With Funny Girl heading back to Broadway, we are taking a look at all Divas past and present who warned us not to rain on their parade. Which is Your Favorite?
Original Diva
Dreamgirl Parade
Gleefully Yours
Wicked Rain
Posts Tagged ‘Broadway’
More at The Fringe…
Hopefully, you’ve had the chance to see many of these great new works. For dates and times please visit each show’s website or go to www.fringenyc.org. Here are some more we are rooting for:
Ah Kua Show
Talk Sense Pte. Ltd.
Writer: Leona Lo
Director: Richard Chua
Definition: noun.& adj.: derog. 1)effeminate man 2)male transvestite. WRONG! Tender, raw, amusing, naughty, nice –the voice of Southeast Asia’s transgender women (formerly typecast as ladyboy showgirls) sets the record straight. We may be ladies – we are definitely not boys!
BUNKED!: A New Musical
Proctor and Kunin Productions
Writer: Alaina Kunin and Bradford Proctor, Music by Bradford Proctor
Director: Seth Sikes
Sponsored by LogoTV, Bunked features the exploits of five summer camp counselors as they embark on their first taste of adulthood. Fatal secrets, impassioned jealousy and triangular love trysts entangle the counselors as the bittersweet end of summer approaches.
PICTURE INCOMPLETE, a new musical! Starring Trent Armand Kendall
Onemoe Music, LLC in association w/originally produced at David A. Straz Jr. Center formerly TBPAC
Writer: Trent Armand Kendall (book & addt’l lyrics), Michael Polese (music & lyrics), Adam Klipple (Music Director & Arrangements)
Director: Greg Ganakas
Choreographer: Greg Ganakas with Trent Armand Kendall
PICTURE INCOMPLETE is the laugh out loud, soul-stirring, foot-stomping original One-Man Musical! Meet colorful characters as one New Yorker on the edge journeys through an insightful, but comedic full blown midlife crisis “FUNNKY, FIERCE & FABULOUS!” NEXT MAGAZINE
We’re Just Saying
A Look at Broadway’s Ups and Downs during the week
Patti LaBelle is likely to replace Lillias White for a short while in FELA! on Broadway, while Lillias is away. Which leads us to ask, Gichie, Gichie, ya ya, yeah yeah?
Daniel Radcliffe is set to star in the second revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Radcliffe is not new to the NYC stage. Let’s just hope that this time succeeding in business does not involve blinding horses in the nude.
Open casting will take place for Puppetry of the Penis on July 27th. Actors are asked to come prepared with “genital arts” such as the hamburger, wristwatch, and lockness monster. We miss the days when your headshot, resume, and 16 bars were all you needed to get the part.
More superstars have been cast or rumored to appear in upcoming plays including Oscar Winner Halle Berry, Oscar Nominees Samuel L. Jackson and Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Hunter Foster is gonna be pissed.
Welcome to iBroadway – Broadway Goes Mobile!
We are excited to announce the release of the app you’ve all been waiting for. iBroadway is finally here! It’s the easiest, most savvy way to access all things Broadway, all via you iPhone and iPod touch. Watch exclusive videos, read from Theater’s top bloggers (more on that to come), get show listings, and be able to buy tickets all from your phone. To download the app, visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibroadway/id349362702?mt=8. It’s fast and free!
We’re Just Saying
A Look at Broadway’s Ups and Downs during the week
A Little Night Music will be closing its doors after June 20th and therefore, won’t be recasting its lead women. It’s too bad. We were having so much fun at surmising the possibilities. We know we were rooting for Betty White as Madame Armfeldt.
The Drama League and Drama Desk honored very different performances this year. We all know what this is leading up to, a massive battle of who will win the coveted MTV Movie Award (Best Kiss) this year?
Rumors were confirmed that Sutton Foster would appear as the new Reno Sweeney in an upcoming revival of Anything Goes, following in the footsteps of Ethel Merman and Patti Lupone. To which we wonder if soon Foster will soon be venting, half of America loves me, and half hates me.
Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith attended an after party thrown by 11-time Tony Nominee FELA! at the Palm last week. To which, Memphis replied, we got the guy from…Bon Jovi.
The guest appearances on Glee grew even more Broadway-ier with Neil Patrick Harris singing Aerosmith’s Dream On with Matthew Morrison. We really can’t wait to hear Boyd Gaines and Jonathan Groff’s duet of Love in an Elevator.
Finally, Pee Wee Herman comes to Broadway. Nah, too easy.
Videos of the Week
iBroadway is a huge fan of video content, both professional and amateur. Once we launch, expect a whole bunch of fun footage to get you acquainted with shows you might not know of, and showcase ones you know quite well. Also, we would love for all you Broadway fans out there to submit your own YouTube videos for us to feature so we can highlight you!
