Alex Ellis News

Jean Batten's 1936 flight from England to New Zealand in a single engine plane made of wood and fabric navigating with just a compass and a watch is one of the extraordinary feats of the last century. Yet when she successfully landed in Auckland the Mayor greeted her with the words,

Get ready to mash things up! In celebration of the opening night performance of IDAHO! THE COMEDY MUSICAL this Saturday, July 9, Mayor Carolyn Goodman has proclaimed July 9, 2016 "IDAHO! THE COMEDY MUSICAL DAY" in Las Vegas. A proclamation ceremony will take place in Symphony Park at 6 p.m. that evening, which is open to the public, and will be followed by the opening night performance at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Hall. The proclamation ceremony will take place in front of an epic 18-wheel, 6-ton Big Idaho Potato Truck, which will remain on display in Symphony Park through Tuesday, July 12. Tickets to this 'spudtacular' production are still available, and include admission to the Ida-Ho-Down after-party on Saturday night. For more information, please visit TheSmithCenter.com.

ROCKWELL TABLE AND STAGE presents 'Just Come To This: The Songs of Adam Wachter' on Monday, May 23 at 8:00pm. The evening will feature works by up-and-coming musical theater composer/lyricist Adam Wachter, including original songs from his musicals Tarrytown and Zionsville, along with other favorites and new material written specifically for this night, all performed by a starry group of his obscenely talented, generous, and attention-hungry Broadway- and Television-star friends who have since all defected to the West Coast.

EMOJILAND: LIVE IN CONCERT made its sold-out world premiere on May 9th, 2016, with an encore performance on May 10th at Rockwell Table & Stage. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concerts below!

Celebrated for its roster of unparalleled musical theatre offerings, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts announces the complete cast for its debut of IDAHO! THE COMEDY MUSICAL, exclusively at Reynolds Hall this July. Written by Buddy Sheffield with music by Sheffield and Keith Thompson, preview performances will be held July 6 - 8, followed by the official opening night on July 9 and additional performances July 10 - 17. This limited engagement will offer patrons the rare opportunity to see the show as it is being developed.

 Michael Thomas Grant will be stepping into the role of Skull in the highly anticipated EMOJILAND: LIVE IN CONCERT, premiering at Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Angeles next week. Grant replaces the previously announced Matt Magnusson, who left the company due to an "unforeseen professional conflict."

How many of these great songs do you know from underappreciated musicals?

?The highly anticipated new musical Emojiland premieres next month as a concert reading at Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Angeles after several sneak-peek song showcases, as previously covered by BroadwayWorld. The show marks the first time emojis have been adapted into a long-form narrative.

On June 12, musical theater revue show BROADWAY AT THE W opens at The Loft at W Hollywood, formerly Drai's Hollywood.  Broadway actors, dancers and producers from Tony-Award winning and fan-favorite shows including "South Pacific," "The Producers," "The Book of Mormon," "Motown the Musical" and "Les Miserables" have assembled the highest caliber of Los Angeles-based Broadway performers to offer Angelenos an intimate and heart-stopping taste of Broadway. Tickets start at $10. The show features a live band, rotating program and special celebrity guests. The producers intend to continue the show on a weekly basis at W Hollywood.

MODERN FAMILY star Sarah Hyland is currently appearing in the musical SCREAM! alongside Jonah Platt, Missi Pyle, Christine Lakin, and Nicole Parker. Hyland recently took to Instagram to post a clip of her and Platt singing 'Don't Speak,' on stage, with the caption, 'This happened tonight and it made me happy. #dontspeak #theunauthorizedmusicalparodyofscream @jonahplatt' Check out the performance clip below!

Rockwell Table and Stage, L.A.'s premier spot for extraordinary entertainment and dining is thrilled to announce the world premiere of Rumer Willis starring in LOS FELIZ, 90027, featuring a special appearance by Perez Hilton, with musical direction by Brian P. Kennedy and Richie Garcia and written & directed by Jake Wilson ('You Must be Joking,' 'Battery's Down'). LOS FELIZ, 90027 will perform tonight, October 9 & Sunday, October 12 at 8pm and will continue with new 'episodes' twice a month through Sunday, February 15 at ROCKWELL Table and Stage, 1714 N. Vermont in Los Feliz.

