Broadway theatre

and Mario Lopez will be joining the cast. Mario Lopez will be joining Fox's live TV adaptation of Grease, in "Grease: Live". Lopez, the Extra host, will be playing Vince Fontaine in this new Fox venture. Vince Fontaine, in the 1978 romantic summer Broadway play, is a fictional version of Alan Freed (an American Disc Jockey). Vince hosts Rydell High's school dance as the DJ for a live national TV broadcast…

I Am What I Am from La Cages Aux Folles Jerry Herman’s (b. 1931) dazzling score, and message of acceptance, has made the musical La Cages Aux Folles popular with audiences since the show’s opening night at New York’s Palace Theatre on August 21, 1983. Sung by the character of Albin, I Am What I Am, is an anthem about embracing your true self. This was the final piece I sang as a finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Although I had the love and support of the audience, some on the judging…

“I am not throwing away my shot,” is one of the most famous lines from Broadway’s hit production Hamilton that has brought the story of one of the youngest founding fathers, treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton, to life with excitement like never before. It is a musical that brings new energy and fun to learning history, but also tells a story that inspires people to work hard, overcome obstacles, and strive for greatness. I thought, who better to share this with then some seventh graders who…

Greece, 5th century BCE. However, it was during the depression that musicals hit the mainstream and the climax of their popularity as people would attend to escape the reality of their own lives. Today, musicals can be seen to have a place in cinemas, theatres and even schools and are a popular method of story-telling. Pertaining to prestigious theatrical musicals is that of The Wizard of Oz spin-off…

A scheming producer and his mousy accountant aim to produce the biggest flop on Broadway. "The Producers" is kicking off the 2015-2016 Broadway series at the Clemens Center this week. Even though the show only has two productions, cast and crew members have been in the area for weeks - setting up their show's tour. "They are getting things honed right here in Elmira. It is great to have them here in the city. They are obviously using hotel accommodations and visiting out restaurants, doing…

the Wicked Witch of the West is portrayed on the slanted platform in front. Theater has allowed people to enjoy a show and create a bonding experience with one another. The top five broadway musicals right now are as follows; “Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King [recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary on broadway,] The Phantom of the Opera, and Dear…

West Side Story book turned musical was written in 1957 by Arthur Laurents. West Side Story is a musical interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, giving it a modern spin and a change from the original class to race rivalry. The setting of this play is based in the 1950s in the Upper West Side of New York City. The rivalry is between two gangs called the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang. Comparable to Romeo and Juliet the main plot to this story is based on the…

Premiering in 1997, the musical Ragtime, written by the trio of Terrence McNally (Book/Script), Stephen Flaherty (Music), and Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics) was something along the lines of a smash hit. Featuring a star studded cast, with such luminaries as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and Audra McDonald, the musical won four Tony Awards and was nominated for 14, including Best Musical. The musical is based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1974 novel Ragtime, a work of historical fiction that has various…

of starring in a Broadway show has become a reality. This past week I had the privilege to go to New York and see the Broadway revival of Gigi. Gigi is originally based on the novella titled Gigi by Collete. The novella then turned into a major motion picture before hitting the Broadway stage in 1951 starring Audrey Hepburn as the title role. Fredrick Lowe wrote the original music for the play. With great success from the original movie and the first run of the show on Broadway, Heidi Thomas…

When it came to the 1990s, the incorporation of both theatrical elements and rock music in the musical theatre has matured significantly, which has been notable in the show Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Advocated by Fricke (1998), Hedwig had been by the time the first rock musical that truly rocked. On the one hand, Hedwig serves as a successful model where elements of musical theatre and rock have been harmoniously integrated. For instance, based on only eleven songs of its musical score, the…