by Mike Haber | Oct 19, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, News
BREAKING NEWS: It has just been announced that celebrated acclaimed composer, lyricist, and playwright
Leslie Bricusse sadly passed away today at the age of 90. This 2 time Oscar winner and 5 time Tony nominee was best known for this unforgettable works in BOTH on Broadway and on the big screen.
His notable works included….
The 1967 film (which later became a musical)
Doctor Dolittle – which he collaborated with Lionel Newman and Alexander Courage (notable songs include IF I CAN TALK TO THE ANIMALS),
the 1961 musical STOP THE WORLD – I WANT TO GET OFF – the first of many collaborations with
Anthony Newly),
Jekyll & Hyde – collaborating with Wildhorn (notable songs include THIS IS THE MOMENT, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, and A NEW LIFE),
several
James Bond films including GOLDFINGER and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE,
his works with
Sammy Davis Jr. – including the Grammy winning standard WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I.
Our hearts are sadden by this loss. Thank you for your unforgettable talents. We will miss you. RIP
by Mike Haber | Oct 19, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
MIC CHECK!!! After a triumphant sold out engagement 2 years ago and a rough 19 months dark without Broadway,
Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s acclaimed hip-hop improv group
Freestyle Love Supreme has its 2nd official Opening Night of its current ENCORE run at the Booth Theatre.
With bringing some top notch entertainment back to the Great Bright Way, a brand new proshot b-roll trailer was released featuring highlighted promising moments from the show what you can expect.
PLEASE NOTE: Freestyle Love Supreme is a completely different show every single night. It’s a very intimate show where the raps and songs are created on the spot by WORD REQUESTS from the audience.
In the show, you can see a rotating lineup of artists bringing the creative beats live. The current lineup consists of….
Anthony Veneziale (a.k.a. “Two-Touch) – THE MC,
Andrew Bancroft (a.k.a. “Jelly Donut”),
Tarik Davis, (a.k.a. “Tardis Hardaway”),
Aneesa Folds (a.k.a. “Young Nees”),
Chris Sullivan (a.k.a. “Shockwave”) – THE SOUND EFFECT KING,
and
Arthur Lewis (a.k.a. “Arthur The Geniuses).
In addition, there will be a lineup of veteran members expecting to make surprise appearance at certain performances. You never know who may show up but the guest lineup appearing at selected shows will include…..
Lin-Manuel Miranda himself (a.k.a. “Lin-Man”),
Tony winner Daveed D. Diggs (a.k.a. Mr. Diggs”),
Tony nominee Christopher Jackson (a.k.a. C-Jack)
and
Bill Sherman (a.k.a. “King Sherman”).
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME will run now through January 2nd, 2022 at the Booth Theatre.
Break a leg to the full cast, crew, and creative team!!
Who is excited?!
How incredible is this?!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 19, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
FIRST LOOK: One of the most highly anticipated shows expecting to make its long awaited debut this Fall is the new
Tom Kitt, Michael Kore, and James Lapine musical musical
Flying Over Sunset. We are so happy to share with you the all new b-roll footage of the show in action. It was filmed on the stage of the Vivian Beaumont at
Lincoln Center Theater while still in its initial tech rehearsals prior before the plug on the production due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we may know, FLYING OVER SUNSET only performed 1 performance…. it’s private Invited Dress Rehearsal. The show was initially scheduled to begin previews on March 12th, 2020 which turned out to be the day Broadway shut down. After a rough intermission of 19 1/2 months, this show is coming back to finally have its public audiences.
FLYING OVER SUNSET is set to finally begin its preview performances for the public at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on November 11th, 2021. The official Opening Night will be December 13th, 2021. It will run for a strictly limited engagement.
Today is also a very exciting day as the company has reunited to begin rehearsals for this 2nd chance start. Plus, full casing has been revealed. Under the direction of James Lapine and choreography by Michelle Dorance, majority of the cast is still expecting to be the same as it was prior to the shutdown consisting of….
Tony nominee Carmen Cusack as “Clare Boothe Luce”,
Michele Ragusa in the dual roles of “Betsy Drake” and “Ann Clare Austin”,
Laura Shoop as “Maria Huxley”,
Robert Sella as “Gerald Heard”,
Atticus Ware as “Archie Leach”,
Emily Pynenburg in the dual roles of “Sophia” and “Sophia Loren”,
New to the cast will include….
Kanisha Marie Feliciano who replaces
Erika Henningsen in the dual roles of “Ann Clare Brokaw” & “Judith”,
Nehal joshi who replaces Jeremy Kushnier in the dual roles of “Dr. Harrington” and “Mr. Grant”,
In case anyone may not remember or know what FLYING OVER SUNSET is all about, this work of fiction show tells the tale of 3 notable historical figures…..
Aldous Huxley,
Clare Boothe Luce, and
Cary Grant. At a crossroads in their life, they meet realizing that they all experimented with the drug LSD (short for Lysergic acid diethylamide). In addition, they embark a journey and confront the mysteries of their lives and their world.
Welcome back FLYING OVER SUNSET!!
Can’t wait for this show to make its long awaited debut.
Have a wonderful first day of rehearsal back.
by Mike Haber | Oct 19, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Shows
Over the years, Broadway has continued to have an unforgettable legacy of flopped shows that still earned a huge cult following on the Great Bright Way. One of those shows was the musical adaptation of the classic 1990 film
Cry-Baby.
