• What to do when a November storm dumps lots of snow on you? Go snowboarding! Someone might have told Max Emerson to take a few bits of clothing with him, but then - when you've got a Porsche, you don't keep it in the garage.
• Tanzania just lost $10 million in aid from its second biggest donor, Denmark, thanks to the recent homophobic crackdown in the East African country.
• Hat tip to Kenneth-in-the-212 who found the ultimate 'Hunk' of House Hunters - Liev Schreiber - who, along with SNL's Leslie Jones, totally spoof every cliche you've ever seen on the show. This is pretty funny.
• Gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams has acknowledged she will not be able to close the gap between herself and her Republican opponent, former Secretary of State Brian Kemp. But, she did not concede the race saying Kemp had spent years working to suppress voters in Georgia in order to tilt the contest his way.
• A gay man in Miami says a Lyft driver spewed homophobic slurs at him during his ride before pulling a gun on him. The driver allegedly stopped the car and forcibly removed the man from the car, kicking him in the process and saying he wanted to "kill everyone who is gay."
• I'll be interviewing the oh-so-dashing and talented Mr. Norm Lewis about this his new holiday album soon, but for now ... :)
The cast of Broadway's Once on This Island joined Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts to discuss the revival of the musical and perform the show's finale, "Why We Tell the Story."
The neat new digital series from GMA, "Dressing Room Reveal with Robin Roberts," goes backstage to Robin Robert's dressing room for intimate performances and conversations.
Ah. This gives me life.
Once on This Island unfolds as a group of storytellers, during a nighttime rainstorm, calm a young girl of their village with the story of Ti Moune, a Caribbean island country girl who falls in love with an aristocrat.
I love this show so much: the message, the music, the people.
And speaking of the people I love a lot :)...
T. Oliver Reid, the show's dance captain, and I worked together in two Broadway shows - Chicago and Follies. As much as I've laughed through the years with T, I've also always enjoyed his talent and awesome work ethic. When you're on stage with T, you know you better keep up!
And the wondermous and handsome Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis (Porgy & Bess, Phantom of the Opera, Side Show), who I've known for even longer than T., was playing the role of "Agwé," god of water, when this was filmed.
So, double joy for me watching this clip.
Watch the gorgeous cast of Once On This Island perform "Why We Tell the Story" below and feel your spirit renewed.
Happy Sunday!
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis and GMA's Robin Roberts
Check out the beautiful wirework used to simulate swimming from the Japanese production of The Little Mermaid at the Shiki Theatre Company. Beautiful and convincing, although I'm not sure about Ariel's floating hair...?
The Broadway production of the stage show utilized wheelie sneakers to give the illusion the performers were swimming. I've posted a clip from the Broadway show also, just so you can compare.
Added bonus: Broadway featured the fantastic Sierra Boggess as "Ariel" and Norm Lewis as "King Triton."
Broadway Backwards is the annual celebration where gays and lesbians see their stories told through the great songs of musical theatre, sung by their favorite Broadway performers.
The sold-out show included 20 audience-pleasing numbers and multiple standing ovations for Tituss Burgess, Lena Hall, Florence Henderson, Norm Lewis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lillias White and more Broadway favorites, as well as a special appearance by 2014 Kennedy Center Honoree Lily Tomlin.
You can watch highlights of this year's fantastic evening below.
Excellent news that the fab Norm Lewis will be taking over the role of "the Phantom" in Broadway's long running mega-hit PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
The Tony Award nominee for PORGY AND BESS will be the first African-American to assume the role on Broadway (although Robert Guillaume sang the Phantom in the Los Angeles production in 1990).
And even more, his "Christine" will be Sierra Boggess who starred with Norm in the Broadway production of "The Little Mermaid."
Sierra played "Christine" in the Las Vegas incarnation of the show and then went on to create the role in the sequel "Love Never Dies" in London.
“Having worked with Norm since the 90s, when he played John in ‘Miss Saigon’ on Broadway, and then Javert on Broadway in ‘Les Misérables’ in 2006,” Cameron Mackintosh, one of the show’s producers, said in a statement, “I couldn’t be more thrilled that he is now joining ‘Phantom,’ matched with Sierra – one of the finest Christines ever. It’s hard to imagine a more exciting pairing.”
Norm and Sierra begin performances on Broadway on May 12th.
Tune in to The Candi & Randy Show as we welcome some of this year's celebrated Tony Award nominees as they discuss the process, success and joys of being a part of the 2011-2012 Broadway theatrical season.
We celebrate the best of Broadway this year by inviting Tony nominated directors, choreographers, actors and composers to talk about their work, nominations and their thoughts on the current Broadway season.
Our guests include Judith Light (Other Desert Cities), Kathleen Marshall (Nice Work If You Can Get It), Norm Lewis (The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess), Chris Gattelli (Newsies), and Wayne Barker (Peter and the Starcatcher).
Candi and I just interviewed my friend the fab, handsome, charming Norm Lewis who has been deservedly nominated for every award possible this season on Broadway for his performance as "Porgy" in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. (By the way, today is his birthday!)
I don't know anyone who doesn't love Norm. I'm thinking good thoughts for him as the Drama Desk Awards are tomorrow and the Tony Awards are next Sunday. As those of us who know him are aware, he's really one of the great gifts on Broadway today.
The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS officially opened on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street).
The cast is led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as 'Bess,' Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis as 'Porgy' and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier as 'Sporting Life.'
Audra is brilliant in everything she does - rave reviews all over the place.
And I always love me some Norm Lewis. Go see the show on Broadway.
A revamped version of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” starring Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier, will go to Broadway soon after it completes its run, previously announced, at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass.
Producers announced on Wednesday that the show — which plays down its roots as an opera and features a reworked book by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and new arrangements by Diedre Murray — will open at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Jan. 12, with previews beginning on Dec. 17.
Diane Paulus, the artistic director at the A.R.T., will direct “Porgy and Bess.” Kicking off the company’s season, the show is slated to run from Aug. 17 to Oct. 2, with an opening night on Aug. 31.
The casting of Ms. McDonald as Bess, Mr. Lewis (“Sondheim on Sondheim”) as Porgy, Mr. Grier (“Race”) as Sportin’ Life, and Joshua Henry (“The Scottsboro Boys”) as Jake made clear this was unlikely to be just a short regional run. And the producers, Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel, expressed optimism about Broadway after workshops and a developmental performance for investors in May.
A revamped version of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” starring Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier, will go to Broadway soon after it completes its run, previously announced, at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass.
