LIVE from the TONYS EVE Cocktail Party

Today, I will host MUSICAL THEATRE TALK live from the TONY AWARDS Cocktail Party at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Listen LIVE by...

• Calling in:  347-237-5224
• Online: Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey 
• Mobile app: m.blogtalkradio.com/musicltheatretalk

 TWEET your questions for the nominees to @TrishCausey!

All replays are available on the Musical Theatre Talk website.

Another New Writing Gig

Just another quick note, I have also been hired as a blogger for TheatreFace.com, the forum for aficionados of Stage Directions Magazine.

I will write about Performing Arts, Vocal Study, and Stage Managing. Check out my first post which went live today -- the topic: Vocal Health During the Winter.

Feel free to leave comments or questions!

trish

New Writing Gigs

Hey, everybody!

I just wanted to give you an update on what's going on with "Musical Theatre Talk" and my (lack of) posting here.

I have recently been hired as the Guide for Theatre for About.com, a New York Times company, to write about all things Broadway, Off-Broadway, professional regional theatre, and New York concerts and events. During that year-long hiring process, I had to focus on writing for About.com, so I wasn't writing as much here. Also, in my personal life, I moved and got set up in a new town. But my show, "Musical Theatre Talk," was on hiatus while I settled in.

Well, now "Musical Theatre Talk" is BACK! I've interviewed Oscar A. Hammerstein, III, and Andrea Marcovicci, and a slew of great guests are already set for January 2011. I'm also using a new system for the show -- another reason for the delay in starting Season 3. Not to fear, though! I'm back on schedule. Upcoming guests will be announced in another blog post, so stay tuned.

Thank you for being patient and be sure to check out the replays at Musical Theatre Talk's website.

trish

BWAY: Sean Hayes to host TONY's

Sean Hayes, former co-star of the hit show "Will and Grace," will host the Tony Awards on CBS on June 13, 2010.  Sean is also nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for his work in the revival of PROMISES, PROMISES.


Source: http://www.TonyAwards.com

55th DRAMA DESK AWARDS Winners (and Surprises)

The 55th Drama Desk Awards handed a bevy of awards to the best in New York theatre last night.  An unusal award, the Drama Desk Awards combine Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway together to arrive at the nominations for the best in the theatre as a whole.

Hosted by legendary singer and Tony-winner, Patti LuPone, the awards were shown live online via TheatreMania.com.  A running joke throughout the night began with an innocent comment of Mitzi Gaynor complementing Martha Plimpton's shoes, which snowballed to Matthew Modine supposedly complimenting women on their Spanx.

And the Musical Theatre (and Music oriented) winners are...


Outstanding Musical:
American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
**Memphis ** WINNER
The Addams Family
The Scottsboro Boys
Yank!

Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
A Little Night Music
Finian's Rainbow
**La Cage Aux Folles** WINNER
Promises, Promises
Ragtime

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys
**Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
Cheyenne Jackson, Finian's Rainbow
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Nathan Lane, The Addams Family
Bobby Steggert, Yank!

Outstanding Actress in a Musical (tie):
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
**Montego Glover, Memphis ** WINNER
Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
**Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music** WINNER

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles
Jeffry Denman, Yank!
**Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow** WINNER
Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family
Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden
**Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises ** WINNER
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem
Terri White, Finian's Rainbow

Outstanding Director of a Musical:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Igor Goldin, Yank!
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles
**Michael Mayer, American Idiot ** WINNER
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Outstanding Choreography:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
**Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away** WINNER
Sergio Trujillo, Memphis

Outstanding Music:
**David Bryan, Memphis** WINNER
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
Joseph Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Lyrics:
Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical
Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo
**John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys** WINNERS
Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Book of a Musical:
Joe DiPietro, Memphis
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys
**Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson** WINNER
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Orchestrations:
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Tom Kitt, American Idiot
Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture
John Oddo, All About Me
**Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis** WINNERS

Outstanding Musical Revue:
Fascinating Aïda: Absolutely Miraculous!
Million Dollar Quartet
Newsical The Musical
Simon Green: Traveling Light
**Sondheim on Sondheim** WINNER

