Latest news with #TonyAwards
Buzz Feed
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
'Hamilton' And Funny Face Bakery Announce Cookie Collab
You know Hamilton, right? The record-breaking, cultural-reset musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda (that basically changed modern-day theater forever) celebrates its 10th anniversary on Broadway this August. The production's milestone birthday kicked off earlier this year with a special tribute at the 70th annual Tony Awards, starring the original Broadway cast. (Feel old yet? I do. 🫠) You also probably know Funny Face Bakery. The New York City-based bakery frequently goes viral for its pop culture-inspired cookie drops based on everything from White Lotus moments to Kardashian memes. Not for nothing: their gooey chocolate chip cookie frequently pops up on social media rankings and reviews of the best chocolate chip cookies in NYC. Well, folks, it looks like history has its eyes on your cookie jar. As a nod to the legendary musical's achievement, Funny Face just dropped a limited-edition trio of cookies that'll put a smile on the face of any theater kid — or theater kid at heart. First, there are the two decorated cookies: The King George cookie ($14)... ...and the Schuyler sisters cookie ($14). Both are classic sugar cookies, decorated with royal icing. Finally, there's their "gooey" option, called Hamilton's Temptation ($6.50), which is a black-and-gold twist on the bakery's beloved Rainbow Crumbfetti cookie. "As a New York City-born bakery, collaborating with Hamilton feels incredibly full circle," said the founder of Funny Face Bakery, Sarah Silverman. "We're all about bringing joy through nostalgia and pop culture, and few things feel more quintessentially NYC than Hamilton." You can snag them in-store at either of Funny Face's NYC shops (located in NoHo or the Seaport), or order online for nationwide shipping. These limited-editions treats won't last forever either — unlike Hamilton, which I fully expect to outlive us all at this point. To cook thousands of recipes from the comfort of your own phone, download the free Tasty app for iOS and Android!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Evita' Theater Review: Rachel Zegler Takes London by Storm as Eva Perón in Otherwise Uneven Revival
Could it be time for Jamie Lloyd to hit the pause button? The prolific director, whose radically reimagined Sunset Blvd. last month won Tony Awards for best musical revival and lead actress Nicole Scherzinger, is rolling out productions at such a rate that his template — big stars, event theater, a style that might be described as minimalist swagger — is beginning to look entrenched, and a bit hit-or-miss. Spectacle worked wonders with his recent, disco-dancing Much Ado About Nothing starring Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell. But while there was a glorious opportunity for a revisionist take on Evita — to reconfigure the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice mega-musical from the 1970s for a more politically confused and troubled age — Lloyd has simply turned up the volume. More from The Hollywood Reporter Foo Fighters Are Back With First Song Since 2023 to Celebrate 30th Anniversary What the Hell Happened With the Sean "Diddy" Combs Verdict? 50 Cent, Kesha, Aubrey O'Day and More Stars React to Diddy Verdict: "The Cultural Weight of This Decision Is Immeasurable" The result feels decidedly erratic. The central performance from Rachel Zegler at times gives you goosebumps, but at others is in desperate need of direction; showstoppers bring usually reserved London audiences to their feet (mostly unheard of here, though it happened too during Much Ado); directorial choices damage whatever narrative interest the work might have. It's entertaining and galling in equal measure. As ever, the immediate set is minimal: bare, except for tiered steps that run the length of the stage and a giant sign, EVITA, across the back (in what does feel like a contemporary spin, Eva Perón is presented here more as a brand than an icon). Other than that, the staging will be accompanied by carefully selected props: the live camera that has become ubiquitous in Lloyd's productions, a shower of blue and white confetti, blood and paint. The show opens as a tease, the song 'Requiem for Evita' sung almost as a Gregorian chant, by cowled figures gliding through dry ice. But any thought that this might be a pared-back evening are immediately cast aside as the curtain rises to reveal the Evita sign and a strutting Zegler, oozing feline sexiness in leather bra and hot pants. At the same time, Che (Diego Andres Rodriguez), an ambiguous character from Eva's own poor background, begins his protracted debunking of the Perón legend with 'Oh What a Circus.' And the musical's real face blasts into action. Throughout this number, and for some time after, Zegler endures her most difficult phase of the revival: physically commanding the stage (as she does the entire evening) but with a single, fixed expression, something akin to a teenager's attempt to appear superior, that suggests there's next to nothing going on behind the pose. It quickly becomes apparent, too, that the evening is going to be dominated by over-miked excess — the volume way too loud, the songs pitched too shrilly. Not only can this lead, at times, to a self-defeating sensory overload, but it exacerbates the issue often raised by sung-through musicals, of plot and character simply getting lost in the mix. While 'Buenos Aires' is one of the big-belt numbers — accompanied by thrilling choreography involving the whole