All stories by Andrea Simakis on BroadwayStars

Sunday, June 7, 2015

2015 Tony Awards: Cleveland Play House artistic Laura Kepley dolls up for the big night by Andrea Simakis

Friend and designer Lex Liang dropped by (in between putting the finishing touches on the Tony Award gala at The Plaza) to snap a few pics of Kepley getting all glammed up before she hits th…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 06:36PM

Cleveland Play House puts on the ritz for its annual benefit at the Allen Theatre by Andrea Simakis

America's first regional theater has much to celebrate this year: its centennial season and the 2015 regional Tony Award.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 02:39PM

2015 Tony Awards: Cleveland Play House faithful gather to see hometown Tony win; Oberlin grad Alison Bechdel's 'Fun Home' makes history by Andrea Simakis

"Cleveland Play House was founded in 1915 and through those 100 years we have never missed a season, not during the Great Depression or World War II." -- Artistic director Laura Ke…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 12:09AM
Saturday, June 6, 2015

2015 Tony Awards: And the celeb designer Laura Kepley will wear to pick up the Cleveland Play House Tony is . . . (hint: think Liz Taylor) by Andrea Simakis

And, In case you're wondering, CPH managing diector Kevin Moore will be in tux by Jos. A. Bank and flying the CPH colors with an orange tie from Nordstrom.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 10:00AM
Friday, June 5, 2015

Tony Awards 2015: Oberlin alum Alison Bechdel's musical 'Fun Home' likely headed for a big night by Andrea Simakis

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Let us give thanks, brothers and sisters of the Church of High Kicks, for the glorious three-way we are about to witness at the 69th annual Tony Awards. I'm not talking ab…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 12:00PM
Wednesday, June 3, 2015

2015 Tony Awards: Who is she wearing? Cleveland Play House's Laura Kepley searches for Tony glam in NYC by Andrea Simakis

Glamour is hard work, darling. So CPH's Laura Kepley did the sensible thing and called friend and New York-based designer Lex Liang to help her get ready for Sunday's Tony Awards.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:15AM
Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Cleveland Public Theatre's 'Johanna: Facing Forward' is a moving portrait of courage and determination, but it's still a work in progress by Andrea Simakis

In adapting Johanna's remarkable tale of recovery and courage for the stage, Rivas said he worked hardest to channel his heroine's authentic voice, and he's done a gorgeous job of it.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 01:26PM
Monday, June 1, 2015

'Three Sisters' at Mamaí Theatre Company headlines Cleveland theater openings for the week of June 1: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

'Three Sisters,' one 'Wiz' and a 'Young Man from Atlanta' play in Cleveland this week.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 10:18AM
Tuesday, May 26, 2015

'Johanna: Facing Forward' at Cleveland Public Theatre headlines Cleveland theater openings for the week of May 25: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

One world-premiere and two classics ease on down the road to Cleveland's stages this week.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:35AM
Friday, May 22, 2015

How a shocking story of teen-dating abuse, first reported in The Plain Dealer, became the world-premiere play 'Johanna: Facing Forward' at Cleveland P by Andrea Simakis

"Johanna: Facing Forward," the story of the girl who refused to be defined by her scars, jumps from page to stage.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Monday, May 18, 2015

'Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea' at Cleveland Public Theatre headlines Cleveland theater openings for the week of May 18: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

Catch two magical, metaphysical romps this weekend: CPT's "Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea" and Theater Ninja's "The Turing Machine"

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:15AM
Thursday, May 14, 2015

Beck Center for the Arts' 2015-16 season to offer Tony favorites 'In the Heights' and 'Billy Elliot: The Musical' by Andrea Simakis

CLEVELAND, Ohio – What better way for artistic director Scott Spence to kick off his 25th season at the Beck Center for the Arts than to land a musical by one of the hottest composers in t…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Strong performances and inventive staging give Ensemble Theatre's 'Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo' real bite by Andrea Simakis

The most amazing thing about Rajiv Joseph's "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" isn't that the man-eater of the title is actually a scowling, bearded man who speaks directly to the a…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Monday, May 11, 2015

'I Love Lucy Live' at Playhouse Square headlines Cleveland theater openings for the week of May 11: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

That wacky redhead comes to Playhouse Square this weekend in "I Love Lucy Live."

