Latest news with #Newsies
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tonys 2025 Live Updates: ‘Buena Vista' and ‘Stranger Things' Win 3 Early Awards
Harvey Fierstein has won four Tony Awards in his career, including honors for both writing and acting. On Sunday he added a fifth to the list, with an award for lifetime achievement. Here's what to know about Fierstein's notable performances and writing — and unmistakable voice. It all started with 'Torch Song Trilogy.' 'Torch Song Trilogy,' a four-hour portrait of a drag performer written by and starring Fierstein, opened on Broadway in 1982. It was a landmark production for a generation of gay men: 'A play in which the gay character was smart, funny and fully alive? A revelation,' Stuart Emmrich would write in The Times decades later. Fierstein won two Tonys with the show, one for best play and one for his performance. 'Torch Song' was revived on Broadway in 2018, this time with Michael Urie in the lead role of Arnold. (A character sometimes known as, naturally, Virginia Ham.) 'Originally, the gay men came in disguise,' Fierstein said about the play's audience earlier this year, in an interview with New York magazine. 'When we did it again, they came to the theater owning the show.' He's made a career confronting gender norms onstage. After 'Torch Song' came 'La Cage aux Folles' in 1983, with a Tony-winning book by Fierstein and music by Jerry Herman. It was the first Broadway musical, The Times noted then, to put a gay relationship at the forefront — here, between a drag nightclub's impresario and its star. Fierstein has also written the books for 'Newsies' (2012) and 'Kinky Boots' (2013), and revised the book of 'Funny Girl' for its 2022 revival. Fierstein's breakthrough as a musical performer came in 2002, with 'Hairspray.' He played the larger-than-life Edna Turnblad, a 1960s housewife whose peppy daughter helps her come fabulously into her own. Fierstein won a Tony for the role, and in 2016 reprised his performance in a live, televised rendition of the show. 'Edna is not just a cross-dressing sight gag,' Ben Brantley wrote in his 2002 review. 'She's every forgotten housewife, recreated in monumental proportions and waiting for something to tap her hidden magnificence.' And about that voice. Here are just a few of the ways The Times has characterized Fierstein's distinctive timbre over the years: 'throaty,' compared to a 'frog' or 'foghorn,' 'all the old 'gravel' clichés don't come close,' and 'sounding as he does, he should be driving a cab.' In an interview around his 2022 memoir, 'I Was Better Last Night,' Fierstein had a simple explanation. 'My father had the same voice,' Fierstein said. 'It's enlarged secondary vocal cords. It's the most boring answer.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rankin County Performing Arts hosting 2025 summer camps
RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The Rankin County Performing Arts will host 2025 summer camps. CAMP NAME DATES REGISTER BY AGE Newsies JR June 16 – 20 &June 23 – 29 June 1 Entering 6th – 12th grade graduates Peter Pan JR(Full Day) July 7 – 11 &July 14 – 20 July 1 Entering 1st grade – 5th grade Broadway Baby Camp(Peter Pan JR)(Half Day) July 14 – 20 July 1 Fully potty trained 3 year olds – 5 year olds Click here to register. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Award-winning musical is full of hope say show's two Evan Hansens
'Today is going to be a good day...' With not one, but two Evan Hansens in the room, that would appear to be a given. Ryan Kopel and Sonny Monaghan may sport very different looks and have an age gap of six years but they have one important thing in common, both are preparing to play the iconic title role in the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen which comes to Blackpool Grand Theatre next week. Kopel stars in the fresh new take on the musical while Monaghan is the alternate Evan. Both are excited at the prospect and it's clear they can't wait to have an audience. With musical theatre credits that include Newsies and The Book of Mormon, Kopel landed the coveted role after a three month audition process. Ryan Kopel in Dear Evan Hansen He recalled: 'My agent asked me if I'd be interested in Dear Evan Hansen and then did five auditions. A couple of days later, while on the Underground going home, my agent called to say I'd got the part. I was so excited I had to get off the Tube to scream a little bit. 'Then I realised I was miles away from my stop and would have to walk the rest of the way. That was even more tortuous as I couldn't wait to see my family and partner's faces when I told them.' If Kopel's casting followed a fairly traditional route, for Monaghan, the audition process proved very 'now', he landed the part after submitting a video on TikTok, as part of the casting team's collaboration with the social media platform, which invited users who were interested in being cast in the production to upload a video of themselves singing any number from the show. From more than 2,000 submissions, the 21-year-old was one of 36 TikTok users invited to in-person auditions, eventually being cast as a member of the show's ensemble and as alternate Evan, a role he will perform twice a week, at every matinee. The 21-year-old said: 'I saw a post asking people to submit a video of themselves singing a number from Dear Evan Hansen through TikTok. I sang Words Fail. Maybe three weeks later I got an email inviting me to an in-person audition.' Three rounds of auditions later, Monaghan was recording a song for his friend's new musical when he got his good news and, as it was Dear Evan Hansen that first got him into musical theatre while at secondary school, he says receiving the news was 'a dream come true.' Sonny Monaghan in Dear Evan Hansen 'When my agent called and said I'd been offered the alternate Evan, my friend and I had a bit of a