Are the Spice Girls Coming to the Big Stage?
It hasn’t yet been confirmed, but there are rumors circulating that the Spice Girls (yes, those Spice Girls) will soon be making a comeback of sorts - this time on the big stage. Reports have emerged that “Ginger Spice” Geri Halliwell is working on producing a Spice Girls-themed musical that will detail the girls’ rise to the top of the music industry as the girl group the Spice Girls in the 1990s, and the other four Spices (Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham) will reportedly be backing the project, as well.
BroadwayWorld reported on the Spice Girls saga this week, saying that Halliwell plans on casting five relatively unknown actresses to take the part of her and her ’spicy’ cohorts for the upcoming engagement. While specifics are still to be worked out, “Scary Spice” Mel B. confirmed that the girls are indeed working on a project for next year, saying, “We’re definitely doing something together soon.” We only hope the musical will do these British pop stars justice, as the Spice Girls were the cream of the crop in the 1990s with smash hits like “Wannabe” and “Spice up Your Life.”
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Run-DMC Struts to Broadway
Plans are in place for a new rap musical, and it will all come together soon thanks to rap heavyweight Run-DMC, who is the new music group to be the subject of a musical. It’s been reported to Playbill.com that early discussions are in place for a Run-DMC-themed musical to hit the big stage sometime soon, with Mission Impossible producer Paula Wagner behind the bit. According to Playbill, Run-DMC members Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels are meeting with Paula Wagner this week to discuss the initial plans for the Run-based musical, and the production (as of now, anyway) will detail the rise to fame of Run-DMC in the rap realm.
Wagner recently spoke of the upcoming endeavor, as well, saying that Run-DMC’s “rise to fame was a compelling and dramatic journey filled with fantastic characters. I feel their story is very inspirational and lends itself perfectly to the stage. This project has been a passion of mine for some time and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with them.” Beef up on Run-DMC songs before the release of this sure-to-be-electric production!
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
Rock of Ages Moving to the Big Screen
If you couldn’t get enough of the 1980s rock musical spofof “Rock of Ages,” you’re really going to love this news - the musical is being brought to film, and director and choreographer of the Tony Award winning musical “Hairspray” Adam Shankman will be directing. According to Variety, Shankman will direct and choreograph the screen version for New Line Cinema, which is apparently beginning filming next summer (2010) in Los Angeles, set for a release in 2011 via Warner Brothers. ”I’m thinking big, and absolutely am going to attempt to cast with movie stars. Now that musicals are working again, actors are much more open to it,” Shankman told Variety.
Memphis - A New Musical - Opens Today on Broadway at Shubert Theater
Memphis, a new Broadway original musical, will open tonight at the Shubert Theater at 225 West 44th Street following performances at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater. The stars of the show include Chad Kimball 9Huey Calhoun) and Montego Glover (Felicia Farrell_ along with Derrick Baskin (Gator), J. Bernard Calloway (Delray Jones), James Monroe Iglehart (Bobby), Tony nominee Michael McGrath (Mr. Simmons) and Cass Morgan (Gladys Calhoun).
The rock musical is about a radio DJ who ‘aims to change the color oand sound of rock music,’ and is created by David Bryan and Joe DiPiertro. Kimball and Glover both starred in the regional shows at La Jolla nad Seattle will continue their roles on Broadway. “In the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated ’50s,” press notes state, “a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn’t: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer. Memphis is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever.” The Memphis ensemble includes Jennifer Allen, Brad Bass, Tracee Beazer, Kevin Covert, Hillary Elk, Bryan Fenkart, Dionne Figgins, Rhett George, John Jellison, Candice McCall, Sydney Morton, Vivian Nixon, John Eric Parker, Jermaine R. Rembert, LaQuet Sharnell, Ephraim Sykes, Cary Tedder, Danny Tidwell, Daniel J. Watts, Katie Webber, Charlie Williams and Dan’yelle Williamson.
Get Memphis The Musical tickets and Broadway tickets today from StubHub.
‘Kiss Me, Kate’ Concert Comes to San Jose
Christine Andreas knows the way to San Jose, and she’ll lead the way this weekend as part of the Silicon Valley Symphony’s three-day concert revival of Cole Porter’s classic musical Kiss Me, Kate. Andreas recently starred in the national tour of The Light in the Piazza, and now she’ll head for San Jose’s California Theatre to partake in the classic musical Kiss Me, Kate. The string of concerts will run this weekend, Oct. 16-17 at p.m. and Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m., with Christine Andreas taking the part of Lilli Vanessi in the concert. Richard White will also star as Fred/Petruchio.
The series of Kiss Me, Kate concerts in San Jose will not be Christine Andreas’ first or last rendezvous with the big stage. Andreas started her reign on Broadway in the 1974 revue Words & Music, and she has also made cameos in productions over the years such as My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!, On Your Toes, The Scarlet Pimpernel and more. This weekend only, Christine Andreas can be spotted in San Jose, California at the California Theater, and patrons can see this iconic actress in the Broadway classic Kiss Me, Kate - a Cole Porter masterpiece.
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
‘Little House on the Prairie’ Tour Begins Tonight!
The brand new stage musical Little House on the Prairie, a take on the Laura Ingalls Wilder book and television series of the same name, will launch its national tour tonight starting in St. Paul, Minnesota, debuting at the Ordway Theater today, Oct. 13, and running through Oct. 25 in Minnesota. This current adaptation of Little House on the Prairie stars Melissa Gilbert, the famous actress who played Laura Ingalls in the TV series as a child, and it also features Steve Blanchard (Charles “Pa” Ingalls), Kevin Massey (Almanzo Wildero), Kate Loprest (Nellie Oleson), Alessa Neeck (Mary), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Carrie Ingalls) and more.
Little House on the Prairie - The Musical is a story of American life in the late 19th century, and the musical adaptation made its world premiere last summer in Minneapolis, now beginning its national tour stint in St. Paul before traveling to Nashville, Denver, Omaha, Raleigh, Sacramento and Toronto over the next several months. Little House on the Prairie will also play though a number of other cities before ending (tentatively) in June of 2010.
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
Daniel Radcliffe Adds Film Star Fame to Broadway Reading
Harry Potter sensation Daniel Radcliffe is taking another stab at Broadway - well, sort of. Radcliffe has been tapped as the lead role in an upcoming reading of the Broadway show How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, a musical from the 1960s, and it’s been reported that producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are staging the reading to determine if a revival of the Broadway musical is an attainable goal for the near future.
While How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying will mark Daniel Radcliffe’s first dip into the musical industry, he’s no stranger to Broadway. Radcliffe sparked worldwide attention in 2008 when he starred in the 2008 revival of Equus, going completely nude for some scenes in the play. Radcliffe’s current involvement in the Broadway musical How to Succeed without Really Trying is slated for a December debut, and he’ll take the lead role as J. Pierrepont Finch, a window washer trying to climb the rungs of a company in order to get a girl.
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
‘The Understudy’ to Begin Tonight in NYC
Zack Morris is back, and even though this is no Saved by the Bell, the ’90s show’s famed actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar is heading to the big stage to partake in an Off-Broadway gem. Gosselaar will star in the New York City premier of The Understudy, a business comedy by Theresa Rebeck, and the production starts previews tonight, with the official opening date set for Nov. 5. The Understudy is directed by Scott Ellis and is a production about washed-up actors, bona fide stars and, of course, the all-important role of the understudy, and this hilarious show is sure to be a must-see on the theatrical scene.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar leads the charge in The Understudy along with the other leading actors Justin Kirk and Julie White, and the production will take place at the Laura Pels Theatre as a limited engagement until Jan. 3, 2010. The Understudy premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2008, and the production is sure to be one of the most talked-about engagements in New York City now upon debut.
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
‘The Royal Family’ Opens Tonight on Broadway
The George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber production of The Royal Family will open on Broadway tonight at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, and even without actor Tony Roberts in the mix, this show is sure to be one of the most memorable productions of the year. The comedic story of an American acting family and their endeavors, The Royal Family gives a glimpse into the live of the Cavendishes and is one hilarious production.
Tony Award winner Doug Hughes directs The Royal Family, and the show stars Jan Maxwell, Larry Pine, Kelli Barrett and Reg Rogers. Other big-name actors in the production include John Glover, Ana Gasteyer, Freddy Arsenault, Caroline Stefanie Clay, Rufus Collins, David Greenspan, Henry Russell, Cat Walleck, John Wenke and Tony Roberts. Roberts, however, fell ill in a production over the weekend, and his role in the show as Oscar Wolfe is expected to be taken over by understudy Anthony Newfield. The Royal Family began previews Sept. 15, and tonight is the big night that the Broadway production will officially open. Stay tuned for reviews on this long-awaited show!
To get Broadway tickets, go to StubHub.
Tony Roberts’ Illness during Production Due to Seizure
Theatergoers attending the Sunday matinee performance of the Broadway revival of The Royal Family were shocked to see the curtain fall shortly after its opening over the weekend, as 69-year-old actor Tony Roberts fell ill during the show and was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital. It all started during Sunday’s performance of The Royal Family when Roberts’ speech suddenly started slurring. Soon thereafter, the curtain fell and there was an announcement for a doctor in the house, and he was thereafter taken to the nearby St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, where he was diagnosed with a minor seizure.
Roberts is expected to return to the Broadway production, though a date hasn’t yet been set. As of now, the official opening date set for tomorrow at the Samuel J. Fiedman Theater will still happen, though no replacement has been announced for Roberts. Since his illness, understudy Anthony Newfield has taken over Roberts’ role. Tony Roberts’ daughter Nicole recently made a statement regarding her father’s status, saying, “My father is feeling great and looks forward to returning to the show. He experienced a minor seizure and regrets that it had to happen so publicly. He is taking medication now, which should prevent any future incidents.”
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