News

The concept recording of the new musical Mystic Pizza will be released in digital and streaming formats on Friday, August 29. The album, from Joy Machine Records, is produced by the show’s Grammy-nominated arranger and orchestrator, Carmel Dean, Brian Usifer for Joy Machine Records, and Michael Barra for Lively McCabe Entertainment. Pre-save the album now at this link. The album will feature vocals by Krystina Alabado, Alaina Anderson, Chachi Delgado, Ben Fankhauser, Jennifer Fouché, Mia Gerachis, Deánna Giulietti, F. Michael Haynie, James Hindman, Michael James, April Josephine, Vincent Michael, Adriana Negrón, Louis Pardo, Alyssa M. Simmons, Jake Swain, Zephaniah Wages, and Rachel Kae Wirtz. Music director and keyboard player Kristin Stowell leads the band, featuring Jason May on keyboard and saxophone, Max Caine and Jared Cannata on guitars, David White on bass, and Peter Saleh on drums and percussion. The album is mixed by Derik Lee and edited by Ian Kagey.

The new musical Mystic Pizza will record a concept album. The recording is set for May 2025 with a release date to be announced. The album, from Joy Machine Records, will be produced by the show’s Grammy-nominated arranger and orchestrator, Carmel Dean, Brian Usifer for Joy Machine Records, and Michael Barra for Lively McCabe Entertainment. The album will feature Krystina Alabado, Alaina Anderson, Chachi Delgado, Ben Fankhauser, Jennifer Fouché, Mia Gerachis, Deánna Giulietti, F. Michael Haynie, James Hindman, Michael James, April Josephine, Vincent Michael, Adriana Negron, Louis Pardo, Alyssa M. Simmons, Jake Swain, Zephaniah Wages, Rachel Kae Wirtz, and music direction by Kristin Stowell. Based on the 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture starring Julia Roberts, with story and characters by Amy Holden Jones (Fox’s “The Resident”), and written by Sandy Rustin (The Cottage), Mystic Pizza is a new musical about three working-class girls...

The Heart of Rock and Roll, a musical featuring a score by Huey Lewis, will abruptly end its run this Sunday.

The musical includes pre-existing songs from Huey Lewis and the News but tells an original story about a factory worker having to choose between succeeding at his job at a cardboard box factory and his dream of making it big as a rock star. The show did not take off with audiences and was not nominated for any Tony Awards.

In turn, the musical, which opened April 22 at the James Earl Jones Theatre, has seen a number of weeks of low grosses. The production played to 56 percent capacity in the week ended June 9 and grossed $272,050, well below a typical musical’s running costs.

By the time of its closing, after the June 23 matinee, the show will have played 24 previews and 72 performances.

The production was lead produced by Tyler Mitchell,...

The new Broadway musical The Heart of Rock and Roll celebrated its upcoming opening night with a special gala performance!

Lead actors Corey Cott and McKenzie Kurtz posed together on the red carpet at the gala celebration on Friday (April 19) at the James Earl Jones Theatre in New York City.

They were joined by co-stars Josh Breckenridge, F. Michael Haynie, Zoe Jensen, Tamika Lawrence, Raymond J. Lee, John-Michael Lyles, Orville Mendoza, and Billy Harrigan Tighe.

The Heart of Rock and Roll is a new musical inspired by the songs of Huey Lewis and the News. Set in 1987 , the story centers on a couple of twenty-somethings on the cusp of their futures—Bobby (Cott), a rock and roller who’s traded his guitar for the corporate ladder and his boss Cassandra (Kurtz) who’s always put the family business first. When they both get a second shot at their dreams, it...

Complete casting for the upcoming The Heart of Rock and Roll featuring the songs of Huey Lewis has been announced: Newsies‘ Corey Cott and Wicked‘s McKenzie Kurtz will play the leads, a will-they/won’t-they couple at the center of the story.

Those and other castings were announced today by Lewis and producers Hunter Arnold, Tyler Mitchell and Kayla Greenspan. The Heart of Rock and Roll, inspired by and featuring the songs of ’80s hitmakers Huey Lewis and The News, will open on Broadway at The James Earl Jones Theatre with previews beginning on Friday, March 29 before an opening night of Monday, April 22.

Said Lewis, “The casting process has so far been the most thrilling part of creating this show. It’s all just words and notes on a page until an actor gives it life. I am so grateful that this incredible company, made up of some of...

