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From Ellen's Stardust Diner to 'American Idol'

There were plenty of aspiring and talented musical theater singers in New Jersey for the first round of American Idol auditions this week. The Idol judges don't usually show a lot of love for Broadway, but Devyn Rush, who works as a singing waitress at the famous Ellen's Stardust Diner in the the heart of the Theatre District near Times Square in NYC, impressed us the most.

Watch Rush sing "God Bless the Child" for the American Idol judges:

Continue reading "From Ellen's Stardust Diner to 'American Idol'" »

January 21, 2011 in Music, Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Help Broadway Couple Fund Their Album via Kickstarter

Jenny powers and matt cavenaugh Broadway actors and married couple Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story) and Jenny Powers (Grease) are raising money to record a new album together, using online fundraising platform Kickstarter to collect donations.

"Collectively, we're veterans of over 10 Broadway and off-Broadway shows," Cavenaugh writes on the project's Kickstarter page. "See, the thing is, both of us have been blessed with a lot of success individually, but we have barely worked together. Well, we'd like to change that. So, we're making an album together! The album will be filled with new and exciting versions of classic songs you already love!"

In addition to songs originally recorded by artists such as Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Queen, and Joni Mitchell, Cavenaugh also teases that the album will include a duet from the new musical Dangerous Beauty. (Powers stars in the world premiere production of Dangerous Beauty beginning Feb. 1, 2011 at the Pasadena Playhouse.) "You'll be the first to hear a tune from this incredible new score!," Cavenaugh writes.

Cavenaugh and Powers hope to raise at least $10,000, and plan to begin recording the album soon for a Feb. 2011 release.

Continue reading "Help Broadway Couple Fund Their Album via Kickstarter" »

December 08, 2010 in Actor Life, Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Michael Cera Plays Bass with Mister Heavenly

Michael cera plays bass

Newly-formed indie music supergroup Mister Heavenly -- featuring Man Man's Honus Honus, Islands' Nick Thorburn, and Modest Mouse's Joe Plummer -- performed their first show last night, at Seattle's Moore Theater. And they revealed a special surprise fourth member, who certainly improves the band's "super" status: Michael Cera on bass!

Mister Heavenly recently signed to Sub Pop, but Cera has not been confirmed as a full-time member of the band yet.

"As of right now he is not an official member, just playing with the guys on this tour," Sub Pop's publicity coordinator Bekah Zietz told The Stranger.

Continue reading "Michael Cera Plays Bass with Mister Heavenly" »

December 02, 2010 in Actor Life, Music | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Gwyneth Paltrow Performs 'Country Strong' Live at CMAs

Watch Gwyneth Paltrow perform "Country Strong," the single from the soundtrack for her upcoming film Country Strong, at the Country Music Awards last night. It was the live singing debut for both the song and the Oscar-winning actress. And with a little help from Vince Gill, she's actually pretty good!

Country Strong stars Paltrow as a fallen country music star trying to revive her career. The film also stars Tim McGraw as her husband/manager, Garrett Hedlund as a rising country singer-songwriter, and Leighton Meester as a beauty queen-turned-singer. Watch the trailer below:

Continue reading "Gwyneth Paltrow Performs 'Country Strong' Live at CMAs" »

November 11, 2010 in Movies, Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Deidre's "Hoochie Coochie Halloween" Brings Theatrical Party to Brooklyn

Deidre hoochie coochie halloween party poster Just in time for Halloween, Brooklyn singer-musician Deidre Muro invites you to celebrate the release of her new single "Memory Monster" -- which she describes as "a song of terror in the tradition of pop horror music" -- at Deidre's "Hoochie Coochie Halloween" party on Tue., Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. at Zebulon (258 Wythe Ave.) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. 

Rather than stage a traditional concert, however, Deidre has envisioned a theatrical party which promises that attendees "will be taken on a journey to the haunted bayou of the American South," where host and narrator Mr. Edgar Caroo will recount the night he was stranded, lost and alone, in the swamp -- and what happened when the sun disappeared.

"It's a blend of theater, performance art, and rock & roll," according to Deidre. "There will be acting, dancing, singing, bands... It's basically my way of orchestrating the kind of entertainment I like, which is somewhere between musical theater, rock shows, and old Hollywood productions."

Continue reading "Deidre's "Hoochie Coochie Halloween" Brings Theatrical Party to Brooklyn" »

October 24, 2010 in Music, New York City Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Broadway Says: 'It Gets Better'

In the wake of the recent epidemic of tragic suicides among bullied and victimized LGBT youth across the nation, many young stars of Broadway have come together to show their support in an original song and music video. Watch and listen to "It Gets Better":

Among the Broadway stars lending their voices to tell troubled LGBT youth that "it gets better" are Danny Calvert (Altar Boyz), Celina Carvajal (Tarzan, The Toxic Avenger), Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Ann Harada (Avenue Q, 9 to 5), Carly Jibson (Hairspray), Jose Llana (Rent), Carrie Manolakos (Mamma Mia!), Orfeh (Legally Blonde), Christina Sajous (American Idiot), John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek), Marty Thomas (Xanadu, Wicked), and Stephanie Umoh (Ragtime), along with Matt Anctil, Jacob Clemente, Amanda Jane Cooper, Sarah Kathleen Farrell, Victoria Gross, Robyn Kimmel, Todd Latimore, Ray Lee, Blair Shepard, Jimmy Smagula, Tess Soltau, Seth Sikes, Anne Fraser Thomas, and Gabe Violett. Music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and Blair Shephard.

"It Gets Better" is available for mp3 download beginning today on iTunes. All procees benefit The Trevor Project, a non-profit LGBT suicide prevention hot line. For more info and to donate, visit www.thetrevorproject.org.

Continue reading "Broadway Says: 'It Gets Better'" »

October 19, 2010 in Music, New York Theater | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Team StarKid, 'Harry Potter,' and 'Glee': A Look at Darren Criss and His Theater Company

Darren Criss To say that Glee is a big part of my life is an understatement ("obsessed" with the Fox show is a better way of putting it). Quite a few of my summer Blog Stage posts were about the casting rumors and news from the show's second season.

One of the most recent annoucements, though, excited me more than Gweneth Paltrow’s upcoming appearance: EW's Michael Ausiello reported that Kurt would be getting a mentor -- and possible boyfriend -- named Blaine. But the best part is that the role will be played by "relative newcomer" Darren Criss.

According to all the media outlets, Criss has only done work on the short-lived ABC drama Eastwick. While that credit is accurate, they failed to mention that Criss has been a bit of an internet star for over a year now, thanks to the shows he and his theater company Team StarKid create and upload on YouTube.

I saw a few of the members of Team StarKid perform in the New York International Fringe Festival show Wanton Displays of Affection at the Cherry Pit Theater this summer, and knew that I wanted to share the amazing work the group does. I thought that my window of opportunity had closed… until Team StarKid made it into the news again.

The truly shocking thing is, besides a brief mention from Ausiello, none of the other major media outlets who posted news of Criss' casting even mentioned Team StarKid, or Criss’s starring role in their first production, A Very Potter Musical. I thought that was odd, especially with Glee’s premise being a perfect fit for the man who played Harry Potter in a fan-fare musical. It would be a great way for Glee fans to learn about the actor who is about to take Kurt under his wing, quench their voracious Glee appetites while they have to wait an extra week for "The Rocky Horror Glee Show," and also (hopefully) raise Team StarKid’s profile.

To that end, I give you a crash course in all things Team StarKid!

Continue reading "Team StarKid, 'Harry Potter,' and 'Glee': A Look at Darren Criss and His Theater Company" »

October 18, 2010 in Internet & Video, Music | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

'Do, a Deer...' Sing-Along 'Sound of Music'

Sound of music Remember when you first saw Rogers & Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music"?

There was the iconic first shot of Julie Andrews running up that hilll, one that was simultaneously stirring and hilarious. And after, you could never think about green hills and mountains without wanting to run up it with your arms stretched while singing, "The hills are alive..."

And you always thought that when a boy said he liked you, there would be dancing in a gazebo with soft, hazy lighting.

And "Do-Re-Mi" was the preeminant way to learn how to sing.

Now you can relive those moments on the big screen when "The Sound of Music" celebrates its 45th anniversary by playing a sing-along production in select movie screens across the county on Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.

Continue reading "'Do, a Deer...' Sing-Along 'Sound of Music'" »

October 18, 2010 in Movies, Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

'Glee' Does 'Rocky Horror'

Glee_5 I'm looking forward to the "Rocky Horror Glee Show." Like really looking forward to it. Like obsessively looking forward to it that I've dissected every single song from the episode that has been released online ("Time Warp" = epic. "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" = disturbing).

And I'm not the only one. Just Jared is giving away tickets to a midnight screening of the episode. Lucky viewers can see the much-buzzed about episode a whooping 5 days before it airs Oct. 26.

Knowing that, does "Glee" have the potential to be as disappointing as  the Britney Spears tribute episode, "Brittany/Britney," earlier this season? No doubt. This is "Glee," after all, which always manages to fit in disturbing and touching at the same time.

Yet here are reasons why the upcoming "Rocky Horror Glee Show" will be better than "Brittany/Britney":

Continue reading "'Glee' Does 'Rocky Horror'" »

October 18, 2010 in Music, Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

U2 Performs Song from 'Spider-Man' Broadway Musical

U2 performed their new song "Boy Falls From the Sky," written by Bono and The Edge for the long-awaited Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, at a concert in Portugal on Sunday.

"We want to try something we have never played before. This could be interesting," Bono told the Portuguese crowd. Watch the video below:

Continue reading "U2 Performs Song from 'Spider-Man' Broadway Musical" »

October 05, 2010 in Music, New York Theater | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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