NYBT TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN: # 22 – WONDERFUL TOWN

See the source image
See the source image
GOOD MORNING BROADWAY FANS!! New York’s MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET is just 22 DAYS AWAY. We got more of your favorite legendary Broadway musical numbers coming your way on our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. This is getting us all excited to ring in the holiday season with The 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is continuing to make us feel great as we celebrate the triumphant return of Broadway after a rough shutdown. Here comes another showstopper.
At # 22 on our countdown, we take you deep in the heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village in the year of 1935. It tells the tale of 2 sisters from Ohio with big aspirations and dreams…. One sister is witty, awkward, and very resourceful with determination of being a writer. The other is that sweet, adorable, optimistic, and dreamy girl who wants to become an actress. This is their life in that…. Wonderful Town. The show features a legendary score by Leonard Bernstein along with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It features a book Joseph A. Fields’s and Jerome Chodorov adapted from their real life previous play entitled MY SISTER EILEEN (which came based off of real life stories from the musical’s real-life character Ruth McKenney).
From the 2004 NBC Telecast, Brooke Shields as the witty and knowledgeable “Ruth McKenney” gets a side job promoting one of the hottest night clubs in Greenwich Village getting the company introduced to the latest jazz rage of them all. Here they are performing the toe-tapping SWING.
WONDERFUL TOWN had its world premiere run in 1952 in Philadelphia at the Forrest Theatre. Just several months later, heading into the following year of 1953, it premiered at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre where it ran for 559 performances. Under the direction of George Abbott and choreographed by Donald Saddler, the cast was led by….
Rosalind Russell (later Carol Channing) as “Ruth Sherwood”,
Edie Adams as “Eileen Sherwood”,
George Gaynes as “Robert “Bob” Baker”,
Cris Alexander as “Frank Lippencott”,
And more.
It was nominated and won 5 all of its Tony categories that year including BEST MUSICAL, BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Rosalind Russell), and BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (for Donald Saddler). In addition, Edie Adams was the recipient for the Theatre World Awards.
With the success of its Broadway run, the show would go on to debut overseas a year later in London’s West End playing the Prince’s Theatre (now the Shaftesbury Theatre) for only 207 performances. Interestingly, when it was revived there in 1983, it ran for over a year getting an Olivier Awards nomination as BEST NEW MUSICAL (even though it’s mainly considered as revival). However, it lost the category.
WONDERFUL TOWN would find its way back to the Big Apple in 2000. It originally was performed as a semi-staged concert production at New York City Center part of its ENCORES series. The production did so well, it took the creative team 2 years to expand the staging into a full length production marking it as the first Broadway revival. This Broadway transfer would not happen until 2003 playing the Al Hirschfeld Theatre for 16 previews and 497 regular performances. Under the direction and choreography by Kathleen Marshall, this revival cast was led by…
Donna Murphy (later Brooke Shields) as “Ruth Sherwood”,
Jennifer Westfield (later Jennifer Hope Wills) as “Eileen Sherwood”,
Greg Edelman as “Robert “Bob” Baker”,
Peter Benson as “Frank Lippencott”,
And more.
This revival of WONDERFUL TOWN was nominated for 4 Tony Awards including BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL, It would only go on to win for BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (for Kathleen Marshall), It also received several Drama Desk Award wins including OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS (for Donna Murphy). Plus, Jennifer Westfield was the recipient for the Theatre World Award.
Along with its success on stage, WONDERFUL TOWN was only captured on camera once. In 1958, the musical was made into a live televised production on CBS. Under the direction of Mel Herbert plus staying true to the original stage production’s creative team, this cast was led by….
Rosalind Russell reprising her performance as “Ruth Sherwood”,
Jacquelyn McKeever as “Eileen Sherwood”,
Sydney Chaplin as “Robert “Bob” Baker”,
Cris Alexander reprising his performance as “Frank Lippencott”,
And more.
Today, WONDERFUL TOWN continues to be played around the world in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere.
How jazzy was that performance?!!!