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 10:02AM
Friday, May 8, 2015

Slow-go staging strips some of the shine from Eric Coble's glittering comedy 'Fairfield,' at the Cleveland Play House by Andrea Simakis

"Peace. Love. Respect for all" – so goes the slogan for Fairfield Elementary. Classes are racially diverse, parents are "engaged," as newly appointed Principal Angela W…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Saturday, May 2, 2015

Eric Coble's 'Fairfield,' opening at the Cleveland Play House, pans for comic gold in political correctness gone awry by Andrea Simakis

Fans of "South Park" will find much to snicker at in "Fairfield." Like Trey Parker and Matt Stone, playwright Eric Coble takes a machete to all sacred cows.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The 69th Annual Tony Award nominations are icing on the cake for Oberlin grad Alison Bechdel by Andrea Simakis

"Fun Home" has earned 12 Tony nods in all, including a nomination for Best Musical, tying the sumptuous "An American in Paris" for the most this year.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:08AM
Monday, April 27, 2015

'The Neighbor's Grief Is Greener' at CPT headlines Cleveland theater openings for the week of April 27: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

"The Neighbor's Grief Is Greener" and "In a Word" are at Cleveland Public Theatre this weekend.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:45AM
Sunday, April 26, 2015

Made in Cleveland: Playwright George Brant joins Anne Hathaway and lauded director Julie Taymor for a high-flying off-Broadway 'Grounded' by Andrea Simakis

Both art installation and thrill ride, Julie Taymor's production of "Grounded" feels like being in the cockpit of a jet, G-forces tugging at your body.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 06:00AM
Saturday, April 25, 2015

Look back in ardor: the Tony Award-winning Cleveland Play House, 2011-2015 (photo gallery) by Andrea Simakis

A look back at some of the productions staged at Tony Award-winning Cleveland Play House.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:50AM
Friday, April 24, 2015

Cleveland Play House wins coveted 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award in its 100th year by Andrea Simakis

The Tony Awards Administrative Committee announced Friday that the Cleveland Play House is the winner of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 06:39PM
Monday, April 20, 2015

'Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo' headlines Cleveland theater openings for week of April 20: On the Boards by Andrea Simakis

"Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" at Ensemble Theatre and "Superior Donuts" at Dobama Theatre open in Cleveland this week.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 12:30PM
Saturday, April 18, 2015

Boozing on Broadway: Who needs the Tonys? Contenders for Best Speciality Cocktail 2015 by Andrea Simakis

Based on painstaking research involving great personal sacrifice and a strong liver, here are the booze-filled contenders for Best Specialty Cocktail, 2015. Will "Hook's Right Hook"…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 01:35PM

Made in Cleveland: 'Phantom's' Kaley Ann Voorhees on corsets, comics and acting cool in front of Matthew Broderick by Andrea Simakis

A little more than six months into her role as Christine Daaé in Broadway's "The Phantom of the Opera," Aurora's Kaley Ann Voorhees is making adjustments and thinking on her feet …

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, April 16, 2015

'Wolf Hall': Brilliant adapataton of Hilary Mantel novels one of many Broadway marathons by Andrea Simakis

In "Wolf Hall," the brilliant adaptation by Mike Poulton -- the distillation of Hilary Mantel's 1,008 pages of lust, vengeance and intrigue in King Henry VIII's court -- each part …

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 01:20PM
Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Made in Cleveland: How did Adrianna Cleveland go from barista to Broadway hopeful? by Andrea Simakis

The timing couldn't have been better -- with her mother finally scheduled for a long--awaited surgery, the BW Showcase was a way to get Adrianna Cleveland's promising career back on track.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 10:26AM
Tuesday, April 14, 2015

The Broadway Experience: A peek at your theater diva's week in NYC by Andrea Simakis

What's the Theatre Diva seeing next in NYC?

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 11:25AM
Monday, April 13, 2015

Made in Cleveland: BW grad Jill Paice glitters at 'An American in Paris' opening night party by Andrea Simakis

Jill Paice plays Milo Davenport, a lovelorn American heiress who has a yen for artist Jerry Mulligan (Robert Fairchild), an ex-G.I. knocking around the City of Light in "An American in …

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 04:29PM

'An Amercian in Paris' opens on Broadway to bravos, champagne and stars by Andrea Simakis

"An American in Paris," a gorgeous fusion of Broadway and ballet, unfolded to spontaneous bursts of applause and shouts of "Bravo!" from the charmed crowd long before the…

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 03:17PM
Sunday, April 12, 2015

Made in Cleveland: BW grad Chris McCarrell dishes on Broadway, 'Peter Pan Live!' (video) by Andrea Simakis

Wanna know how Chris McCarrell went from Baldwin Wallace to Broadway?

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 01:42PM

Made in Cleveland: BW grad Chris McCarrell sees a familiar face after matinee of 'Les Miz' (photo essay) by Andrea Simakis

"Les Miz's" Chris McCarrell and BW's Victoria Bussert: A Broadway reunion made in Cleveland.

SOURCE: Cleveland.com at 12:36PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic