Posts Tagged ‘broadway’

Let’s Entertain the Kids: Kids’ Night on Broadway and a Giant Paper Fight

Wondering how to entertain the kids before the real holidays start? Two innovative programs invite children to immerse themselves in theatrical artistry, designed to educate and amuse all ages.

One of my favorites, Mimirichi is a pantomime troupe that has achieved international acclaim. They bill themselves as specialists in the art of “paper fights.” You’ll have to see them to understand what this means, but trust me that it’s a combination of comedy, pantomime, slapstick and good old-fashioned silliness. Their newest show, Paper World, promises an interactive element as well. Not surprisingly inducted into the World Clown Academy, the three Ukrainians who comprise Mimirichi recall Marcel Marceau, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and other clown geniuses. The show takes place from November 10 – 29 at Theater for New City, 155 First Avenue, Manhattan (between 9th and 10th Streets). Tickets start at $45. The show is appropriate for ages 4 and above. Information, 800-718-1444, or http://www.mimirichi.com/events/.

Starting immediately, tickets are on sale for Kids’ Night on Broadway, February 9, 2016, brought to you by the Broadway League. Now entering its 20th year, the program offers a free ticket to kids ages 18 and under when accompanied by a full-paying adult. The 23 productions included in this special promotion include both musicals and plays with such alluring shows as Fun Home, Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, The King and I, Something Rotten, Wicked, Aladdin, Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland, Noises Off, On Your Feet, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, The Lion King, Matilda! The Musical, School of Rock The Musical, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables. For the full list of shows and links to tickets, visit http://www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/shows. Discounts at area restaurants are also available.

Dine Out for a Good Cause this Month: Breast Cancer Research

Although the leaves are turning red and yellow, October is the month for pink awareness, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A notable food event which builds awareness of the potentially deadly disease and adds a charitable component is James Beard-award winner Chef Todd English’s special dining program at Ça Va Brasserie in the Theater District. Chef English has created a special menu which evokes the color pink, a gentle and delicious reminder that there is much work to be done to eradicate breast cancer. Notable on Ça Va’s menu this month are dishes which include reddish or pinkish ingredients, all building awareness of the deadly disease and the need for the development of a cure. Proceeds from all dinners through the month will benefit the Wendy English Cancer Research Foundation.

The InterContinental Hotel, which is well situated across from Birdland jazz club and within walking distance of both Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters, is the location of Ça Va, a five-year old standout restaurant that has been feeding happy hotel guests and theater goer’s three meals a day. This month has special significance to Chef English, who established the Wendy English Cancer Research Foundation to honor his sister who passed away in 2006 at the age of 42 from breast cancer. Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the dishes created for this month will be donated to the Foundation. Special red and pink dishes include Hubbard squash and gala apple soup, with a pomegranate crème fraiche; roasted halibut with fall harvest ratatouille; and New York cheesecake with Meyer lemon, graham cracker, and blueberry. Additionally, each guest dining on any of the special menu dishes will enjoy a pink raspberry madeleine to take home for breakfast the next day. 210 W. 44th Street, Manhattan. For reservations, 212.803.4545, or www.opentable.com. cavatoddenglish.com

Last Chance to see Some of Broadway’s Best – Shows Closing Starting This Weekend

On the 20th CenturyOn the Twentieth Century – Tony and Drama Desk award-winner Kristin Chenoweth will finally disembark in New York when On the Twentieth Century closes this weekend on July 19.  This catchy, silly romp on a train, which also features the stunningly talented Peter Gallagher, is filled with musical richesse from Cy Coleman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. www.roundabouttheatre.org. American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street.

Fish in the DarkFish in the Dark – Larry David’s kooky family comedy has the kind of outrageousness you’d find on his TV show. The lead is now played by Seinfeld and Broadway veteran Jason Alexander, and you have just a few more days to see it as it closes July 18. www.fishinthedark.com. Cort Theatre, 138 West 48th Street.

