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 11, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Broadway, Gleeks Fan Tour (Times Square), NYBT NEWS, Shows
LOOK AT YOUR LIFE THROUGH HEAVEN’S EYES!! All Summer long,
Lincoln Center is bringing the magic of Live Theater and Performances with its RESTART STAGES program. So many performances coming from the worlds of classical musical, jazz, and of course our very own Broadway scene. One of those many performances to come will be a breathtaking evening inspiring us TO REACH THE UNREACHABLE STAR with Tony Award winning Broadway favorite
Brian Stokes Mitchell.
The angelic baritone will present a new cabaret show entitled OUT WITH THE OLD from July 21st-23rd, 2021 before returning for an encore engagement from August 12th-14th, 2021. With his trio (led by Tedd Firth), the evening will feature a full diverse selection of Great American Songbook standards and Broadway favorites by this breathtaking talent. You can expect Stokes as well to perform notable hits from his legendary career including
RAGTIME and MAN OF LA MANCHA.
Since we are still coping with ongoing COVID-19 pandemic safety precautions, there will be a limited amount of seating for this free concert. You can’t just show up though.
TodayTix will be doing a virtual lottery for FREE TICKETS on each night Brian Stokes Mitchell will be performing. They are welcoming both people who have been vaccinated and also those who haven’t yet (which will require people to social distant and wear their face mask).
We’re also sure for a face one of the concerts will be livestreamed as well. Stay tuned for more information on that.
Don’t miss SOME ENCHANTED EVENING with this legendary performer.
by Mike Haber | Jul 9, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Gilbert and Sullivan to Hamilton Tour (Downtown), In The Heights Walking Tour
NO ME DIGA! Despite this past year and a half of hell, it’s not stopping Award winning mastermind
Lin-Manuel Miranda from creating. The
Hamilton and
In The Heights favorite has so much coming up including….
scores for the upcoming animated films VIVO (Netflix) and ENCANTO (Disney),
marking his movie directing debut with the upcoming
Netflix film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s
Tick Tick Boom,
That’s not all…. even with his hectic schedule, the beloved composer, writer, actor, singer, and rapper is aiming already plans for 2022 to begin work in creating his next major Stage Musical project. Even with some of his daily normal routines with being a father of 2 kids, walking his dog, and everything, Miranda already is getting some ideas down. Whatever the new musical is, we cannot wait!!! Lin’s work is a genius masterpiece.
He also has been expressing interest of bringing his debut musical (now a smash hit movie musical)
In The Heights back to Broadway!!!
So many great things Lin!!!
by Mike Haber | Jul 7, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Gleeks Fan Tour (Times Square), Inspiration of Rent Tour, Shows
DID YOU KNOW: The magic of a Live Theater performance. You never know what exactly can happen. Great moments and scary moments. One notable mishap that made the headlines happened back in 2005 during a performance of the smash hit
WICKED.
On a mattinae performance on January 8th, 2005 at the Gershwin Theatre….. the 2nd to last day before DEFYING GRAVITY for the last time….
Wicked‘s Tony winning original star
Idina Menzel had one of the most terrifying onstage mishaps ever. During the climatic scene where “Elphaba” (also known as The Wicked Witch of The West) is melted by “Dorothy”, Menzel fell through an elevated trap door on the stage fracturing her lover rib. The show was stopped for 45 minutes for the EMS team to come taking her out of the trap, onto a gurney, and straight to a nearby hospital. At the same time upstairs, Menzel’s standby who eventually became the first “Elphaba” replacement on Broadway herself
Shoshana Bean has to get GREENIFIED in just 7 minutes to do the last 2 minutes of the show. Following the curtain call, then-cast member
New Kids On The Block favorite
Joey McIntyre (the 1st fulltime replacement “Fiyero”) who was set to depart with Idina the very next day, spoke to the sold out crowd letting everyone know she was going to be okay.
