by Mike Haber | Jul 20, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, In The Heights Walking Tour, Shows, Washington Heights
NO ME DIGA: Tony Award winners
Lin-Manuel Miranda and
Karen Olivo have joined in on a latest trend to the film adaptation of their breakout smash hit musical
In The Heights. The real life BFF’s (who originated the roles of “Usnavi” and “Vanessa” in the original Broadway production) filmed themselves lip-syncing to the argument section from the song BLACKOUT with a twist….. They switched roles!!
Miranda sang the “Vanessa” part along with Olivo singing the “Usnavi” part.
All of this is part of a BLACKOUT trend on social media including
TikTok.
FUN FACT: The version they are lip-synching is from the film’s soundtrack featuring
Anthony Ramos and
Melissa Barrera. During the song in the film, “Usnavi” and “Vanessa” get into a heated argument after not dancing with each other at THE CLUB and loosing each other when the power goes out. The couple breaks up.
However in the stage production of IN THE HEIGHTS (which this scene ends the first act), this argument scene is actually sung by “Nina” and “Benny”. Following a disaster bombshell that goes off at the Rosario’s dinner, “Nina” tries to go follow “Benny” to THE CLUB to apologize for her father’s decision and behavior. However, “Benny” is already drunk brushes her off. Throughout dancing there, “Nina” and “Benny” cope with their own jealousy till the power goes out. They find each other, argue some more, and then kiss under the fireworks.
VIDEO: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo Join IN THE HEIGHTS ‘Blackout’ Trend! (broadwayworld.com)
by Mike Haber | Jul 20, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Gilbert and Sullivan to Hamilton Tour (Downtown), News, Shows
RAISE A GLASS!!! Full Principal casting has been announced for the return of the West End company of
Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s Award winning hottest ticket
Hamilton. Under the direction of
Thomas Kail and choreography by
Andy Blankenbuehler, the return of London’s ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS will consist of…..
Karl Queensborough in the title role of THE 10 DOLLAR FOUNDING FATHER himself “Alexander Hamilton”,
Simon-Anthony Rhoden (West End’s
Kinky Boots) will be the show’s narrator and villain himself “AARON BURR, SIR”,
Ava Brennan (West End’s
Tina) as “Angelica Schuyler”,
Emilie Louise Israel will be playing double duty in the roles of “Peggy Schuyler” (AND PEGGY) along with “Maria Reynolds”,
Emile Ruddock will take on the dual roles of “Hercules Mulligan” and “James Madison”,
Khalid Daley will play the dual roles of “John Laurens” and “Phillip Hamilton”,
Waylon Jacobs will take on the showstopping dual roles of “Marquis de Lafayette” and “Thomas Jefferson”,
Harry Hepple will take on royal duties as “King George III”,
Additional casting will also include Nuno Queimado (recently in Regent Park’s production of
Jesus Christ Superstar) serving as the alternate “Alexander Hamilton” at certain performances.
HAMILTON will once again bring on THE REVOLUTION at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre starting August 19th, 2021. It’s also slated to reopen its inaugural production in our New York City backyard at Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre starting September 14th, 2021. It’s also set to relaunch its ongoing North American Touring companies later this year. The show will also bring its Australian company to Melbourne beginning March 2022.
Full Casting Announced for the West End Return of HAMILTON (broadwayworld.com)
by Mike Haber | Jul 20, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
FIRST LOOK: THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT is back!!! One of Musical Theater’s greatest treasures is set to once again haunt Live Theater……
Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s legendary smash hit
The Phantom of the Opera. We are so happy to share with you a brand new trailer for the show’s return to its inaugural home in London’s West End. This is the chance for PHANS to get that early sneak peak of it’s new leads….
West End favorite Lucy St. Louis who makes PHANTOM history as the first black actress to play the iconic role of “Christine Daae”.
With PHANTOM’s return to London, it will be a full brand new physical production while still playing tribute to its late original head creators.
The show will be directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn staying true to the original vision of the late & great Hal Prince,
choreography will be done by Chrissie Cartwright recreated and updated still playing tribute to the movement of the late and legendary
Gillian Lynne,
Matt Kinley updating the set and Jill Parker doing the costumes while still honoring the original visual presentation by the late
Maria Bjornson.
Other changes to the show’s London production will include the Orchestra now reduced to now 14 musicians in the pit instead of its traditional 27.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA re-haunts London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre beginning next Tuesday, July 27th, 2021. From there, the show will later reopen here in our New York backyard at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre starting September 14th, 2021 along with new companies around the world.
Who is excited?
