Last week, I stumbled upon this amazing video of Whitney Houston at the 1994 American Music Awards performing a medley of some Broadway classics followed by one of her own hits. I immediately thought this would be the perfect way to start getting people as excited as I am about the long-awaited stage adaptation of the 1992 hit musical film The Bodyguard. But on Saturday, before I could complete my thoughts, I was shocked to hear that the legendary diva had passed away. Along with the rest of her... [Read more]

New York's MCC Theater has attracted a lot of attention lately for taking on a project that many have considered ill-advised. They are staging an off-Broadway revival of the musical Carrie, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. The original 1988 production of the show remains to this day one of the most famous flops in Broadway history; it was expensive to produce, and when it opened, critics descended on it like rabid wolves. Though the performances of Linzi Hately and the great Betty... [Read more]

  Welcome to the Smash Files, where I'll discuss the musical theatre dream that is the hit NBC television series Smash. Check back for updates and info on this exciting new show as it relates to the theatre world! Broadway fans are about to get Smashed. We haven't been this excited about a television series since Glee brought showtunes into the mainstream (memorable covers include Rachel's and Kurt's rendition of "Defying Gravity" from Wicked and Mercedes belting out "And I Am Telling You I... [Read more]

On one of my recent pilgrimages to NYC, I saw the new Broadway production of Godspell. This revival (the first on Broadway) represents the show's 40th anniversary. Because of the popularity of the original production, the release of the film version shortly thereafter, and the show's thriving life in schools and community theatres, many people bring their previous experiences with the show to bear when seeing this incarnation. But, like many other young people, I had never seen Godspell before, ... [Read more]

Broadway fans, especially those who aren't lucky enough to live near the theatre mecca, have had a lot to celebrate over the past decade with the releases of film versions of some of the biggest hit musicals ever to hit the Great White Way. The 2002 release of the Oscar-sweeping hit Chicago, starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah paved the way for a new generation of movie musicals. Soon thereafter came Phantom of the Opera (2004), starring Gerard Butler ... [Read more]

I recently had the pleasure of seeing the revival of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical Follies at Broadway's Marquis Theatre. I had never seen the show before, but I had a feeling it would be a treat, partly because of Sondheim's enduring reputation as perhaps the defining composer of musical theatre to date, and partly because of the star-studded cast, including the likes of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Paige. I was not disappointed; on the contrary, I loved this show more than I ever expected... [Read more]

Our writers have a wide range of interests, especially when it comes to live events! Each month we pledge to scope out a live event and attend it (or at least be there in spirit)! The following is a list of our favorites for the month of January 2012. Adrian's Pick: The Black Keys "At heart, the Black Keys are a two piece blues outfit made up of Dan Auerbach on vocals and guitar and Partrick Carney on drums. Together they make a hell of a racket but for their latest album El Camino they're brin... [Read more]

The 2011-12 Broadway season has had patrons rejoicing for months, and it looks like more of the same for the Great White Way thanks to the strong lineup of shows that have cropped up over the last several months. Interestingly, more than a few happen to have prominent Christian themes. But non-Christians need not feel excluded; any theatre fan can appreciate the brilliance inherent in these fine shows, regardless of religious affiliation (or lack thereof). Don't miss these 5 musical gems--they r... [Read more]

After months of eager anticipation, I recently had the chance to see the groundbreaking, shocking, and hugely popular musical, The Book of Mormon. The hype around this show is epic, thanks in no small part to immense critical praise and a total of 9 shiny Tony Awards. It doesn't hurt that two thirds of the writing team are Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the masterminds behind the cultural phenomenon that is South Park. And while they bring national attention to the show, collaborator Robert Lopez b... [Read more]

  It's that time of year again, and theatres all around the country are getting into the holiday spirit by presenting Christmas-themed shows. Live theatre has become a cherished holiday tradition for many people, and families, even those who aren't regular theatregoers, often use it to celebrate the season together. This year, countless parents will bring their children to witness the splendor of the classic ballet The Nutcracker, and their little eyes will light up at the sight of graceful... [Read more]