Broadway Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

won Brendan Fraser the Oscar for Best Actor, was about an obese man who never left his home and was visited by his daughter and friend. Its stakes were instantly sky-high, its characters deeper, its jokes funnier and its ending devastating.

POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.Politics ain’t for babies, especially at the highest level, so blowing off steam by cursing like a sailor just seems to be what gets an overtaxed, under-appreciated staffer through a tough day.And this day, as it careens ahead into one disaster after another, will be especially tough for staffers, the First Lady, and POTUS himself, who never actually appears onstage. But he gets the whole shitstorm started by referring to his wife as “cunty” — and not in a good way — during a meeting with foreign dignitaries.Managing potential fallout from the flub falls to the President’s harried Chief of Staff, Harriet (Naomi Jacobson); officious press secretary, Jean (Natalya Lynette Rathnam); and, begrudgingly, the First Lady, Margaret (Felicia Curry).A million other complications, from petty to Presidential, threaten to further derail the day: determined journalist and new mom, Chris (Yesenia Iglesias), hiding out in the West Wing; an unexpected visit from POTUS’ much-younger mistress, Dusty (Sarah-Anne Martinez); and a really unexpected visit from his ne’er-do-well lesbian sister, Bernadette (Kelly McAndrew).Meanwhile, the President’s secretary, Stephanie (Megan Hill), tries to control the increasing flow of traffic in and out of the Oval Office.

Monday, Nov. 6, the popular “Parks and Rec” star will share the stage with “Girls” actor Christopher Abbott in a revival of John Patrick Shanley’s “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.“It’s an actor’s dream play,” Plaza told Vanity Fair about the two-hander that takes place in a Bronx bar.

“Wicked” is still quite “Popular.”On Sunday, Oct. 29 and Monday, Oct.

bigger.Of course, Lloyd, who directed “A Doll’s House” on Broadway last season with Jessica Chastain, isn’t this wildly imaginative production’s only risky choice.Scherzinger, from the Pussycat Dolls, is about as far away from Norma type-casting as you can possibly get. She has little in common with the Martian-esque Swanson or Glenn Close and never bothers with an eccentric turban.But her breathtaking, feral Norma is, nonetheless, a grand creature of showbiz who’s been shunned by Hollywood’s cruelly short attention span by just 40 years old.

“Book of Mormon” duo now star in “Gutenberg! The Musical!,” a hyperactive two-hander that opened Thursday night at the James Earl Jones Theatre, and their old-school chops and boisterous chemistry are why the cute off-Broadway gem has improbably wound up, as Gad’s Bud accurately puts it, “on the weird side of 7th Avenue.”“Gutenberg!” is on the weird side, all right.The appealingly nerdy show by Scott Brown and Anthony King has two equally wild identities. Call it “Mr. Hyde and Mr.

Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 show, which was a 16-performance flop when it began its life, has, against all odds, only improved as the years have rolled on. It’s better and more youthfully optimistic now than it ever was before.

“I Need That,” a new production at New York’s American Airlines Theatre which has previews starting on Friday, Oct. 13 ahead of its Nov.

magic carpet ride.Mikayla Renfrow, who understudies Princess Jasmine in Broadway’s “Aladdin,” revealed she was helicoptered to the New Amsterdam Theater after being called in last minute while on a Delta Airlines flight from Europe. “Mikayla… please send an updated eta when you can.

“Book of Mormon” stars Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells return to Broadway.The dynamic duo are starring in “Gutenberg! The Musical!” at the James Earl Jones Theatre up until Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.“I think the Beatles regret never getting back together,” Gad joked in an interview with Broadway Time.

Variety, but the cause was not announced. His rep described him to People as, “A Red Sox fanatic, bourbon connoisseur, devoted husband and father and friend to anyone who met him.”Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, McGrath starred in over a dozen Broadway plays, including “Plaza Suite,” “Tootsie,” “Spamalot” and “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” the later of which earned his Tony in 2012 (for “Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.”)He also played Patsy in the 2005 Broadway musical “Spamalot,” which also earned him a Tony nomination. His other accolades included Drama Desk Award nominations, Outer Critics Circle nominations and a Theatre World Award.

New York City’s Hudson Theatre starting Tuesday, Sept. 19.On that day, previews begin for the 1981 Broadway flop turned highly-anticipated revival of Stephen Sondheim’s classic “Merrily We Roll Along,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Mendez and Jonathan Groff.And the town is abuzz.When the show premiered off-Broadway last winter, the New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinksi gave “Merrily” a glowing four-star review.“This musical is intelligent, hilarious, human, heartfelt and alive,” he wrote.

