Wake Up With BroadwayWorld October 31st, 2023

Happy Halloween, BroadwayWorld! It is October 31, 2023 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours: 

But first...

Words From The Wings: John Behlmann of SHUCKED Shares Backstage Moments, Must-Haves, and More!
by Stephi Wild
BroadwayWorld is bringing you Words From the Wings, a new series of interviews that take fans behind the scenes of some of their favorite Broadway stars' backstage routines! Today we're chatting with John Behlmann of Shucked the Musical. John told us all about his favorite backstage moments, routines and more!

Ato Blankson-Wood to Star as 'Cliff' in CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB on Broadway
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Tony Award nominee Ato Blankson-Wood will play ‘Cliff’ opposite Academy Award and Tony Award winner Eddie Redmayne as ‘The Emcee’ and Gayle Rankin as the toast of Mayfair ‘Sally Bowles,’ in the visionary new production of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club at the August Wilson Theatre. (more...) 

 BEETLEJUICE North American Tour Recoups After Only 37 Weeks On The Road
by Stephi Wild
The North American Tour of the smash hit musical BEETLEJUICE recouped its initial investment during the recent Denver engagement, and after only 37 weeks on the road. . (more...)

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Becomes Longest Running Production Ever at the Lyric Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz
With over 1,550 performances, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has become the longest running production ever in the history of the Lyric Theatre since it first opened 25 years ago as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts.. (more...) 

Actors Strike Deal in 'Final Stretch'; Negotiations to Halt For Today
by Stephi Wild
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP in the wake of the actors strike are reaching the 'final stretch'. However, a deal will not be reached today, as the direct talks between the two parties will halt for today, Monday, October 30.. (more...)

Video: Get a First Look at the Teaser Trailer for CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB on Broadway
by Chloe Rabinowitz
Get a first look at Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin in the teaser trailer for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club on Broadway.. (more...)

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly’s Last Jam, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Shuffle Along. In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the prestigious Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his Charitable work with The Actors Fund. That same year Stokes was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

An extremely versatile and in-demand singer, Stokes has performed at venues spanning jazz, opera, pops, country, and musical theater worlds. He has worked with John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, Gustavo Dudamel, Keith Lockhart, Michael Tilson Thomas, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Big Band, The Mormon Tabernacle choir and the Muppets. Stokes has made multiple appearances at Carnegie Hall beginning with his debut with the San Francisco Symphony through his televised performance in South Pacific opposite Reba McEntire to his sold-out solo concert, which he continues to perform throughout the U.S. He has been invited twice to perform at the White House (both times aired on PBS’s “Great Performances”) and has performed multiple times for Presidents Clinton and Obama.
​Stokes has delved deeply into various music disciplines. In addition to singing he began piano studies at the age of 6. A self-professed autodidact, his musical curiosity lead him to teach himself composing, arranging and orchestration, starting in his teens. He later studied, Film scoring, orchestration, and conducting both privately and through UCLA and subsequently scored and conducted a number of “Trapper John, MD” episodes, a series on which he was also a regular cast member. His musical talent has extended to the present day as producer, arranger and orchestrator on his three solo albums including his last recording, “Simply Broadway” and his upcoming recording “Plays With Music”, which is slated to be released this Fall. Stokes has appeared on more than 20 albums.

​His extensive screen credits began with a guest starring role on “Roots:The next Generations”, followed by a 7-year stint on Trapper John, MD and have continued with memorable appearances on everything from PBS’ Great Performances to The Fresh Prince, Frasier, Glee, Jumping the Broom and his most recent recurring roles on Madam Secretary, Mr. Robot, The Path, Billions and The Good Fight. Other recent TV appearances include The Blacklist, Elementary, and Bull. As a voice-over artist he has played dozens of characters on animated TV episodes including performing “Through Heaven’s Eyes” in Dreamwork’s “The Prince of Egypt."

As a writer Stokes has contributed to the book Hirschfeld’s Harlem, wrote the preface to At This Theatre, and co-authored the children’s book Lights on Broadway.
For fun he has been known to fly planes and jump out of them (usually not at the same time), and he can ride a bicycle on a high wire.

Stokes has enjoyed working with numerous charitable organizations from the March of Dimes to the USO. He is on the board of Americans For the Arts and is serving his 14th term as Chairman of the Board of the Actors Fund.

Other birthdays on this date include:

Adam Schlesinger
Eddie kaye Thomas
K.T. Sullivan
 

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!