Wake Up With BWW 2/5: THE BAND'S VISIT Closing, NBC Pulls HAIR LIVE!, and More!
By: Stephi Wild Feb. 05, 2019
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Catch up on the latest Broadway news below!
First, Broadway is sadly saying goodbye to Bet Hatikva when The Band's Visit plays its final performance this April. Upon closing, the production will have played 589 regular and 36 preview performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
In more exciting news, full casting has been announced for The Scarlet Pimpernel at Lincoln Center. New cast members announced include Alex Newell, who joins previously announced Laura Osnes, Corey Cott, Tony Yazbeck, and more!
We also learned that NBC has pulled Hair Live! from its schedule. The network plans to replace it with a different live musical event in the future.
Will Lucie Jones be Broadway's next Jenna in Waitress? It looks like that may be the cast, although no official announcement has been made as of now!
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1) 
THE BAND'S VISIT Will Close on Broadway this April
The 10-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical The Band's Visit will play its final performance on Broadway on Sunday, April 7, 2019. Upon closing, the production will have played 589 regular and 36 preview performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 W 47th Street).. (more...)
2) 
Alex Newell and More Join THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL at Lincoln Center
Complete casting and creative team has been announced for Manhattan Concert Productions' concert performance of Tony Award-nominated musical The Scarlet Pimpernel, on February 18, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center. Gabriel Barre (Stage Director) and Jason Howland (Music Director) reunite to lead the cast and creative team in this concert performance of The Scarlet Pimpernel. The Broadway Series is an unparalleled rehearsal and performance experience that brings students, industry professionals and the New York City Chamber Orchestra together in a full-concert performance at a legendary venue.. (more...)
3) 
Chicago's Paramount Season to Include World Premiere New Musical THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS
Today, Aurora's Paramount Theatre announced four musicals on tap for the company's ninth Broadway Series.. (more...)
4) 
HAIR LIVE! Pulled From NBC Schedule
by BWW News Desk
NBC's next live musical "Hair Live!," has been pulled from the schedule of the network's upcoming projects.. (more...)
5) 
Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with Kelli O'Hara, Will Chase and the Cast of KISS ME, KATE!
Get an inside look at rehearsals for Roundabout Theatre Company's production of KISS ME, KATE, featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Warren Carlyle with music direction by Paul Gemignani.. (more...)
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BWW Exclusive: THE PROM Cast Brings All That Zazz to Broadway Sessions!
The cast of The Prom kick ball changed their way to Broadway Sessions recently and brought all the "Zazz"! Cast members Becca Lee, Mary Antonini, Teddy Toye, Joomin Hwang, Jack Sippel, Brittany Zeinstra, Gabi Campo, Courtney Balan, Vasthy Mompoint, Fernell Hogan, Kate Marilley, Jerusha Cavazos and more. Enjoy these highlights from our amazing Prom night along with performances by our Rising Star Lauren Gunn and open mice's Kyle Yampiro and Swedish songbird Ida Tobiasson.
What we're geeking out over: Will WAITRESS Welcome Lucie Jones as Next Jenna?
BroadwayWorld has just learned that UK star Lucie Jones will soon join the cast of Waitress on Broadway as Jenna. An official announcement has not yet been made.
Jones first came to prominence while competing on series 6 of The X Factor UK in 2009, where she finished eighth. She represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song "Never Give Up on You", finishing with 111 points in 15th place, the country's best result since 2011.
In May 2010, Jones was signed by Cameron Mackintosh to play Cosette in the West End production of Les Misérables. Jones also played the role of Victoria in the musical American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre in December 2013. In April 2015, Jones played the role of Emma in the showcase performance of Like Me, at The Waterloo East Theatre. In March 2015, she was cast as Molly in the Chinese tour of Ghost the Musical. In April 2016, she played the lead role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at Curve Leicester. In 2016, she was cast as Maureen Johnson in the UK tour of Rent.
What we're watching: Get A First Look At MY VERY OWN BRITISH INVASION at Paper Mill Playhouse
BroadwayWorld has a first look at Paper Mill Playhouse's world premiere of My Very Own British Invasion with book by Tony award-winner Rick Elice (Peter and the Starcatcher). My Very Own British Invasion is produced in association with Hal Luftig, Craig Haffner and Rodney Rigby. My Very Own British Invasion will continue through Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ).
Directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Paper Mill's Half Time), and with music direction by Lon Hoyt (On Your Feet!), the principal cast will feature newcomer Jonny Amies as Peter, Bryan Fenkart (Waitress) as John, Erika Olson(Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Pamela, Kyle Taylor Parker (Kinky Boots) as Gino, Conor Ryan (Desperate Measures) as Trip, John Sanders (Groundhog Day) as Fallon, and Daniel Stewart Sherman (Kinky Boots) as The Hammer. They will be joined by Travis Artz, Gemma Baird, John Campione, Emma Degerstedt, Trista Dollison, Jay Donnell,Graham Scott Fleming, Douglas Goodhart, Cory Jeacoma, Sage Melcher, Jen Perry, and Daniel Yearwood.
This world-premiere musical tells a fable of young love, set against the backdrop of the exploding 1960s music scene - when England launched the little dustup that became known as the British Invasion. Based on the experiences of Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, who was just a teenager willing to sacrifice international stardom for the sake of girl he loves, the show features more than two dozen chart-topping hits from all the best British bands of the era.
Social Butterfly: HELLO DOLLY's Garett Hawe Takes Over BroadwayWorld's Instagram!
Holy cabooses! This past weekend, Garett Hawe, who plays Ambrose Kemper on the national tour of Hello, Dolly!, took us behind the scenes at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre as he took over the BroadwayWorld Instagram Story! In case you missed it (or just want to relive all the fun again), check out the clips from Garett's two-show day!
And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Darren Criss, who turns 31 today!
Darren Criss is an American actor, singer and songwriter. One of the founding members and co-owners of StarKid Productions, a musical theater company based in Chicago, Criss first garnered attention playing the lead role of Harry Potter in, and writing most of the music and lyrics for, StarKid's musical production of A Very Potter Musical. The theater troupe made Billboard history when their original album, Me and My Dick, became the first charting student-produced musical recording, debuting at number eleven on the Top Cast Albums chart in 2010. Criss has also starred on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In 2015, Criss co-founded Elsie Fest which is touted as "New York City's first outdoor music festival celebrating tunes from the stage and screen."
Criss is best known for his portrayal of Blaine Anderson on the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. In March 2017, Criss debuted his indie pop band Computer Games along with his brother Chuck Criss. Their first album, Lost Boys Life EP features 4 songs written by the duo. In December 2017, Criss released a 5-track solo EP titled Homework.
In addition to his music endeavors, Criss stars in Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story, The Assassination of Gianni Versace. His performance as serial killer Andrew Cunanan received acclaim from critics, as well as award attention. Other feature credits include the feature film comedy Girl Most Likely, American Horror Story, Web Therapy, and Eastwick.
See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!
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