Pat Cerasaro - Page 152

Today we are talking to uniquely compelling composer and lyricist known for her urbane wit and contemporary sensibility, having contributed music and lyrics to the recent Broadway musicals HIGH FIDELITY, BRING IT ON! and HANDS ON A HARD BODY as well as penning many other original musicals and unique standalone songs over the course of her career, Amanda Green. Discussing her famous musical theatre lineage - her father was legendary theatrical icon Adolph Green and her mother is famous actress Phyllis Newman - and sharing stories from her youth, Green sheds some light on her familial profession of choice and details the finer points of her own songwriting process, particularly insofar as it pertains to her two recent major musicals seen in New York. On that note, Green offers the 411 on the creative process in composing both the rap/pop-infused, high-school-set BRING IT ON! alongside collaborators Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as her work with Phish's Trey Anastasio on the down-home country sounds of HANDS ON A HARD BODY. Additionally, Green previews what we can expect from her upcoming Birdland concert, AMANDA GREEN & FRIENDS, and illuminates some of her sparkling previous work which may make its way into the live show. Plus, looks back on her experiences with the screen-to-stage adaptation of HIGH FIDELITY, imparts hilarious anecdotes about writing for Playboy Magazine, reveals her involvement in the currently on-hold DEBBIE DOES DALLAS movie musical, reflects on her first musical revue and album, PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR MOUTH!, as well as drops hints on her next musical project and much, much more!

An entrancing new music video captured during the ongoing world tour in promotion of internationally celebrated soprano Sarah Brightman's new space-themed album DREAMCHASER has arrived, featuring the far-out sounds and onstage wizardry of 'Glosoli'.

FOX's hit musical dramedy series Glee has previously paid elaborate homage to both current reigning queens of pop with famous Lady Gaga 'Born This Way' and Katy Perry 'Teenage Dream' production numbers, among others, but on the first episode back after the Cory Monteith tribute ('The Footballer', Ep 3 of the S5), the gleeks will explore the current chart feud between the music titans by performing hits by both artists in the same episode, with some help from American Idol standout Adam Lambert and THE X FACTOR's Demi Lovato.

The follow-up to LES MISERABLES by composers Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil was eagerly awaited throughout the late 80s, and, on September 20, 1989 the mega-musical finally premiered at the West End's Theatre Royal Drury Lane - and MISS SAIGON, too, was a sensation. Plus, a revival awaits!

Tony Award-winning Broadway performer Karen Olivo recently announced her early retirement from show business and announced new plans to live a life as an artist far away from New York City and the fruits of the triple-threat star's labors are now available to view and purchase via craft retail site Etsy.

Gleeks around the world now have their first chance to hear the complete soundtrack for the first two episodes of the fifth season of the hit FOX musical dramedy series a full week before it returns to TV screens next Thursday!

Irascible, irreplaceable and iconic Broadway legend Elaine Stritch discusses her incredibly deep passion for the theatre as well as offers some particularly surprising revelations as part of a new interview.

A preliminary peek at the stage and screen stars populating the cast of the new indie romantic drama LIKE SUNDAY, LIKE RAIN has leaked, showcasing Green Day frontman and AMERICAN IDIOT composer/star Billie Joe Armstrong as well as recent SMASH leading player and upcoming OUTSIDE MULLINGAR Broadway headliner Debra Messing, among others.

Today we are following up with a previous participant in this column who first made a name for himself on a national level with his appearances on long-running reality competition sensation AMERICAN IDOL before performing to much acclaim on Broadway, Off-Broadway and on tour in a number of varied and impressive roles - Broadway's favorite rocker himself, Constantine Maroulis. Offering up the full 411 on his new gig at The Canal Room, BACK TO THE EIGHTIES SHOW WITH JESSIE'S GIRL as well as reflecting on the music, media and iconography of the era itself, Maroulis paints a vivid picture of why he is the reigning king of rock on the Great White Way and sheds some light on what we can expect from this exciting new series of raucous Saturday night shows. Also, Maroulis discusses his yearlong journey with JEKYLL & HYDE on tour and on Broadway and comments on the road versus the Street, as well as expresses his enthusiasm for a number of prior well-remembered stage appearances, as well - his Tony-nominated turn in ROCK OF AGES, in addition to THE WEDDING SINGER, JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS and beyond. Plus, Maroulis shares an update on his starring role in the ever-developing THE TOXIC AVENGER and also provides some insight into a few roles he is considering taking on in the future, near and far. All of that and much, much more in this brand new conversation with an old favorite.

A simply stunning new rendition of The Beatles classic 'Yesterday' has at last leaked from the forthcoming Glee Beatles tribute episode and its accompanying Glee SINGS THE BEATLES soundtrack, acting as the titanically emotional introductory song for Lea Michele's character, Rachel Berry, on the fifth season premiere of the show.

Long-running Broadway and West End mainstay WICKED celebrates its tenth anniversary with a seven-day cruise kicking off this November and the preliminary itinerary for the trip is now available to peruse on the official website.

A source exclusively confirms to BroadwayWorld that a new bio-musical based on the life of iconic stage and screen star Richard Burton is set to hit the West End in 2015.

Popular Tony Award-winning performer Alice Ripley returns to 54 Below this week for a new retrospective solo show titled RIPLEY REFLECTS and it has been confirmed that the show will be recorded live and fast-tracked for a CD and digital download release this November.

Two notable theatrical luminaries set their sights on the stage of 54 Below for SIN TWISTERS, a new evening of story and song set to play this October at the cabaret hotspot.

SpectiCast and Broadway Worldwide spearhead the new Direct From Broadway film series, set to feature a handful of terrific filmed Broadway productions in movie theaters nationwide beginning this October.

A brand new Blu-ray edition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's mega-successful long-running musical based on the poems of T.S. Eliot, CATS, is now available in an all-region Ultimate Edition release.

Librettist Richard Thomas discusses the controversial new modern opera ANNA NICOLE, based on the popular model and Reality Show star, as well as his buzz-worthy opera adaptation of JERRY SPRINGER in an expansive new interview with OUT's Jerry Portwood.

News broke earlier this week that young internet sensation Sophia Grace Brownlee had been replaced in the role of Little Red Riding Hood in director Rob Marshall's forthcoming big screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's fairy tale-themed musical INTO THE WOODS, now to be played by ANNIE revival star Lilla Crawford, and Brownlee's father has now addressed the situation and clarified the circumstances that led to her departure from the highly anticipated project via social media.

Actor/director and noted August Wilson interpreter Ruben Santiago-Hudson directs a revival staging of Wilson's JITNEY tonight as part of a live webcast series presenting the ten 20th century cycle plays by the two-time Pulitzer-winner, following successful presentations of Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM and FENCES last month as well as JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE and THE PIANO LESSON so far this month.

HBO's spectacularly successful biopic tracing the later life of piano superstar Liberace, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, is set to arrive on DVD and Blu-ray today, September 17, 2013.