For those who may not know, CRY-BABY is set in 1954’s Baltimore. The story tells the classic tale of the rebellious leader of the drapes himself “Wade Walker” who goes by his nickname “Cry-Baby” because of his ability to shed a single tear that impresses the girls. One day, he ends up falling in love with squeaky clean square “Allison Vernon-Williams”. However their romance takes a huge effect on their town leading to extreme chaos. Based on the 1990 film directed by
John Waters (which starred Johnny Depp), the musical features an original score by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger and a book by the late Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Notable songs include WATCH YOUR A**, SQUEAKY CLEAN, NOBODY GETS ME, A WHOLE LOT WORSE, SCREW LOOSE, GIRL CAN I KISS YOU, YOU CAN’T BEAT THE SYSTEM, A LITTLE UPSET, ALL IN MY HEAD, and NOTHING BAD’S EVER GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
FUN FACT: It’s the 2nd musical of a John Waters film produced on Broadway after the success of the Tony winning smash hit
Hairspray.
The musical had its world premiere pre-Broadway tryout in California at the
La Jolla Playhouse in 2007. From there the following year of 2008, it made its way to our New York City backyard.
CRY-BABY played the Marquis Theatre running for 45 previews and 68 regular performances. Under the direction of Mark Brokaw with choreography by
Rob Ashford, the cast was led by….
James Snyder in his Broadway Debut as rebel “Wade “Cry-Baby Walker”,
Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley as Good Girl turned Bad “Allison Vernon-Williams”,
Alli Mauzey in her showstopping performance as the crazy obsessed stalker “Lenora”,
Tony Award winner
Harriet Harris as the overprotected “Mrs. Vernon-Williams”,
Carly Jibson as the pregnant drape “Pepper”,
Courtney Balan (later
Tory Ross) as the tough and deformed “Mona “Hatchet-Face” Malnorowski”,
Lacey Kohl as sexy laid back drape “Wanda Woodward”,
Richard Poe as “The Judge”.
CRY-BABY earned mixed to negative reviews. The story itself was criticized but the performers were praised. The show would still go on to be nominated for 4
Tony Awards in 2008 including BEST MUSICAL. However, it lost the categories. It also still would go on win its only
Drama Desk Award category for OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY (for Rob Ashford).
With its life after Broadway, CRY-BABY would NOT record its original cast album until 7 YEARS later. It was released in 2015 from
Broadway Records featuring majority of the Broadway cast. In celebration, they also reunited with an album release concert of the show at
Feinstein’s/54 Below.
CRY-BABY would also go on today to be performed in Schools, Community, and Regional Theaters everywhere.
Who remembers this show?!!
Anyone see CRY-BABY?!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 18, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
Today marks the 20th Anniversary of a groundbreaking feel-good musical as it made its triumphant Broadway debut. That show would go on to become a worldwide phenomenon…..
MAMMA MIA!
Following its triumphant success in London’s West End, the show would go on to have audiences in America disco in the aisles. The show would run here in the Big Apple for a total of 14 f
ABBAulous years. It ran at both the Winter Garden Theatre and later transferring to the Broadhurst Theatre for a total of 5,773 performances. At the time of the show’s September 2015 closing, it became the 9th Longest Running Show in Broadway History.
Today,
MAMMA MIA! continues to played to packed crowds in London’s West End and Internationally. There are currently also productions being performed in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere.
Check out footage below of the original Broadway cast in action. Under the direction of Phyllida Lloyd and choreography by Anthony Van Laast, the cast in this video featured …
Judy Kaye as “Rosie”,
Tina Maddigan as “Sophie Sheredian”,
David W. Keeley as “Sam Carmichael”,
Ken Marks as “Bill Austin”,
Dean Nolen as “Harry Bright”,
Joe Machota as “Sky”,
& more.
THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS OF THE MUSIC MAMMA MIA BROADWAY!!
We miss you. Hope you will once again DIG IN THE DANCING QUEEN here on Broadway soon.
Happy 20 Years MAMMA MIA!!!
Who has seen it on Broadway?!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 18, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
HELLO, THERE POPPETS! So unbelievable to see the magic of Broadway and Live Theater back. However, we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic following ongoing safety protocols. Currently, most Broadway shows including the upcoming return of Mrs.
Doubtfire sadly will NOT being doing the popular post-show stage door at this time. This is all for the healthy and safety of the entire cast, crew, musicians, creative team, and your fellow Theatergoers.
Please remember to respect the company and NO RANTS!!!! These are people just like you and me.
However if you still want have the chance to connect with the company, there are various ways to do that….
1. Follow your favorite cast members on their social media
2. Send them a fan letter (depending if the production is allowing fans to still send in fan letters and artwork)
3. Have a virtual hangout (with a meet and greet or even a coaching / master class if you’re a performer) online via
Broadway Booker and
Broadway Plus. Several of DOUBTFIRE’s cast members offering these including its star Tony nominee Rob McClure – depending on his/her schedule with doing the show.
Plans for Stage Door will be back but currently NOT at this time. Keep follow ongoing safety protocols.
Mrs. Doubtfire The Musical will resume Broadway previews on October 21st, 2021 and finally reach its official Opening Night on December 5th, 2021 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Who is excited for DOUBTFIRE’s return?
Thoughts on the NO Stage Door at this time?!!