Theater tickets are notoriously pricey.When “Hamilton” first hit the Great White Way, some tickets were going for more than $40,000 according to Financial Planner LA.However, this fall, you can finally forgo that pesky barrier to entry.Vivid Seats is offering two free tickets to the performance of your choice with a value up to $2000.All you have to do is show off your love of the theater by playing Broadway Trivia daily in the Game Center section of the Vivid Seats app which can be downloaded by clicking this link and scrolling to where it says “Free to join.”If you win, you’ll be awarded two free tickets to the performance of your choice according to Vivid Seats.The show doesn’t have to take place in NYC either. Plays or musicals in your town — as long as its on Vivid Seats — are eligible as well.Best of all, you can play as many times as you want in order to win.With all that being said, good luck and we hope to see you at a show sometime very soon!One prize winner will receive two theater tickets from vividseats.com, up to a $2,000 combined value (inclusive of taxes and fees). Visit the Game Center in the Vivid Seats app for Official Rules and add’l restrictions. The contest ends Sunday, Sept. 10.Not sure which show to go to?Here are just five of our favorite musicals you won’t want to miss live these next few months.• “New York, New York”• “Merrily We Roll Along”• “Six The Musical”• “& Juliet”• “Sweeney Todd”

later told People she gave up her card because the union “doesn’t support actors at all.”In “Company” by Stephen Sondheim, the actress’ tart-tongued socialite sang during the song “Ladies Who Lunch,” “Look into their eyes and you’ll see what they know — everybody dies!” But LuPone, a volcanic presence in and out of character, embodies more the mantra of her fame-hungry “Gypsy” character Mama Rose: “Anybody who stays home is dead!” So it was wonderful to see the fiery actress lively and out of the house, if not on Broadway, singing at the Ice Palace nightclub in Cherry Grove Saturday night. The sold-out event was a coup for Fire Island.

“Funny Girl” starring Lea Michele — in the lead role made famous on the stage and screen by Barbara Streisand — is closing on Sunday, Sept. 3 after opening with Beanie Feldstein and Jane Lynch back in March 2022.That means there are only 13 more shows left at New York City’s August Wilson Theatre before Michele and her castmates Ramin Karimloo (CBS’ “Blue Bloods”), Jared Grimes (NBC’s “Manifest”) and Tovah Feldshuh (CW’s “Crazy Ex Girlfriend”) officially call it quits on the Broadway production of the show.But we’re not here to rain on your parade.Rather, we’re here to report good news.Tickets are available for all remaining dates — and some are quite affordable considering this is such a buzzed-about musical.In fact, we found some seats going for as low as $105 before fees* on Vivid Seats at the time of publication.So, if you want to see the show that the NY Post’s critic Johnny Oleksinski claimed “bring(s) our favorite songs to thrilling life and give(s) us a few laughs,” here’s everything you need to know and more.All prices are subject to fluctuation.Want to find the show that makes the most sense for your schedule?Look below and you’ll find all remaining dates, start times and the best prices for all remaining “Funny Girl” shows at the August Wilson Theatre.(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and include additional fees at checkout.)Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

Playbill. No cause of death was revealed.

starts previews Sept. 28 at the Shed in Hudson Yards, is based on two films by Spanish surrealist director Luis Buñuel — 1972’s “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” and ’62’s “The Exterminating Angel.” Act 1 is said to be “Discreet Charm,” while Act 2 is “Angel.” The second part is heavily reliant on playwright David Ives’ book.The legendary creator of “Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods,”“Company” and “Sunday in the Park With George” died in late 2021 at 91, and his final musical, in whatever state it’s in, will be required viewing for Sondheim buffs.

on Broadway, has died. He was 40.Peluso's family confirmed his death to. The outlet reported that the actor's «sudden passing» on Aug.

— has died. He was 95. Jones died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut.

during the making of “Jaws,” frequently asks whether Steven Spielberg’s seminal blockbuster is art or entertainment.History has determined that it’s both — a monster movie, yes, but one overflowing with cinematic innovation and panache that amounted to a well-deserved Best Picture Oscar nomination and enduring worldwide fame. 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.

The Lion King, Wicked and In the Heights, died on Aug. 2, his sister, Roxy Hall, confirmed. He was 47.«My baby brother, Clifton Oliver, has had his final curtain call,» Hall posted to Facebook on the day of his death.

plopped a boxing ring in the middle of the orchestra nearly 10 years ago.But Huey Lewis did not sing “Power of Car,” he sang “Power of Love.” And heart is completely absent from director John Rando’s shiny and serviceable staging of the beloved 1985 science-fiction movie.Coursing emotion, teen angst and can-do scrappiness are what set director Robert Zemeckis’ original film apart from other entries in the time-travel genre. “Back To The Future” wasn’t HG Wells or “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.” And it’s hardly remembered as a flashy spectacle, either.

on Facebook. “It was peaceful,” she continued.

recently shuttered “New York, New York,” and wrote the songs for the Disney movies “Moana” and “Encanto,” along with some new tunes for the live-action “The Little Mermaid.” His Tony Award-winning “In the Heights” was turned into a Warner Bros. movie, and he directed Netflix’s musical film “Tick, Tick… Boom!”.As Broadway’s only celebrity composer (who’s not a pop singer), a brand new musical by Miranda would be an instant draw for ticket-buyers and a major coup for the struggling theater business.A premiere date and location are not yet known, though a tryout of the show would be a boon for the Public Theater, which was recently forced to lay off 19% of its staff and slash programming for budgetary reasons.Wherever it lands, he’s picked a fascinating title.Some viewers will remember the culty 1979 film “The Warriors,” which is fun to watch now for its authentic shots of the bad old days of New York City.

Hugh Coles, who plays George McFly in Broadway’s “Back to the Future,” once owned a vintage shop in his native England and said about 85% of his closet is filled with used clothing. “I made a conscious choice that I won’t buy anything new.

Deadline reported.Friends and family took to social media to mourn the “All My Children” actress, with Blair’s “Chorus Line” co-star Baayork Lee writing: “I am very sad to say my Sagittarian sister Pam Blair has gone to play with her [‘A Chorus Line’] colleagues among the clouds.” In a Facebook post, Lee — who shared a birthday with Blair — continued that the pair “always wrote to one another no matter where we were on that day.”Lee recalled Blair bringing the “house down every night” with her performance of “Dance: Ten, Looks: Three” from “Chorus Line.”“You are free now Pammie so dance, dance, dance among the stars,” Lee concluded her post.Born in Vermont on Dec. 5, 1949, Blair started her career as a stage actress and dancer.

my ear. The gist, without revealing specifics, is that everybody is cheating on everybody else. In a 1923 English countryside abode, erudite Beau (Eric McCormack) and Sylvia (Laura Bell Bundy) are not-so-classily getting it on, when gradually they’re intruded upon by Marjorie (Lilli Cooper), Clarke (Alex Moffat), Dierdre (Dana Steingold) and Richard (the role normally played by Neham Joshi was understudy Tony Roach on the night I saw it). The group is made up of husbands, wives, exes, secret lovers and, shall we say, secret professionals, all of whom have repressed desires and grievances to air.What unravels is not so much a jolly farce of slamming doors and shocking surprises (there are a few), but a two-act parlor scene of admitted sexual indiscretions screamed so the bartenders at Sardi’s next door can follow along. You miss the old farces. There isn’t much of the hiding-in-closets fun that has long been the meat of similar comedies such as “Boeing-Boeing” and Coward’s “Present Laughter.” That’s why the amped-up energy is so jarring — for the most part, these characters simply stand together and yell. That tried-and-true farce structure — low-key witty first act, madcap second, wrapup third — is abandoned by Rustin in favor of high-energy antics from start to finish, much like Broadway’s 2021 play “POTUS” that similarly ran out of gas halfway through.Steingold, as the loopy Dierdre, runs away with “The Cottage.” Her persona, with a voice somewhere between a ghost and a drunken bridesmaid, is hilarious.

Triple Threat (★★★★★). For James T. Lane, it’s a double entendre and the title of his phenomenal, autobiographical, Off-Broadway solo play.

Venus retrograde came hard and came early for Ariana Grande.Within three days of confirming her split from husband Dalton Gomez, news outlets reported that our Cancer queen has moved on and found love with her redheaded “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater. Sources say the couple, who met on the set of the forthcoming Broadway adaptation, have been dating for months.

West Side Story” and “Fiddler on the Roof” in is totally unrecognizable.Once we’re acclimated to the changed space, however, we start to ask more of the story. Broadway, after all, is a vastly different place than the Public Theater where I first saw the musical in the smaller LuEsther Hall 10 years ago and liked it a hair more.