Outstanding Music in a Play:
Adam Cochran, A Play on War
Adam Cork, Red
Gaines, A Lie of the Mind
Philip Glass, The Bacchae
Hem, Twelfth Night
**Branford Marsalis, Fences** WINNER

Outstanding Set Design:
Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band
**Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family ** WINNERS
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Christopher Oram, Red Jay Rohloff, Underground
Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel

Outstanding Costume Design:
Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones
Clint Ramos, So Help Me God!
Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden
**Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:
**ACME Sound Partners, Ragtime ** WINNER
Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles
Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Scott Lehrer, Finian's Rainbow
Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises

http://www.dramadesk.com/

Macy's Invites You to Sing Your Way to the Tony Awards

Ever wanted to be surrounded by the best of Broadway all at once?

Macy's and CBS want to hear YOU sing your Broadway best for a chance to win a trip to the 64th Annual Tony Awards in New York.

The Tonys will be aired live on CBS, June 13th, at 8 pm EDT/ 7 pm CDT.

Song Choices:

• "96,000" - IN THE HEIGHTS
• "Gimme, Gimme" - THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLE 
• "Good Morning, Baltimore" - HAIRSPRAY
• "I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outa my Hair" - SOUTH PACIFIC
• "Lonely Goatherd" - THE SOUND OF MUSIC
• "Maybe" - ANNIE
• "One" - A CHORUS LINE
• "Stars" - LES MISERABLES
• "Ya Got Trouble" - THE MUSIC MAN

Music clearances facilitated by Music Theatre International, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, and Tams-Witmark Music Library. Songs provided courtesy of copyright holders.

Get Started by going to http://www.cbs.com/specials/tony_awards/upload:
1. Upload your video by May 27th noon PT
2. Vote on yor favorites from May 27th to June 1st to help determine the top 5 videos.
3. Return on June 3rd noon PT to view and vote for your favorite of the top 5.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Rules for details.

BREAK A LEG!

BWAY: Special TONY for NYPD

The peeps at the Tony Awards announced today that they will award a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre to the Midtown North and South New York City Police Precincts for outstanding service to Manhattan’s Theatre District.  Though the NYPD was instrumental in protecting the Times Square Theatre District from the recent car bomb, it is the job they do everyday that earned the precints this special award.


The Broadway League's Executive Director, Charlotte St. Martin, explained,

"We had decided on this particular Tony Honor well before the May 1st incident in Broadway/Times Square which brought the NYPD's skills to the forefront of a very public stage, so our desire to award them for their consistent day-to-day dedication proved even more appropriate."

The 2010 Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on June 13, 2010 on CBS, beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET with a red carpet interviews.

Source:  http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/news/articles/2010-05-17/201005161274068041878.html?promo?facebook0517

BWAY: PRISCILLA -- 2 out of 3 ain't bad

The Broadway version of PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT is another step closer to reality.  Two of the three leads were announced to include HAIR's Will Swenson and West End version's Tony Sheldon.  The release also said the move across the pond will have a go in Toronto before the big plunge on the Great White Way in Spring 2011.

With LA CAGE, the upcoming HEDWIG, and now PRISCILLA, it will be interesting to see just how many drag queen shows Broadway can support at one time?!  More mascara and shaving cream, anyone?

For more information on PRISCILLA, go to http://www.priscillathemusical.com. 

BWAY: LA CAGE announces Nat'l Tour for 2011

The production team of the smash Broadway hit, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, has announced a national tour based on the current revival to be launched in 2011.  Currently nominated for 11 Tony Awards, this morning brought news that LA CAGE had garnered 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards, tying with MEMPHIS, for most wins.  Composer Jerry Herman has been named the recipient of a special Drama Desk Award for his career as a Musical Theatre composer.

The original Broadway production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES opened on August 21, 1983 at the Palace Theatre, wowing audiences with its daring material.  That production won 4 Tony Awards in 1984 and went on to become a staple in regional theatres.

Casting and design details will be forthcoming on the main LA CAGE website, and for more information on national tours, go to http://www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE announces 2009-2010 awards

The Outer Critics Circle has announced the recipients of the 2009-10 Awards.  MEMPHIS and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES both won in 4 categories, with a shocking 3 unprecedented ties in the categories for "New Off-Broadway Musical," "Actress in a Musical," and "Choreographer. 

