Shows That Never Made It To Broadway Getting New Life at 54 Below

Shows That Never Made It To Broadway Getting New Life at 54 Below

by Tom Coppola

For every Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen, there are dozens of other shows that become the “shoulda-would-coulda” of Broadway lore. Shows that JUUUST didn’t quite get to the Great White Way for one reason or another, be it financial complications or creative differences. The cancelled Broadway production of Nerds comes to recent memory…as does the on again/off again (on again?), much-plagued Rebecca.

Thankfully, some of the these forgotten gems that never made it to Broadway will get a second life next week thanks to the one-two punch of producer Rob Schneider and Jennifer Ashley Tepper, the mastermind of programming at 54 Below. Jennifer is fresh off her resurrection of the 1970s flop Rachael Lily Rosenbloom and Don’t You Ever Forget It! and continues to champion works that never made it to the Big Time, but maybe should have.

Continuing their track record of bringing Broadway talent together to celebrate the songs of the culturally iconic or rarely celebrated, Robert and co-host for the evening Jennifer will bring us Broadway Bound: The Musicals That Never Came to Broadway on March 21st for two shows, one at 7:00 and a second at 9:30 pm. Part theater history lesson and part concert, the event will feature stories and songs offered by original cast members from those long lost shows with today’s hottest Broadway names.

Robert recently saw a lot of success with his hilarious 54 Sings Christopher Guest Movies, so this is sure to be a hot-ticket. Grab ‘em while you can!

Photos: 

Jill Paice

Shuler Hensley and Cady Huffman in Over and Over (courtesy of Richard Termine)

Nerds Pizza Party after they heard the show was cancelled (courtesy of Raymond J Lee)

Captain America (courtesy of Marvel Comics)

TEDxBroadway 2017 Speaker Interviews

This year's TEDxBroadway conference has a lineup of speakers that includes impresarios from the entire ecosystem, including people who make the actual neighborhood of Broadway as culturally rich and robust as it is.

Check out our video of us interviewing Broadway megastars and influencers at the cocktail party welcoming this year's speakers.

Click below to get your tickets to the March 21 event below!

The Great Comet's Lucas Steele Has a Doll and a New Pierre

The Great Comet's Lucas Steele Has a Doll and a New Pierre

by Annie Schiffmann

Not many Broadway performers have their own action figures. But Lucas Steele, who plays Anatole in The Great Comet, was surprised with one a few weeks ago. The “Anadoll" was made by Jonathan Stern, one of the bartenders at the Imperial Theater. In a phone interview, Lucas describes it as “some kind of Ken doll looking thing, and it’s dressed like Anatole and they went so far as to put lights behind it like the entrance that Anatole makes into the show.” (See a picture of the doll in Lucas' tweet below.)

It’s part of an increasingly elaborate interplay between Lucas and the house staff that goes on while the show is happening. Some days it’s Olympics judge-style paddles with numbers rating his performance. On New Year’s, it was Lucas’s face superimposed on a baby. With the Anadoll “they took it to a whole other level and I’m really grateful to them.”

It’s one of the ways that Lucas can avoid phoning it in. In 2012 The Great Comet started it’s steady climb at the Off-Broadway theater Ars Nova with Lucas and a few other cast members who are currently on Broadway. Although that may seem like a long time to be working on the same show, doing hundreds of performances works with his personality type. “I’m a writer myself. To me, nothing is ever finished. I can sit and look at something a thousand times and constantly be sort of adjusting it and reworking it.” Combine that desire to tinker with Rachel Chavkin’s staging and Lucas finds it easy to stay in the moment each night. It helps that the cast moves around the audience as the show is being performed. “You really have no other option to be present in the space while it is happening. Because if you’re not, you’re most likely going to trip over someone or fall down some sort of stairs or do something that is not on your side in any way.”

Starting in July, Josh Groban steps down as Pierre and Okieriete Onaodowan from Hamilton will be taking over the role. Lucas sees this as a gift, albeit a bittersweet one. “There is that instinct at first that goes, ‘oh, but [Josh Groban and I] had this and this’...but if you’re able to trust that, all you need to do is be there and be present with that person then everything’s going to be okay.”

And, of course, there’s always the Anadoll to hold on to for inspiration.

