by Mike Haber | Oct 22, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
FIRST LOOK: The first trailer has been released for the upcoming filmed proshot of the current critically acclaimed London production of the
Roundabout Theatre Company‘s Tony winning revival of Cole Porter’s
Anything Goes.
Filmed from the stage at London’s
Barbican Theatre, get ready for a DELOVELY and madcap time aboard the S.S. American featuring
Sutton Foster reprising her 2011 Tony winning portrayal of “Reno Sweeney” along with Tony and Olivier Award winner Robert Lindsay as “Moonface Martin”. This production features breathtaking and toe-tapping staging by Tony winner Kathleen Marshall.
ANYTHING GOES will be shown in selected movie theaters nationwide for 2 LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS. See either November 28th, 2021 or December 1st, 2021.
The actual production of ANYTHING GOES is still playing at the Barbican Theatre now through November 6th, 2021.
by Mike Haber | Oct 22, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
ROYAL NEW: Sir
Andrew Lloyd Webber has been making the rounds of press today celebrating the return of
The Phantom of the Opera as it re-haunts Broadway tonight. Moments ago while being interviews on
MSNBC, the legendary composer confirmed that his new musical adaptation of
Cinderella will be coming to Broadway next year!!!
This new
Cinderella comes following the success of the show’s debut in London’s West End earlier this Summer. Talks are still being made that the production is expecting to be led by its original London star
Carrie Hope Fletcher.
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a stage version of the Disney film we love or a revival of the
Rodgers & Hammerstein version (that was previously on Broadway back in 2013), This is a brand new contemporary take on the classic story we all know in love. The story is still the same…. a young girl with big dreams who is forced to work as a household servant by her jealous stepmother and stepsisters. One day, an announcement is made for a Royal Ball which the handsome Prince seeks for a bride. However, the stepmother and sisters prevent the household servant girl from attending. Luckily everything changes when the girl has her wish become a reality by her Fairy Godmother. What’s also different about this version is that “
Cinderella” is more of a rebel. It also explores very familiar what’s going on in the world today how gender relationships are rethought. Plus, it deals with the critical thematic element concerns beauty shaming. Some of the songs have already become singles including BAD CINDERELLA, SO LONG, ONLY YOU, LONLEY YOU, I KNOW HAVE A HEART, FAR TOO LATE, and more.
This new version was originally developed through a set of readings and workshops at the Other Palace Theatre in May 2019. It was well received that the next steps were to do a full-scale production.
This new CINDERELLA was initially slated to have its premiere in the West End originally in the Summer of 2020. However, it was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being in quarantine, the company still held continued development labs from home.
Most recently, the show finally premiered in London’s West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Under the direction of Laurence Connor and choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, the cast was is led by…
Carrie Hope Fletcher and Georgina Onuorah alternating as the title role,
Newcomer Ivano Turco as “Prince Sebastian”,
Rebecca Trehearn as “The Queen”,
Laura Baldwin as stepsister “Adele”,
Georgina Castle as stepsister “Marie”,
CINDERELLA originally began previews on June 25th, 2021 under extreme COVID-19 and Delta Variant safety precautions. The show originally was performed at a limited 50% capacity. The show was slated to officially open on July 20th, 2021. However, the plug was pulled after a cast member tested positive for COVID-19. A few days later, it was revealed that the show will go on. The company took a 4 week hiatus and officially had its long awaited Opening Night on August 18th, 2021 earning RAVE reviews and now playing to a FULL CAPACITY.
Along with the production, a full concept album of the musical’s entire score was released on July 9th, 2021. It included its main cast including Fletcher, Onitri, and Turco, it featured an all-star lineup of some familiar faces appearing just for this recording including….
Helen George,
Todrick Hall,
and
.
We know this version will be getting TONS of buzz during Awards season!!
No word has been said on what Theater the show will run in, the starting time, or casting. Stay tuned.
VIDEO: Andrew Lloyd Webber Confirms CINDERELLA Broadway Transfer on MSNBC (broadwayworld.com)
by Mike Haber | Oct 21, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
SUGARLAND, BUTTER FLOUR!! Last night, Grammy Award winning singer
Jennifer Nettles (last seen in the revival of
Chicago) returned to Broadway replacing
Sara Bareilles in the leading role of “Jenna Hunterson” in the current limited engagement Broadway revival of
Waitress. We are so happy to share with you a special video the company posted on their social media earlier today of the Country singing one of the show’s beloved songs WHAT BAKING CAN DO.
