Latest news with #MarquisTheatre
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Once Upon a Time, They Considered Giving Up. Now They're 2025 Tony Nominees (Exclusive)
Five years ago on March 12, 2020, the show did not go on. As COVID-19 spread like wildfire throughout the United States, Broadway was ultimately forced to go dark. It was a devastating blow to New York City's vibrant and beloved theater community, putting thousands of performers and creative artists out of work for 18 months — the industry's longest shutdown in history. Thespians, however, pushed forward, and the creation of new art never ceased. 'There were so many works that were cooking,' Gypsy's Tony-nominated featured actressJoy Woods exclusively tells Parade, 'and now they're finally out of the oven.' In fact, 'this is like a post-pandemic Golden Era,' LaTanya Richardson Jackson says as she proudly dons her Tony Awards nominee pin at the annual meet and greet with this year's star-studded honorees. 'I am grateful to be a part of a season that is extraordinary.' 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Extraordinary it is, with a little something for everyone. Cuban culture comes alive in the critically acclaimed musical Buena Vista Social Club. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play Purpose, starring Jackson (wife of Samuel L. Jackson), explores Black culture and politics under the direction of Phylicia Rashad. Comedian Cole Escola's unapologetically queer take on Mary Todd Lincoln in their 80-minute Oh, Mary! has audiences begging for more. And fans of the Netflix hit Stranger Things are rushing to the Marquis Theatre to fully immerse themselves in the Upside Down courtesy of Stranger Things: The First Shadow's already Tony Award-winning illusions and technical effects. Related: Plus, this year's lineup of plays and musicals is jam-packed with star power, from George Clooney's Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck to Pussycat Dolls alum Nicole Scherzinger's triumphant turn as Norma Desmond in the much-talked-about revival of Sunset Boulevard. But the road to Broadway — even for the brightest of stars — is not always easy. 'I remember several years ago when no one would give me a chance and take me seriously in the space that I'm at now, and I put on a [cabaret] show at Django at the Roxy [Hotel],' Scherzinger tells Parade of the 2019 solo act she staged herself to perform musical theater classics. 'You have to keep your mind and your heart open, because you never know when that unexpected dream opportunity is going to come. I didn't know that playing Norma Desmond was going to be my unexpected dream role and change my life. I kept an open mind and heart, and I trusted, and I was brave.' PERSEVERING THROUGH IT ALL It takes courage to work in live theater. Rejection is part of the gig, and even when an artist is lucky enough to land a job, they must bare their soul for all to see — and be prepared if the reviews are not in their favor. Long before Conrad Ricamora starred on the ABC series How to Get Away with Murder and was Tony-nominated for playing Abraham Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, he was just another up-and-coming actor taking a stab at Shakespeare. 'I was doing Romeo and Juliet in Philadelphia, and I was in my early 20s,' he explains. 'I was playing Romeo. I got this scathing review in the Philadelphia Inquirer. And it was the first time I'd ever been reviewed, and I made the mistake of looking at the review, and I then was in a depression for, like, two months. And I [thought], 'Well, if everyone hates you, do you still want to do this?' … And I told myself, 'Yeah.' The answer was yes.' Jonathan Groff, famous for hit projects like Glee, Frozenand Hamilton, had a similar experience when he was just starting out. As an aspiring actor who moved to the Big Apple from Lancaster, Pa., with big dreams and a big heart, Groff wanted nothing more than to be on Broadway. At that point, he was also still learning more about himself and his sexuality. 'The first month that I moved to New York, I was waiting tables at the [now closed] Chelsea Grill of Hell's Kitchen on 9th between 46th and 47th,' Broadway's Just in Time star recalls. 'Lots of rejection. Lots of like really failed dance calls — going to dance calls and getting cut and feeling like, 'What am I doing here?' And I remember going back to my apartment and taking down the Bible that my Mennonite grandmother had given me upon moving to New York and being like, 'This isn't making me feel better.' Putting the Bible back up on the shelf and running to Central Park and standing in front of the Bethesda Fountain and looking up at that angel and being like, 'I got this.' 'I was feeling the magic of New York City, the magic of Central Park, the magic of the Angels in America HBO special that had just come out. And feeling like I was also about to step into my gay self for the first time. That was the moment — looking at that statue — that I was like, 'Everything's going to be OK. This is a magical place. I want to be here.' And now here we are.' The theater does, in fact, have a funny way of letting you know you're right where you ought to be. At least that was the case for Jasmine Amy Rogers, Tony-nominated in her Broadway debut as the iconic cartoon character Betty Boop. Before the theater community suddenly lost beloved actor Gavin Creel last year at age 48 following a brief but aggressive battle with cancer, he encouraged Rogers to keep following her dreams. 