In the meantime, here are three recent videos that we really like:
Katie Finneran and Sean Hayes in Promises Promises
Sahr Ngaujah in FELA!
La Cage Aux Folles – Sneak Peak
We’re Just Saying
It’s been a crazy week for the Broadway community since the Tony nominations were announced. While we are super excited about the June 13th ceremony (Watch on CBS at 8pm Eastern Standard Time), there are so many other thrilling occasions that you may have missed out on. Here are several events that have occurred since the Antoinette Perry Awards nominations.
Sondheim on Sondheim had to cancel a matinee due to lack of a 2nd understudy. Vanessa Williams and Erin Mackey were reported as both being ill, but we hear that they were both secretly out at another 80th Birthday Party for Stephen Sondheim.
Judith Light joins Dan Luria in the fall production of Lombardi at Circle in the Square. In other news, Fred Savage and Alyssa Milano are slated to appear in the revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at the Lyceum.
Off-Broadway production The Irish Curse, “a new comedy about guys with one tiny problem” closes its doors on May 1st. Did anyone else predict a “short” run?
Betty White successfully hosted SNL based on a Facebook campaign. Recently several more campaigns have sprung up including ones for Oprah and Rue McClannahan. Where is the Angela Lansbury love people?
Million Dollar Quartet performed on Late Night with David Letterman. Regarding their performance, Letterman proclaimed, “If it’s not great, I’m gonna eat my tie.” To which we wonder, what would Conan eat if they weren’t good?
A Weekend in Our Country
While the Volcanic Ash has grounded thousands of flights, there are so many people stranded outside of New York City that couldn’t make it into town to see a Broadway show. Similarly, there are many visitors of New York City unable to get back home. For those of you “stuck” in NY (as though, there was such a thing), go see a Broadway show. If you are waiting patiently at the airport or in the city waiting to hear about possible flights, here are a few options to get you in the Broadway spirit and keep your hopes high!
10. Listen to the new soundtrack of A Little Night Music on your computer at the airport.
9. Do your favorite Come Fly Away dance in World Wide Plaza!
8. Download the Finian’s Rainbow soundtrack on iTunes, and think happy lucky thoughts.
7. Put on your favorite Rock of Ages YouTube video! We recommend the Anniversary Video.
6. Enjoy the new Avenue Q Slice at Two Boots Pizza at their Hell’s Kitchen Location on 9th Avenue and 44th Street
7. Sing Happy Birthday to Stephen Sondheim. Did you know he just turned 80?
4. Rent Chicago on DVD, or even better yet, rent Cabaret.
3. Go to the new Housing Works on 9th Avenue and 50th Street and try on some amazing dresses to get in the spirit of La Cage Aux Folles’ Cagettes
2. Visit FelaOnBroadway.com and watch the new commercial over and over and over again
1. Hit Like next to iBroadway on Facebook!
It’s Like, a Total Movie into Musical Explosion: Bring It!
I would love to be in the room with producers or creators who decide to make movies into musicals. Personally I’m a huge fan of turning Adventures in Babysitting (David Stone, please don’t steal my idea) into a musical, but only if Anthony Rapp originates his role as the zany horn-dog Daryl Coopersmith.
This season, I’ve heard rumors of several movie-to-musical adaptations as Dancing With Wolves, Bring It On, and Clueless. I’m not saying that I’m not excited by these new ventures. After all, the original La Cage Aux Folles was based off of a popular French flick. I’m just curious to know why these films, and why now? Firstly, none of the above mentioned (and you can add Catch Me If You Can and First Wives Club to the mix) are recent blockbuster hits. In fact, with the exception of the death of Clueless star Brittany Murphy, I haven’t heard mention of these movies in quite some time. Similarly, I’m not even sure of the cult following that really exists for these films. It’s not like you see NYU kids running to Village East Cinemas with pom-poms and short skirts dancing to “there must be some Toros in the atmosphere” (Cheer-tators anyone?).
Of course, I’m hoping for the success of these pieces of art (and I would like to work on all of them at some point ☺). But, I’m still unsure of their relevancy on Broadway in “the tens.” Maybe in twenty years from now, Bring It On will command the necessary nostalgia for the hit Kirsten Dunst film. Maybe the time for “Virgins Who Can’t Drive” (Clueless) will have its day when the teens that watched Alicia with pure delight have teens of their very own. Since the day has already approached, I thought of a few other movies that could make fantastic musicals. You be the judge:
I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Horror Musical
Happy Gilmore, another Adam Sandler Musical
She’s All That, The Fat Boy Slim Musical (Check out the Funk Soul Brother This Spring)
Ok Broadway fans, start dreaming! 2020 is just around the corner. And once it comes, I’ll meet you in the orchestra section of Don’t Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, the I’m Right on Top of It musical.