All stories by Ethan Shanfeld on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

‘Legally Blonde’ Prequel Series Casts June Diane Raphael as Elle’s Mom by Ethan Shanfeld

“Elle,” the “Legally Blonde” prequel series, has found Elle’s mom. June Diane Raphael has joined the Amazon Prime Video project as Eva, joining the previously announced Lexi Minetr…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:24PM
Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Patrick Wilson Joins Amy Adams and Javier Bardem in Apple TV+’s ‘Cape Fear’ by Ethan Shanfeld

Patrick Wilson is joining Amy Adams and Javier Bardem in the upcoming Apple TV+ “Cape Fear” adaptation. From creator and showrunner Nick Antosca and executive producers Martin Scorsese a…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:06PM

‘Descendants 5’ Announced at Disney With New ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Characters by Ethan Shanfeld

“Descendants” is going “deeper down the rabbit hole” with a fifth movie, Disney Branded Television announced Tuesday. Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker will reprise their roles as Princ…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:44PM

Cole Escola Returning to ‘Oh, Mary!’ in April by Ethan Shanfeld

Cole Escola, the playwright and original star of “Oh, Mary!,” is returning to the hit Broadway show in the title role of Mary Todd Lincoln starting April 8. Escola will be joined by fell…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:44PM
Monday, February 24, 2025

Oscar Performers: ‘Wicked’ Stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, Plus Lisa of Blackpink, Doja Cat and More by Ethan Shanfeld

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will bring Oz to the Oscars, as the “Wicked” duo are set to perform live during Hollywood’s biggest night. Lisa, from this season of “The White Lotus�…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:47PM
Monday, February 10, 2025

Green Day-Inspired Comedy Movie in the Works From Live Nation Productions (EXCLUSIVE) by Ethan Shanfeld

A comedy movie inspired by (and developed with) Green Day is being produced by Live Nation Productions. Titled “New Years Rev,” the film is a coming-of-age story of three friends — pla…

SOURCE: Variety at 04:19PM
Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Grammys Draw 15.4 Million Viewers on CBS, Down 12% From Last Year by Ethan Shanfeld

Music’s biggest night drew 15.4 million viewers on CBS Sunday night. That’s down 12% from last year’s Grammys, which brought in 17.5 million viewers on CBS, per Nielsen Live + Same Day…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:29PM
Friday, January 17, 2025

‘SNL’ Auditions Revealed: Jim Carrey, Jennifer Coolidge, Kevin Hart, Stephen Colbert and More Stars Who Got Cut by Ethan Shanfeld

Jim Carrey, Jennifer Coolidge, Kevin Hart, Stephen Colbert, Donald Glover, Mindy Kaling and Jordan Peele. These are just some of the A-list comedy stars who once auditioned for “Saturday N…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:49AM
Monday, January 13, 2025

‘Sing Sing’ Cast Reuniting to Perform the Play From the Movie Live in New York City (EXCLUSIVE) by Ethan Shanfeld

What started as a goofy, groundbreaking play that debuted inside the Sing Sing Correctional Facility — and then inspired the Golden Globe-nominated movie “Sing Sing” — will return to…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:07PM
Thursday, August 1, 2024

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter Set ‘Bill & Ted’ Reunion on Broadway With ‘Waiting for Godot’ by Ethan Shanfeld

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are reuniting for a new Broadway production of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” directed by Jamie Lloyd. Reeves will play Estragon and Winter will pla…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:38PM
Thursday, April 18, 2024

Crafting ‘Stereophonic’: How ‘Terrifying’ Rehearsals, Creative Clashes and a Soundproof Studio Led to Broadway’s Buzziest Show by Ethan Shanfeld

A little over 10 years ago, David Adjmi was on an airplane, listening to Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” and picturing Robert Plant recording the vocals. “It’s communi…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:11PM
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper and Quincy Jones Teaming Up to Reopen Chicago’s Ramova Theatre (EXCLUSIVE) by Ethan Shanfeld

Chicago icons Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper and Quincy Jones have teamed up to reopen and revitalize the Ramova Theatre, located in the South Side neighborhood of Bridgeport, after the …

SOURCE: Variety at 02:15PM
Thursday, August 24, 2023

Reneé Rapp: ‘Mean Girls’ Musical Was ‘Harmful’ to My Health, Production Staff Said ‘Vile F—ing Things to Me About My Body’ by Ethan Shanfeld

Reneé Rapp opened up about struggling with an eating disorder during her tenure on the “Mean Girls” musical, which was exacerbated by production staffers who, she said, “would say som…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:37AM
Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Chris Perfetti on Landing ‘Abbott Elementary’ and Relating to LeBron With Off-Broadway Play ‘King James’ by Ethan Shanfeld

