WAKE UP with BWW 7/9/14 - PIPPIN Hits 500, LET IT BE Back in London and More!
By: Jessica Showers Jul. 09, 2014
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: PIPPIN celebrates its 500th performance on the Great White Way, LET IT BE lands back in the West End and more!
Next up in our series of Broadway stars introducing BWW's morning feature is Tony nominee Billy Magnussen (portrait by Walter McBride), who was last seen on Broadway in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and is currently starring in Second Stage's Sex with Strangers. He will soon appear in the Into the Woods big screen adaptation as 'Rapunzel's Prince'. Imagine him sweeping you off your feet as he pours you some coffee and recites today's news!
Photo by Walter McBride
TODAY'S TOP ITEMS:
- The companies of Encores! PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES (opening next week!) and PHOENIX (more here) meet the press today, so check back later for photos!
- Plus, PIPPIN marks 500 performances on Broadway, and BWW will be there for the festivities.
- LET IT BE returns to the West End tonight!
- The cast of HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME performs today on GOOD DAY NEW YORK...
- And Karen Mason stars in an industry reading of A WOMAN ON TOP, inspired by Hillary Clinton.
NEWS YOU MISSED YESTERDAY:
- Earl Carpenter will play 'Javert' in Broadway's LES MISERABLES while Will Swenson takes a hiatus, beginning next month...
- CABARET's Alan Cumming unveiled his Sardi's portrait yesterday. We'll have full coverage for you today!
- Barrett Wilbert Weed has left the cast of off-Broadway's HEATHERS, with Charissa Hogeland taking over in the leading role of 'Veronica' immediately...
- Idina Menzel will perform the National Anthem and give a free concert at the MLB All-Star Game next week.
- We got a first official look behind the scenes of A.R.T's FINDING NEVERLAND...
- Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary Fire Island Dance Festival later this month.
- THE NORMAL HEART DVD and Blu-ray will hit the shelves at the end of next month. Pre-order now!
- This year's National Critics Institute is underway at the O'Neill Center, with Chris Jones, Michael Riedel, Linda Winer and more on the staff...
- And finally, some great West End news -- the Old Vic has extended A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with Gillian Anderson; the RSC announced casting for its World Premiere play THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE!
Broadway Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy with a high of 85 degrees.
Quote of the Day: In honor of LET IT BE's return to the West End, here are some inspiring words from John Lennon on everything from teamwork to love...
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."
-- John Lennon (via Goodreads)
What we're looking forward to watching: The 50th anniversary edition of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, starring Lesley Ann Warren. The 1965 telecast will be out on DVD this fall!
Video of the Day: Barbara Walsh stars in CARRIE: THE MUSICAL, beginning tonight at Studio 2ndStage in Washington, D.C. In light of the show's opening, flash back to Walsh performing a selection from FALSETTOS (slightly different fare from the horror of Carrie's mother -- but check out Walsh's range!)...
And finally, a Happy Birthday shout-out to Tom Hanks, who turns 59 today!
Hanks made his Broadway debut last year in Nora Ephron's LUCKY GUY; his performance garnered him Tony and Drama Desk nominations and won a 2013 Theatre World Award. Hanks' upcoming projects include A Hologram for the King, The Lost Symbol and Ithaca. He last appeared on the big screen in Saving Mr. Banks, Captain Phillips and Cloud Atlas. The Academy Award winner is best known for his roles in Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, You've Got Mail, The Green Mile, Cast Away and the Toy Story films.
Photo by Walter McBride
See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!
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