Oh, Boy! 2003 - Articles Page 30

Broadway's Sarah Pfisterer ('Phantom of the Opera,' 'Show Boat,' 'Children and Art') leads a cast of 200 singers and dancers in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston's holiday spectacular 'It's ChristmasTime' December 3-12. Now in its 28th edition, this joyous Boston area tradition features Pfisterer singing 'The Most Wonderful Birthday of All,' 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,' 'Mary's Boy Child,' and 'Oh, Holy Night.'

Andy has a sweet Catholic mother, a sour Catholic father, and a severely retarded younger brother named Mickey. When he brings his Jewish atheist fiance to meet the folks on Christmas Eve, his worst fears about family blow ups are realized. But Mickey, whose entire vocabulary is 'oh boy' and 'wow,' suddenly says 'Greetings!' An ancient, wise and witty spirit who is set upon healing the family has borrowed Mickey's body.

Born in a little town outside Lynchburg, Tennessee Dee W. Ieye was the sole heir to the Jack Daniel's fortune. She began her circuit of beauty pageants at a young age and eventually found herself out here in L.A. competing for the crown in Aid for Aids Best in 'drag' show in 2004. Taking her new found fame from that competition, Dee stepped into the role of Tupperware Lady in 2005, doing in home party demonstrations of Tupperware's classic food storage containers. It wasn't long before Dee became the # 1 Personal Seller of Tupperware products in the Nation. For 3 years she has held that title of # 1 in personal sales and is on her way to find out if it's year # 4 in Orlando next week at the big Tupperware convention. Not only is Dee busy with her party demonstrations, she is also very active in the community doing personal appearances, MC -ing events, private parties and fundraising. She's best known for her charitable works with raising money for Aids Services Orange County and their affiliate Friends of Dorothy. Each year 4 events are held where money is raised directly to support those in Orange County living with HIV / AIDS.

American-born singer/actress Carmen Cusack has certainly had a lot of experience playing extraordinary women. Besides turns as Christine on PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and Fantine in LES MISERABLES (both in England), she took on the role of Elphaba in the US National Tour of WICKED. Now she's wowing more audiences across the country in yet another iconic musical theater role: as Nellie Forbush in the First National Tour of the critically-acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, currently on stage at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through October 24. Before the tour arrived in Costa Mesa, Cusack chatted with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about her early musical roots, her roles in this landmark musical as well as that other musical that turned her skin green, and her current woes battling a certain miniature critter colony that's been constantly in the headlines.

The Buddy Holly Story, a dramatic jukebox musical at the Spencer Theater, Sunday, September 26 at 2 p.m., tells the story of the young Lubbock man in horn-rimmed glasses who became the world's top recording artist with a show that features over 20 of Buddy Holly's greatest hits including Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby, Ritchie Valens' La Bamba, and the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace.

The Buddy Holly Story, a dramatic jukebox musical at the Spencer Theater, Sunday, September 26 at 2 p.m., tells the story of the young Lubbock man in horn-rimmed glasses who became the world's top recording artist with a show that features over 20 of Buddy Holly's greatest hits including Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby, Ritchie Valens' La Bamba, and the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace.

Long considered a 'songwriter's songwriter,' John Prine is a rare talent who writes the songs other songwriters would sell their souls for. With one of the most influential and unmistakable songwriting voices of today, Prine continues to cast his perceptive eye upon the subtle complexities of the human condition, delivering his observations in his uniquely concise, illuminating compositions. Some four decades since his remarkable debut, John Prine is ready to release In Person & On Stage, a new live album proving he's still at the top of his game, both as a performer and songwriter. Recently honored at the Library of Congress by US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, he's been elevated from the annals of songwriters into the realm of bonafide American treasures.

Oh, there were big goings-on in the Showtuneland of Chicago this past weekend! And a whole lot of talkin' goin' on. But before we get to that particular topic, I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you some Chicago-based highlights of my recent trip to New York: observations, thoughts and feelings that many of you may have had this spring or summer on a similar trip.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest Fringe Festival in the world, and Canada's Cabaret Superstar Sharron Matthew's is taking her show there for the first time ever. Once she arrived in Scotland she sat down to talk with BWW about the excitment of participating in EdFringe, Alan Cumming, Taylor the Latte Boy and WORLD DOMINATION!

With audiences around the world dancing in the aisles, this legendary production hits The Ivoryton Playhouse from July 7th - August 1, 2010. Oh Boy! Rave On! Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day!... All smash hits of the golden days of rock ‘n' roll, when ‘doo-wops' & ‘ah hey, ah hey, heys' rang out from every Jukebox!

With audiences around the world dancing in the aisles, this legendary production hits The Ivoryton Playhouse from July 7th - August 1, 2010. Oh Boy! Rave On! Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day!... All smash hits of the golden days of rock ‘n' roll, when ‘doo-wops' & ‘ah hey, ah hey, heys' rang out from every Jukebox!

On Tuesday night I had the privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with legendary composer, conductor and musical director Marvin Hamlisch. The three-time Oscar-winner has also won a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony, Emmys and Golden Globes making him the only individual besides Richard Rodgers to accomplish as much in his forty-year-plus career. His scores for A CHORUS LINE, THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, along with his work on classic films like THE WAY WE WERE and THE STING surely cement his place in the pantheon of great American artists, a legend in his own time. On Monday night he also participated - accompanying Idina Menzel on a song from A CHORUS LINE - in the White House celebration of Broadway also starring Nathan Lane, Idina Menzel, Audra McDonald and the First Family themselves which will be airing on PBS in October. He also hosts the 70s music special THE WAY WE WERE, MUSIC OF THE SEVENTIES airing in August on PBS, as well.

With audiences around the world dancing in the aisles, this legendary production hits The Ivoryton Playhouse from July 7th - August 1, 2010. Oh Boy! Rave On! Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day!... All smash hits of the golden days of rock ‘n' roll, when ‘doo-wops' & ‘ah hey, ah hey, heys' rang out from every Jukebox!

With audiences around the world dancing in the aisles, this legendary production hits The Ivoryton Playhouse from July 7th - August 1, 2010. Oh Boy! Rave On! Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day!... All smash hits of the golden days of rock ‘n' roll, when ‘doo-wops' & ‘ah hey, ah hey, heys' rang out from every Jukebox!

With audiences around the world dancing in the aisles, this legendary production hits The Ivoryton Playhouse from July 7th - August 1, 2010. Oh Boy! Rave On! Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day!... All smash hits of the golden days of rock ‘n' roll, when ‘doo-wops' & ‘ah hey, ah hey, heys' rang out from every Jukebox!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Million Dollar Quartet,' 'Oh Boy!,' 'Low Down Dirty Blues,' 'Sugar,' 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'Sweet And Hot,' more....

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Dominic Missimi gala, Diana Ross, 'Fuerza Bruta,' 'Billy Elliot,' 'Legally Blonde,' 'Oh, Boy!,' more...

Today, in honor of the DVD release of Rob Marshall's film version of the 1982 Tony-winning Best Musical NINE, Maury Yeston was gracious and generous enough to grant me a few hours in which I could ask him intimate questions about his life, career and the future of theatre itself. Not one to mince words, Yeston is a veritable font of knowledge and it became clear during the interview that he may be as gifted and talented in his educational and mentorship skills as he is as a two-time Tony-winning composer and lyricist. His stage musicals include two Tony-winning Best Musicals, NINE and TITANIC, as well as: IN THE BEGINNING, GRAND HOTEL, PHANTOM, and the forthcoming DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, as well as a full-length ballet of TOM SAWYER premiering later this year. From the handwritten letter sent by Katharine Hepburn to Frederico Fellini after seeing the workshop of NINE thirty years ago to this very day when NINE hits DVD, we will take a look at this magnanimous maestro's starry career in this inaugural InDepth InterView. Enjoy!

Today we are taking a listen to Stephen Sondheim's musicals of the 1980s, each a striking artistic achievement attempting to do something never done before in Broadway history and improving the very genre of musical theatre itself with his work on these three very different shows. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and INTO THE WOODS...

The Artistic Home, near the corner of Byron and Clark on the outskirts of Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood, is directly across the street from a cemetery. Well, three cemeteries, I think. And that is so appropriate, because, as you may know, that's where you end up at the end of this 1891 German dramatic classic by Frank Wedekind, being performed now through May 9, 2010 by the Promethean Theatre Ensemble.

There is a sort of darling, cheerful innocence associated with youth in the 50's, which, by contrast, is ridiculously tame by today's standards. Mixing old-fashioned values, quirky fashions, and infectious pop music that is oh-so-cute and saccharine, it is no wonder that many wax nostalgic for an era that came before the rise of cynicism, mistrust, and a disenfranchised counter-culture took hold of a nation still fixing itself. So upon seeing the sparkly, prom-decorated gymnasium set for Musical Theatre West's regional production of Roger Bean's Off-Broadway hit THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES (continuing through May 2), one can't help but feel warm and fuzzy for what's about to happen. For a solid two hours-plus, it was certainly nice traveling back to pre-hardened times, and to be enveloped and shielded in the show's very cozy, comforting embrace.

'Oh What a Night' it will be when the original Jersey Boy Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons take center stage at the Fox Theatre on Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Sondheim/Lloyd Webber Day, 'White Christmas,' The Glenwood, Tom Jones, 'Oh, Boy!,' 'The Original Grease,' more.....

This week we are taking a look at the just-released cast album of the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical sequel, LOVE NEVER DIES, which has proven to be among many phans and theatre fans, in a word, divisive. Be sure to check out last week's Phantom Round-Up for a rundown of the original PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as it stands on disc if only because it is beneficial to have at least a tertiary knowledge of that show‘s score in order to fully appreciate the music here... And what rich, rapturous music it is!

Seattle's Paramount Theatre is currently presenting the US tour of "Xanadu". And let me tell you the show is stupid, ridiculous, pointless, over the top and has no redeeming value what so ever. And boy will you have a good time at it!