All stories by Matt on BroadwayStars

Thursday, December 1, 2016

The Emperor and the Nightingale at Keswick's Theatre by the Lake - photo essay by Christopher Thomond and Matt Fidler

The Theatre by the Lake in the northern Lake District has staged a Christmas play every year since it opened in 1999. This year it’s The Emperor and the Nightingale, adapted from a Hans Ch…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:42AM
Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Naked villainy: Ralph Fiennes as Richard III at the Almeida – in pictures by Miles Aldridge and Matt Fidler

Ralph Fiennes plays Shakespeare’s scheming king in a striking new production of Richard III, directed by Rupert Goold. Photographer Miles Aldridge, who followed the rehearsal process, talk…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:09AM
Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Do you know your Oedipus from your Antigone? – Greek theatre quiz by Charlotte Higgins and Matthew Fox

Are you a titan of the theatre or have the fates abandoned you? As the Almeida puts on a festival inspired by Dionysus, test your knowledge of Greek dramaIn Aeschylus’s Agamemnon, Clytemne…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:52AM
Thursday, April 21, 2016

Inside the darknet - Tech Weekly podcast by Presented By Nathalie Nahai and Produced By Simon Barnard and Matt Shore

The dark underbelly of the internet exploredDespite the fact that it’s just a couple of clicks away, most internet users have no knowledge of the existence of the darknet, the murky world …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:50AM
Wednesday, March 23, 2016

World Irish dancing championships in Glasgow – photo essay by Murdo Macleod and Matt Fidler

An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, the world’s premier Irish dance organisation, hosts the 46th annual world Irish dancing championships at the Glasgow Royal concert hall. Guardian photojou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:08AM
Saturday, February 27, 2016

Should our theatres do more to challenge audiences? by Matt Trueman and Mark Shenton

Sarah Kane’s ultra-violent Cleansed left them reeling in the stalls at the National Theatre last week. Was that a rare exception on an otherwise tame British stage?Has British theatre shie…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:12PM
Thursday, January 21, 2016

Our Mother’s Brief Affair, Starring Linda Lavin, Opens on Broadway; Red Carpet Arrivals, Curtain Cal by Matt Blank and Joseph Marzullo

Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway production of Our Mother's Brief Affair, penned by Tony-winning playwright Richard Greenberg, officially opens Jan. 20 following previe…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:47AM

Our Mother’s Brief Affair, Starring Linda Lavin, Opens on Broadway; Red Carpet Arrivals and Curtain by Matt Blank and Joseph Marzullo

Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway production of Our Mother's Brief Affair, penned by Tony-winning playwright Richard Greenberg, officially opens Jan. 20 following previe…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:47AM
Friday, December 25, 2015

38 Vintage Shots Reveal Unseen Moments With Celebrities Backstage on Broadway! by Matthew Blank and David Leshay

There's more to Broadway than what you see in production photos and opening night coverage! Former Broadway press representative David LeShay, currently the director of marketing and pub…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Monday, December 7, 2015

School of Rock Celebrates an Electric Opening Night on Broadway! Red Carpet and Curtain Call Pics! by Matthew Blank and Matt Blank and Joseph Marzullo

School of Rock – The Musical, the first new Andrew Lloyd Webber show to open on Broadway in a decade, officially opened Dec. 6 at the Winter Garden Theatre, where his Cats ran for …

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:13AM

School of Rock Celebrates an Electric Opening Night on Broadway! Red Carpet, Curtain Call and Party by Matthew Blank and Matt Blank and Joseph Marzullo

School of Rock – The Musical, the first new Andrew Lloyd Webber show to open on Broadway in a decade, officially opened Dec. 6 at the Winter Garden Theatre, where his Cats ran for …

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:41AM
Friday, November 27, 2015

Gemma Arterton Will Play an Orange Seller Who Becomes a Star in Nell Gwynn by Mark Shenton and Mattew Blank

Gemma Arterton will return to the West End to star in the transfer of Jessica Swale's Nell Gwynn, about the 17th century actress and royal mistress, at the Apollo Theatre.

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:43AM

Gemma Arterton to Star as an Orange Seller Who Becomes a Star in Nell Gwynn by Mark Shenton and Mattew Blank

Gemma Arterton will return to the West End to star in the transfer of Jessica Swale's Nell Gwynn, about the 17th century actress and royal mistress, at the Apollo Theatre.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:54AM

Eddie Redmayne Transforms Into Transgender Pioneer in “Danish Girl,” Opening Today by Robert Viagas and Mattew Blank

Eddie Redmayne, who took home an Oscar this past spring for his leading performance in "The Theory of Everything," portrays transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in "The Danish Girl.&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

The Stars of Grease: Live Demonstrate Their “Hand Jive” Skills in First Promo Video by Robert Viagas and Matthew Blank

The cast of Fox-TV's Jan. 31, 2016, live broadcast of Grease appear in a new video promo for the special, in which they perform part of the song "Born to Hand Jive"…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:27PM
Monday, November 23, 2015

