by Webmaster | Apr 8, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
Everything really is going our way because we got an inside look at last night’s opening of the new reimagined revival of Rodgers amp Hammerstein’s Oklahoma Cast member Mallory Portnoy, who plays Gertie, gave as a behind-the-scenes peek of her official Broadway debut, from pre-show to the after party In case you missed it or just want to experience it all again, we’ve compiled Mallory’s posts for you to enjoy. You cain’t say no to this, so check out all the footage below
by Webmaster | Apr 7, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote some of Broadway’s most beloved musicals throughout their seventeen-year partnership. From South Pacific to State Fair, Carousel to Cinderella, their music defined a Golden Age of musical theatre and inspired generations of performers, writers, and musicians that continue to shape Broadway today.
by Webmaster | Apr 7, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
In the ecology of New York theatre, Signature Theatre’s mission is a singular one in that it not only provides an artistic home for playwrights, it commits to a writer’s body of work. Through its three residency programs, the theatre provides the opportunity for as many as 11 playwrights-in-residence (currently including the likes of Lynn Nottage and Dave Malloy) to produce work at the same time. “That’s the core of Signature and everything else comes from that,” says Paige Evans, who took over from founder James Houghton as artistic director in 2016.
As a playwright-based theatre, Signature remains community-orientated; its current home, the Frank Gehry–designed Pershing Square Signature Center on 42nd Street, facilitates this perfectly. A three-theatre facility with a large, light-filled public space at its center, the lobby is a hub of pre- and post-show conversation. “We start the [staggered] curtain [times] at 7:30 PM so that everybody is in the space together beforehand,” says Evans. “It’s got a very dynamic feeling that way.” And thanks to Signature’s ticket initiative, which offers $35 tickets without age restrictions, lotteries, or rush lines, the theatre ensures that its community of theatregoers is not just limited to those with steeper pockets.
Behind the scenes, Signature nurtures its community of resident writers through artistic support, rehearsal space, two offices, and a library. “It’s very important to us that the playwrights feel this is a home, and I think they really value that, too,” says Evans, who is regularly in conversation with the artists. “It’s one of the things that I really relish in this job.”
Evans, whose previous role was at the helm of LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater, built her career on working with playwrights in development and on new writing. Her transition into the artistic directorship at Signature, therefore, was a logical next step. Collaborating with writers—deciding what to produce out of their body of work as well as the mutual pursuit of artistic excellence on each individual production—is the foundation of her job.
“It was appealing to come to a theatre where I would get to collaborate with a writer over a series of plays,” she says. “You learn about their work, their process, and how to communicate. You develop a mutual understanding, and hopefully a trust, too.”
While the position satisfies Evans’ artistic values, it’s the theatre’s longstanding mission of celebrating playwrights that pushes her to continue evolving in the role, and to grow the theatre as well.
“There’s a real core integrity to Signature that I really respond to,” says the artistic director. “I want to stay true to the mission and I want to build on it in what I hope are exciting and dynamic ways.”
Signature Theatre Company’s Annual Gala
by Webmaster | Apr 5, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
The new play All Our Children makes its American premiere Off-Broadway at The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, beginning April 6 with an official opening set for April 14.
Written by Stephen Unwin, the play follows the lesser known story of children with disabilities in Nazi Germany and the Catholic Bishop who stood up for them against a horrible fate. The play earned the praise of critics during its recent run in London’s West End. Tony Award winner John Glover is set to play the Bishop with Karl Kenzler as Victor Franz, a doctor leading the clinic for disabled children.
“I was fortunate enough to be offered a role in the play, and at the time I knew nothing about the events or the man (Bishop von Galen), or that this is what had happened before the Holocaust,” said Glover. “I see it as a 21st century morality play which parallels Hitler’s rise in the ’30s and ’40s, taking over the government, with events that are happening today. The play deals with the importance of the greater good of humanity and living a good life. It’s my hope that our production will stimulate important conversation that we need to be having, and inspire people to look at what is going on around them.”
Rounding out the cast are Jennifer Dundas, Tasha Lawrence, and Sam Lilja. The production features scenic design by Lee Savage, lighting design by Scott Bolman, costume design by Tracy Christensen, and sound design by Lindsay Jones. All My Children runs through May 12.
by Webmaster | Apr 5, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
From award-winning author and director John Cameron Mitchell Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shrill Anthem is an edgy anthology series produced by TOPIC Missing Richard Simmons that tells a unique American story through a distinct musical voice.
by Webmaster | Apr 4, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
It’s time to rock out because this week marks the tenth anniversary of the Tony-nominated musical Rock of Agesopening and bringing the Sunset Strip to Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre To celebrate the occasion, we’re throwing it back to that rocking night as Constantine Maroulis, Amy Spanger, Wesley Taylor, and more took their first bows Check out all the footage below
by Webmaster | Apr 4, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
As the Tony-winning Broadway production of Kinky Boots prepares to close April 7, we’re taking a look back at the musical’s original Broadway cast. When the show opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013, the cast featured Stark Sands, Annaleigh Ashford, and Billy Porter, who went on to win the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as the fierce, fabulous drag queen Lola.
The musical, which centers on the unlikely partnership between a young man who inherits his father’s down-on-its-luck shoe factory and a London drag queen in need of some stronger stillettos, also took home the Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as Tonys for Cyndi Lauper’s score, Jerry Mitchell’s choreography, and John Shivers‘ sound design.
The show has gone on to enjoy a successful six year run and has had productions in London, Australia, and Canada, a national tour, and an international tour that played Japan, Korea, and more.
Flip through photos of the original Broadway cast below:
Look Back at the Original Broadway Cast of Kinky Boots
by Webmaster | Apr 3, 2019 | New Musical News Feed
Just yesterday, Alex Brightmanlaunched It’s Game Showtime, a live game show hosted by members of the BEETLEJUICE cast every Tuesday during preview performances outside the Winter Garden Theatre Box Office. It’s Game Showtime is part of BEETLEJUICE’s weekly lottery that opens at 5pm, and at 530pm, two lucky lottery entrants will be chosen to compete in It’s Game Showtime, a trivia game based on all things BEETLEJUICE. The winnergets a pair of tickets to that evening’s performance of BEETLEJUICE on Broadway, and the runner-up hasthe chance to purchase two specially priced 33.33 tickets for the performance.
