Margaret Johnson News

Three-time Olivier Award winner Alex Jennings (Netflix's The Crown), in Chicago rehearsing for his upcoming role in the Tony Award-winning musical, The Light in the Piazza, at the Lyric Opera House Dec. 14-29, will make a special appearance at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (164 N. State Street) following the National Theatre Live screening of the engrossing new work, Hansard, in which he co-stars with Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress Lindsay Duncan (Private Lives), Friday evening, December 6, at 7:45pm.  Jennings will be on hand afterwards to answer questions about his acclaimed Broadway, West End, and TV career.

Ariela Morgenstern's story is a variation on the old chestnut 'local girl makes good.' The San Francisco native returned home a few years ago after a fruitful decade based in New York. BroadwayWorld spoke with her shortly after she had begun rehearsals for that Mount Everest of a role, Gypsy's Momma Rose. Morgenstern is a multi-talented performer with a career that encompasses musical theater, opera and cabaret. And as if that didn't keep her busy enough, she also has a toddler at home. In conversation she is warm and earthy, with a wry perspective indicating a strong sense of who she is in this world.

The full Chicago cast has been announced for the limited holiday engagement of beloved Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza, for ten performances only, December 14-29, 2019, at Lyric Opera House. The cast includes Renee Fleming and Rob Houchen, along with three-time Olivier Award winner Alex Jennings (Netflix's The Crown) and rising star Solea Pfeiffer (Almost Famous, Hamilton), as well as world-renowned soprano Marie McLaughlin, Broadway star Eric Sciotto (Something Rotten) and award-winning soprano Suzanne Kantorski. Additional casting includes West End talent Malcolm Sinclair, Rhona McGregor, Matthew Woodyatt and ensemble members Jordan Castle, Nicholas Duncan, Chlöe Hart, Molly Lynch, Tom Partridge and Monica Swayne.

L.A. Opera presents The Light in the Piazza!Renée Fleming and Emmy winner Dove Cameron star as Margaret and Clara Johnson, two American tourists in Italy. Their grand vacation plans take an unexpected detour when young Clara is swept off her feet by a local charmer. Brian Stokes Mitchell plays the role of Signor Naccarelli, the debonair father of a wealthy Florentine family.

Everything comes together with a swell of vitality in Arizona State University Music Theatre and Opera's production thanks to stars Mary Ott and Kathlynn Rodin, Music Director Greg Paladino, and Director Robert Kolby Harper.

Casting is complete for LA Opera's upcoming production of The Light in the Piazza. West End musical theater stars Rob Houchen, Liam Tamne and Celinde Schoenmaker, along with celebrated soprano Marie McLaughlin, join a formidable cast led by Renée Fleming, Dove Cameron and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Alex Jennings (Netflix's The Crown) and Solea Pfeiffer (Almost Famous, Hamilton) will join Renée Fleming in the limited Chicago presentation of The Light in the Piazza, for ten performances only, December 14-29, 2019, at Lyric Opera House (press opening Saturday, Dec. 14). Tickets start at $49 and are on sale now. The Chicago engagement follows the production's acclaimed run at the Royal Festival Hall in London this summer.

Renée Fleming will reprise her starring turn in The Light in the Piazza in the United States this fall. Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas' six-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical will be directed by the UK's multiple Oliver Award-winning Daniel Evans.

For the opener of its 20th Anniversary Season, Showtunes is bringing this legendary work home to the theatre where it began. Join them as The Light in the Piazza returns to Seattle in one of the biggest concerts ever, featuring the full, Broadway orchestration.

Tony-Award-winning actress Victoria Clark will join soprano Renée Fleming and the Emerson String Quartet at the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) on August 1 for the Aspen premiere of Penelope, a new work by the late Andre Previn and Tom Stoppard. Clark will perform the role of the narrator in a performance that will also feature pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The performance sold out within weeks of going on sale.

Christine Andreas opened her show at the Beach Cafe last night by telling the intimate group of Cabaret lovers that contrary to current trends, her show had no theme. It would simply contain songs she liked to sing. By the end of her performance it was obvious the show did have a theme…..Great Songs Sung by a Great SingerActor. I've often said that the best musical experience is when the singer happens to be the pianist. The fingers join the vocal chords and create the most well planned arrangements. I may be wrong. Having your spouse as your pianist and music director also creates a rare and inspired musical experience. Martin Silvestri creates exceptional accompaniments. He is a true artist at the keyboard and happens also to be an Accordion virtuoso, which is extremely effective when Christine sings her unforgettable Piaf medley.

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 Dove Cameron THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, Broadway-Bound TEA AT FIVE, Andrew Keenan-Bolger LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, and More!

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the romantic musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, making its long-awaited London debut at the Royal Festival Hallon through 5th July 2019. Check out the video!

Today's top stories: Vanessa Carlton begins in Beautiful, and more!

The sumptuous and unforgettable romantic musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA makes its long-awaited London debut at the Royal Festival Hall, now through 5 July 2019.

Adam Guettel's extraordinary music, wonderfully played by the Orchestra of Opera North, is the best reason to revive a show that is hobbled by a pedestrian book and awkward stereotypes.

The sumptuous and unforgettable romantic musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA makes its long-awaited London debut at the Royal Festival Hallon 14 th June to 5 th July 2019.

There's an unfortunate guffaw in the otherwise well-calibrated British thriller of '46, 'Dead of Night,' when Mervyn Johns (Glynis' dad), sensing he's sinking into insanity, brings a shaky hand to his forehead and says, 'I've got to get to a mental specialist.'

Craig Lucas' evocative libretto and Adam Guettel's lushly romantic (and Tony Award-winning) score, notwithstanding - and putting aside the momentous occasion of Street Theatre Company inaugurating a new theater venue - perhaps the most notable attribute of the Ernie Nolan-directed version of The Light in the Piazza debuting tonight is its stellar cast of artists who bring the show to life with such apparent ardor. Continuing through April 20, STC's The Light in the Piazza is beautifully sung and impressively acted by Nolan's impeccably cast ensemble in a production fairly redolent of mid-century Florence and it serves as the perfect introduction to STC's new home.

Today, we invite you to get to know Briar Moroschak and Lindsay Hess, who play the daughter and mother at the heart of the story, who graciously answered our questions for the latest in our continuing series of Friday 5 (+1) in order to gain some insight into the two women and to suggest why you might want to make reservations now to see the acclaimed musical at Street Theatre Company.