If you happen to be in NYC, tomorrow, June 2, 2017 head down to the historic Shubert Alley at 44th street for one of my favorite events of the year Broadway Stars In The Alley. It’s a annual free concert put on by the Broadway Alliance. Featuring performances from over 20 different Broadway shows including Groundhog Day, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Get on Your Feet, School of Rock and more. It’s really just an excuse to have a free public dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s Tony Awards. I’m busing up to NYC to catch this event and will have a bunch of cool interviews. Check out this amazing list of talent that’s going to be on hand.
The 1992 movie The Bodyguard was a showcase for music legend Whitney Houston. The movie’s soundtrack defined the early part of the decade and spawned the super hit I Will Always Love You. It was only a matter of time before the movie musical became a real live musical. I’m surprised it’s taken this long, really. The touring production is hitting Baltimore this week, Tuesday Feb 28th through March 5th. Deborah Cox who has the unenviable task of playing the role Whitney immortalized. I caught up with Judson Mills who is taking on the task of playing Frank Farmer – the role Kevin Costner made famous.
I always like to support people that I know who are pushing forward on their dreams. One such acquaintance is pursuing the NYC broadway dream and helping out on an off Broadway comedy called Wild Women of the Planet Wongo. The producers will broadcast parts of the show via Facebook Live (https://www.facebook.com/wildwomenofplanetwongo) from inside the Lower East Side’s Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston) on Friday, February 3 at 8pm.
Ron Legler, President of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center at the Hippodrome Theatre
Everyone knows that I love a good musical and one of my favorite theaters is Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater. I have front row season tickets (paid my own money). Last week the theater announced that yes, Hamiton IS coming to Baltimore in 2018. Ron Legler, President of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center at the Hippodrome Theatre, to talk about Hamilton and their amazing upcoming 2017 season which includes the American premiere of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Love Never Dies, the sequel to one of the biggest broadway show of all time The Phantom of the Opera.
Based on the music of Abba, the long running hit show Mamma Mia is in the middle of it’s farewell tour. The tour stops at Baltimore’s France-Merrick Hippodrome Theater this weekend for a very limited engagement. I caught up with one of the stars of the current production – Lizzie Markson. She plays the Sophie a young woman who is about to get married. Ahead of her wedding she wants to find out who her real father is. She invites the 3 candidates to her wedding and music and hi-jinks ensue. Really it’s just an excuse to wear funky 70’s outfits and sing Abba. Nothing wrong with that. Mamma Mia is at the Hippodrome, January 13 – 15th. Check out the official tour site for a stop near you.
Chris McCarrell, will star in a brand-new production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical this March at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street). Written by Joe Tracz (Netflix “Series of Unfortunate Events”) and Rob Rokicki (Strange Tails), and directed by Stephen Brackett (Buyer and Cellar), the strictly limited engagement will begin performances on March 23, opening on Tuesday, April 4 and will run through May 6, 2017.
Don’t nobody bring me no bad news! No more facebooking or election related posts. I’m done with Politics, getting back to doing what I like. Posting about fun stuff. The Wiz is coming to Fuse on Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite musical soundtracks, not as enamored with the classic film because its 70s, disco aesthetics freaks me out man. I feel like I need to be high or the movie is making me high watching it. But it has Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsy Russel and Richard Pryor in their Prime! #Wizgiving Thursday, November 24 at 8 p.m. ET/ PT, 7c on Fuse. Yes I feel dirty typing #Wizgiving.
During the production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella at the Hippodrome, November 1-6, the theatre as well as the below locations will be accepting donations of costume jewelry, girls’ princess dresses and teen prom dresses for girls in need.
Heart to Heart Hair Studio, 215 W Bel Air Ave, Aberdeen
Happy Hair Salon, 6 Commercial Plaza, Elkton -Amanda’s Florist, 203 N. Washington St., HdG
K & B Bridals, 54 N. Main St., Bel Air
The Hair Cuttery at Harford Mall
The program is sponsored by the Aberdeen Lioness Lions Club, the Hippodrome and the company of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Like all musical theater lovers I’ve been obsessed with Hamilton this year. Primarily because I was offered a chance to see the show during the press previews and I didn’t go because I was too lazy to see it. Now that it’s a worldwide phenom, the press people tell me to go away, whenever I ask for a ticket. I did manage to see it, by chance. I told Director Thomas Kail my Hamilton story and he got a laugh out of it.
Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel was in DC to receive the National Archive Foundation’s Record of the Year Award. We talked a bit about television and his mother’s love of The Fosters (a show I used to be obsessed with), making Broadway more accessible to everyone, politics and there’s a short clip of his Q and A at the end! Also receiving the award was Thomas Kail (Hamilton Director) and Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow. Also on hand were Hamilton Director Thomas Kail and Hamilton Author Ron Chernow.
I think everyone who follows me on Facebook knows of my obsession and story regarding Hamilton. I was offered press tickets during it’s opening run, but was too damn lazy to go up to NYC to see it. Then of course once it exploded I lost my opportunity and my contact was like “Go away you hockey puck!” By pure chance I ended up seeing the show earlier this year. So to say I was excited to get a chance to meet and talk to Lin-Manuel Miranda was an understatement.
Love Jones The Musical, a stage adaptation of the critically acclaimed 1997 Love Jones film, is scheduled to tour nationally this Fall/ Winter. The stage production will boast an all-star cast of R&B music’s biggest names including Chrisette Michelle, Musiq Soulchild, Marsha Ambrosius, MC Lyte, Raheem Devaughn and Dave Hollister whowere all carefully selected to star in the must see musical event of the year. Love Jones The Musical will debut in Oklahoma City on September 9th.
For more information about Love Jones The Musical, go to www.lovejonesthemusical.com. It comes to DC’s National Theater Nov 15 – 22nd.
