Author Archives: Lindsay

Drama League Nominations 2017

  By

anastasia

The Drama League has announced the 2017 Drama League Awards Nominees! Check out the full list below (with our featured shows in bold):

2017 DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS NOMINATIONS:

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2

Written by Lucas Hnath
Directed by Sam Gold
John Golden Theatre
Produced by Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Barry Diller, Universal Stage Productions, The John Gore Organization, James L. Nederlander, Ambassador Theatre Group, Peter May, Seth A. Goldstein, Heni Koenigsberg, Stephanie P. McClelland, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Al Nocciolino, True Love Productions, Diana DiMenna, Meredith Lynsey Schade, Barbara Freitag & Patty Baker, Benjamin Lowy & Adrian Salpeter and John Mara, Jr. & Benjamin Simpson

CAUGHT

Written by Christopher Chen
Directed by Lee Sunday Evans
The Play Company
Produced by The Play Company (Kate Loewald, Artistic Director)

EVERYBODY

Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Lila Neugebauer
Signature Theatre Company
Produced by Signature Theatre Company (Paige Evans, Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director)

IF I FORGET

Written by Steven Levenson
Directed by Daniel Sullivan
Roundabout Theatre Company
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes: Artistic Director/CEO; Julia C. Levy: Executive Director; Sydney Beers: General Manager; Steve Dow: Chief Administrative Officer)

INDECENT

Written by Paula Vogel
Directed by Rebecca Taichman
Created by Paula Vogel and Rebecca Taichman
Vineyard Theatre/Cort Theatre
Produced by Daryl Roth, Elizabeth I. McCann, Cody Lassen, Jerry Meyer, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Elizabeth Armstrong, Julie Boardman, Four Star Productions, The John Gore Organization, Kathleen K. Johnson, Dana M. Lerner, Marc Levine, Jenn Maley and Mano-Horn Productions; Produced in association with Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director), La Jolla Playhouse (Christopher Ashley: Artistic Director; Michael S. Rosenberg: Managing Director) and Vineyard Theatre (Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, Artistic Directors); Associate Producer: National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (Bryna Wasserman, Zalmen Mlotek, Chris Massimine), Adam Hess and Sharon Fallon

A LIFE

Written by Adam Bock
Directed by Anne Kauffman
Playwrights Horizons
Produced by Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director; Carol Fishman, General Manager)

OSLO

Written by J.T. Rogers
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Lincoln Center Theater
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater (André Bishop: Producing Artistic Director; Adam Siegel: Managing Director; Hattie K. Jutagir, Executive Director of Development and Planning)

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields
Directed by Mark Bell
Lyceum Theatre
Produced by Kevin McCollum, J. J. Abrams, Kenny Wax, Stage Presence Ltd., Catherine Schreiber, Ken Davenport, Double Gemini Productions/deRoy-Brunish, Damian Arnold/TC Beech, Greenleaf Productions/Bard-Roth, Martian Entertainment/Jack Lane/John Yonover, Lucas McMahon and Mischief Theatre

SWEAT

Written by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
The Public Theater/Studio 54
Produced by Stuart Thompson, Louise L. Gund, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Jon B. Platt, Roy Furman, Len Blavatnik, Shelly Mitchell, Scott Rudin, Ted Snowdon, Kevin Emrick, True Love Productions, John Gore, Deborah Taylor/Richard Winkler and The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director)

TELL HECTOR I MISS HIM

Written by Paula Lázaro
Directed by David Mendizábal
Atlantic Theater Company
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director)

THE WOLVES

Written by Sarah DeLappe
Directed by Lila Neugebauer
The Playwrights Realm
Produced by The Playwrights Realm (Katherine Kovner, Founding Artistic Director; Roberta Pereira, Producing Director) in Association with New York Stage & Film and Vassar’s Powerhouse Theatre Season

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY:

A DOLL’S HOUSE/THE FATHER

Written by Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg
Directed by Arin Arbus
Theatre for a New Audience
Produced by Theatre for a New Audience (Jeffrey Horowitz, Artistic Director; Henry Christensen III, Chairman; Dorothy Ryan, Managing Director)

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE

Written by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Garry Hynes
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Produced by Brooklyn Academy of Music (Katy Clark, President; Joseph V. Melillo, Executive Producer)

JITNEY

Written by August Wilson
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Manhattan Theatre Club
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer); Produced in association with Eric Falkenstein, Ron Simons, John Legend/Mike Jackson and Ken Wirth

THE LITTLE FOXES

Written by Lillian Hellman
Directed by Daniel Sullivan
Manhattan Theatre Club
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer)

MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS

Written and directed by Athol Fugard
Signature Theatre Company
Produced by Signature Theatre Company (Paige Evans, Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director)

OTHELLO

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
New York Theatre Workshop
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop (James C. Nicola, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director)

PRESENT LAUGHTER

Written by Noel Coward
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
St. James Theatre
Produced by Jordan Roth, Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth: President; Rocco Landesman: President Emeritus; Paul Libin: Executive Vice President; Jack Viertel: Senior Vice President), Spencer Ross, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, AC Orange Entertainment LTD, Grove Entertainment, Stephanie P. McClelland, Eric Falkenstein, Harbor Entertainment, Joe Everett Michaels/Robert F. Ryan and Daryl Roth

THE PRICE

Written by Arthur Miller
Directed by Terry Kinney
Roundabout Theatre Company
Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes: Artistic Director/CEO; Julia C. Levy: Executive Director; Sydney Beers: General Manager; Steve Dow: Chief Administrative Officer)

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

Written by John Guare
Directed by Trip Cullman
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Produced by Stuart Thompson, Louise L. Gund, Tim Levy, John Breglio, Scott M. Delman, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Franki De La Vega, LaRuffa Hysell Group, Jane Bergère, John Gore, Gregory Holt and The Lowy Salpeter Company, producers; Associate Producer: Kevin Emrick

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Daniel Sullivan
The Public Theater
Produced by The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL

Book by Craig Lucas; Music by Daniel Messé; Lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messé
Directed by Pam MacKinnon
Walter Kerr Theatre
Produced by Aaron Harnick, David Broser, Triptyk Studios, Spencer B. Ross, Harbor Entertainment, Berkeley Repertory Theatre (Tony Taccone, Artistic Director; Susan Medak, Managing Director), Center Theatre Group (Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director; Stephen D. Rountree, Managing Director; Douglas C. Baker, Producing Director), Simone Genatt Haft, Marc Routh, Saltaire Investment Group, The John Gore Organization, David Mirvish, Terry Schnuck and Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth: President; Rocco Landesman: President Emeritus; Paul Libin: Executive Vice President; Jack Viertel: Senior Vice President); Associate Producers: Lauren Heirigs, Stephanie Cowan, YL Entertainment & Sports Corp., Nelke Planning Co. Ltd., Disk Garage and Tsinghua Culture Media Corp.

ANASTASIA

Book by Terrence McNally; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Directed by Darko Tresnjak
Broadhurst Theatre
Produced by Stage Entertainment, Bill Taylor, Tom Kirdahy, Hunter Arnold, 50 Church Street Productions, The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President), Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Carl Daikeler, Van Dean/Stephanie Rosenberg, Warner/Chappell Music, 42nd.club/Phil Kenny, Judith Ann Abrams, Broadway Asia/Umeda Arts Theater, Harriet Newman Leve, Peter May, David Mirvish, Sandi Moran, Seoul Broadcasting System, Sara Beth Zivitz, Michael Stotts, LD Entertainment/Sally Cade Holmes, Carolyn and Marc Seriff/Bruno Wang and Silva Theatrical Group/Blumezell; Produced in association with The Hartford Stage Company

BANDSTAND

Book by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker; Music by Richard Oberacker; Lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker
Directed by Andy Blankenbuehler
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

Produced by Tom Smedes, Gabrielle Palitz, Terry Schnuck, Tom Kirdahy, Roger Horchow, Peter Stern, Michael Palitz, Jane Dubin, David Lyons, Sarah Perot, James L. Nederlander, James & Catherine Berges, Darren DeVerna & Jere Harris, Jeff & Ellen Adler, Nancy & Randy Best, Deep End Productions, Patty Baker, Terry D. Loftis/Scott D. Huffman, Independent Presenters Network/Charles & Lisa Siegel, Rosie Gunther McCooe/Ferrell Drum and The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President); Produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director; Todd Schmidt, Managing Director); Associate Producer: Heather Shields and Sammy Lopez

COME FROM AWAY

Book, Music and Lyrice by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Christopher Ashley
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
Produced by Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Alhadeff Productions, Michael Alden & Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Sam Levy, Rodney Rigby, Spencer Ross, Richard Winkler, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Michael & Ellise Coit, Ronald Frankel, Sheri & Les Biller, Richard & Sherry Belkin, Gary & Marlene Cohen, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson, Lauren Doll, Barbara H. Freitag, Wendy Gillespie, Laura Little Theatricals, Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg, Radio Mouse Entertainment, The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President), Cynthia Stroum, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Gwen Arment/Molly Morris & Terry McNicholas, Maureen & Joel Benoliel/Marjorie & Ron Danz, Pamela Cooper/Corey Brunish, Demos Bizar/Square 1 Theatrics, Joshua Goodman/Lauren Stevens, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams Productions, Bill & Linda Potter/Rosemary & Kenneth Willman, La Jolla Playhouse (Christopher Ashley: Artistic Director; Michael S. Rosenberg: Managing Director) and Seattle Repertory Theatre

DEAR EVAN HANSEN

Book by Steven Levenson; Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Directed by Michael Greif
Music Box Theatre
Produced by Stacey Mindich, Mickey Liddell, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions, Double Gemini Productions, Fakston Productions, Roy Furman, Harris Karma Productions, On Your Marks Group, Darren Bagert, Roger & William Berlind, Bob Boyett, Colin Callender, Caitlin Clements, Freddy DeMann, Dante Di Loreto, Bonnie & Kenneth Feld, FickStern Productions, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Robert Greenblatt, Jere Harris and Darren DeVerna, The John Gore Organization, Mike Kriak, Arielle Tepper Madover, David Mirvish, Eva Price, Zeilinger Productions, Adam Zotovich, Ambassador Theatre Group, Independent Presenters Network and The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President); Produced in association with Arena Stage (Molly Smith, Artistic Director; Edgar Dobie, Executive Director) and Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Casey Reitz, Executive Director); Associate Producer: Jayne Hong and Rachel Weinstein

GROUNDHOG DAY

Book by Danny Rubin; Music by Tim Minchin; Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Directed by Matthew Warchus
August Wilson Theatre
Produced by Whistle Pig, Columbia Live Stage, The Dodgers, Michael Watt, The Araca Group, Len Blavatnik, Burnt Umber Productions, Ken Davenport, Stephen Found, Greenleaf Productions, David Harris, Independent Presenters Network, The John Gore Organization, Stephanie P. McClelland, Just For Laughs Theatricals/Glass Half Full Productions, Marion Alden Badway, Marriner Group, Tommy Mottola, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Daryl Roth, Sonia Friedman Productions, Theater Mogul, Tulbart, David Walsh, Tony & Maureen Wheeler and Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth: President; Rocco Landesman: President Emeritus; Paul Libin: Executive Vice President; Jack Viertel: Senior Vice President); Produced for Whistle Pig by Matthew Warchus and André Ptaszynski; Produced for Columbia Live Stage by Lia Vollack; Produced for The Dodgers by Michael David

HADESTOWN

Book, Music and Lyrics by Anais Mitchell
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
New York Theatre Workshop
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop by special arrangement with Dale Franzen, Mara Isaacs and Paula Marie Black

NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812

Book, Music and Lyrics by Dave Malloy
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
Imperial Theatre
Produced by Howard & Janet Kagan, Paula Marie Black, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jenny Steingart and Jason Eagan, Mary Lu Roffe and Susan Gallin, Diana DiMenna, Mary Maggio/Sharon Azrieli/Robin Gorman, Darren Sussman/Roman Gambourg/Lev Gelfer, Tom Smedes, John Logan, Lisa Matlin, Margie and Bryan Weingarten, Daveed Frazier, Argyle Productions/Jim Kierstead, In Fine Company/Hipzee, Gutterman & Caiola/Backdrop Partners, Siderow Kirchman Productions/Sunnyspot Productions, Gordon/Meli Theatricals, Rodger Hess/Larry Toppall, Daniel Rakowski/Matt Ross/Ben Feldman, Mike Karns, The American Repertory Theatre (Diane Paulus, Artistic Director; Diane Quinn, Executive Producer; Diane Borger, Producer) and Ars Nova; Originally commissioned, developed, and world premiere produced by Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Founding Artistic Director; Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director); Further developed and produced by The American Repertory Theatre (Diane Paulus, Artistic Director; Diane Quinn, Executive Producer; Diane Borger, Producer)

RIDE THE CYCLONE

Book, Music and Lyrics by Brooke Maxwell & Jacob Richmond
Directed by Rachel Rockwell
MCC Theater
Produced by MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Managing Director)

WAR PAINT

Book by Doug Wright; Music by Scott Frankel; Lyrics by Michael Korie
Directed by Michael Greif
Nederlander Theatre
Produced by David Stone, Marc Platt, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Marcia Goldberg, Universal Stage Productions, Independent Presenters Network and Goodman Theatre

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

NOTE: This season’s revival of Sunday in the Park with George was not considered for awards eligibility, at the producers’ request.

CATS

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by T.S. Eliot; Additional lyrics by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe Directed by Trevor Nunn
Neil Simon Theatre
Produced by The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President), James L. Nederlander, Really Useful Group, Cameron Mackintosh, Roy Furman, John Gore, Stella La Rue, Grove Entertainment, Burnt Umber Productions, Independent Presenters Network/Al Nocciolino and Peter May

FALSETTOS

Book by William Finn and James Lapine; Music by William Finn; Lyrics by William Finn
Directed by James Lapine
Walter Kerr Theatre
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater (André Bishop: Producing Artistic Director; Adam Siegel: Managing Director; Hattie K. Jutagir, Executive Director of Development and Planning); produced in association with Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth: President; Rocco Landesman: President Emeritus; Paul Libin: Executive Vice President; Jack Viertel: Senior Vice President); Mindich Chair Musical Theater Associate Producer: Ira Weitzman

HELLO, DOLLY!

Book by Michael Stewart; Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Shubert Theatre
Produced by Scott Rudin, Roy Furman, James L. Nederlander, Eli Bush, Universal Stage Productions, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Heni Koenigsberg, Terry Allen Kramer, Seth A. Goldstein, The John Gore Organization, Daryl Roth, The Araca Group, Len Blavatnik, Eric Falkenstein, Ruth Hendel, Independent Presenters Network, Peter May, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Jane Bergère, Scott M. Delman, Wendy Federman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Anita Waxman, Al Nocciolino, Spring Sirkin, Barbara Freitag and John Mara, Jr. & Benjamin Simpson

MISS SAIGON

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Alain Boublil; Additional lyrics by Michael Mahler
Directed by Laurence Connor
Broadway Theatre

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh

SUNSET BOULEVARD

Book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Lonny Price
Palace Theatre
Produced by Paul Blake & Mike Bosner, Michael Linnit, Michael Grade, Jeffrey A. Sine, Richard A. Smith, Gate Ventures PLC, James L. Nederlander, Stewart Lane/Bonnie Comley, AC Orange Entertainment LTD, Terry Schnuck, Len Blavatnik, Daryl Roth, Shorenstein Hays-Nederlander, Matthew C. Blank, Tim Hogue/Walter Schmidt and 42nd.club/Marc Levine; Produced by arrangement with Really Useful Group

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Book by Hugh Wheeler; Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Bill Buckhurst
Barrow Street Theatre
Produced by Rachel Edwards, Jenny Gersten, Seaview Productions, Fiona Rudin, Barrow Street Theatre (Scott Morfee and Tom Wirtshafter, producers), Jean Doumanian, and Rebecca Gold; Nate Koch, Executive Producer

SWEET CHARITY

Book by Neil Simon; Music by Cy Coleman; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Directed by Leigh Silverman
The New Group
Presented by The New Group (Scott Elliott, Artistic Director; Adam Bernstein, Executive Director) in association with Kevin McCollum

NOMINEES FOR THE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD

One winner is selected from this category. The recipient can only receive this award once during his or her career.

Note: The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the 2017 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater, Bette Midler. As an honoree, Ms. Midler is ineligible for nomination for her performance this year.

Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Reed Birney, Man From Nebraska
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Ato Blankson-Wood, The Total Bent
Christian Borle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Falsettos
Leon Addison Brown, Master Harold and the Boys
Kate Burton, Present Laughter
Daniel Craig, Othello
Johanna Day, SWEAT
Marcia DeBonis, Small Mouth Sounds
Danny DeVito, The Price
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Carson Elrod, The Liar
Michael Emerson, Wakey Wakey
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Sutton Foster, Sweet Charity
Gideon Glick, Significant Other
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Harriet Harris, The Roads To Home
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Allison Janney, Six Degrees of Separation
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Sarah Jones, Sell/Buy/Date
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
John Leguizamo, Latin History for Morons
Kecia Lewis, Marie and Rosetta
Judith Light, All The Ways To Say I Love You
Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Simon McBurney, The Encounter
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Joe Morton, Turn Me Loose
Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Caroline O’Connor, Anastasia
Laura Osnes, Bandstand
Aisling O’Sullivan, The Beauty Queen of Leenane
David Hyde Pierce, A Life; Hello, Dolly!
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Daniel Radcliffe, Privacy
Amy Ryan, Love, Love, Love
Nora Schell, Spamilton
Jeremy Secomb, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Anna Deveare Smith, Notes From The Field
John Douglas Thompson, Jitney; A Doll’s House/The Father
Kate Walsh, If I Forget
Michelle Wilson, SWEAT

The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, they are ineligible this season. Their exemplary work, however, is recognized and applauded.

Glenn Close, Sunset Boulevard
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Harvey Fierstein, Gently Down The Stream
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Mary-Louise Parker, Heisenberg
Liev Schreiber, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre

Bette Midler

Unique Contribution to the Theatre

Bill Berloni

Founders Award for Excellence in Directing

Michael Greif

WHEN I GROW UP: Hannah Nordberg Brings American Girl to Life

  By

hannah-collage

When I Grow Up returns yet again with an interview with 12 year old Hannah Nordberg who’s most known in the New York theatre scene as Olive, the pageant kid with high hopes in Little Miss Sunshine which played Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater. Hannah, a native of Southern California, has kept quite busy since Little Miss Sunshine‘s run with a stint on General Hospital as well as supporting roles in Dolly Parton’s television movies Coat of Many Colors & Christmas of Many Colors, among many other film and T.V. projects. Now she plays Julie in the next American Girl special titled Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance. We got to chat with Hannah about acting, her Little Miss Sunshine memories, and – of course – American Girl! The movie begins streaming today only on Amazon.

How did your entertainment career begin?
I started doing musical theater for fun when I was six. It was such a natural fit for me. I loved singing, being on stage, playing different characters, and the teamwork involved. When I turned eight, a friend submitted an audition tape of me for Matilda. I flew back to New York a few times for callbacks, but ultimately I wasn’t chosen. I was completely heart broken, but it made me realize that this is what I’m meant to do with my life. Acting, singing, musical theater are my passions. When we got back to LA, we met with an agent and that’s when it all began.

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Nordberg with Will Swenson in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Photo Credit: Joan Marcus)

How did the audition for Little Miss Sunshine come up?
They were doing a nationwide search for the role of Olive, so when casting came to Los Angeles, I was called in to audition. I still remember the day like it was yesterday. I was so excited because theater auditions don’t often happen here.

When you started Little Miss Sunshine rehearsals, what was it like meeting your co-stars for the first time?
I was a HUGE Stephanie J. Block fan prior to starting the show! So, I was very star-struck about meeting her. She was as lovely and welcoming as could be. I wasn’t as familiar with my other co-stars, but I remember feeling this overwhelming sense of excitement. I loved them all immediately! It didn’t take long before we were a family. That’s how theater works. You really do become a family.

What was your favorite moment specifically from working on Little Miss Sunshine (rehearsals, opening night, etc.)?
I honestly wish I could rewind and do it all again. I have soooo many special memories that I couldn’t possibly choose a favorite. There is specific show that stands out in my mind though… it was a matinee, when a high school class came to see LMS. They were howling with laughter throughout the show. It was the most spirited and vocal audience we had ever had. As a performer, you feed off the energy in the room, so their liveliness and feedback, was like fuel in our tanks. It was also VERY special when friends and family would come see our show. When you have loved ones in the audience, you kinda give a little something extra. Most of my friends and family live in Los Angeles, so they literally flew across the country to come support me, I mean, nothing feels better than that.

Take me through a day on the set of “Ivy and Julie”.
I’d usually start with hair and makeup and then either head to school or set, depending on when my scenes were being filmed. During meal and school breaks, Nina, Lance, Krya, Kirsten and I would always being singing, hanging out and laughing together. We all really hit it off!!!

Which is your favorite American Girl doll (other than Julie and Ivy)?
Oh, it’s so hard for me to choose… I really like Marie-Grace because of her old fashioned style. Over the years, I spent countless hours playing with my AG dolls – French braiding their hair, dressing them up, and changing their outfits and accessories, so bringing one to life was really cool!

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Nordberg (pictured right) with Nina Lu in “Ivy & Julie”
Photo courtesy of American Girl

One of the themes of “Ivy and Julie” is family traditions. Does your family have any traditions?
We have many different traditions, but my favorite is spending Christmas in Sun Valley, Idaho with my grandparents. We typically drive and then spend two weeks together snowboarding, sledding, ice skating, cooking, baking, watching movies, relaxing and just being together.

In what ways are you like Olive from “Little Miss Sunshine” and in what ways are you like Julie from “Ivy and Julie”?
I had just turned nine when I was in LMS and I was quite quirky, funny, full of energy, not showbizzy, a very real kid, like Olive. I’m still those things, but the twelve year old version. Julie and I are both pretty happy-go-lucky, free spirits. We are both social butterflies and love spending time with our best friends.

What else do you want to do in the industry? Do you want to direct or write or design costumes, or do you want to stick with acting?
I plan to stick with acting for now, but in the future, anything is possible.

What advice do you have for kids and teens who want to pursue acting?
Be prepared to work really hard. See every audition as an opportunity to do what you love. Always be yourself and believe in yourself.

SPEED ROUND
Favorite thing to do in NY: Going to see shows and visit friends
Favorite food to eat in NY: Pizza
Broadway dream role: Glinda in Wicked, Eponine in Les Mis, Elizabeth Schuyler in Hamilton
If you could switch roles with anyone on Broadway (male or female) for one night, who would it be? Phillipa Soo in Amelie
If someone wrote a musical about your life, what would it be called and what is the name of its show-stopping number?
Through Thick and Thin
No Matter What

Thank you so much to Hannah and her mother Karrie for making the time to do this! You can watch a trailer for the movie which begins streaming today on Amazon!

LION KING Kids Take Their Last Bows, Ava Briglia Appears on “Evil Lives Here”, and more!

  By

lk

Happy Trails to Jordan Toure, Cayen Martin, Mehret Marsh, and Aliyah Mastin who took their final bows with The Lion King this weekend! Good luck with whatever is next!

Happy Trails to Everybody at Signature Theatre Company, featuring Lilyana Cornell! We can’t wait to see what’s next.

We wanted to wish a special Happy Birthday to our staff member Emily! We hope you had an amazing day!

Ava Briglia (Matilda) guest starred on “Evil Lives Here” tonight on Investigation Discovery. We are looking for a full episode to view so stay tuned! For now, here are a few pictures from the set.



Rachel Resheff (Shrek, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, and more!) will return to 54 Below on June 3rd at 9:30pm. Get more details and buy your tickets at 54Below.com!

Grace Capeless (Matilda, The Lion King) will appear in Kicking & Screaming, a special event at Symphony Space on March 27th! Get your tickets at SymphonySpace.org.

And here are more pictures and video from the kids of Kinky Boots, School of Rock, Miss Saigon, On Your Feet, Sunday in the Park with George, and Everybody! 

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Brandon Niederauer’s Birthday, YBAN Visits Waitress, and more!

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Happy Birthday to School of Rock star Brandon Niederauer! We hope you had an amazing birthday!

We also want to wish a very Happy Birthday to our web assistant Audrey! Thank you for all you do for the website and we hope you had a wonderful day. Speaking of Audrey, she and Emily visited the diner over at Waitress last night and met up with Ella Dane Morgan post show. Great job, Ella!

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The Outer Critics Circle nominations will be announced on April 25th. Winners to be announced on May 8th. The Outer Critics Circle is the official organization of writers on the New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media beyond Broadway.

Eleanor Koski (Les Miserables) has booked a pilot! We will announce more details as we get them. Congrats, Ella!

The stars of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory talked with Broadway.com about their show. Watch below!

And here are more pictures from Waitress, Kinky Boots, Miss Saigon, School of Rock, and On Your Feet!

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WHEN I GROW UP: Niles Fitch Makes the Leap from Pride Rock to “This Is Us”

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niles-fitch-interview

Welcome back to When I Grow Up, where we interview entertainment pros with Broadway kid roots!

Niles Fitch made his Broadway debut in The Lion King after touring with the show across the country. After adding an Off-Broadway credit to his name with Our Lady of Kibeho, he began popping up on shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Army Wives, and Best Friends Whenever. Currently he reoccurs as the teenage version of Randall Pearson on NBC’s breakout freshman series This Is Us follows a group of people whose lives intertwine more than audiences expect. The show garnered a nomination for Best Television Series – Drama at the Golden Globes and NBC has already renewed the show for a second and third season. We are so excited to interview Niles via email to discuss his Broadway career and This Is Us! Catch the season finale tonight at 9/8c on NBC.

How did you entertainment career begin?
I always liked to take pictures and started print modeling in Atlanta at 4 years old. My first job was a Back to School ad for Parisian dept. store.

Niles taking his last bow with The Lion King

Niles taking his last bow with The Lion King

What was a typical day like while on tour versus on Broadway?
On Broadway I was living at home so I caught the subway to and from Times Square every day. On tour I was in a different city every month and I lived in different apartments and hotels on the road with my family. There were more rehearsals because of different staging at the different theaters. Both were a lot of fun.

Describe your Broadway debut
At first I was a little nervous because it was Broadway, but when I got on stage it immediately felt natural and fun just like the tour shows. My Lion King tour family was very supportive and sent me a debut big gift of fruit and my new Lion King Broadway family made me feel welcomed.

Did you get to interact with other Broadway kids?
The other Lion King kids and I interacted a lot.

Now let’s move on to “This Is Us.” What is the audition process like for someone to play a younger version of a main character?
Exact same as other auditions. I guess the difference would be the young actor is asked to read for the role because he/she resembles the adult character.

How often do you get to see Sterling and Lonnie?
Worked with Sterling in Season 7 of Army Wives so had met him before, but haven’t seen him in person yet during This Is Us. Just text messaging between us. See Lonnie when we film on the same day and off the set for events. Glad to be the teen version of them, both are the BEST!

Niles with his castmates - Back row: Mandy Moore (Rebecca), Logan Shroyer (15 year old Kevin), Niles, Hannah Zeile (15 year old Kate), Milo Ventimiglia (Jack) Front row: Parker Bates (9 year old Kevin), Lonnie Bates (9 year old Randall), Mackenzie Hancsicsak (9 year old Kate)

Niles with his castmates – Back row: Mandy Moore (Rebecca), Logan Shroyer (15 year old Kevin), Niles, Hannah Zeile (15 year old Kate), Milo Ventimiglia (Jack)
Front row: Parker Bates (9 year old Kevin), Lonnie Bates (9 year old Randall), Mackenzie Hancsicsak (9 year old Kate)

What was it like filming the scene in which teenage Randall has a panic attack (view a brief clip here)?
Difficult at first because I wanted to portray what some people experience and make it look real. When we started filming it got easier and easier. Mr. Milo was really supportive too. He treated me just like a dad would treat a son in that scene, with a lot of compassion and love.

There are so many people who feel a personal connection with “This Is Us”. Is there a fan encounter (either online or in person) that sticks out among the rest?
Met the Twitter This Is Us Fan Crew at a screening and they were really awesome!

Is there any other area of the industry you want to try next (producing, writing, etc.)?
Photography and Directing

Do you have advice for kids or teens who want to pursue acting?
Read a lot. Don’t overthink it, always be yourself. Bring your unique self to every role.

SPEED ROUND

Favorite thing to do in NYC
Catch the subway everywhere.

Favorite food to eat in NYC
Pizza

Broadway dream role
Mufasa in The Lion King

If you could swap roles with anyone on Broadway (male or female) right now for one night only, who would it be?
Mufasa in The Lion King

If someone wrote a musical about your life, what would it be called and what would be the name of its show-stopping number?
The Early Years of Niles Fitch
Showstopping Number – Way Back When by Brenda Russell

Thank you SO much to Niles and his mother Nakata for taking the time to answer our questions! You can catch a sneak peek at tonight’s finale below.

When I Grow Up: MATILDA Kid Akira Golz is Saving the Kingdom in NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT

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We continue with When I Grow Up, our interview series where we catch up entertainment pros with Broadway kid roots and talk about their upcoming film/TV/music projects! This month we talked to Akira Golz who recently finished playing Alice in Matilda, her Broadway debut. She lept from Broadway to Nick Jr. a month later to star as the titular character in “Nella the Princess Knight”! Akira plays 8 year old Nella, a princess who fights for justice with her fellow knight Sir Garrett and trusty unicorn Trinket. We talked with Akira about booking Matilda, playing Minecraft, and leading a groundbreaking Nick Jr. show!

How did your performing arts career begin?
My parents actually have videos of me singing from a very young age, so think I was born that way. LOL. But my career started when my gymnastics coach suggested acting to my mom because I’d always sing and dance when waiting in line to use the different equipment. After a lot of pushing from my coach, my mom sent my picture to two modeling agents and it began from there. So I started out as a print model at age 5 and from there did commercials, voiceovers, and musical theater. I began auditioning for musical theater at age 7 before ever being in a theater production. After auditioning for a year of Broadway shows I started doing regional and community theater, which helped me soooo much on my journey to Broadway.

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Photo Credit: Akira Golz

What was it like finding out you booked Matilda?
Well I’ve been auditioning for Matilda for about 3 years. The music director at Matilda told me that I was one of the first group of girls to audition for the role of Matilda, I was 7. There was a period where I auditioned for both Matilda & Lavender roles. After that I auditioned for Lavender/ensemble kids, then I got Alice. Matilda has been a big part of my life so when I got into Matilda I was beyond happy!

Describe your Broadway debut.
I was very excited on my Broadway debut. I wasn’t nervous at all. I’m not sure why but it felt like a rehearsal with an audience. I was worried more when I had my put-in.

Did you have a favorite song or scene to perform in Matilda?
My favorite song to perform was Revolting. Because the feeling of the dancing in that number made me feel empowered. I always looked forward to performing it.

What was your favorite thing to do backstage at Matilda?
My favorite thing to do backstage was to play Minecraft with the other kids and I loved making Video Stars. They are videos you make where you lip-sync to a song, like it’s a music video.

What was the audition process for “Nella the Princess Knight” like?
My audition for Nella I could not make the audition in person due to Matilda rehearsals. So we ended up doing a self-tape recording the sides on my phone. Sometimes you do so many auditions you forget about them, but probably a month to maybe 2 months later I got callback. My callback was in person. One month later my manager called me with the news that I booked Nella. I couldn’t believe it!

Akira presenting at UNICEF's 70th Anniversary Event with Chen Lin and Millie Bobby Brown. Photo Credit: Zimbio.com

Akira presenting at UNICEF’s 70th Anniversary Event with Chen Lin and Millie Bobby Brown.
Photo Credit: Zimbio.com

Did you have a favorite Nick Jr. show when you were younger?
Yes! My favorite Nick Jr. show was definitely Dora. I watched that every day before I went to school.

What’s your schooling situation like for “Nella” as compared to Matilda?
Since I record Nella once to twice a week I’m able to go to back to my public school. When I was in Matilda I had to be home schooled, because we had to go in 2 hours early for safeties. So that schedule didn’t work to well for regular school, especially my middle school.

Take us through a typical day in the recording studio.
A typical day is I first warm up on the car ride into the city. When I get to the studio I’ll have some tea, it helps warm up my throat. I go into the booth with the voice director and engineer. Sometimes the director of the show Skypes in from Europe and the musical director from California. The voice director talks with me about what we’ll be recording that day. It could be episodes, songs, promos for the show, pickups (which are changes in the lines), or a video game. Then I start recording. I do each line 3 times with different reactions so they have something to choose from.

What’s your advice for kids who want to pursue a career in acting?
My advice is just to never give up. I kept going to auditions even when my mom didn’t want to go. Another tip is to have a good attitude when you go in. Most of the time people want a kid with a good attitude so they’re easy to work with. Also, don’t be scared to ask questions.

SPEED ROUND

Favorite thing to do in NYC: Either go to Central Park or to any museum.
Favorite food to eat in NYC: Chipotle. Because there are none where I live.
Broadway dream role: Elphaba in Wicked or Angelica in Hamilton. I can’t decide.
If you could swap roles with anyone on Broadway (male or female) right now for one night only, who would it be?: Either one of the roles I listed above.
If someone wrote a musical about your life, what would it be called and what would be the name of its show-stopping number?: It would be called, Holo There!: The story of a 12 year old wannabe hipster. The best number would be called: Hunty (like honey but hunty. or hun-ty if that makes sense.)

Thank you so much Akira and mom Wyonna for this really fun interview! You can catch “Nella the Princess Knight” weekday mornings at 10am on Nick Jr.! Check out a promo below:

When I Grow Up: Katherine McNamara Talks Her Broadway Kid Days and “Shadowhunters” Season 2!

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This month brings the launch of our brand new interview series When I Grow Up where we catch up with Broadway kid alumni (with a focus on YBAN alumni) to talk about their exciting film/TV/music projects! To kick things off, we talked to Katherine McNamara who was one of the very first kids on our website when we launched in April 2010. She made her Broadway debut at 14 in A Little Night Music, working with legends like Catherine Zeta Jones, Angela Lansbury, Elaine Stritch, and Bernadette Peters. She has since made the leap from Broadway to film/TV starring in the “Maze Runner” film series, guest starring on shows like “CSI”, “Jessie”, “Kickin’ It” and now starring on the hit Freeform show “Shadowhunters”, based on the best-selling series “The Mortal Instruments” which follows a group of human-angel hybrids who protect the mortal world from demons. We are incredibly delighted to talk to Kat about her start in musical theatre, her Broadway days, and the return of “Shadowhunters”, which returns on January 2nd at 8pm!

*Note: some portions of this interview were edited for brevity and clarity.

Lindsay Burton: How did you get started in musical theatre?
Katherine McNamara: I got started in musical theatre when I was about 12 years old, I think. I was living in Kansas City, where I grew up. I was a dancer as a kid and I ran into a family friend who happened to be directing a community theatre show and needed a dancer. So I thought “Well, I’ll give it a go. And I’ll do something new. I’ll try something different, try something fun for a change. And I ended up falling in love with theatre and with performing on stage in that way and in that relm. I’ll never forget the moment I walked on stage for the first time on our opening night. Something hit me like a brick wall and I just knew in that instant that this is what I was put on this earth to do and that I have to do this for the rest of my life.
LB: What show was it?
KM: The King and I

Kat working with Sutton Foster at a Broadway Artist Alliance workshop in 2010 Credit: Broadway World

Kat working with Sutton Foster at a Broadway Artist Alliance workshop in 2010 Credit: Broadway World

LB: Oh cool! So for A Little Night Music, can you take me through the audition and rehearsal process all the way through your opening night?
KM: It was a bit different for me than normal because I was actually an immediate replacement for the show about a month after it opened. So, I – it’s so strange how this happened – I worked with a woman in Kansas City who ended up being in A Little Night Music because the theater brings in actors and actresses in New York sometimes to come play the leads in the shows to bring an audience in. And so she went back to New York and ended up working on A Little Night Music and when she heard they needed an immediate replacement, she and I had gotten to be pretty close while we were working together. She said “Oh there’s this girl in Kansas City. You should really look at her. She’d be great for this part.” And I get this random phone call one day at my house and they say “Hey, there’s an audition for you for Broadway’s A Little Night Music if you would like to fly to New York and two days and meet with the directors and go through this process for the immediate replacement.” And I said “Oh! Well, sure. Why not?” I had just started rehearsals for a show in Kansas City at the time and I had spoke to the director and I said “Hey, I have this opportunity to go audition. I know that I’m not going to get this in a million years but, you know, would you mind if I just went for the experience?” And they said “Sure! Of course! Have fun! Go for the experience.” And I said “Great. Awesome. I’ll see you in a few days.” So I go to this audition and I do the audition and the callback, all that. And then, 40 minutes later – it was all in one day, the audition, 4 hours later was the callback. 40 minutes later I was at LaGuardia getting ready to fly back to Kansas City and I get this phone call. And they said “Hey! Congratulations. You’ve booked the part. We need you to come back in a week ready to stay for 6 months or more.” My life changed. Never in a million years expected to go to New York. Never in a million years did I expect for Trevor Nunn. Never in a million years did I expect to be working on a Broadway show with the likes of Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury.
LB: So, for a majority of minors on Broadway they need to attend school for a certain number of hours a day in addition to rehearsals, special appearances, the show itself, etc. You, however, received you high school diploma at 14 and then your undergrad at 17. So, what was your schooling situation like? Were you juggling college and A Little Night Music?
KM: What I was doing during A Little Night Music was, I was doing my last semester of high school, full enrollment in college, and I started university while I was in A Little Night Music. It was insane because I was working 8 shows a week [and] doing school. But the way they did it was instead of having one full-time understudy and one full-time performer, we would each do 4 shows a week. So I had four shows where I was on stage and four shows where I was backstage and I would use that time to get my homework done. It took a lot of discipline because I wanted nothing more than to be out and about spending time with the cast and chatting with people and listening to the show and watching the show and things like that. But I had to prioritize my time and I had to learn to be self-disciplined and self-motivated when it came to my studies.
LB: Did you get to interact with other Broadway kids while you were in the show?
KM: I did. Some of my best friends to this day I met through the other shows. There were so many shows going on that you would think that Broadway is such a large community and that it would be hard to know everybody. But, honestly, the people that I met and the friends that I made on the show, you really do become family. It’s a really tight knit community.
LB: Let’s move on to “Shadowhunters”. So, your character goes through this emotionally taxing journey in just one season. Even her world completely changes within the first 15 minutes of the first episode. So, what’s next for her in season 2, for anyone who hasn’t read the books?

Credit: Freeform/John Medland

Credit: Freeform/John Medland

KM: I’m so excited for people to see season 2 of “Shadowhunters”. We have re-vamped the show. We’ve matured everything. We’ve elevated the entire show to a level that I think will surprise a lot people in a great way, especially for Clary, now that she’s been in this world for a little while. She’s learned a lot. She’s learned what it takes to be a Shadowhunter and the sacrifices that you have to make. And she’s grown up quite a bit and she’s matured quite a bit. And what’s so great about season 2 is that now that we’ve established all these relationships and we’ve established this world. We get to dive into those depths of those relationships and push the characters beyond what we could in season 1 because now we get to see different sides of them and we get to see different colors, especially for Clary now that her mother is awake. She has to deal with that relationship because her mother still sees her as the young girl that she was at the beginning of season 1, but she’s not that person anymore. She’s grown up. She’s now a shadowhunter and getting her mother to see that could prove to be a bit difficult. And also she’s also trying to find and solidify her place in the world of the shadowhunters and in this team of Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. And on top of that she’s still reeling from finding out that Jace is her brother and dealing with that side of everything. But that’s what she spends a majority of the season dealing with is how to bring Jace back because she found out that Valentine was her father in episode 2 of last season so she’s had all of this time and the support of the shadowhunters to deal with that. Jace on the other hand just found out that Valentine is his father in episode 11 last season and on top of that he’s now in Valentine’s clutches, potentially on his side. So Clary’s main motive at the beginning of the season is to get to Jace and get him back because she knows that she could help him through that and keep him from going down this dark path. But on top of everything, you get to see Clary be so much more of a badass this year. I have several legitimate fight scenes. You get to see her tough side and you get to see her maturity and you get to see her take charge in an authoritative way and it’s really nice to see her character.
LB: That actually leads to my next question – how do you prepare for the show’s fight scenes?
KM: We have some amazing, amazing individuals that help us prepare for these fight scenes. We have an amazing fitness trainer named Nuno and we adore him. He kicks our butts every day in the gym and pushes us beyond what we think is possible. But, what I love about him is that he’s able to craft workouts for each one of us. There’s seven of us and we’re all trying to do something different physically. He’s able to work with each one of us and create a program that actually make a difference. But then on top of that we have an amazing stunt and fight team, which is headed by Darren McGuire who is absolutely an incredible martial artist. We have a master of kali on the team as well, which is a Filipino sword fighting martial art. And then to top that off we have an amazing boxing coach that works with us as well. So we have a boxer, a swordsmen, and a martial artist teaching us how to fight and how to do all these stunts and helping us with our wire work and really improving our skills on the technical side of things. So between our physical training and our technical training with all of these martial arts and weapons and things that we’re learning, it’s coming together to create a team of soldiers, which is essentially what shadowhunters are.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “The Guilty Blood” – Freeform’s hit original series “Shadowhunters” returns on Monday, January 2 at 8pm ET/PT. (Freeform/John Medland)ALBERTO ROSENDE, KATHERINE MCNAMARA

LB: How do you create a character that’s not a copy-and-paste version of what fans have already seen in the books and in film?
KM: What I love so much about this series and about what the writers are doing with it is they’re taking the essence of the books and the other iterations of this story and what people love about it and what people love about these characters and they’re extrapolating upon that and they’re making twists and they’re making turns and they’re bringing in story lines that don’t exist in the books at all. So you really get to see these characters pushed beyond their limit and in situations that you would never expect them to be in. And it forces them to show sides and show colors that you didn’t get to see in the books. And I think that’s what fans are really going to appreciate about the show and about this season is that you get to see these characters outside of their comfort zone and having to really work through things and really deal with things. It allows all of us as actors the freedom to create our own version of these characters because there are such differences in the way they are portrayed.
LB: What advice do you have for any aspiring young actor?
KM: I think my biggest advice would be make sure that you really really love this and that this is what you want to do for the rest of your life because it’s not an easy job. You hear a lot of rejection and you have to have a really thick skin. But if you love it and if this is what brings you the most joy and if this is what you feel you have to do forever and ever, go for it and commit to it with every fiber of your being and don’t let anyone tell you “No” and don’t let anybody get you down. And don’t lose sight of who you are because that’s something I found is very easy to do in this industry where your personal life is so intertwined with your professional life. In an industry where so much is based upon your image and so much is based upon your relationships and things like that, it’s very easy to lose sight of what makes you you and who you are at your core so make sure to stay true to yourself.
LB: Do you have any advice for kids who are already on Broadway or performing Off-Broadway or on national tours?
KM: Have fun! Keep doing it. Eat healthy. Get rest. Have a blast. I wish I was doing what you’re doing right now. I miss theatre!

Speed Round!
Favorite thing to do in NYC: Go see Broadway shows!
Favorite food to eat in NYC: Levain Bakery
Broadway dream role: I’d like to do a new show. There’s so many shows that I’d like to be in revival of, but something new.
If you could swap roles with anyone on Broadway (male or female) right now for one night only, who would it be? Anyone in “Hamilton”. I just want to be in “Hamilton”! I love Lin. He’s one of my favorite humans on the planet.
If someone wrote a musical about your life, what would it be called and what would be the name of its show-stopping number?
Oh! *laughs* I think the name of the show would be “Just Go With It” or “Just Say Yes”. And then the name of the show-stopping number would be “When It Rains, It Pours”!

We can’t wait for the season premiere! Thank you so much to Kat for talking with us. It was an absolute delight. Check out the trailer below then tune in on January 2nd.

AUDITION NOTICE: Lost in the Stars – Los Angeles

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CAP UCLA, in partnership with LACO, welcomes back NYC’s SITI Company with an all-new production of Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars directed by Anne Bogart with music direction by Jeffrey Kahane. For his final Broadway score, Weill gave passionate voice to this powerful, uncompromising social indictment of apartheid South Africa. This production will also include the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the chorus, and the principal singers (who include Lauren Michelle and Justin Hopkins).

SEEKING
ALEX – a young Zulu boy (so the role requires a boy of color) to sing a big number, The Big Mole, to be able to act a bit, and to join the chorus. Alex is approx. 13 – 16 years old.

Actor would need to be available for all of the Tutti rehearsals, and some of the rehearsals marked “SITI” for the acting parts, understanding that we can work with our stage manager to accommodate him on the SITI rehearsals as some of them conflict with school time. He would be required to be at the dress rehearsals and performances, of course.

We have a small budget for their compensation – $2,500 – plus parking passes at UCLA for whomever would drive him. All parts would need to be fully memorized, ideally, by the first rehearsal on Jan. 9. We understand that this rehearsal period may need to be altered due to the lateness of the inquiry. There are two performances in LA at Royce Hall, UCLA campus on January 28 and 29.

Those interested should download and prepare the following sides and song. Please send auditions to gregg@gleasnermusic.com by the end of the week.

Alex Side 1
Alex Side 2
The Big Mole

FUN HOME and RUTHLESS Take Their Final Bows, LYRICS FOR LIFE Raises Awareness Tonight, plus more!

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Happy Trails to the companies of Ruthless! and Fun Home! We can’t wait to see what’s next for all of you.

TONIGHT: Kids of the Arts presents Lyrics for Life, which will play Symphony Space to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Break a leg, everyone!

TOMORROW: The Cabaret for a Cause kids will sing at Pier 36 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Performances will take place at 9am and 11am. Performers include Sophia Gennusa (Matilda), Eleanor Koski (Les Miserables), Sophie Koski, Ellie Poon (A Christmas Story tour), Sam Poon (The King and I), William Poon (The King and I), Joshua Turchin (A Christmas Story tour). Get more info HERE.

Join Ava Briglia, Aviva Winick, and Willow McCarthy (Matilda) at Strand Bookstore in NYC for a performance, a reading, and a craft on Sept. 13th! The fun starts at 11am. And it’s free!

In case you missed the cast of The Lion King at Broadway Sessions, you’re in luck! You can catch the full FB livestream of the event down below:

The You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown kids will take the stage at TheatreMania’s block party tomorrow at 2:30pm. See why they’re excited about the block party at TheatreMania.com!

Today, Luca Padovan and Isabella Russo (School Of Rock) took over Broadway Box’s Instagram for the day! We’ll have pix from their takeover here tomorrow.

Fiddler on the Roof will have a slightly different schedule this October! Get more details at TheatreMania.com.

Congrats to Tahlia Ellie (The Gray Man) who appeared on “Unraveled” this week on Investigation Discovery. Video is coming soon! In the mean time, take a look at these pix below!

Here’s another video from Elsie Fest with Stranger Things‘s Caleb McLaughlin (The Lion King) and Gaten Matarazzo (Les Miserables) singing “Fugue for Tinhorns”!

And here are more pictures and video from the kids of The Lion King, The Layover, School of Rock, Fun Home, and Matilda!


A photo posted by Austyn Johnson (@ausboss28) on

A photo posted by Gigi B. (@mehretmom) on

A video posted by Gigi B. (@mehretmom) on



Gavin Kim’s Birthday, The Feinstein Girls on PIX11, and more!

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Happy Belated Birthday to Gavin Kim (School of Rock)! We hope you had an amazing day.

Hayley (Fiddler on the Roof) and Tori Feinstein (Matilda) were featured on Pix 11 for their sister bond and their Broadway careers. Watch the full video at Pix11.com.

More opening night pix from The Layover are now up! Take a look at our FB page, Broadway World, and TheatreMania!

The full lineup for Cabaret for a Cause at 92Y Street Fest is now up! It is as follows: Alessandra Baldacchino (Fun Home), Gabriella Baldacchino (A Christmas Story), Beada Briglia (Matilda, A Christmas Story), Lilyana Cornell (Les Miserables, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Samantha Cutler (Billy Elliot), Ava DeMary (Matilda, Evita, Billy Elliot), Sophia Gennusa (Matilda, Doctor Zhivago), Abbey Rose Gould (Les Miserables), Heidi Gray (Annie), Eleanor Koski (Les Miserables), Hailey LaBar, Rileigh McDonald (Matilda), Madilyn Jaz Morrow (Matilda), Zell Steele Morrow (Fun Home), Sawyer Nunes (Finding Neverland, Matilda), Lily Brooks O’Briant (Matilda), Ellie Poon (A Christmas Story), Sam Poon (The King and I, Macbeth, Billy Elliot, Les Miserables), William Poon (The King and I, Beauty and the Beast), Taylor Richardson (Annie, A Most Violent Year), Leah Rose, Presley Ryan (Fun Home, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Mavis Simpson-Ernst (Evita, Les Miserables), Adaiah Stevens (MasterChef Jr), Sheariah Stevens, and Ava Ulloa (Matilda)

Lots of alumni news! “Clean”, the short film feat. Marquise Neal (Kinky Boots), will play more film festivals! It will play Middlebury New Filmmakers Film Featival in Vermont, International Black Film Festival in Nashville, SAG-Foundation NY Short Film Showcase, and Indiana Film Festival. Keaton Tetlow (Lisa and Leonardo) has booked a gig with Toys R’ Us. And Isabela Moner‘s (Evita) newest film now has a trailer! Take a look at “Middle School” below. Congrats to our alumni and all their success!

And here are more pictures from the kids of Les Miserables, Matilda, Fun Home, School of Rock, and A Day by the Sea