Wake Up With BWW 1/23: GRAND HORIZONS Officially Opens Tonight, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

Grand Horizons officially opens on Broadway tonight! Grand Horizons will play a strictly limited 10-week engagement at The Hayes Theater. Directed by Leigh Silverman, Grand Horizons stars Jane Alexander (Nancy), James Cromwell (Bill), Priscilla Lopez (Carla), Ben McKenzie (Ben), Maulik Pancholy (Tommy), Ashley Park (Jess), and Michael Urie (Brian).

Casting has been announced for MCP's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! The full cast, which stars the previously announced Noah Galvin as Joseph, as well as Eden Espinosa, Alex Newell, and Jessica Vosk as the Narrators, also includes Andy Karl, Orfeh, Gavin Lee, Brooks Ashmanskas, Bonnie Milligan, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and more!

Andy Karl and Orfeh's Legally Bound returns to Feinstein's/54 Below beginning tonight! Fresh off their run in Pretty Woman as Kit De Luca and Edward Lewis, the couple celebrates the release of their album with a return engagement of their hit show Legally Bound. The duo will perform an eclectic mix of pop, rock, rhythm and blues, and show tunes that is sure to excite and delight!

Read more about these and other top stories below!

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1) Breaking: Andy Karl, Orfeh, Gavin Lee, Brooks Ashmanskas, and More Join MCP's JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

The complete cast has been announced for Manhattan Concert Productions' 50th Anniversary Celebration of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center on February 17, 2020 at 8:00 pm. They join Michael Arden (Stage Director) and Stephen Oremus (Music Director) in leading this one-night-only performance, featuring a chorus of over 300 singers from across the United States, professional cast and creative team, and the New York City Chamber Orchestra.. (more...)

2) Mandy Gonzalez Reveals She is Fighting Breast Cancer

Mandy Gonzalez has revealed that she is fighting breast cancer, according to an exclusive interview with People.. (more...)

3) Get A First Look At Alexandra Billings In Costume As Madame Morrible In WICKED

Alexandra Billings became the first transgender actress to step into the role of Madame Morrible in Wicked, making her official debut on January 20th!. (more...)

4) BWW Contest: Win Tickets To See Patina Miller at Town Hall in NYC!
by BWW Contests

Get ready because we're giving you a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Tony nominee Patina Miller in concert with Seth Rudetsky! The winner will receive two tickets to the concert on February 3, 2020 at The Town Hall in New York. The contest will run now through January 27th at 11:59PM EST, so make sure to enter for your chance to win TODAY!. (more...)

5) Rachel Tucker Will Join Cast of COME FROM AWAY as Beverly Bass

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Rachel Tucker will return to Broadway this spring in Come From Away as Beverly Bass- a role she currently plays in the London production. Rachel will join the company on March 3, 2020.. (more...)

Today's Call Sheet:

Grand Horizons officially opens on Broadway tonight!

Grand Horizons will play a strictly limited 10-week engagement at The Hayes Theater.

Directed by Leigh Silverman, Grand Horizons stars Jane Alexander (Nancy), James Cromwell (Bill), Priscilla Lopez (Carla), Ben McKenzie (Ben), Maulik Pancholy (Tommy), Ashley Park (Jess), and Michael Urie (Brian).

Andy Karl and Orfeh's Legally Bound returns to Feinstein's/54 Below beginning tonight!

Fresh off their run in Pretty Woman as Kit De Luca and Edward Lewis, the couple celebrates the release of their album with a return engagement of their hit show Legally Bound. The duo will perform an eclectic mix of pop, rock, rhythm and blues, and show tunes that is sure to excite and delight!

BWW Exclusive: Eden Espinosa Sings Holding to the Ground at Tuesdays at 54

BroadwayWorld has an exclusive video from this week's Tuesdays at 54 Below, created and hosted by Robbie Rozelle! In the clip, watch as Eden Espinosa sings "Holding to the Ground" from Falsettos, accompanied by Luke Williams on the piano.

Set Your DVR...

Ali Stroker will appear on TODAY!

What we're geeking out over: Listen to the Song Lin-Manuel Miranda Created for STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER!

Disney Music has shared a video from the most recent Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker, which features a song that Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote for the film. The clip shows the the Aki Aki's of the planet Pasaana singing Miranda's song "Lido Hey" for the celebration scene in the film.

What we're watching: Hangin' with Broadway's New Evan Hansen, Jordan Fisher!

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, a new Evan Hansen has been found in Jordan Fisher. The recording artist and actor will return to Broadway, joining the cast of the Tony Award- winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, playing the title role for a limited 16-week engagement, beginning Tuesday, January 28.

Watch as he chats with Richard Ridge about how Rent: Live led him to get the gig, why he can't wait to get back on Broadway, and so much more!

And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Chita Rivera, who turns 87 today!

Most recently on Broadway, in 2015, Chita starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by J.H. Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas.

Chita Rivera trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and became the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. In November 2016, she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!