Tony and Olivier Award winning legend Lea Salonga adds North American dates of her new DREAM AGAIN Tour!!

by | Oct 26, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Broadway Audience, News, Shows

BREAKING NEWS: Get ready to experience your inner REFLECTION as Tony and Olivier Award winning legend Lea Salonga is heading back on the road next year. The Filipino born actress and singer took to her social media announcing several North American Dates of her upcoming DREAM AGAIN Tour beginning Spring 2022.
The North American leg will kick off April 6th, 2021 in Winnipeg, MB (Canada) before making her way to the following cities….
Calgary, AB, (Canada),
Edmonton, AB, (Canada),
Vancouver, BC, (Canada),
Lancaster, CA,
Cerritos, CA,
Chicago, IL,
Strathmore, MD,
N. Little Rock, AK,
Indianapolis, IN,
Scottsdale, AZ,
Las Vegas, NV,
Livermore, CA,
Modesto, CA,
and
Honolulu, HI.
More additional North American dates will be announced soon.
Following this North American leg, Salonga will make her way as previously announced to the United Kingdom for a mini 9-city leg tour. That will kick off on June 18th, 2022 in Leicester before making her way to….
Southampton,
Cardiff,
Birmingham,
Manchester,
Brighton,
Canterbury,
and
a one night only performance at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall.
This new tour is named after a recent single that Salonga recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. It brought together composers, musicians and a production team across three continents and five time zones, to help organizations aiding in COVID-19 relief.
It also comes at a very exciting timing for the versatile star who will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of one of her most notable performances….. providing her singing voice as “Princess Jasmine” in Disney’s Aladdin singing the Oscar winning A WHOLE NEW WORLD.
Along with DREAM AGAIN and A WHOLE NEW WORLD, fans can also expect Salonga to do songs from Miss Saigon, Once On This Island, Les Miserables, REFLECTION….. the theme from her other notable Disney project….. Mulan, and a whole lot of surprises. She will be accompanied by a full orchestra led by her real life brother Maestro Gerard Salonga. It will also be the first time the siblings will perform in the UK together as well.
Who is excited?!!
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NYBT TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN: # 30 – THE PRODUCERS!!

by | Oct 26, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows

Image 1 - The Producers ~Orig Broadway Mel Brooks Poster~ Henry Goodman & Steven Weber
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GOOD MORNING BROADWAY FANS? It has been the most difficult 19 ½ going on 20 months alone with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this Fall is about to have more happiness since the Big Apple is waking up. What an unforgettable timing it is now that the holiday season is just right around the corner. For all of us, it means one thing….. LET’S HAVE A PARADE!!! In just 30 DAYS from now, New York City will once again celebrate its legendary MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year’s edition is very special. Not only is the parade itself celebrating its 95th Anniversary, it once again features its traditional crowd lining the streets from Central Park, 5th Avenue, Times Square, and of course in front of that iconic Macy’s Store in Herald Square. All the legendary moments we love from the balloons, floats, marching bands, celebrities, clowns, Santa, and of course our very own Broadway’s best are joining forces to truly make this parade the most SPECTACULAR that it is making up for 2 years of lost time. As we all know, last year’s parade was an abridged version featuring pre-recorded acts, performances, and more. Going back to Broadway for a second, our Theater community has played a huge part in the parade for many years. Now that Broadway is back, we at New York Broadway Tours are pleased once again to present our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. From now till the day prior before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25th, 2021, we will play 30 of our favorite Broadway showstoppers from previous telecasts. You will see iconic performances from BOTH the NBC telecasts (which usually is held in Herald Square in front of that Macy’s story) and on the CBS Telecast (usually pre-recorded performances from their Theaters and around New York City). If you’re ready, here we go!!!!
Kicking off our countdown today at #30, we travel back in time to New York City in the year 1959. There, we met a legendary Broadway producer who teams up with a mousey and wimpy accountant who joins forces in a scheming plot to make more money by putting on the Greatest Musical Theatre flop ever. This is the tale of…… THE PRODUCERS. The show features a score by Mel Brooks along with a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan. It’s based on Brooks’ 1968 film of the same name.
From the 2002 NBC telecast, TV favorite Steven Weber in the role of the mousy bank account “Leo Bloom” expresses his big real true showbiz dreams out in Herald Square. With help from his beautiful golden chorus girls, here is the cast performing the toe-tapping I WANNA BE A PRODUCER.
THE PRODUCERS was first conceived as a stage musical in 1999. Years following the success of the original 1968 film, Mel Brooks was recommended by David Geffen that he should write a full musical version of his own films. His original collaborator was originally going to be Tony winner Jerry Herman. However, he denied and encouraged Brooks’ to do the score himself since he was an amazing songwriter (plus he wrote the film’s signature tune SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER). Along with Brooks doing the score, he hired Thomas Meehan to help expand the story. In addition, husband and wife directing/choreographing duo Mike Ockrent and Susan Stroman came on board as well. However, Ockrent unexpectedly died in 1999 when Stroman continued to take on full leadership and director and choreographer by herself. The musical took 2 years of early development labs.
Following a triumphant world premiere tryout in Chicago, it officially opened on the Great White Way in 2001 at Broadway’s St. James Theatre for an incredible run of 2,502 performances. Under the direction of Susan Stroman, the cast starred…
Tony winner Nathan Lane (later Henry Goodman, Brad Oscar, Lewis J. Stalden, Tony Danza, John Treacy Egan, & Richard Kind) as “Max Bialystok,
Tony winner Matthew Broderick (later Don Stephenson, Roger Bart, Steven Weber, Hunter Foster, and Alan Ruck) as “Leo Bloom”,
Tony winner Cady Huffman (later Sarah Cornell and Angie Schwoer) as “Ulla”,
the late Tony winner Gary Beach (later John Treacy Egan, Lee Roy Reams, and Jonathan Freeman) as “Roger De Bris”,
Roger Bart (later Brooks Ashmanskas, Sam Harris, Brad Musgrove, and Jai Rodriguez) as “Carmen Ghia”,
Brad Oscar (later Jim Borstellmann, John Treacy Egan, Peter Samuel, and Bill Nolte) as “Franz Liepkind”,
and more.
The show grossed more than $3.5 million following its opening week. Lines would go all the way around the block for tickets. You could NOT get a ticket to see it. However, when both Lane and Broderick departed, the ticket sales started to go downhill. However, both actors returned to the show in 2004 for a limited 5 month engagement.
THE PRODUCERS was nominated for 15 Tony Awards that very same year winning a record breaking 12 including BEST MUSICAL. In addition, the show’s original Broadway cast recording won a 2002 Grammy Award for BEST MUSICAL SHOW ALBUM.
Following the success of the musical, a 2005 film remake (featuring the songs from the Broadway show) was made reuniting the whole original creative team, majority of the original cast (including Lane and Broderick), and several newbies to the musical. With Stroman recreating her direction and staging on film, the cast starred…
Nathan Lane reprising his Broadway performance as “Max Bialystotck”,
Matthew Broderick reprising his Broadway performance as “Leo Bloom”,
Uma Thurman as “Ulla”,
Gary Beach reprising his Broadway performance as “Roger De Bris”,
Roger Bart reprising his Broadway performance as “Carmen Ghia”,
Will Ferrell as “Franz Liepkind”,
and more.
Life after Broadway, THE PRODUCERS still went on to be a worldwide hit in London’s West End (which it won an Olivier Award for BEST NEW MUSICAL), on tour across America, and around the world. The show is still performed around the world today with various productions happening in schools, community, and regional theatres..
Isn’t this show an ultimate love letter to Broadway?!!

NYBT kicks off TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN leading up to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow!!

by | Oct 25, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows

Tomorrow will officially ring in the official 30 DAY mark till New York’s legendary MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. We are talking about The 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. With the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, we love everything from the balloons, floats, clowns, marching bands, and celebrities. However, the cherry on top for us is THE BROADWAY ACTS. Over the years, the parade has continued to show so much love and appreciation for our Theater scene.
To get us in the mood from tomorrow morning till November 25th, 2021 (Thanksgiving Day), we at New York Broadway Tours will be presenting once again our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. Each day, we will be presenting you many of our favorite showstopping performances from previous NBC and CBS telecasts.
Who is excited?!!
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Emilie Koutachou makes PHANTOM history as first Black “Christine” on Broadway; Makes debut this Wednesday night!!

by | Oct 25, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, News, Shows

THINK OF IT! Earlier this past weekend, Broadway welcomed back its legendary long running smash hit The Phantom of the Opera. This upcoming, there is already another history making milestone in the show’s 33 going on 34 years here on the Great Bright Way.
Starting this Wednesday evening, October 27th, 2021 at the Majestic Theatre, Emilie Koutachou will make PHANTOM history as the first black actress to the iconic female lead of “Christine Daaè” in the Broadway production. She is also the 2nd black actress in the show’s legacy ever following its current London leading lady Lucy St. Louis.
As the alternate, Koutachou will play “Christine” also this Thursday evening and the upcoming Saturday matinee show. The current main Principal “Christine” is being performed by Meghan Picerno. There is also a brand new standby track for the role which is currently being done by returning cast member Julia Udine (who originated the role on the 2013 North American company of NEW STAGING 25th Anniversary Tour of PHANTOM and later served as the Principal “Christine” in the Broadway production in 2014).
An official “Christine” show schedule for Emille and Meghan will be announced soon.
Congrats Emille. Break a leg!!!
Who is excited??!
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Low ticket sales causes THE LYCEUM PLAYS repertory shows IS THIS A ROOM and DANA H to end its Broadway engagements early!!

by | Oct 25, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows

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BREAKING NEWS: Due to extreme low ticket sales, it has just been announced that THE LYCEUM PLAYS series (produced by Off Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre) will abruptly close early next month.
For those who may not know, THE LYCEUM PLAYS is a repertory series of 2 critically acclaimed productions that played the Vineyard Theatre. Because they did so well, they both transferred to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre alternating performances several times each week. The plays are….
Tina Satter’s dark play Is This A Room
and
Lucas Hnath’s one woman play Dana H.
The repertory series was initially scheduled to end January 16th, 2022. However, it will NOW end early of this upcoming month.
DANA H’s closing show will be the 2PM mattinae on November 13th, 2021. Meanwhile for IS THIS A ROOM, it will play its final performance on November 14th, 2021 with a 3PM mattinae.
Even though its a really exciting time for Broadway back, our hearts are broken for shows that end too soon. In reality, not everyone is gonna appreciate every show on Broadway. Shows come and go.
We still send our love, support, and standing ovation for both these productions on coming so far. We know you can expect to see more productions of IS THIS A ROOM and DANA H in a Regional Theater near you.
Thoughts?

ON THE MARQUEE: TREVOR THE MUSICAL; Show begins preview performances TONIGHT!!!

by | Oct 25, 2021 | Blog, Casting, News, Shows

ON THE MARQUEE: One of the most talked about powerful new shows Off Broadway begins TONIGHT. We are talking the new stage musical adaptation of the Oscar winning short film Trevor. The show starts preview performances this evening before officially Opening on November 10th, 2021.
Check out this updated look of the show’s new home at Stage 42. It features a FIRST LOOK photo as well of the show’s star newcomer Holden William Hagelberger who stars as the title role.
This cast features an unforgettable lineup of fresh young newcomers. For many of them, it’s their professional Off Broadway debut. From the creative team behind Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (consisting of direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince), this new cast is led by….
Holden William Hagelberger as the title role,
Jarrod Zimmerman as “Dad” and “Father Joe”,
Sally Wilfert (Broadway’s Assassins and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) as “Mom” and “Mrs. Kerr”,
Yasmeen Sulieman (Broadway’s Beautiful) as “Diana Ross“),
Aaron Alcaraz (Broadway’s Mean Girls) as “Jack”,
Sammy Dell (National Tour of School of Rock) as “Pinky”,
Diego Lucano (Broadway’s School of Rock) as “Jason”,
Alyssa Emily Marvin (National Tours of School of Rock and Annie) as “Cathy”,
Isabel Medina (National Tour of Disney’s The Lion King) as “Frannie”,
Aryan Simhadri as “Walter”,
Echo Deva Picone as “Mary”,
And more.
For those who may not know TREVOR is based on an original story by Celeste Lecesne that was turned into a film. With an original score by Julianne Wick and Dan Collins, it’s an inspiration coming of age story of a 13 year boy with a vivid imagination. As he deals with becoming a teenager, he struggles to navigates his own identity and determined how he fits in a challenging world.
The story itself later inspired the nonprofit The Trevor Project. This organization helps save lives of those within the LGBTQ community. It organizes interventions and prevents young people from committing suicide.
This new musical originally premiered in Glencoe back in 2017 earning a Jeff Award for BEST NEW WORK.
This musical originally was scheduled to debut in the Spring of 2020. However, it was put on hold due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.
We’re so happy that tonight is the night the show gets its moment.
Break a leg to the full cast, crew, musicians, and creative team.
Who is excited?