The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[Imzadi]

Ann Reinking & Bebe Neuwirth performing "All That Jazz," from Chicago, at the Tony Awards in 1997. (Ann is on the right.) The Japanese characters crawling across the screen are only there for a few seconds. They aren't there throughout.

And another performance. Bad yellow lighting and primitive cinematography can't hide her performance:

 

[AppleDumpling]

I had the pleasure of seeing Rebecca Luker in The Music Man, The Secret Garden, Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Such a beautiful voice. Also saw Ann Reinking in Chicago.

The loss of these two talented ladies is a huge blow to the Broadway community.

 

[Imzadi]

Starting TONIGHT, Jan 1 at 7pm ET until Monday January 4th at 7 pm, there will be a streaming performance of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical.

To buy tickets and watch:
https://ratatousical.com/

Ticket prices range from $5 to $100. Yet ALL ticket prices for Ratatouille will provide the same access to the same production. Once purchased the event will be available to view on demand for 72 hours.

Difference in ticket prices is to create price points and donation levels that work for everyone’s budget.
All proceeds will go to The Actor's Fund. Since March, The Actor's Fund organization has provided over $18 million in assistance -- with help from 17 industry partners -- to more than 14,700 artists across the country who've been affected by the pandemic. (In a normal year, they provide about $2 million to about 1,500 people.)

This musical event started out, in August when a Emily Jacobsen, a schoolteacher, Disney fanatic and theater lover from Westchester County, N.Y., read about a “Ratatouille” ride that is scheduled to open next year at Walt Disney World in Florida. As she was cleaning her apartment, she started singing a song about Remy. She then created a 60 second TikTok video as a musical love ballad to Remy, the chef.

Emily tagged Daniel Mertzlufft, a New York-based composer, orchestrator and arranger. He was inspired to use a computer program to enhance her original ode to Remy, adding a French horn, trumpets, vocals and strings to create a big Disney-style finale for a “Ratatouille” musical. Mertzlufft said he had been inspired by the music Alan Menken composed for “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and other classic animated Disney films.

Those videos went viral and inspired many others to also create their own Broadway-esque style Ratatouille songs.

Many of the songs have been compiled together and cobbled with a story. Within weeks it's been turned into this musical event. Director, Lucy Moss, explains that her great challenge is to take the vision created by those who helped turn the "Ratatouille" musical into a popular trend on TikTok and turn it into a story that still feels fresh and fun to an audience who is exhausted by nearly a years worth of virtual concerts and events.

"I feel the pressure is on to deliver something more than a Zoom reading, but also something that's cohesive and sleek and slick, which I'm not sure it's going to be," she says. "But I think it will be all part of the fun -- that it's very chaotic."

To pull this off, producers have enlisted professionals at all levels -- from a costume team and choreographer to actors:

Tituss Burgess will star as tiny budding chef Remy, with Wayne Brady playing his father Django and Andrew Barth Feldman as Linguini. Kevin Chamberlin (Gusteau), Tony Award winner André De Shields (Ego), Tony winner Priscilla Lopez (Mabel) and Adam Lambert (Emile) also star.

The caliber of talent behind the show, Moss says, is hopefully a message of support to the creative minds in the TikTok community. (Those users who helped create materials for the finished product will be credited and compensated, according to the official website.)

"This is sort of like Broadway being like, 'We're listening. We hear you," she said.

Ratatouille the movie, is a Disney/Pixar movie. Disney does not have development plans for the Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. They are excited to see fans engage with Disney stories, and they applaud and thank all of the online theatre makers whose work on Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical will benefit The Actors Fund.

Info compiled from: https://ratatousical.com/,
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/31/entertainment/ratatouille-tiktok-musical/index.html,
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/30/arts/tiktok-disney-ratatouille-musical.html

 

[Imzadi]

Dusting off this thread and "pivoting" a bit. (Won't we all be glad when "pivoting" is no longer a trendy word. )

It's Restaurant Week in NYC. Restaurant Week is normally a twice a year event, where some rather ultra-high end restaurants offer a $20-ish set price lunch or dinner special, so people can try the restaurant without emptying their whole wallet.

Due to the current no indoor dining COVID restriction in NYC, it's been changed to Restaurant Week To Go. And close to 600 restaurants, of varying levels, are now participating.

From January 25 through January 31, 2021, you can order takeout or delivery lunch or dinner specials from participating NYC restaurants for $20.21. (You can also add drinks and other items onto your order.)

Find the full list of restaurants at nycgo.com/restaurant-week.

Plus, Get $10 Back with Mastercard:
When you use your *pre-registered Mastercard, you'll earn a $10 statement credit on each transaction of $20.21 or more. There is a 10-meal ($100) redemption limit per customer. Statement credit available only when ordering directly through restaurant website or on Bbot, Bento Box, Seamless, Grubhub, Opentable or Tock.

* Please first ensure that you registered your Mastercard before you make the transaction at MCAllinNYC.com. You will not be able to retroactively redeem credits if you register after your meal. Be careful about having already reached the maximum of 10 credits (for a total of $100) if you've also redeemed offers via All In NYC: Neighborhood Getaways.

 

[Imzadi]

Starting TONIGHT, Jan 1 at 7pm ET until Monday January 4th at 7 pm, there will be a streaming performance of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical.

Ticket prices range from $5 to $100.

Difference in ticket prices is to create price points and donation levels that work for everyone’s budget.
All proceeds will go to The Actor's Fund.

A little FYI: Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical raised $2 million for The Actor's Fund.

https://www.playbill.com/article/ratatouille-the-tiktok-musical-raises-2-million-for-the-actors-fund

 

[Imzadi]

There are now going to be LIVE, pop-up storefront music events happening around the city through March 31, 2021.

The pop-up events will be random and unannounced with the aim to limit crowd size and keep everyone who does stop to have room to socially distance.

Here is a video clip of one of the first events which happened yesterday:

https://abc7ny.com/society/pop-up-p...onts-bring-back-sound-of-live-music/10077220/

Presented by the Kaufman Music Center, and in partnership with the Alphadyne Foundation, Upcoming artists in the series include JACK Quartet, Orli Shaham, Caroline Shaw, Gil Shaham, Chrystal E. Williams, Attacca Quartet, Timo Andres, Adam Tendler, Gabrielle Stravelli and Rubén Rengel as well as Kaufman Music Center 2020-21 Artists-in-Residence Conrad Tao and Lisa Bielawa. Another link mentions: also Broadway stars from Hamilton, Tootsie and Company.

You can read more about the events at this link and this here.

Hope you are one of the lucky ones to get to see a live performance again.

It would be great if, after this ends in March, that the Broadway theatres decide to do this too. There is that space between the two sets of glass doors, where the theatre box office windows usually are, that could be used for pop-up performances at different theatres.

 

[Imzadi]

Since the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is currently closed, Hedwig, Harry's white owl couldn't leave Harry a letter at the theatre.

Instead the snowy white owl plopped down in Central Park yesterday, in what coincidentally turned out to be a fenced in baseball park, an area well protected from people getting too close, while it waited for Harry to show up for his letter, under the cover of the invisibility cloak,

Experts say it's the first time this breed has been spotted in the park since 1890 and the first time with actual photographic proof. Usually, they hang out along the coast line of Long Island, and of course at wizarding schools.

Love the expression of the crows in this shot:

Photo credit for bottom 3: @ easwar-suresh on Twitter

 

[Imzadi]

Another great actress gone who deserves a tribute on this thread.

Cicely Tyson passed away last week at age 96. In 2013, she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for The Trip to Bountiful, at age 88. During her acceptance speech she mentioned how her mother, father, sister and brother had all passed before her and didn't get to share that moment of joy with her.

I like to think that when she passed through to Heaven, that in addition to giving her a great big hug hello, they also gave her a standing ovation for that Tony Award and her other achievements she since. She had just had her memoir published days before, and did a final interview on Live with Kelly & Ryan the day before she passed.

 

[ctinct]

Come From Away is being filmed for release this September, the 20th anniversary of the attack.

Between this, Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, and In the Heights, there is a lot to look forward to.

I loved Come from Away when I saw it.

 

[elgerber]

Come From Away is being filmed for release this September, the 20th anniversary of the attack.

Between this, Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, and In the Heights, there is a lot to look forward to.

I loved Come from Away when I saw it.

The stage production of Come From Away? that's wonderful!!
I am dreading Wicked, it's one of my all time faves and I am so afraid they will screw it up.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Delete

 

[Imzadi]

No word on Broadway yet, but Lincoln Center is going to start having outdoor performances on their plaza starting April 7.

All offerings will occur outdoors with safety protocols in place for artists, audiences, and staff.

They are creating 10 outdoor stages for performances and rehearsals. Venues will include a cabaret-style stage on Hearst Plaza, dedicated family and kids' areas with arts activities for young people, open venues for rehearsals, space for public school graduations, and an outdoor reading room, created in partnership with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Programming will include the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s annual summer evenings concerts, Lincoln Center Theater concerts and cabaret, New York City Ballet dance workshops, Film at Lincoln Center screenings and a Lincoln Center Theater concert and cabaret series.

Some events will be live streamed on websites of Lincoln Center and its partners.

For more info and to sign up for their emails for updates on their programs at RestartStages.org

Here is a Restart Stages rendering of what they hope Hearst Plaza will look like:

 

[Imzadi]

FINALLY!!!

Signs of life starting back up on Broadway.


On Feb 25th a new marquee went up for an upcoming new Broadway show coming - when Broadway finally is allowed to come back - at the Golden Theatre on W 45th St.

 

[Imzadi]

March 12th marked the one year anniversary of Broadway shutting down for the pandemic, 525,600 minutes ago. Broadway performers gathered together in Duffy Square to put on a pop up show to mark the event and give hope that the shows will and ARE coming back.

 

[Imzadi]

Sill not enough? Wait, there's more!

It's official (for Off-Broadway, at least):

Free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theatre is returning to Central Park this summer!!!

Play: The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare
Dates: July 6 - August 29.



The 2000 seat, outdoor theatre will be allowing 500 audience members, (well spaced,) per performance - ALL must be COVID tested first (or probably show proof of vaccination,) in order to attend. (The professional sporting events allowed to have spectators in NYS have already been doing something similar, and very successfully. Once a person gets their tickets (in advance,) a rapid COVID test is sent to them. They must have their test results done within 72 hours of the event and show it, or show an official NY app that shows their results, at the door as they enter.)

https://www.playbill.com/article/pu...elyn-biohs-take-on-the-merry-wives-of-windsor

 

[elphaba91]

Today it is officially an entire year since I have seen a full musical (I was lucky enough to see a staged workshop of one a few weeks ago) and this weekend the streak will finally end! I am going to the closing show of the Melbourne season of Come From Away, almost exactly a year to the day after I was supposed to see the closing show of its original run (I have seen it twice before).

Also, as I type, Hamilton is playing in Sydney! I’ve seen both the Broadway (with Javier) and Chicago productions, but am so excited to see the Australian cast in June!

 

[elgerber]

Today it is officially an entire year since I have seen a full musical (I was lucky enough to see a staged workshop of one a few weeks ago) and this weekend the streak will finally end! I am going to the closing show of the Melbourne season of Come From Away, almost exactly a year to the day after I was supposed to see the closing show of its original run (I have seen it twice before).

Also, as I type, Hamilton is playing in Sydney! I’ve seen both the Broadway (with Javier) and Chicago productions, but am so excited to see the Australian cast in June!

How wonderful!
We were one year from our last show on March 7th (and we didn't even like it much). Our next show is not until August 21st, when we get our rescheduled Hamilton. Then we have shows all the dang time because of all the reschedules. It's going to be a very busy fall/spring.

 

[Imzadi]

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is hosting a streaming fundraiser for Broadway Backwards 2021,
to benefit Broadway Cares and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City

Donate at https://broadwaycares.org/backwards

This free, 1.5 hour online event, where gender doesn’t matter but love does, can be viewed through 11:59 pm, Saturday, April 3:

This online event, which debuted March 30, 2021, and will stream for four days, explored how the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has specifically affected the LGBTQ community. The show will feature Jay Armstrong Johnson as an isolated New Yorker who hallucinates a fantastical journey guided by a late night television host, portrayed by Jenn Colella.

The virtual show opened in pandemic New York City, where a young man named Billy (Jay Armstrong Johnson) makes his way through a slush-laden winter day. Following him on his commute through the city were visions of Stephanie J. Block, Deborah Cox and Lea Salonga, performing a present-day version of Dear Evan Hansen’s “Waving Through A Window.” As he asks the divas in his mind, “Is anybody waving back at me?,” Billy distracts himself from his isolation with wine, prescription medication and an imaginary late-night television show called Up All Night With Colella.

Hosted by Jenn Colella, "Up All Night With Colella" guides the theatre-loving Billy through a late night deep dive of showtunes, including memorable numbers from previous editions of Broadway Backwards.

New performances will be merged with full numbers from previous editions of Broadway Backwards to create a Broadway Backwards that feels distinctly of the moment.

This year’s streaming event includes a special opening number with Stephanie J. Block, Deborah Cox and Lea Salonga. And the star-studded finale includes new performances by Amy Adams, James Monroe Iglehart, Cheyenne Jackson, L Morgan Lee, Raymond J. Lee, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Ruthie Ann Miles, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Kelli O’Hara, Karen Olivo, Bernadette Peters, Sis and Elizabeth Stanley. The finale also includes special appearances by Debbie Allen, Matt Bomer, Brenda Braxton, Len Cariou, Glenn Close, Loretta Devine, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cherry Jones, Aasif Mandvi, Michael McElroy, Javier Muñoz, Jim Parsons, Eve Plumb, Roslyn Ruff and Tony Yazbeck.

The event will also include special guests Chasten Buttigieg, Anderson Cooper, Ariana DeBose, Don Lemon, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Robin Roberts, Tony Shalhoub and Ben Vereen.

New performances will be merged with full numbers from previous editions of Broadway Backwards to create a Broadway Backwards that feels distinctly of the moment. The show includes beloved performances from previous editions of Broadway Backwards by Ward Billeisen, Charl Brown, Tituss Burgess, Joshua Buscher-West, Len Cariou, Carolee Carmello, Jamie Cepero, Bryan Terrell Clark, Darren Criss, Steven Cutts, Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo, Garlen Gilliland, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Andy Kelso, Eddie Korbich, Marty Lawson, Michael McElroy, Bonnie Milligan, Debra Monk, Alfie Parker Jr., Brandon Pearson, Eric Petersen, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Andrew Rannells, Alex Ringler, Chita Rivera, Michael James Scott, Ryan Steele, Dennis Stowe, Lillias White, Curtis Wiley and Tony Yazbeck. . ." Click on the YouTube link above for full details.

 

[Imzadi]

Since the Broadway Backwards 2021 fundraiser started on Tuesday, March 30, the total raised so far is: $17,690.00

Here is a highlight clip from the full streaming show (linked in the last post.)

“You Will Be Found”
by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul from Dear Evan Hansen. Performed by Jenn Colella, Jay Armstrong Johnson and Cast:

This song features performances by Amy Adams, James Monroe Iglehart, Cheyenne Jackson, L Morgan Lee, Raymond J. Lee, Telly Leung, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Ruthie Ann Miles, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Kelli O’Hara, Karen Olivo, Bernadette Peters, Sis and Elizabeth Stanley with special appearances by Debbie Allen, Matt Bomer, Brenda Braxton, Len Cariou, Glenn Close, Loretta Devine, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cherry Jones, Aasif Mandvi, Michael McElroy, Javier Muñoz, Jim Parsons, Eve Plumb, Roslyn Ruff and Tony Yazbeck.

 

[Imzadi]

Also, as I type, Hamilton is playing in Sydney! I’ve seen both the Broadway (with Javier) and Chicago productions, but am so excited to see the Australian cast in June!

Here is a clip from the Australian cast of Hamilton: