Regional Roundup: Top New Features This Week Around Our BroadwayWorld 6/8 - THE MAN IN THE CEILING, JOSEPH, and More!

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature CONSTELLATIONS, THE MAN IN THE CEILING, JOSEPH, and More!

Check out our top features from around the BroadwayWorld below!

Washington DC: Contributor Jenny Minch reviews THE SCHOOL FOR LIES at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. She writes "The stage is full of stereotypes but Woodell's tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Frank, the typical boisterous male in charge, is the most obvious of all. There is no doubt that Frings and Wooddell have onstage chemistry and make a handsome Celimene and Frank. There is a lot of relatable material in The School for Lies, which is part of what makes it a successful production. If you don't recognize yourself up there, you recognize someone you know and in the dark theatre, it's ok to laugh at them."

Long Island: Contributor Melissa Giordano reviews THE MAN IN THE CEILING at the Bay Street Theatre. She writes "The first thing your eyes immediately go to as you walk into the theatre is the set by Tony nominee/Emmy winner David Korins' (and this is not only because you walk next to it going to your seat). They make fantastic use of the intimate stage. Uncle Lester's work area - consisting of a piano - is on a second level and some interesting steps lead down onto the main part of the stage. White walls raise behind them in the form of graph paper and projections - by Daniel Brodie and Mr. Feiffer - are utilized for the different rooms of the house. This is stunningly enhanced by Tony winner Howell Binkley's lighting design and Emmy nominee Spencer Liff's entertaining choreography that well accommodates the stage."

Salt Lake City: Contributor Tyler Hinton reviews JOSEPH at Hale Centre Theatre. He writes "The choreography by Cory Stephens, and its execution by the cast, is legitimately impressive. The whirl of color is snappy, precise, and joyful. Jennifer Parker Hohl's direction pulls all the chaos together while allowing room for the few emotional moments to breathe and shine through. Occasionally it is difficult to hear the lead vocals through the overpowering ensemble and accompaniment. However, that is the only technical misstep. The candy-colored visuals, including a number of brilliant surprises, are a true delight from start to finish. The contributions of production and set designer Kacey Udy, properties designer Michelle Jensen, costume designer Joy Zhu, and hair and makeup designer Krissa Lent cannot be overstated. Especially delightful is the lighting design from Brian Healy, which features substantially more shades than even the average rainbow."

Costa Mesa: Contributor Michael Quintos reviews THE BODYGUARD at the Seagerstrom Center. He writes "The stage iteration's many featured songs, as presented under the baton of musical director Matthew Smedal, are mostly vivid, high-octane concert performances with cool, well-lit sets and costumes (by Tim Hatley), lots of slick, Vegas-like choreography (by Karen Bruce), and in many occasions, an army of eye-candy back-up dancers and singers. Thus Cox and company's versions of "How Will I Know," "I'm Every Woman," "Queen of the Night," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" feel like buoyant nostalgic trips fashioned into fun little concert numbers that had the audience bopping their heads and lip-syncing along. Like MAMMA MIA, the musical even ends with an audience-sing-along just to punctuate it even more."

Toronto: Contributor Taylor Long reviews A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at the National Ballet. He writes "If you've read the play, the second act will seem more familiar. Blanche travels to New Orleans to visit her sister, discovering a bustling and unfamiliar world. The big city doesn't have an ounce of the old money elegance that Blanche identifies with - its moved on without her. Neumeier enhances this conflict by choreographing Blanche stylistically at odds against an ensemble of young, jazzed up New Orleanians. Blanche stands out - she's out of place in a changed world. Alfred Schnittke's Symphony No. 1 accompanies this memory with sustained chords and elaborate horn lines that help to create the hectic, urban atmosphere. The second act is a bit too busy. It almost makes you feel a tad mad by the end of it."

Los Angeles: Contributor Gil Kaan previews The Geffen's CONSTELLATIONS. He talks with Ginnifer Goodwin and Allen Leech. Goodwin told him "I truly stalked everyone at The Geffen Playhouse for this job. I had been starving for theatre. I mentioned this to a director friend who asked, "In what plays are you interested? Are there characters you are itching to play-stories you are dying to tell?" I was stumped. I also realized I was completely out of touch. I called The Drama Book Shop in NYC and ordered boxes of contemporary plays and classic pieces I had missed along the way. I fell hard for CONSTELLATIONS. Then the LA Times suddenly published an announcement about The Geffen's upcoming production. That was last summer or fall, some time. I immediately called my manager and agents and asked, "Can you please get me into a room with the director?" I hopped a plane to LA, I wrote letters, and here we are!"

Regional Editor Spotlight:

Gil Kaan
Los Angles Editor

Gil Kaan, a former Managing Editor of the now-defunct Genre magazine, has had the privilege of photographing and interviewing some major divas in his career, including Ann-Margret, Diana Ross, Faye Dunaway, Carol Channing, Shirley MacLaine, Catherine Deneuve, Liza Minnelli, Sandra Bernhard, Anna Nicole Smith, Margaret Cho, and three Catwomen-Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether and Julie Newmar. He had the fortuitous opportunity to conduct Lily Tomlin's coming out interview. Gil has since reviewed film and theatre for an array of local and national outlets.

"I have been contributing to BroadwayWorld for three years now this June. My, how time flies! I've gotten the chance to cover some incredible theatre in Los Angeles. For those who say theatre is not thriving in Los Angeles, they simply are not looking or venturing out.

Besides reviewing a wide assortment of LA theatre productions, I have had the wonderful opportunities to interview some amazing theatre luminaries, as well as, some up-and-coming talents. The stories I have gotten from such theatre stalwarts have been priceless! Penny Fuller remembered every actor, every detail of her 1963 Broadway debut in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK with Robert Redford, Mildred Natwick and Kurt Kasznar. Understudying Elizabeth Ashley, she had to go on with just a half-hour notice. Needing a wedding ring to wear, Elizabeth lent Penny her wedding ring from her ex, James Farentino.

Baayork Lee shared her memories of working with Yul Brenner, the first time she met Michael Bennett, and her mission to keep Michael's iconic A CHORUS LINEchoreography alive for generations to come.

My latest interview's with Ginnifer Goodwin and Allen Leech currently starring in Nick Payne's CONSTELLATIONS at The Geffen Playhouse. Another fun, informative experience!

I look forward to continuing contributing coverage of our vital Los Angeles theatre scene, and restarting my Dinner & Show column (in the BWW Food & Wine section) featuring restaurants in nearby theatre vicinity for a more complete evening out."

Join Team BroadwayWorld! Interested in joining our team, but not exactly sure what we do? All of your questions are answered, along with every open position from guest and student bloggers, Regional Editors, and more! Find out where we have open positions available here!