Wayne Brady has Big Shoes to Fill

Brady stepped into Lola's heels Nov. 21.
Photo Credit: Playbill

Wayne Brady stepped into the heels of Lola in Kinky Boots on Nov. 21 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.  Brady succeeded Billy Porter, who won a Tony Award for originating the role of Lola.

Porter, who has been with the show since the beginning besides only taking short breaks to perform in the national tour, departed Kinky Boots to star in Shuffle Along which will open April 21, 2016 at the Music Box Theatre.

Brady has been seen on Broadway as Billy Flynn in the long-running Chicago as well as playing Tom Collins in the Hollywood Bowl's production of Rent.

"Kinky Boots" opened
April 4, 2013.
Photo Credit: Playbill

The Broadway community was very excited when it was announced on Aug. 13 that Brady would
replace Porter.

Kinky Boots tells the true story of a drag queen who steps in to help a man's failing shoe factory.  It opened April 4, 2013.

The show was a hit at the Tony Awards.  It won Best Musical, Best Score, Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography and Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Kinky Boots is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, and features a score by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein.

I think that Brady will do an excellent job at playing Lola.  I've been a fan of him since I saw him on Whose Line is it Anyway as a young girl.  He is a very talented performer and I believe that he will bring forth another side of Lola.

To buy tickets to see Brady as Lola, click here.

Break Legs,
Sydney

Dames at Sea will sail away from Broadway

The producers of "Dames at Sea" announced
that the show will close in 2016
Photo Credit: Variety

Fans were sad to hear that the musical, Dames at Sea would close on Jan. 3, 2016.  The announcement was made Nov. 23.

Upon closing, the show will have played 32 previews and 85 regular performances.  

Even though the show boasted a well known and loved cast of six, it had trouble filling the smallest theater on Broadway to capacity.  

Producers have said that they plan on making the show into a national tour that will begin in 2017. No casting announcements for the tour have been made yet.

Margherita
Photo Credit: IMDB

The cast, of course, was saddened by this news, but some tried to stay positive.  

One cast member took to Twitter before the announcement was even released.

"Not everything is a hit, but that doesn't mean it's a miss," Lesli Margherita, who plays Mona Kent in the show, tweeted on Nov. 22.  "Keep moving forward."

Dames at Sea had its New York premiere nearly 50 years ago Off-Broadway.  

The show tells the story of Ruby, who steps off a bus from Utah and into her first Broadway show.  The only problem is that the theater is set for demolishment, so she and the cast members prepare to perform on a Navy ship.

The production opened Oct. 22, 2015 at the Helen Hayes Theatre.

Like Margherita said, not every show is a hit, but that doesn't mean it was a bad show.

To purchase tickets to "Dames at Sea" before it close, click here.

Break Legs,

Sydney 

Happy Birthday Laura Osnes!

Osnes
Photo Credit: Playbill

It's Broadway's sweetheart's birthday today!

Laura Osnes, who has been seen in Grease, Bonnie and Clyde, Anything Goes and Cinderella turns 30 today.

Osnes shot to stardom after appearing on the television show Grease: You're the One That I Want!  She won which meant that she would star on Broadway as Sandy in the revival of Grease in 2007.

Laura Osnes made her Broadway
debut in "Grease."
Photo Credit: Playbill

After acting in Grease for a year, Osnes then played Nellie in South Pacific replacing Tony winner Kelli O'Hara and has had a role on Broadway pretty much every year since.

While she is extremely talented, everyone in the Broadway community admires her for her sweet spirit and bubbly personality.  One can really tell how much she loves her job and she is so grateful for the opportunities she has gotten.

Osnes even delayed her wedding plans to compete on Grease: You're the One That I Want.

Luckily she won and got married shortly after.

She has been nominated for two Tony Awards, one for playing Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde in 2012 and Cinderella in Cinderella in 2013.

Osnes just finished performing in a new musical, The Bandstand at PaperMill Playhouse in New Jersey.  It was just announced that the production will be transferring to Broadway in 2016.

Fans cannot wait to go see Osnes live onstage again.

Maybe she will win her first Tony Award in 2016.

Break Legs,
Sydney

Broadway's Store

Many fellow theatre lovers may not know this, but Playbill has its own store!  I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite items that are currently for sale, just in time for Christmas.

These pajamas sell for $69.95.
Photo Credit: Playbill Store

1) Playbill Pajamas
I love pajamas so the fact that they are covered in playbills makes them even better!  I think that they would be a perfect gift for anyone who loves theatre, but also loves lounging around at home.

These ornaments cost $49.95.
Photo Credit: Playbill Store

2) Playbill Ornaments
Who doesn't love ornaments?  This set of six features playbills from The Producers, Mary Poppins, Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, Annie and Avenue Q.  These ornaments would be the perfect addition to any theatre lover's Christmas tree!

This binder sells for $31.95.
Photo Credit: Playbill Store

3) Playbill Binder
Although I only have a small collection of Broadway playbills, I need to keep them organized somehow.  This playbill binder allows collectors to keep their playbills neat and safe as well as
makes it easy to display them.  One can buy this binder in different sizes, depending on the number of playbills owned.

This book sells for $22.95.
Photo Credit: Playbill Store

4) "At This Theatre: 100 Years of Broadway Shows"
This book is the ultimate guide for all the theatre junkies out there.  Each Broadway theatre is listed in the book as well as the shows that played there.  It contains descriptions and even vintage pictures of shows that can keep someone occupied for hours!

This calendar is on sale for $11.95.
Photo Credit: Playbill Store

5) 2016 Playbill Calendar
I currently own and use the 2015 Playbill calendar and love that each month is represented by a different show.  Each month also features a big picture of the playbill as well as a description of the
show, who starred in it and what awards it won.  This looks great on any theatre lover's wall!





Happy shopping!

Break Legs,
Sydney

Bob's Back on Broadway

Bob Saget took his first bow in "Hand to God" November 3.
Photo Credit: Broadway World

Bob Saget returned to the Great White Way as Pastor Greg in "Hand to God" last week.

Saget joins cast members Steven Boyer, Geneva Carr, Michael Oberholtzer and Sarah Stiles.

"Hand to God" opened April 7, 2015
at the Booth Theatre.
Photo Credit: Playbill

Saget replaced Marc Kudisch who originated the role of Pastor Greg in Hand to God's pre-Broadway run and on Broadway.

This is not new to Saget, who made his Broadway debut back in 2007 in The Drowsy Chaperone.  Saget played the Man in Chair, replacing Jonathan Crombie.  He was with the show until it closed Dec. 30, 2007.

Saget's return to Broadway was made even more special by the appearance of his Full House co-star Ashley Olsen.  Olsen played his daughter on the show and the two have remained close.

Hand to God tells the story of Jason, played by Boyer, who uses a hand puppet named Tyrone as an outlet for his creativity.  Everything is fine until Tyrone takes on a new personality and finds his own voice.

The play opened April 7, 2015 and will close Jan. 3, 2016.  After its closing, the show will transfer to London's West End and begin performances Feb. 5, 2016.

Maybe Saget will make London his home for a bit when the show transfers.

To purchase tickets to see Saget, click here.

Break Legs,
Sydney

Get On Your Feet!

Ana Villafañe stars as Gloria Estefan in "On Your Feet!"
Photo Credit: Playbill

Emilio and Gloria Estefan's new musical, On Your Feet! opened Nov. 5, 2015 at the Marquis Theatre.

This is an autobiographical musical about Emilio and Gloria Estefan tracing the pair's start in music and their rise to becoming international sensations.

Playing the two song and love birds are Josh Segarra (Emilio) and Ana Villafañe (Gloria).  This show marks Villafañe's Broadway debut.

"On Your Feet!" opened
Nov. 5, 2015.
Photo Credit: Playbill

On your Feet! is directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo.

This jukebox musical opened to rave reviews.


"The recipe may be familiar, but the flavor is fresh in 'On Your Feet,'" Charles Insherwood wrote in his review of the show in The New York Times.

The critics also love Villafañe.

"Not only does Broadway debutante Ana Villafañe look, sing and dance like Ms. Estefan, but she acts well enough to make me want to see her in more challenging fare," wrote Terry Teachout in his review in The Wall Street Journal.

There have been many successful jukebox musicals like On Your Feet! that have had major success on Broadway.  Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages all come to mind.

Hopefully this powerful story will spend a long time on the Great White Way.

To purchase tickets to this show, click here.

Break Legs,
Sydney

My Favorite Flop

Lysistrata Jones is considered a Broadway flop.
Photo Credit: Playbill

The musical Lysistrata Jones opened on Broadway Dec. 14, 2011 and closed two weeks later on Jan. 8, 2012.  After it opened, it ran for a total of 30 performances.

Because of the show's short run, it is considered a flop.  To me, I think it deserves another chance and could be enjoyed by many.

The Greek play Lysistrata is transported into modern times and set at a college called Athens University where the basketball team has not won a game in decades.  A new student, Lysistrata Jones, arrives on campus and falls for the "star" basketball player.  To give the team motivation to win, Lysistrata convinces the players' girlfriends to abstain sex until they win a game.  And then chaos ensues.

Patti Murin starred in the
production as the title role.
Photo Credit Playbill

The original production starred Patti Murin in the title role and included Liz Mikel (Hetaira), Josh Seggara (Mick), Lindsay Nicole Cahmbers (Robin) and Jason Tam (Xander) as well as many other talernted actors and actresses.

The musical was nominated for the 2012 Best Book of a Musical Tony Award but lost to Once.

Maybe viewers were not ready for a modern day retelling of the famous Lysistrata.  The musical did have success in its pre-Broadway tryouts, so it could have made it on the Great White Way.

Personally, I have never seen the entire show since it did not run for very long on Broadway and it is not performed in a lot of places, but I have researched the entire show and listened to the cast album multiple times.

Yes, some of the music is a little cheesy, but this show has heart and a whole lot of it.  Even though it centers around sex, it does encourage girls and women to speak up for themselves and take control of their bodies.  I think that the central message this show sends is that women can and should be powerful.

Who wouldn't love an empowering show like this one?  Oh wait, the critics.

Break Legs,
Sydney