screw the clowns, send in Catherine Zeta-Jones!

who says Sondheim doesn't sell? well, tickets to the new revival of the his and Hugh Wheeler’s, A Little Night Music are most likely going to sell better then T-Mobile phones! this week the post reports non-other then Catherine Zeta-Jones will join Angela Lansbury in this tale of mixed-up love. the two will play Mother, (Madame Armfeldt) and Daughter, (Desaree), the latter of which will sings Sondheim's classic "Send in the Clowns."
and it is manly because of this song that i am praying to the Gods, (also known as Judy) this report is true. the song "send in..." is a very difficult one to put off, most performers who attempt it, over sing it, thinking a great voice is all that's needed, when truthfully a great voice is the last thing required. now don't mistake me, to sing you MUST know what you are doing musically, period. but if you let your voice get in the way of this song, you're f*cked. take Sally Ann Howes version of "Send in the Clowns" from the 1990 New York Opera's production. now yes, the B*tch has a nice voice, but that's about it. she is caught up in "SINGING" the song; it's really too bad, she was "truly scrumptious" back in her day.
DISCLAIMER, Coleman is about to go off...
this song is why musical theatre exist; a character sings, when words and movement alone will not do to express what they are feeling, and this song is a product of that theory. "send in..." comes from a place of bitterness, Desaree is rejected and angry. the moment before, she has put her heart on the line expecting her feelings to be shared, and when she finds they are not the song starts. if when you sing this song you are thinking about your voice, you have failed in your performance. the emotion drives this song, not the voice, which is why Glynis Johns (OBC) and Judi Dench 's takes on the song are so celebrated.
i feel if given the chance, Catherine Zeta-Jones would do brilliantly in this role, and more importantly sing "Send in the Clowns" the "right" way. the ladies listed above are just a taste of the many different performers who’ve take a stab at this song. go find you favorite on youtube, but be warned "send in the clowns" on repeat might kill you.

-CTD

Britney Goes Broadway

While Britney Spears was in town for her set of concerts at Madison Square Garden (which kicked ASS, beeteedubs), she made some time to check out a few shows, including Wicked and The Little Mermaid. Here she is with one of her sons coming out of Mermaid's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

UPDATE: There is also a photo of her leaving Shrek The Musical.

And might we say, Britney is looking DAMN good lately!? Good for her.

Okay, people. It's secret time here, so get close....


I wouldn't really mind if Britney came on Broadway.

Now, before you shoot, let me finish! Brit would have to be in the RIGHT vehicle, at the RIGHT time, in the RIGHT role. I could totally see her as Sherrie in Rock of Ages, or something similar that is pure camp, and fun, were she could rock out and just have a "nothin' but a good time!!"

Plus she'd sell a whole MESS of tickets. Am I wrong?

-Samantha

Fox's GLEE - Sneak Peek - Matthew Morrison Sings 'Gold Digger'

this needs to happen all the time...Morrison brings it down
Behind the Scenes of "Gold Digger"!

BREAKING NEWS: Three Year Old is named as Gavin Creel's Replacement in HAIR!

Okay, Okay. It's not true.

But upon watching this little kid, I'm pretty sure the next HAIR revival is gonna have a pretty great Claude in this little 3-year old dancing machine.



My favorite part is when he flashes the peace signs every once in a while, and when he sings the ensembles part during the first chorus instead of the Creel/Swenson part...delicious choice, little one!

Also, during the "Oh say can you see...", he places his hand over his heart and starts marching! SOMEONE GET THIS KID AN AGENT!

-Samantha

Reba McEntire talking "straight" about her fans.

now this is what i like to see, a country singing taking the time for all her fans, even the gay ones.

the article below recounts Reba's sit-down with Out.com, a gay publication. she speaks freely about her views, which are simple "don't judge."
this philosophy of her's is a great one if she ever wanted to come back Broadway; which a part of me thinks she does... it might be nice to get her back on the great white way, she was amazing in "Annie Get Your Gun," but then again, i couldn't stand her in "South Pacific in Concert..." (Sam will disagree with me there)

if she does come to Broadway she needs to find a role where her "Reba-ness" can shine. let's think, there was talk of her doing "Anything Goes," but i wouldn't want to "go" to that for "anything." oh maybe she should revive ...Whorehouse, that is if Emily doesn't want too first! have a look at what she had to say and keep thinking up Reba friendly shows!


