by Mike Haber | Jul 30, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER, Live Theater is back!! The stage adaptation of Disney’s smash hit
Frozen is preparing to finally debut overseas in London’s West End this upcoming month. The company is working around the clock in rehearsals. In addition, the magic of ARENDELLE is being built and coming to life is at the show’s new London home at the newly renovated Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Check out this latest time lapse of FROZEN’s London set being built.
FROZEN will get London audiences to LET IT GO at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Previews begin August 27th, 2021 and the official Opening Night will be September 8th, 2021.
Who is excited?!!!
Are you ready to BUILD A SNOWMAN?!!!
by Mike Haber | Jul 27, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, News, Shows
AND IN THIS LABRYRINTH WHERE NIGHT IS BLIND, he’s back!!! For the first time after 16 months of being shutdown, THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT returns. The legendary original inaugural production of
Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Award winning phenomenon
The Phantom of the Opera officially begins re-haunting London’s West End this evening at its newly updated longtime home at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
With PHANTOM’s return to London’s West End this evening, 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.
This evening is truly going to be the ultimate MASQUERADE with ongoing COVID-19 safety precautions as we welcome PHANTOM home to where it all began.
Other upcoming productions of this timeless show coming will include the return of our New York company set to resume performances at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre beginning September 14th, 2021 along with new companies around the world.
WELCOME HOME PHANTOM!!!
Break a leg to the full cast, crew, musicians, and creative team!!
by Mike Haber | Jul 27, 2021 | Blog, News, Shows
BREAKING NEWS: Live Theater is making its way back overseas. We are so excited to announce that the London’s annual
West End LIVE concert is back. Presented by
Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre, this year’s edition is set for September 18th-19th, 2021 in Trafalgar Square.
Last year’s event was initially The event was set for June 20th-21st, 2020. However, it was canceled as an in-person event but changed to a virtual concert.
For anyone who doesn’t know about WEST END LIVE, it’s almost like London’s version of our annual past Broadway events like BROADWAY IN BRYANT PARK, BROADWAY ON BROADWAY, and STARS IN THE ALLEY. Same details….. It’s a fun FREE outdoor concert for 2 DAYS featuring live performances from the casts of all the major musicals in London’s West End and Off-West End. It even features special solo concerts from some of the biggest names who have performed in the West End.
More details on participating shows will be revealed at a later time.
by Mike Haber | Jul 26, 2021 | Blog, Broadway, Shows
Regret missing this past weekend’s
Disney on Broadway‘s LIVE AT THE NEW AM concert? There are so many great way to relive the magic of THE MOUSE that has WOWED the Musical Theater stage within the past 25+ years. One of our personal favorite performances was a critically acclaimed SOLD OUT concert from 2016 held London’s
Royal Albert Hall.
DISNEY’S BROADWAY HITS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT ALL is now available to watch on YouTube,
BroadwayHD, and
Disney+. This concert was captured both on film and for Radio as part of
BBC‘s
Friday Night is Music Night series. Get ready for an unbelievable 2 hours of all your favorite songs from many of
Disney Theatrical‘s Award winning shows. You will hear hits from…..
Accompanied by the
BBC Concert Orchestra, a choir made up of students from BOTH the Arts Education Schools of London and the
Royal Academy of Music, and under the baton of
Keith Lockhart, the concert was hosted by celebrated stage & screen star John Barrowman (who starred as “The Beast” in the original London production of
Beauty and the Beast), It also features performances from…..
Ashley Brown (Broadway original
Mary Poppins, the 15th “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast, and toured in the short lived touring Disney revue On The Record),
What an unforgettable concert celebrating the legacy of THE MOUSE!!!!
WE LOVE DISNEY ON BROADWAY!!!
by Mike Haber | Jul 22, 2021 | Antoinette (Tony) Awards, Blog, Broadway, Casting, Shows
HOW ‘BOUT A DANCE?! THE WORLD WILL REMEMBER THEM and 10 YEARS LATER, they still do. Laura Osnes and
Jeremy Jordan are set to return to the world of crime and the life of……
Bonnie & Clyde. The Tony nominated Broadway favorites will be reprising their performances as the titular roles in
Frank Wildhorn, Don Black, and
Ivan Menchell‘s musical with a ONE NIGHT ONLY 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT in London next year.
BONNIE AND CLUDE IN CONCERT is set for January 18th, 2022 at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane (soon to be the home of the West End production of Disney’s smash hit
Frozen). It will be directed by Nick Winston along with a full orchestra led by Katy Richardson.
Additional casting is set to be announced later on.
BONNIE & CLYDE is a musical tells the tale of the ill-fated fugitive lovers themselves “Bonnie Parker” and “Clyde Barrow” and their life of crime during the Great Depression. It features music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black, and a book by Ivan Menchell. Notable songs include PICTURE SHOW, HOW ‘BOUT A DANCE, RAISE A LITTLE HELL, THE WORLD WILL REMEMBER US, MADE IN AMERICA, and DYIN’ AIN’T SO BAD.
The show was first conceived by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black following their previous Broadway flop DRACULA THE MUSICAL. For a 2nd chance project, they started writing a set of songs for a the possibility of a cycle inspired by the story of the famous criminals “Bonnie Parker” and “Clyde Barrow”. It was released as a 13 track demo album from
Atlantic Records. With a mix of country, blues, and pop, it featured the talents of Wildhorn’s notable crew of stars he’s worked with including…..
Michael Lanning (who worked with Wildhorn on The Civil War),
Rob Evan (known for working with Wildhorn on his notable legendary musical
Jekyll & Hyde),
Brandi Burkhardt (who worked with Wildhorn on the development of
Wonderland)
Wildhorn’s ex-wife and celebrated performer
Linda Eder (known as the original “Lucy” in Jekyll & Hyde. She also helped him on Havanna, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War, and more).
Following the demo album, the show began to get developed through a set of early development readings including an industry lab at the
Roundabout Theatre Company.
From there, BONNIE & CLYDE had its world premiere run in San Diego, CA in 2009 at the
La Jolla Playhouse. Under the direction and choreography of Jeff Calhoun, the cast was led by….
Laura Osnes as “Bonnie Parker”,
Melissa van der Schyff as “Blanche Barrow”,
and
The San Diego production was well received by early critics. It also took home 5 San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Awards that same year.
With the San Diego run’s success, the creative team knew there was still that extra work that needed to be done. The following year of 2010, BONNIE & CLYDE had a 2nd Pre-Broadway tryout in Sarasota, Florida at the
Asolo Repertory Theatre. Majority of the cast was the team with the exception of Jeremy Jordan replacing Stark Sands as “Clyde Barrow”.
The Sarasota run was a smash giving the show the Green Light of hitting our New York Theater scene.
Finally in the Fall of 2011, BONNIE & CLYDE made its Broadway debut at the Gerald Schonefeld Theatre. However, the critics were mixed to negative. In addition, ticket sales were extremely poor causing it to abruptly close after 4 weeks. The Broadway production ran for 33 previews and 36 regular performances.
Despite the show flopping, BONNIE & CLYDE went on to received a huge cult following. It was nominated for 2
Tony Awards in 2012 for BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Laura Osnes) and BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (for Frank Wildhorn and Don Black). It was also nominated for 5
Drama Desk Awards including OUTSTANDING MUSICAL. With the Awards, it lost all of its categories.
As always, there is a life for musicals after Broadway. Following its short time, BONNIE & CLYDE went on to launch productions around the world. It has been performed in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere.
We cannot wait for Laura and Jeremy to head overseas celebrating 10 years of this incredible cult musical classic.