Movie stars Denzel Washington and Catherine Zeta-Jones won trophies for their work in FENCES and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, respectively.

With history-making wins and lots of surprises, the winners are... 

NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
* Memphis
 

NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
* Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
* The Scottsboro Boys
 

 NEW SCORE - (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
* Memphis
 

REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL - (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
* La Cage aux Folles
 

 DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
* Terry Johnson  - La Cage aux Folles
 

 CHOREOGRAPHER
* Bill T. Jones - Fela!
* Sergio Trujillo - Memphis

SET DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Phelim McDermott & Julian Crouch - The Addams Family
 

COSTUME DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Matthew Wright - La Cage aux Folles
 

LIGHTING DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Kevin Adams - American Idiot
   

ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
* Douglas Hodge - La Cage aux Folles

ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
* Montego Glover - Memphis
* Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music
 

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
* Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet
 

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
* Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises

Source:  http://www.outercritics.org/

AUDITION: Nat'l tour of SPRING AWAKENING

From Playbill.com:

"NETworks is please to announce casting calls for the 2010-2011 Spring Awakening National Tour...This tour will begin rehearsals September 13, 2010.

"Auditions will be held at Chelsea Studios, 151 West 26th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY. Please prepare a short folk/alt. rock song. Bring sheet music, pianist will be provided. Bring a picture and resume. PLEASE NOTE: All actors must be at least 18 years of age by September 13, 2010. SEEKING ALL ETHNICITIES FOR ALL ROLES."

FOR DETAILED AUDITION INFO, you must read: http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/29943.html

GUEST: Linda Eder, 04/16 @ 11a EDT/10a CDT

Singing sensation Linda Eder will be on "Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey" this Friday, April 16, at 11 a.m. EDT/ 10 a.m. CDT.

Linda began her career winning Star Search for 12 weeks straight, then played the role of Lucy in Frank Wildhorn's JEKYLL & HYDE. She has performed concerts around the world and released several CD's featuring standards and new classics.

To listen live, go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/musical_theatre_talk or call 347-237-5224.

For more information on shows, guests, updates, and replays, go to the MTT website: http://www.musicaltheatretalk.com/

Some of her available albums:
Broadway, My Way
Soundtrack 
Greatest Hits
The Other Side of Me
It's Time
Gold
My Favorite Broadway - The Leading Ladies

NEXT TO NORMAL wins Pulitzer

Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Tony Award-winning musical, NEXT TO NORMAL, has been awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.  A landmark win, only eight musicals have won the Pultizer Prize for Drama, including, Stephen Sondheim's SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and Jonathan Larson's RENT.

The rock musical explores a woman's journey to solve her mental illness issues on her own.

Playing at the Booth Theatre, NEXT TO NORMAL began Off-Broadway and was re-worked in workshops before making the move to Broadway in Spring 2009. In June, it won three Tonys for Best Score, Best Orchestration, and Best Actress for Alice Ripley, best known for her leading role in SIDE SHOW.

Fall 2010 will see the national tour of NEXT TO NORMAL take to the road. For more information about the Broadway show, or to find the tour's schedule of cities and dates, go to http://www.nexttonormal.com/

GUEST: Composer FRANK WILDHORN 04/09 @ 1pm EDT

JEKYLL & HYDE, SCARLET PIMPERNEL, THE CIVIL WAR, and WONDERLAND composer FRANK WILDHORN will be on "Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey" on Friday, 04/09, @ 1p EDT.

To listen live online, go to: http://bit.ly/5kkhRz

To call in, call 346-237-5224.

CD: Klea Blackhurst's AUTUMN IN NEW YORK

MTT guest and belter extraordinaire, Klea Blackhurst, reinvents the classics of the past by adding her own unique approach.  An amazing musical instrument, Klea's voice has been heard in symphony halls and theatre around the world. A master of her craft, Klea Blackhurst is a force to be reckoned with. She is simply --- amazing.

BWAY: Cast album signing for LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

The Broadway cast album of Stephen Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC comes out on Tuesday. Starring theatre and screen legend Angela Lansbury and screen goddess Catherine Zeta-Jones.