cast — that bring down the house, many of the production's most satisfying moments involve a rare dialing down and focus. One is 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall,' poignantly sung by Bella Brown as the discarded mistress of Juan Perón (James Olivas), in a welcome change of tempo and temperature. Another, and not surprisingly the show's high point, is when Zegler puts her stamp on 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina.' There was mild controversy when it was discovered in previews that Zegler would perform the show's signature song not in the auditorium, but on the Palladium's exterior balcony for the benefit of passers-by gathered in the street — who, horror of horrors, have not paid handsomely for a ticket. As it turns out, this is Lloyd's greatest stroke of inspiration (similar to what he did with Tom Francis' Joe Gillis for the title song in Sunset Blvd. or Jessica Chastain's Nora at the end of A Doll's House). The theater audience does see the actress of course, captured on a giant, wide screen as she moves through the ornate Edwardian building. Her vampish garb replaced by a First Lady's majestic white dress, bejeweled, her dark hair now white, she sings from the balcony, the camera dissolving between her cinematic close-ups and the rapt crowd. Zegler crushes the song, eking out of it every ounce of emotion, real and contrived. The number is brilliantly conceived and executed, a genuine goosebump moment. But with the Palladium neatly filling in for Buenos Aires' Casa Rosada, it also tellingly offers what Lloyd's minimalist abstraction has hitherto denied: a sense of context and color. While there was a glimpse of Eva's feistiness and strength in the first half, Zegler as a performer is now fully unleashed. Set free from the limitations of lyricist Rice's crass social climber, the actress finds much more expression and emotion in the second half, as Eva navigates ambition, public perception and illness. Zegler's rendition of the dying Eva's 'You Must Love Me,' the song added for Alan Parker's 1996 film with Madonna, is extremely moving. It's a pity that the men can't really match her. Though he delivers the songs competently, Rodriguez (Sunset Blvd.) suffers in the way of all Ches. The character's high and mighty put-downs wear thin as the show progresses, and any political objections he may have to the Peróns are undermined by smug preening. Lloyd's casting of Olivas as Perón — in reality 23 years Eva's senior and invariably played by an older actor — seems perplexing. Why have a young man who looks exactly the same as the monolithic blockheads who are Perón's followers and henchmen? Why circumvent an inescapable age dynamic in the relationship? It doesn't help that Olivas is rather bland in the role. Lloyd's early reputation was partly built on an imaginative knack for tapping new meaning from the darkest and most interesting recesses of a play, notably but not only Harold Pinter's work (Lloyd's Betrayal, also with Hiddleston, was lauded on both sides of the Atlantic). Evita isn't the same kind of animal, but there's juice in the albeit contestable nature of Perón's political leanings. That could have resonated at a time of ever-growing right-wing populism, but is not capitalized upon here. It seems typical of the production that one brutally telling moment, Che's face and body suddenly becoming bloodied during a Peronist march, is easily lost with the actor stranded downstage as confetti distractingly showers the audience. Given that the director has cast Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in his upcoming Broadway production of Waiting for Godot, there may well be an electric guitar in the mix. Nonetheless, let's pray he doesn't drown out the Beckett play's marvelous silence. Venue: The London Palladium, LondonCast: Rachel Zegler, Diego Andres Rodriguez, James Olivas, Aaron Lee Lambert, Bella BrownLyrics: Tim RiceMusic: Andrew Lloyd WebberDirector: Jamie LloydSet and costume designer: Soutra Gilmour Lighting designer: Jon ClarkSound designer: Adam FisherMusic supervisor and musical director: Alan WilliamsChoreographer: Fabian AloisePresented by Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and The Jamie Lloyd Company 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 Solve the daily Crossword
Perth Now
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
See the heights Lin-Manuel Miranda reached pre-Hamilton
Before the global blockbuster Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the musical In the Heights. Miranda's debut musical won four Tony Awards, including best musical, during its 2008 Broadway run, as well as a Grammy, and was adapted into feature film. For most people, that would be regarded as an extraordinary achievement, but such is the scale of Lin Manuel Miranda's success that In the Heights is often explained as "the one before Hamilton". Inspired by the Manhattan neighbourhood of Washington Heights near where he grew up, the score features hip-hop, salsa and Latin beats, and tells the story of an immigrant community wondering about the meaning of home. After a sold-out run at the Sydney Opera House in 2024, the musical opens in Melbourne in August, followed by shows on the Gold Coast in September. Ryan Gonzalez stars as Dominican-American Usnavi, who is trapped running a bodega but hopes for a simpler life in the Dominican Republic, while Olivia Vasquez stars as Vanessa. In The Heights is at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from August 1 to September 6 followed by Home Of The Arts on the Gold Coast from September 12 to 24.
Daily Tribune
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
HRH Crown Prince Meets Bahraini Tony Award Winner Ali Daylami
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, met today with Bahraini producer Ali Daylami at Gudaibiya Palace, celebrating his historic win at the 78th annual Tony Awards. Daylami is the first Bahraini — and the first from the Gulf — to receive the prestigious honor. During the meeting, HRH Prince Salman expressed his deep pride in Daylami's international achievement, calling it a significant milestone for the Kingdom and a reflection of the growing global presence of Bahraini talent. 'This recognition not only celebrates your individual success but also highlights the strength, creativity, and potential of our people,' the Crown Prince said, reaffirming Bahrain's commitment to fostering innovation and supporting talented citizens across all sectors. He added that Daylami's win represents a new chapter in the inspiring journey of Bahrainis making their mark worldwide, and wished him continued success in the future. Ali Daylami, moved by the warm reception, thanked HRH Prince Salman for the continued encouragement shown toward Bahraini artists and creatives. 'Your support inspires us to dream bigger and aim higher,' Daylami said. Also present at the meeting were the Minister of Finance and National Economy, HE Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, HE Hamad bin Faisal Al Malki. The meeting served as a celebration not just of one individual's success, but of Bahrain's broader vision of empowering its citizens and building a future where talent and hard work are recognized and rewarded.
Express Tribune
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
What secrets does Stranger Things hide before Eleven? Broadway's chilling prequel finally reveals all
Before the Upside Down was opened, before Eleven's powers, and before Hawkins fell to supernatural terror, there was Henry Creel. Broadway's Stranger Things: The First Shadow takes fans deep into the hidden past of the Netflix universe, delivering an eerie, emotional origin story that has already claimed four Tony Awards and left audiences stunned. Set in 1959, the play centres on teenage Henry (played by Louis McCartney), a troubled boy grappling with horrifying visions in the seemingly quiet town of Hawkins. Audiences familiar with the Netflix series know what he becomes, Vecna, the show's ultimate villain, but The First Shadow dares to ask what drove him there. Opposite him is Gabrielle Nevaeh's Patty Newby, a new character who sees Henry for who he is beneath the nightmares. Together, they form the heart of a story that's as tragic as it is thrilling. The stage production's visual feats are already the stuff of legend. Gravity-defying illusions, seamless transitions, and supernatural effects recreate the terror of Hawkins with an intensity that cinema rarely matches. Critics have called it unlike anything Broadway has seen, and fans agree. One audience member even screamed 'NO WAY' during a pivotal reveal, proof of how deeply this play grips viewers. Written by Kate Trefry with the Duffer Brothers and Jack Thorne, and directed by Stephen Daldry, the play serves as a prequel to the TV series but stands entirely on its own. With characters like Dr Brenner, young Bob Newby, and a host of familiar surnames from the Netflix series, the connections run deep, but it's Henry and Patty's bond that makes this more than a horror story. 'I connect with Henry through music,' McCartney said. 'He's a good kid, but broken.' Nevaeh added, 'Patty sees the light in him. That's what makes this story so powerful.'