ROCKWELL Table and Stage, L.A.'s premier spot for extraordinary entertainment and dining has announced the world premiere of 'Modern Family's" Sarah Hyland starring in SCREAM!, with musical direction by Brian P. Kennedy and written & directed by Michael Gans & Richard Register. SCREAM! will preview on Friday, October 10 at 8pm; Saturday, October 11 at 8:00pm and Friday, October 17 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, October 18 at 8:00pm and run through Saturday, November 15 at ROCKWELL Table and Stage, 1714 N. Vermont in Los Feliz.

Rockwell Table and Stage, L.A.'s premier spot for extraordinary entertainment and dining is thrilled to announce the world premiere of Rumer Willis starring in LOS FELIZ, 90027, featuring a special appearance by Perez Hilton, with musical direction by Brian P. Kennedy and Richie Garcia and written & directed by Jake Wilson ("You Must be Joking," "Battery's Down"). LOS FELIZ, 90027 will perform on Thursday, October 9 & Sunday, October 12 at 8pm and will continue with new "episodes" twice a month through Sunday, February 15 at ROCKWELL Table and Stage, 1714 N. Vermont in Los Feliz.

SRO returns Monday, February 3 to Upstairs at Vitello's with Special Guest Co-Host Eric Petersen, star of the TVLand sitcom Kirstie!

So, my blogs are usually kind of sassy and silly, but I'm about to get real, y'all! If you don't mind, indulge my sentimental side for a moment. Last night, I missed my first performance of Disaster! which was slightly heartbreaking, but it was for a good reason. I was actually swung out of the show which means that our swing goes on for my track and I get to sit in the audience and watch. A few blogs ago, I told you about my role in the show and how I understudy three principles. We have limited time for understudy rehearsals so being swung out is a way for me to watch, learn, and take notes. I came prepared with track sheets for the roles and a list of moments I really needed to focus on. My BroadwayWorld peeps, I had to actively tell myself to do my job! I was having such a great time as an audience member that I had to force myself to pay attention as an actor.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents VARIOUS ALUMNI OF ELON UNIVERSITY (THE CLASSES of 2005 - 2013) in 'HELLO MY NAME IS...' on November 17th, 2013 at 11:30 PM. This concert revolves around the milestones AFTER graduation. Starting an artistic journey is not something taken lightly by any of us, and these songs are meant to tell the story of those that battle and persevere against less-than-90-seconds-in-the-room days, and something deep and destructive about a lonely moment in the city. All that, just to wake up the next morning and start again. All that, for 300 dollars a week, to do a revue in the middle of nowhere. All that, for the eventual Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Tour/Regional success of our entire cast. This is worth celebrating. This is a story worth singing. There's something exciting and terrifying and FEARLESS about what we do. So, we choose to revel in the struggle of being a 20-something, and share our stories through this concert.

Due to an overwhelming audience response, Oracle Theatre Inc. will revive its production of BROOKLYN LABYRINTH for an extended run at the Chain Theater in Long Island City. BROOKLYN LABYRINTH premiered at the 2011 BoCoCa Arts Festival, and director Sara Wolkowitz returns to guide the production's cast through a two-week run beginning tonight, September 25.

Due to an overwhelming audience response, Oracle Theatre Inc. will revive its production of BROOKLYN LABYRINTH for an extended run at the Chain Theater in Long Island City. BROOKLYN LABYRINTH premiered at the 2011 BoCoCa Arts Festival, and director Sara Wolkowitz returns to guide the production's cast through a two-week run beginning September 25.

Leave it to the ultra-talented, uber-enthusiastic folks at 3-D Theatricals to take an okay-ha-ha show into an OMFG-that-was-super-hella-funny triumph of whimsy and heart. In its glorious, colorful presentation of the first Southern California regional production of SHREK - THE MUSICAL, 3-D Theatricals---fast becoming Orange County's home for Broadway-caliber shows---certainly has plenty to celebrate in its latest offering. The family-friendly musical comedy continues its limited engagement at the Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton through August 4 then transfers north to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center for a weekend of shows August 9-11.

SHREK THE MUSICAL opened at the Louis E Plummer Auditorium on July 19, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the opening night curtain call below!