Radial Park openedits latest cinemersive experience last nightwith the iconic, blockbuster, fan-favorite film, The Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers, features a live band and theatrical performances seamless timed in-sync with the movie in a one-of-a-kind hybrid mashup. The Blues Brothers, is directed by Kristine Bendul and Waldemar QuinonesVillanueva, and features a cast that includes Broadway's Charity Angel Dawson, Nick Rashad Burroughs, F. Michael Haynie, Brian Charles Johnson, and Antoine L. Smith, along with Ladonna Burns and Anne Fraser Thomas.

Broadway composer Drew Gasparini (The Karate Kid, The Whipping Boy) is launching a new podcast, Now We’re Talking with Drew Gasparini, in association with the Broadway Podcast Network.

The first three episodes of the series launch on Friday, January 15th, with guests Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill), and Colton Ryan (of the Apple TV+ series Little Voice). The podcast will be available every subsequent Monday from the Broadway Podcast Network and other podcast platforms.

“Have you ever wondered what Amber Ardolino’s nickname was in high school?...

The national tour for Disney’s Frozen musical is opening next week just over the hill from the studio that created the animated versions.

Frozen starts performances at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on December 4, with a nine-week engagement running through February 2, 2020. The expected rush for tickets will be somewhat democratized by a Digital Lottery, offering a chance at a limited number of $25 tickets.

As with the Pantages performance of Hamilton, the lotteries will open two days prior to the first performance at 11 Am, and close the day before. Winners will be notified and will have an hour to pay for their tickets online with a credit card. The coveted tickets are available for pickup one hour prior to curtain.

The North American touring companies stars Caroline Bowman as Elsa and Caroline Innerbichler as Anna. Austin Colby is Hans and F. Michael Haynie will play Olaf, with Mason Reeves as Kristoff,...

The cold never bothered them, anyway As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the first national tour of the Tony-nominated musical Frozen has found its citizens of Arendelle, from Anna and Elsa to Hans and Kristoff. To prepare you to let the storm rage on, we're getting to know the production's cast, including Caroline Bowman, Caroline Innerbichler, F. Michael Haynie, Austin Colby, and more...

Additional principal casting has been announced for the Frozen North American tour, which will launch in Schenectady, NY prior to an official opening at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles this fall. Joining previously announced stars Caroline Bowman as Elsa and Caroline Innerbichler as Anna are Austin Colby as Hans, F. Michael Haynie as Olaf, Mason Reeves as Kristoff, Jeremy Morse as Weselton, and Collin Baja and Evan Strand alternating as Sven.

Well, we did it Broadway Sessions recently celebrated it's 10th anniversary with a full blown Super Show We invited back some of our favorite performers to recreate some of our favorite musical moments. We also had some incredible new memories made Our All-Star cast dazzled the Sro room. Enjoy these highlights by Paige Davis, Kevin Chamberlin, Ciara Renee, Nick Adams, Kennedy Caughell, Jeremy Stolle, Kelvin Moon Loh, Alex Grayson. Bre Jackson, Colton Ryan, F. Michael Haynie, Erica Lustig, Tracy MCDowell, Adinah Alexander, Jen Perry, Jed Resnick, Imari Hardon, Isabel Kruse and more...

Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena recently joined the cast of Wicked, assuming the roles of Elphaba and Fiyero. They join a cast which includes Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible, Adam Grupper as The Wizard, Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose, F. Michael Haynie as Boq, and John Schiappa as Dr. Dillamond. Check out a first look at the duo in action below...

Liz Callaway Miss Saigon, Baby, Kate Shindle Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Betsy Wolfe The Last Five Years, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, F. Michael Haynie Wicked, Dogfight, Zachary Prince On A Clear Day and Sam Heldt Junie B. Jones have joined the lineup of performers for musical theater writer Adam Gwon's upcoming concert at 54 Below tonight April 8, 2013 at 930pm. Heading up a five-piece band, Gwon will premiere brand-new songs and share fresh and funny tunes from his musicals Ordinary Days, Cloudlands, The Boy Detective Fails, and String.

Liz Callaway Miss Saigon, Baby, Kate Shindle Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Betsy Wolfe The Last Five Years, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, F. Michael Haynie Wicked, Dogfight, Zachary Prince On A Clear Day and Sam Heldt Junie B. Jones have joined the lineup of performers for musical theater writer Adam Gwon's upcoming concert at 54 Below on Monday April 8, 2013 at 930pm. Heading up a five-piece band, Gwon will premiere brand-new songs and share fresh and funny tunes from his musicals Ordinary Days, Cloudlands, The Boy Detective Fails, and String.