Lea Michele, the star of Funny Girl, ends her stay today in the Broadway revival. She noted the milestone with an Instagram post that touted the show’s recoupment of its $16.5 million capitalization.
“For the past year, I’ve had the honor and privilege of playing the iconic Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on the August Wilson Stage,” she wrote. “An opportunity my younger self could have only dreamed of. And did.”
The musical opened in April 2022 at the August Wilson Theatre, starring Beanie Feldstein in the title role of Fanny Brice. Although fans initially showed great enthusiasm and ticket-buying, critics and Tony Award nominators found her performance lackluster, and the production soon saw a drop-off in sales. Feldstein made an unusually public leaving of the show, and was immediately replaced by producers with Glee star Lea Michele, who had her own strong fan base and who wowed critics. Box office receipts surged.
“For the past year, I’ve had the honor and privilege of playing the iconic Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on the August Wilson Stage,” she wrote. “An opportunity my younger self could have only dreamed of. And did.”
The musical opened in April 2022 at the August Wilson Theatre, starring Beanie Feldstein in the title role of Fanny Brice. Although fans initially showed great enthusiasm and ticket-buying, critics and Tony Award nominators found her performance lackluster, and the production soon saw a drop-off in sales. Feldstein made an unusually public leaving of the show, and was immediately replaced by producers with Glee star Lea Michele, who had her own strong fan base and who wowed critics. Box office receipts surged.
- 9/3/2023
- by Bruce Haring and Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life Of Pi on Jun 11th! Life Of Pi, which won Best Lighting Design of a Play, Best Scenic Design of a Play, and Best Sound Design of a Play, is the first Broadway play with a majority South Asian cast/creative team to win 3 Tony Awards.
Life Of Pi is an epic tale of adventure that is “giving new life to Broadway” (The Today Show). After a shipwreck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi survives on a lifeboat with four companions— a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. This remarkable story of hope, faith, and perseverance speaks to every generation. Told through incomparable puppetry and exquisite stagecraft, Life Of Pi creates a visually breathtaking journey that will leave you filled with awe and joy.
By Matthew Murphy...
Life Of Pi is an epic tale of adventure that is “giving new life to Broadway” (The Today Show). After a shipwreck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi survives on a lifeboat with four companions— a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. This remarkable story of hope, faith, and perseverance speaks to every generation. Told through incomparable puppetry and exquisite stagecraft, Life Of Pi creates a visually breathtaking journey that will leave you filled with awe and joy.
By Matthew Murphy...
- 6/14/2023
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
The 76th annual Tony Awards were handed out Sunday night.
Kimberly Akimbo won best musical, Leopoldstadt was named best play, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog won best revival of a play, and Parade won best revival of a musical.
In the lead acting categories, Jodie Comer won best performance by an actress in a play for Prima Facie, while openly nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee made history (along with Alex Newell) for winning best performance by an actor in a musical for Some Like It Hot. Sean Hayes won best actor in a play for Good Night, Oscar, while Victoria Clark won best actress in a musical for Kimberly Akimbo.
Oscar winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose returned to host the ceremony, which this year moved to the new location of the United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights. See the red carpet arrivals here.
The show was split into two parts,...
Kimberly Akimbo won best musical, Leopoldstadt was named best play, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog won best revival of a play, and Parade won best revival of a musical.
In the lead acting categories, Jodie Comer won best performance by an actress in a play for Prima Facie, while openly nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee made history (along with Alex Newell) for winning best performance by an actor in a musical for Some Like It Hot. Sean Hayes won best actor in a play for Good Night, Oscar, while Victoria Clark won best actress in a musical for Kimberly Akimbo.
Oscar winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose returned to host the ceremony, which this year moved to the new location of the United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights. See the red carpet arrivals here.
The show was split into two parts,...
- 6/12/2023
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kimberly Akimbo was the big winner at the 76th annual Tony Awards, which were handed out Sunday night in New York. It won five awards including Best Musical and Lead Actress for Victoria Clark.
Related: Tony Awards Review & Recap: A Writer-Less Ceremony Goes Off Without A Hitch As Broadway Improvises A Winner
Leopoldstadt won four Tonys including Best Play, tying for second-most with Some Like It Hot. See the full list of winners below.
Julie Comer and (Prima Facie) and J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot) took Lead Actress and Actor in a Musical, respectively, and Sean Hayes won Lead Actor in a Play for Good Night, Oscar, which was that shows lone win – as was Comer’s for Prima Facie.
Related: Tony Awards 2023: The Best Of The Red Carpet
Eleven Tonys were presented during the hour-plus preshow, and 15 more are were doled out in primetime. Oscar...
Related: Tony Awards Review & Recap: A Writer-Less Ceremony Goes Off Without A Hitch As Broadway Improvises A Winner
Leopoldstadt won four Tonys including Best Play, tying for second-most with Some Like It Hot. See the full list of winners below.
Julie Comer and (Prima Facie) and J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot) took Lead Actress and Actor in a Musical, respectively, and Sean Hayes won Lead Actor in a Play for Good Night, Oscar, which was that shows lone win – as was Comer’s for Prima Facie.