Weekly Schedule of Current Broadway Shows by Joey Sims and Matthew Blank

While most of Broadway runs on a traditional Tuesday through Sunday schedule (with Sunday and Monday evenings off), a handful of productions diverge slightly and offer performances at non…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, October 30, 2015

Hot, cold and just right: watch the fairytale moves of Into the Hoods by David Levene , Matt Fidler and Stefania Orlando

Guardian photographer and film-maker David Levene has created a series of motion portraits of the ZooNation dancers in the fairytale-riffing show Into the Hoods: Remixed – watch and imitat…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:07AM
Thursday, October 29, 2015

Undiscovered country: the Globe's travelling Hamlet in a Jordanian refugee camp by Sarah Lee and Matt Fidler

Guardian photojournalist Sarah Lee travelled to Jordan with the Globe Theatre’s touring Hamlet production. Aiming to visit every country in the world to celebrate the 450th anniversary of …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:09AM
Thursday, October 8, 2015

A Photo Journey With Jennifer Ashley Tepper: From Theatre-Obsessed Pre-Teen to Prolific Broadway Pro by Matthew Blank and Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Today, Jennifer Ashley Tepper is the Director of Programming at 54 Below and author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway" book series. But only yesterday (it seems), she was a 12-…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:27PM

A Photo Journey With Jennifer Ashley Tepper: How a Theatre-Obsessed Tween Got to Hang with Stephen S by Matthew Blank and Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Today, Jennifer Ashley Tepper is the Director of Programming at 54 Below and author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway" book series. But only yesterday (it seems), she was a 12-…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:27PM
Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Opening Night Photos! Clive Owen and Eve Best Headline Pinter’s Old Times; Red Carpet, Curtain Call by Matthew Blank and Joseph Marzullo

The Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's Old Times officially opened Oct. 6 at 7 PM following previews that began Sept. 17 at the American Airlines Theatr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:44AM
Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Clive Owen and Eve Best Headline Pinter’s Old Times; Opening Night Arrivals, Curtain Call and Cast P by Matthew Blank and Joseph Marzullo

The Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's Old Times officially opened Oct. 6 at 7 PM following previews that began Sept. 17 at the American Airlines Theatr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:06PM
Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Step Into Dystopia in Mercury Fur, Opening Tonight Off-Broadway by Olivia Clement and Matt Blank

Philip Ridley’s Mercury Fur officially opens Off-Broadway Aug. 19, following previews that began Aug. 5. The Linney Courtyard at the Signature Theatre is completely tr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, August 5, 2015

New Group’s Mercury Fur Opens New Season Tonight by Robert Viagas and Matt Blank

The New Group launches its 2015-16 season Aug. 5 with the Off-Broadway premiere of Philip Ridley’s dystopian British drama, Mercury Fur.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:24AM
Wednesday, July 29, 2015

See and Hear Sara Bareilles’ Waitress Musical in New Social Media Vid! by Robert Viagas and Matt Blank

The American Repertory Theater's upcoming production of the world premiere of Waitress, the new Sara Bareilles musical, will play the Cambridge, MA venue Aug. 2-Sept. 27 with an offi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:44PM
Saturday, June 20, 2015

Exclusive: A Trove of Rarely-Seen Photos of The Fantasticks by Robert Viagas and Matt Blank

The long-running Off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks narrowly averted closing May 3 when a pair of deep-pocketed fans stepped in to help producers with a sum that they sai…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, June 11, 2015

Lampedusa by Anders Lustgarten -audio drama by Produced By Matt Hill and Directed By Steven Atkinson

In an audio play specially commissioned for the Guardian, a fisherman confronts the tide of refugees sweeping across the MediterraneanWARNING: contains strong languageIn this special edition…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:13PM
Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Sister Act Star Raven-Symon Will Join Cast of TV’s “The View” by Robert Viagas and Matt Blank

TV star Raven-Symoné, who made her Broadway debut in 2012 as the wimple-wearing disco diva of Broadway's Sister Act at the Broadway Theatre, has been tapped as new co&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:32AM
Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Do you know your Oedipus from your Antigone? – Greek theatre quiz by Charlotte Higgins and Matthew Fox

Are you a titan of the theatre or have the fates abandoned you? As the Almeida puts on a festival inspired by Dionysus, test your knowledge of Greek drama Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:43AM
Monday, June 8, 2015

Exclusive! See These Candid Shots of All the Stars Inside the Cafe Carlyle’s Swanky Tony Party by Matthew Blank and Monica Simoes

Broadway public relations firm O&M, headed by president Rick Miramontez, hosted its annual Tony Award post-show celebration at the Carlyle late Sunday night. O&M is represented o…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:42PM
Monday, May 25, 2015

PHOTO CALL: Drama League Honors Patti LuPone with Starry Tribute by Matthew Blank and Irina Khodorkovsky

The Drama League presented its 27th annual all-star gala, A Musical Celebration of Broadway, Feb. 7 in the Grand Ballroom at The Pierre New York. The evening honored two-time Tony Award winn…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:58PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards