by Mike Haber | Oct 14, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Be A Smash Walking Tour, Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
BREAKING NEWS: The
Foundation for New American Musicals is set to present its first ever benefit gala honoring 2 of the most acclaimed Award winning faces of our Broadway Theater scene next week. It has just been revealed that this year’s recipients will consist of it’s co-founders….
The Gala will be held on October 24th, 2021 at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre (current home of
Aladdin).
The Gala will also include live performances from some familiar faces who have worked with both Shaiman and Klein including….
Emmy Award winner Bruce Vilanch (Original National Tour and Broadway replacement “Edna Turnblad” in Hairspray and TV’s Hollywood Squares plus writer for the Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys),
Broadway and West End favorite
Marisha Wallace (recently seen as “Motormouth Mabel” in the recent limited engagement West End revival of Hairspray),
Congrats Marc and Robert!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 12, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
BRAODWAY THROWBACK: The Award winning legendary real-life
Greatest Showman himself
Hugh Jackman is set to make his way back to the Great Bright Way as “Professor Harold Hill” in the highly anticipated revival of Meredith Wilson’s
The Music Man this holiday season. For the stage and screen showstopper, this musical is truly a full circle swing.
THE MUSIC MAN originally auditioned for a production at the age of 14 in Australia. He mentioned in interviews where he prepared the full length song of the show’s opening number ROCK ISLAND (best known as one of the first major OG rap songs in Musical Theater history). However, he was rejected from it. Years later, the score always stayed with him. He even got to visit that iconic opening number from MUSIC MAN when he hosted The 2014
Tony Awards (his 4th time hosting Broadway’s biggest night).
We have footage of that moment right below. Here is Hugh Jackman rapping ROCK ISLAND alongside pro-rappers
LL Cool J and T.I.
Now, Jackman will finally get to march his heart out into this iconic show playing the lead. Of course, Jackman will be sharing the stage alongside Tony winner
Sutton Foster as “Marian Paroo” and a full all-star cast.
After 2 delays, Tony winners Jerry Zaks and Warren Carlyle’s new revival of THE MUSIC MAN will finally march its way into Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre. Previews will begin December 20th, 2021 and the official Opening Night is scheduled for February 10th, 2022.
How amazing is this?
Who is excited for Hugh?!!!
P.S. Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUGH JACKMAN!!!! Can’t wait to see you back on Broadway!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 10, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Shows
When shows are being developed for Broadway, the composers can write about within 40-50 original songs….. however, not all makes the final cut. Despite being removed from the final product, some cut songs do have a life even if it was NOT performed 8 times a week.
One of our personal favorite “cut” showtunes was from the Tony winning smash hit
Hairspray. During its out of town tryout in Seattle, WA at
The 5th Avenue Theatre, composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman had a 30 second jingle called BLOOD ON THE PAVEMENT. The song was originally performed right after THE NICEST KIDS IN TOWN…. being a live musical commercial for “The Corny Collins Show” to encourage kids in Baltimore 1962 to NOT Drink and Drive. It is sung by “Link Larken”, Amber Von Tussel”, her mother “Velma Von Tussel”, and the “Corny Collins” council members. When the show made its way to Broadway, the song was removed from the show in its entirety.
However, the song would still be recorded for the show’s Grammy winning original Broadway cast album. You can hear it as a HIDDEN TRACK right after YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT.
We are so happy to have that song with you right below. Here it BLOOD ON THE PAVEMENT performed by….
Broadway veteran Linda Hart as “Velma Von Tussel”,
and
The Ensemble.
Remember, NO DRINKING AND DRIVING people.
Who remembers this song?
Isn’t this a cute jingle?
by Mike Haber | Oct 8, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
Wake up and SURRENDER as the Broadway company of
Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s legendary longest running smash hit
The Phantom of the Opera have reunited to prepare for their triumphant return later this month. To get PHANS back into the mood and spirit of Broadway’s triumphant comeback, the cast woke up early this morning taking center stage on the Red stairs of the
TKTS booth in Duffy Square (part of Times Square) on
Good Morning America.
Here is
Ben Crawford as the titular role of the masked man himself,
Meghan Picerno as “Christine Daae”, and the cast performing a medley of 2 of the show’s beloved tunes…. the title song itself THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and MASQUERADE.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is set to re-haunt Broadway’s Majestic Theatre once again starting October 22nd, 2021.
Who is excited?
How beautifully haunting was that?!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 7, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Gilbert and Sullivan to Hamilton Tour (Downtown), In The Heights Walking Tour, Shows
MIC CHECK, ONE TWO!!! After a successful limited engagement on the Great Bright Way 2 years ago,
Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s acclaimed special Tony winning hip-hop improv group
Freestyle Love Supreme…. preme, preme, preme, preme…… kicks off its encore Broadway engagement TONIGHT at the Booth Theatre.
Get ready for a fun evening of an unplanned script as Miranda and his friends come up with the most creative raps, song, and beats based on words suggested from the audience. You also never know who might show up.
FREESTYLE LOVE SURPEME’s encore engagement will run for 4 months through January 2nd, 2022. This is a promising feel good, high energetic, and happy night as Broadway is back people!!!
Break a mic to the full troupe, the creative team, crew, and more.
WELCOME BACK TO BROADWAY FREESTYLE LOVE SURPEME!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 4, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
ON THE MARQUEE: All week long has been a very exciting time for the company of the smash hit stage musical adaptation of the Oscar winning
Moulin Rouge as they took home 10 SPECTACULAR, SPECTACULAR
Tony Awards.
Last week, there were a couple of updates added outside the show’s home at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre. It includes the full list of all the Awards it won plus special Tony winning stickers in front of its now 2 Tony winning actors.
In case anyone may not know or remember,
Moulin Rouge took home 10 Tony Awards a week ago consisting of….
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for it’s only single nominee Broadway heartthrob Aaron Tviet),
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (being the overdue first for
Danny Burstein)
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL (for Alex Timbers),
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (for Derek McLane),
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (for Catherine Zuber),
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (for Justin Townsend),
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (for Peter Hylenski)
One of our amazing friends was so kind enough to share his photos of the updated Tony winning billboards outside the Theatre.
Congrats to the full company of MOULIN ROUGE!!!
