by Mike Haber | Aug 4, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
The wait is over!!! For the first time in 17 MONTHS, Broadway’s long-running intermission is over!!! Tonight is a history making evening as
Lincoln Center Theater /
LCT3‘s critically acclaimed production of Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s play
Pass Over begins preview performances at the August Wilson Theatre. It also becomes the first straight play (and new work) to open on the Great Bright Way since the shutdown.
Under the direction of Obie Award winner Danya Taymor, the 3-person cast is led by…..
Jeff Award nominee Namir Smallwood (Off Broadway’s Pipeline and BLKS) in his ON Broadway debut as “Kitch”,
We are so happy to be celebrating the Great Bright Way’s triumphant comeback this year after over 17 months of hell. We are strong. We are inspiring. We are starting to see the light once again.
For a reminder since COVID-19 / Delta Variant cases are still happening, there production will be following extreme safety guidelines for everyone’s safe and health. It consists of….
showing proof that you’ve taken the COVID-19 vaccination with an FDA or WHO-authorized vaccine,
Guests under the age of 16 that have NOT been vaccinated or those who are unable due to a disability or religious belief will be required to take a NEGATIVE result from either a COVID-19 PCR test (at least 72 hours prior to showtime) or a COVID-19 antigen test taken (within 6 hours prior to the performance),
Face Masks must been worn when moving around the Theater, being in the lobby, or using the restrooms. However, you will have the optional opportunity to take it off is at your seat.
Currently, there have been reports of COVID-19 positive rates going up once again. This is all for everyone’s continue safety and health.
PLEASE NOTE: These policies will be in place till the possibility of it changing either in September or sooner.
In addition for anyone attending tonight’s first preview performance, the company of PASS OVER will be celebrating the return of Broadway with a post-show BLOCK PARTY outside the August Wilson Theatre. This evening, West 52nd Street between 8th Avenue and Broadway will be shutdown from 8pm-11am. The party is FREE!!! As soon as the 90 minute play performance, Theatergoers and fans will get to party it up with the company. There will be Live Music by S.N.O.B. (DJ Duggz, DJ
Ari Grooves, and Emily McGill). In addition, it will also have special to-go menus for purchase from the block’s vendors including Haswell Green’s, Victor’s Cafe, and the M Social Hotel.
PASS OVER will run for a 9 WEEK LIMITED ENGAGEMENT on Broadway. Its official Opening Night is set for September 20th, 2021 and will run through October 10th, 2021.
WELCOME BACK BROADWAY!!!
HAPPY 1ST PERFORMANCE PASS OVER!!
Break legs to the cast, crew, and creative team!!
Have a happy, healthy, and safe run!!
by Mike Haber | Aug 3, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, NYBT NEWS, Shows
DELICIOUS NEWS: Time to cut up a piece of THE FAMILY IS REUNITING PIE!!! Casting has been announced for the upcoming limited Broadway revival of the Tony and Grammy nominated smash hit
Waitress this Fall. You can expect some familiar notable faces back at the Diner.
Under the direction of
Diane Paulus and joining the show’s creator
Sara Bareilles taking over the role of pregnant pie maker “Jenna Hunterson” will include original cast members….
Drew Gehling as the hottest doctor in town himself “Dr. Pomatter”,
Tony nominee Christopher Fitzgerald (who will take a temporary leave of absence from the upcoming gender-swap revival of
Company) as the bright-eyed dramatic, odd, passionate, romantic, and magical “Ogie”,
Eric Anderson as The Diner’s head manager “Cal”,
Dakin Matthews as the loving and caring diner owner “Old Joe”.
The cast will also feature some familiar WAITRESS alumni including…
Charity Angél Dawson (taking a leave of absence from Mrs.
Doubtfire: The Musical) as everyone’s favorite sassy waitress herself “Becky”,
Caitlin Houlahan (who will take a leave of absence from appearing in
Girl From The North Country) as the lovable, awkward, and quirky waitress “Dawn”,
Bareilles’ real life boyfriend Joe Tippett as the drunk, alcoholic, and abusive “Earl”.
Additional casting for the return of Waitress will be announced later.
With Fitzgerald, Dawson, Houlahan, and some of the Ensemble also currently on board with other new Broadway shows, no details have been said on whether their timings with WAITRESS will be limited.
Meanwhile for Bareilles, she is expecting to star as “Jenna” through October 17th, 2021. Casting for who will take over the role will be announced soon.
WAITRESS returns to Broadway for a DELICIOUS limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It will run September 2nd, 2021 through January 9th, 2022.
Christopher Fitzgerald, Charity Angel Dawson, Drew Gehling & More to Return to Waitress | Broadway Buzz | Broadway.com
by Mike Haber | Aug 3, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
Earlier this past Sunday, The National Tour of
WICKED did have its first audience back in 17 months. However this was a special INVITED DRESS performance. We COULDN’T BE HAPPIER to share with you video taken by a fan of the cast at the curtain call. From the stage at The Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, TX, here is the cast taking in every morning on their first bows with a REAL audience.
The current Touring cast of WICKED is led by….
Tony winner Clevant Derricks as “The Wizard”,
Sharon Sachs as “Madame Morrible”,
Amanda Fallon Smith as “Nessarose”,
DJ Plunkett as “Boq”,
and
For those who may not know what an INVITED DRESS is, it’s basically a special private dress rehearsal performance for family, friends, and industry just within 1-2 days before performances begin to the public.
WICKED’s Munchkinland Tour officially reopens in Dallas tonight where it will run through September 5th, 2021. From there, it’s expecting to hit various cities all across North America.
The Broadway and London companies are set to reopen next month!!
Prepare yourselves!!! Get tissues ready before watching!!!
How THRILLIFYING was this?!!!!
by Mike Haber | Aug 3, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
REJOCIFY!! After 17 months of being shutdown, the Award winning smash hit
WICKED relaunches its ongoing National Tour starting TONIGHT in Dallas, Texas!!! It will play at the Music Hall at Fair Park there through September 5th, 2021 before once again DEFYING GRAVITY all over North America. It’s expecting to hit the following cities…..
Charlotte, NC,
Greensboro, NC,
Appleton, WI,
Cincinnati, OH
Kansas City, MI,
Costa Mesa, CA
Omaha, NE,
Boston, MA,
Orlando, FL,
Miami, FL,
and
Houston, TX.
More new cities will be announced at a later time.
WICKED makes history as the first Broadway National Tour to reopen since Live Theater has been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also the 2nd company of the show to be performed since the shutdown…. The first was its ongoing company in Korea.
Along with the tour, the Broadway production is set to reopen at the Gershwin Theatre on September 14th, 2021. Meanwhile, the London company is set to reopen the next day on September 15th, 2021 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.
WE COULDN’T BE HAPPIER to have one of the most POPULAR, groundbreaking, beloved, and bewitching shows back….. FOR GOOD!!!!
Break a leg to the entire cast, crew, musicians, and creative team.
Have a happy, healthy, and safe re-opening night!!!!!
WELCOME BACK WICKED MUNCHKINLAND TOUR!!!
Talia Suskauer, Allison Bailey, and Cleavant Derricks Star in Return of Wicked Tour | Playbill
by Mike Haber | Aug 2, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, Gleeks Fan Tour (Times Square), News, Shows
BREAKING NEWS: This year’s headlining lineup has been revealed for the return of
Darren Criss‘ annual
Elsie Fest concert this month!! What an exciting lineup of Broadway’s best reunited, taking center stage, and celebrating the return of Live Performance in the Big Apple!!! This year’s headlining performers will include….
2 time Tony and Olivier Award nominee Adrienne Warren (Broadway’s
BRING IT ON,
Shuffle Along, and set to return this Fall in her critically acclaimed performance in
Tina: The
Tina Turner Musical),
upcoming new Musical Theater songwriting duo Barlow & Bear.
The lineup will also feature special guests….
ELSIE FEST 2021 is set for August 29th, 2021 at the Prospect Park Bandshell (now set to be renamed the Lena Horne Bandshell) in Brooklyn. It will also be part of the
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival.
by Mike Haber | Aug 2, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
SPECTACULAR, SPECTACULAR NEWS: Acclaimed stage and screen star
Natalie Mendoza (Broadway’s first OG “Arachne in
Spider-Man along with the West End revival of
Miss Saigon and TV’s Hotel Babylon) has been tapped as the newest SPARKLING DIAMOND in the 14 time Tony nominated smash hit
Moulin Rouge when the show reopens on the Great Bright Way this Fall. She takes over the role of “Satine” replacing the show’s original leading lady Tony winner
Karen Olivo.
Olivo (who was nominated for her performance in this) played her final performance in MOULIN ROUGE back in March 2020 at the time when Broadway was shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this past Spring, Olivo announced her departure from the show in protest of the Broadway community’s silence on the allegations against producer Scott Rudin. On Instagram, she explained that “Social justice is more important than being the sparkling diamond.”
For Natalie Mendoza, she is no stranger to the world of the hottest CAN CAN nightclub in Paris. Her journey with
Moulin Rouge goes back to its early beginnings as the Oscar winning
Baz Luhrmann film we know in love. In the original 2001 film, Mendoza played one of the main can-can dancers known as “The China Doll”. She also reunites with director Alex Timbers after previously working together on the West End production of
Here Lies Love. Full circle moment.
She joins many of the show’s still on-going original Broadway cast members expecting to return including….
it’s singular Tony nominated leading actor and Broadway heartthrob Aaron Tviet the young aspiring we “Christian”,
Tony nominee
Danny Burstein as the owner & ringmaster of the Moulin Rouge himself “Harold Zilder”,
Tony & Olivier Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah as head performer “Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec”,
Broadway and West End favorite
Tam Mutu as the rich, vain, and abusive psychopathic “Duke of Monroth”
Ricky Rojas as the sexiest tango dancer all of Paris himself, “Santiago” aka “The Narcoleptic Argentinean”,
Tony Award nominee Robyn Hurder as the jealous “Nini Legs-in-the-Air”,
a fully newly announced Ensemble.
In addition,
Ashley Loren will continue to serve as the alternate for the role of “Satine” performing 1-2 times a week. Yup, Mendoza is expecting to do 6-7 shows a week.
Mendoza’s first night with MOULIN ROUGE will be the very same day as the show is expecting to CAN-CAN its way back to Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre starting September 24th, 2021.
Along with the Broadway production, MOULIN ROUGE is also set to launch long awaited new companies around the world including….
London’s West End at the Piccadilly Theatre,
a North American National Tour,
an Australian company (where it all began) playing Melbourne’s Regent Theatre.
COME WHAT MAY & WELCOME BACK TO THE MOULIN ROUGE!!!
CONGRADULATIONS NATALIE! WELCOME BACK TO BROADWAY!!