Shoshana Bean was set to take over as the fulltime “Elphaba” on January 11th, 2005. With Menzel not being able to complete the remainder of her Broadway run, Bean went on for Idina for her last 2 performances….. the evening on January 8th, 2005 and the initially scheduled final performance that very next day of January 9th, 2005.
With doctors orders, Menzel did not have to stay overnight in the hospital and have surgery. She was given painkillers to heal the broken rib and was discharged. Since she also couldn’t do her last 2 WICKED shows full out, the creative team knew they wanted to something special as a way for the company and the fans to say farewell to the original Green Girl. On January 9th, 2005, Bean played “Elphaba” till that climatic melting scene. In the scene right afterwards, Bean stepped out and Menzel went on surprising the audience appearing in the show’s FINALE scene….. a Red Track Suit (from ex-husband Taye Diggs). When Menzel entered the stage, the sold out crowd of the Gershwin Theatre ROARED into a Thunderous 5 minute standing ovation. Many of the fans (known as The Fanzels) called her out during the show. Even
Jennifer Laura Thompson (the first replacement “Glinda”) adlibed a line from the bubble…… FELLOW OZIANS, I LOVE IDINA MENZEL!!! After singing the final FOR GOOD reprise, Menzel along with Joey McIntyre exited together through the time dragon clock…. and blackout.
The curtain call, Bean and Thompson bowed together before a speech was given saying Happy Trails to Joey McIntyre. Afterwards, WICKED’s director Joe Mantello walked onto the stage to give an emotional speech bringing Idina Menzel back on.
Menzel recovered from her WICKED accident just in time to start production on the film version of
Rent. However, her journey with WICKED was not over….Menzel would eventually would go back to the role of “Elphaba” a year and a half later reprising the role and launching the show’s London company. Luckily, that final curtain call she was able to finally FLY and DEFY GRAVITY for the last time.
Later on during her ongoing concert tours, Idina has shared the story of her experience of that traumatic fall in WICKED. People knew of what happened but most people don’t know what it was like from Idina’s point of view. Really crazy. Check out this audio recording from a Boston show back in the Summer of 2005.
by Mike Haber | Jul 5, 2021 | Blog, Casting, Christmas Caroling (Times Square), Shows
Are you in a performance Ensemble? Have you dreamt of performing in one of the greatest venues of them all with Live Theater making a comeback?!!! Here is your chance!!
The legendary
Radio City Christmas Spectacular is set to bring the holiday spirit back to the Big Apple this year. That’s not all,
Madison Square Garden Entertainment and the full team behind the annual holiday show are giving a once in a lifetime opportunity for your Performance Group to….. sing on the grand stage of Radio City Music Hall….. and serve as THE OPENING ACT for the iconic
Rockettes themselves!!! Check out the show’s website now for more information on how you can give your Ensemble the Holiday performance of a lifetime.
The 2021 edition of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (starring The Rockettes) will be strutting those high kicks again and get us back into the HOLLY JOLLY spirit from November 5th, 2021 through January 2nd, 2022.
How amazing is this chance getting to open up for The Rockettes?!!!
by Mike Haber | Jun 28, 2021 | Blog, Inspiration of Rent Tour, Shows
In addition for those who can’t make it to Vegas, you do NOT have to worry. The concert will also be LIVESTREAMED via The Space LV websites.
Tickets for both to be there in person or to watch it online is available now!!!
In case anyone may not know, Espinosa’s UNPLUGGED & UNPLANNED is stripped down acoustic solo concert. Accompanied by acoustic guitar, piano, and light percussion, It features a full diverse selection of Musical Theater and Pop/Rock favorites. You can expect to hear songs from Eden Espinosa’s unbelievable career from Broadway, Film/TV, and songs from her 2 acclaimed solo albums LOOK AROUND and REVELATION. It also features a Broadway Request selection where Espinosa will pull out Musical Theater songs out of a hat (based on suggestions from the audience).
Don’t miss this THRILLIFYING powerhouse!!!
