Michael Lawrence Quintos News

Between the Southern California arrivals of Lincoln Center Theatre's impressive SOUTH PACIFIC revival and the Tony-winning NEXT TO NORMAL tour starring Alice Ripley, to the incredibly entertaining offerings from regional and smaller theaters in the area, 2010 was a banner year in musicals and plays.

On Monday, December 6, cast members from the first national tour of NEXT TO NORMAL--now performing a limited engagement at the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles through January 2, 2011--performed a brief set at 'Musical Mondays,' the Broadway-centric live performance showcase hosted by Scott Nevins and Ryan O'Connor at the Eleven Nightclub in West Hollywood.

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.

Before returning to the O.C. for a series of concerts accompanied by her band Supreme Music Program, Megan Mullally spoke with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about her band's return to OCPAC, her early stage career, and her memorable role as Karen Walker in the hit sitcom Will & Grace.

Former JERSEY BOYS star Erich Bergen is certainly one busy guy. In support of his first soon-to-be released solo CD The Vegas Sessions, Bergen will be debuting his new club act at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, September 15. On top of that, he is currently in rehearsals for the new musical VENICE, which is set to open October 7 at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Recently, Bergen chatted with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about the new album, his days on JERSEY BOYS, New York vs. L.A. theater, and the whereabouts of his Gossip Girl ascot.

This past year has certainly been a fun one for Cory English, the scene-stealing actor who portrays the lovably-humpbacked sidekick Igor (pronounced EYE-GOHR, mind you) in the first national tour of Mel Brooks' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Recently, while en route with his family to Costa Mesa-where the show will come to life at The Orange County Performing Arts Center for a two-week engagement starting September 12-English agreed to stop for a brief chat with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on the road, his first time on Broadway, and how much he loves musical comedy.

Is it actually possible to like something more on repeat viewings? In the case of the traveling national tour production of IN THE HEIGHTS--now performing for a limited engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through August 15--the answer is a very qualified 'yes.' That's quite a feat, considering the show just played an extended run in Hollywood at the Pantages Theatre, featuring its original creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda reprising the lead role. With Miranda's charms and undeniable hip-hop skills on full display, the much celebrated Los Angeles stop was a dazzling thing to behold. So how will the show fare without its main impresario dramatizing this entertaining tale?

On the surface, taking over the lead role of Usnavi in the National Tour of IN THE HEIGHTS-now performing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through August 15-seems like a daunting task to tackle, especially after observing first-hand the man who created the role reprising it for six weeks in the tour's celebrated Los Angeles stop. But for actor Joseph Morales, assuming the role full-time directly following Lin-Manuel Miranda is nothing short of a realization of a dream. Morales spoke briefly with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about what it means for him to play the lead role in one of musical theater's biggest new hits.

One of Orange County, California's newest theater companies, 3D Theatricals, will present HELLO, DOLLY! from July 9 through August 1 at the gorgeous O.C. Pavilion Theatre in the Arts District of downtown Santa Ana. Starring as the matchmaker Dolly Levi will be Broadway veteran (and Los Angeles-area theater favorite) Ruth Williamson. During a break from show preparations, Williamson paused briefly for a chat with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to discuss her extensive history in the theater and her excitement in taking on the iconic role.

Stars from the world of film, television and the stage walked the 'blue carpet' on June 10, 2010 to celebrate the World Premiere of WORLD OF COLOR, the brand new nighttime show at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim. A show five years in the making, WORLD OF COLOR combines water, music, fire, lights, animation, and a lot of Disney magic and storytelling to wow its audience with a 25-minute spectacle that rises from the waters of Paradise Bay.

Actor Tyler Murree seems to have a knack for landing roles in costume-heavy shows. Whether Shakespearean or Tolkien-esque, the Toronto-trained thespian likes disappearing into each and every role he takes on. His past shows have included the world premiere production of The Lord of the Rings: The Musical, the North American premiere of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage, A Christmas Carol, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and even the all-pantomime production of Aladdin: the Magical Family Musical. In 2005 he originated the role of charming villain Franco DiFortunato in Disney's Twice Charmed: An Original Twist On The Cinderella Story. Currently he stars as the hilarious Timon the Meerkat in the North American touring company of Disney's Tony® Award-winning stage musical THE LION KING, performing for a three-week engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from May 26 through June 13. While on break from the tour in Calgary, Murree spoke with Broadway World's Michael Lawrence Quintos about playing the world's most famous meerkat.