How thrilling is this trailer?
by Mike Haber | Jul 19, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Shows
ON THE MARQUEE: HELLO! The Award winning smash hit musical comedy The Book of Mormon is set to return to the Great Bright Way this Fall. One of our friends was so kind enough to share with us THE MOST AMAZING updates to the front of house billboards outside the show’s home of Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre.
With
The Book of Mormon returning, the production is expecting to feature various changes. Following last summer’s
Black Lives Matter protests, the show itself received so much backlash with its portrayal of Africans (since about 85% of the musical takes place in Uganda). Work will be made to the show’s score and book by its creators (Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez) to make it less offensive. These changes will go also to all future companies as well.
In addition, it returns without its main head producer Scott Rudin. Earlier this year, the producer had dropped from all his Broadway projects following recent reports of his horrific, arrogant, abusive, monstrous, ugly, and tyrannical behaviors towards people in the work place.
The Broadway company of THE BOOK OF MORMON will make audience BELIEVE that TOMORROW IS A LATTER DAY once again beginning November 5th, 2021. Other productions of the show set to reopen will also include its London company and UK/ Ireland Touring productions. More companies will be going out as well.
by Mike Haber | Jul 19, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Shows
As we all know, the story of THE KING AND I is set in the medieval Kingdom of Siam (before it was renamed Thailand). It tells the story of “Anna Leonowens”, a British school teacher who has been hired to educate the royal children of a strict, stern, and very stubborn king (as part of the drive to modernize his country). It features all the notable Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II songs we know in love like I WHISTLE A HAPPY TUNE, GETTING TO KNOW YOU, I HAVE DREAMED, and SHALL WE DANCE.
This Animated version was only the 2nd time THE KING AND I was translated from stage to screen. The original version was released in 1956 starring
Deborah Kerr and of course the legendary
Yul Brynner (who won both the Tony and the Oscar for this musical).
With making this timeless musical an Animated film as family friendly, several songs from the stage version was cut and changes were updated to the storyline. Some of these changes included….
The love story of “Tuptim” was changetd to her falling in love with King’s eldest son “Prince Chualalongkorn”. Sadly, the role of “Lun Tha” was cut,
The removement of “Lady Thaing”,
“The Kralahome” being changed into becoming the main antagonist with his very own sidekick created for the Animated film named “Master Little”.
The changing of the ending as happy…… Instead of “The King” dying from a heart condition, he is injured in a battle against “The Kralahome” who tries to kill him. He lays in bed, recovers in a few days and they have their romantic dance,
The removement of THE SMALL HOUSE OF UNCLE THOMAS BALLET, WE KISS IN A SHADOW, and SOMETHING WONDERFUL. SHADOW and WONDERFUL however was heard in the end credits and performed by
Barbra Streisand.
It also featured several roles being double casted (both for acting and singing). Under the direction of Richard Rich and a screenplay by Peter Bakalian, Jacqueline Feather, and David Seidler, the voice over cast included….
Oscar nominee Miranda Richardson (with Tony nominee
Christiane Nolls singing voice) as “Anna Leonowens”,
Martin Vidnovic (who previously played “Lun Tha” in the 1977 Broadway revival) as “The King”,
Armi Arabe (with Tracy Venner Warren’s singing voice) as “Tuptim”,
Allen D. Hong (with
David Burnham’s singing voice”) as “Prince Chualalongkorn”,
Tony nominee Ian Richardson as “The Kralahome”,
The Animated film was a huge flop receiving negative reviews and was a huge box office bomb.
Ironically when this Animated film came out, 8 months later came another adaptation of THE KING AND I….. based on the original story that inspired the musical…..
Anna and the King.
Check out the trailer below.
Who remembers this Animated version of THE KING AND I?
by Mike Haber | Jul 19, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Shows
BREAKING NEWS: The new Tom Kitt, Michael Kore, and James Lapine musical
Flying Over Sunset has rescheduled its long awaited Broadway launch by a few days this Fall 2021. Led by Tony nominees Carmen Cusack,
Tony Yazbeck, and
Harry Hadden-Paton), it will now begin previews starting November 11th, 202 and will have its official Opening Night on December 13th, 2021 at the Vivian Beaumont at
Lincoln Center Theater
FLYING OVER SUNSET was originally scheduled to begin its previews on March 12th, 2020 which turned out to be the day when Broadway and Live Theater shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the original Opening Night was slated for April 16th, 2020. It only had 1 performance prior the day before. the shutdown…. a private invited Industrial Dress Rehearsal. At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been delayed twice…. Originally for the Spring of 2021 and then its initial Fall launching time with previews initially to begin November 4th, 2021 and Opening Night slated for December 6th, 2021.