According to the website,

"Come join Stephen Sondheim, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury, Alexander Hanson, and the cast of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC for a cast album signing event on the day of release.

The signing will take place on Tuesday, April 6 from 2:00PM - 3:30PM at The Walter Kerr Theatre. Please note: No additional materials (i.e. posters, Playbills, other recordings, etc.) will be signed."

For more info, go to http://www.nightmusiconbroadway.com/castrecording.php

BLOG: SONY launches new site for Broadway showtunes!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


SONY MASTERWORKS LAUNCHES MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM

A COMPREHENSIVE BROADWAY SITE “WHERE SHOW TUNES TAKE CENTER STAGE”

SITE LIVE ON APRIL 1ST – KICKS OFF WITH 30-DAY SWEEPSTAKES

SONY MASTERWORKS announces the launch of MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM – a comprehensive Broadway site “Where Show Tunes Take Center Stage.” A celebration and testament to America’s unique art form, MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM documents the history of the cast album from Finian's Rainbow (1947) to last year’s critically acclaimed Grammy® and Tony® Award-winning revival of West Side Story. The site goes live on April 1. To celebrate the launch, MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM will give away highly coveted prizes throughout the month in the “You Gotta Get A Gimmick” sweepstakes.

MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM preserves the history of music from the “Great White Way” providing a comprehensive experience for the Broadway community and its fans. The site will include a catalog of more than 400 Broadway cast recordings – together receiving over 265 Tony® Awards, 450 Tony® nominations and 27 Grammy® Awards. Elements of the site will include hundreds of never-before-seen recording session photos, a weekly blog by noted theater journalist/author Peter Filichia (Newark Star Ledger, Theatremania.com), an enormous streaming library of cast recordings, as well as podcasts with Broadway notables including Stephen Sondheim, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters and others.

On the launch date of April 1st, MASTERWORKSBROADWAY.COM will begin the “You Gotta Get A Gimmick” sweepstakes during which time the site will give away a daily prize. Some of the extraordinary prizes include: A trip for two to NYC to see a Broadway show, the entire Masterworks Broadway catalog (over 275 CDs!), signed copies of Kristin Chenoweth’s book “A Little Bit Wicked” and her latest CD “A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas,” and a rare framed pigment print of Gwen Verdon from the Sony Music archives/ICON Collectibles. Every Tuesday.

Visit Music at:
http://www.theatreface.com/groups/group/show?id=2529492%3AGroup%3A1418&xg_source=msg_mes_group

AUDITION: Producers of GLEE on the prowl

GLEE fans now have the chance of a lifetime to join the cast! GLEE was the surprise hit show of last season, bringing Musical Theatre back to the small screen in a big way.

Now, the producers are scouring the internet for the newest cast member(s) that must be between the ages of 16-26.  All you have to do is upload a video that has a 1 minute intro and 4 minutes of stellar showsopping singing, and upload it at http://www.myspace.com/gleeauditions.

In other news, GLEE cast members also made the cover of the latest Rolling Stone Magazine.

Break a leg!  And if you get it, tell 'em you heard it here on Musical Theatre Talk.

BWAY: Hedwig Inching Toward Broadway?

John Cameron Mitchell, famous for his autobiographical musical revue, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, just might see the lights of the Great White Way in the Fall of 2010.  The original film has become a cult classic, as did the previous stage incarnations, including a couple Off-Broadway stints.

The first Broadway production of HEDWIG will feature JCM and his band, The Angry inch, as well as the original director, Peter Askin. Stephen Trask, the composer-lyricist, says he will write some new tunes for the Broadway version.

For those new to HEDWIG, it is shocking, outrageous, and wonderfully different. With the changes in store for its Broadway debut, it might turn out to be a 21st century sing-along a` la ROCKY HORROR.

BLOG: Bway's HAIR turns 1 year old!

The Broadway revival of HAIR celebrated its 1st birthday yesterday. Featuring famous songs like, "The Age of Aquarius," HAIR is considered by some as the show that changed Musical Theatre from the classical singer & Vaudevillian gag book-musical to an experimental genre for theatrical works with music.

In keeping with that hippies-love-everybody theme, you can choose to donate 5% of your ticket price to charity!

Buy tickets:  http://www.hairbroadway.com/