Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner

[aradia22]

Quote

Today, Tuesday, August 15 at 6:15pm, the producers of the Olivier Award-winning Best New MusicalGroundhog Day, which opened on Broadway to critical acclaim this spring, announced that the show will end its run at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street) on Sunday, September 17, following 176 performances and 32 previews.

An 18-month National Tour has been scheduled starting next year and details of a London production will be announced soon.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-Farewell-Phil--GROUNDHOG-DAY-Will-Play-Final-Broadway-Performance-This-September-20170815

They're dropping like flies! Great Comet, Bandstand, Groundhog Day. I'm expecting War Paint any day now.

Edited August 16, 2017 by aradia22

[aradia22]

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/189432/broadways-once-on-this-island-finds-its-ti-moune-in-young-star-hailey-kilgore/

[aradia22]

Quote

Producer Hal Luftig announced today that Mark Medoff's landmark play,Children of a Lesser God, will return to Broadway this spring for the first time since its Tony Award-winning premiere production. Starring Joshua Jacksonand introducing Lauren Ridloff, both making their Broadway debuts, and directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, Children of a Lesser God will begin performances at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street) on Thursday, March 22nd. Opening night is set for Wednesday, April 11, 2018.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CHILDREN-OF-A-LESSER-GOD-to-Open-on-Broadway-This-Spring-20170815-facebook

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Little Mermaid tour is being criticized because Diana Huey, the actress playing Ariel, is not white

Quote

One journalist from a southern publication asked [director Glenn Casale] how it felt to be "saddled" with a non-white actor in the role of Ariel. "Saddled?" he responded, "I cast her!"

[H]e cast Huey in the role for one simple reason: She was the best singer.

Joe Bologna dies at age 82

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lin-Manuel Miranda demonstrates his childhood dance moves:

[aradia22]

Quote

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, by special arrangement with Jeffrey Finn, has announced casting for the world-premiere production of the new musical comedy The Honeymooners, based on the CBS television series, with book by Dusty Kay and Bill Nuss, music by Stephen Weiner, and lyrics by Peter Mills.

This world-premiere musical features direction from Tony Award-winner John Rando, choreography by Emmy Award-winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction and vocal arrangements by Remy Kurs. Performances are set to begin Thursday, September 28, 2017, for a limited run through Sunday, October 29, 2017, at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive) in Millburn, NJ.

The principal cast will feature Tony Award winner Michael McGrath as Ralph Kramden, Michael Mastro as Ed Norton, Leslie Kritzer as Alice Kramden, and Tony Award nominee Laura Bell Bundy as Trixie Norton, with Lewis Cleale as Bryce Bennett, Lewis J. Stadlen as Old Man Faciamatta, and David Wohl as Allen Upshaw.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Michael-McGrath-Michael-Mastro-Leslie-Kritzer-and-Laura-Bell-Bundy-to-Headline-THE-HONEYMOONERS-at-Paper-Mill-Playhouse-20170815

[Silver Raven]

There was a play a while back that was about taping of an episode of The Honeymooners, and it included an entire scene from the original series (played by the actors in the play).  I saw it when it came to wherever I was living at the time, and it was decent.  The producers of the series sued and got it canned.

[Rinaldo]

On 8/13/2017 at 11:06 PM, Silver Raven said:

Today's Sacramento Music Circus was Damn Yankees...

Jason Graahe as Mr. Applegate.  He was SOOOOO good. ...

Lynne Wintersteller as Meg.  She was Dolly in Hello, Dolly last year, and she is sooo good in both....

I've seen Jason Graae [that's how he spells it, BTW, and it's pronounced Grah, which I mention only because I didn't know it myself for several years after I became a fan] a number of times in years past -- often in special concerts of old reconstructed musicals like Babes in Arms. And I enjoyed him on recordings of similar material like Annie Get Your Gun and Strike Up the Band. He's popped up on TV on occasion, too. He's always marvelous, and I'm only sorry that we no longer seem to see him in the East.

Lynne Wintersteller... I adore her, and wish I could have seen that Dolly. I did see her in Closer Than Ever and A Grand Night for Singing, both of which she recorded, and Music in the Air and Company, which she didn't. An immense pleasure to encounter in anything, any time.