Catch Jennifer Nettles as “Jenna” in WAITRESS now for a strictly limited engagement till November 24th, 2021 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
Waitress Musical on Instagram: “@jennifernettles performs “What Baking Can Do” in her final dress rehearsal before opening night! Don’t miss her stunning run in Waitress…”
by Mike Haber | Oct 21, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Broadway Audience, Casting, Festivals & Events, News, Shows
BREAKING NEWS: With the Great Bright Way returning, get ready to celebrate the rising future stars of Broadway as this year’s
Jimmy Awards will be happening in-person again for first time in 3 YEARS. This year’s edition has been set for June 27th, 2022 at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre (home of Disney’s
The Lion King).
For those who may not know, The Jimmy Awards is considered the
Tonys that honors the best of High School Musical Theater shows from all across the country. The committee votes for the greatest young standout performers of their school productions which they get the opportunity to come to NYC taking part in a week of intensive events, workshops, and master classes with industry professionals consisting of Broadway’s best talents, composers, directors, casting directors, and more. The week leads up to the big ceremony itself where these young hopefuls get that one night only opportunity to perform on a Broadway stage where the nominees compete for the top titles and earn scholarships!!!!
The Jimmy Awards was last done in-person back in 2019. Due to COVID-19, it went through various changes. The 2020 edition was cancelled. This past Summer 2021, the Jimmys were done as a virtual livestreamed celebration.
Some of the Jimmy’s previous winners and nominees have later all went on to have unbelievable careers already on Broadway including….
Reneé Rapp – recently seen in her Broadway debut as “Regina George” in
Mean Girls,
Eva Noblezada – who went on to become an Olivier & 2 time Tony nominated leading lady for
Miss Saigon and was appearing on the Great Bright Way in
Hadestown,
Get ready to celebrate the next generation of Broadway!!!
by Mike Haber | Oct 21, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
ISN’T IT IRONIC?!!! The Tony and Grammy Award winning smash hit
Jagged Little Pill is set to rebel once again on the Great Bright Way after 19 1/2 months. With the show reopening tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre, we are so happy to share with you these brand new production photos of the cast featuring its 2 new principal stars. The lineup consists of….
Broadway favorite
Heidi Blickenstaff who will temporary be filling in for its Tony nominated leading lady Elizabeth Stanley in the role of struggling suburban mother “Mary Jane Healy”,
newcomer Morgan Dudley who replaces Tony nominated star Celia Gooding in the role of rebellious, bisexual, and adopted African American teenage daughter “Frankie Healy”
newcomer Adi Roy who replaces
Antonio Cipriano in the role of High School student and love interest “Phoenix”.
Blickenstaff, Dudley, and Roy join the continuing lineup of the show’s original principals consisting of…..
Tony nominee
Derek Klena as the “perfect son” himself “Nick Healy”,
Tony nominee Sean Allan Krill as the porn addicting and frustrated suburban Dad as “Steve Healy”,
the show’s now Tony winning standout
Lauren Patten as the humorous, vulnerable, and easily hurt lesbian “Jo Taylor”.
Get ready to WAKE UP and raise those fingers high as we welcome JAGGED LITTLE PILL back to Broadway.
Break legs to the cast, crew, musicians, and creative team.
How amazing are these new production photos?!!
PLEASE BE ADVISED: With the show re-opening, there is a demonstration expecting to happen outside the Theatre. Earlier this show, the hit
Alanis Morissette musical has been receiving some controversial backlash against the show’s creative team in changing the character of “Jo” getting changed from trans to cisgender. Also, former original Ensemble member Nora Schell (who goes by They/Them pronouns) went through hell with the show’s stage management who forced the performer to postpone a Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome surgery.
by Mike Haber | Oct 20, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows
Last night was a DELICIOUS evening for the company of the current limited engagement Broadway revival of the Tony and Grammy nominated smash hit
Waitress. The show celebrated several new cast members OPENING UP at the Diner at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre consisting of….
Nik Dodani (recently in the film adaptation of
Dear Evan Hansen) in the role of the awkward, nerdy, and magical “Ogie”,
Acclaimed stage and screen star
Erich Bergen (best known for appearing in the film version of
Jersey Boys and on TV’s
Madam Secretary) kicking off the 1st of 2 limited returning engagement stints as the hottest doctor in town….. “Dr. Pomatter”,
and last night not least…..
Grammy Award winning singing sensation
Jennifer Nettles (Broadway’s
Chicago) beginning her month long limited engagement as the show’s new leading lady playing pregnant pie maker “Jenna Hunterson”.
Check out footage the curtain call below of the new cast members taking their bows. It also featured a surprise appearance from the show’s composer and previous leading
Sara Bareilles who appeared in the audience for moral support of the new cast members.
Congrats Jennifer, Erich, and Nik!!!
How incredible is that?!!