NYBT TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN – #23: LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL

See the source image

See the source image

OMIGOD BROADWAY FANS!! Live Theater back along with fans gathering around to experience New York’s MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET is just 23 DAYS AWAY. The 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is almost here. To get us in the mood of how amazing this parade has continued to give the Theater community so much love, we just want to give super SNAPS to our friends at New York Broadway Tours as they continue their TOP 30 TONY AWARDS COUNTDOWN. They got an iconic Broadway number that we can ALL relate to bursting into song and dance.
At # 23 on the countdown, we get to know the life of a certain popular UCLA fashion icon and Sorority President who follows her Harvard Law School boyfriend just to win him back by becoming a fellow lawyer. On the way, she discovers more about herself and learns to be true to the way she is no matter what people think. This is Legally Blonde. Based on the book by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name, the musical features a score by husband and wife composing duo Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe along with a book by Heather Hach.
From the 2007 NBC Telecast, Tony Award nominee Laura Bell Bundy as “Elle Woods” and the cast stalk Dean of Harvard Law in Herald Square to show the world that “Elle” is SERIOUS and the right material for the Law School in the show stopping number…. Very appropriate for a parade since there’s a Marching Band and a cheerleading squad in it…… WHAT YOU WANT.
FUN FACT ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE: As you might notice, the cast are wearing their show T-Shirts instead of their usual costumes they wear in the show 8 times a week. Around that time of the parade, Broadway shows were actually shut down but very briefly due to that year’s Stagehands Union Strike.
LEGALLY BLONDE was developed through early readings and workshops labs around 2004 and 2005. It would have its world premiere out-of-town run in San Francisco, LEGALLY BLONDE arrived at Broadway’s Palace Theatre in 2007 running for 30 previews and 595 regular performances. Under the direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell, the cast was led by….
Tony nominee Laura Bell Bundy (later Bailey Hanks) as “Elle Woods”,
2 time Tony winner Christian Borle as “Emmett Forrest”,
Richard H. Blake as “Warner Huntington III”,
Tony nominee Orfeh as “Paulette”
Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle as “Vivienne”,
Tony winner Michael Rupert as “Professor Callahan”,
Nikki Snelson (later Nicolette Hart) as “Brooke Wyndham”,
future Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford (later Haven Burton and Kate Rockwell) as “Margot”,
DeQuina Moore (later Asmeret Ghebremichael) as “Pilar”,
Leslie Kritzer (later Tracy Jai Edwards) as “Serena”,
and
Olivier winner and 2 time Tony nominee Andy Karl as “Kyle”.
The show earned mixed reviews but still went on to be nominated for 7 Tony Awards in 2007 including BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Laura Bell Bundy) and BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (for Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin). But it lost all it’s categories.
Following its Broadway run, the show went on to become an International hit across North America, London’s West End (where it took home glory at the Olivier Awards for BEST NEW MUSICAL), Australia, and more.
During its run on Broadway, LEGALLY BLONDE made history as the first Broadway show ever filmed for MTV. It featured a whole performance of the show filmed in front of an invited audience all dressed in pink and hosted by Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge, and Whitney Eve Port from the MTV show The Hills. It featured an entire performance of the show plus behind the scenes footage.
Following the success of the MTV performance, the channel continued to support the show by presenting a reality casting TV show to help search for a newcomer leading lady to replace Laura Bell Bundy as “Elle Woods”. It was called perfectly enough LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL: THE SEARCH FOR ELLE WOODS. The winner was Bailey Hanks who played the role for the remainder of the run. The series was hosted by Haylie Duff (who also served as mentor of the aspiring “Elle’s”). In addition, they were judged and critiqued by the show’s casting director Bernard Telsey of Telsey & Company Casting, the show’s book writer Heather Hach, and LEGALLY BLONDE Ensemble member Paul Canaan. Each episode featured the girls in an intense callback boot camp learning material from the show, acting exercises, being mentored, and performing with members of the cast. At the end of each episode, the 3 weakest “Elle Woods” wannabes were sent to the casting office where the panel would determine who would continue and be eliminated. Some of the runner-up’s for the role of “Elle” who were eliminated went on to even better Broadway successes including…
Autumn Hurlbert (who ended up appearing in the Ensemble and understudied “Elle” and recently seen as “Portia” on the tour of Something Rotten),
Lena Hall (Tony winner for HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH),
Lauren Zakrin (Broadway’s Rock of Ages and The Great Comet),
Cassie Okenka (currently in Broadway’s School of Rock),
Rachel Potter (Broadway’s The Addams Family, the recent revival of Evita, and TV’s The X Factor),
and more.
Today, LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL continues to be performed in schools, regional, and community theaters everywhere.
How fabulous was that performance?

DELICIOUS NEWS: Broadway favorite Desi Oakley (Broadway’s WICKED The Musical, Les Mis

DELICIOUS NEWS: Broadway favorite Desi Oakley (Broadway’s WICKED The Musical, Les Miserables – Musical, and recently seen as “Roxie Hart” in Chicago The Musical) is set to rejoins the National Touring production of the Tony and Grammy nominated smash hit Waitress the Musical for its final engagement…

More



Love our posts? Click here to follow us on Facebook!

Wanna Book a Tour? Click here!

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL NEWS: As previously announced beginning June 27th, 2019, Gramm

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL NEWS: As previously announced beginning June 27th, 2019, Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton will make her Broadway Debut taking on the lead role of "Carole King" in the Tony and Grammy winning smash hit Beautiful – The Carole King Musical for a 10 week engagement at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

The production's longest running leading lady Chilina Kennedy played her final performance after over 2,000 performances this past Sunday, June 9th, 2019 (same day of the Tony Awards) before kicking off the National Tour of last year's Tony winning smash hit The Band's Visit later this month.

Currently during the interim before Carlton's first performance, the role of the iconic Grammy winning singer-songwriter will be rotated by the show's 2 incredible understudies who truly are NATURAL WOMEN themselves….

Elena Ricardo (Fresh from the National Tour of BEAUTIFUL and known as Broadway's closing "Sophie" in MAMMA MIA!)

and

Sara Sheperd (The show's Dance Captain and Swing who has been with BEAUTIFUL since DAY 1 and previously appeared on Broadway in Cry-Baby)

Break a leg Elena, Sara, and Vanessa!!!
Happy Trails Chilina!!!

Who is excited for some incredible talents FEELING THE EARTH MOVE?



Love our posts? Click here to follow us on Facebook!

Wanna Book a Tour? Click here!

Bend It Like Beckham musical taps Toronto for North American debut | CBC News

BREAKING NEWS: Things are about to become GIRL PERFECT as Bend It Like Beckham The Musical is finally making its way to North America later this year. The show will premiere there in Toronto, Canada playing the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts' Bluma Appel Theatre from December 7th – 24th, 2019.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is a musical adaptation of the acclaimed 2002 British romantic comedy film of the same name. It tells the story a British teenager who faces the disapproval of her Punjabi Sikh parents in pursuing her dream of playing soccer (Football in the UK). The show features a score by Howard Goodall, lyrics by Charles Hart, and a book by Gurinder Chadha, OBE (who wrote, produced, and directed the original film and the musical).

The musical premiered in London's West End at the Phoenix Theatre running for only 9 months. Under the direction of Gurinder Chadha, the cast featured…

Natalie Dew as "Jess",

Lauren Samuels as "Jules"

Jamie Campbell Bower as "Joe",

Sophie-Louise DANN as "Paula",

Preeya Kalidas (previously from the original film) as "Pinky".

and more.

It was nominated for 5 Olivier Awards in 2016 including Best New Musical but lost all the catagories.

Who is excited?

Bend It Like Beckham musical taps Toronto for North American debut | CBC News

A musical adaptation of the girl-power soccer film Bend It Like Beckham is set to make its North American premiere in Toronto this winter.

Love our posts? Click here to follow us on Facebook!

Wanna Book a Tour? Click here!