8 Magical Moments the Cast of Broadway’ Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Will Never Forget

by Webmaster | Jan 12, 2019 | New Musical News Feed

On January 12, 2014, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical officially opened at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Broadway. It was the second bio-musical to open that season (A Night With Janis Joplin opened fall 2013) and, later, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill showcased a moment in the life of Billie Holiday. But only Beautiful has lasted five unstoppable years.

Nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the production took home two wins: one for original Carole King Jessie Mueller and one for sound design by Brian Ronan—proving that the music and sound of Carole King drives the production and continues to move the earth under the feet of audiences. In celebration of their fifth anniversary on Broadway, the cast of Beautiful shares their most memorable nights onstage:

“Stepping into Carole King’s shoes more than 1,000 times over the past three years has been a privilege. I have been very fortunate to spend time with a woman whom I respect in a profoundly personal way. I have many favorite Beautiful moments, but the Kennedy Center Honors stands out for me as one of the greatest. Having the opportunity to pay tribute to Carole King alongside some of my favorite artists like Aretha Franklin and James Taylor was a dream come true. Seeing the look on Carole’s face when Aretha knocked ‘Natural Woman’ out of the park was truly extraordinary. It was an honor to be included in the celebration of Carole’s legacy.” – Chilina Kennedy, who plays Carole King

“After more than four years at Beautiful, it’s impossible to pinpoint one single high point. There were the times Carole King made a surprise appearance at the curtain call, electrifying the audience and the entire company with a spontaneous singalong. There was our performance at the Kennedy Center Honors, when we visited the White House, met the Obamas, and sang alongside Aretha Franklin and James Taylor. The faces of our audience members I see every night during the curtain call, many moved to tears, all having the time of their lives. And the birthdays, marriages, and babies that we have celebrated, the lives we have lost and mourned, and the family we’ve created that continues to grow with each passing year.” – Paul Anthony Stewart, who plays Don Kirshner

“The first time I saw Beautiful was when I went to see my good friend Jessica Keenan Wynn make her Broadway debut. We had just done Heathers together, and I remember getting so excited seeing her face on the side of the building. As the show started it hit me: That’s my friend in a big Broadway musical! I could never have imagined that within a year I would be up there with her.” – Evan Todd, who plays Gerry Goffin

“When I first saw Beautiful, I was completely blown away by Carole King and Cynthia Weil as women and artists. Carole is beyond amazing—her vulnerability, her strength, how she is equally heartbreaking and inspirational. And Cynthia is so smart, sassy, unapologetic, and also wonderfully loyal and loving. I am so thankful to now go to work and be reminded of what women are capable of, and I’m so proud to be a part of telling their story.” – Kate Reinders, who plays Cynthia Weil

“Beautiful is my first—and who knows, maybe my only—Broadway show, and for that I’ll always remember it. The night I made my debut is both a vivid memory and a total blur. I vividly remember sitting alone in my dressing room as ‘places’ was called, overwhelmed with nerves, and asking aloud, ‘Why do you do this to yourself?’ I remember the dry mouth. I remember people telling me to ‘just enjoy and take it all in’ and I remember thinking, ‘How could anyone do that?’ I have no idea what happened onstage—that’s where it gets blurry—but I’ve been here ever since. Happy Birthday, Beautiful, and thank you for finding in me the neuroses I never knew I had.” – Ben Jacoby, who plays Barry Mann

“Gerry Goffin came to a preview in San Francisco. I kneeled down next to him and said, ‘Hello sir, is there anything I can get for you?’ “He said, ‘Ah Genie!,” which is my character’s name, I play Carole’s mother in the show, ‘you are so beautiful. I loved you, you know. You were a great playwright.’ Genie wrote plays. I thought, ‘I bet Genie would have loved hearing that.’” – Liz Larsen, an original cast member who plays Genie Klein

“My favorite memory was rehearsing for the Tony Awards with Carole King herself. While waiting backstage she told us, ‘We must fight to stay in the wonder of what we get to do.’ She went on to explain that as years go by in this business, we can take for granted this amazing life we get to lead. That there will be days when you don’t want to give your everything, but it’s in those moments we must fight to remember how lucky we are. Being in this brilliant long-running show, I carry this advice with me every time I go onstage. It truly has been some kind of wonderful!” –Melvin Tunstall, original Broadway cast member and current swing

“One of my favorite memories is doing the Tony Awards with Carole herself, and then rushing back on the bus to the theatre to watch the announcement for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. We heard Jessie [Mueller]’s name announced and the lobby literally exploded in screams, tears, laughter, hugs, and a whole lot of jumping up and down! Ashley Blanchet—our original Little Eva—got a video of it and I feel like it encapsulates the amount of love and support this cast, crew, and entire building has for each other.” – Sara Sheperd, original Broadway cast member and current dance captain

Royal Pop Musical Six Extends London Return Engagement

by Webmaster | Jan 11, 2019 | New Musical News Feed

Prior to beginning performances at the Arts Theatre, the London return of the musical Six has extended its limited engagement. The musical, presented as a concert led by the six wives of Henry VIII, will now run from January 17, 2019, through January 5, 2020, instead of the previously announced May 5, 2019.