'It was August of 2023, and I was just auditioning for everything that I could, and I wasn't getting anything,' she remembers. 'And I actually had an audition for Gavin Creel's [musical] Walk on Through, and I didn't get it, but he sent me the most beautiful email, and it lit a fire underneath me. A couple weeks later, I went and booked this. So honestly, I feel like in a way, I have him to thank.' Though Rogers didn't know Creel as well as some of her peers (he and Groff dated around 2009, and Groff credits Creel for helping him embrace his sexuality), 'In those brief auditions, he was so kind and giving,' she says. 'And he went out of his way to make sure he introduced himself and hugged me at the end, and he just cared so much. It means the world. And I hope that I can be that person to somebody one day.' But even when an artist feels like they've made it on Broadway, the hustle never ends. 'There was one time I was working for a Tasker app,' explains , who is nominated for his first Tony Award for his performance as real-life robber Elmer McCurdy in the musical Dead Outlaw. 'I was building a cabinet for someone in their house, and they were like, 'Did I see you in War Horse on Broadway?' And I was like, 'Yes… Where would you like this cabinet?' So yeah, highs and lows — that's what it's all about. But I'm grateful to be an actor. I used to resent that, but now I love it because I appreciate the highs so much. And the lows are just the time to sort of gather yourself and look forward to what's next.' See more photos of the Tony Award-nominated performers below: View the 13 images of this gallery on the original article A SPACE FOR EVERYONE As the world continues to evolve, so do the stories theater artists put forth. Broadway's diverse landscape 'feels correct,' Branden Jacobs Jenkins, who wrote the Pulitzer-winning play Purpose, says of this season's offering. 'It feels accurate. It's the world I moved through. It's our professional world. And I see these people everywhere. They're incredible.' In a time when representation matters more than ever, Broadway's current class of Tony nominees come from all different races and cultural backgrounds, a fact they're especially proud of. 'This has been a historic season for Asian-Americans in particular,' says Francis Jue, a featured actor nominee for the play Yellow Face, which explores the issue of yellowface casting (or using a non-Asian actor for a race-specific role). Jue points out, 'It's the very first time in 78 years of Tony history that an Asian-American actor, Daniel Dae Kim, has been nominated as lead actor in a Broadway play. It's the first time in 78 years of Tony history that two Asian-American actors, Conrad Ricamora and myself, are nominated in the same category for a play on Broadway.' Gypsy's Woods, who plays Louise opposite Audra McDonald's Momma Rose, never thought she had a chance to play the woman who would become Gypsy Rose Lee, a real-life burlesque entertainer in the 1920s and 30s who was white. 'When we're taught [the musical] in school, you are shown clips, and you don't see anybody in those clips that looks like you,' Woods explains. 'So, no, I didn't think [I'd play this role]. And when I saw the day that they announced that they were doing Audra [in] Gypsy, I remember leaving a matinee of The Notebook [in which she previously starred] and seeing the sign and saying, 'Oh my God, I can't wait to see that. That's going to be so good. Whoever plays Louise, they're going to kill it.' I did not think it was going to be me.' The stories themselves are varied as well. Big, splashy musicals like the comedy Death Becomes Her play alongside works with more serious subject matter such as John Proctor Is the Villain, the play starring Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink that is set during a time when survivors of sexual assault felt empowered to come forward. 'We start right in the wake of the #MeToo movement in 2018, which is seven years ago now,' explains the show's Tony-nominated featured actress Fina Strazza. 'But the play feels more relevant than ever. I think there's a lot going on in our world with some pretty powerful men that probably shouldn't be so powerful. So it's nice to sit in the theater for an hour or two and experience that — and hopefully be motivated to make change in small communities.' Overall, as the calendar inches closer to the June 8 Tony Awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo as its host, the vibe is nothing but celebratory. Darren Criss, Tony-nominated for his performance as a robot named Oliver in the endearing new musical Maybe Happy Ending, reveals to Parade that he has a group chat with his former Glee pals, which includes Groff — whom he is up against for best lead actor in a musical. 'We got a whole group thread going, man,' Criss says. 'It's the nice thing about working on Broadway. We're all on the same campus. We're all within several blocks of each other. We all know each other. We all know each other's work. We've all, you know, been in rooms together before. We're not all separated. There's a real fraternity there, and that's not just some canned line. It's true. We're all working [in the] same village. It's such a fun, amazing thing. We all grew up loving this so much. The fact that we get to do it is already such a huge 'W,' so getting to be in a category together for a fancy party is just a fun little bonus.' ParadeParade With additional reporting by Garid Garcia. See photos of the Tony Award-nominated creative team members below: View the 41 images of this gallery on the original article
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Beetlejuice' Returning to Broadway for Third Run
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is returning to Broadway for the third time. The first national tour of Beetlejuice The Musical will play at The Palace Theatre from Oct. 8 for a 13-week engagement through Jan. 3, 2026. The third return to Broadway is unusual (and in keeping with the plot of the show) as the musical's two previous Broadway engagements were in the last five years and the production has had a bumpy trajectory. More from The Hollywood Reporter Tonys: Sarah Paulson on the Truth-Teller Behind the Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Purpose' Mia Farrow on Her First Tony Nomination, Returning to Broadway in 'The Roommate' Audra McDonald Says She Didn't Know About "Rift" Between Her and Patti LuPone The musical originally ran at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre from April 2019, and initially saw low ticket sales until its fortunes turned around, thanks in part to traction on social media and a successful Tonys performance. Despite the reversal in the production's grosses, theater owners announced plans to force the show out of the theater by June 2020, to make room for The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman. Those plans were delayed by the pandemic, but Beetlejuice did vacate and plan its return to Broadway, based on the momentum of the show and the popularity of the cast recording, said producers. Beetlejuice returned to Broadway, at the Marquis Theatre, where it ran from April 2022 through January 2023 and saw a return of most of its Broadway cast, including Alex Brightman, playing the title character. However, the musical struggled to recapture the same momentum from before the pandemic and ended its run early. Now it returns after the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to the 1988 film, this fall, which had the second best September launch of all time. Warner Bros. is the producer of the film and its theatrical arm is a producer of the Broadway show. Casting for the Broadway engagement has not yet been announced. The first national tour of the musical launched in December 2022, and will end its run on Broadway. There have also been productions of the show in Tokyo, Seoul, and Melbourne, and an upcoming production in Sydney. Based on the Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice is directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!), with an original score by Eddie Perfect (King Kong), a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, with choreography by Connor Gallagher. The show's run is also part of a returning industry trend in which national tours make stops on Broadway, including The Wiz, which ran at the Marquis Theatre from April to August 2024, before theaters. Beetlejuice takes over the Palace Theatre, which is currently home to Glengarry Glen Ross, starring Kieran Culkin, Bill Burr and Bob Odenkirk, which is scheduled to end its run there on June 28. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Seeing Double? 25 Pairs of Celebrities Who Look Nearly Identical From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List
Khaleej Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Disney's 'High School Musical' director Kenny Ortega recalls cast of film
High School Musical director Kenny Ortega revealed that he had a premonition while filming the movie's final musical number, and it ultimately came true in a big way. High School Musical is a 2006 American musical television film produced by and aired on Disney Channel as part of the network's slate of original television films. The first instalment of the series was directed by choreographer and filmmaker Ortega from a screenplay by Peter Barsocchini. It stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Alyson Reed, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. Ortega attended the opening night of Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre. During the conversation, the famed director, choreographer and producer recalled one of his most vivid memories from the High School Musical set. "There are a lot of them [memories], so many of them," said Ortega, adding, "But we were filming High School Musical 1, and we were filming the finale, We're All in This Together. And we had all these cameras going, and the cast and the dancers, and I looked into the gymnasium and I said, 'Man, if Disney does the job we're doing here, this is going to reach a lot of people'." "And I took the cast, and I put them in a circle, and I said, 'Get ready. I think your lives are going to change.' And they remember that moment as I do," he continues. "I just had this premonition, this feeling that we were up to something that was going to matter." High School Musical became one of the most successful Disney Channel Original movies of all time and launched the careers of stars like Efron, Hudgens and Tisdale. It also generated two popular sequel films, the third of which was released in theatres in 2008 and earned over $250 million (Dh918 million) worldwide at the box office. Ortega also shared one of his all-time favourite songs from the franchise. "Oh, well, so I like Get your Head in the Game," he said. "There are so many fabulous songs. I couldn't even begin. We had three albums, and all of them just eclipsed anything that had ever happened for a television soundtrack." "And the writers that we had working with us on were of the great composer lyricists, working in film, and television and theatre. So yeah, an endless list of favourites," he said.
