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"Better than This" with Cathy Wilmot
A new show chronicling the evolution of women’s roles in musical theatre is coming to the stage in February. The audience will enjoy songs from many of the most beloved musicals of the past century, including West Side Story, Chicago, Wicked and more.
It features a foursome of talented female performers including Cathy Wilmot, recently seen in the Arts Club Theatre’s production of Mamma Mia. We take some time to chat with her about the show and her experiences.
With One Look! Glenn Close Confirmed To Star In SUNSET BOULEVARD Film
The legendary stage and screen star will bring her Tony-winning performance to the big screen.
Sing for Hope Strives to Make Beautiful Music Everday
From its beginning as a group of friends singing in their spare time, Sing for Hope has evolved to incorporate art in all its forms throughout schools, hospitals, and hospices around New York City.
Issue Over Two Different "To Kill a Mockingird" Scripts are Forcing Local Theatres to Cancel Upcoming Productions
This Spring, Curtain Call Theatre in Braintree, MA was set to produce To Kill a Mockingbird. However, after auditions were held and rehearsals were set, the theatre was forced to cancel their production due to legal threats they received from lawyers representing Scott Rudin, the lead producer the currently running Broadway show of the same name.
Normally this would be pretty cut and dry, except for the fact that Curtain Call was set to perform an entirely different script licensed by a different company. And that issue is causing problems worldwide and might even end up in a court battle of its own.
“Your experience is valid and is meant to be shared on stage.” – Chatting with WAITRESS Swing Arica Jackson!
I would like you to meet Arica Jackson. Arica is currently a Swing in Waitress on Broadway at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Before that, Ms. Jackson performed in the National tour of Waitress and most recently made her Broadway debut in Head Over Heels where she was the standby for the roles of Mopsa and Pamela. Her voice honestly knocks me out, and if you get the chance to see her perform, you are genuinely in for a wonderful treat! I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview her!
It's Been A Long, Long Wait For ROCKETMAN
An extended look at the long-gestating Elton John biopic is finally available.
Chatting with HADESTOWN performer Afra Hines!
I would like you to meet the wonderful Afra Hines. She will be performing in Hadestown on Broadway at The Walter Kerr Theatre with previews beginning March 22nd with the official opening on April 17th. Afra has performed on Broadway in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (in which she was honored with the Legacy Robe), Shuffle Along, Motown the Musical, Soul Doctor, Ghost, In The Heights and Wicked. Ms. Hines has also toured with Hamilton. I have had the chance to see this amazing actress perform several times on stage and it was quite the honor and privilege to have the opportunity to interview her.
Student Strike Results in Cancellation of Theatrical Productions at Willamette University
In 2015, we here at OnStage Blog ranked the B.A. in Theatre program at Willamette University as the best in the nation. We felt that the combination of academic rigor, bold production choices, outstanding faculty and ample scholarships made them stand out among the rest. Since then, the school has been in the Top 10 on our annual rankings and this past year came in at #3.
However, a recent student strike has led to the cancellation of the program’s two upcoming productions. And if what we’re hearing from the students is true, then it could lead to a swift downfall for one of the country’s best theatre programs.
'Hamilton' Musical Ends in Chaos in San Francisco's Orpheum Theater
The wildly popular musical "Hamilton" ended in chaos Friday night in San Francisco's Orpheum Theater.
What audience members thought was an active shooter ended up being a medical emergency, officials said.
People reportedly heard there was someone with a gun inside the theater and started screaming, leading others into a panic, running out of the theater and sending the "Hamilton" cast backstage.
“Make sure you’re in it for the right reasons” - Chatting with LEGALLY BLONDE’s Maris McCulley
I would like you to meet Maris McCulley. Maris is performing the role of Elle Woods in the National Tour of Legally Blonde (a role she has also performed regionally as well as internationally). Ms. McCulley has also performed with Royal Caribbean Productions, Prather Entertainment Group (PEG), Arizona Broadway Theatre, and The Phoenix Theatre. It was a privilege to have the chance to interview this talented actress who has had an amazing journey playing this role!
The Show Must Go On: Iowa High School Cancels LGBTQ-Based Musical, Then Changes Mind
Iowa High School administrators demanded their spring musical get cancelled after they say parents and students complained about the content. Cast members say the content the school was trying to censor is the LGBTQ main characters.
Now the school is changing its stance and reinstating the production.
West End actress accused of being petty after audience member swore at her during performance
A West End actress has been accused of being "petty" after criticising an audience member who swore at her during a performance.
Hayley Tamaddon, 42, complained to her Twitter followers after a heckler shouted "f*** you" at her during a poignant moment of the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie on Saturday night.
Bringing the Barricades to New Jersey
Gas Lamp Players, located in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, is doing something that most youth theatre companies would rather not do- putting on one of the most well-known musicals of all time- Les Misérables. I was able to talk to Broadway Veteran Stephen Buntrock, who played Enjolras, leader of the student revolutionaries, during the Broadway run of the show in 1997-1998 who is co-directing this complicated production alongside Kristy Graves.
Startup Building Industry-First Career Tools for Professional Actors
Ned Donovan and Tony Aidan Vo, two New York actors with a foot in the tech world, have launched a startup company called Auditio n Cat (Consolidated Audition Tracker). This upcoming app brings all-new career management tools to the acting community. Ultimately, this app will empower actors to build stronger industry relationships and make more informed decisions pertaining to every future audition.
GYPSY Remake Is Back On Track With Amy Sherman-Palladino
THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL creator is in talks to helm the movie remake.
Rita Moreno Sounds Off On WEST SIDE STORY Remake
The legendary EGOT winner reveals her problem with the big screen reboot.
Katie’s Art Project is Connecting Artists and Children
Katie’s Art Project is an incredible non-profit organization that connects children with life-threatening illnesses with artists in their community to create and collaborate on a lasting legacy through art. Not a one time program, it is an organization that strives to connect the artist and child through a project that cannot be created in just one day, but one that takes time to fill a common goal and build relationships. I was fortunate to be able to speak with the President and the founder of the organization, Stephanie Klemons, a Broadway actress, choreographer, director, and educator.
Be Prepared! Will Scar Sing In THE LION KING Reboot
One of Disney's most loved-to-be-hated villains may sing again after all.
Help Bring the Untold Stories of Women in History to the Present
If you think too as far back as your grade school classroom, you might recall being asked to research and profile an impactful person in history. How many remember being frustrated by the apparent lack of information on influential women? There are women in our past that have done extraordinary things. They were inventors, scholars, artists, leaders, pioneers, and warriors, but their stories seemed to have been nearly omitted from history and are instead overshadowed by their male counterparts. Unless a woman played the role of royalty or heretic, humanity has failed to write down her story.