Photos: Suzanne Fiore

clips from our interview with lucas:

Last night, when I made an entrance through the back of the theater, THIS was sitting on the bar. 😂🤣😁 They win!! #BestEver #Anadoll pt.3/3 https://t.co/AmEAZsIApK

— Lucas Steele (@TheLucasSteele) January 14, 2017

6 Broadway-Bound (We Hope!) Movie Musicals We Can't Wait For

6 Broadway-Bound (We Hope!) Movie Musicals We Can't Wait For

By Brookelynn Mason

Legally Blonde: The Musical taught us that sometimes musicals based on movies can be AWESOME. Keep your eye on these 6 Broadway-bound (we hope!) musicals that are already underway!

Magic Mike
If this prequel takes Broadway by storm one day soon, you might want to come to the theater with a rag to wipe the sweat from your brow. The score is being written by Tony Award-winning songwriters Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (If/Then, Next to Normal). There are some names you might recognize from the November 20th reading: Christopher Jackson and Jon Rua, who you might know better as "George Washington" and "General Lee" (weee!)...you know, from a small show known as Hamilton?  Ooooh yes.  Anyone else perking a brow at how our two modern major generals fit into the Magic Mike narrative?  Hmmm...

Magic Mike, the musical is coming to Broadway!

Mean Girls
Before you assume this will turn out like Mean Girls 2, let's just get this out of the way: Tina Fey herself is involved with this stage adaptation (!), and that can only mean one thing: great success. Though no theater has been announced yet for the premiere, we know that the show is set to take the stage in Washington, D.C. sometime in the Fall of 2017. Although Tina Fey joked about Broadway not seeing the musical until "2027, whenever Hamilton closes", we hope that isn't the case! If you're a fan of the Mean Girls movie, keep your eyes peeled. If you're lucky enough to score tickets, remember: always wear pink on Wednesdays.

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Beetlejuice
This Warner Brothers production is set to take Broadway for the 2018-2019 theater season. The story of a recently deceased married couple trying to haunt the new owners of their home out is already far-fetched and dramatic--add the bio-exorcist whose vulgar and over-the-top parlor tricks completely shake the whole thing up, and you've got yourself the makings of a night of side-splitting hilarity. Although not much is known about the creative team, we do know that director Alex Timbers (a YesBroadway favorite) is attached to the project. He is currently working on the Public Theater's production of Joan of Arc: Into the Fire.

Who doesn't want to see this scene live on stage?

Freaky Friday
Another Kitt/Yorkey score and based on a book written by author Bridget Carpenter? Yes please! This film was a favorite of the early 2000s (pre-Lindsay Lohan meltdown), and arguably more successful than its 1976 counterpart.  It follows the story of a mother and daughter who, because of their lack of communication and fragile relationship, end up having their bodies switched by a set of presumably magical fortune cookies at a Chinese restaurant.  It's both hilarious and heart-warming, and the D.C. premiere at Signature Theater was a hit. Although Disney currently maintains that this show is not intended for Broadway, we are watching closely and holding out hope that they change their minds--after all, this show just extended its run at the La Jolla Playhouse!  Something else to be excited about for this musical?  It features plus size women in lead roles. #BodyPositive

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The Devil Wears Prada
Who can forget Meryl Streep's riveting performance as the demanding fashion magazine editor, Miranda Priestly? Well, a Broadway version is on its way, and we are STOKED! Even though a cast has not been announced, one name on the creative team is sending our brains into overdrive with excitement: Elton John.  You know, the musical genius behind shows like Aida (which he won a Tony for for Best Score) and The Lion King? Oh yes. HIM. This music is sure to blow the roof off the theater. Is anyone else excited to see a Miranda Priestly dance number? Maybe some sultry ballad that bursts into a high energy jazz tune?  There's not a timeline for the show yet, so keep your eyes on this one and be prepared for another Elton John hit!

Frozen
Ah, yes--the movie that brought Idina Menzel back to the forefront of our minds for two straight years while little girls sang "Let it Go" on repeat. The show is set to hit Broadway in Spring 2018.  However, if you're in the Denver area, you don't have to wait a year to see this show--it starts pre-Broadway premieres August 17, 2017 (this year!) at the Buell Theatre. Though no Broadway casting has been officially announced, an early reading of the musical was done by Betsy Wolfe (Elsa), Patti Murin (Anna), and Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan (Kristoff). Too excited to see this show when it hits? Watch this video featuring super talented people help satiate you until then!

Go Down a Broadway YouTube Hole with Us

Grab some popcorn, slide on your sweatpants, and enjoy these curated Broadway-related YouTube videos...or just put them on at the office to help you get through the workday!

Let's start with The Color Purple megastar Cynthia Erivo taking on a song from Dear Evan Hansen at this summer's Elsie Fest. This is all the best parts of Broadway 2016 in one incredible video.

Sexy people singing Beyoncé songs interwoven with songs from Hamilton? YEP! A bit long, but worth it...

Nick Blaemire, star of Off-Broadway's tick, tick...BOOM! is also a singer/songwriter who is giving us sexy #nerdsoul vibes in his hit single "Trouble".

Can we talk about Alex Wyse for a second? Your world will never be the same after he appears out of nowhere in this song from Deaf West's Spring Awakening around the 2:38 mark with that voice. Also, the entire cast is sexy and the production as a whole was one of the highlights of the 2015-16 Broadway season.

Regarding Alex Wyse: Right?!? Here he is again, this time singing a soulful song that will make you want to take off your panties or underwear and throw them right on the stage. It doesn't get much sexier than this!

Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Hall SLAY THE FUCK out of "Sugar Daddy" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the 2014 Tony Awards. We can't when NPH licks Samuel L. Jackson's glasses!

If you are someone who devours Tony Award performances on YouTube like us, then take it to the next step and watch the ENTIRE broadcast of the 2016 Olivier Awards, the London equivalent of the Tony Awards for shows on the West End. Presenters and winners include stars you'll recognize from Downtown Abbey, Sherlock, and Orange Is The New Black. Highlights include the Imelda Staunton opener,  Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical (!!!) at 1:12:48, Jonathan Groff AS King George introducing a performance of the London cast of In The Heights at 2:02:08, and the London cast of Kinky Boots at 11:35. Anyone up for an Oliviers party next year?

You are not a Hamilton fan if you haven't seen this #ham4ham with all three of the first King George's performing "The Schuyler Sisters". You can tell Jonathan Groff wants to officially play Eliza so badly in this video!

We dare you to name two bigger Queens of Broadway than Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur. Here they are at the 1987 Tony Awards performing the song they made famous together a couple decades earlier in Mame. Both are soaring at this time as major stars of television in Murder, She Wrote and The Golden Girls and you can tell they are so excited to be back in the world of theater!

Iain is the Prince of Broadway and this video of him reviewing Sunday in the Park with George is what catapulted him to fame. Watch this video if you want to remember what hope for our future feels like!

Ok, Fantasia busts it OUT at the 2007 Tony Awards with her performance of "I'm Here" from The Color Purple. She replaced the original Celie in the original production and you can see why about 10 seconds into this video. She IS Celie!

Let's get weird up in here! Here's Cher performing ALL the roles (???) in the "Quintet" from West Side Story. This video walks that fine line between a wet dream and a total fucking nightmare...

If that was too weird for you, then cleanse your palate with Idina Menzel singing "Don't Rain On My Parade" as part of the tribute to Barbra Streisand at the Kennedy Center Honors. She will change your life with her vocals around the 1:58 mark! Is Barbra into it, though? Unclear...

Want more? There are more videos on the playlist. Click here to keep going!

Excruciating Pain With An Off-Broadway Debut Next Week? Max Vernon Powers Through.

Excruciating Pain With An Off-Broadway Debut Next Week? Max Vernon Powers Through.

By Gianluca Russo

The phrase “The show must go on!” has never meant more to Max Vernon, who wrote the new musical The View UpStairs. With only eight days left until the first performance Off-Broadway, Max found himself rushing to the emergency room with the worst pain he had ever experienced. “I saw stars, my eyes popped out of my head Looney Tunes style and I fell to my knees...I was pretty much convinced I was having a Jonathan Larson moment” he says. At the hospital, he heard something that no one with a show opening in a week wants to hear: he has kidney stones.

Tech rehearsals (which are notoriously exhausting for everyone involved) were starting and Max seemed to be completely out of commission. "It's really crucial for me to see how lighting and costumes and sets are affecting my storytelling before the audience gets here and I had all these live radio interviews scheduled, and our first invited dress [rehearsal] is this weekend, so there's no time to be bedridden." 

