News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!

By: Feb. 18, 2020
Wake Up with BroadwayWorld
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan join the cast of FROZEN on Broadway beginning tonight! Kurtz will make her Broadway debut starring as Anna, Renée will star as Elsa, and McCartan will join the cast as Hans.

Want to catch up on the new NBC musical comedy Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist? We've got an exclusive look at the all new episode below!

New casting has been announced for the Los Angeles engagement of Hamilton! The cast will be led by Jamael Westman as Hamilton, Nicholas Christopher as Burr, and will feature Taylor Iman Jones, and more!

Read more about these and other top stories below!

Want our morning reports delivered via email? Subscribe here!

Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image
1) Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image BWW Exclusive: Watch An All New Episode of NBC's New Musical Comedy ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST

If there's a song in your heart, it will get in her head. Jane Levy stars in this high-concept drama as Zoey Clarke, a whip-smart computer coder forging her way in San Francisco. After an unusual event, Zoey, who always preferred podcasts over pop songs, suddenly starts to hear the innermost wants, thoughts and desires of the people around her - her family, co-workers and complete strangers - through popular songs.. (more...)


2) Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image National Asian Artists Project Will Present Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, Starring Ali Ewoldt, Ann Harada, and More!

National Asian Artists Project - NAAP will present Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella a?" In Concert as part of its Rediscover Series which explores classic American musicals, with professional artists of Asian descent, proving that great works of theater speak to all communities. The one night only event will take place on Monday, March 2 at 8PM at The Alvin Ailey Citicorp Theater (405 West 55th Street a?" between 9th & 10th Avenues).. (more...)


3) Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image Jamael Westman, Nicholas Christopher, Taylor Iman Jones and More to Lead the Los Angeles Engagement of HAMILTON

Producer Jeffrey Seller has announced that JAMAEL WESTMAN and NICHOLAS CHRISTOPHER will lead the Los Angeles engagement of HAMILTON as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, respectively.. (more...)


4) Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image VIDEO: WEST SIDE STORY's Cast and Creatives Discuss the Production on 60 MINUTES

The current revival of West Side Story was the subject of a new feature of this Sunday's 60 Minutes.. (more...)


5) Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image Photos: TUCK EVERLASTING Stars Sarah Charles Lewis and Carolee Carmello Reunite at HELLO, DOLLY!

It was a Tuck Everlasting reunion at Hello, Dolly! last night when Sarah Charles Lewis stopped by and posed for photos with Carolee Carmello after the show!. (more...)


Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image
Next up in our "mug shots" series is Max von Essen
(portrait by Walter McBride). Plus visit our merchandise shop
to get your own BWW mug, t-shirt, tote bag and more!

Today's Call Sheet:

Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan join the cast of FROZEN on Broadway beginning tonight!

McKenzie Kurtz will make her Broadway debut starring as Anna, Ciara Renée (Pippin, Big Fish, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) will star as Elsa, and Ryan McCartan (Wicked; Heathers: The Musical; Disney Channel's "Liv & Maddie") will join the cast as Hans.

Current principal cast members Chad Burris (Olaf), Noah J. Ricketts (Kristoff), Robert Creighton (Weselton), Kevin Del Aguila (Oaken), Adam Jepsen (Sven at certain performances), Andrew Pirozzi (Sven at certain performances), and Alyssa Fox (Elsa Standby), along with Anna Rae Haller (Young Elsa at certain performances), Suri Marrero (Young Elsa at certain performances), Fiona Morgan Quinn (Young Anna at certain performances), and Charlie Tassone (Young Anna at certain performances) will continue in their roles. Original ensemble member Lauren Nicole Chapman will take over the Anna Standby role beginning today, Tuesday, February 18.

A SOLDIER'S PLAY will hold a post-show discussion with cast members and the production's military consultant tonight!

Beyond the Uniform: Realizing Military Life Onstage in A Soldier's Play is a special post-show discussion with the production's military consultant, Christopher P. Wolfe (Columbia University, U.S. Military Academy at West Point), moderated by Anna Morton (Roundabout's Literary Manager).


