BWW Morning Brief December 18th, 2017: MAN OF LA MANCHA Concert, Barbara Cook Tribute, and More

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1) Meet the Royal Company of FARINELLI AND THE KING, Opening Tonight on Broadway
by Meet the Cast - December 17, 2017

The critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Globe production of Farinelli and the King, starring three-time Tony Award-winner (Twelfth Night, Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) and Academy Award-winner (Bridge of Spies) Mark Rylance, opens tonight, December 17, 2017 at Broadway's Belasco Theatre (111 West 44th Street). The production plays a strictly limited engagement for 16 weeks only through Sunday, March 25, 2018. Scroll down to learn more about the company, plus watch a trailer for the show!. (more...)

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2) Photo Coverage: Megan Hilty Reunites with the New York Pops for THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
by Genevieve Rafter Keddy - December 17, 2017

Megan Hilty reunited with The New York Pops and Music Director and conductor Steven Reineke for two festive, holiday-inspired concerts entitled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. BroadwayWorld attended the event and you can check out photo coverage here!. (more...)

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3) VIDEO: Scarlett Johansson Returns as Ivanka Trump in SNL Tree Trimming Cold Open
by Stage Tube - December 17, 2017

Saturday Night Live continues the trend of political cold opens with last night's episode, featuring the return of Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka Trump. In this sketch, Donald (Alec Baldwin), Melania (Cecily Strong), Ivanka (Scarlett Johansson), Donald Jr. (Mikey Day) and Eric Trump (Alex Moffat) trim the tree with help from Kellyanne Conway (Kate McKinnon), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant), Mike Pence (Beck Bennett) and more. The group adorns their tree with the faces of political 'haters and losers.'. (more...)

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4) Councilman Ulrich To Announce New Partnership Providing Veterans Admission To Broadway Shows At No Cost
by BWW News Desk - December 17, 2017

Councilman Eric Ulrich, Chair of the Veterans Committee, has partnered with TDF (Theatre Development Fund) to launch a new pilot program, TDF Veterans Theatregoing Program, which will provide admission, at no cost, to New York City's former servicemen and women of all ages who have served in any branch of the armed forces. Thanks to funding from Ulrich, TDF will offer a limited number of free tickets to Broadway shows, which will be distributed through partnering veteran groups.. (more...)

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5) PHOTOS: Original CRUEL INTENTIONS Film Star Sarah Michelle Gellar Attends the Musical
by Stephanie Wild - December 17, 2017

Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Kathryn Merteuil in the original 1999 Cruel Intentions film, was in the audience of the off-Broadway musical on Saturday night. After the show, Gellar met and took photos with the cast. Check out her Instagram post here!. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

-John Cariani, Jason Danieley, Santino Fontana, Marc Kudisch, Julia Murney, Bryce Pinkham and more perform in Transport Group's MAN OF LA MANCHA concert tonight!

-Audra McDonald, Kelli O'Hara, Norm Lewis and more pay tribute to Barbara Cook tonight at the Vivian Beaumont Theater!

-Michael Feinstein returns to Feinstein's/54 Below with new holiday show CHRISTMAS CROONERS, beginning performances tonight!

-Reed Birney, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Martha Plimpton and more star in Project Shaw's A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, playing off-Broadway for one performance only tonight!

-National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene's Gala honors Jerry Zaks tonight, featuring Terrence Mann, Douglas Sills, Victor Garber, David Hyde Pierce, Gavin Creel, and more!

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BWW Exclusive: Check out our exclusive video with the cast of A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! as they answer what their favorite childhood Christmas gifts have been!

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What we're geeking out over: Watch the Hugh Jackman-led GREATEST SHOWMAN live commercial that aired during A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! last night.

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What we're listening to: The original soundtrack for A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE!, with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is available today!

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Social Butterfly: Read our live tweets from A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE last night on BroadwayWorld's official Twitter -- and maybe watch it again as you do!

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!