With a bottle of Percocet and a whole lot of Enya on repeat (to help encourage his flow), Max is taking advice from his own script to keep powering through. “One character in The View UpStairs has a line ‘I gave my debut performance in the Metropolitan Opera only a few hours after being stabbed in the neck. Did I complain?’ Another performs a drag show shortly after being assaulted. So, I'm taking inspiration from my own characters.”

In what we imagine as a "Corky, We Love You!" Waiting For Guffman moment, Max’s cast and team have been extremely kind and caring during this time...though he jokes that other friends "just want me to share my Oxys!”

The View UpStairs is a new musical about a young fashion designer who buys the abandoned UpStairs Lounge, a gay bar located in New Orleans that flourished in the 1970s. The show explores themes such as seduction, self-exploration, uncertainty of the future and the fight for equality. Performances begin February 14 Off-Broadway.

Photo: Frederic Lagrange Photography

Seasons of Love: Broadway Couples We Love & Their Theme Songs

Seasons of Love: Broadway Couples We Love & Their Theme Songs

by Annie Schiffmann

Valentine's Day is here. Ahhh, love! Love love love. Unlike Hollywood couples that are examined under a microscope, Broadway couples can fly under the radar a bit more. We've got them on OUR radar, though. And here we've compiled some of our favorites - with Broadway-inspired theme songs.

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Jasmine Cephas Jones and Anthony Ramos

Theme song: "Helpless" from Hamilton

Anthony Ramos & Jasmine Cephas Jones . Photo: Instagram (@anthony_ramos_nyc)

Here's another way of explaining this couple: You probably know him as "John Laurens in the place to be" and you know her as "...and Peggy." They were both in the original cast of Hamilton. They tweet about one another's projects and send little heart tweets to one another. Adorbs.

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Kimiko Glenn and Sean Grandillo

Theme Song: "My Junk" from Spring Awakening

Sean Grandillo & Kimiko Glenn. Photo: Amelia Panico

You know who's together? Kimiko Glenn and Sean Grandillo. She was in Waitress on Broadway (although you may know her better as Soso on Orange is the New Black). He played the voice of Otto in the revival of Spring Awakening last season. They go to art openings together and awards shows together and just walk around New York City doing NYC things together. (Sigh).

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Andy Karl and Orfeh

Theme Song: "If I Can't Have You"

Orfeh & Andy Karl. Photo: Bruce Gilkas

Face it, if your UPS guy could sing and dance you'd want him to stick around too. That's just what Orfeh did. The two worked on the show Legally Blonde together where he clearly answered the question, "What can brown do for you." The two met on the show Saturday Night Fever back in 2000, six months later got married and have been going strong ever since. Look for Andy Karl in this season's Groundhog Day.

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David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris

Theme Song: "Unworthy of Your Love" from Assassins

David Burtka & Neil Patrick Harris. Photo: Instagram (@nph)

We are all so unworthy to be able to share in the joy that this couple clearly has. From Instagramming pics of their adorable twins to surprising one another with fancy food we love watching their relationship and pretending they may invite us over for dinner one of these days. David Burtka spends more of his time in the kitchen than in the wings, but his most recent Broadway turn was in It Shoulda Been You in 2015. Neil Patrick Harris played the tile role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 2015.

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Audra McDonald & Will Swenson

Theme Song: "If I Loved You” from Carousel

Audra McDonald & Will Swenson. Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty

They are Broadway royalty for a reason. She has more Tonys than anyone else, he has charisma and talent to spare. They bring their souls to every performance and bring their social conscience to Twitter. When their daughter Sally was born this fall, the Broadway world all collectively wished they could be her.

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Jerry Dixon and Mario Cantone

Theme song: “No More Wasted Time”

Mario Cantone & Jerry Dixon. Photo: Kevin Yatarola

You know when you watched Sex and the City and there was that friend who was so funny? Mario Cantone? He’s done some hilarious performances on Broadway, too - specifically the Tony-nominated Laugh Whore. And his husband that he has been together with for over twenty years, Jerry Dixon directed him. Dixon is an actor, songwriter, and director in his own right who recently appeared on Broadway in If/Then.

