Tag: Chinua Baraka Payne

CAROLINE, OR CHANGE Pushed Back to Spring 2021; Robert Montano Saved By the Judges in BroadwayWorld’s Next On Stage Competition; and more!

  By

Caroline, Or Change has been pushed back to Spring 2021. Get more details about the new production schedule on BroadwayWorld.com.

Congratulations to Robert Montano (Radio City Christmas Spectacular), who has made it to the final round of BroadwayWorld’s Next On Stage competition after being saved by the judges!

Kids of the Arts is presenting a virtual production of Peace, Love and Cupcakes on July 11th and 12th! The show is based off of the book series co-written by Carrie Berk (Peace, Love and Cupcakes, Camp Rolling Hills), and she also co-wrote the libretto for the musical and starred in the 2017 production of the show at NYMF. The show’s creative team will include alumni Jack Richman and Miranda Jo DeMott, who also appeared in the NYMF production, as the music director and assistant teacher, respectively. The cast of KOTA’s virtual production of Peace, Love and Cupcakes will include alumni Bobby Becht (Dream Street), Devin Trey Campbell (Kinky Boots), Jordan Cole (School of Rock), Winter Donnelly (Frozen, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord), Kaylin Hedges (The Bedwetter, Kris Kringle), Austyn Johnson (Matilda, Dream Street), Jake Katzman (Kinky Boots), Ellie Kim (School of Rock, Dream Street), Madison Elizabeth Lagares (School of Rock, On Your Feet), Suri Marrero (Frozen, The Lion King), Jacob Morrell (Shadowlands), Madeleine Pace (Once, The Hard Problem), Nirvaan Pal (School of Rock), and Kaci Walfall (The Lion King). Get more information on KOTAProductions.com!

Brie Zimmer (Happy Birthday, Wanda June) took part in Spotlight Theatre’s virtual cabaret on their Facebook page earlier tonight!

Also earlier tonight, Gabriel Amoroso (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Medea) sang during a musical theatre showcase called “Brave New World”! Watch HERE.

“Harmonize For Hunger,” co-produced by Michael Nigro (The Sound of Music Live), also streamed tonight! Performers included Michael as well as Rachel Resheff (Fish in the Dark, The People in the Picture, Shrek, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins), Gaten Matarazzo (Les Miserables, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert), Shereen Pimentel (The Lion King), Analise Scarpaci (Matilda, A Christmas Story), Matthew Gumley (Elf, The Addams Family, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast), Sophia Gennusa (Matilda, Doctor Zhivago, Camp Rolling Hills), Joshua Colley (Les Miserables, Newsies, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown), and Meg Donnelly (The Sound of Music Live). Watch the concert HERE and donate to Feeding America and Project Broadway, for which it is a fundraiser!

Congrats to Antonio Watson (Tina, This Ain’t No Disco), who recently recorded a voiceover for the web series “Hot Spot”!

Listen to the newest episode of the podcast “Little Me,” which features Rachel Resheff (Fish in the Dark, The People in the Picture, Shrek, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins), on Spotify now!

Finally, as of 2pm EST today, The Sound of Music Live is streaming for free for the next 48 hours! (Please note that it is unfortunately not available in Asia or Latin America, with the exception of Brazil.) Stream it on YouTube now!

Full (YOUNG) Live-Stream Concerts from Gabrielle Greene and Walter Russell III Available, Lilla Crawford in SPACE GIRL with “Stars In The House” Tomorrow, and more!

  By

Check out the full live-streamed concerts that Gabrielle Greene (School of Rock) and Walter Russell III (The Lion King) performed on (YOUNG)’s Instagram account!

Lilla Crawford (Annie, Billy Elliot, New York Spectacular, “Into the Woods” film) will take part in an online reading of Mora Harris’s Space Girl tomorrow at 11am PT / 2pm ET, as part of “Stars In The House”! Watch it HERE.

Pittsburgh CLO is launching a series of online programs taught by industry professionals like Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen)! Find out more on BroadwayWorld.com.

Here’s the newest episode of “The Early Night Show” with Joshua Turchin (Trevor, Forbidden Broadway, The Pill), featuring Grace DeAmicis (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Ellis Gage, Audrey Bennett (Frozen, Amelie), and Kaylin Hedges (The Bedwetter, Kris Kringle)!

Jacob Morrell (Shadowlands) performed in Laura Benanti’s second “Sunshine Songs” concert earlier tonight! Find out more at SunshineSongs.com.

And here are videos from the kids of The Lion King and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!




Young Broadway’s 10th Anniversary Virtual Concert Streams on YouTube, New Episode of Joshua Turchin’s “The Early Night Show,” and more!

  By

Tonight, we are celebrating 10 years online with a benefit concert for The Actors Fund! There is an incredible lineup of performers, and their performances in the concert earlier tonight are already available on our YouTube channel. Watch HERE, and be sure to donate to The Actors Fund and Actors’ Equity’s Curtain Up Fund HERE, or on Facebook!

We’re also reflecting on 2020 so far and what’s to come, including Mrs. Doubtfire, Sing Street, Caroline, Or Change, and Trevor!

The newest episode of “The Early Night Show” with Joshua Turchin (Trevor, Forbidden Broadway, The Pill) is now available on BroadwayWorld.com, featuring Eleanor Koski (Les Miserables), Christian Harmston, and Alex Vacchiano!

Winter Donnelly (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Frozen) live-streamed a concert on (YOUNG)’s Instagram account today!

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Sing Street and Flying Over Sunset!




TREVOR Postpones Performances Through June 7, Nia Sioux’s Book Available for Pre-Order, and more

  By

As we continue to look back in honor of our 10th anniversary, we re-visit 2017, when Broadway welcomed childhood favorites Anastasia and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and welcomed back Once On This Island and Miss Saigon!

2018 was another busy year for us as we covered shows like Frozen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and The Ferryman, as well as the Off-Broadway hit The Jungle!

We’ve now had a first and second wave of cast announcements for our 10th anniversary virtual concert this Monday, April 13th at 4pm PST / 7pm EST! The concert will take place on YouTube (streaming link to come) and the lineup will include (with more announcements coming soon):

  • Fabi Aguirre (Les Miserables, On Your Feet)
  • Rachel Arianna (Number the Stars)
  • Noah Baird (Matilda, A Christmas Story Live)
  • Caroline Basu (School of Rock)
  • Audrey Bennett (Frozen, Amelie)
  • Sway Bhatia (Really Rosie, Dream Street)
  • Dara Paige Bloomfield (Ragtime)
  • Catherine Ashmore Bradley (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)
  • Adriana Braganza (The King and I)
  • Amaya Braganza (The King and I, Annie)
  • Sami Bray (The Bedwetter, 1984)
  • Chloe Bryan (School of Rock)
  • Grace Capeless (Matilda, The Lion King, A Christmas Story)
  • Jordan Cole (School of Rock)
  • Victoria Csatay (Peace, Love and Cupcakes)
  • Grace DeAmicis (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)
  • Miranda Jo DeMott (Peace, Love and Cupcakes)
  • Gregory Diaz IV (Matilda, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, “In The Heights”)
  • Reese Sebastian Diaz (Mary Poppins, Dear Evan Hansen)
  • Cate Elefante (Waitress)
  • Bonale Fambrini (Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The King and I)
  • Jake Ryan Flynn (Mrs. Doubtfire, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
  • Skye Alyssa Friedman (Annie)
  • Carly Gold (The Ferryman)
  • Katie Grober (Waitress)
  • Winnie Grober
  • Taylor Paige Henderson (The Bedwetter)
  • Isabella Iannelli (The Rose Tattoo)
  • Annabelle Kempf (Billy Elliot)
  • Eleanor Koski (Les Miserables)
  • Diego Lucano (School of Rock, Pedro Pan, Peace, Love and Cupcakes)
  • Mehret Marsh (Tina, The Lion King)
  • Alyssa Emily Marvin (Trevor, Number the Stars)
  • Robert Montano (Radio City Christmas Spectacular)
  • Ella Dane Morgan (Waitress)
  • Jacob Morrell (Shadowlands)
  • Madilyn Jaz Morrow (Matilda)
  • Zell Steele Morrow (Assassins, Fun Home, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Mary Page Marlowe, Really Rosie)
  • Brooklyn Nelson (Frozen, Matilda)
  • Kara Oates (Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot)
  • Sebastian Ortiz (A Christmas Carol)
  • Madeleine Pace (Once, The Hard Problem)
  • Nirvaan Pal (School of Rock)
  • GiaNina Paolantonio (Matilda, “Dance Moms”)
  • Delilah Rose Pellow (Anastasia)
  • Ayla Schwartz (Frozen)
  • Nicole Scimeca (Anastasia)
  • Mavis Simpson-Ernst (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Evita, A Little Princess)
  • Levi Smith (A Bronx Tale)
  • Jai Ram Srinivasan (A Christmas Carol)
  • Lily Tamburo (Mrs. Doubtfire)
  • Joshua Turchin (Trevor, Forbidden Broadway, The Pill)
  • Jeremy T. Villas (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Kinky Boots)
  • Jaden Myles Waldman (Caroline, Or Change, Radio City Christmas Spectacular)
  • Samuel Li Weintraub (Miss Saigon)
  • Jaidyn Young (Annie)

Trevor has postponed performances through June 7th. More updates coming soon!

Nia Sioux (Trip of Love, “Dance Moms”) wrote a book and it’s available to pre-order now!

Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen) sang “Waving Through A Window” for the cast of HBO’s “Barry” during a recent “Stars In The House” live stream! (He appears around 52:09.)

Check out Aliyah Mastin (The Lion King) covering Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” as part of Acapop! KIDS:

Check out the newest single from Big Pity, a new band including Broadway alum Mavis Simpson-Ernst (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Evita, A Little Princess), titled “Things to Work On,” on Apple Music or Spotify!

Milo Manheim (Generation Me) took part in “Saturday Night Seder” tonight! Get more details on BroadwayWorld.com.

Mehret Marsh (Tina) livestreamed from (YOUNG)’s Instagram account today!

Here’s the newest episode of “The Early Night Show” with Joshua Turchin (Trevor, Forbidden Broadway, The Pill) and guests Fallyn and Noah Baird (Matilda, A Christmas Story Live)!

Dara Paige Bloomfield (Ragtime) stopped by Camp Broadway’s podcast!

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Beetlejuice and Caroline, Or Change!

Mark Aguirre’s Birthday, Broadway to Remain Closed through June 7 and BEETLEJUICE Officially Closed, WHISPER HOUSE Cancels Off-Broadway Run at 59E59, and more

  By

Happy belated birthday to Mark Aguirre (Trevor)! We hope you had a great day, Mark!

Broadway will remain closed through June 7th due to coronavirus. Find out more on Broadway.com.

This means that Beetlejuice has officially played its final performance at the Winter Garden Theatre. Producers are still considering a move to another theater, but final decisions won’t be made until Broadway reopens. Happy Trails to Presley Ryan and the company of Beetlejuice; we can’t wait to see what’s next for you. Get more details on BroadwayWorld.com.

For now, you can go inside a typical day at Beetlejuice with Presley, courtesy of Inside Edition! Presley also got a shout-out recently in New York Magazine.

Unfortunately, the Off-Broadway production of Whisper House at 59E59 Theaters has also been canceled. To Wyatt Cirbus and the rest of the team, we can’t wait to see what’s next for you. Take a look at footage from their final dress rehearsal:

And see what the cast had to say about working on this production on ExtendedPlay.TheCivilians.org!

The Drama Desk Awards have announced that they are going online and will remain on schedule. Get more information on Playbill.com.

Continuing our walk down memory lane, 2014 at Young Broadway Actor News saw productions of Violet and Les Miserables, as well as plays like Act One and Mothers and Sons!

In 2015, we had a jam-packed year, including welcoming Fun Home, School of Rock, Finding Neverland, and the recent revival of The King and I to Broadway!

In 2016, new shows like Waitress, Tuck Everlasting, and A Bronx Tale debuted, and Falsettos returned to Broadway!