An Act of God – What could be more intriguing than having Sheldon (Big Bang Theory) play the role of God on Broadway? Jim Parsons embodies the divine as he explains creation.  Adding to the irreverence, the show takes place at the former Studio 54 disco. Closing August 2. www.anactofgod.com. Studio 54, 254 West 54th Street.

It Shoulda Been YouIt Shoulda Been You – Surprising twists, laughs, and witty dialogue are all in this no-intermission musical about two dysfunctional and disparate families. If you saw the Tonys, you know how talented Lisa Howard is and you won’t want to miss her star turn here. Closing August 9. www.itshouldabeenyou.com. Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street.

Mamma Mia – Come on, you know you can’t resist dancing to Abba’s catchy tunes. Maybe you’ve even since this show once, but the time to get tickets is coming to an end. Closing September 12, Mamma Mia has been entertaining Broadway audiences since 2001. Which one’s her dad? You won’t ever know unless you see the play. www.mammamianorthamerica.com. Broadhurst Theatre, 236 West 44th Street.

Watch the Tony Awards from Duffy Square along with Live Broadway Performances, June 7

Last week’s “Stars in the Alley”,  United Airlines’ and the Broadway League’s presentation of Broadway song and dance, left me thirsting for more.  It’s a great time to get your tickets to a Broadway drama or musical. With the Tony Awards for outstanding theatrical achievement this Sunday, you’ll want to snag seats on your preferred dates before the shows book up.

The Tony Awards turn into a free, social viewing party this Sunday in Times Square, rain or shine.  Head over to Times Square to see the award show live, on the big screen.  Although it might not be as glamorous as dressing in black tie to hob nob with the stars of the Great White Way or hosts Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming at Radio City Music Hall, it’s still a fun evening for theater lovers and more exciting than “sitting all alone in your room” watching TV.  You can bring a picnic with you, grab a folding chair or a seat on the risers behind TKTS, and cheer for your favorites.  Viewing will be on the Clear Channel Spectacolor screens at Duffy Square and the Broadway Plaza between 46th and 48th streets, in the heart of Times Square.  The program begins at 4pm, ending at 11pm. The simulcast of the CBS Tony Awards will be broadcast starting at 8pm.

Festivities will also include live performances from Broadway stars Justin Guarini and Deborah Cox, singing “I’ve Got Rhythm” and “On Broadway,’” Deborah Cox singing “Easy as Life” from Aida, and Jeanna de Waal singing “History of Wrong Guys” from Tony-award winner Kinky Boots.

Here are some of my favorites that are contenders for a variety of Tony Awards:

Something Rotten! – This musical’s a laughfest from start to finish, as the poets of the Renaissance put together what could be the most hilarious musical ever.  A lot of “insider” references to musicals make this the perfect show for theater junkies. I’d be shocked if the male lead and featured actors, Brian d’Arcy James and Christian Borle, don’t get some sort of acknowledgement.

The Audience – No one plays the Queen like Helen Mirren. She’s charming, grand, self-deprecating, and even funny.  Her meetings with her prime ministers are a primer in British history.

Hand to God – An evil puppet, creatively nasty dialogue, and an inventive plot make this one of the season’s top go-tos among non-musicals. Can they give a Tony to Tyrone (Steven Boyer)?

Fun Home – The cast is top-notch in the offbeat musical about family interactions. Although the show moved to Broadway from its downtown home, the Circle in the Square is still an intimate venue for the action.

An American in Paris – Go for the music, the dance, the beautiful sets and the lushness of the Broadway version of the beloved Gene Kelly movie.

The full list of Tony nominees can be found at http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/

Three Broadway Shows to See Before Mid-January

You’ve just missed your chance at seeing the last Broadway performances of Once, Side Show, Cinderella, Pippin, The Real Thing and This is Our Youth.