Broadway Couple #relationshipgoals

We can't deal with these adorable Broadway couples, all of which you can follow on Instagram. Like, do they sing and dance together at home? Either way, #relationshipgoals!

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Ricky Ubeda & Reed Luplau: @rickyubeda11 & @reedluplau

Ricky stars as Mister Mistoffelees in the current Broadway production of Cats and he steals the whole damn show (even from Grizabella!). Reed was the literal Fiddler on the Roof in 2016 and is now in The Great Comet. They also have an insanely adorable puppy (@riotthegoldendoodle).

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Leslie Odom, Jr & Nicolette Robinson: @leslieodomjr & @nicolettekloe

Leslie won a Tony for a little show you might have heard of called Hamilton and Nicolette has rocked it out in several Off-Broadway shows over the past few years, including standout performances in Brooklynite and Invisible Thread. The couple recently announced that they are expecting and the world can only imagine how cute that baby is going to be. Oh, and they DO sing together at home. OMG, check this out. 

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Andy Mientus & Michael Arden: @andymientus & @michaelarden

Broadway A-lister Andy Mientus rocked your world in Smash and Les Misérables and his husband Michael Arden got a Tony nomination for his ridiculously awesome direction of Deaf West's Spring Awakening. They tied the knot this year in England at a wedding with a guest list full of Broadway stars. Andy is currently on tour in Wicked while Michael directs two revivals aiming for Broadway soon: Merrily We Roll Along and Once On This Island.

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Ben Rappaport & Meg Kane: @ben_rappaport & @itsmegkane

Ben is Fiddler on the Roof's Perchik and also stars on on the tv show Younger. Last January, he proposed ONSTAGE at Fiddler to Megan Kane, who performs often at 54 Below. Click here to watch their engagement video!

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Anthony Ramos & Jasmine Cephas Jones:  @anthony_ramos_nyc & @jazzy_joness

These two original stars of Hamilton are the definitive Broadway power couple. Oh, they also sing together at home! Check this out.

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Krystina Alabado & Bob Lenzi: @krystinaalabado & @bob.lenzi

Krystina just finished up Miss You Like Hell and totally stood out in the ensembles of both Lazarus and American Psycho. Bob was superb in Tuck Everlasting. They recently got engaged when Bob came to visit Krystina in La Jolla!

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Max Von Essen & Daniel Rowan: @maxizpad & @drowanj

Max just finished up the entire run of An American in Paris and will star in Off-Broadway's upcoming Yours Unfaithfully. Daniel just starred in Jesus Christ Superstar in Texas with If/Then star Jackie Burns.

Know of more Broadway couples that are totally #relationshipgoals? Hit us up on Twitter @yesbway!

Primary Stages Presents Election Reactions In "Morning In America"

Off-Broadway theater company Primary Stages sent out a siren to their vast community of artists a week after the 2016 election asking them to write a short monologue showing various characters' reactions to waking up and finding out who our new President was. Over 80 responded and the pieces will be performed at the Cherry Lane Theater this weekend, February 18 and 19. Check out our video from the press event to learn more.

The full list of playwrights who contributed pieces for Morning in America: Dan Ahearn, Kristin Anderson-Lopez, Courtney Baron, Alex Beech, Stephen Belber, Brooke Berman, Lee Blessing, Emily Bohannon, Stephen Brown, Bekah Brunstetter, Matthew Capodicasa, Jonathan Caren, Nat Cassidy, Kathleen Clark, Cynthia L. Cooper, Kate Cortesi, Cusi Cram, Emily Daly, David Davila, Eisa Davis, Richard Dresser, Laura Eason, Bruce Faulk, Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy, Kate Fodor, Daisy Foote, Julian Giat, Judy Gold, Jason Grote, Michael Hollinger, Willy Holtzman, Tina Howe, Rachael Jenison, Yanna Jurado, Russell Kaplan, Boo Killebrew, Alessandro King, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Brandon Marianne Lee, Rehana Lew Mirza, Michele Lowe, Jessica Luck, Mariah MacCarthy, Cheri Magid, Michael McKeever, Terrence McNally, Winter Miller, Leah Nanako Winkler, Dan O'Brien, Topher Payne, Mike Poblete, Brian Pracht, Kat Ramsburg, Theresa Rebeck, Janet Reed, Kristine M. Reyes, Karina Richardson, Edwin Sanchez, Julian Sheppard, Crystal Skillman, Mat Smart, Tommy Smith, Susan Soon He Stanton, Samantha Stone, Tatiana Suarez-Pico, Caridad Svich, Daniel Talbott, Jonathan Tolins, Ken Urban, Richard Vetere, Eljon Wardally, Jenny Rachel Weiner, Sheri Wilner, and Stefanie Zadravec.