Related: Tony Awards 2023: The Best Of The Red Carpet
Eleven Tonys were presented during the hour-plus preshow, and 15 more are were doled out in primetime. Oscar...
- 6/12/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Refresh For Udpates: The nominations for the 76th Annual Tony Awards will be announced on CBS Mornings today by Funny Girl star Lea Michele and Mj‘s Tony Award winner Myles Frost. The complete list of nominations will be posted here at 9:10 a.m. Et./6 a.m. Pt.
The nominations announced so far:
Best Musical
& Juliet
Producers: Max Martin & Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd, Eva Price, Lukasz Gottwald, 42nd.club, Independent Presenters Network, Jack Lane, Library Company, Shellback, Shivhans Pictures, Sing Out, Louise!, Kim Szarzynski, Taylor/Riegler, Tenenbaum/Keyes, Barry Weiss, John Gore Organization
Kimberly Akimbo
Producers: David Stone, Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, Lachanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Glick
New York, New York
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Crossroads Live, Playing Field, Stephanie P. McClelland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Colin Callender, Gilbert and DeeDee Garcia/Sue Vaccaro,...
The nominations announced so far:
Best Musical
& Juliet
Producers: Max Martin & Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd, Eva Price, Lukasz Gottwald, 42nd.club, Independent Presenters Network, Jack Lane, Library Company, Shellback, Shivhans Pictures, Sing Out, Louise!, Kim Szarzynski, Taylor/Riegler, Tenenbaum/Keyes, Barry Weiss, John Gore Organization
Kimberly Akimbo
Producers: David Stone, Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, Lachanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Glick
New York, New York
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Crossroads Live, Playing Field, Stephanie P. McClelland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Colin Callender, Gilbert and DeeDee Garcia/Sue Vaccaro,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Hiran Abeysekera, who won the 2022 Best Actor Olivier Award for his performance of the title character in the London stage production of Lolita Chakrabarti’s Life of Pi, will lead the Broadway cast when the play arrives at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre next month.
Joining him will be Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink, who shared the Olivier for Best Supporting Actor as the puppeteers behind “Richard Parker” the tiger.
Life of Pi begins performances Thursday, March 9, at the Schoenfeld, with an opening night of Thursday, March 30.
Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation won a total of five Oliviers including Best New Play. In addition to Abeysekera, Davis and Wilderink, the Broadway cast will feature Brian Thomas Abraham as Cook/Voice of “Richard Parker,” Rajesh Bose as Father and Avery Glymph, Mahira Kakkar, Kirstin Louie, Salma Qarnain, Sathya Sridharan, Daisuke Tsuji, and Sonya Venugopal.
Also in the cast: Nikki Calonge,...
Joining him will be Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink, who shared the Olivier for Best Supporting Actor as the puppeteers behind “Richard Parker” the tiger.
Life of Pi begins performances Thursday, March 9, at the Schoenfeld, with an opening night of Thursday, March 30.
Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation won a total of five Oliviers including Best New Play. In addition to Abeysekera, Davis and Wilderink, the Broadway cast will feature Brian Thomas Abraham as Cook/Voice of “Richard Parker,” Rajesh Bose as Father and Avery Glymph, Mahira Kakkar, Kirstin Louie, Salma Qarnain, Sathya Sridharan, Daisuke Tsuji, and Sonya Venugopal.
Also in the cast: Nikki Calonge,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life of Pi will premiere at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre with performances beginning Thursday, March 9, 2023, ahead of an official opening on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
The Broadway staging is produced by Simon Friend, Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, Mark Gordon and Playing Field. Prior to Broadway, Life of Pi will make its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, co-led by Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus and Executive Director Kelvin Dinkins, Jr. from December 4, 2022, through January 29, 2023.
Life of Pi is directed by Max Webster, with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Puppet and Movement Direction by Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Andrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, and Original Music by Andrew T Mackay.
“Having started work seven years...
The Broadway staging is produced by Simon Friend, Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, Mark Gordon and Playing Field. Prior to Broadway, Life of Pi will make its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, co-led by Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus and Executive Director Kelvin Dinkins, Jr. from December 4, 2022, through January 29, 2023.
Life of Pi is directed by Max Webster, with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Puppet and Movement Direction by Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Andrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, and Original Music by Andrew T Mackay.
“Having started work seven years...
- 10/24/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway is going Back to the Future this summer when the Olivier Award-winning musical stage adaptation of the 1985 film begins previews at the Winter Garden Theatre. Making the trip stateside will be Roger Bart and Hugh Coles reprising their West End performances as Doc Brown and George McFly.
Broadway previews begin Friday, June 30, ahead of an official opening on Thursday, August 3.
The role of Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox in the film franchise, will be announced soon, as will additional casting.
Producers made the announcement today to coincide with Back To The Future Day, the October 21 date used for the setting of the future events in the film franchise’s Back to the Future Part II. They also released a teaser trailer featuring Bart and the films’ Doc Brown Christopher Lloyd. Watch it below.
Roger Bart (Courtesy Production)
“Marty, Doc and everyone in Hill Valley will be living...
Broadway previews begin Friday, June 30, ahead of an official opening on Thursday, August 3.
