Wake Up With BWW 1/30: FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME Begins Performances, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Get through hump day with today's top Broadway stories!

First, we learned that Cody Simpson is extending his run in Anastasia through April 14. Check out the Aussie popstar as Dmitry while you still can!

Freestyle Love Supreme officially begins performances in its off-Broadway run tonight! The show is the highly-anticipated return engagement produced by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jenny and Jon Steingart, and Jill Furman. A blend of hip-hop, improvisational theater, music, and vocal stylings, Freestyle Love Supreme was conceived of by Kail, Miranda and Anthony Veneziale. It runs until Sunday, March 3.

Also, we have an exclusive first listen at Gavin Creel singing a song on the Three Points of Contact album by Ryan Scott Oliver. The new conceptual album featuring songs from a musical of the same title will be released in mid-February via Spotify, Apple Music, and all streaming platforms.

Want to learn more about these stories and many more? Keep scrolling for details! Want our morning reports delivered via email? Subscribe here!

1) Review Roundup: The Critics Weigh in on DEAR EVAN HANSEN on the West Coast!
by Review Roundups

'Dear Evan Hansen' is currently playing at the Curran in San Francisco, following its tour stops in Denver, Los Angeles, and Arizona. Let's see what the critics are saying about the recent tour stops.... (more...)

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2) SOFT POWER And More Win 2019 LA Ovation Awards; See The Full Winners List

The 29th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Monday, January 28, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.. (more...)

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3) Cody Simpson Extends in ANASTASIA Through April 14

The producers of Anastasia have announced that Cody Simpson has extended his engagement in the hit musical for eight additional weeks. Simpson made his Broadway debut as "Dmitry" on November 29, 2018 and will continue to star in the Broadway production through April 14, 2019.. (more...)

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4) IFC Center Will Screen COMPANY 1970 Cast Album Documentary, Plus Documentary Now! Spoof

On Tuesday, February 19 (7:30pm) IFC Center will feature a one-time only presentation of director D.A. Pennebaker's 1970 classic Original Cast Album: Company that documents inside the studio recording of the album for the Stephen Sondheim musical Company. The film has become a Broadway cult classic for capturing the pressure cooker environment that culminates with Elaine Stritch undergoing multiple retakes of the song 'The Ladies Who Lunch.' The event will also include a Q&A with Pennebaker and special guests.. (more...)

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5) Exclusive: The Muny Then And Now - Inside The 101st Season Renovations At America's Largest Outdoor Musical Theatre
by Alan Henry

BroadwayWorld has an exclusive, interactive, inside look at renovations at The Muny as the venue gears up for it's 101st season of bringing St. Louis audiences first-class Broadway productions at America's largest outdoor musical theatre!. (more...)

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Today's Call Sheet:

FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME begins performances tonight!

FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is the highly-anticipated return engagement produced by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jenny and Jon Steingart, and Jill Furman.

A blend of hip-hop, improvisational theater, music, and vocal stylings, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME was conceived of by Kail, Miranda and Anthony Veneziale and will have an official press opening on Tuesday, February 12 and run to Sunday, March 3.

Tony Yazbeck presents his Lincoln Center American Songbook Concert tonight!

Lincoln Center's American Songbook kicks off Wednesday, January 30 with a thrilling performance of classic Broadway song and dance numbers by Tony Yazbeck.

This year's 20th concert season also includes performances by Jose Llana, Jenifer Lewis, Martha Plimpton, Nancy And Beth (Megan Mullally/Stephanie Hunt), An Evening with Christine Ebersole directed by Scott Whitman at Alice Tully Hall, and many more.

Erika Henningsen will give a talk on the role of math in MEAN GIRLS with students at MoMath today!

Mean Girls actress Erika Henningsen and more than one hundred middle school students explore the mathematics in Tina Fey's Tony-nominated musical at the National Museum of Mathematics(MoMath).

During this event, Henningsen (who plays Cady Heron), joined by Broadway co-stars Jennifer Simard and Cheech Manohar, will engage in a discussion led by MoMath's Executive Director Cindy Lawrence, about the fascinating role of math in Mean Girls. The group will explore themes, including students' at times adversarial relationship with math and the importance of students showcasing their intelligence without fear of being judged.

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BWW Exclusive: Gavin Creel Sings 'The Last Love Song' on Ryan Scott Oliver's New Album!

Three Points of Contact, a new conceptual album featuring songs from a musical of the same title by Ryan Scott Oliver, will be released in mid-February via Spotify, Apple Music, and all streaming platforms.

Three Points of Contact will feature an impressive line-up of theater stars including (in alphabetical order) Kerstin Anderson, Ben Crawford, Gavin Creel, Katie Rose Clarke, Jenn Colella, Ben Fankhauser, Drew Gehling, Cory Jeacoma, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Taylor Iman Jones, Jo Lampert, Lindsay Mendez, Bonnie Milligan, Eric William Morris, Solea Pfeiffer, Isaac Cole Powell, Ethan Slater, Wesley Taylor, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Ryan Scott Oliver, Emily Rogers, Colton Ryan, Ryan Vasquez, Jessica Vosk, and Daniel Yearwood - with Ian Fairlee, Adam Levy, Mary Claire Miskell, David Park, Bethany Perkins, and Josephine Spada.

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What we're watching: Joey McIntyre & Eddie Jemison Dish on Their WAITRESS Debuts!

Joey McIntyre is set to don the white coat of Dr. Pomatter in Waitress next week (Monday February 4), starring through April 7. Eddie Jemison, who played Ogie in the 2007 film of Waitress, is set to make his Broadway debut in the role beginning on February 11 and playing through April 28. The duo just met the press and we're taking you inside the big day!

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Social Butterfly: BWW Poll: What JAGGED LITTLE PILL Number Are You Most Excited For?

The American Repertory Theater's acclaimed production of Jagged Little Pill is officially transferring to Broadway this fall! With the huge catalogue of Alanis Morissette songs that this show includes, we want to hear which one you're most excited to see portrayed on stage! Let us know in the poll!

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And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Norbert Leo Butz, who turns 52 today!

Norbert Leo Butz is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and is one of only nine actors ever to have won the award twice as lead actor. He most recently starred in the Broadway revival of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center.

Butz' other credits include...LCT: Thou Shalt Not (Tony Award nomination). Broadway: Big Fish, Dead Accounts, Catch Me If You Can (Tony Award), Enron, Speed-the-Plow, Is He Dead?, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony Award), Wicked, Rent. Off-Broadway: The Whirligig, How I Learned to Drive, Fifty Words, Buicks (Drama Desk nomination), Carousel (Carnegie Hall), The Last Five Years (Drama Desk nomination), Juno and the Paycock. Film: Better Living Through Chemistry, The English Teacher, Disconnect, Greetings from Tim Buckley, Higher Ground, Fair Game. TV: "Mercy Street," "Bloodline," "Blue Bloods," "The Good Wife," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order: SVU."

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See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!