Regional Roundup: Top 10 Stories This Week Around the Broadway World - 12/25; Broadway-Bound BRIGHT STAR and THE GREAT COMET, WEST SIDE STORY and More!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Washington DC, Boston, Sydney, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include BRIGHT STAR and WEST SIDE STORY in DC, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET in Boston, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC in Sydney, just to name a few.

East/Northeast

1. Washington, DC: Editor Jennifer Perry reviews Broadway-bound BRIGHT STAR at the Kennedy Center. She says, "An extremely solid cast - led by Carmen Cusack in a role that should put her in Tony Award nomination contention - is among the musical's strongest assets, but so is the sweet story, and the folk-country music that's consistently pleasing to the ear." Read more here.

2. Washington, DC: Editor Pamela Roberts reviews WEST SIDE STORY at Signature Theatre. She says, "Natascia Diaz brings power, verve and sass to the role of Anita, both foil and guide to Maria. While America is the better-known song and is infectious fun, it is the much darkerA Boy Like That which showcases Diaz's command and intensity. As the feud between the Sharks and Jets unspools, Diaz is carefully measured and hauntingly tragic in Anita's trip to the drug store to warn Tony." Read more here.

3. Boston, MA: Editor Jan Nargi reviews Broadway-bound NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 at A.R.T. She says, "NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 captures all of the camaraderie, danger, existential angst, and romantic intensity of a people who dare to celebrate life while threatened by the uncertainty of war. Given the epic nature of the story, performances are scaled accordingly. Benton makes Natasha's untimely loss of innocence positively heart-wrenching, while Stangland makes Pierre's hatred of himself both tragic and pitiable. Ashford reveals a fierce loyalty borne of love beneath Sonya's sisterly friendship with Natasha, and Cooper slithers like the snake in the Garden of Eden as the temptress Hélène. Belton shows that the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree first as the repugnant Bolkonsky and later as his unforgiving son Andrey. Steele is swagger personified as the preening cad Anatole." Read more here.

4. Rhode Island: Editor Veronica Bruscini reviews Festival Ballet Providence's "superior" THE NUTCRACKER. She says, "Giles breathes real life into the wizard-like Drosselmeyer. He manifests as much buoyant Christmas spirit as the children and is as delighted to share his ingenious clockwork creations as the youngsters are to watch them. He good-naturedly endures the Silberhaus' attempts to introduce him to eligible ladies at the party, then quietly sneaks off to instigate the boys' mischievous raid on the girls' dances. And still, Giles retains a touch of mysteriousness about him as he stays slightly aloof and ready to cast a spell on the Silberhaus' guests, young and old." Read more here.

Midwest

5. St. Louis, MO: Editor Chris Gibson reviews Stray Dog Theatre's DEVIL BOYS FROM BEYOND. He says, "Gary Bell's direction is splendid, mining this crazy work for all its comedic nuggets, while remaining true to the tropes of the B movies it parodies. Justin Been's scenic design keeps things simple, but effective, and features a coolly rendered billboard backdrop. Tyler Duenow, once again, provides a clever lighting scheme that somehow captures all the madness occurring on stage. Eileen Engel's costume designs feature nice throwbacks to the era, as well as some bizarre outfits that are a riot on their own." Read more here.

South/Southeast

6. Austin, TX: Editor Frank Benge reviews DEBBIE DOES DALLAS: THE MUSICAL at The Salvage Vanguard Theater. He says, "Director Michael McKelvey knows exactly what this show is and how to stage is. The pacing is fast and the energy is high. This results in some wonderful laugh out loud moments. This cast walks it right up to the edge again and again and handles this like the theatrical soufflé it is. And they ALL know how to work a bit. I could go into detail, but I hate spoilers as much as the next person. And this show has a couple of inspired doozies." Read more here.

West

7. Los Angeles, CA: Editor Don Grigware reviews BEN VEREEN at Catalina Jazz Club. He says, "The opening medley was, of course, rousing songs from PIPPIN, including Vereen's signature "Magic to Do"& "Corner of the Sky", followed by "Aquarius" and "Hair" from HAIR, and "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. What followed was a simply beautiful Charles Aznavour tune. "I Didn't See the Time Go By" is by far one of the more gorgeously plaintive statements about living amidst the all too fast passage of time. From WICKED there was "Defying Gravity". I almost expected Vereen to take flight here, for he churned up so much raw energy and emotion, pacing back and forth across the entire stage several times." Read more here.

8. Phoenix, AZ: Editor Herbert Paine reviews IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY at Arizona Broadway Theatre. He says, "Shawver and company are fun to watch as they switch between multiple roles, affecting different voices and personalities, and casually scattering the pages of their scripts after they're read. At different moments, though, I closed my eyes, simply to capture the experience of the broadcast sans visuals, to reclaim the purity of the radio experience. It worked, and it's worth doing at the very least to appreciate the cast's effectiveness in capturing the moments of George's rise and fall and reclamation and even in drawing forth a tear or two or more." Read more here.

International

9. Sydney, Australia: Editor Jade Kops reviews THE SOUND OF MUSIC at the Capitol Theatre. She says, "The London Palladium production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Frost, David Ian and The Really Useful Group, has come to delight Australia, starting in Sydney. The iconic Richard Rogers andOscar Hammerstein II musical has been given a new life in this beautiful production, filled with stunning visuals and outstanding voices. The thunderous applause and post show buzz proves that this heartwarming story that made its Broadway debut 56 years ago (the movie premiered 50 years ago) is still relevant and is truly timeless." Read more here.

National Tour Highlight:

10. Washington, DC Editor Charles Shubow reviews MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Kennedy Center Opera House. He says, "Here Matilda is a five year old girl who is made fun of by her parents because she likes to read. The role is shared by three: Mabel Tyler (who performed when I attended), Tori Feinstein, and Gabrielle Gutierrez. Tyler shined in the leading role and could have a huge future ahead of her on Broadway. What a talent." Read more here.

*BONUS* - Last week to vote for the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards in the following regions:

Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boise, Boston, Buffalo, Cabaret, Central Pennsylvania, Charlotte, Chicago,Cleveland,Columbus, Connecticut, Dallas, Delaware, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Long Island, Los Angeles, Louisville, Madison, Maine, Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando,Philadelphia, Philippines, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh,Rhode Island, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Sioux Falls, South Africa, South Bend, South Carolina,Spain, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Toronto, UK / West End, Vermont, Washington, DC, West Virginia, and Wichita, Good luck to all the nominees!

Want to join our growing team? We have positions available in several U.S. regions and International countries! Contact christina@broadwayworld.com for more information!