For Chris Perfetti, “Abbott Elementary” was not just another pandemic-era script on his desk. “I first read the pilot in the spring of 2020, and it was in no small way a profound momen…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:45AM
Thursday, October 27, 2022

Kate Berlant’s One-Woman Show Returns to New York for Eight-Week ‘Encore’ Run by Ethan Shanfeld

Kate Berlant’s critically acclaimed one-woman show, “Kate,” will return to New York City’s Connelly Theater for an eight-week “encore” run, from Dec. 19, 2022, to Feb. 10, 2023. …

SOURCE: Variety at 11:19AM
Monday, August 16, 2021

New York City’s Indoor Vaccine Mandate Launches Tuesday by Ethan Shanfeld

As the delta variant threatens to suspend a return to normalcy, New York City’s vaccine mandate for indoor entertainment venues, including concert halls, museums, restaurants, bars, fitnes…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:18PM
Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Alvin Ing, Pioneering Asian American Broadway Actor, Dies at 89 by Ethan Shanfeld

Alvin Ing, a pioneering Asian American Broadway actor who appeared in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song” and Stephen Sondheim’s “Pacific Overtures,” died at Providence …

SOURCE: Variety at 07:06PM
Saturday, July 10, 2021

Anthony Fauci to Be Honored at Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Gala by Ethan Shanfeld

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation announced it will host its Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala on Sept. 17 at West Hollywood Park. At the gala, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Amer…

SOURCE: Variety at 04:26PM
Thursday, July 1, 2021

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson to Play Central Park Reopening Concert by Ethan Shanfeld

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson are among the first batch of artists announced to headline the New York City “homecoming concert” in New York’s Central Park this summ…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:28PM
Friday, June 18, 2021

Pacific Theatres Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy by Ethan Shanfeld

Pacific Theatres Exhibition Corporation, which includes ArcLight Cinemas, announced they are filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 in order to liquidate their assets for the benefit of credi…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:28PM
Thursday, June 10, 2021

‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’ Trailer: Andrew Garfield Shows Off Singing Chops in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Film by Ethan Shanfeld

Netflix has released the first trailer for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature film directorial debut, “Tick, Tick…Boom!,” starring Andrew Garfield. Staying true to the film’s title, its …

SOURCE: Variety at 11:05AM
Tuesday, June 8, 2021

MTV VMAs Return to New York – in Person – in September by Ethan Shanfeld

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) will return this year for an in-person show on Sept. 12, airing live from the Barclays Center in New York City. No performers have been revealed yet, but ac…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:33PM
Tuesday, May 18, 2021

‘Dear Evan Hansen’: Watch the First Trailer for the Ben Platt Musical Movie by Ethan Shanfeld

Universal has released the first trailer for the “Dear Evan Hansen” movie, premiering in theaters on Sept. 24. Ben Platt returns in his Tony-winning titular role in the big-screen adapta…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:46PM

‘Dear Evan Hansen’: Watch the first trailer for the Ben Platt musical movie by Ethan Shanfeld

Ben Platt returns in his Tony-winning titular role in the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical hit created by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:42AM
Friday, April 23, 2021

Meat Loaf Remembers Longtime Collaborator Jim Steinman: ‘We Belonged Heart and Soul to Each Other’ by Ethan Shanfeld

In an interview conducted by Rolling Stone over two days, rock icon Meat Loaf (pictured at left in 1977) reminisced about his friend and longtime collaborator Jim Steinman (right), who died …

SOURCE: Variety at 09:20PM
Monday, April 12, 2021

Theater Unions Denounce Workplace Abuse in Wake of Scott Rudin Allegations by Ethan Shanfeld

Leaders of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association and American Federation of Musicians Local 802 released a joint statement condemning workplace harassment, bullying and violent behavior in…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:56PM
Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Ariana Grande Reveals Complex Vocal Arrangements That Went Into Recording ‘Positions’ by Ethan Shanfeld

Ariana Grande reveals the rigorous and highly technical vocal work that goes into recording a hit song with a behind-the-scenes look at how the track “Positions” came to be. In the five-…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:07PM
Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Laverne Cox, Regina King and Selena Gomez Sign GLAAD Letter Supporting Transgender Women and Girls by Ethan Shanfeld

In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, GLAAD has released an open letter signed by more than 465 feminist leaders in support of transgender women and girls. The letter, organized by the …

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00AM
Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Entertainment Executives Discuss the Post-Pandemic Future of the Industry by Ethan Shanfeld

As the number of vaccinations increase and people begin returning to the office, entertainment business executives are preparing for a post-pandemic industry. In the Variety Streaming Room,…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:41PM

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
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre