HELLO THERE BROADWAY FANS! We are just 13 DAYS AWAY till Broadway's biggest night of the year, the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. To keep ourselves warmed up and entertained, we are waking you up each morning some of Broadway's Greatest hits on our TOP 40 TONY AWARDS COUNTDOWN. Here comes another Broadway toe-tapper! . At # 13 on our countdown, we travel back in time to New York City in 1959 where 2 sleazy Broadway producers try to make money by putting on the worst possible show ever in Broadway history. This is of course the madcap musical comedy 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 2001 telecast, Tony winners Nathan Lane as "Max Bialystok", Matthew Broderick as "Leo Bloom", Cady Huffman as "Ulla", the late Gary Beach as "Roger De Bris", and Roger Bart as "Carmen Ghia", along with Tony nominee Brad Oscar as "Franz Liepkind", and members of the original cast gear up for the long awaited opening night of the show that is trying to be a great big Broadway flop SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER in the musical's Act 1 finale number ALONG CAME BIALY.
THE PRODUCRS 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 1999 that he should write a full musical version of his own film. 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 which is the film's iconic song and of course is a showstopper in the musical). He also got 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 which Stroman continued to take on full leadership and director and choreographer by herself. The musical took 2 years to develop.
Following a triumphant world premiere tryout in Chicago, the officially opened on the Great White Way in 2001 at the St. James Theatre for an incredible run of 2,502 performances on Broadway. Under the direction of Susan Stroman, the cast starred…
Brad Oscar (later Jim Borstellmann, John Treacy Egan, Peter Samuel, and Bill Nolte) as "Franz Liepkind",
and more.
The show grossed more than $3 million following it's opening night. Lines for standing room and tickets would go all the way around the corner (literally like what Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and Hadestown is like today). However, when Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick departed, the ticket sales started to go down. However, both actors returned to the show in 2004 for a limited 5 month engagement.
THE PRODUCERS was nominated for a recording breaking 15 Tony Awards that very same year. It went on to win a recording breaking 12 including Best Musical.
Following it's Broadway run, the show went on to be a worldwide hit in London's West End, across America, and around the world. Plus, productions of the show are still happening today in schools, community, and regional theatres around the world.
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) However, the only 2 major cast changes that were in the film only. With Stroman recreating her direction and staging on film, the cast starred…
Tony winners Nathan Lane reprising his Broadway performance as "Max Bialystotck",
Matthew Broderick reprising his Broadway performance as "Leo Bloom",
WHAT'S HAPPENING BROADWAY FANS?! We are only 14 DAYS AWA till Broadway's biggest night of the year, the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. We have more spectacular toe-tapping performances coming your way on our TOP 30 TONY AWARDS countdown. Get ready because this next one is truly one of the best.
At # 14 on our countdown, we travel back in time to NYC in the year 1899 during the historical time of the Newsboys Strike. This is of course Disney's acclaimed smash hit Newsies. With a score by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and a book by Harvey Fierstein. It's based on the cult 1992 Disney film of the same name.
From the 2012 telecast, Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan as the rebellious leader "Jack Kelly" and the company perform a medley of ONCE AND FOR ALL and the show's showstopping anthem SEIZE THE DAY.
NEWSIES initially was a huge box office flop when the original 1992 film was released. However, following numerous airings on the Disney Channel and because Disney was already getting success with Broadway, fans of the cult film petitioned it to be translated into a stage musical. Alan Menken and the Disney team decided to give it a shot.
The show originally premiered at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011 which was sold out. Because of the overwhelming response, it officially the show finally arrived on Broadway in 2012 playing the Nederlander Theatre for a complete total of 1,005 performances. The Broadway run was originally supposed to be a limited run. However thanks to it selling out and people were dying to see it, the team decided to have the show as an open ended before ending its official run in 2014. Under the direction of Jeff Calhoun and choreography by Christopher Gattelli, the cast starred…
The show was nominated for 8 Tony Awards in 2012 winning only 2 for Best Original Score (for Alan Menken) and Best Choreography (for Christopher Gattelli).
Following it's Broadway run, the show embarked on an acclaimed 2 year North American National Tour. Towards the end of the tour, the final stop in LA was captured on film for a theatrical release from Disney and Fathom Events release and available now on Amazon. The filmed performance was at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. With Jeff Calhoun and Christopher Gattelli board, the filmed performance featured majority of the original cast from Broadway reprising their roles joined on stage with several of the tour cast members including…
Currently, the licensing is now available for all FANSIES to put on their own productions of NEWSIES worldwide. Productions are being played everywhere from Schools, Community, and Regional Theaters all over.
Doesn't this show make you wanna join in the fight?!!
This past Sunday, Disney’s Award winning smash hit Aladdin – The Musical celebrated its 5th Anniversary on the Great White Way. During that big birthday milestone performance at the New Amsterdam Theatre, the audience was treated to a unique encore in Agrabah like no other. 5 actors past and present…
Last night, members of the Broadway company of the Tony and Grammy winning smash hit Beautiful – The Carole King Musical took a field trip to LA and perform on America’s Got Talent 2018. Check out the show’s current leading lady Abby Mueller performing a medley of some of your favorite songs from the show including ON BROADWAY, NATURAL WOMAN, and I FEEL THE EARTH.
If you loved the performance, be sure to catch this beloved SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL show 8 times a week at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
How amazing was that performance?
WOW. The cast of “Beautiful” stunned the audience with this medley. To see the musical in a city near you, visit beautifulonbroadway.com ? Get The America’s …
IT’S THE RUMOR, THE LEGEND, THE MYSTERY! The smash hit Anastasia The Musical is gearing up to launch several upcoming International sit-down productions everywhere.
To get us excited, check out this ALL NEW MUSIC VIDEO of THE 4 INTERNATIONAL ANYAS performing a medley of one of the new songs written for the musical IN MY DREAMS and the Oscar nominated JOURNEY TO THE PAST.
THE 4 INTERNATIONAL ANYAS are…
Christy Altomare (The Original and Current Broadway “Anya at the Broadhurst Theatre),
Lila Patterson Coogan (Previously seen on the Great White Way as “Jane Banks in Mary Poppins – The Musical, she will play “Anya” on the upcoming first National Tour launching in Schenectady, NY starting October 9th, 2018 before traveling all across North America),
Jana G?mez (She will play “Anya” IN SPANISH opening up the first ever European production in Madrid, Spain starting October 4th, 2018 at the Coliseum Theatre),
and Judith Caspari (She will play “Anya” IN GERMAN opening up the show in Stuttgart, Germany starting November 13th, 2018 at the Stage Palladium Theater).
Tissues out.
Break a leg to the new ANYAS opening the new productions of ANASTASIA. Make this show HOLD THE KEY TO YOUR HEART.
How amazing are they?!!
Four Anya?s come together to perform a special medley of ?In My Dreams? and ?Journey to the Past,? featuring Jana G?mez (Spain), Lila Coogan (North American …