[Silver Raven]

Lynne is going to be the Reverend Mother in the next production, Sister Act.

@Rinaldo it looks like Jason will be in Cleveland in October - http://jasongraae.com/schedule/

[Rinaldo]

Great, that's only a nine-hour drive for me!

[Milburn Stone]

3 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

@Rinaldo it looks like Jason will be in Cleveland in October - http://jasongraae.com/schedule/

I see on that site that he and Faith Prince are going to be at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre on September 27 in Ashland, OR. I was just in Ashland! (Does that count?)

[dbklmt]

4 hours ago, Milburn Stone said:

I see on that site that he and Faith Prince are going to be at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre on September 27 in Ashland, OR. I was just in Ashland! (Does that count?)

They're also scheduled for the Broadway Cabaret series at UC-Irvine at the Barclay Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018 and I've got my season tickets so I can see them both again. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A special California Ham4Ham performance with Lin-Manuel, Alex Lacamoire, and some of the Hamiltour cast:

https://youtu.be/bWeL5n0KDx0

ETA: Sorry, the video won't embed!

Edited August 17, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[LADreamr]

I was too far back to see/hear most of it, but it was a thrill to finally get to see a Ham4Ham.  And the quick glimpse of Daveed was a nice extra, too. I finally got to see the show last Friday (the first preview night), and it was as amazing as I had hoped.  I wasn't going to post about it, because I know for most people here, Hamilton is very old news, but I'd been trying to experience it for two years, and to finally be there was incredibly and deeply moving.  Hoping to see it at least one more time before it leaves LA.  Just wanted to share that with people I felt would get it.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@LADreamr don't be silly! Feel free to post about Hamilton as much as you like. Not everyone lives in New York so of course not everyone got to see it two years ago.  Now that the show is touring, so many more people will finally get to see it and I personally welcome al of those reactions no matter how many years later it happens. No matter how many times you watch videos or listen to soundtracks, seeing a show live is such a different experience! 

Are they doing a digital lottery for the LA shows? If so, enter every day. I never won but I know several people who got tickets to the SF show through the lottery. You probably have a better chance of winning in LA because they have a set number of seats to give away at each show. At the SF show, they didn't have the two front rows for the lottery winners so they were just raffling off random seats (sometimes not together if you won two tickets, and some of them were obstructed view seats off in the corners).

[LADreamr]

Thanks, @ElectricBoogaloo <3. Oh yes, I live on the app, checking in with the lottery.  Good to hear there's hope with that. :)

One of the wonderful things about being at Ham4Ham, was being surrounded by so many other people who were caught up in this.  I don't have many friends who are into it, so to be immersed in a sea of people who are, was a beautiful, communal kind of thing.  I only wish the way it was set up, would have allowed more of us to see and hear them better.  We had been there waiting for hours, and still could barely see anything.  But I did get a quick glimpse of Lin and Daveed, and as they're my favorite people involved, I'll take it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Crosswalk the Musical: Hair with Lin-Manuel Miranda:

[ebk57]

The stagehand walking out at the end and throwing the roses down on the ground during the bows was great.

[aradia22]

Quote

Tony winner O’Hara will appear in the staged readings of Superhero, featuring music and lyrics by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt and a book by Red Tony winner John Logan. The musical tells the story of a grieving widow named Charlotte and her teenage son Simon. As they cope with loss, an unlikely friendship with a man in their building gives them a sense of renewed hope.

In addition to O’Hara, the cast will feature Snyder, Erik Altemus, Phoenix Best, Kasie Gasparini, Frankie Gonzalez, Danielle Lee Greaves, John Herrera, Kyle McArthur, Mary Mattison, and Dimitri Moise.

Readings of Superhero, under the direction of Jason Moore, will be held July 8, 9, 12, and 14.

Catching up on On Stage on NY1. Missed this one since I don't read all the articles on the theater sites anymore. 

http://www.playbill.com/article/kelli-ohara-set-for-reading-of-new-tom-kitt-musical-at-the-eugene-oneill-theater-center

[aradia22]

Quote

BroadwayWorld has just learned that a production of Eugene O'Neill's THE ICEMAN COMETH will play the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre beginning March 22nd, 2018. The production's opening night is currently set for April 26, 2018.

George C. Wolfe will direct the Scott Rudin produced revival. The production is a limited 14 week engagement.

Not actually in the body of the article (as of this post) but apparently Denzel Washington will star. 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Denzel-Washington-Led-THE-ICEMAN-COMETH-Coming-to-Broadway-This-Spring-20170820

[bosawks]

Did the new pre-sale process for Hamilton to get seats for my mom, cousin and brother's family.  It worked really smoothly and I was able to get 7 orchestra tickets at face value all together, tickemaster fees still a killer though.

But I am now officially a hero to my family!!!

[aradia22]

Quote

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, in association with Cecilia Lin and Hu Guo, has announced the cast and creative team of The New York premiere of the musical Desperate Measures, with book and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Anna Karenina) and music by David Friedman (Scandalous).

Directed and choreographed by Bill Castellino (Marry Harry, Cagney) and with music direction by David Hancock Turner (The World Will Not Contain Us), the six-member cast will feature Emma Degerstedt (The Little Mermaid) as Susanna/Sister Mary Jo, Gary Marachek (Camelot) as Father Morse, Lauren Molina (Rock of Ages) as Bella Rose, Conor Ryan (john and jen) as Johnny Blood, Peter Saide (Skin Tight) as Sheriff Green, and Nick Wyman (Les Misérables) as Governor von Richterhenkenpflichtgetruber.

The limited engagement of Desperate Measures begins Tuesday, September 19, 2017 continuing through Sunday, October 15, 2017 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is Sunday evening, October 1, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.

In 1890, in a territory out West, Johnny Blood, a hot-tempered young cowboy is sentenced to hang for killing a man in a bar fight. His sister, a novice nun in a nearby mission, is persuaded to plead with a corrupt governor to spare her brother's life. The governor promises to pardon Johnny if his sister, the Sister, will 'do his bidding' for the night. Adding to the humorous complications are a hard-bitten sheriff, a voluptuous saloon girl and a priest who reads Nietzsche.

The York Theatre Company opens its 2017-18 Season with Desperate Measures, the foot-stompin', knee-slappin' new musical with a nod to Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. It's funny, it's sexy, it's country, and it's a New York premiere with music by award-winning composer David Friedman and book and lyrics by two-time Tony nominee Peter Kellogg.

"The York Theatre is delighted to announce its first Mainstage production of the 2017-18 Season, Desperate Measures," stated James Morgan, York Producing Artistic Director. "We have gotten to know and love it over the last year, having hosted it in two presentations -- and we couldn't be more excited. It's the perfect season opener: smart, tuneful, funny, and extremely touching. We hope you will join us for this hilarious new musical comedy!"

Any thoughts on this? It could be a fun parody/send off or it could be dumb and offensive. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Emma-Degerstedt-Conor-Ryan-Lauren-Molina-and-More-to-Lead-DESPERATE-MEASURES-at-York-Theatre-Company-Cast-Creatives-Set-20170821

[aradia22]

Quote

59E59 Theaters has announced the line-up of shows for Fall 2017. Single tickets for the Fall 2017 season go on sale on September 12 at Noon for the general public with a special pre-sale available for 59E59 Members beginning on September 6 at Noon.

October 22 - October 29
DOLORES CLAIBORNE composed by Tobias Picker, libretto by J.D. McClatchy, conducted by Pacien Mazzagatti, directed by Michael Capasso
With a cast TBA
Produced by New York City Opera
Tickets: $25-$75 ($25-$49 for 59E59 Members)

Hailed at its premiere by Opera News as 'a significant new work... a triumph for all concerned,' the impact of Stephen King's psychodrama is heightened in this intimate, new adaptation of Tobias Picker's opera. New York City Opera Principal Conductor Pacien Mazzagatti leads the production.

November 8 - November 26
TOYS: A Dark Fairy Tale written by Saviana Stanescu, directed by Gabor Tompa
With Tunde Skovran and Julia Ubrankovics
Produced by J.U.S.T. Toys Productions
Tickets: $25 ($20 for 59E59 Members)

Shari was born in a war-torn country, alone and fending for herself; Clara grew up in New York with the best of everything. These two very different characters - who led two very different lives - meet in an explosive encounter and discover a shared secret from their past. This presentation is made possible through the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York.

November 7 - December 17
THE MAD ONES, book, music and lyrics by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, directed by Stephen Brackett
With cast TBD
Produced by Prospect Theater Company
Tickets: $25 - $70 ($25 - $49 for 59E59 Members)

Featuring break-out hit songs "Run Away with Me" and "Say the Word", THE MAD ONES immerses audiences in the complex inner life of Samantha Brown-a young woman on the brink of change. Sitting in her parent's driveway, Samantha faces a choice: will she follow in her mother's footsteps, or take the dare of her impetuous best friend and chart a new path?

November 16 - December 10
THE BRIEFLY DEAD, written by Stephen Kaliski, directed by Elizabeth Ostler
With Mia Aguirre, Kristin Fulton, Paul Hinkes, Ben Kaufman, Sofiya Cheyenne Perez, Katie Proulx, Sarah Wadsley, and Ioanna Zafiropoulos
Produced by Adjusted Realists
Tickets: $25 ($20 for 59E59 Members)

Good news: you actually can bring the love of your life back from the dead! Bad news: breakfast the next morning is really awkward. When it comes to the unexpected resurrection of his beloved wife Alcestis, King Admetos learns the hard way that the aftermath of a miracle ain't as peachy as we might assume. A Doll's House, Part 2 for the Ancient Greek theater, THE BRIEFLY DEAD reinvents a classic play with a sharply contemporary celebration of its powerful heroine returning home to settle the score.

November 28 - December 31
CROSS THAT RIVER book and lyrics by Allan and Pat Harris, music by Allan Harris, directed by Regge Life
With Maya Azucena, Allan Harris, Alan Grubner, Miki Hayama, Seth Johnson, Caroline Leonhart, Jeffery Smith, Shirazette Tinnin, and Jay White
Produced by Love Productions Records
Tickets: $25-$35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members)

The unsettled West of the 1860s provides a new life and new dreams for Blue, a run-away slave, who escapes to Texas to become one of America's first Black Cowboys. This compelling tale of freedom integrates fiction with historical fact, and each song presents a different page in this complicated chapter of American History. The story of Blue begins in Louisiana, and with every song of this highly-infectious score, the audience is moved further along on Blue's harrowing journey across the Sabine River to freedom in the Wild West. Each song tells a unique story, at times joyful, sometimes tragic, but always a poignant chronicle of enduring perseverance.

December 12 - December 31

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Opera-Adaptation-of-Stephen-Kings-DOLORES-CLAIBORNE-on-Tap-for-59E59-Theaters-Fall-Season-20170821

Dolores Claiborne might actually get me to buy a ticket. 59E59 is on papering sites a lot so I'll probably wait on everything else since it could go either way from those descriptions.

Quote

The producers of Broadway's most delicious hit, Waitress, announced today that beginning Tuesday, August 22, the smash musical will offer $40 rush tickets for every performance, available in-person daily at the Brooks Atkinson box office (256 West 47th Street).

A limited number of rush tickets will be available on the day of the performance only. First come, first served. The box office opens at 10am Tuesdays-Saturdays and at Noon on Sundays. Rush tickets are limited to two (2) per person and can be purchased with cash or credit.

Producers also recently announced a new playing schedule:

- For performances 8/22-9/3: Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday-Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday & Saturday at 2pm, Sunday at 3pm

- For performances beginning 9/5: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday at 7pm, Friday-Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday at 2pm

DEAR GOD, YES! https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadways-WAITRESS-to-Kick-Off-In-Person-Rush-Starting-Tomorrow-20170821

[aradia22]

Quote

MasterVoices, a New York-based organization with a focus on classic vocal performance, will kick off its 2017–2018 season with a presentation of George and Ira Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing. Tony nominees Phillipa Soo (Hamilton) and Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder) will star in the November 2 performance at Carnegie Hall, plus a November 4 encore at the Tilles Center at LIU Post.

Pinkham takes on the role of John P. Wintergreen in the 1931 musical, with Soo playing Mary Turner. Joining the two in the cast will be Elizabeth Stanley (On the Town) as Diana Devereaux, Tony nominee David Pittu (The Front Page) as the French Ambassador, and the MasterVoices Chorus and Orchestra.

Any thoughts about this show? I've heard it mentioned before but I know nothing about it. http://www.playbill.com/article/phillipa-soo-and-bryce-pinkham-will-star-in-of-thee-i-sing-as-part-of-mastervoices-20172018-season

Tickets ranging from $20 to $155 will be on sale at Carnegie Hall starting September 11.  Member pre-sale begins August 30.

Edited August 21, 2017 by aradia22

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have been really terrible about talking about the shows I've seen this year so I'm going to try to be better about it! I just saw the national tour of Something Rotten! Three of the closing Broadway cast members are on the tour: Adam Pascal (Rent, Aida) as Shakespeare, Rob McClure (Chaplin, Avenue Q) as Nick, and Josh Grisetti (It Shoulda Been You) as Nigel. Bonus: Rob McClure's wife Maggie Lakis played Nick's wife Bea. The Hamiltour cast also had a couple (Solea Pfeiffer and local theater kid Ryan Vazquez). I always think it's adorable when a couple gets to tour together. Rounding out the main cast were Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde) as Portia and Blake Hammond (Lion King) as Nostradamus.

This is a musical for people who LOVE musicals. There are nonstop references to other musicals in the dialogue, the song lyrics, the music, and the choreography, which made it so fun. The singing was great and I enjoyed the big dance numbers (even though tap isn't my favorite). The show was silly and funny and entertaining.

[Rinaldo]

Rob McClure is always a great asset to a show when properly cast (as in my experience he always has been). I've seen him in 2 Encores! productions (Where's Charley, Irma la Douce), as the protagonist in Honeymoon in Vegas, and as the overworked stage manager Tim in Noises Off. Delightful every time.

[Silver Raven]

I have a ticket for Something Rotten for I think January.  I wonder who will be in the cast. Thanks for the info, @ElectricBoogaloo.

 

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I always think it's adorable when a couple gets to tour together.

I got to see Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and they were really good together.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@Silver Raven the SR tour started in January so under normal circumstances I would guess that they'd be getting ready to change the cast right around the time you're going to see it a year later, BUT this tour is only going through May 2018 so they may have negotiated to keep everyone for the entire length of the tour. They will be in LA for a month (the week of Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve) so my guess is that if anyone leaves the cast, it will be then - right before they come to Sacramento. The only break they have scheduled is the end of March/beginning of April which is too close to the end of the tour to changes casts.

Solea Pfeiffer plays Eliza in the Hamiltour cast and her boyfriend Ryan Vazquez is in the ensemble but he is also an understudy so he got to play Hamilton with her several times while the show was in SF. Since he's a local, he got to have his family come the first time it happened which was adorable. Since then he has also played Burr and Washington, but every time he plays Hamilton with her they get so excited.

 

[aradia22]

Quote

The role of Moses will be played by Diluckshan Jeyaratnam, Jason Gotay co-stars as Ramses. The cast will also feature Brennyn Lark (Tzipporah), Tom Nelis (Pharaoh Seti), Christina Sajous (Queen Tuya), Julia Motyka (Miriam), Will Mann (High Priest Hotep), David Crane(Aaron), Ayelet Firstenberg (Youcheved), Jamila Sabrares-Klemm (Nefertari), Paul-Jordan Jansen (Jethro), and Natalie Schroeder and Alexandra Van De Poel will alternate as Young Miriam.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Jason-Gotay-To-Star-As-Ramses-in-PRINCE-OF-EGYPT-Musical-Full-Casting-Announced-20170823

[ebk57]

@ElectricBoogaloo, I see Something Rotten in February.  Looking forward to it!

 

So, tomorrow, we leave for NY.  Here's the show schedule:

Friday: The Play That Goes Wrong (getting TDF tickets)

Sat Mat: Dear Evan Hanson (sans Ben Platt, but since he's leaving in November and I won't be back, it's either see it now without him, or later without him.  Now works)

Sat Eve:  Hello Dolly!