BWW Exclusive: Ben Rimalower's Broken Records with the Great Marilyn Maye!

BroadwayWorld is excited to bring you the newest episode of our first self-produced podcast - Ben Rimalower's Broken Records, The Albums You Wouldn't Shut Up About. On each weekly episode Rimalower and co-host Daniel Nolen chat with guests about one album that they were obsessed with, how they discovered it, what it led them to, where they were in life when it impacted them and how it's stayed with them since.

In this episode, Ben and Daniel talk to cabaret superstar and musical theater actress Marilyn Maye about her 1967 album "Step To The Rear." They also discuss Jerry Herman, "Mame, "Hello, Dolly!", Mel Tormé, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Cook, Tommy Tune, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Billy Stritch, Tedd Firth, Provincetown, The Anchor Inn, Palm Springs, Feinstein's/54 Below, Birdland, and The Art House. Marilyn tells stories from her career as a singer and recording artist, and shares her expertise on how to build a show and sing to an audience. Marilyn has released seven albums and thirty-four singles, and performs all over the country to rooms full of adoring fans. Marilyn also holds the record for the most frequent singer on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, where she appeared a total of seventy-six times.


Set Your DVR...

The cast of Moulin Rouge! The Musical will appear on GOOD MORNING AMERICA!


What we're watching: Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, Lauren Graham & More Guess NBC Theme Songs

Watch Jane Levy, Skylar Astin, Lauren Graham, Alex Newell, Peter Gallagher, Mary Steenburgen, John Clarence Stewart and more try to guess famous NBC show theme songs.


Social Butterfly: Hear 'Washington' A Cut Song from COME FROM AWAY at CUT FROM AWAY At Feinstein's/54 Below

Broadway's Come From Away, now in its third smash hit year, hit the stage for CUT FROM AWAY: THE UNTOLD STORIES & SONGS, a one night only concert event at Feinstein's/54 Below!

CUT FROM AWAY: THE UNTOLD STORIES & SONGS, featured songs by Tony Award nominees and Olivier Award winners Irene Sankoff & David Hein that did not make it to Come From Away's opening night on Broadway.

The evening was hosted by Irene Sankoff & David Hein and featured members of Come From Away's all-star Broadway company, band and creative team.


And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Susan Egan, who turns 50 today!

Wake Up With BWW 2/18: Ciara Renee, McKenzie Kurtz, and Ryan McCartan Join FROZEN, and More!  Image

Susan Egan has made powerful impressions in theatre, film, television and music. She headlined on Broadway as Thoroughly Modern Millie, won critical acclaim as "Sally Bowles" in Cabaret, starred in Triumph of Love and State Fair, and received Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations for "Best Actress" as the original "Belle" in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Regionally, Egan starred alongside Carol Burnett in Putting It Together and Tommy Tune in the national tour of Bye, Bye Birdie, and developed works at Yale Repertory, Baltimore Center Stage, South Coast Repertory, and the Mark Taper Forum.

Her film credits include "13 Going on 30," "Gotta Kick It Up" for the Disney Channel, and many award-winning indies seen at Seattle Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, Slamdance, the HBO Comedy Festival and beyond. Susan has voiced leading characters in the animated features "Hercules" (Meg), "Spirited Away" (Lin), "Porco Rosso" (Gina), "Lady and the Tramp II" (Angel), "Achmed Saves America" (Ginny), and is currently on Cartoon Network's Steven Universe (Rose Quartz). On television, she spent two seasons on the WB's Nikki, and guest-starred on "House," "Numb3rs," "NYPD Blue," "Arli$$," "Drew Carey,"" Great Performances," and countless others.

Susan has headlined with more than 50 symphony orchestras worldwide, including concerts at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl, and has over 40 recording credits including her solo CDs: "All That and More," "So Far," "Winter Tracks," "CoffeeHouse" (Best Vocalist 2004), "Susan Egan LIVE," "The Secret of Happiness," and 2015's "Softly." She is an accomplished master teacher in music performance, obsessive gardener, happy wife, and leader to her daughters' two Girl Scout troops.


See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!







Videos