All stories by Jessica Gelt on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Tony winner Rachel Chavkin of ‘Hadestown’ on being a woman alone by Jessica Gelt

Rachel Chavkin was glad to win the Tony Award for best director of a musical for “Hadestown” at the Tony Awards on Sunday night, but made it clear that she was profoundly unhappy about t…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:05AM
Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Herb Alpert Award names five winners who will get $75,000 each to push their art forward by Jessica Gelt

A playwright exploring the Asian American experience and a film and video artist who addresses the representation of Puerto Ricans in culture are among the five people who will receive $75,0…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:35PM
Friday, May 3, 2019

‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ will come to L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum in 2020 by Jessica Gelt

“What the Constitution Means to Me,” Heidi Schreck’s Tony Award-nominated play that has Broadway buzzing, will come to Los Angeles as part of the 2019-20 season lineup at the Mark Tape…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:44AM
Monday, April 8, 2019

Center Theatre Group names its first female managing director by Jessica Gelt

Center Theatre Group announced Monday that Meghan Pressman will be its next managing director and CEO, making her the first female managing director in the nonprofit company’s 52-year hist…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00PM
Thursday, April 4, 2019

Why the Gay Men’s Chorus of L.A. is singing for survival by Jessica Gelt

Gary Hayashi thought that if he could just get close enough to God, he would be cured. Hayashi was not like other men he knew at church, and he certainly wasn’t like his older brother, who…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00AM
Monday, April 1, 2019

‘The Little Mermaid’ live at the Hollywood Bowl with Lea Michele and Cheech Marin by Jessica Gelt

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” live concert is set to return to the Hollywood Bowl next month just in time for the film’s 30th anniversary, with Lea Michele as golden-voiced mermaid A…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00AM
Friday, March 1, 2019

Ahmanson 2019-20 season: ‘Once on This Island,’ Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’ and Mike Birbiglia by Jessica Gelt

“Once on This Island,” the underdog Tony Award winner last year for best musical revival, will lend some Caribbean sunshine to the 2019-20 Ahmanson Theatre season to be announced Friday …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:00PM
Thursday, February 28, 2019

LeBron James is now theater: Playwright Rajiv Joseph turns Laker’s story into ‘King James’ by Jessica Gelt

Lakers star LeBron James and his impact on the city of Cleveland during his run with the Cavaliers will be the subject of the new play “King James,” written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Ra…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:00PM
Monday, February 25, 2019

The Oscars may be over at the Dolby Theatre, but ‘The Band’s Visit’ and ‘Mean Girls’ are coming by Jessica Gelt

The Oscars may be over, but the Dolby Theatre is just getting started. For the first time, the 3,400-seat home of the Academy Awards will host a full slate of touring Broadway productions, i…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:00PM
Thursday, February 14, 2019

Nudity in the theater? The actors of 'Linda Vista' have it covered by Jessica Gelt

Nudity in "Linda Vista" at the Mark Taper Forum is so abundant, actors can hear the audience gasp when it begins. Lead actresses Cora Chantal Thuy and Cora Vander Broek, director Dexter Bull…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:00PM

Nudity in the theater? The actresses in 'Linda Vista' have it covered by Jessica Gelt

In the darkly comic play “Linda Vista” at the Mark Taper Forum, three lead actors get naked. Not semi-naked, but totally naked. And not to take a bath or get dressed, but in service of s…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:00PM
Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Hollywood Bowl 2019 lineup: John Legend, Hugh Jackman, Cyndi Lauper and, yes, Harry Potter by Jessica Gelt

If you love pop-driven R&B, singer-songwriter John Legend will headline opening night of the Hollywood Bowl’s 2019 season. Fan of Hugh Jackman’s boisterous brand of musical theater? The …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00AM
Wednesday, January 16, 2019

'Hamilton' Puerto Rico actors talk about a musical with a mission, and the job of impressing Lin-Manuel Miranda by Jessica Gelt

It didn’t take long for Donald Webber Jr. to hear about the hardships endured by residents of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, the monster storm that ravaged the island in late 2017. The…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:20PM
Monday, January 14, 2019

At the Puerto Rico theater that ‘Hamilton’ left behind, disappointment stands center stage by Jessica Gelt

The quadrangle in front of the historic Teatro de la Universidad de Puerto Rico is so quiet that you can hear a feral cat meowing as it lounges on the theater steps. The plaintive sound echo…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:00AM
Saturday, January 12, 2019

‘Hamilton’ in Puerto Rico: An opening night with joy, hope and tears from Lin-Manuel Miranda by Jessica Gelt

Lin-Manuel Miranda cried as he grasped the hands of his “Hamilton” costars during curtain call on opening night here, later raising a Puerto Rican flag and waving it high before wrapping…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:50PM
Friday, December 7, 2018

Grammy nominations for musical theater: TV's 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is a surprising challenger to Broadway's 'Band's Visit' by Jessica Gelt

A surprise challenger infiltrated the musical theater album category when the Grammy nominees were announced Friday: The television special “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” star…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:33AM
Tuesday, November 27, 2018

'Dear Evan Hansen' shatters the Ahmanson Theatre's box office record — and will be back for a return engagement by Jessica Gelt

“Dear Evan Hansen,” the musical whose national tour shattered ticket sales records during an Ahmanson Theatre run that ended Saturday, will return to L.A. as part of Center Theatre Group…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:55PM
Saturday, August 25, 2018

The Hollywood Stage: Bryan Cranston, Michael C. Hall, Keri Russell and 'Tootsie' headed for the theater by Jessica Gelt

Our latest roundup of love affairs between Hollywood and the theater world include Michael C. Hall, Keri Russell and Adam Driver, all among the well-known names from TV and film to head for …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:00AM
Friday, August 17, 2018

Free theater tickets? If you're 25 or younger, Center Theatre Group has a new deal for you by Jessica Gelt

In an effort to lure a new generation of theatergoers, Center Theatre Group on Friday will start giving people 25 and younger free tickets to the first preview of productions at the Mark Tap…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:00AM
Thursday, August 2, 2018

'Waitress' proved the power of women at the box office. Will its success change theater? by Jessica Gelt

They didn’t set out to do it, but when the creative talents behind the Broadway musical “Waitress” assembled in a room, they looked around and realized something unusual: They were all…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00AM

Sara Bareilles on life after 'Waitress,' being a misfit and songs about Obama by Jessica Gelt

Sara Bareilles has spent the last five years of her life working almost exclusively on the musical “Waitress.” With the show still sailing on Broadway after more than two years and a nat…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00AM
Monday, July 9, 2018

John Lithgow's latest stage isn't a stage at all: How theater is moving to your phone and car by Jessica Gelt

Shhhhh. John Lithgow is performing his solo show, “Stories by Heart.” The five audience members are riveted. Don’t speak, don’t fidget, and for God’s sake, don’t look at your pho…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:00AM
Tuesday, June 12, 2018

When will 'Band's Visit' and 'Harry Potter' come to your city? Tour updates for the biggest Tony winners by Jessica Gelt

“The Band’s Visit” won 10 Tony Awards on Sunday, including best musical, leading actor and leading actress. But if you can’t get to New York to see the show, when might the show come…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:45PM
Sunday, June 10, 2018

Laurie Metcalf pulls off upset win at the Tony Awards. Did 'Roseanne' controversy help? by Jessica Gelt

Laurie Metcalf was anything but a shoo-in for a Tony Award, so her win Sunday for featured actress in “Three Tall Women” naturally raises the question: Did “Roseanne” controversy pla…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:25PM
Thursday, June 7, 2018

Denzel Washington: An 'Iceman' squares off against 'Angels' at the Tony Awards by Jessica Gelt

L.A. Times’ theater critic Charles McNulty said the performance in “The Iceman Cometh” was “revelatory.” The New York Times wrote that it was a “center-of-gravity” turn, equal …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM
Thursday, May 17, 2018

2018 Herb Alpert Award winners noted for explorations of race and social justice by Jessica Gelt

For five midcareer pros working in film/video, dance, music, theater and visual art, the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts is a remarkable prize: $75,000 to use at a time when work is often pois…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00AM
Tuesday, May 15, 2018

'Frozen' the musical to launch its national tour in Los Angeles by Jessica Gelt

“Frozen,” the Broadway musical, will launch its national tour at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in fall 2019, the Pantages announced Tuesday. Following its splashy New York opening in Ma…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:30PM
Tuesday, May 8, 2018

One of Broadway's most prolific poster artists puts five decades of work into a single book by Jessica Gelt

Frank "Fraver" Verlizzo has been creating some of Braodway's most memorable posters since the early 1970s. Now he's put more than 250 of his favorite designs in a book.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:48AM
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Tony Award-winning actors reprise their roles for 'The Humans' at the Ahmanson by Jessica Gelt

Jayne Houdyshell and Reed Birney will reprise their Tony Award-winning roles in Stephen Karam’s play “The Humans” when it’s staged at the Ahmanson Theatre this summer, Center Theatre…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:35PM
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Tony nominations for 'Harry Potter,' 'SpongeBob' and 'Mean Girls' put Hollywood center stage by Jessica Gelt

The musicals “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Mean Girls” each garnered 12 Tony Award nominations Tuesday, leading a pack dominated by Hollywood franchises such as “Harry Potter” and…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:35PM

'Mean Girls,' 'SpongeBob SquarePants' lead Tony nominations with 12 each; 'Harry Potter' scores 10 by Jessica Gelt

"Mean Girls" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" may have led Tony nominations with 12 apiece on Tuesday, but the real front-runners to emerge for Broadway's biggest honors were the musical "The Ban…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:25AM

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
TBA: Ragtime