Sun Mat: War Paint

Tues Eve:  Prince of Broadway

That's more schedule than I'm used to...  I will make an effort to report back before New Years :-)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Damn, that's impressive, @ebk57! High five to you for fully taking advantage of your time in New York and seeing as many shows as you can! Hahaha, I was already thinking about how tired I'm going to be after seeing a night baseball game on a Tuesday night and then a show each night on Wednesday and Thursday. You have me beat by a mile and I'm totally jealous that you're going to see so many awesome shows.

Of course we want to hear what you think of all them afterward, but don't feel pressured to give us reviews of everything right away. It's a lot to take in, especially in such a short amount of time! Heh, if it makes you feel any better, I don't think I've really posted detailed info about most of the shows I saw this year either. Aside from the brief post about Something Rotten, I think I've posted here about maybe two shows out of the approximately ten plays and ten ballets I've seen so far this year. I have tickets to six more plays this year so I'm going to try to be better about posting at least short reviews!

@LADreamr a friend of mine just saw Hamilton in Chicago today and he was gushing about how awesome it was, so I was thinking of you. Never feel bad that you didn't get to see a show until it was on tour! An awesome show is an awesome show regardless of when you get to see it.

[ebk57]

4 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Hahaha, I was already thinking about how tired I'm going to be after seeing a night baseball game on a Tuesday night and then a show each night on Wednesday and Thursday. You have me beat by a mile and I'm totally jealous that you're going to see so many awesome shows.

We were going to see the Staten Island Yankees on Friday night, but my friend came up with the TDF seats, so... 

And, there will be US Open Tennis on Monday afternoon.  Yay!! Not much down-time coming up on this trip.  I'll probably miss my NY Historical Society visit.  Ah well, there's always the January/February trip.

[aradia22]

@ebk57 I'm most interested in your thoughts on Prince of Broadway. I've gathered it's very hit or miss as revues/concerts tend to be but it might be worth it to see Brandon Uranowitz and some of the other numbers. 

Oh, and do report back on Bette's voice. Still deciding between seeing her or seeing Donna.

[LADreamr]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

@LADreamr a friend of mine just saw Hamilton in Chicago today and he was gushing about how awesome it was, so I was thinking of you. Never feel bad that you didn't get to see a show until it was on tour! An awesome show is an awesome show regardless of when you get to see it.

Awww, thank you, @ElectricBoogaloo! <3  I love that whenever I play "My Shot" or "The Room Where It Happens" now, I remember how thrilling it was to watch it performed.  And all the King George parts... and "Burn"...

Sorry.  I could talk for a long time about this. :)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@LADreamr well, you're in the right place so feel free to talk about Hamilton as much as you like!

Was Eliza able to get the letters lit during Burn? When I saw the show in May, the actress couldn't get the paper to catch on fire. When Mr. EB's friend saw the same cast in July, he said the same thing happened! She tried valiantly but it just wouldn't catch. I felt so bad for her because you just can't control things like that. 

[Silver Raven]

Taylor Trensch is taking over the lead role in Dear Evan Hansen in January.

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/189480/taylor-trensch-will-be-found-in-dear-evan-hansen-on-broadway/

Frozen is opening in March.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Show swap! The casts of Aladdin and Miss Saigon sing songs from each other's shows (and other show tunes - lots of Les Mis!) at the Green Room 42.

This was a fundraiser for medical bills Jon Wotell, the husband of Adam Kaokept (who was in the cast of Aladdin and is now in the cast of Miss Saigon). To celebrate completing his Master's degree, Jon decided to bike across the country from New York to Los Angeles. In July, near the end of his trip, he was involved in a hit and run and had to be helicoptered to a hospital. He had internal bleeding, a fractured hip, a ruptured spleen, and several other injuries that required surgery. He has since been moved to a rehab facility in Denver, but is still recovering. If you would like to donate, you can do so here.

Edited August 24, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[JustaPerson]

2 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

Frozen is opening in March.

