All stories by Michael Mellini on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Champagne, Teary Audiences and Awestruck Stars! On the Scene at the World Premiere Reading of 8 by Michael Mellini

There weren’t any singing Mormons at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on September 19. Instead, the stage was lined with two rows of blue directors chairs, standing ready for the slew …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 04:09PM

Gleek Out! Broadway.com Recaps Glee's Broadway Adventure and Looks Ahead to the Season Three Premiere by Michael Mellini

Glee is gearing up for its third season premiere on September 20 after a looong summer hiatus...and even we admit we’re a little rusty on what went down in the New Directions choir roo…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:43PM
Monday, September 19, 2011

The Book of Mormon's Rory O'Malley on Life in Broadway's Biggest Hit and the Starry Reading of 8 by Michael Mellini

The Book of Mormon standout Rory O'Malley knows how to make an impact. As closeted mission leader Elder McKinley in the raucous Tony-winning musical, O'Malley is musical co…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 07:13PM
Friday, September 16, 2011

Spider-Man's Reeve Carney on Playing Jeff Buckley in New Bio Film: 'I Avoided Listening to Jeff's Music' by Michael Mellini

Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark star Reeve Carney is readying to swing back to the big screen as the late musician Jeff Buckley in an upcoming biopic about the Grammy nominee’s life. Bro…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 11:04AM
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Spider-Man's Laura Beth Wells on Life as the Green Goblin's Wife and Her Own Newlywed Bliss by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: 35; Knoxville, TN Current Role: A Broadway debut as Emily Osborn, the devoted wife of madman scientist-turned-super villain Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, in Spider-Man, …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:50PM
Monday, September 12, 2011

Godspell Star Hunter Parrish on Transitioning from a TV Drug Dealer to Playing Jesus on Broadway by Michael Mellini

What do Jesus and drug dealers have in common? Apparently they’re not so different, according to Godspell star Hunter Parrish. The actor will play the son of God in the musical's u…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 04:30PM
Friday, September 9, 2011

Jonathan Groff Has a Lingerie-Related Nickname, Patti LuPone's a Delinquent and Other Lessons of the Week by Michael Mellini

With Labor Day behind us, fall is in the air and things are already busy on the Great White Way. Here’s our round-up of the top lessons that this week’s news and features taught …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 06:05PM
Thursday, September 8, 2011

Billy Elliot's Cameron Clifford on Playing Dress-Up and His Harry Potter Obsession by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: 11; Flemington, NJ Current Role: Tapping up a storm as Michael, the eccentric and sympathetic friend of the title character in the long-running Broadway musical hit Bi…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 02:40PM
Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Lea Michele as a Plastic? Sutton Foster Channeling Tina Fey? Broadway.com Casts Mean Girls: The Musical by Michael Mellini

As students head back to school, Broadway.com asked readers what classic school-themed movie they’d like to see made into a Broadway musical. Fans ranked the 2004 comedy Mean Girls as …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 05:23PM
Friday, August 26, 2011

What's Up, Yeardley Smith? The Love, Loss and What I Wore Star Talks Josh Duhamel and Plans for a Second Simpsons Movie by Michael Mellini

For 22 seasons and counting Yeardley Smith has delighted TV audiences as bubbly brainiac Lisa Simpson on The Simpsons. Aside from her studies at Springfield Elementary, Smith has maintained …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 09:46AM
Monday, August 22, 2011

Lady Gaga to Join Forces With Love Loss and What I Wore Star Yeardley Smith on The Simpsons by Michael Mellini

Grammy winner Lady Gaga is heading to Springfield for a guest gig on TV's The Simpsons, the show's star Yeardley Smith told Broadway.com. Smith (who voices Lisa Simpson and currently…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 12:19PM
Friday, August 19, 2011

What's Up, Jenn Harris? The Silence! Star Speaks Out on Channeling Jodie Foster and Lindsay Lohan's Legal Drama by Michael Mellini

Jenn Harris made a splash at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival with her take on Jodie Foster's all-business FBI agent Clarice Starling in Silence!, a musical spoof of the O…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 10:26AM
Monday, August 15, 2011

Bluebird's Simon Russell Beale On Chatting with Taxi Drivers, Jonathan Groff and Marilyn Monroe by Michael Mellini

Voted by the U.K.'s The Independent as the greatest stage actor of his generation, Simon Russell Beale has made his mark on plenty of Shakespeare's most well known roles, including O…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:26PM
Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Love, Loss and What I Wore’s Roslyn Ruff on Cleaning Up After Emma Stone In The Help by Michael Mellini

August 10 is shaping up to be an important day for actress Roslyn Ruff. Not only will she play her first performance in the off-Broadway hit Love, Loss and What I Wore, but the date also mar…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 03:16PM
Monday, August 8, 2011

Priscilla's Will Swenson Talks Getting Glam, Wild Audience Behavior and Playing With Harry Potter Legos by Michael Mellini

In his Tony-nominated performance in Hair, Will Swenson may have shown plenty of skin, but now the handsome actor spends his days in the disco musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert fully clo…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 07:02PM