Before it’s too late, I suggest you buy your tickets for these shows which are scheduled to close (or move from their original home) mid-January:

It's Only a PlayIt’s Only a Play – An insider look at what happens on the opening night of a Broadway show, the title sums up how the characters are supposed to feel when the show doesn’t quite get the reviews hoped for. Now with Martin Short replacing Nathan Lane, Katie Finneran, F. Murray Abraham, and Stockard Channing, “It’s Only a Play” is a non-stop laughfest, poking fun at pretty much every major show on Broadway. It helps to see it with someone who is conversant with the current Broadway line-up, especially if you’re not a regular theater-goer. Now playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), It’s Only a Play moves to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street, starting January 23. Tickets: www.telecharge.com.

Rock of the AgesRock of Ages – Unbelievably, this long-lasting, feel-good rocker is about to have its farewell tour. Closing on January 18, the show will no longer bring you those familiar 80s faves like “Any Way You Want It,” “We Built This City,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and “Don’t Stop Believin.” Constantine Maroulis (sixth-place finalist from the fourth season of American Idol) leads the final line-up.  Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West th Street.  Tickets: www.telecharge.com .

The story about Berry Gordy’s creation of the Motown sound, starting in 1959, is a bit too long, with too much crammed in, but it’s still a crowd pleaser. Starting January 18, Motown: the Musical is concentrating its focus on its tour companies. This is your last chance to relive those Detroit phenoms like the Supremes, the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. The young Michael Jackson is a knockout. Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street.  Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.

For more detailed information on these and other Broadway shows, a good source is Playbill,  www.playbill.com, where you can sign up for a newsletter of upcoming theater events.

“Stars in the Alley” Offers Free Broadway Concert on May 21

Do you love live theater? The Tony Awards, honoring the “best of Broadway,” will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on June 8. Tickets are sold out, so you’ll have to resign yourself to watching from your home if you want to see Hugh Jackman host the black-tie event. www.TonyAwards.com

However, Broadway fans have an opportunity to enjoy another theatrical event — live  on Broadway —  as only New York City could hold. And it’s free!!  The event will be held rain or shine.

Stars in the AlleySTARS IN THE ALLEY, presented by United Airlines and produced by The Broadway League (www.broadwayleague.com), will take place on Wednesday, May 21 from 11am-12:30pm in Shubert Alley, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, Manhattan. Entrance to the concert is on 44th Street. An annual event leading up to the Tony Awards, the FREE Broadway show gives you a tasting menu of what’s hot on the Great White Way this season, in an outdoor setting in the heart of the Theater District. www.broadway.org/info/stars-in-the-alley.

Stars in the Alley

Courtesy of broadwayworld.com

The outdoor concert celebrates everything Broadway with star appearances from this year’s Tony nominees and songs from nearly 25 shows, accompanied by a live 12-piece orchestra. Non-musicals will also be included, with performances from a variety of current shows.

Hedwig

Courtesy of broadwayworld.com

2014 Tony-nominated actors/actresses scheduled to appear include Adriane Lenox (After Midnight), Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), Kelli O’Hara (The Bridges of Madison County), Lena Hall (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Andy Karl (Rocky), Joshua Henry (Violet), and Tyne Daly (Mothers and Sons) as well as performances from all 2014 Tony Award-nominated musicals now in performance on Broadway including After Midnight, Aladdin, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, The Bridges of Madison County,  Bullets Over Broadway, Cabaret, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, If/Then, Les Misérables, Rocky and Violet.

Norm Lewis

Courtesy of broadwayworld.com

The show will be hosted by star of stage and screen Norm Lewis, who has just taken over the legendary title role in Broadway’s record-breaking The Phantom of the Opera.

PARTICIPATING MUSICALS INCLUDE:

After Midnight

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder

Aladdin

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical

The Bridges of Madison County

Bullets Over Broadway

Cabaret

Chicago

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

If / Then

Kinky Boots

Les Misérables

The Lion King

Mamma Mia!

Motown The Musical

Newsies

Once

The Phantom of the Opera

Pippin

Rock of Ages

Rocky

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Violet

Wicked

WITH ADDITIONAL APPEARANCES FROM:

Act One

All the Way

Casa Valentina

Holler if Ya Hear Me

Mothers and Sons

Of Mice and Men

On the Town

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