roger Berlind/Quintet Productions, Eric Falkenstein/Dan Frishwasser, Ruth Hendel/Harris Karma Productions, JTG Theatricals, Daryl Roth, Jon B. Platt, Center Theatre Group, Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons
Other Desert Cities
Author: Jon Robin Baitz
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett
Peter and the Starcatcher
Author: Rick Elice
Producers: Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price, Tom Smedes, Disney Theatrical Productions, Suzan & Ken Wirth/DeBartolo Miggs, Catherine Schreiber/Daveed Frazier & Mark Thompson, Jack Lane, Jane Dubin, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, Baer & Casserly/Nathan Vernon, Rich Affanato/Peter Stern, Brunish & Trinchero/Laura Little Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Hummel & Greene, Jamie deRoy & Probo Prods./Radio Mouse Ent., Hugh Hysell/Freedberg & Dale, New York Theatre Workshop
Venus in Fur
Author: David Ives
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Jon B. Platt, Scott Landis, Classic Stage Company
Best Musical
Leap of Faith
Producers: Michael Manheim, James D. Stern, Douglas L. Meyer, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Annette Niemtzow, Daryl Roth, Robert G. Bartner, Steven and Shanna Silva, Endgame Entertainment, Patricia Monaco, Debi Coleman, Dancap Productions, Inc., Steve Kaplan, Relativity Media, LLC, Rich/Caudwell, Center Theatre Group, Michael Palitz, Richard J. Stern, Melissa Pinsly/Celine Rosenthal, Independent Presenters Network, Diana Buckhantz, Pamela Cooper, Vera Guerin, Leading Investment Co., Ltd., Christina Papagjika, Victor Syrmis, Semlitz/Glaser Productions, Jujamcyn Theaters
Newsies
Producers: Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Producers: Scott Landis, Roger Berlind, Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Standing CO Vation, Candy Spelling, Freddy DeMann, Ronald Frankel, Harold Newman, Jon B. Platt, Raise the Roof 8, Takonkiet Viravan, William Berlind/Ed Burke, Carole L. Haber/Susan Carusi, Buddy and Barbara Freitag/Sanford Robertson, Jim Herbert/Under the Wire, Emanuel Azenberg, The Shubert Organization
Once
Producers: Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart, Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo, Brian Carmody, Michael G. Wilson, Orin Wolf, The Shubert Organization, Robert Cole, New York Theatre Workshop
Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Producers: Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Jon B. Platt, Columbia Pictures, Jean Doumanian, Merritt Forrest Baer, Roger Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ruth Hendel, Carl Moellenberg, Scott & Brian Zeilinger, Eli Bush
Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, INFINITY Stages, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Barbara Manocherian/ Michael Palitz, Kathleen K. Johnson, Andy Sandberg, Ken Mahoney/The Broadway Consortium, Fifty Church Street Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Bennu Productions, Patty Baker, Paul Boskind and Martian Entertainment, Wendy Federman, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Cricket Hooper Jiranek, Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley, Carl Moellenberg, Harold Thau, Will Trice
Master Class
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Max Cooper, Maberry Theatricals, Marks-Moore-Turnbull Group, Ted Snowdon
Wit
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove
Best Revival of a Musical
Evita
Producers: Hal Luftig, Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Yasuhiro Kawana, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Gutterman Fuld Chernoff/Pittsburgh CLO, Thousand Stars Productions, Adam Blanshay, Adam Zotovich, Robert Ahrens, Stephanie P. McClelland, Carole L. Haber, Richardo Hornos, Carol Fineman, Brian Smith, Warren & Jâlé Trepp
Follies
Producers: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, David M. Rubenstein, Michael A. Kaiser, Max A. Woodward, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Adrienne Arsht, HRH Foundation, Allan Williams
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Rebecca Gold, Howard Kagan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Brunish Trinchero/Lucio Simons TBC, Joseph & Matthew Deitch, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Terry Schnuck, Freitag Productions/Koenigsberg Filerman, The Leonore S. Gershwin 1987 Trust, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Ken Mahoney, Judith Resnick, Tulchin/Bartner/ATG, Paper Boy Productions, Christopher Hart, Alden Badway, Broadway Across America, Irene Gandy, Will Trice, American Repertory Theater
Jesus Christ Superstar
Producers: The Dodgers and The Really Useful Group, Latitude Link, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Waxman-Dokton, Joe Corcoran, Detsky/Sokolowski/Kassie, Florin-Blanshay-Fan/Broadway Across America, Rich/Caudwell, Shin/Coleman, TheatreDreams North America, LLC, Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Best Book of a Musical
Lysistrata Jones
Douglas Carter Beane
Newsies
Harvey Fierstein
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Joe DiPietro
Once
Enda Walsh

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bonnie & Clyde
Music: Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics: Don Black
Newsies
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Jack Feldman
One Man, Two Guvnors
Music & Lyrics: Grant Olding
Peter and the Starcatcher
Music: Wayne Barker
Lyrics: Rick Elice

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Frank Langella, Man and Boy
John Lithgow, The Columnist

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Cynthia Nixon, Wit

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Follies
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines, Follies

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Audra McDonald, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes, Bonnie & Clyde

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Michael Cumpsty, End of the Rainbow
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Andrew Garfield, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Linda Emond, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Spencer Kayden, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Condola Rashad, Stick Fly

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris, Evita
David Alan Grier, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Elizabeth A. Davis, Once
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost the Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, Other Desert Cities
Daniel Ostling, Clybourne Park
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Donyale Werle, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley, Once
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Ghost the Musical
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, Newsies
George Tsypin, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark

Best Costume Design of a Play
William Ivey Long, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Paloma Young, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Follies
ESosa, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jeff Croiter, Peter and the Starcatcher
Peter Kaczorowski, The Road to Mecca
Brian MacDevitt, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Kenneth Posner, Other Desert Cities

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Christopher Akerlind, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Natasha Katz, Follies
Natasha Katz, Once
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost the Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, One Man, Two Guvnors
Scott Lehrer, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Gareth Owen, End of the Rainbow
Darron L. West, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Clive Goodwin, Once
Kai Harada, Follies
Brian Ronan, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Pam MacKinnon, Clybourne Park
Mike Nichols, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Direction of a Musical
Jeff Calhoun, Newsies
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Diane Paulus, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
John Tiffany, Once

Best Orchestrations
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Bill Elliott, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Martin Lowe, Once
Danny Troob, Newsies
* * *
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Emanuel Azenberg
Regional Theatre Award
The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.
Isabelle Stevenson Award
Bernadette Peters
Special Tony Award
Actors’ Equity Association
Hugh Jackman
Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
Freddie Gershon
Artie Siccardi
TDF Open Doors
* * *

Tony Nominations by Production
Once – 11
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess – 10
Nice Work If You Can Get It – 10
Peter and the Starcatcher – 9
Follies – 8
Newsies – 8
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman – 7
One Man, Two Guvnors – 7
Other Desert Cities – 5
Clybourne Park – 4
End of the Rainbow – 3
Evita – 3
Ghost the Musical – 3
Bonnie & Clyde – 2
Don’t Dress for Dinner – 2
Gore Vidal’s The Best Man – 2
Jesus Christ Superstar – 2
Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – 2
Venus in Fur – 2
Wit – 2
The Columnist – 1
Leap of Faith – 1
The Lyons – 1
Lysistrata Jones – 1
Man and Boy – 1
Master Class – 1
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever – 1
The Road to Mecca – 1
Stick Fly – 1
A Streetcar Named Desire – 1


www.TonyAwards.com
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Broadway – or “The Shows What I Saw This Week”

While in NYC this past week, I was able to see several shows on Broadway. I love being in a Broadway theater and seeing folks do what they do best.