Reba McEntire Keeps on Loving Gay Fans, Too - The Boot

defy this!

the best understudy Wicked has...let that just wash over you. oh, i love me some Stephie Torns!

7 Year Old sings Chenoweth's Girl in 14G

I stumbled upon this.... and this is more than precociousness. I guarentee we will see this girl on Broadway one day. According to the description on the side of the video, this little seven year old learned this song in an hour, only to come out with every note and lyrics of this epic memorized....

Im kinda blown away....

Click here to watch 7 year old Jordyn.

A Very Potter Musical

So I've (Samantha) been hearing a lot about A Very Potter Musical for quite some time now. However, I am not one of those robe wearing, Griffendor (sp?) tie sporting, wand yeilding Potter fans, let alone a fan period (I've only read half of a book, and seen the first movie), so I never really gave it the time of day. However, yesterday, I was shown a video on the Tube of You of Darren Criss doing a cover of "Part of Your World", and other Disney classic tunes which I really dug (especially his completely original rendition of "Belle", which isn't an obvious choice for a cover, therefore making it all the more special. Find it here: Darren Criss sings "Belle" cover.

So, as most surfers of YouTube know, when you watch one video, there are other related videos on the side, propelling the ongoing cycle of hours of YouTube watching. And low and behold, there it was, a video of the very thing I've been avoiding: A Very Potter Musical. Ironically, Darren Criss stars as Mr. Potter himself, so I decided to give him, and the musical (which he wrote the music for) a chance.

And then it happened.

I sat, enchanted, for about 3 hours. Straight. I stayed up until 1am watching this musical. (You should know, that the musical is of standard length, but with rewinding, pausing, etc, it took about three hours).

I don't know much about "Harry Potter", but I still laughed my ASS off, and enjoyed every expertly-executed second. Sure, these kids aren't the best singers in the world, but the music is wonderful, the book is contemporary, fresh and hysterical, the acting is inspired, and the direction, by co-creator Matt Long, is superb. These are some fancy words for a musical that includes jokes referring to the character of Nevil Longbottom as "Shlongbottom", a bromance between Quirrell and Voldemort, and a "Zefron" obsession shared by Malfoy and Dumbledore. The show pokes fun at the Potter series while paying homage to it, and adds in pop culture references without seeming cheap. They squeeze every last drop of humor out of the script, and the actors clearly bring themselves to every role, and Criss as Potter is especially hilarious with his down-to-earth, surfer-style, and Joey Richter as Ron channels a mixture of Kramer from Seinfeld and Jonah Hill in....well, everything Jonah Hill's been in.

Special shout outs go to the guy who plays Voldemort, Joe Walker, and the girl who plays Draco Malfoy, Lauren Lopez. Yes. A girl plays Draco. They both give incredibly hilarious, inspired, unforgettable performances. But everyone, and I mean everyone, in this show is wonderful.

In essence:

Harry Potter+Superbad+Bat Boy: The Musical= A Very Potter Musical

Do yourself a favor. Watch this wonderfully edited pro-shot series of videos on the Tube of You. Don't give up on it. Watch the entire thing. You will not be disappointed. I don't care if you don't have the time. I don't care if you don't like Harry Potter. I don't care if you don't like musicals. Well, actually, I do care about that. But whatever. Watch A Very Potter Musical.

I'd love to hear what you think here upon watching.

DO IT!!!!

Because, well, if you do, it could be licensed, and we can see this show in NYC damnit! This type of show would do incredibly well at a venue like New World Stages (original home to such hits as Rock of Ages, Altar Boyz, and Toxic Avenger).

Plus then I can be in it.

DONE.

he "can scooter faster than any crackhead can chase" him.

"a touch of downs" i die.