The pop musical, created by Lucy Moss (who directs with Jamie Armitage) and Toby Marlow, recently played a limited run at Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus. It began as a student production in Edinburgh before transferring to London in 2018.

Returning to the show for the London run will be Jarneia Richard-Noel as Catherine of Aragon, Millie O’Connell as Anne Boleyn, Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour, Alexia McIntosh as Anna of Cleves, Aimie Atkinson as Katherine Howard, and Maiya Quansah-Breed as Catherine Parr. Rounding out the company are Grace Mouat as the alternate to Jane Seymour/Katherine Howard, Vicki Manser as the alternate to Anne Boleyn/Anna of Cleves, and Courtney Stapleton as the alternate to Catherine of Aragon/Catherine Parr.

Watch DCappella Sing Moana’s ‘How Far I’ll Go”

by Webmaster | Jan 6, 2019 | New Musical News Feed

The Disney a cappella group—comprised of Antonio Fernandez, Joe Santoni, Morgan Keene, Orlando Dixon, RJ Woessner, Shelley Regner, and Sojourner Brown—brings to life new takes on beloved Disney songs from movies including Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and more. The group stopped by the Playbill studio to perform “How Far I’ll Go” from the Disney animated film Moana.

Following their album release, DCappella is set to launch their first North American tour on January 22 in Jacksonville, Florida. Nashville, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago, and the Los Angeles area are among the cities scheduled for the tour, which features a contemporary production of new Deke Sharon (In Transit) arrangements of Disney classics and modern hits, bringing to life a truly singular a cappella experience.

Getting Into Character With Kinky Boots’ Joey Taranto

by Webmaster | Jan 5, 2019 | New Musical News Feed

By the time Kinky Boots’ Joey Taranto takes his place in front of the audience on the Al Hirschfeld stage, a completely different person is standing in the theatre than the one who walked in an hour before. Performing as one of the show’s Angels, the group of drag queens who bring the ferocity to Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper’s Tony Award-winning musical, Taranto’s process of getting into character starts from the outside in.

“Honestly, I paint my character on my face!” Taranto says with a laugh. “I’m an actor playing a drag queen, so putting the makeup on, laughing with the other Angels, and then seeing yourself in full drag—you don’t get much more immersed than that!”

In his dressing room, armed with a brush and makeup sponge, Taranto methodically paints his face, creating the arched eyebrows, contoured cheekbones, and red lips that comprise his character.

“In drag, it’s just a heightened a sense of being. The makeup, the wigs, the heels, they literally heighten me,” the actor notes. It’s a lot of work to make his Angel come to life but Taranto relishes it. “It’s a blessing. I love what I do and I’ve worked really hard to get here. Every Sunday [at the end of the week], I always look out the audience and I think, ‘This is my dream and I’m doing it right now.’”

Flip through Taranto’s makeup process below:

The winner of six 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Kinky Boots features a Tony-winning score by Lauper, a book by Tony winner Fierstein, and direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell. The Broadway production is scheduled to run through April 7.

North American Tour of Spamilton Officially Opens in Ohio December 27

by Webmaster | Dec 26, 2018 | New Musical News Feed

The North American tour of Spamilton: An American Parody, Gerard Alessandrini’s send-up of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize–winning musical Hamilton, celebrates its official opening at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio, December 27.

The tour, which began performances December 20, will go on to play ten multi-week engagements in its first season. Following the Ohio engagement, the next stop is Las Vegas’ Smith Center beginning January 22, 2019.

The cast features Chuckie Benson, Ani Djirdjirian, Marissa Hecker, Brandon Kinley, Adrian Lopez, Dominic Pecikonis, and Datus Puryear, with musical director Curtis Reynolds at the piano. The production features set design by Morgan Large, costume design by Dustin Cross, lighting design by Michael Gilliam, music supervision by Fred Barton, and casting by Michael Cassara, CSA.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A FULL LIST OF ANNOUNCED AND UPCOMING NATIONAL TOURS

Spamilton has previously been seen in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London. The Los Angeles production recently received five LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Award nominations, including Best Production of a Musical (Large Theater) and Best Choreography.

Exclusive! See Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail and Alex Lacamoire Visit Spamilton

32 Musicals That Brought the Stories of Real People to the Stage

by Webmaster | Dec 17, 2018 | New Musical News Feed

Bio-musicals continue to be a majorly popular genre of musical theatre with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and The Cher Show currently delighting audiences on Broadway and Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations set to begin previews February 28. Look through these 32 bio-musicals that took the stories of real people and brought them to life on the stage.

Flip through the shows below: