Orem Utah Scores Four Time Tony Winner Audra McDonald for 110 in the Shade

The Hale Center Theatre Orem will welcome Four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald who will reprise her Tony-nominated performance as Lizzie Curry in 110 in the Shade in summer 2010. The community theater production, which will run June 28 through August 7, will also star current Tony Award nominee and Hair star Will Swenson, a Utah native, as Bill Starbuck. The two Broadway performers will appear for the first two weeks of the run. They are donating their time to the production, which benefits the nonprofit Hale Center Foundation for the Arts and Education.

McDonald and Swenson appeared together in the Roundabout Theater Company’s Tony-nominated revival of the musical back in 2007, with McDonald starring as Curry and Swenson understudying Starbuck, then played by Steve Kazee.

Broadway Musical Nut Recommends: 110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

Audra is quoted as saying:

"I grew up doing community theater, it's very dear to my heart,” McDonald told the local Deseret News of the decision to appear at Hale. “I wouldn't be where I am today without community theater."

Audra, with her amazing "powerhouse" of a voice and award winning acting should truly make the Hale Center Theatre Orem's season.

The Hale Center Theatre Orem is currently run by Swenson's brother Cody and his wife Anne.

The Broadway Musical Nut

www.broadwaymusicalnut.com

America chooses the "Popster" over the "Glamster"

A big upset last night on the American Idol Stage as 23 year old Kris Allen, the "Popster" and dark horse in this season's competition, won the coveted title of The American Idol over "Glamster" and musical theatre performer, 27 year old Adam Lambert.

It was quite the evening as the tension built up throughout the two hour special, and the viewers were treated to an array of incredible performers, including: Kiss, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, and even an odd performance by comedian Steve Martin on the banjo. (Not really odd to anyone over 35 who has followed Martin's early career and remembers him from the "King Tut" days....like...moi. Give me a moment as I smooth out my crows feet a little. *pause* Alrighty then.)


Overall, the evening was very entertaining and full of suspense as it built to the shocking reveal. I say shocking because the look on Kris Allen's face said everything. Clearly, the clean cut musician from Arkansas thought the winner was obvious...and that it wasn't him. He even graciously said "..Adam deserves it" as he continued to fumble with words after hearing the announcement. It is well known that he and Adam have become good friends through the season and that Kris himself is a fan. It is nice to see the humility this young man brings with him but, in my opinion, it's now time for him to realize his own amazing talent and accept it graciously. He truly has talent.


The Broadway Musical Nut

www.broadwaymusicalnut.com

A "Green Goblin" in Alan Cumming's Future?

Well, here comes SPIDER-MAN to Broadway and look who may be creating the role of 'Green Goblin' for the stage? It looks like The New York Post's Michael Reidel reported in his column today that Tony Award winner Alan Cumming is being considered for the role of the SPIDER-MAN Villian, 'Green Goblin' in the upcoming SPIDER-MAN musical being written by Julie Taymor of "Lion King" fame.

Alan has worked with Taymor before. He starred in Titus, her 1999 adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. He is in negotiations to play the Goblin, but there has been no official casting statements as of yet.

Julie will not only be writing the show along with Glen Berger, but will be directing Spider-Man as well. She is working with 22-time Grammy® Award-winning Bono and The Edge creating new music and lyrics.

Broadway Musical Nut Recommends: X2: X-Men United [Blu-ray]

Taymor, Bono, The Edge as well as the entire team who are bringing the famed comic hero to the Broadway stage, gave a sneak peek at The Times Center this week of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.

Of course, Alan Cumming isn't a stranger to playing comic book characters. He has most recently played "Nightcrawler" in the successful X-Men movie series.

Alan Cumming Stage Bio:

Alan Cumming trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He made his West End debut in Manfred Karge's Conquest of the South Pole at the Royal Court for which he received a Most Promising Newcomer Olivier award nomination. He gained further Olivier award nominations for La Bete and Cabaret and won for Accidental Death of An Anarchist at the Royal National Theatre, where he also played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and directed Michel Tremblay's Bonjour la, Bonjour at the RNT studio. He played Hamlet on tour and at the Donmar Warehouse to great acclaim, winning the TMA award and a Shakespeare Globe nomination.

In 1998 he made his sensational Broadway debut in Cabaret and won the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Theatre World, NY Press, FANY and New York Public Advocate's awards. He has since appeared on Broadway in Design For Living and The Threepenny Opera. Off-Broadway he appeared in Jean Genet's Elle (which he also adapted) and The Seagull. He returned to the British Stage in 2006 to play Max in Martin Sherman's Bent and for the National Theatre of Scotland he played Dionysus in The Bacchae, which was seen last summer in NYC as part of the Lincoln Center Festival.

For Alan's Film Credits, check out IMDB.

The Broadway Musical Nut

www.broadwaymusicalnut.com

Chess In Concert! Cast Includes: Josh Groban, and Idina Menzel

Years ago I fell in love with the music from Chess, and now it looks like PBS is going to air Chess in Concert on June 17, 2009. I can't wait! They will then be releasing it on CD and DVD. The cast features some amazing artists including: Josh Groban, Idina Mendez, Adam Pascal, David Bedella, Kerry Ellis, Clark Peters, and Marti Pellow as the Arbiter.


Broadway Musical Nut Recommends: Chess



Some of you who (like me) may be a child of the 80's might remember the song "One Night in Bangkok" from this musical that had radio release, but others may be familiar with others like "I Know Him So Well", "Anthem", "Pity the Child" and "Someone Else's Story".

Be sure to watch for it and check your local PBS station listings.

The Broadway Musical Nut

Broadway Musical Nut.com

Watch the Trailer Here:

Tony Nominees Are Out! Look Who's Coming Out On Top!