celebration,' he admits. Dear Evan Hansen is the story of an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. The thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn't tell the whole truth. And now must give up on a life he never dreamt he'd have. As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him. Monaghan, a self confessed fan of the show, first saw the musical on Broadway during a family holiday to New York. He loved it so much he then went to see the original West End production when it opened. For 27-year-old Kopel, it was a very different story. The actor from Kirriemuir, in Scotland, revealed: 'I never saw the original production, but Dear Evan Hansen was such a huge cultural phenomenon when it first came out that I knew all about it without ever really knowing the story.' His introduction to that came during the audition process and with themes including bullying and mental health, he quickly discovered that Dear Evan Hansen deals with some important issues. He said: 'The writing is so good that I really can just trust my instinct to bring what I feel to the character. Usually when you do a musical that has been done before, there's a set way of doing everything; 'This is how you say this line,' and, 'This is where you stand on the stage for this moment'. 'We've had none of that. We have complete freedom to take the script and create something new 'It's eight years since the Broadway production debuted, which doesn't sound that long but when you think about it, a lot has changed in that time. The technology we use everyday is so different that much of the script has taken on a whole new meaning. Just looking at the piece from the lens of today has been an interesting experience.' If the rehearsal period has been invigorating for Kopel, for Monaghan it has been nothing less than hectic. Explaining how having two Evans 'in the room' works, he reveals, 'Mainly, it's Ryan and the principal cast who are in the rehearsal room with director Adam Penford. They create the show. As the alternate Evan, I get brought in once it looks the way they want it to look. Then I work with our associate director to replicate that.' And it's not just lines, songs and moves the pair have had to familiarise themselves with, due to the sensitive themes of the piece, producers have partnered with The Mix, the UK's leading digital charity for under 25-year-olds, to ensure anyone affected by the issues explored in the show knows where to find support. 'The Mix is there for anyone who needs to reach out for support,' explained Kopel. 'We had a long Zoom with them the very first week of rehearsals where they explained what they did and the way they work. It was an incredible insight into a world I had no idea about.' 'There's just something about this show that allows people to connect deeply with the characters. We take that responsibility incredibly seriously and having that guidance from The Mix is vitally important.' said Kopel. Despite its themes, Dear Evan Hansen is a beautifully crafted and uplifting piece of musical theatre, one that Monaghan believes will 'be a blessing for many, by helping them realise they need to talk to someone.' Kopel added: 'Ultimately, Dear Evan Hansen is about hope. No matter what happens, what you are going through, its message is that there is always someone to talk to and reasons why you should go on. That's what I'd like people to take away from the show.' Before they head back to rehearsal, there's one last question: Dear Evan Hansen starts with Evan writing a letter to himself. It begins, naturally enough, with the title of the show followed by 'Today is going to be a good day because...' So, what would they write in such a letter to themselves? 'Keeping in line with the show, My letter would say, 'Dear Ryan Kopel, today is going to be a good day because you can take each day at a time, every hour as it comes',' says the Scot. 'Mine would read, 'Dear Sonny Monaghan, today is going to be a good day because this is what and where you want to be and you should know that you have worked hard and deserve to be here'.' With opening night fast approaching, both admit that despite their reassuring words to themselves, the nerves are sure to kick in on the big night, but even that is a good thing. 'I kind of live in a state of constant nerves anyway,' laughs Kopel, 'but nerves before a performance are definitely a good thing. It means you care, so I'll harness them and let them kick me up a gear...' 'It's like athletes,' nods Monaghan, 'You have to use your nerves and adrenaline to reach your peak performance...' Kopel laughs, 'Yes, and then keep it there for another two and half hours.' Dear Evan Hansen is at Blackpool Grand from Tuesday until Saturday, May24. Details from
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Canton area entertainment. Divine Mercy Fest, KSU Tusc summer movies, Minerva comedy show
Repository entertainment writer Ed Balint runs down things to do in the Canton area while highlighting news in the local arts scene. Comedians Glen Tickle and Ricky Glore will perform May 16 at the Roxy Theatre in downtown Minerva. Krackpots Comedy Club of Massillon is presenting the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickle and Glore both have "Dry Bar Comedy" specials, and each has appeared on SiriusXM, a news release said. Glore also has appeared on "The Bob & Tom Show," and Tickle released a special on Amazon Prime and has appeared on NPR and PBS. Tickets ($27.75 general admission and $49.25 VIP) can be purchased at Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Roxy Theatre is at 114 N. Market St. "Newsies" opens May 16 at Players Guild Theatre on the campus of Kent State University at Stark in Jackson Township. May 16-17 shows are at 7:30 p.m. The May 18 performance is 2 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Performances are also May 23-25. To purchase tickets, $25 to $45, go to Performances will be at the Mary J. Timken Theatre on the KSU Stark campus, 6000 Frank Ave. NW. The Divine Mercy Parish Festival will be May 15-18 at 2813 Lincoln Way W in Massillon. The event features live music, rides, beer, food and raffles. Festival hours are 5-10 p.m. May 15; 5-11 p.m. May 16; 1-11 p.m. May 17; and 1-8 p.m. May 18. The band schedule is Billy Likes Soda at 7 p.m. May 15; Disco Inferno, 7 p.m. May 16; LaFlavour, 7 p.m. May 17; and Off the Charts, 3 p.m. May 18. Weather permitting, rides will be open 5 to 10 p.m. May 15; 5 to 11 p.m. May 16; 1 to 11 p.m. May 17; and 1 to 8 p.m. May 18. Canton Ballet dancers collectively earned more than $75,000 in scholarships at the recent Regional Dance America Northeast Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Giada Szekeres, a junior at Lake High School, received a $60,000 collegiate scholarship to the American Music and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Szekeres was selected through a competitive audition process, according to a news release from Canton Ballet. Szekeres will attend Ballet Arizona this summer. Freshman Kaitlyn Giltz and junior Ashlyn Wood, both students at Jackson High School, will be participating in an intensive summer program at the School of American Ballet in New York City. Joining them in securing competitive placements are Madison Fabek, a sophomore at Central Catholic High School, and Maria Carosello, a junior at GlenOak High School, both of whom have spots at the Miami City Ballet, the news release said. 'We are incredibly proud of our dancers' achievements at the Regional Dance America Festival and in securing these prestigious scholarships and summer intensive placements,' said Canton Ballet Director Jennifer Catazaro Hayward. 'Their success is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the rigorous training and guidance they receive from our exceptional teaching faculty. These opportunities are vital stepping stones in their development as dancers.' The Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas plans a new summer movie series. Beginning June 24 with "Wicked," the venue in New Philadelphia will feature movie musicals on the Performing Arts Center's 43-x-24-foot screen. Movies will be shown weekly at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Attendees will receive free popcorn, with bottled water and candy available for purchase. Tickets cost $10 per movie, and a summer movie pass can be purchased for $60 (valid for eight admissions). Performing Arts Center members receive a discount of $5 per ticket. The movie schedule is: "Mamma Mia!," July 1; "La La Land," July 8; "Chicago," July 15; "Grease," July 22; "Moulin Rouge," July 29; "Waitress," Aug. 5; and "The Greatest Showman," Aug. 12. Tickets are on sale at the Performing Arts Center box office, which can be reached at 330-308-6400. Tickets also can be purchased at The box office is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the KSU Tuscarawas campus, 330 University Drive NE in New Philadelphia. The Wilderness Center will host a planetarium show, "Chronicle of a Journey to Earth," at 11 a.m. May 17. "Tour the solar system from the perspective of a visitor from another part of the galaxy," The Wilderness Center said. "... On Earth, we learn about lunar phases, lunar and solar eclipses, Earth's seasons and how they depend on Earth's axial tilt and its relationship to the sun. These concepts are woven together into a journey of exploration and discovery." The event is in the Astronomy Education Building at The Wilderness Center, 9877 Alabama Ave. SW in the Wilmot area. Tickets cost $4 for members and $6 for non-members. The show is for families and children age 8 and older. Pre-registering is suggested at Walk-ins are accepted but ticket payments must be in cash. A 'Tonight's Sky' program showing seasonal constellations and planets currently in the night sky will follow. Stark Parks will host a sunset hike at 8:30 p.m. May 16 on Hoover Trail, followed by a stargazing program with The Wilderness Center's Astronomy Club. The guided lantern hike will be one hour. Hoover Trail is at 1325 E. Maple St. in North Canton. Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@ Follow on Instagram at ed_balint This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton things to do. Divine Mercy Parish Fest, KSU Tusc summer movies
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Groove to R&B hits with the Binghamton Philharmonic
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Put on your best dancing shoes and get ready to feed the soul with some of the greatest Motown and R&B hits. The Binghamton Philharmonic is closing out the Visions Pops Series tomorrow at 7:30, featuring Capathia Jenkins in She's Got Soul. Jenkins started her career on Broadway, featured in musicals such as Newsies and Caroline, before traveling the world, singing her favorite music. She'll be accompanied by the 3 backup singers and the entire philharmonic orchestra. 'When I think about Gladys Knight, she's my favorite singer of all time. And just the fact that she sings with so much authentic soul. There's something about soul music that can move an entire auditorium, and you don't even know why. And I say this to the audience, if you here your jam, get on up,' Jenkins said. The concert will take place tomorrow evening at 7:30 at the Broome County Forum Theatre. Tickets are on sale now for $28. You can purchase your tickets online and find the program for the performance at SUNY Broome simulates disaster scenarios with local EMS Binghamton students celebrate Israeli Independence Day American Civic Association's annual All Nation's Parade and Festival Windsor students learn different jobs in medical field Brookside students get their hands dirty in the garden with CCE Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