I'm much too attached to Santino Fontana and Groffsauce's voices (even if Groff doesn't sing much) in the movie to enjoy the new Hans and Kristoff. But like Frozen on broadway.....that's a thing.

[Silver Raven]

It's Jelani Alladin in his Broadway debut, and I don't know him, as Kristoff and John Riddle as Hans.

Jelani has a great voice, though:

Edited August 24, 2017 by Silver Raven

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@ebk57 & @Silver Raven - thought you might enjoy this video about the show creators and tour cast for Something Rotten:

 

I've seen Broadway.com's various web series for Broadway shows but they did one for the touring company of Something Rotten. Rob McClure used an actual camera (not his phone) for most of it so the footage is better than a lot of the ones I've seen for other shows. There are a bunch so I'm putting them under the cut:

Spoiler

Episode 1 (Schenectady & Boston):

Episode 2 (Boston & Pittsburgh):

Episode 3 (Pittsburgh & St. Louis):

Episode 4 (St. Louis):

Episode 5 (Cincinnati):

 

Episode 6 (Tampa):

 

Episode 7 (Tampa & Naples):

Episode 8 (Naples & Fort Lauderdale):

Episode 9 (Durham):

Episode 10 (Durham & Greenville, SC):

 

Episode 11 (Greenville, SC & Baltimore):

Episode 12 (Baltimore & Cleveland):

Episode 13 (Omaha):

 

Episode 14 (Tulsa):

Episode 15 (Tulsa & Austin):

Episode 16 (Austin & Houston):

 

Episode 17 (Houston & Dallas):

 

 

Edited August 24, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[aradia22]

John Riddle has a great voice too. He was in The Visit as the younger version of Anton. I still wish he had red hair in the show to look like Hans. Why do the women wear wigs when the guys don't? Maybe they tried it and it looked terrible on him.

Also, all the Broadway.com vlogs are filmed on cameras.

[ebk57]

One show down, four to go.  Tonight, The Play That Goes Wrong.

The cast was excellent, with special mention to Dave Hearn as Max as Cecil, and Nancy Zamit as Annie as the stage manager.  The show is hilarious in some parts.  I had tears in my eyes during the scene where they were trying to lift the actress out of the window, and through most of the end of act 1.  The rest of the show was extraordinarily silly. I didn't think it was as good as Noises Off, but I never felt the need to check my watch, so I guess that's a good thing.

Post-show milkshake at Juniors was fab!  

 

And, lunch with @aradia22 was lovely!! 

[ebk57]

Two show day:

Matinee - Dear Evan Hansen.  Yeah, this show somehow won a bunch of Tonys.  Somehow.  I can't complain about the cast, even with understudies.  They were uniformly magnificent.  And intellectually, I see that the show subject should work.  I remember being an angsty teen back in the stone age.  And I understand the dysfunctional family dynamic.  But the show just didn't reach me on any level. The end was oddly satisfying since no one lived happily ever after, but... I don't get it.

 

Evening - Hello Dolly!   See it.  I can't say enough good things about this show.  It's gorgeous.  Bette is great, but honestly (and especially if you don't have a connection with Bette), this show is perfection with anyone.  It's stunning.  See it.   

[Silver Raven]

Today's summer season finale was Sister Act.  I didn't really know it before, I know the movie, of course, but the movie uses old rock songs and the play uses original music.  I didn't know the songs, but a couple of them, mostly sung by the men, were really good.  I was really happy that all of the main characters had at least one solo, and they all had magnificent voices.

Zonya Love as Deloris Van Cartier.  She was, of course, the star, and her big, powerful voice dominated, in a good way.

Rufus Bonds, Jr. as Curtis Jackson.  He, too, has a fantastic voice, even when he's singing about disemboweling people.

Alan Wiggins as Eddie.  He was another one with a fantastic voice.

Lynne Wintersteller, the incomparable, as Mother Superior.

Jenna De Waal as Mary Robert.

Nikki Switzer as Mary Patrick.

The wonderful Audrie Neenan as Mary Lazarus.

