Latest news with #NormaDesmond
Yahoo
17 hours 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
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wright State alum takes home Tony Award for Best Actress-Musical
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Wright State alum claimed one of theater's biggest prizes Sunday night. Nicole Scherzinger, who studied at WSU from 1996-99, took home the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical award at Sunday's ceremony for her starring role as Norma Desmond in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Sunset Boulevard.' The Tony is the latest in a string of honors for Scherzinger. She won an Olivier Award last year for the London production of the musical before it relocated to New York City's Broadway. In April 2025, she was named as one of Time Magazine's most influential people. 'If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong, or your time hasn't come, don't give up,' she said in her acceptance speech Sunday. 'Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Nicole Scherzinger breaks down in tears during Tony Award acceptance speech
Nicole Scherzinger broke down in tears as she accepted her first ever Broadway accolade at the 78th Annual Tony Awards. The Pussycat Dolls singer won Best Leading Actress in a Musical award for her performance of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Accepting her award at the star-studded ceremony in New York on Sunday (8 June), the 46-year-old broke down in tears. She said: 'Growing up I always felt like I didn't belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last.'
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Nicole Scherzinger wins her first Tony Award for ‘Sunset Boulevard,' beating Audra McDonald
Nicole Scherzinger is the greatest star of all. The former Pussycat Dolls singer took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8, beating record-breaking six-time winner Audra McDonald. Scherzinger, 46, stars as the faded silent film star Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd's revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' Advertisement 7 Nicole Scherzinger took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday.7 Scherzinger stars as the faded silent film star Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd's revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' MEGA 'I always felt like I didn't belong,' she said as she accepted the award. 'But you all have made me feel like I belong and I have come home at last.' Advertisement Scherzinger previously won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical. In May, shortly after the 'Masked Singer' judge was nominated for her first Tony Award, Scherzinger discussed her flourishing Broadway career. 7 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nicole Scherzinger backstage during the opening night of 'Sunset Boulevard' at the St. James Theater on October 20, 2024, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/WireImage 'I'm overjoyed with gratitude. My heart is completely full,' she told TODAY at the time. 'Don't ever, ever, ever give up because you never know when your time is coming. I feel so grateful right now.' Advertisement 'One of my best friends from high school was the first person to call me, and he said, 'Babe. I can't believe it. This is what we dreamed of,'' Scherzinger added. 'I can't wait to speak to my mom.' Although the award-winning singer became a superstar as a member of The Pussycat Dolls from 2003 to 2010, she always dreamed of starring on Broadway. 7 'I'm overjoyed with gratitude,' Scherzinger said after she was nominated for her first Tony Award in May. 'My heart is completely full.' Mike Djordj / In December, just months before she would win her first-ever Tony Award, Scherzinger shared a video on Instagram of herself standing in New York's Theater District in 2008. Advertisement 'Growing up, I thought I'd be doing that. I'd be on that side of the street, not this side of the street,' she said in the 16-year-old clip. 'But one day I'll make it back home.' After her nomination, Scherzinger reflected on the full circle moment – and how it paralleled her 'Sunset Boulevard' character's own dreams of returning to the stage. 7 Scherzinger previously won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond in the musical. Mike Djordj / 'As Norma Desmond would say, 'I'll be back where I was born to be. With one look, I'll be me,'' Scherzinger said. 'She also says, 'I'll come home at last.'' 'I guess a lot of people didn't know that side of me because they're so used to seeing the pop star side of me or me in the Pussycat Dolls,' she added. 'But this is home for me. I couldn't have asked for a better dream role.' Elsewhere in the interview, Scherzinger thanked 'Sunset Boulevard' and her role as Norma for allowing her to 'share her whole heart with the world.' 7 'Sunset Boulevard,' which received a total of seven nominations, led the Tony Award nominees among musical revivals this year. Mike Djordj / 'It's interesting because playing Norma Desmond, it's like, where does Norma Desmond end and Nicole begin? And vice versa?' the 'Don't Hold Your Breath' singer said. Advertisement 'I always dreamed of wanting to share all of my gifts and all of my talents and my whole heart with the world,' she added. 'Now I've gotten to because of this.' 'I'm so proud of everyone in this production,' Scherzinger concluded, 'because we're all in it together.' 7 Scherzinger was previously the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls from 2003 to 2010. Zuma / 'Sunset Boulevard,' which received a total of seven nominations, led the Tony nominees among musical revivals this year. Advertisement The Post's theater critic, Johnny Oleksinski, celebrated Scherzinger's performance in his four-star review of the production when it first opened back in October. 'But the show belongs to the titanic Scherzinger, who makes an especially proud and feral Norma,' Oleksinski wrote. 'Her confidence and burning desire to succeed makes her fall much greater than that of a dusty hermit.' The other Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical nominees included McDonald ('Gypsy'), Jennifer Simard ('Death Becomes Her'), Megan Hilty ('Death Becomes Her'), and Jasmine Amy Rogers ('BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical').
New York Post
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Andrew Lloyd Webber cut this big song from ‘Sunset Boulevard': 'Quite radical'
Much is unrecognizable about the Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Sunset Boulevard' at the St. James Theatre. The Norma Desmond is a former pop star, Nicole Scherzinger, the scenery has been swapped for a crisp giant screen and the costumes are a glossy black. But 'Sunset' aficionados will also hear a difference: An entire song has been scrapped: 'The Lady's Paying.' 5 The makeover song 'The Lady's Paying' (here seen performed by Alan Campbell in the Los Angeles production) has been cut from the Broadway revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' Craig Schwartz Photography 5 Emmy Park for NY Post 'I get on really well with Jamie [Lloyd, the director], and he wanted to make some quite radical changes to the score,' Lloyd Webber told The Post during a sit-down. 'And the main thing he wanted was to cut 'The Lady's Paying,' which is the song, and the beautician scene.' The number that's been in the show for more than 30 years is a fast-moving, upbeat ditty in which fading Hollywood actress Norma buys struggling young screenwriter Joe Gillis (Tom Francis in the revival) fancy new suits for his birthday. It has bouncy and not-so-subtle lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton such as 'Happy birthday, welcome to your shop-a-thon!' and 'You're a very lucky writer, come along now, get undressed / Unless I'm much mistaken, that's a 42-inch chest!' 5 Glenn Close played Norma Desmond in the very different Los Angeles staging in 1993 before coming to Broadway. Joan Marcus A chipper makeover didn't jive with Lloyd's especially dark take on the material, which premiered in 2023 at the Savoy Theatre in London. At times, his jolting revival borders on horror. A culling was in order. 'He was less sure about the beautician scene,' added Lloyd Webber, 77. 'But I said, 'If you want to get rid of 'The Lady's Paying,' you've got to get rid of both, because they're basically the same melody, and one is a reworking of the other, so it wouldn't work, you know? And so both went.' 'His grounds were — which are really interesting — is that they don't further the story; that we don't need to know that they're going clothes shopping.' 5 Nicole Scherzinger of 'Sunset Boulevard' is in a tight race for Best Actress with Audra McDonald of 'Gypsy.' Marc Brrenner Lloyd Webber also came to the conclusion that it's difficult to include such a diversionary detour in 2025. 'I think in a musical, particularly today, with people's attention span being what it is, I think you've got to do the things that are essential to have, but consider carefully about the things which are nice to have,' he said. Far from agonizing over one of his compositions being cut, Lloyd Webber enjoyed tinkering with his 32-year-old show. 'Once we decided on that, we said, 'Right, there are various areas of the show, particularly in the second act, or the transition of 'The Lady's Paying,' where I wrote a completely new section of music, where we've got to make it darker,' he said. 'And I started playing around with harmonies and things that I don't normally get the opportunity to do.' 5 Tom Francis plays Joe Gillis in the Broadway revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' Marc Brenner The result is a revival that, its creator said is 'darker and, I think, it's also deeper.' And it confirms Lloyd Webber's belief as to the secret sauce of a thrilling production: a talented group of artists that really click. 'I find [Jamie] a fascinating collaborator,' he said. 'When musicals really work, you've got to have a real collaboration with the director and the creative team.'
