Peter James Zielinski - Page 15

BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to join the fun yesterday Thursday July 23rd, 2009 as WICKED, Mary Poppins, Vanities and ROCK OF AGES sang for the crowds!

Tony nominees Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Les Miserables), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Spelling Bee), Michael Rupert (Falsettos, Legally Blonde), Stephen Bogardus (Love! Valour! Compassion!) and Laura Osnes (South Pacific) among many other artists joined together for 'Broadway Stands up for Freedom!,' a benefit concert to support the youth programs of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner presented a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Hollywood royalty Steven Spielberg and Billy Crystal visited backstage with stars Matt Cavenaugh, Josefina Scaglione, Tony Award winner Karen Olivo, Cody Green, George Akram, Curtis Holbrook, and the entire cast of Broadway's WEST SIDE STORY after catching the show last night, Tuesday July 14th.

Buck Henry and Holland Taylor star in Lisa Ebersole's new Off-Broadway play MOTHER, receiving its world-premiere production, previews began July 8th, prior to its official press opening tonight, July 15th at The Wild Project Theater (195 East 3rd Street) in Manhattan. Andrew Grosso (PERFECT HARMONY) directs.

SHREK THE MUSICAL star and 2009 Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James helped New Yorkers kick off a massive week-long volunteer effort in honor of Mandela Day, Mr. Mandela's 91st birthday celebration, with a reading of 'Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales' for over 100 children ages 5-9 from the Harlem School of the Arts at Washington Square Park on Monday, July 13th.

By popular and critical demand the acclaimed 'The Temperamentals' by Jon Marans, has now extend the engagement for the summer through August 23rd. The hit show welcomed backstage Joan Rivers and Tovah Feldshuh after a recent performance and BroadwayWorld.com was there!

The best of Broadway is FREE on six consecutive Thursdays this summer with '106.7 Lite fm Presents Broadway in Bryant Park 2009' - a lunchtime series that kicked off on Thursday July 9th at 12:30PM on the Bryant Park Stage. The series, sponsored by Bank of America and State Farm, features live performances excerpted from big-name on- and off-Broadway shows for open-air enjoyment during lunch hour. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to celebrate the launch!

Just weeks prior to the Tony Award-winning musical AVENUE Q's 6th anniversary on Broadway, one of the stars of the original cast, Ann Harada, returned to the role of 'Christmas Eve' on Monday, July 6th at the John Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) in New York City. Ms. Harada -- who created the role on Broadway and played 'Christmas Eve' in the London production -- was joined in the production by members of the U.S. national tour of AVENUE Q, which recently concluded a phenomenally successful two-year run: Robert McClure will assume the roles of Princeton/Rod on Broadway, along with Anika Larsen as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut, and Danielle K. Thomas as Gary Coleman. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to catch the first bow of the 'new' and 'final' cast of AVENUE Q!

The producers of 2009's Best New Off-Broadway Musical*, The Toxic Avenger, celebrated the show's 100th performance on Friday, July 3 with a very special Independence Day party after the show. To commemorate the 100th performance (and America going green!), the cast and crew munched on 'toxic' cookies provided by Bobby Cookie and posed for the BroadwayWorld cameras!

Cast members from the Tony Award-Winning revival of HAIR joined members from Broadway Kids Care (BKC) to tie-dye bandanas for charity on Wednesday, July 1st at the Fireman's Park 235 West 48th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue).

Five-time Tony Award Nominated smash hit musical, ROCK OF AGES, along with US Air Guitar (the official air guitar association of the United States who is responsible for operating the US Air Guitar Championships) broke the Guinness World Record for Largest Air Guitar Ensemble immediately following the matinee performance yesterday, Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 W. 47th Street. BroadwwayWorld.com's headbangin' cameras were there to bring it all to you in our usual 'face melting' fashion!

As previously announced, beginning on Monday, July 6th AVENUE Q will welcome back original cast member Ann Harada in the role of 'Christmas Eve.' Also joining the Broadway cast on July 6th, direct from the AVENUE Q U.S. national tour are Robert McClure in the roles of 'Princeton/Rod,' Anika Larsen in the roles of 'Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut,' and Danielle K. Thomas in the role of 'Gary Coleman.' Harada, McClure, Larsen and Thomas will join Christian Anderson, Nicholas Kohn and Jennifer Barnhart to comprise the final Broadway cast of AVENUE Q.

Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! officially became the 15th longest-running show in Broadway history on Saturday, June 27th when it played its 3,183 performance, surpassing the record previously held by the play Tobacco Road.

Jump-starting New York's Gay Pride weekend, some of the city's most talented dance, drag and theater performers recreated the scene that started it all - the Stonewall riots. In 1969, gays and lesbians fought back against the persecution of homosexuals, thereby igniting the yearly tradition of the Gay Pride march.

Joe DiPietro (book & lyrics) and the cast of the Off-Broadway musical, The Toxic Avenger: Celina Carvajal, Nick Cordero, Demond Green, Nancy Opel, and Matthew Saldivar all joined together for a musical performance and CD signing to celebrate the new cast recording of the award-winning Off-Broadway musical. The 'Toxie' filled event took place on Thursday, June 25th at the Barnes and Noble Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway @ 66th Street).

To celebrate the release of the new Broadway Cast Recording of the hit musical HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, the show hosted a 'sign in' onstage at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) immediately following the 7:00 PM performance on Tuesday, June 23th.

Designed to provide theatergoers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of CHICAGO, the most recent 'Talkback Tuesdays' took place on Tuesday, June 23rd, and featured a post-show conversation with three-time Emmy Award nominee and 'Grey's Anatomy' star Chandra Wilson. She will perform in the production through Sunday, July 5, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.). BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there as she met the 'Talkback' crowd!

On June 23rd, Kelli O'Hara, Michael Cerveris, Mary Testa, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Sherie Rene Scott, Holly Brook and cast members of 'Spring Awakening' joined together to celebrate the release of 'Listen' at an in-store event. The in-store performance and CD signing will took place at 4pm, at the new Barnes and Noble East Side event space, at 86th and Lexington Avenue. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to celebrate along with the Our Time family!

'Grey's Anatomy' star Chandra Wilson has stepped into the celebrated role of Matron 'Mama' Morton, the reigning cellblock diva of the smash hit musical CHICAGO. Chandra Wilson has joined the production for a four-week limited engagement which began, Monday, June 8th. She will perform in the production through Sunday, July 5, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.). BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there as she welcomed 'Grey's Anatomy' creator Shonda Rhimes backstage after the Monday June 22nd performance!