CTD

get baked...Hair's Will Swenson stops by the GWWR

NOH8

i'm so glad people are speaking out...but is it at all possible to get better people to do the speaking? i had to say it...spread the word, or in this case the silence.

http://www.bouska.net/noh8/

CTD out!

to tweet, or NOT to tweet...

well, as many of you know there is much buzz around the twitter updates of a certain casting director. (and just in case you have no idea what i'm talking about, you can find the story below, go ahead, i'll wait...)

BWW Interview: 'Tweeting' Casting Director Daryl Eisenberg on Twitter, Equity, An Apology & More

'Twittergate' Continues - NYMF's GAY BRIDE OF FRANK... Schedules SECOND EPA in Response

are we all caught up? good! now, the question isn't whether or not you think what she did is right or wrong. the question is, "how much do we NEED to share?" sure i'm on the "book-of-face" whenever i'm home, and yes, i am a blogger/web-series "star" but i feel like i know when to say when. (please see sex tape that is to be release later this month)

i have often said "status updates" and "tweets" will be our demise; cut to me, sitting on my couch trying to come up with a new "update" that will get me the most comments. now that's a very bad place to be right before bedtime, but it's not the worst it could be. try sharing info about fellow co-workers...and now we're in a gray area.

i feel like what we do as actors is very hard, we are the only career, (with the exception of politicians) to be an easy target for hate. think about, i'm sure you can think of at lest 5 actor you hate. which is why i feel that certain places for an actor/performer should be "safe." when you audition you're putting yourself out there, you are showing the powers at be what you can do. in doing so i wasn't aware i was also signing up to be a possible twitter update. it's things like these that make us realize, it isn't important what we are posting, but who is seeing what we posts...
again, i'm not saying she is right or wrong...after all, she did cast me.

-Switzerland (CTD)

Alice through the looking glass.

Alice Ripley is talented, beautiful, and very successful. she is also a f*cking genius. if you haven't already seen any of the video's she has posted on her youtube channel, RIPLEYTHEBAND, you will soon. they are short, they happen often, and in them, she is (acting) cuckoo for coco puffs. now sure, i would be the first to say Alice R. is a little nutty, (most of the greats are,) you have to be...i have said, actors play other people because who they are doesn't fit in one body; we need to live others' lives from time to time just so we can get some room.
now the thing about Alice is, yes she is the normal "actor crazy," but she enjoys to play it up... which you can see in her videos. i think she knows people almost expect her to be off her rocker, so she gives it to them. the same way Marc Kudisch (of 9 to 5 fame) plays up being an "ass-whole," he knows that's what others (fans) perceive him as and is kind enough not to disappoint. Alice is no fool, she is very aware of her audience and i think she we continue to play right to them. go watch the vids they're funny, maybe not all at one sitting. watching them i was reminded of The Judy Tapes...anyone?



in the time it took me to write this post, this video was uploaded...it's a little "grey gardens"
-CTD

Who can take a rainbow, wrap it is a sigh, soak it in the sun and make a strawberry lemon pie?

go, support, love.

http://www.broadwayimpact.com/
http://www.truecolorstour.com/

Emma Hunton's 2nd Show @ Joe's Pub 8/9

So, this is pretty much the Reader's Digest version:

Emma Hunton is so freakin' awesome that Joe's Pub asked her to do a second show. Whether you went to her first one or not, YOU. SHOULD. NOT. MISS. THIS.

Plus, there is a chance I (Samantha) might be playing some piano for Miss Hunton...

Joe's Pub.

This Sunday.

August 9th.

9:30PM.

Just do it.

Andrew's blog...no Andrew's world

how great is this?!

nothing needs to be said, because there are no words.

the "pre-show" has been perfected.

ok, so everyone has their own version of the "pre-show prep." some need to do their yoga before a show, others are really big with the vocal warm-ups, or perhaps you are the type that have special music you have to listen too...

why not take a closer look at what some of Broadway's finest do before the curtain goes up on them. if you haven't already seen it, please for all that is right with the world, go watch "who said hippies don't like Beyonce?" on the Official HAIR Broadway's Facebook page. DONE.