Check back here tomorrow to find out the guests who will join our special 10th anniversary concert! #YoungBway10

Tonight, watch Caroline Basu (School of Rock) guest star on “Grey’s Anatomy”!

View this post on Instagram

It’s finally here!! Make sure to watch @greysabc this Thursday 4/9 @ 9EST/8CST to see me in the season finale! I feel so lucky to have gotten to film this amazing episode (directed by the fabulous @deborahmpratt ) right before Grey’s shut down production because of the coronavirus. 🦠 Thank you to @take3talent and @natashamatallanamarken for making this possible and to @shondarhimes and @therealdebbieallen for having me. It was such an honor to get to act with my TV dad @raoulbhaneja and @deedeemagnohallofficial and to meet @camillaluddington @richardfloodofficial and @ijessewilliams who were all so nice and welcoming. And, lastly, thanks to @legacyeffects for making a fake me. #greysanatomy #daya #seasonfinale #take3talent #abc

A post shared by Caroline Basu (@carolinebasu) on

Victoria Collett (Waitress) will recur on the latest season of “The Last O.G.,” which began earlier this week!

The Broadway production of Frozen is taking more video submissions from members of Actors’ Equity. Get more details HERE. If you are not a union member, you can submit for Young Anna and Young Elsa HERE.

The cast of Mrs. Doubtfire got together virtually on their original opening night date for a digital run-through of the show and a “faux-pening” celebration!

And they weren’t the only ones–the cast of Caroline, Or Change also held a virtual opening night party on their originally-scheduled opening night:

Check out new episodes of “The Early Night Show” with Joshua Turchin (Trevor) below and on BroadwayWorld.com! One episode features Hayley Feinstein (Fiddler on the Roof, A Little Princess), Tori Feinstein (Matilda), Addison Valentino, and Daniel Dunlow; the other includes Kyla Carter (Number the Stars), Lily Brooks O’Briant, and Alexa Lasanta.

Also, Joshua Turchin will chat with Camp Broadway about his career so far, this Friday!

Here’s the schedule of online classes from Broadway Babysitters this week!

Broadway and Off-Broadway alumni including Sway Bhatia (Really Rosie, Dream Street), Jordan Cole (School of Rock), Winter Donnelly (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Frozen), Kaylin Hedges (The Bedwetter, Kris Kringle), and Madison Elizabeth Lagares (School of Rock, On Your Feet) took part in Shine Theatre Arts Project’s recent virtual cabaret! Watch here:

Check out “Broadway Jackbox” with Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen) and the Evan Hansens of Broadway, the U.S. national tour, and the West End on BroadwayWorld.com!

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of The Bedwetter, Trevor, Whisper House, Flying Over Sunset, and Tina!




Ava Briglia’s Birthday; CAROLINE, OR CHANGE to Return in the Fall; Tony Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards Postponed; and more!

  By

Happy birthday to Ava Briglia (Trevor)! We hope you had a great day, Ava!

Caroline, Or Change will return to Broadway this fall! Get more details on Playbill.com.

The Tony Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for this year have both been postponed. Get more information on the Tonys HERE and on the Outer Critics Circle Awards HERE.

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Beetlejuice and The Bedwetter!

Broadway Goes Dark and Off-Broadway Cancels and Suspends Shows Due to Coronavirus, and more

  By

Please see below for a list of shows, performances, and auditions that have either been cancelled or suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), and get more details on each show at the links provided:

Cancelled:

Suspended:

  • All Broadway shows, through April 12th. Of our featured shows, this includes:
    • Beetlejuice
    • Caroline, Or Change, which was scheduled to begin previews March 13th
    • Flying Over Sunset, which was scheduled to begin previews tonight, March 12th
    • Frozen
    • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
    • The Inheritance, which was scheduled to close this weekend
    • The Lion King
    • Mrs. Doubtfire, which was in previews and was scheduled to open April 5th
    • Sing Street, which was scheduled to begin previews March 26th
  • Whisper House (along with other shows playing at 59E59) will resume performances on April 1st

Other News

Dara Paige Bloomfield (Ragtime) has joined the upcoming Ragtime benefit concert! Get more details on BroadwayWorld.com.

Check out this promo for Trevor, and get tickets; previews begin April 7th!

Presley Ryan took part in a special post-show talkback Q&A at Beetlejuice with current Girl Scouts!

And check out these photos from Unknown Soldier, Whisper House, and Flying Over Sunset:

Photo Credit: Playwrights Horizons

Photo Credit: Hunter Canning

MEDEA Closes at BAM, Presley Ryan to Depart BEETLEJUICE This Month, and more!

  By

Happy Trails to the company of Medea at BAM! We can’t wait to see what’s next for all of you!

Presley Ryan will depart Beetlejuice on March 29th. Go see her before then if you can! Get more details on BroadwayWorld.com.

Mrs. Doubtfire will offer digital rush tickets! Find out more on BroadwayWorld.com.

“From Dreams to Broadway” featured performances by kids from Forbidden Broadway, School of Rock, and more!

You can hear the voice of Catherine Ashmore Bradley (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) on the Noggin app when you play the “Super Silly Surprise Party” game!

Here’s a new trailer for “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” with Talia Ryder (Matilda), arriving in New York City and Los Angeles on March 13th and everywhere on April 3rd!

Deandre Sevon (Runaways, Mother Courage and Her Children) has released a new single called “Wonderland”!

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Mrs. Doubtfire, Caroline, Or Change, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Medea, Tina, The Lion King, Frozen, and Flying Over Sunset!
















Jayden Theophile’s Birthday, Korinne Tetlow, Viva Boresi, and Allie Trimm Cast in ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME in Chicago, and more!

  By

Happy birthday to Jayden Theophile (Tina)! We hope you had a great day, Jayden!

Congratulations to Korinne Tetlow (The Traveling Lady, If Only), Viva Boresi, and alum Allie Trimm (13, Bye Bye Birdie), who have been cast in the Broadway-bound Once Upon A One More Time! The show will play Chicago this spring, with Korinne as Little Girl, Viva as the standby for Little Girl, and Allie as Little Mermaid. Read the full announcement HERE.

Oresteia will play Off-Broadway at Park Avenue Armory this summer, and they are casting kids! Get information on the EPA on Playbill.com, and advice for attending an Equity audition as a non-Equity performer HERE.

The Broadway production of Frozen is holding an Equity Principal Audition for all principal roles, including Young Anna and Young Elsa! Get more details on the audition on Playbill.com, and advice for attending an Equity audition as a non-Equity performer HERE.

GiaNina Paolantonio (Matilda, “Dance Moms”) will teach a Matilda jazz dance class on March 19th, not March 14th as was previously announced. The class will take place in New Jersey; see the flyer below for more details!

The cast of Caroline, Or Change met the press last week! Check out pictures on BroadwayWorld.com.

Audrey Bennett (Frozen, Amelie), Cate Elefante (Waitress), and Jacob Michael Laval (The Rose Tattoo) have booked an additional episode of “Sesame Street”!

Marcello Silva (A Christmas Story Live) will play Charlie Brown in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown on March 21st, March 28th, and April 4th at 2:15pm in Simi Valley, CA!

You can see Toleeya Napolitano (Dream Street) in Fiddler on the Roof at Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey this weekend! Get more details HERE.

Alum Kayla Mak (Radio City Christmas Spectacular) took Teen Vogue inside a day in her life! Watch below:

Get a glimpse of rehearsals for Off-Broadway’s Whisper House on Playbill.com!

Here’s a new music video for “Drive It Like You Stole It” from Sing Street!

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Beetlejuice, Sing Street, The Bedwetter, Medea, Trevor, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Flying Over Sunset, Whisper House, and The Lion King!













Andrew Barth Feldman’s SW: A New(sical) Hope Performs at 54 Below, Pictures from FLYING OVER SUNSET, and more!

  By

“SW: A New(sical) Hope,” by Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen), had an encore performance at 54 Below tonight! Get more details HERE.

And here are pictures and videos from the kids of Flying Over Sunset, Medea, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Lion King, and Caroline, Or Change!