At the beginning of Act Two of “Merrily We Roll Along,” Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Mendez and other ensemble members sing “It’s A Hit!,” celebrating the successful opening of characters Charlie and Frank’s first Broadway musical. Indeed, one could say the same about this revival of “Merrily,” not just because of its smash box office receipts, but also because of the seven Tony Awards nominations that it received on April 30. This recognition from New York theatre’s highest honor is a true redemption for the show, whose original production was a notorious flop for composer Stephen Sondheim and director Hal Prince that ran only 16 regular performances and earned only a single bid for Sondheim’s original score. But how does this production’s Tony success compare to other recent revivals of the late composer’s works?
The seven nominations “Merrily” received are for Best Musical Revival, three...
The seven nominations “Merrily” received are for Best Musical Revival, three...
- 5/2/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Irony dwells in the bones of "Merrily We Roll Along," a musical that plays backward in time. The 1981 sinking of the original Broadway production of "Merrily We Roll Along" is a chaos best told by the documentary "Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened." The critics and audience were reportedly baffled by the reverse chronological storytelling and director Hal Prince's purposefully amateurish methodology, which casts high schoolers and young adults playing fortysomethings aging down to twentysomethings. It closed down after 44 previews and 16 performances. The loss demoralized the creatives so much that lyricist-composer Stephen Sondheim and Prince — mavericks who birthed successes like "Company" and "Sweeney Todd" — halted their collaboration for years. This short-lived run underscores the musical's themes: friendships breaking up and showbiz realities thwarting artistic plans.
Away from Prince's high-schoolish shell, major productions have repackaged "Merrily." This material also turned out to be a fitting endeavor for filmmaker Richard Linklater,...
Away from Prince's high-schoolish shell, major productions have repackaged "Merrily." This material also turned out to be a fitting endeavor for filmmaker Richard Linklater,...
- 10/14/2023
- by Caroline Cao
- Slash Film
Troubled musicals, like troubled friendships, can often seem like defeats lying in wait, sponging up every last second of loving care, effort and good intention. So Maria Friedman’s smartly tended production of that most troubled of stage properties, the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth backwards musical Merrily We Roll Along deserves all the applause – and ticket-buying business – it’s getting at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre.
Opening tonight, the musical is drawing rapturous audience responses, no doubt in large part because of the splendid performances by three very appealing stars – Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez.
But even if we could, for the sake of argument, put the talents of this delightful trio singing some of Sondheim’s loveliest songs, aside for a moment, the undeniable charm of this production has to be credited to a sort of relief – the relief of knowing that, for the most part, Friedman...
Opening tonight, the musical is drawing rapturous audience responses, no doubt in large part because of the splendid performances by three very appealing stars – Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez.
But even if we could, for the sake of argument, put the talents of this delightful trio singing some of Sondheim’s loveliest songs, aside for a moment, the undeniable charm of this production has to be credited to a sort of relief – the relief of knowing that, for the most part, Friedman...
- 10/10/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Days of Wine and Roses, a musical adaptation of the classic 1958 teleplay and 1962 feature film about a married couple struggling to come to grips with alcoholism, will open on Broadway in January starring Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James reprising their performances from an acclaimed Off Broadway production earlier this summer.
The limited 16-week engagement of Days of Wine and Roses begins previews at Broadway’s Studio 54 on January 6, 2024, ahead of an official opening on Sunday, January 28. This begins previews on January 6, 2024.
The new musical features a book by Lucas, and music and lyrics by Guettel. Michael Greif directs. Additional casting will be announced soon.
The musical received favorable reviews during its Off Broadway run at the Atlantic Theater earlier this summer. The production features choreography by Sergio Trujillo & Karla Puno Garcia, scenic design by Lizzie Clachan, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Kai Harada,...
The limited 16-week engagement of Days of Wine and Roses begins previews at Broadway’s Studio 54 on January 6, 2024, ahead of an official opening on Sunday, January 28. This begins previews on January 6, 2024.
The new musical features a book by Lucas, and music and lyrics by Guettel. Michael Greif directs. Additional casting will be announced soon.
The musical received favorable reviews during its Off Broadway run at the Atlantic Theater earlier this summer. The production features choreography by Sergio Trujillo & Karla Puno Garcia, scenic design by Lizzie Clachan, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Kai Harada,...
- 9/13/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, May 2 by Lea Michele and Myles Frost. While the nominations for the 76th annual Tony Awards were determined by 40 theatre professionals, winners were decided by over 750 members of the Broadway community.
A whopping 38 shows were eligible for consideration by the nominating committee. On the play side, there were 17 original works and six revivals in the running for nominations. Over on the musical side, nine new tuners were in contention for bids as were six musical revivals. The cutoff date for eligibility was April 27.
The Tony Awards are set for June 12 at United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights and will be hosted for the second year in a row by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. The earlier “Act One” ceremony will be hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin.
Musicals
Best Musical
& Juliet
X — Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot...
A whopping 38 shows were eligible for consideration by the nominating committee. On the play side, there were 17 original works and six revivals in the running for nominations. Over on the musical side, nine new tuners were in contention for bids as were six musical revivals. The cutoff date for eligibility was April 27.
The Tony Awards are set for June 12 at United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights and will be hosted for the second year in a row by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. The earlier “Act One” ceremony will be hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin.
Musicals
Best Musical
& Juliet
X — Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot...
- 6/11/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Plenty of attention is dedicated to the Best Musical race during Tony Awards season, but how confident are you in predicting the design categories? These four races consistently yield surprise winners each year. Those surprises have the potential to completely derail your score in our Tony prediction contest, even if you manage to guess all of the acting winners correctly.
So let’s take a deep dive into the tough below-the-line musical categories that you’ll need to ace in order to score top marks on your 2023 Tony Awards predictions.
Scenic Design
There’s plenty of gorgeous scenic work in this category, but we can probably count out three contenders from the ultimate win. 59 Productions’ video design for “Camelot” is stunning, but Michael Yeargan’s minimal use of physical sets will keep it out of the running. Mimi Lien plopped “Sweeney Todd” in a gargantuan, industrial-themed pit, but some “Sweeney...
So let’s take a deep dive into the tough below-the-line musical categories that you’ll need to ace in order to score top marks on your 2023 Tony Awards predictions.
Scenic Design
There’s plenty of gorgeous scenic work in this category, but we can probably count out three contenders from the ultimate win. 59 Productions’ video design for “Camelot” is stunning, but Michael Yeargan’s minimal use of physical sets will keep it out of the running. Mimi Lien plopped “Sweeney Todd” in a gargantuan, industrial-themed pit, but some “Sweeney...
- 6/9/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
It’s a big day for Broadway: With just over a month until the 2023 Tony Awards, we’re finally learning which shows and stars are being recognized.
Funny Girl star Lea Michele and Tony winner Myles Frost (Mj) are announcing this year’s nominees from the Sofitel New York, which you can watch in the live stream above beginning at 9 am. (Some nominations were also announced live on CBS Mornings at 8:30 am.)
More from TVLineJoe Pickett Sneak Peek: Nate Is Back -- With a Grave Warning (Exclusive)Good Omens Season 2 Trailer: Crowley and Aziraphale's Unholy Bond, Heavenly Hijinks, a...
Funny Girl star Lea Michele and Tony winner Myles Frost (Mj) are announcing this year’s nominees from the Sofitel New York, which you can watch in the live stream above beginning at 9 am. (Some nominations were also announced live on CBS Mornings at 8:30 am.)
More from TVLineJoe Pickett Sneak Peek: Nate Is Back -- With a Grave Warning (Exclusive)Good Omens Season 2 Trailer: Crowley and Aziraphale's Unholy Bond, Heavenly Hijinks, a...
- 5/2/2023
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
The 2023 Tony Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, May 2 by Lea Michele and Myles Frost. The reveal of the roster of contenders was carried on the Tonys YouTube channel. While the nominations for the 76th annual Tony Awards were determined by a few dozen theater professionals, winners will be decided by upwards of 800 members of the Broadway community.
A whopping 38 shows were eligible for consideration by the nominating committee. On the play side, there are 17 original works and six revivals in the running. Over on the musical side, nine new tuners were in contention as were six musical revivals. The cutoff date for eligibility was April 27.
The Tony Awards are set for June 12 at United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights and will be hosted for the second year in a row by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose.
The 2023 Tony Awards nominations list below includes all 26 competitive categories.
Musicals
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York,...
A whopping 38 shows were eligible for consideration by the nominating committee. On the play side, there are 17 original works and six revivals in the running. Over on the musical side, nine new tuners were in contention as were six musical revivals. The cutoff date for eligibility was April 27.
The Tony Awards are set for June 12 at United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights and will be hosted for the second year in a row by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose.
The 2023 Tony Awards nominations list below includes all 26 competitive categories.
Musicals
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool is heading to Broadway, the comic monologist announced today during a taping of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The new solo show will begin a 70-performance limited engagement on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Opening night will be Sunday, Nov. 13, and the show will run through Friday, December 30.
Written and performed by Birbiglia, the play is directed by Seth Barrish, who directed Birbiglia’s 2018 Broadway show The New One, which was lated adapted for Netflix. The Old Man & the Pool will also include contributions by story consultant Ira Glass (This American Life).
The new show is described as “a coming-of-middle-age story about when life takes a dive – into a highly-chlorinated Ymca pool.”
“In my 22 years of performing comedy, and five solo shows, The Old Man & the Pool has given me the most rewarding experience I’ve ever felt with audiences,...
The new solo show will begin a 70-performance limited engagement on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Opening night will be Sunday, Nov. 13, and the show will run through Friday, December 30.
Written and performed by Birbiglia, the play is directed by Seth Barrish, who directed Birbiglia’s 2018 Broadway show The New One, which was lated adapted for Netflix. The Old Man & the Pool will also include contributions by story consultant Ira Glass (This American Life).
The new show is described as “a coming-of-middle-age story about when life takes a dive – into a highly-chlorinated Ymca pool.”
“In my 22 years of performing comedy, and five solo shows, The Old Man & the Pool has given me the most rewarding experience I’ve ever felt with audiences,...
- 9/21/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The 1/52 Project, a new financial grant program founded by Tony Award-winning set designer Beowulf Boritt, has selected the first seven early-career designer recipients to benefit from 100,000 in grants. Each of the inaugural recipients will receive grants up to 15,000, with applicants chosen based on talent, creativity, innovation, and potential for future excellence in the professional theatrical field.
The 2022 recipients are Brittany Bland, projection designer; Everett Elton Bradman, sound designer; Stefania Bulbarella, projection designer; Jessica Alexandra Cancino, set designer; Frank Cazares, costume designer; Jordan McCree, sound designer; and Jingyi Johanna Pan, costume designer.
“I know I am extraordinarily lucky to be able to make a living as a theatre designer, much less to have the opportunity to do it on Broadway,” said Boritt. “Part of that luck was being born a middle-class white boy. The goal of The 1/52 Project is to give a little encouragement to a talented group of early...
The 2022 recipients are Brittany Bland, projection designer; Everett Elton Bradman, sound designer; Stefania Bulbarella, projection designer; Jessica Alexandra Cancino, set designer; Frank Cazares, costume designer; Jordan McCree, sound designer; and Jingyi Johanna Pan, costume designer.
“I know I am extraordinarily lucky to be able to make a living as a theatre designer, much less to have the opportunity to do it on Broadway,” said Boritt. “Part of that luck was being born a middle-class white boy. The goal of The 1/52 Project is to give a little encouragement to a talented group of early...
- 9/7/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Berkeley Rep’s world premiere of Swept Away, a stage production featuring the music of The Avett Brothers, written by Moulin Rouge!‘s John Logan and reteaming Spring Awakening director Michael Mayer and star John Gallagher Jr, has been postponed for a year to summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With its high-profile creative team and cast (Kinky Boots‘ Stark Sands will co-star), the new musical’s development has already drawn considerable New York attention. Gallagher himself released a video today announcing the postponement and the reasoning behind it. (Watch it below.)
“This week I was set to begin rehearsals for a brand new musical, Swept Away, with a tremendous book by the great John Logan and featuring the beautiful music of one of my favorite bands The Avett Brothers,” Gallagher says from his Brooklyn home, “and it is with a very heavy heart indeed that I announce to you...
With its high-profile creative team and cast (Kinky Boots‘ Stark Sands will co-star), the new musical’s development has already drawn considerable New York attention. Gallagher himself released a video today announcing the postponement and the reasoning behind it. (Watch it below.)