The highlight of the show, to me, is when Curtis's thugs, Joey, TJ and Pablo, are singing about how they are going to seduce the nuns into letting them into the convent.  The theater in the round at the Sacramento Music Circus is right up against the stage in row A (too close, for my taste, my knees were cramped the one time I sat there), and they were singing direct to the ladies in the front row.  TJ, played by Justin Keyes, at one point put his foot on one woman's arm rest and sang seductively to her.  The song was hilarious. Joey was Todd A. Horman (he did a sign language applause to the sign languaged section of the theater at the end) and Pablo was Chris Chatman.

Edited August 28, 2017 by Silver Raven

[aradia22]

Quote

The Broadway musical Waitress will welcome Tony nominee Will Swenson back to the production at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre beginning September 12. He will take on the role of Earl, which he played earlier this summer, replacing Joe Tippett. Tippett ends his stint in the show on September 10.

Yay!

[aradia22]

Quote

The Public Theater announced complete casting today for Illyria, written and directed by Richard Nelson, part of The Public's Astor Anniversary Season at their landmark downtown home on Lafayette Street, celebrating 50 years of new work at 425 Lafayette Street and the 50th Anniversary of HAIR.

Illyria will begin performances on Sunday, October 22 and run through Sunday, November 26 with an official press opening on Monday, October 30. In addition to the First Performance "Free For All" on October 22, The Public will offer an additional number of free tickets for every performance, furthering the mission of making great theater accessible to all.

The complete cast of Illyria features Rosie Benton (Colleen Dewhurst), Will Brill(Bernie Gersten), Kristen Connolly (Peggy Papp), Blake DeLong (David Amram), Emma Duncan(Gladys Vaughan), Naian González Norvind (Mary Bennett), Fran Kranz(Merle Debuskey), John Magaro (Joseph Papp), John Sanders (Stuart Vaughan), and Max Woertendyke (John Robertson).

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Richard-Nelsons-ILLYRIA-World-Premiere-Finds-Full-Cast-at-The-Public-Theater-20170830

No real notable names to me but I might have just not seen their plays/TV shows.

[bosawks]

Bernadette in Hello Dolly!, I'm in!

[aradia22]

Quote

Three-time Tony winner Bernadette Peters will take over as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, opposite Victor Garber as Horace Vandergelder. Bette Midler, who won a Tony Award earlier this year for her portrayal of the meddling matchmaker will depart the production on January 14, 2018 as will co-star David Hyde Pierce.

The press office has just confirmed to BroadwayWorld that Peters will be the next star, with no official word on Garber (though we're told an announcement is forthcoming later in the month, and other outlets have now reported the news as well).

Ms. Peters will begin performances Saturday evening, January 20, 2018, prior to a Thursday, February 22 opening night. A new block of tickets goes on sale, via Telecharge.com and Shubert Theatre box office, Saturday, September 9, at 10:00 A.M. (ET).

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Hello-Bernie-Will-Bernadette-Peters-Victor-Garber-Take-Over-in-HELLO-DOLLY-20170905

God, I hope Victor Garber gets confirmed. I would love to see Bernadette and Victor Garber. And I will totally take my Cinderella book to get signed. Also, the wording makes me think that they're planning to have the critics come and review the new "opening."

[ebk57]

I love Bernadette...but Victor Garber!!!  Just in time for our winter trip!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

16 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Hello-Bernie-Will-Bernadette-Peters-Victor-Garber-Take-Over-in-HELLO-DOLLY-20170905

God, I hope Victor Garber gets confirmed. I would love to see Bernadette and Victor Garber. And I will totally take my Cinderella book to get signed. Also, the wording makes me think that they're planning to have the critics come and review the new "opening."

According to Playbill, he's in!  And I believe them a million times over BroadwayWorld... 

[Rinaldo]

They did very well to get Bernadette for their next Dolly. My friends and I had been wondering if there was a "lady of a certain age" who was comparable in selling power to Midler (plenty of people mean a lot to theater fanatics and nothing to the wider public), and had the right qualities for Dolly (particularly in this production which for all its color and pizazz is very much on the personal, human scale). They made the perfect choice.

I wonder if there any plans for Donna Murphy to continue doing occasional performances, or if she'll be done when Peters begins.