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Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More!

By: Jul. 24, 2019
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Original Broadway cast members of Dear Evan Hansen, Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park, will play their final performances as Cynthia Murphy and Larry Murphy, respectively, on Sunday, August 4. Beginning Tuesday, August 6, Ivan Hernandez will take over the role of Larry Murphy, and Ann Sanders will temporarily take over the role of Cynthia Murphy (through October 20).

Additional casting has been announced for TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL on Broadway! Along with the previously announced Adrienne Warren in the title role, TINA will star Daniel J. Watts (Hamilton) as Ike, Dawnn Lewis (The Wiz) as Zelma, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Tina Turner (At Some Performances) (Broadway Debut), Myra Lucretia Taylor (Nine) as Gran Georgeanna, and more!

Lifetime revealed that the movie Patsy & Loretta, starring Megan Hilty as music legend Patsy Cline and Tony winner Jessie Mueller as country icon Loretta Lynn, will premiere on Saturday, October 19 at 8/7c!

Pasadena Playhouse has announced preliminary casting for Little Shop of Horrors which comes to the Playhouse September 17 through October 20. George Salazar will play the role of "Seymour Krelborn" alongside MJ Rodriguez in the role of "Audrey" and Amber Riley as "Audrey II." Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Read more about these and other top stories below!

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Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image
1) Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image Ivan Hernandez & Ann Sanders Will Join DEAR EVAN HANSEN on Broadway; Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park Depart in August

BroadwayWorld has just learned that original Broadway cast members of Dear Evan Hansen Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park will play their final performances as Cynthia Murphy and Larry Murphy, respectively, on Sunday, August 4. Beginning Tuesday, August 6, Ivan Hernandez (who made his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn in Chicago in 2015) will take over the role of Larry Murphy, and Ann Sanders will temporarily take over the role of Cynthia Murphy (through October 20).. (more...)

2) Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image Daniel J. Watts, Dawnn Lewis, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Myra Lucretia Taylor & More Join Adrienne Warren in TINA on Broadway

Additional casting has been announced for TINA a?' THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL on Broadway! Along with the previously announced Adrienne Warren in the title role, TINA will star Daniel J. Watts (Hamilton) as Ike, Dawnn Lewis (The Wiz) as Zelma, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Tina Turner (At Some Performances) (Broadway Debut), Myra Lucretia Taylor (Nine) as Gran Georgeanna, Steven Booth (School of Rock), Nick Rashad Burroughs (Kinky Boots), Gerald Caesar (A Bronx Tale), Holli' Conway (Broadway Debut), Kayla Davion (King Kong), Leandra Ellis-Gaston (Broadway Debut), Charlie Franklin (The Book of Mormon), Judith Franklin (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Matthew Griffin (Broadway Debut), Sheldon Henry (The Prom), David Jennings (Once On This Island), Ross Lekites (Frozen), Robert Lenzi (Tuck Everlasting), Gloria Manning (Broadway Debut), Rob Marnell (Beautiful), Mehret Marsh (The Lion King), Jhardon DiShon Milton (A Bronx Tale), Destinee Rea (The Book of Mormon), Mars Rucker (Broadway Debut), Jessica Rush (Dear Evan Hansen), Allysa Shorte (Spongebob Squarepants), Carla Stewart (The Color Purple), Jayden Theophile (Broadw. (more...)

3) Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image PATSY & LORETTA Starring Megan Hilty and Jessie Mueller to Premiere on October 19
by TV News Desk

Lifetime revealed that the movie Patsy & Loretta, starring Megan Hilty as music legend Patsy Cline and Tony winner Jessie Mueller as country icon Loretta Lynn, will premiere on Saturday, October 19 at 8/7c, according to TVLine.. (more...)

4) Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image George Salazar, MJ Rodriguez & Amber Riley Will Star in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Pasadena Playhouse

Pasadena Playhouse announces preliminary casting for Little Shop of Horrors which comes to the Playhouse September 17 through October 20; the press opening is September 25.. (more...)

5) Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image VIDEO: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr. Star in the First Trailer for HARRIET
by Stage Tube

Focus Features has released the first trailer for HARRIET, starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Janelle Monae. Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. . (more...)

Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image
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BWW Exclusive: BWW Interview: Stage and Screen Star Kevin Cahoon Talks Joining Cast of GLOW for Season 3

Kevin Cahoon will co-star on the new season of Glow when it drops August 9th. Cahoon starred on Broadway as Ed the Hyena in The Lion King and went on to be the stand by for John Cameron Mitchell in the original production of Hedwig. He also played George in The Wedding Singer, The Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and was in the revival of The Rocky Horror Show.

On Glow, Cahoon's character is named Bobby Barnes, he portrays drag versions of Liza, Carol Channing, Barbra Streisand, and Evita in his club act. Bobby is loosely based on a real performer, Kenny Kerr, who was a Las Vegas mainstay and his show ran for years. Cahoon took a moment to speak with us about joining the cast of Glow!

Read the full interview here!

Set Your DVR...

Danielle Brooks will appear on LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS tonight!

Sutton Foster will appear on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN tonight!

What we're geeking out over: BEETLEJUICE Celebrates 100 Performances on Broadway!

Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image
Check out more photos here!

This week, the haunted hit Beetlejuice celebrated a milestone when it hit 100 Broadway performances! The show opened on Broadway on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre. See photos of the show's stars, Alex Brightman and Sophia Anne Caruso (and of course, Big Sandy the Sandworm) celebrating!

What we're watching: Jake Gyllenhaal Talks Not Being Nervous for SEA WALL / A LIFE

Jake Gyllenhaal stopped by THE LATE SHOW WITH Stephen Colbert on Monday night to talk about starring in Sea Wall / A Life, which is opening on Broadway this Friday.

During the interview, Colbert asks Gyllenhaal if he is still daunted by going out on stage alone, to which Gyllenhaal replied, "Yes, but it's not as nerve racking as it was before, which is a strange feeling." He continues by saying, "There's the weird feeling when you step out on stage and you're not nervous. And it's not good."

Social Butterfly: Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at THE LION KING

The smash hit musical The Lion King has been showing audiences the circle of life for a remarkable twenty-one years on Broadway, and now the show is giving Business Insider a look backstage at the productions' intricate puppets and set design. Head to the Pridelands with the video!

And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Kristin Chenoweth, who turns 51 today!

Wake Up With BWW 7/24: Ivan Hernandez and Ann Sanders in DEAR EVAN HANSEN, TINA Casting, and More! Image

Kristin Chenoweth's career spans film, television, voiceover and stage. In 2015, Chenoweth received a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, she received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in "Pushing Daisies." In 1999, she won a Tony Award for "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" and she was also nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in "Wicked" in 2004. Chenoweth has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and for a People's Choice Award for her role on "Glee.

In 2015, Chenoweth earned a Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her lead role in the Roundabout Theatre Company's "On the Twentieth Century." She also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Drama League Award. Chenoweth has performed to sold-out audiences across the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. In 2014, she released a CD and DVD of her own live concert performance, "Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home."

Notable television roles include appearances in "The West Wing," Disney's "Descendants" and "The Muppets." In film, Chenoweth voiced the role of Gabi in the hit animated film "Rio 2" and Fifi, Snoopy's beloved French poodle in "The Peanuts Movie." She starred in the indie teen drama entitled "Hard Sell" and additional film credits have included "The Boy Next Door," "Deck the Halls," "Twelve Men of Christmas," "Four Christmases," "RV," "Bewitched," "The Pink Panther," "Hit & Run" and "Family Weekend." She also starred in NBC's "Hairspray Live!" as Velma Von Tussle in December 2016. She was recently seen in the Starz original series "American Gods," where she has reunited with executive producer Bryan Fuller in the role of Easter. Chenoweth voiced the role of Princess Skystar in Lionsgate/Hasbro's "My Little Pony: The Movie," and can also be heard in the animated film "The Star." In addition to her film projects, Chenoweth recently starred in the second season of NBC's hit comedy series "Trial & Error," and received critical acclaim for her performance as Heiress Lavinia Peck-Foster.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!







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