Landing a starring Broadway role as the “King of New York” — aka Jack Kelly in the hit Broadway musical Newsies at the Nederlander Theatre – is certainly a dream come true for Corey Cott. The actor, who just graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama this past May, recently spoke with TheaterMania about his ambitious debut on the Great White Way.
THEATERMANIA. How did this role come about?
COREY COTT: I was auditioning for a bunch of stuff while I was in college. One day, I went to [casting director] Bernard Telsey’s office to audition for something else and found out that Newsies was looking for a Jack Kelly standby.… Read the rest
Broadway veteran Aaron Lazar has wowed theatergoers in such shows as A Little Night Music, Les Misérables, The Light in the Piazza, and recently starred opposite Megan Hilty and Rachel York in the acclaimed City Center Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He has now returned to the Great White Way as Sam Carmichael in Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ global smash hit musical, Mamma Mia!. TheaterMania recently spoke with Lazar about his latest role.
THEATERMANIA: How did Mamma Mia! come about for you?
AARON LAZAR: It was pretty standard. My agent called and I went to audition. I had never seen the show. So I saw it and had way more fun than I ever thought!… Read the rest
We are only one day away from the American Theatre Wing’s 66th Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. If you are in a Tony pool, here are my predictions:
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Jeremy Jordan (Newsies)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Audra McDonald (Porgy and Bess)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Michael Cerveris (Evita)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Judy Kaye (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play:
James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play:
Andrew Garfield (Death of a Salesman)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Judith Light (Other Desert Cities)
Best Revival of a Play:
Death of a Salesman
Best Revival of a Musical:
Porgy and Bess
Best Play:
Claybourne Park
Best Musical:
Once
Let’s see what happens tomorrow night!… Read the rest
Ashley Spencer first came to our attention as a finalist on the NBC competition series,
Grease: You’re The One That I Want, which later earned her a spot in the Broadway revival of
Grease as Sandy. Since then, she’s appeared on Broadway as Amber Von Tussle in
Hairspray and as one of the Divas in the original cast of
Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Now, Spencer is taking on the role of small-town girl Sherrie in the hit Broadway musical, Rock of Ages, at the Helen Hayes Theatre. TheaterMania recently chatted with Spencer about the show, learning how to work the stripper pole, and celebrating the Tony Award nomination of her fiancé, Newsies star Jeremy Jordan.… Read the rest
After coming to national attention on MTV’s
Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods,
Rachel Potter has starred in such hit shows as
Wicked and
The Addams Family. She is currently appearing as the Mistress in the Broadway revival of the musical
Evita, now at the
Marquis Theatre, and will appear in concert at
Joe’s Pub on Sunday, May 13 at 9:30pm to celebrate her new country music EP,
Live the Dream, with special guest
Constantine Maroulis.
TheaterMania recently talked to Potter about working with her Evita co-star Ricky Martin, receiving praise from Andrew Lloyd Webber, and her upcoming album and concert.
THEATERMANIA: How was the opening night of Evita?… Read the rest
Corbin Bleu became a household name as Chad Danforth in Disney’s smash hit television movie
High School Musical, and later made his Broadway debut in 2010 as bodega-owner Usnavi in the Tony Award-winning musical
In the Heights. He recently returned to the Great White Way to star as Jesus in the revival of the legendary musical
Godspell at
Circle in the Square. TheaterMania recently spoke with Bleu about taking on this demanding role.
THEATERMANIA: Is your second time on Broadway a bit easier than the first?
CORBIN BLEU: No! It’s actually the complete opposite. For me, on a personal level, when you get another chance at something, you want to do it better than the last time.… Read the rest
Caissie Levy has wowed audiences in such shows as
Hairspray, Wicked, Rent, and most notably, the Broadway revival of
Hair, in which she played Sheila. Now, Levy has returned to New York to star as Molly Jensen, who is haunted by the spirit of her dead husband Sam, in
Ghost The Musical now at Broadway’s
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. TheaterMania caught up with Levy during previews to discuss her return to the Great White Way in this highly anticipated show.
THEATERMANIA: You originated the role in Manchester and London. How did your casting initially come about?
CAISSIE LEVY: I met our director, Matthew Warchus, in 2009 while I was doing Hair in New York.… Read the rest
Up-and-coming Broadway actor Ben Fankhauser is making his Broadway debut in Disney’s Newsies, a musical based on the 1992 hit movie about the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. After a successful run at Paper Mill Playhouse, the highly anticipated show is coming to Broadway for a strictly limited engagement (March 28 through August 19, 2012).
Fankhauser is playing the role of newsboy Davey, which he originated during the Paper Mill run. He is a recent graduate of Ithaca College, where he received his BFA. Fankhauser’s other theater credits include Ernst in the first national tour of the Tony-winning musical Spring Awakening.
About.com’s Nick Orlando chatted with Fankhauser about his Broadway debut.
… Read the rest
Christopher Jackson made his Broadway debut as Simba in
The Lion King and played Benny in the Tony Award-winning musical
In the Heights. In addition to his acting work, Jackson has written songs for will.i.am, Sean Kingston, LL Cool J, and Mario; released his debut solo R&B album,
In the Name of Love, last year, and is composing songs for PBS’
Sesame Street.
He is currently playing the role of nightclub owner Delray in the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis, now at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre, for a limited engagement through February 27. TheaterMania chatted with Jackson about his role in the musical.
THEATERMANIA: How did your interest in Memphis come about?… Read the rest
Broadway has some familiar — and fantastic — female faces back on the boards: Carolee Carmello has joined the cast of
Sister Act as Mother Superior; Rebecca Faulkenberry is now starring in
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark as Mary Jane; and Emily Padgett has returned to
Rock of Ages as Sherrie. TheaterMania recently spoke to these three talented ladies about their latest gigs.
THEATERMANIA: This has been a busy year for you, fromThe Addams Family to Saving Aimee and now Sister Act. How did this job come about?
CAROLEE CARMELLO: I’m not totally sure. I didn’t audition. I got a call from my manager while I was in Seattle doing Saving Aimee.… Read the rest