During what was called 'Andrew Lloyd Webber week' of the seventh season of the hit TV talent competition American Idol, Webber predicted to an audience of millions that Syesha Mercado will 'bring the house down' with a sexy, splashy take on one of his many musical hits. And that, she did. Then 21, she eventually lasted on the show to become the second runner-up. Fast forward two years later, and she is now in the midst of a multi-city national tour of the rebooted DREAMGIRLS stage musical, where she nightly plays Deena Jones, the beautiful and eventual front-woman of the semi-fictional musical group The Dreams. Before she takes the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center (April 21-May 2), Mercado spoke with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on the road, her American Idol roots, and what it takes to become Deena Jones night after night.

The Tony® Award-winning actress will once again be gracing the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater to close out this year's Broadway talent-heavy Cabaret Series from April 8 thru 11. Besides her winning performance as Ms. Adelaide in the critically-acclaimed revival of Guys and Dolls, she has been balancing a rich career in film and television with a string of iconic shows on the Great White Way, which include Tony-nominated turns in A Catered Affair, Bells Are Ringing, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway. Most recently she hung up her tentacles playing the final Ursula in Disney's stage adaptation of The Little Mermaid before it closed on Broadway last year. But before she makes her triumphant cabaret return to Orange County, Ms. Prince spoke with BroadwayWorld about her upcoming show, her Tony ceremony woes, and her mission to inspire the next generation of theater actors to live out their dreams.

Like many boys and girls bit by the performing bug (just watch that giddy TV phenomenon Glee and you'll understand), Teanna Berry is living her dream. She currently stars as 'Peaches' in the latest national tour cycle of the multiple-Tony Award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY, which returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a brief engagement from April 6 - 11. For Berry, HAIRSPRAY's week-long stop in Costa Mesa is expected to be an exciting homecoming.

Many theater-goers today have a keen sense of what 'musical theatre' should look like. For some, a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic fits the bill. Others may think of some of the mega-musicals that have graced the stage over the years, but for some, a new show like Spring Awakening excites, energizes, and adds a whole new facet to the musical theatre experience. Atlanta audiences will have the opportunity to experience this revolutionary show at the Fabulous Fox Theatre March 9 - 14 presented by Broadway Across America - Atlanta.

While the Northern East Coast of the U.S. was hammered with blizzard-like conditions last week, Broadway vet Kevin Kern was busy with the launch of THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, the concert revue he co-stars in, which compiles many of the prolific composer's musical hits that are in turn interpreted by six talented, well-known performers of the Broadway stage. Luckily, he and the extraordinary cast will get the chance to thaw out a little bit when the show pays a visit to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a limited, one-week engagement on February 16 through 21. Kern-whose theater credits include Broadway's Wicked, The Wedding Singer, and Les Miserables, as well as the pre-Broadway runs of 9 to 5: The Musical and Next to Normal-recently took some time in between performances to talk with BroadwayWorld/Costa Mesa to discuss the concert, as well as his early work in the original casts of Altar Boyz and 9 to 5 (in the latter, he divulges his early star-struck shyness towards a certain Ms. Parton). He also breaks the exclusive news (to us first!) about his upcoming involvement in a hit Broadway musical that's about to cross the pond over to London!

Before the hit stage musical MARY POPPINS' three-month-long tour stop at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre comes to an end on February 7, BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos sat down with Bolger for a nice, long chat about his year on tour, his stay in Los Angeles, his video blog stardom, and his future plans after he dances his final super-CALI-fragilistic jig.

In just the span of a few short years, Kelli O'Hara has become one of Broadway's most beloved women of musical theater. With three Tony® Award nominations in a row under her belt (The Light in the Piazza, The Pajama Game and, most recently, the critically-acclaimed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific), the revered stage star is now getting ready to debut an updated version of her much-lauded cabaret act from New York's Café Carlyle at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater on January 21. The intimate series of concerts will feature not only some familiar Broadway hits but also a few songs close to the singer-actor's heart, some of which can be found on her debut album Wonder of the World. She will also sprinkle the show with a few stories and anecdotes from her life: from her early childhood in Oklahoma to her debut on the Great White Way. O'Hara recently sat down for a quick chat with BroadwayWorld to discuss her early influences, her distinguished Broadway roles, and even some of her guilty pleasures.

Currently starring in South Coast Repertory's West Coast production of Adam Gwon's musical ORDINARY DAYS (ending January 24), David Burnham (Wicked, The Light in the Piazza) recently sat down with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos to talk about his humble beginnings as a farm boy, his admiration for John Raitt, being a Broadway performer, and living his dream job.

BroadwayWorld/Costa Mesa's Michael Lawrence Quintos looks back at the highs of this past year. Orange County (or 'The O.C.' as it's more popularly nicknamed) saw a plethora of amazing theater this past year, thanks to a hits-driven national tour line-up at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, as well as some great productions at some local/regional companies such as South Coast Repertory and The Laguna Playhouse. And nearby L.A. and San Diego provided O.C. residents even more choices for great theatergoing experiences.