All stories by Michael Gioia on BroadwayStars

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Actors from “Into the Woods,” Peter Pan Live!, Wicked and If/Then Sing Songs of Cutting-Edge Compose by Michael Gioia

"Into the Woods" star Lilla Crawford, Peter Pan Live! actress Taylor Louderman, Wicked's Lilli Cooper and If/Then's Tamika Sonja Lawrence and Ryann Redmond are among the li…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, January 24, 2015

NYC Kids Get the Chance to Rock in Broadway’s School of Rock Today! by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Young performers who sing and also play musical instruments are being sought in a nationwide casting call for the upcoming Broadway premiere of School of Rock. An open call takes place Jan. …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Sting Musical The Last Ship Ends Short-Lived Broadway Run by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

The Last Ship, the new musical by and starring 16-time Grammy winner Sting — inspired by the songwriter's own childhood — ends its Broadway Jan. 24 after…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Off-Broadway’s Little Children Dream of God, About Starting Anew, Begins Tonight by Michael Gioia

The Roundabout Underground world-premiere production of Little Children Dream of God, a new play by Jeff Augustin, begins performances Jan. 24 at the Black Box Theatre in the Harold and …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

New Mom Megan Hilty Wants Daughter Viola To “Grow Up Backstage” by Michael Gioia

"Smash" star Megan Hilty was a guest performer at this year's Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA, and brought her husband Brian Gallagher and four-month-old daughte…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Georgia Stitt’s Danger Year, Directed by Jason Robert Brown, Held Tonight With Kate Baldwin and Jere by Michael Gioia

A concert version of Georgia Stitt's The Danger Year, directed by her husband, three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, is held Jan. 24 at 9:30 PM at 54 Below.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, January 23, 2015

“Strange Magic” Film, Inspired by Midsummer and With Voices of Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth, R by Michael Gioia

"Strange Magic," a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., is released by Touchstone Pictures Jan. 23. Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth are among the actors who lend their voices …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Tix for Broadway’s Gigi, Starring Vanessa Hudgens and Corey Cott, Are On Sale! by Michael Gioia

Tickets for the new Broadway-bound production of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's Oscar and Tony Award-winning film and stage musical Gigi go on sale Jan. 23 at 10 …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Andy Mientus, Taylor Louderman, Ben Fankhauser, Jason Gotay and More Sing Music of F. Michael Haynie by Michael Gioia

F. Michael Haynie, who has been seen on Broadway in Wicked and on television in NBC's Peter Pan Live!, hits 54 Below Jan. 23 for a concert of his original music.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, January 22, 2015

Billy Joel’s Daughter Will Play New York’s Caf Carlyle by Michael Gioia

Café Carlyle will welcome back Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of music legend Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley, for a two-week engagement Feb. 24–March 7.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:43PM

Kerrigan and Lowdermilk Will Create a Brooklyn House Party in Immersive Musical The Bad Years by Michael Gioia

The Viewpoints Collective and JEM Theatricals will present workshop presentations of The Bad Years, an immersive house party musical by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, Jan. 28-Feb. 1…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:43PM

Actors from Wicked and After Midnight Join Laura Benanti for Rockettes’ Spring Spectacular by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Jared Grimes and Lenny Wolpe have been announced to co-star with Tony Award-winning actress Laura Benanti in the New York Spring Spectacular, the new Rockettes stage production that …

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:22PM

“Smash” Stars Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez and Andy Mientus Will Sing Songs That Inspired Their C by Michael Gioia

"Smash" stars Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez and Andy Mientus will look back at their time on the NBC musical drama in This Will Be Our Year March 3 at 54 Below.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:19AM

Lesli Margherita and Keala Settle Will Be #SOBLESSED When the “Annoying Actor Friend” Returns to 54 by Michael Gioia

Following a sold-out engagement last fall, #SOBLESSED Live! will return to 54 Below Feb. 7 at 11:30 PM and benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:18AM

Into the Woods Opens Anew in Off-Broadway’s Stripped-Down, Ten-Person Production by Michael Gioia

Roundabout Theatre Company presents Fiasco Theater's acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods — seen at New…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: Lena Hall, Lesli Margherita, Corey Mach, Kate Shindle and More Pick Favorite P!nk by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Lena Hall, Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita and Corey Mach are among the performers in Broadway Sings P!nk, featuring completely new arrangements of …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Actors from “Into the Woods,” Peter Pan Live!, Wicked, If/Then and More Will Sing Songs of Cutting-E by Michael Gioia