“This week I was set to begin rehearsals for a brand new musical, Swept Away, with a tremendous book by the great John Logan and featuring the beautiful music of one of my favorite bands The Avett Brothers,” Gallagher says from his Brooklyn home, “and it is with a very heavy heart indeed that I announce to you...
- 5/6/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Jelani Alladin, a star of the Broadway musical Frozen, will take on the title role in this summer’s new stage adaptation of Disney’s Hercules, with Roger Bart (Broadway’s The Producers) cast as the villainous Hades.
Casting was announced today by The Public Theater for the previously announced adaptation of Disney’s 1997 animated film. The musical, to be presented as part of the Public’s Shakespeare in the Park season, will feature six songs from the Oscar-nominated Alan Menken/David Zippel film score in addition to new songs by the songwriting team.
Hercules will include a new book by Kristoffer Diaz (Glow), choreography by Be More Chill choreographer Chase Brock, and direction by Lear deBessonet. The musical will run for seven nights – Aug. 31-Sept. 8 – at Delacorte Theater, concluding this summer’s free Shakespeare in the Park season.
Also in the cast announced today: Jeff Hiller (Panic), James Monroe Iglehart...
Casting was announced today by The Public Theater for the previously announced adaptation of Disney’s 1997 animated film. The musical, to be presented as part of the Public’s Shakespeare in the Park season, will feature six songs from the Oscar-nominated Alan Menken/David Zippel film score in addition to new songs by the songwriting team.
Hercules will include a new book by Kristoffer Diaz (Glow), choreography by Be More Chill choreographer Chase Brock, and direction by Lear deBessonet. The musical will run for seven nights – Aug. 31-Sept. 8 – at Delacorte Theater, concluding this summer’s free Shakespeare in the Park season.
Also in the cast announced today: Jeff Hiller (Panic), James Monroe Iglehart...
- 6/20/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney’s 1997 animated hit “Hercules” will flex its muscles as a stage musical, set to debut this summer at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park in New York City.
Composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, who earned an Oscar nomination for “Go the Distance” from the film, have written additional songs for the production, which will feature a new script by Christopher Diaz (“Glow”) and choreography by Chase Brock (“Be More Chill”).
Lear deBessonet, founder and resident director of the theater’s Public Works initiative, will direct the production, set for a limited run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8.
Also Read: 'True West' Broadway Review: Ethan Hawke Soars, Paul Dano Flits in Sam Shepard Drama
No casting is set for the show, which follows the adventures of the half-God, half-mortal Hercules as he goes through a series of test to reclaim his place on Mount Olympus beside his father,...
Composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, who earned an Oscar nomination for “Go the Distance” from the film, have written additional songs for the production, which will feature a new script by Christopher Diaz (“Glow”) and choreography by Chase Brock (“Be More Chill”).
Lear deBessonet, founder and resident director of the theater’s Public Works initiative, will direct the production, set for a limited run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8.
Also Read: 'True West' Broadway Review: Ethan Hawke Soars, Paul Dano Flits in Sam Shepard Drama
No casting is set for the show, which follows the adventures of the half-God, half-mortal Hercules as he goes through a series of test to reclaim his place on Mount Olympus beside his father,...
- 2/6/2019
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
The 2018 Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 10 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and will air live on CBS. Nominees were announced today by Tony winner Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Hamilton”) and “American Idol” Katharine McPhee,who is starring in the Broadway musical “Waitress.” While the nominations were determined by 51 theater professionals, the 2018 Tonys winners will be decided by 863 members of the Broadway community. (Read the full report on the 2018 Tony Awards nominations.)
The Tony Awards have lined up two past nominees — composer Sara Bareilles and actor Josh Groban — to host the 72nd annual edition of these top theater honors. Bareilles lost her 2016 bid for Best Score for “Waitress” to Lin-Manuel Miranda for “Hamilton.” Groban contended last year for his lead role in the tuner “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” but was bested by Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”).
Musicals
Best Musical
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants...
The Tony Awards have lined up two past nominees — composer Sara Bareilles and actor Josh Groban — to host the 72nd annual edition of these top theater honors. Bareilles lost her 2016 bid for Best Score for “Waitress” to Lin-Manuel Miranda for “Hamilton.” Groban contended last year for his lead role in the tuner “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” but was bested by Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”).
Musicals
Best Musical
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants...
- 5/1/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
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