'SYTYCD' launches season five fall tour
The top 10 dancers on season five of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance will perform in 40 cities across the nation this fall. (If you've never seen the show, think American Idol for the dance crowd. Or just tune in tonight when it airs at 9 p.m. EST.) The show continues to score in summer ratings (despite the incessant screams of judge Mary Murphy) and host Cat Deeley (left) and crew will be back on for season six in the fall. Tickets to see Ade, Brandon, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Kayla, Kupono, Melissa and Randi go on sale July 25 at Ticketmaster.
Photo courtesy of Fox
June 17, 2009
Broadway star Idina Menzel talks 'Chess in Concert'
In the world of modern-day musical theater, Idina Menzel is in a class all her own. The New York native originated the roles of performance artist Maureen in Rent (1994) and the witch Elphaba in Wicked (2003) on Broadway, and Menzel is starring in a new musical production that’s just a bit different. Alongside her Rent co-star Adam Pascal and Grammy-nominated singer Josh Groban, Menzel is a major player in Chess in Concert, a performance of the 1984 musical — with music by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and lyrics by Tim Rice — that was recorded in London’s Royal Albert Hall last May. (Check out the trailer below.) Released yesterday on CD and DVD and to be broadcast on PBS beginning tonight, Chess casts Menzel, 38, as Florence, a Hungarian woman who’s caught between a cocky American chess champ (Pascal) and his Soviet rival (Groban) circa 1979. Brian Truitt interviewed Menzel — who is expecting her first child, a boy, with husband Taye Diggs in September — so click read more to find what she had to say about Chess, her most famous roles and a rumored Wicked movie.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Joan Marcus
January 22, 2009
Exclusive: Elisabeth Moss engaged!
As I’m busy packing and settling up last-minute details for my trip to this weekend’s SAG Awards, our Kathy Rowings took a few minutes to talk to one of the nominees, Elisabeth Moss. Kathy reports that the Mad Men actress, who’s nominated for her lead role in the AMC show, has more than just the awards to be excited about: She just got engaged to boyfriend (“actually, now fiancé,” Moss excitedly corrected herself), Saturday Night Live star Fred Armisen. “It happened just a few days ago — you’re actually the first press person I’ve told this to,” she told Kathy. “It’s private, so I don’t want to share the details of how it happened, but I will say it was perfect.” Click on read more below to find out about Moss’ SAG plans, what she knows about the return of Mad Men and how she’s liking her first Broadway stint, in David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow.
Photo courtesy of AMC
January 06, 2009
Melora Hardin hits the Broadway stage
Lately,
I have been indulging myself in Season Two episodes of The Office because I came late to the party. I didn't begin watching the NBC sitcom until somewhere in Season Three and oh, what sweet stuff I had missed. The whole Pam-and-Jim-thing and the moment when he tells her he loves her is all in Season Two. Anyway, I digress. Because I just want to tell you that Jan from The Office (Michael's ex-boss and ex-love) has landed on Broadway. Melora Hardin is playing Roxie Hart in Chicago now through Feb. 12.
Photo by Mitchell Haaseth
May 30, 2008
Broadway musical stars' photo shoot
Photographing three stars for the cover of a magazine is never as easy as the finished photo makes it look. After the coordination of schedules, getting a location, the hair, the makeup...let me tell you, it can be a nightmare. But our experience with the three big Broadway stars who were shot for this weekend's cover photo (the one you see below this post) was smooth as silk.
Poor Megan Mullally. The former Will & Grace star now in Broadway's Young Frankenstein had been driven to the wrong address but she's no diva. She arrived full of apologies and got into costume extremely fast. Sierra Boggess, who plays Ariel in The Little Mermaid, took the longest time to get into her costume, but that's to be expected when you have to attach a long tail.
Mario Lopez was really easy-going, particularly considering that we were photographing him on the day he was to debut in A Chorus Line. While the photo team was waiting for Megan's arrival they had Mario and Sierra do some poses together. He went through some of his dance moves in slow motion for them to photograph and they had him jumping over the Little Mermaid's tail. He was a really good sport.
High School Musical stars who made it to Broadway
In which musical did you appear in high school? I was in Calamity Jane during my senior year at Port Huron Northern in Port Huron, Mich. and I had such a great time I remember berating myself for not braving the audition process earlier so I could have been part of one all four years.
That's the thing about high school musicals. They are fun. Of course, they showcase all kinds of talent, from set and costume design to acting and singing, which is why USA WEEKEND honors the best high school musicals in the country. If you think yours is one, enter it by June 8 in our HSM USA WEEKEND Showstopper contest right here.
Meanwhile, you must read our magazine cover story this week. We rounded up some of today’s biggest Broadway names to talk about their high school musical experiences. Among them is current Tony nominee Lin-Manuel Miranda, an exceptional talent who created the Broadway musical In The Heights while he was a sophomore in college. He told me he got all his musical experience doing shows like Bye Bye Birdie and Pirates of Penzance in high school.
Read more below from two former high school stars now appearing on Broadway: Michael Longoria, who plays Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys and Jeff Binder, playing Zazu in The Lion King.