Priscilla Star Will Swenson on Crazy Crowds, Equality Triumph and Meeting Harry Potter by Michael Mellini

In his Tony-nominated performance in Hair, Will Swenson may have shown plenty of skin, but now the handsome actor spends his days in the disco musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert fully clo…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 07:02PM
Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Can Lauren Ambrose Sing? A Look at the Future Funny Girl Star's Musical Background by Michael Mellini

The entire theater world is talking about Lauren Ambrose, now that the red-headed actress will officially take on the role of Fanny Brice in Bartlett Sher's Broadway-bound revival of Fun…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 07:27PM
Friday, July 15, 2011

What's Up, Marla Maples? The Love, Loss and What I Wore Star on Returning to New York and Sending Daughter Tiffany Trump to College by Michael Mellini

Marla Maples may be best known as the ex-wife of celebrity businessman Donald Trump, but she is also a Broadway vet, having appeared in the hit musical The Will Rogers Follies. After spendin…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:00PM
Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Chicago's Christopher Sieber on Becoming an Ordained Minister and Having Bon Jovi Rock Out at His Wedding by Michael Mellini

Two-time Tony nominee Christopher Sieber (Shrek, Spamalot) was set to return for his third engagement in the long-running revival of Chicago earlier this year, but an exciting change-up land…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 10:56AM
Thursday, June 23, 2011

Rachel Potter on Going Grim as The Addams Family's Wednesday and Her Country Music Ambitions by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: “Old enough to drink”; Seminole, FL Current Role: Making her Broadway debut as dour daughter Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. Disney Roots: Potter…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:15PM

Rachel Potter Her Country Music Ambitions and Going Grim as The Addams Family's Wednesday by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: “Old enough to drink”; Seminole, FL Current Role: Making her Broadway debut as dour daughter Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. Disney Roots: Potter…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:15PM

Rachel Potter on Her Country Music Ambitions and Going Grim as The Addams Family's Wednesday by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: “Old enough to drink”; Seminole, FL Current Role: Making her Broadway debut as dour daughter Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. Disney Roots: Potter…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 01:15PM
Monday, June 20, 2011

Spider-Man's Patrick Page on Teaming With Bono and The Edge and Going 'Lady Gaga' as the Green Goblin by Michael Mellini

Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark faced plenty of challenges on its way to Broadway, but you won't hear any complaints from Patrick Page. His role, the Green Goblin, once died at the end of …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 06:27PM
Monday, June 13, 2011

Hookers! Joseph Smith! Bumblebees! Best Mormon Moments at the 2011 Tony Awards by Michael Mellini

The Book of Mormon proved to be "God's Favorite Musical" at the 2011 Tony Awards, taking home nine trophies, including Best Musical. She show's dominance could have turned …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 06:13AM

Dancing Nuns, Swinging Sailors and Raining Men: We Rate the 2011 Tony Award Performances by Michael Mellini

Sure, it's fun to see which stars take home Tony Awards on Broadway's biggest night, but for many viewers, the most exciting moments come when casts from the competing musicals take …

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 05:32AM
Thursday, June 9, 2011

C. David Johnson on Getting Hooked on Broadway and Romancing Tony Sheldon in Priscilla Queen of the Desert by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: 55; Montreal, Canada Current Role: Making his Broadway debut as Bob, the rugged Australian mechanic who falls for aging transsexual Bernadette (Tony nominee Tony Sheld…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 03:39PM
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Arcadia's Grace Gummer Talks Flirting With Billy Crudup and Sharing the Screen With Tom Hanks by Michael Mellini

Age & Hometown: 25; New York, NY Current Role: A Broadway debut performance as Chloe Coverly, a British teenager who falls for an older, suave scholar, in the Tony-nominated revival o…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 06:50PM
Friday, May 27, 2011

Kelli O'Hara On Her New Solo Album, The Town Hall Concert and Those Funny Girl Rumors by Michael Mellini

After a year of performing her cabaret act in various New York venues, three-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza) wanted a record of her endeavors. &…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 04:23PM

Kelli O'Hara on Her New Solo Album, Town Hall Concert and Those Funny Girl Rumors by Michael Mellini

After a year of performing her cabaret act in various New York venues, three-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza) wanted a record of her endeavors. &…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 04:23PM
Thursday, May 26, 2011

A Star is Born! Tony Nominee Nina Arianda on Her Broadway Glory and Hollywood Future by Michael Mellini

Age and Hometown: “Ageless”; Clifton, New Jersey Current Role: Delivering a Tony-nominated Broadway debut performance as Billie Dawn, a ditzy blonde showgirl who becomes a bra…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 04:49PM
Monday, May 16, 2011

Lombardi Star Judith Light Scores an Audience Choice Award Touchdown With Her Favorite Actress Win by Michael Mellini

Lombardi’s Judith Light was ecstatic to take the stage to accept her Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Best Actress in a Play, especially since she was presented the trophy by for…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 06:40PM