THRILLIFYING NEWS FOR ALL OUR FRIENDS IN THE UK: The West End company of the smash hit WICKED The Musical will be welcoming an exciting lineup of new cast members to THE MERRY OLD LAND OF OZ.
Beginning July 22nd, 2019 at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre, the new cast change will consist of…
Helen Woolf taking on the role of the POPULAR and bubbly blonde gal "Glinda" (a role she previously played on the UK & Ireland Touring company),
Nikki Bentley taking on the role of the green faced smart, fiery, misunderstood, and not so Wicked Witch of the West herself "Elphaba" (a role she previously played on the UK & Ireland Touring company),
Kim Ismay (alumni of the UK & Ireland Touring company) as the mischievous headmistress and sorcerer " Madame Morrible",
Idriss Karagbo as the adorable mere munchkin "Boq" (a role he previously played on the West End and made WICKED history as the first actor of Color to play the role),
Simeon Truby as the caring history teaching goat himself "Doctor Dillamond"
and Carina Gillespie rolling in the wheelchair as the Wicked Witch of the East herself "Nessarose" (a role she previously played on the UK & Ireland Tour).
WICKED, the West End and Broadway musical sensation that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, has announced that Nikki Bentley and Helen Woolf will lead the new London cast as Elphaba and Glinda respectively, alongside the previously announced Alistair Brammer as Fiyero, from Mond…
BREAKING NEWS: The announcement has been revealed of all the presenters for this year's 73rd Annual Tony Awards. Sharing the stage alongside host James Corden and the cast of some of this season's nominated shows that will be presenting Awards and Musical Numbers will include….
Had a fun day with some super BOHEMIANS from Jolly Old London, England on our INSPIRATION OF RENT Walking Tour. They are seeing numerous shows during their stay. .
WHAT'S UP BROADWAY FANS?! We are just 11 DAYS AWAY till Broadway's biggest night of the year, the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. Are you ready for another big Broadway number on our TOP 40 TONY AWARDS COUNTDOWN? Here it comes!!
At # 11 on our countdown, we take you back in time to New York City in the year 1922 where a small town girl moves to the big city to live in the "modern" flapper lifestyle, have a successful career, and unexpectedly finds love. This is Thoroughly Modern Millie. With music by Tony winner Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris. the show is based on the acclaimed 1967 film of the same name (which several songs from the original film were also in the show).
From the 2002 telecast, Tony winner Sutton Foster in her breakout performance as "Millie Dillimount" and the cast perform a medley of the showstopping Act 2 opener FORGET ABOUT THE BOY before the full cast comes on to perform the finale reprise of the show's title song.
THOROGHLY MODERN MILLIE was originally conceived in 1999 by Tony winner Michael Mayer. Following 3 years and readings and workshops, the show had it's world premiere run at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California in 2001.
FUN FACT: Originally Kristin Chenoweth was cast to play "Millie" following having created the role in the readings and workshops. However, she dropped out due to work on her short lived NBC sitcom KRISTIN. Broadway veteran Erin Dilly replaced Chenoweth for the world premiere run. However prior to the first preview performance, Dilly got extremely sick and dropped out of the show. Meanwhile Sutton Foster (originally cast in the Ensemble and served as Dilly's understudy) was plucked from the chorus to the starring role. From there, Foster wowed the sold out crowd and a star was born.
The show officially arrived on Broadway in 2002 at the Marquis Theatre for 935 performances total. Under the direction of Michael Mayer and choreography by Rob Ashford, the cast starred….
Sutton Foster (later Tony nominee Susan Egan) as "Millie Dillimount",
Tony and Olivier Award winner Gavin Creel (later future Tony winner Christian Borle) as "Jimmy Smith",
The musical was nominated for 11 Tony Awards that year winning 6 including Best Musical and Best Leading Actress in a Musical (which became the first ever for Sutton Foster).
Following the success of it's original run on Broadway, the show went on to become a worldwide hit. Today, the show is a popular choice for schools, community, and regional theatres everywhere.
Doesn't this show make you want to Charleston and tap your stuff?!!
FETCH NEWS: The Jimmy Awards winner from this past year Renee Rapp is going under an exciting transformation Broadway Wannabe to Broadway's QUEEN BEE! The 19 year old native actress from Charlotte, North Carolina will be making her Broadway debut in the smash hit Mean Girls succeeding the show's original Tony nominated star Taylor Louderman in the role of North Shore's most popular bad girl and leader of THE PLASTICS herself "Regina George".
Rapp will first join the cast for a 3 1/2 week engagement 8 times a week at the August Wilson Theatre from June 7th – 26th, 2019 while Louderman heads off for St. Louis, MI to reprise her previous Broadway credit as "Lauren" in Kinky Boots The Musical. Louderman will then return in June 27th, 2019 for a final summer run at Mean Girls on Broadway as she officially ends her contract with the show September 8th, 2019. From there starting September 10th, 2019, Rapp will become the official fulltime "Regina George".
FUN FACT: Rapp is one of the many Charlottean actresses to go from The National High School Musical Theatre Award (nicknamed The Jimmy Awards) to Broadway. She joins the lineup alongside Eva Noblezada who just received her 2nd Tony nomination for this year's hottest ticket Hadestown and who was also seen in the 25th Anniversary West End and Broadway revivals of Miss Saigon – Musical. Another recipient of The Jimmy's is original Mean Girls on Broadway heartthrob Kyle Selig (who plays "Aaron Samuels").
Congrats Renee on landing your Broadway Debut!! Hard work really pays off.
Renee Rapp, winner of the Best Actress Award at the 2018 National High School Musical Theatre Awards (commonly known as the Jimmy Awards), will make her Broadway debut as 'Regina George' in Mean Girls!