The Nominations are out! And Billy Elliot topped the list of the 2009 Tony Award nominations with a total of 15, equaling the record number previously held by The Producers. The new musical Next to Normal picked up 11 Tony nods, including Best Musical. Nominations in 27 competitive categories were announced today, May 5 at the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center by Tony winners Lin-Manuel Miranda and Cynthia Nixon. The awards ceremony itself will be held at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2009 and will be broadcast on CBS.

And the nominees are...

Best Play
33 Variations by Moises Kaufman
Dividing the Estate by Horton Foote
God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza
Reasons to be Pretty by Neil LaBute

Best Musical
Billy Elliot
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Shrek the Musical

Best Revival of a Play
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot

Best Revival of a Musical
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage
Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski, Reasons to be Pretty

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Hope Davis, God of Carnage
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
David Alvarez/Trent Kowalik/Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d’Arcy James, Shrek the Musical
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
Sutton Foster, Shrek the Musical
Allison Janney, 9 to 5
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier, 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland, Reasons to be Pretty
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
David Bologna, Billy Elliot
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5
Christopher Sieber, Shrek the Musical
Will Swenson, Hair

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot

Best Direction of a Play
Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot
Michael Greif, Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus, Hair

Best Choreography
Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot
Randy Skinner, White Christmas

Best Book of a Musical
[title of show] - Hunter Bell
Billy Elliot - Lee Hall
Next to Normal - Brian Yorkey
Shrek the Musical - David Lindsay-Abaire

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
Billy Elliot - Elton John and Lee Hall
Next to Normal - Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey
Shrek the Musical - David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori

Best Orchestrations
Billy Elliot - Martin Koch
Next to Normal - Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt
Shrek the Musical - Danny Troob and John Clancy
White Christmas - Larry Blank

Best Scenic Design of a Play
33 Variations - Derek McLane
Exit the King - Dale Ferguson
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone - Michael Yeargan
The Norman Conquests - Rob Howell

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Billy Elliot - Ian MacNeil
Guys and Dolls - Robert Brill
Next to Normal - Mark Wendland
Pal Joey - Scott Pask

Best Costume Design of a Play
Blithe Spirit - Martin Pakledinaz
Exit the King - Dale Ferguson
Mary Stuart - Anthony Ward
Waiting for Godot - Jane Greenwood

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Billy Elliot - Nicky Gillibrand
Hair - Michael McDonald
Rock of Ages - Gregory Gale
Shrek the Musical - Tim Hatley

Best Lighting Design of a Play
33 Variations - David Lander
Equus - David Hersey
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone - Brian MacDevitt
Mary Stuart - Hugh Vanstone

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Billy Elliot - Rick Fisher
Hair - Kevin Adams
Next to Normal - Kevin Adams
West Side Story - Howell Binkley

Best Sound Design of a Play
Equus - Gregory Clarke
Exit the King - Russell Goldsmith
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone - Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg
Mary Stuart - Paul Arditti

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Billy Elliot - Paul Arditti
Hair - Acme Sound Partners
Next to Normal - Brian Ronan
Rock of Ages - Peter Hylenski

Best Special Theatrical Event
Liza’s at the Palace…
Slava’s Snowshow
Soul of Shaolin
You’re Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush

Multiple Nominations by Show
Billy Elliot - 15
Next to Normal - 11
Hair - 8
The Norman Conquests - 7
God of Carnage - 6
Joe Turner's Come and Gone - 6
Rock of Ages - 5
33 Variations - 5
Exit the King - 4
9 to 5 - 4
Pal Joey - 4
West Side Story - 4
Reasons to Be Pretty - 3
Waiting for Godot - 3
Blithe Spirit - 2
Dividing the Estate - 2
Equus - 2
Guys and Dolls - 2
White Christmas - 2

Can't wait to see who comes out on top! Time to pick your favs and draw up your lists, then send out invitations for your own Tony Awards Party! Who do you think will win? Leave your comments and let me know!!

The Broadway Musical Nut
http://www.broadwaymusicalnut.com/

9 to 5: The Musical - Opens for Business on Broadway!

The new Broadway musical-comedy,
9 To 5: The Musical starring four-time Emmy Award
winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch opened Thursday, April 30, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist.

The show is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler. The Book is by by Patricia Resnick, based on her original story and screenplay for the hit 1980 film comedy which tells the story of three females who work in the same office and for the same boss, Franklin Hart, Jr. (Marc Kudisch. The girls are brought to their boiling points with him and, Violet Newstead (Allison Janney), the super efficient office manager, Judy Bernly (Stephanie J. Block), a frazzled divorcee, and the sexy executive secretary Doralee Rhodes (Megan Hilty) decide to turn the tables on him. They concoct a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical, lying, and hypocritical boss, and that plan quickly runs hysterically out of control. There are over 20 new songs added to the show.

The cast of 9 To 5: The Musical has 30 members and features Kathy Fitzgerald, Andy Karl, Ioana Alfonso, Timothy George Anderson, Jennifer Balagna, Justin Bohon, Paul Castree, Daniel Cooney, Jeremy Davis, Gaelen Gilliland, Autumn Guzzardi, Ann Harada, Neil Haskell, Lisa Howard, Van Hughes, Michael X. Martin, Michael Mindlin, Karen Murphy, Mark Myars (Dance captain), Justin Patterson, Jessica Lea Patty, Charlie Pollock, Tory Ross, Wayne Schroder, Maia Nkenge Wilson and Brandi Wooten.

Beginning May 5 the playing schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm; Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 3pm; with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Marriott Marquis Theatre Box Office and range from $126.50 to $66.50.
The Broadway Musical Nut

www.broadwaymusicalnut.com