by Mike Haber | Nov 1, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
HERE YE, HERE YE THESPIANS AND THEATER LOVERS!! New York’s MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET is just 24 DAYS AWAY. We are talking about The 95th Annual
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Can you believe its already November?! After a rough year and half of being in the dark due to COVID-19 pandemic, Live Theater is making its comeback. For New York’s MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, it has continued to give us so much light & joy to the Broadway scene. To reminisce on the unforgettable history this National treasure has had and celebrating Broadway’s return, we at New York Broadway Tours have more iconic performances coming your way with out TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. Are you ready to ROCK OUT with another toe-tapper?
At #24 on our countdown, we take you to a magical musical kingdom called Arcadia. There, we meet the Royal Family as they embark on the ultimate journey to save the kingdom from extinction—only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts. This is
Head Over Heels. Based off Sir Philip Sidney’s 16th Century prose romance THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE’S ARCADIA, the show is adapted by James Magruder, it features a book by Jeff Whitty, and the greatest hits of the legendary 80’s rock band The Go-Go’s.
From the 2018
CBS Telecast direct from the stage of it’s then-home at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre, here is the show’s full original Broadway cast adding a little rock n’ roll to their musical kingdom with a performance of the show’s opening anthem and the legendary GO-GO hit WE GOT THE BEAT.
Following various changes, the musical had its Pre-Broadway tryout at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, California in the Spring of 2018 It officially made its Broadway debut at the Hudson Theatre in the fall of that same year. The show rocked out for 36 previews and 164 regular performances. Under the direction of Tony winner Michael Mayer and choreography by Emmy nominee Spencer Liff, the cast was led by…
Bonnie Milligan in a powerhouse masterclass showstopping performance as the beautiful older “Princess Pamela”.
Jeremy Kushnier as his royal majesty “King Basilius”,
Rachel York as her royal highness “Queen Gynecia”,
Andrew Durand as the dashing, brave, and determined shepherd boy and love interest “Musidorus”,
Taylor Iman Jones as the royal handmaid and secret love interest to one of the Princesses herself “Mopsa”,
Peppermint in a history making performance (as the first ever transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway) playing the role of the mysterious non-binary oracle “Pythio”.
Today, HEAD OVER HEELS is being performed in schools, community, and Regional Theaters everywhere.
How awesome was that performance?!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 31, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
Today was a very bittersweet and emotional Halloween for the Broadway company of the smash hit blockbuster
WICKED. After 13 years and over 5,200+ performances, the cast bid farewell to one of it’s beloved long running cast members Lindsay Northern-Bradshaw as took her final bow this afternoon in THE MERRY OLD LAND OF OZ.
Lindsay Northern-Bradshaw made her Broadway debut with
Stephen Schwartz‘s Award winning blockbuster hit in 2008 where she stayed with the production ever since then. On stage, she appeared on stage every night as part of the Ensemble. She also understudied the role of “Glinda” going on various times throughout her run.
In celebration of this
Wicked leaving, a video slideshow was made of Lindsay’s THRILLIFYING 13 YEAR run at the Gershwin Theatre. It was posted through Northern-Bradshaw’s family YouTube channel FRAMILY TRAVEL which she and her hubby Broadway favorite Jared Bradshaw created during the pandemic.
Happy Trails Lindsay!!
Wishing you many exciting more years of happiness & adventures.
BECAUSE HAPPY IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!!
Can’t wait what comes up next for you.
Who is sad?
Who has seen Lindsay in WICKED?!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 31, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, off broadway, Shows
HAPPY HALLOWEEN BROADWAY FANS! We are only 25 DAYS till we start ringing in the holiday season with The 95th Annual
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. New York’s MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET has continued to be an ongoing support of our Broadway Theater scene. Throughout the years, there have been so many unforgettable critically acclaimed productions that wowed audiences on Thanksgiving morning which got more people to come see Live Theater (especially now that Broadway is back), We have more of this beloved shows coming your way on our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. Are you ready for another showstopper?
At #25 on our countdown is a musical that truly is getting us in the mood of Halloween today. You can consider this show as a horror comedy. We are about to take you to a downtown florist shop. We meet a nerdy hapless worker there that who raises a plant which turns out to be a MAD KILLING PLANT that eats human blood and flesh. Welcome to the…..
Little Shop of Horrors. Based on a 1960 black comedy film, the musical features a beloved score by
Alan Menken and lyrics from a book by the late
Howard Ashman.
From the 2003
NBC telecast, Tony nominees Hunter Foster as “Seymour”, Kerry Butler as “Audrey”, that monstrous eating plant himself “ Audrey II”, and The Urchins themselves of that year’s ON Broadway debut production performing a medley of the show’s title song and the beautiful SUDDENLY SEYMOUR.
The show originally began its life OFF-OFF BROADWAY performing at the Workshop of the Players Art Theatre in the Spring of 1982. It was a smash hit that was moved to OFF BROADWAY playing the Orpheum Theatre a few months later where it ran for 5 years and 2,209 performances. A plan for the show for an ON BROADWAY transfer was initially made for the original 1982 production but Ashman decided to keep it where it belongs. Under the direction of Howard Ashman himself, the cast consisted of…
Ellen Greene in her signature role as “Audrey”,
Franc Luz as “Orin Scrivello, DDS” and others.
and
Ron Taylor as the voice of the man-eating plant himself “Audrey II”
The original production received numerous New York Theater Awards including the Drama Desk for OUTSTANDING NEW MUSICAL and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for BEST MUSICAL.
Following the success of the show’s New York Premiere, it made its way to London’s West End and Australia becoming a hit there.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS did not officially make its ON Broadway Debut until 2003. Following an out-of-town tryout in Florida that spring, the production made its way into the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson Theatre) where it ran for a complete total of 412 performances. Under the direction of
Jerry Zaks and a newly worked puppet from
The Jim Henson Company, this cast consisted of….
Tony nominee
Kerry Butler (later Jessica Snow Wilson) as “Audrey”,
Tony nominee Douglas Sills (later Robert Evan) as “Orin Scrivello, DDS”,
Michael Leon Wooley as the voice of “Audrey II”.
The production was nominated for only 1
Tony Award category in 2004 for BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for Hunter Foster) but lost the category.
In addition, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS was most recently performed as a week long concert production for
New York City Center Encores in 2015 as part of their Off-Series season. Under the direction of Dick Scanlan, this cast featured….
Ellen Greene reprising her iconic role as “Audrey”,
Eddie Cooper as “Audrey II”.
The current revival of
Little Shop of Horrors is back in the Big Apple with a critically acclaimed production OFF BROADWAY playing the Westside Theatre on 43rd Street. With a triumphant debut in the Fall of 2019, the show would be put on halt in March 2020 (like most NY Theater shows) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was halted for 18 months before reopening last month in September 2021 where it continues to play to packed houses every night. Under the direction of Michael Mayer, this cast is led by…..
Emmy winner and Tony nominee Tammy Blanchard as “Audrey”,
Kingsley Leggs (later and currently Aaron Arnell Harrington) as “Audrey II”.
This current revival was nominated for various Awards including the
Drama Desk (winning 2 for OUTSTANDING MUSICAL REVIVAL and OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for Christian Borle), a Lucille Lortel Awards (winning 1 for OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for Christian Borle), the Drama League Award (winning the top honor for OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL – ON OR OFF BROADWAY), and being an honoree for all 5 of its categories at the
Outer Critics Circle Award (including OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL). The cast album would also be nominated for a Grammy Award for BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ALBUM earlier this year.
Along with its success on stage, the show was an iconic cult-film classic in 1986 from
Warner Bros. Pictures. Under the direction of Frank Oz, the cast consisted of…
Ellen Greene reprising her stage role as “Audrey”,
Levi Stubbs as the voice of “Audrey II”.
The film was nominated for 2 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Original Song (for one of the new songs Menken and Ashman wrote specifically for the film entitled MEAN GREEN MOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE). It lost both the categories.
FUN FACT: The new film song MEAN GREEN made history as the first Oscar-nominated song to contain profanity in the lyrics and thus had to be slightly censored for the telecast.
Doesn’t this musical make you feel SCARED SILLY?!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 30, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
The curtain just went down on the 18th Anniversary performance of
WICKED on Broadway. We have footage below from the WICKED DAY curtain call below from the stage of the Gershwin Theatre.
Following the cast taking their bows, it features the show’s current witched
Jennifer DiNoia and
Ginna Claire Mason giving a post-show curtain call speech saying Thank You and spreading the love via social media.
After 18 months dark, WICKED is back home FOR GOOD!!!
How THRILLIFYING was that?!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 30, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
ABC IS EASY AS 123!!! The legend of THE KING OF POP is heading his way to the Great Bright Way this holiday season. We are talking about the long awaited debut of
MJ: the musical. An additional final casting lineup has been revealed for 3 talented kids who will MOONDANCE their way onto the stage of the Neil Simon Theatre. They are…
newcomers Water Russell and Christian Wilson who will BOTH make their Broadway debuts playing the younger version of “
Michael Jackson“
Russell, Wilson, and Campell join the already previously announced adult Ensemble consisting of….
Newcomer
Myles Frost who will play the Adult version of “Michael Jackson”,
Quentin Earl Darrington (returning to the Neil Simon Theatre after having performed there with the Broadway’s recent revivals of
RAGTIME, and
Cats. Plus, last seen in the revival of
Once On This Island) as the no-nonsense father “Joseph Jackson”, Rob, and others,
Gabriel Ruiz (Off Broadway’s Blood and Gifts) in his Broadway debut as “Alejandro”,
Joey Sorge (Broadway’s The Drowsy Chaperone, the 2011 revival of How to Succeed, Nick Work If You Can Get It, and
A Bronx Tale plus last seen Off Broadway in Carmelina) as “Dave”,
Ayana George in her Broadway debut as mother “Katherine Jackson”,
Apollo Levine in his Broadway debut as celebrated musician “Quincy Jones”, Tito Jackson, and more,
Lamont Walker II in his Broadway debut as “Jermaine Jackson”,
Zelig Williams (Broadway’s
Hamilton) as the Adult version of “Marlon Jackson”.
MJ promises to be an evening of THRILLER NIGHTS, SMOOTH CRIMINALS, MOONWALKING, and so much more. The show will be coming to Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre. Previews begins December 6th, 2021 and will open on February 1st, 2022.
Congrats to this incredible cast lineup!!!!