The South African
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Stranger Things cast reunite for thrilling Broadway debut
The Upside Down has landed on Broadway, and the stars of Netflix's Stranger Things turned out in force to celebrate. On 22 April, the much-anticipated play Stranger Things: The First Shadow officially opened at the Marquis Theatre in New York City . The red carpet saw familiar faces such as Jamie Campbell Bower, Charlie Heaton, Natalia Dyer, Noah Schnapp, and Matthew Modine. The Duffer Brothers, who are the masterminds behind the original series, were also spotted on the red carpet. They posed grinning alongside executive producer Shawn Levy and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, according to the New York Post. The First Shadow is a prequel, set in 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, and dives deep into the origins of Henry Creel. Henry is the boy who grows up to be the terrifying Vecna. As the story unfolds, Henry's struggle with his dark powers takes centre stage. Audiences will also get to meet younger versions of beloved characters like Joyce, Hopper, and Bob. Critics have called the play 'a game-changing experience' and praised its jaw-dropping effects. The Stranger Things production, directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, features a cast of 34 and promises to 'turn Broadway upside down' with its suspense and heart-pounding drama. On opening night, the energy was electric, and actress Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy Wheeler, shared, 'It's surreal seeing our world come alive on stage. Noah Schnapp, who plays fan favourite Will Byers on the Netflix show, declared, 'This play is a must-watch for anyone who's followed our journey. You'll see Hawkins in a whole new light'. The event also saw touching moments between the TV and stage casts. Matthew Modine, who plays Dr Brenner, was seen chatting with Alex Breaux, his Broadway counterpart, while Jamie Campbell Bower embraced Louis McCartney. McCartney is the young actor portraying Henry Creel. 'Louis is an astonishing actor, and we are unbelievably proud of the incredible life he has breathed into the role,' said director Stephen Daldry. Tickets for the show start at $86, which converts to roughly R1617. Any South Africans planning a trip to New York, give the show a try, it's theatre experience not to be missed. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a gripping story about friendship, fear, and the darkness we all face. As the Duffer Brothers put it, 'Can the power of friendship outshine the darkness within?' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Stranger Things' cast reunites for Broadway prequel premiere featuring Vecna's Origins
The cast and creators of the popular series 'Stranger Things' recently reunited in New York City to celebrate the official Broadway opening of the prequel play ' Stranger Things: The First Shadow '. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The event took place on Tuesday at the Marquis Theatre and marked an important moment in the franchise's expansion into live theatre. Several well-known actors from the original series attended the premiere to show their support. These included Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), and Matthew Modine (Dr. Brenner). They were joined by the show's co-creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, writer Kate Trefry, director and executive producer Shawn Levy, and co-CEO Ted Sarandos. This gathering followed the successful run of the play in London's West End. Vecna's origins 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' serves as a prequel to the original series. Set in 1959, it explores the early life of Henry Creel — the character who later becomes Vecna. The story also features younger versions of key characters such as Joyce and Hopper, originally portrayed by Winona Ryder and David Harbour. The new cast includes Louis McCartney as the young Henry, TR Knight, Alex Breaux (who will also appear in 'Stranger Things' Season 5 as Dr. Brenner), Gabrielle Nevaeh, Rosie Benton, Andrew Hovelson, Alison Jaye, and Burke Swanson. Noah Schnapp hints at an emotional ending During the event, Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, shared his thoughts on the upcoming final season of 'Stranger Things'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Attending the play for the first time, he offered a glimpse into what fans can expect. 'People are going to be truly devastated,' Schnapp said. 'Honestly, as sad as it was, I'm so excited to see the world's reactions to watching the finale. There's not going to be a dry eye. Not to be so negative. It is a really great season. And people will love it.' The Broadway premiere highlighted the strong connections between the original cast and the creative team. Their presence reflected not only support for the theatrical production but also a shared excitement about the growing world of 'Stranger Things', now expanding into new formats and storytelling experiences.