8 New Hamilton Cast Members To Get Excited About

8 New Hamilton Cast Members To Get Excited About

by Brookelynn Mason

Still haven't seen Hamilton?  Lamenting over missing the original cast? Don't fret! These eight actors and actresses of the "next administration" are ready for you to be in the room where it happens, and they will NOT disappoint! From Broadway to Chicago to San Francisco and all the way over in London, we've got you covered with who to get excited about in all the productions of Hamilton worldwide.

Broadway

Photo: Todd Vitti

 Lexi Lawson - Eliza Hamilton
 Lexi Lawson brings an intensity and genuine heartache to the character of Eliza with her breathtaking rendition of "Burn" that will have you picking your jaw up from the floor. It is a spiritual experience -- one that she spent six months preparing for before auditioning!

Photo: jevonmcferrin.com

Jevon McFerrin - Alexander Hamilton
Though technically a standby for more than one role (Lafayette/Jefferson, for example), Jevon's portrayal of Hamilton himself is awe inspiring. During the "It's Quiet Uptown" forgiveness sequence, the heartbreak is genuine. His delivery of some of the lighter lines ("Hi" when seeing Angelica in "Take A Break") are so effortless and casual that you forget you're watching a show.

Photo: Dana Edelson

Taran Killam - King George III
Move over, peasants--there's a new King in power!  Some of you might recognize His Highness from Saturday Night Live. It's no surprise, then, that his interpretation of the role of King George is side splitting.  You won't want to miss his unforgettable nine minutes on stage!

Photo: Cyllavon Tidemann

James M. Iglehart - Lafayette/Jefferson
If this name sounds familiar, it's because James is currently the (Tony winning) Genie in the Broadway run of the Disney classic, Aladdin. If you're not lucky enough to already have tickets to see Hamilton during his run as Lafayette/Jefferson (which starts in April), enter the lotteries when he takes the stage.  We are in for a HILARIOUS Laffayette/Jefferson combo!

Chicago

Photo: Mayumi Ando

Karen Olivo - Angelica Schuyler
This is a name we always see whenever a Lin-Manuel Miranda project comes around--she originated the role of Vanessa in the Broadway production of In the Heights, starred alongside Lin (and Leslie Odom Jr.) for a short run in tick, tick...BOOM!, and now brings a sass and attitude to the role of Angelica Schuyler that rivals even that of the role's originator, Renée Elise Goldsberry. Planning a trip to Chicago? Plan on seeing Hamilton!

Photo: Emily Sandifer

Arianna Afsar - Eliza Hamilton
As an American beauty pageant title holder from California and a semifinalist from season 8 of American Idol, Ari Afsar is no stranger to stage performance.  She is also the first of Middle Eastern descent to play the role of Eliza, and absolutely SLAYS. Her voice basically assaults you, and it's glorious.  #WERK

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San Francisco (March - August 2017)

Photo: Michael Eisman

Michael Luwoye - Alexander Hamilton (Tour)
Most of you recognize this name on the list, but not all of you recognize him as Hamilton...because he is the first and ONLY person to have ever played both Alexander Hamilton AND Aaron Burr! He was recently featured on the Hamilcast podcast, and discussed this exact topic and how challenging it is to have to be in the mind sets of both of these men. That just means you're talented beyond measure, Michael. Catch him as Hamilton one show a week on Broadway until he heads to San Francisco!

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London (starting November 2017)

Photo: Robert Vivancos

Christine Allado - Peggy/Maria
And so the anticipation for Hamilton on the West End begins! The cast list was just released, and it is FULL of talented performers. The one we are most excited for, however, is West End's own #andPeggy. She has a plethora of theatre credits (guys, she was Christine Daaé in the Phillipines Phantom of the Opera), was Vanessa in the West End production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's other musical In the Heights, and performed alongside award winning tenor Andrea Bocelli.  We can't say no to this...casting decision!

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Upping Your Oscar Game with Fences and Jitney

Upping Your Oscar Game with Fences and Jitney

By Annie Schiffmann

A major Oscar contender this year is very tightly linked to Jitney, a show currently playing on Broadway to deserved acclaim. If you want to know the inside scoop at your Oscar party, we got you!

Playwright August Wilson (nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted screenplay for Fences, on top of his two Pulitzer prizes) wrote ten plays as part of his The American Century Cycle - one for each decade in the twentieth century. They are all set in Pittsburgh and bear witness to the African American experience. For Fences it’s the post-Negro Leagues of the 1950s. For Jitney, it’s the urban blight of the 1970s. All the plays in the cycle are masterfully crafted: three dimensional characters, complex relationships, and dense dialogue that unfolds throughout the course of the piece.

Check out both August Wilson masterpieces before Oscar night on February 23.

Read about why you should see Jitney (and a link to buy tickets) here.

For Fences, click below.

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6 Podcasts For New Broadway Fans

6 Podcasts For New Broadway Fans

By Gianluca Russo

Plug in your headphones for tomorrow's morning commute and check out these podcasts involving everything from drunken interviews with some of the biggest names on Broadway to fascinating theatre history that you never realized you needed to know!

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The Hamilcast

Gillian Pensavalle & Bianca Soto tackle America’s #1 hit musical in The Hamilcast. As they put it, “we talk all things Hamilton including how it brings people together, how we find Ham references in everyday life, and the general brilliance of the show. We'll also have special guests along the way ranging from people actually involved in the production, to the minds behind some of the best social media accounts inspired by the show, to teachers who use the music to get their students excited about history, and everything in between.”

Start with: OG Hamilton cast member Andrew Chappelle’s episode. His sassy and upbeat personality makes for an extremely entertaining episode where the bunch talk the life of a Broadway swing, who plays over 10 roles (!) in the show.

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Broadwaysted

What’s better than getting drunk and going to see a Broadway show? Nothing! If you’re looking for a truly entertaining hour of listening, Broadwaysted is the podcast for you. Join Bryan, Kimberly and Kevin as they drink up with Broadway favorites like Matt Doyle and Lesli Margherita (yes, that's her real name and she's our Queen).

Start with: Supergirl and Newsies star Jeremy Jordan’s episode. Grab a beer and drink along as the Broadwaysted team reads fan faction and plays "Fantasy Date Night" with the stage and screen star.

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Theater People

Patrick Hinds' Theater People features hour-long interviews with everyone from Aladdin's James Monroe Iglehart to Tony Winner and Nashville star Laura Benanti. This podcast is that rare mix of informative and entertaining, jam packed with laughs, fun stories and the occasional tear-jerking moments that you don’t want to miss.

Start with: Hamilton creator Lin Manuel Miranda’s episode. Duh, he's Our Supreme Leader.

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The Ensemblist

Broadway mainstays Nikka Graff Lanzarone & Mo Brady tackle what it’s like to be a member of a Broadway ensemble in their podcast The Ensemblist. They speak with unsung heroes of the theatre community, covering topics such as swings, replacements, dance captains, tech week and much more that happens in a Broadway show that the general public usually doesn't know about.

Start with: their episode with dramaturg Anika Chapin. You will learn what dramaturgy is and want to quit your day job to become a dramaturg!

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Little Known Facts

Broadway vet Ilana Levine’s podcast features stars of stage and screen is the one of the newest in the bunch, but already one of our favorites. Levine’s approach at interviewing stars such as Matthew Broderick and Roger Bart is raw, honest and unfiltered.

Start with: Kristin Chenoweth’s episode. The pair met when they both starred in 1999's You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and remain close friends, so it is very intimate and lovely. Kristin's story about going to Prince's house will have you on the edge of your seat!

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Broadway Backstory

This new podcast from TodayTix, also hosted by Patrick Hinds, tells the story behind Broadway's most successful musicals. From The Secret Garden to Legally Blonde, Hinds and special guests break down everything that goes into these hit shows.

Start with: The Deaf West production of Spring Awakening episode, which took Broadway by storm in 2016. You will be fascinated as you learn about the challenges involved with putting up a musical with deaf actors in starring roles.

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