The role of Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox in the film franchise, will be announced soon, as will additional casting.
Producers made the announcement today to coincide with Back To The Future Day, the October 21 date used for the setting of the future events in the film franchise’s Back to the Future Part II. They also released a teaser trailer featuring Bart and the films’ Doc Brown Christopher Lloyd. Watch it below.
Roger Bart (Courtesy Production)
“Marty, Doc and everyone in Hill Valley will be living...
- 10/21/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Update, with Lynch Playbill comments: Jane Lynch will depart Broadway’s Funny Girl even earlier than expected, producers announced Tuesday. The former Glee actor will end her run as “Mrs. Brice” on Sunday, August 14, several weeks earlier than the Sept. 4 date most recently announced.
According to producers, Lynch had a long-scheduled vacation set to begin on Monday, August 15 and was set to return to the show on Tuesday, August 23, before departing for the Creative Arts Emmys on Thursday, September 1. “Rather than return for one week of performances, the producers have agreed to adjust her final performance to Sunday, August 14,” according to a statement.
Lynch is an Emmy nominee in the Best Comedy Guest Actress category for her work on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
Lynch’s “Mrs. Brice” standby, Liz McCartney, is scheduled to play the role from Tuesday,...
According to producers, Lynch had a long-scheduled vacation set to begin on Monday, August 15 and was set to return to the show on Tuesday, August 23, before departing for the Creative Arts Emmys on Thursday, September 1. “Rather than return for one week of performances, the producers have agreed to adjust her final performance to Sunday, August 14,” according to a statement.
Lynch is an Emmy nominee in the Best Comedy Guest Actress category for her work on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
Lynch’s “Mrs. Brice” standby, Liz McCartney, is scheduled to play the role from Tuesday,...
- 8/11/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway’s upcoming revival of Funny Girl, starring Beanie Feldstein, Jane Lynch, Ramin Karimloo and Jared Grimes has completed casting, with Peter Francis James, Ephie Aardema, Debra Cardon and Toni Dibuono among those joining the cast.
The complete casting was announced today by producers Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis and David Babani. The complete creative team also was announced, including Susan Hilferty as costume designer, Kevin Adams as lighting designer and Brian Ronan as sound designer.
Rehearsals for the musical are expected to begin today, with previews set to start Saturday, March 26, at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, with an official opening on Sunday, April 24.
The Jule Styne/Bob Merrill/Isobel Lennart musical, directed by Michael Mayer will star the previously announced Feldstein as Fanny Brice, Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, Lynch as Mrs. Rosie Brice and Grimes as Eddie Ryan.
The newly announced cast includes Peter Francis James (Hillary and Clinton) as Florenz Ziegfeld,...
The complete casting was announced today by producers Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis and David Babani. The complete creative team also was announced, including Susan Hilferty as costume designer, Kevin Adams as lighting designer and Brian Ronan as sound designer.
Rehearsals for the musical are expected to begin today, with previews set to start Saturday, March 26, at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, with an official opening on Sunday, April 24.
The Jule Styne/Bob Merrill/Isobel Lennart musical, directed by Michael Mayer will star the previously announced Feldstein as Fanny Brice, Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, Lynch as Mrs. Rosie Brice and Grimes as Eddie Ryan.
The newly announced cast includes Peter Francis James (Hillary and Clinton) as Florenz Ziegfeld,...
- 2/7/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Theater
British Singer and TV personality Peter Andre (“I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” “Strictly Come Dancing”) will make his West End debut as Vince Fontaine in an upcoming production of Jim Jacobs and Waren Casey’s stage musical “Grease,” playing at the Dominion Theatre starting May 17, with previews from May 3.
Directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, the show returns to the West End for the first time since playing at the Piccadilly Theater in 2007. Key casting includes Dan Partridge (“Hairspray”) and OIivia Moore (“Waitress”) as Danny and Sandy, with Jocasta Almgill (“Romeo & Juliet”) as Rizzo and Paul French (“Greese” U.K. Tour) as Kenickie.
“I’m beyond excited to be making my West End debut playing Vince Fontaine in ‘Grease’ at the beautiful Dominion Theatre,” said Andre. “’Grease’ is such an iconic musical and we can guarantee audiences will have the most...
British Singer and TV personality Peter Andre (“I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” “Strictly Come Dancing”) will make his West End debut as Vince Fontaine in an upcoming production of Jim Jacobs and Waren Casey’s stage musical “Grease,” playing at the Dominion Theatre starting May 17, with previews from May 3.
Directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, the show returns to the West End for the first time since playing at the Piccadilly Theater in 2007. Key casting includes Dan Partridge (“Hairspray”) and OIivia Moore (“Waitress”) as Danny and Sandy, with Jocasta Almgill (“Romeo & Juliet”) as Rizzo and Paul French (“Greese” U.K. Tour) as Kenickie.
“I’m beyond excited to be making my West End debut playing Vince Fontaine in ‘Grease’ at the beautiful Dominion Theatre,” said Andre. “’Grease’ is such an iconic musical and we can guarantee audiences will have the most...
- 2/3/2022
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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