Bernie Telsey News

Today we are talking to one of the stars of the hit revival of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING - which will be closing this Sunday after a 16-month run, so catch it while you can - who has also carved out an astonishingly accomplished resume on film and TV since her stunning, Emmy-winning small screen debut in a lead role as the young Judy Garland in ME & MY SHADOWS: LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND - the beautiful and tremendously talented Tammy Blanchard. Touching on many of her most memorable big screen and small screen roles and sharing her experiences of working with many of her impressive co-stars and creative collaborators - Bernadette Peters, Jessica Lange, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Sam Mendes, and her co-star on two films, the late Brittany Murphy - Blanchard eloquently illustrates her rise to stardom and the roles and performances she has given that she is fondest of - GYPSY to BELLA to THE GOOD SHEPHERD and beyond. Additionally, Blanchard clues us in on what we can expect from her multi-episode character arc on ShowtimeÂ’s hit dramedy series THE BIG C and what it was like to play such a unique and unusual character - as well as her feelings on sharing the screen (and the onscreen bedroom) with previous InDepth InterView participants John Benjamin Hickey and Brian dÂ’Arcy James. Plus, Blanchard shares how her new role as a mom has shaped her craft and career as well as future plans post-HOW TO SUCCEED, observations on GLEE and SMASH and much, much more! (more...)

MCC Theater presented the company’s highly anticipated annual gala, Miscast last night, March 26, at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The starry line up of participants included Jonathan Groff (“Glee,” Spring Awakening), Megan Hilty (“Smash,” 9 to 5), Tony® Award-winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Josh Gad (“Modern Family,” The Book of Mormon), Norm Lewis (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess), Jan Maxwell (Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Rory O’Malley (The Book of Mormon), Constantine Maroulis (“American Idol,” Rock of Ages), Nicole Parker (“Mad TV,” a Miscast favorite returning for her 4th time). Check out photo coverage of the arrivals below! (more...)

Check out photos below from the cast during the opening night party! (more...)

The musical Carrie made her return eagerly awaiting return to New York City last night after the show's notoriously short 1988 run on Broadway. This brand new and revised production, now playing at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street), has already extended its run, and will now play performances through April 22, 2012. Check out photos below from the opening night red carpet! (more...)

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever! (more...)

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer! (more...)

MCC Theater is presenting the newly reworked and fully re-imagined production of Carrie, the musical, which features music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford (Academy Award winning composer and lyricist for the original film Fame) and a book by Lawrence D. Cohen (who also adapted the 1974 novel by Stephen King for the 1976 Brian DePalma film). Directed by Stafford Arima, performances for Carrie begin January 31, 2012, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. The official opening night is set for March 1, 2012. Today, the company met the press and BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage below! (more...)

The Hangar Theatre's Pilot Reading Series in NYC continues with In a Little Room , a new play by Pete McElligott. (more...)

The Hangar Theatre's Pilot Reading Series in NYC continues with In a Little Room , a new play by Pete McElligott. (more...)

The Hangar Theatre kicks off its second Pilot Reading Series in NYC with a great new play by Michael Elyanow, directed by the Hangar's Artistic Director, Peter Flynn. (more...)

The Hangar Theatre kicks off its second Pilot Reading Series in NYC with a great new play by Michael Elyanow, directed by the Hangar's Artistic Director, Peter Flynn. (more...)

Singer/actress Nikki Blonsky truly embodies that notion of overnight success. Plucked from obscurity at age 17, then-newcomer Blonsky beat out hundreds of young girls from a nationwide open casting call to land the coveted lead role in the big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical HAIRSPRAY. On July 15-16, she will be slipping back into familiar territory as she joins MEN ALIVE: The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus for their 10th Anniversary Concert "GREASY HAIRSPRAY" at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. (more...)

Tony® Award-winner Gregory Jbara hosted the 3rd annual National High School Musical Theater Awards - "The Jimmy Awards" - last night, June 27th at the Minskoff Theatre. Presenters included Tony® Award-winners Tommy Tune, Harvey Fierstein, Nikki M. James (Book of Mormon) and star of Catch Me If You Can, Aaron Tveit. The awards showcase featured performances by 50 student participants representing 25 professional theaters across America. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below! (more...)

Tony® Award-winner Gregory Jbara will host the 3rd annual National High School Musical Theater Awards - "The Jimmy Awards" - on Monday, June 27th at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). Presenters include Tony® Award-winners Tommy Tune, Harvey Fierstein, Nikki M. James (Book of Mormon) and star of Catch Me If You Can, Aaron Tveit. The awards showcase will feature performances by 50 student participants representing 25 professional theaters across America. (more...)

Tony® Award-winner Gregory Jbara will host the 3rd annual National High School Musical Theater Awards - "The Jimmy Awards" - on Monday, June 27th at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). Presenters include Tony® Award-winners Tommy Tune, Harvey Fierstein, Nikki M. James (Book of Mormon) and star of Catch Me If You Can, Aaron Tveit. The awards showcase will feature performances by 50 student participants representing 25 professional theaters across America. (more...)

According to an audition notice, the musical revival of CARRIE will hold a development lab at MCC from May 25, 2011 through June 7, 2011. Stafford Arima will direct, Matt Williams will choreograph, and Mary Mitchell-Campell will musical direct. (more...)

To celebrate the release of her new book Rock the Audition: How to Prepare For and Get Cast in Rock Musicals (Hal Leonard Books, May 24th) Sheri will performing in concert at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street) on the evening of the book's release - May 24th at 8:00pm. (more...)

Culled from as A-list a list as you are ever likely to acquire - Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Michael Mayer, Theresa Rebeck and Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman onwards - SMASH is the adult answer to riveting dramatic musical entertainment coming with heart, laughs, unforgettable characters and some of the biggest twists this side of the starry stages on the Great White Way. Oh, yeah, and those hallowed Broadway halls, too. Plus, SMASH provides a great new opportunity to showcase the unbelievable talent on display on the stages of Broadway and Off-Broadway and beyond, particularly given the fact that it is shot in New York and it is being cast by the biggest casting director on Broadway, Bernie Telsey. Consider the theatre-centric casting LAW & ORDER times seventy six (trombones). All of New York is the talent pool from which the stage of SMASH shall be set. And, what exactly is SMASH about, anyway? Well, SMASH is all about Broadway and what makes a musical tick - from the very inception of the show's idea by the songwriters, through writing, rehearsals and the road; all the way to the big Broadway opening where dreams are made - and nightmares born - on one magnificent, momentous night. As viewers, we are taken inside the ticking clock of the show and we experience each and every one of the multitude of machinations enacted by everyone from the stars - Marilyn Monroe, and the actress playing her, Ivy; and, more importantly, her alternative, Karen - to the overworked director (Derek), harried songwriters Tom and Julia, and the speculative and cutthroat producer behind it all, Eileen. (more...)

Legends in their own time, ascending to the top ranks of the Hollywood and Broadway songwriting landscape, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman have accomplished and climbed to heights most of what many film fans, Broadway babies and general entertainment junkies only dream of witnessing and ascending to. Marc Shaiman's work with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT prompted Stephen Sondheim - as he told me himself - to cite it as one of the best musicals of the era. And, it is - as is their Tony-winning Best Musical HAIRSPRAY, based on the film by Pope of Trash John Waters. Featuring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah and an all-around-amazing cast of triple-threats, the stunning Craig Zadan/Neil Meron-produced film version of HAIRSPRAY may be the greatest cinematic Shaiman and/or Wittman accomplishment so far. Then, there is CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - one of the snappiest new scores on Broadway in a strangely strong season of original scores - boasting boss Sinatra blues and sizzling Shirelles riffs and everything else that's swingin' in between. Up next for the team - onstage and off - is a stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY directed by Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, in addition to what is perhaps the most exciting prospect on their impossibly cluttered horizon: the new Steven Speilberg/Craig Zadan/Neil Meron musical/comedy/drama series SMASH which has just been picked up for the Fall season on NBC! In this exclusive, extensive and exhaustive conversation we cover it all from HAIRSPRAY to CATCH ME to CHARLIE to all about SMASH and far, far beyond! (more...)

To celebrate the release of her new book Rock the Audition: How to Prepare For and Get Cast in Rock Musicals (Hal Leonard Books, May 24th) Sheri will performing in concert at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street) on the evening of the book's release - May 24th at 8:00pm. (more...)