GHOST the Musical, based on the Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore/Whoopi Goldberg movie, was visually fantastic. Like nothing I’ve ever seen. If you know the movie (and who doesn’t?) you know it begins with someone dying and becoming a ghost. It’s hard to imagine the show without the technology which really made telling the story possible. This production takes technical theater to a new height. Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph, who plays the Whoopi Goldberg role, is a serious scene-stealer. Hysterical, funny and has a big voice.

Tracie Bennett could very well win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Judy Garland in her final days. Completely lived up to her reviews and hype. Michael Cumpsty brings his usual brilliance to the play as Judy’s accompanist. Plus the wonderful Jay Russell, who I went to college with at Syracuse University, is wonderful in the production. Congrats Jay on a fab evening in the theater.

Word is Linda Lavin also is a heavy contender in the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. She was very funny especially in the first act of this play. If you think family members loudly telling each other to “f*ck off” over and over is funny, you’ll love this. The second act lost me a bit, but I did enjoy the play overall.

Also saw the new revival of EVITA. Rob Ashford’s choreography was the highlight of the evening. Beautiful work by Rob.

One show I did not get to see this trip and will definitely see next is the revival of “Porgy and Bess” starring Norm Lewis & Audra McDonald. I did get to catch up with Norm for a bit after one of his performances, and I’m happy to report the show is doing well not only with the audiences but at the box office as well. Both Audra and Norm have been nominated for many awards for their performances. Can’t wait to see it.

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Drama Desk Awards reinstates Orchestration category

Last week the Drama Desk announced its nominees for the 2011-2012 season celebrating the best of On, Off and Off-Off Broadway. Absent from this year’s list was a category honoring the “Outstanding Orchestrations.”

After hearing the outpouring of concern and support for the category (including an online petition, created by Jamie McGonnigal, with 3,000+ signatures from industry notables and fans), the Drama Desk Executive Board has announced that they will reinstate the category for this year’s awards show on June 3 at The Town Hall.

The Nominating Committee reassembled over the weekend to select this year’s most Outstanding Orchestrations. 
This year’s nominees for Outstanding Orchestrations include: 
1. Bill Elliott, Nice Work If You Can Get It 
2. Larry Hochman, Death Takes a Holiday 
3. Martin Lowe, Once 
4. John McDaniel, Bonnie & Clyde 
5. Michael Starobin, Queen of the Mist 
6. Danny Troob, Newsies 
“The Drama Desk prides itself on celebrating New York’s rich theatrical community. Our Executive Board appreciates the forthright and passionate response to our nominations announcement and have taken your comments to heart. The Executive Board is very happy to reinstate the Outstanding Orchestrations category and honor the dedication and hard work of this season’s talented orchestrators.” said Isa Goldberg, Drama Desk President.
The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012, at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.
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Nick Jonas to release EP of “How To Succeed…”

Producers of the Broadway production of “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” said Tuesday a five-song EP will be released May 8 featuring the voice of the youngest of the three Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas.

Jonas is currently playing J. Pierrepont Finch, having taken over the part from Darren Criss of Fox’s hit show “Glee,” who briefly assumed the role from Daniel Radcliffe.

Jonas, who is committed to playing the song-and-dance part until at least July 1, has recorded “Brotherhood of Man” and “I Believe In You” among the five songs.

Daniel Radcliffe also recorded his own cast album.

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Hit musical “Wicked” makes millions for it’s creators

From Playbill: The international hit musical Wicked, which is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and features a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, has made its creators multimillionaires.

Producers and investors in the musical, which celebrated its eighth anniversary at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre Oct. 30, 2011, have enjoyed more than $300 million in profits from productions of Wicked worldwide, according to Bloomberg.com.

Authors Maguire, Schwartz and Holzman have earned more than $95 million, while director Joe Mantello’s take has exceeded $23 million. Others who have profited include set designer Eugene Lee (more than $6.6 million), choreographer Wayne Cilento (more than $6.3 million) and costume designer Susan Hilferty (more than $2.2 million).

Information was obtained from papers released by the New York State attorney general’s office. A production spokesperson could not confirm the figures.