"Into the Woods" star Lilla Crawford, Peter Pan Live! actress Taylor Louderman, Wicked's Lilli Cooper and If/Then's Tamika Sonja Lawrence and Ryann Redmond are among the li…

SOURCE: Playbill at 06:46PM

Broadway Actors Comprise The Civilians’ Pretty Filthy, Exploring Real Stories of the Porn Industry by Michael Gioia

The Civilians' world-premiere production of Pretty Filthy will kick off the 100th anniversary celebration of the Playhouse at Abrons Arts Center. Previews will begin Jan. 31, prior t…

SOURCE: Playbill at 06:34PM

West Coast Premiere of Dogfight and Rocky Horror Show Shake Up Cygnet’s 2015-16 Season by Michael Gioia

Dogfight, featuring music by Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is among Cygnet Theatre's 13th season in San Diego, CA.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:42PM

The Masterminds Behind “Frozen” Share Most Heartwarming “Let It Go” Story to Date by Michael Gioia

Academy Award-winning husband-and-wife songwriting duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez attended the Junior Theater Festival this weekend in Atlanta, GA, where they we…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:22PM

Underground NYC Theatre Company Will Rise From the Ground Up at 54 Below by Michael Gioia

Broadway and Off-Broadway alum from 5th Floor Theatre, the underground New York City theatre company that presented Debbie Does Dallas last summer, will head to 54 Below Jan. 30.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:49PM

Everyday Rapture Team Will Reunite at Second Stage for Whorl Inside a Loop, Starring Sherie Rene Sco by Michael Gioia

The world premiere of Whorl Inside a Loop, a new play by Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott, co-directed by Michael Mayer and Scanlan — the creative team behind the Tony-no…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:30PM

Somewhere in Time Musical, With Laura Osnes and Ryan Silverman, Reveals Full Cast by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Complete casting has been revealed for the workshop presentations of the new Broadway-aimed musical Somewhere in Time, which stars Drama Desk Award nominee Ryan Silverman and To…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:50PM

Kevin Spacey Will Return to The Old Vic in Clarence Darrow by Michael Gioia

The Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey will return to the iconic title role in Clarence Darrow, following his sold-out and critically acclaimed run of in 2014, beginning Mar…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:39PM

Megan Mullally Will Watch the World Come to an End in Upcoming Ten-Part NBC Drama Series by Michael Gioia

Sky's upcoming drama "Apocalypse Slough," a ten-part series that NBC will air in the U.S., will star Rob Lowe, Megan Mullally and more, according to Deadline.com.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:33PM

This Year’s Tony Nominees Will Be Announced in Times Square With Online Webcast by Michael Gioia

The Tony Awards have announced the calendar for the upcoming 2014-15 Tony Awards season. The American Theatre Wing's 69th annual Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, which are p…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:22PM

Will The Great Comet Strike Again? Immersive Natasha, Pierre… Still Eyeing Broadway by Michael Gioia

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 — Dave Malloy's electropop opera that is based on a slice of the epic novel "War and Peace" — is …

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:42AM

Get the “Survivor” Experience Firsthand When the Show’s Broadway Boyfriends Hit 54 Below by Michael Gioia

Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly, billed as the Broadway Boyfriends on the reality show "Survivor: San Juan del Sur — Blood vs. Water," will head to 54 Below next week for th…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:44AM

Norbert Leo Butz and Sierra Boggess Will Join Jason Robert Brown for January Concert by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz and Sierra Boggess will join Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor and director Jason Robert Brown for his Jan. 26 concert at New York City&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:07AM

Lindsay Mendez and Marco Paguia Will Get Jazzy With a Big Band at Birdland by Michael Gioia

Lindsay Mendez, who starred as Elphaba in Broadway's Wicked, and music director and jazz pianist Marco Paguia will play NYC's Birdland Jan. 26. 

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:05AM

The Secrets to How Broadway Stars Power Through Colds, Flu and Fatigue by Michael Gioia

Sick before the show? Too tired for the audition? Got the winter blues? Broadway pros provide an expert guide that everyone can use to stay in top vocal and physical health.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:24AM

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