All stories by Ryan McPhee on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Broadway Theatres Extend Shutdown as Coronavirus Outbreak Looms Over New York City by Ryan McPhee

Shows were initially slated to close through April 12; they’re now hoping to resume in June.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:02AM

2020 Drama Desk Awards Remain on Schedule, Ceremony Moved Online by Ryan McPhee

The revised eligibility window includes Broadway and Off-Broadway shows that opened through March 11.

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:20AM
Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Idina Menzel, Ben Platt, More to Take Part in Virtual Passover Seder Benefit by Ryan McPhee

Saturday Night Seder is the latest from StoryCourse, a theatre-meets-dining initiative co-founded by Broadway's Adam Kantor

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:52PM

Tony Winner André De Shields, Ballet Stalwart Mikhail Baryshnikov to Receive Honorary Doctorates From Boston Conservatory by Ryan McPhee

The virtual ceremony will include a tribute performance by an ensemble of students from their remote locations.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:50PM

Broadway's How I Learned to Drive, Starring Mary-Louise Parker and David Morse, Postponed by Ryan McPhee

Manhattan Theatre Club intends to present the revival in the 2020–2021 season.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:17PM

The Daily Distraction: Judith Light Acts (and Sings) Her Way Through a Bowling Alley Breakdown by Ryan McPhee

The Tony winner starred alongside Sandy Duncan and Jill Eikenberry in the 1989 TV movie My Boyfriend's Back.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:42PM
Monday, April 6, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Watch the First Musical Theatre Performance to Ever Win a Tony by Ryan McPhee

Though the annual awards were not broadcast on national television until 1967, David Wayne reprised his Tony-winning Finian's Rainbow performance at the 25th annual ceremony.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:08PM

Metropolitan Opera Offers Aida, Così fan tutte, More Online This Week, Launches Free Student Streams by Ryan McPhee

The Free Student Streams, separate from the ongoing nightly series, will offer resources to students and teachers.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00PM
Sunday, April 5, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Stephanie J. Block Is 'Woman,' Hear Her Roar by Ryan McPhee

The Tony Award winner revisits one of her early Broadway credits—the title role in The Pirate Queen—at Feinstein's/54 Below.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:48AM
Saturday, April 4, 2020

Alley Theatre Moves Chisa Hutchinson's Amerikin and Sarah Ruhl's Dead Man's Cell Phone to 2020–2021 Season by Ryan McPhee

The two titles were slated to play the Houston venue this spring prior to the coronvirus pandemic.

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:12PM

Drag Race’s Jan Sport on Impersonating Bernadette Peters, Feeling Her Frozen Fantasy, More by Ryan McPhee

The New York City-based drag queen channeled the Tony winner in this season’s “Snatch Game” challenge.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:56PM

The Cast of Mrs. Doubtfire Sings the Musical's 'As Long as There Is Love' From Their Homes by Ryan McPhee

While they can't perform on Broadway at the moment, they have an inspirational message for theatre lovers.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:36PM

The Daily Distraction: Remembering Laurie Beechman and Her Magical Belting Arms by Ryan McPhee

The Broadway powerhouse was born on this day in 1953.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:59AM
Friday, April 3, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Kentucky's Krissalyn Love Delivers a World Full of Love in The Wiz by Ryan McPhee

Sick of staying at home? Let this "Home" cheer you up.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:52PM

West End Return of Hairspray Pushed to Fall by Ryan McPhee

The revival was slated to begin April 23 at the London Coliseum.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:00AM
Thursday, April 2, 2020

Carnegie Hall Cancels Rest of 2019–2020 Season by Ryan McPhee

The New York City venue has put all programming through July 25 on hold.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:34PM

Lyric Opera of Chicago's 42nd Street Pushed to Later Season, Britney Spears Musical Once Upon a One More Time Canceled, More During Coronavirus Pandem by Ryan McPhee

Chicago-area venues have been forced to readjust their performance schedules as theatres across the country go dark.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:27PM

The Daily Distraction: Alli Mauzey Has Got a 'Screw Loose' for You by Ryan McPhee

Revisit Mauzey's hilarious performance in Broadway's Cry-Baby, co-written by the late Adam Schlesinger.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:20PM

Calling All Aspiring Royals: How to Be a Part of SIX From Home by Ryan McPhee

The musical is searching for a global digital chorus for a new video as the coronavirus pandemic keeps productions closed.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:12AM
Wednesday, April 1, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Julie Andrews, Dorothy Loudon, and More Present a Sondheim Tribute by Ryan McPhee

The medley at the 1984 Tony Awards offers something familiar, yet something very, very peculiar.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:38PM

San Francisco Engagement of Hamilton Canceled, Harry Potter and More Impacted Following COVID-19 Restrictions by Ryan McPhee

California has issued a "Shelter in Place" order in an effort to flatten the curve.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:07AM
Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center Furloughs Over Half of Administrative Staff by Ryan McPhee

The move follows previous cuts to sustain the venue in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:35PM

2020 Lucille Lortel Awards to Be Held Online by Ryan McPhee

The awards, honoring the best of Off-Broadway, remain on schedule, though in a different way.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:40PM

The Daily Distraction: Sutton Foster Belts Out Her 'Most Requested Song' by Ryan McPhee

Celebrate a Rodgers and Hammerstein anniversary with the Tony winner's surprising audition choice.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:39PM

Online at the Metropolitan Opera This Week: Anna Netrebko in Macbeth, Twice the Joyce DiDonato, More by Ryan McPhee

The company, in the midst of canceling the remainder of its 2019–2020 season, is offering free video streams of previous performances.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:27AM
Monday, March 30, 2020

Spot Christine Baranski in Latex, a Singing John Cameron Mitchell, Audra McDonald, More in The Good Fight Season 4 Trailer by Ryan McPhee

The CBS All Access drama, featuring a slew of theatre favorites, returns in April.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:00PM

The Daily Distraction: Lauren Bacall Wants Hearts Not Diamonds, and We Want This Song Out of Our Heads by Ryan McPhee

The Tony winner bellows her way through a bizarre Marvin Hamlisch and Tim Rice number in the 1981 thriller The Fan.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:36PM
Sunday, March 29, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Pearl Bailey Goes Medieval on the Muppets by Ryan McPhee

Nothing about this sketch makes sense. You should watch it immediately.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:59AM
Saturday, March 28, 2020

The Daily Distraction: Reba McEntire Sings of Her 'Honey Bun' in South Pacific by Ryan McPhee

The country star and one-time Broadway headliner celebrates her birthday March 28.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:59AM