The Broadway.com Show - 2/2/18: SCHOOL OF ROCK's Justin Collette, FROZEN, HEAD OVER HEELS & More

Welcome. To the broadway.com, show. Filmed, in New York's historic Brill Building i manage, android weather and I'm Ryan Lee Gilbert this week we get the scoop on the off-broadway productions. Of relevance, and fire and air head backstage at, School of Rock and more and later, we sit down with Eve Ensler to discuss how the newest solo show in the body of the world but, first let's get started with the news what's the buzz Ryan. Broadway. Has officially, got the beat head over heels the new musical, featuring the songs of the go-go's, has, found a home on the Great White Way the, production will play the Hudson theatre with previews slated, to begin on June 23rd, and an opening set for July 26th. Head over heels will first play an out-of-town, engagement, at San Francisco's, Curran theater from, April 10th through May 6 the, cast will feature Rachel York Jeremy, Kushner Alexander. Scioscia Taylor, Eamon Jones newcomer. Bonnie Milligan, and ruder, and Tom, Allen Robbins and RuPaul's, Drag Race star, peppermint, who will be the first trans, woman to create a principal, role on the Great White Way remind. Me what this one is about again remember. It's based on Arcadia, the Elizabethan. Pastoral, romance. Right. Bear. Invited. Beth, leveled Brooks ash Marcus and Christopher, Seba will crease their roles in the Alliance theatre world premiere in the Broadway production of the prom they'll also be joined by Caitlin Cannon Angie, shuara Courtney Collins Isabel makalah Josh Lyman and Michael, Potts directed. And choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, the bust about new musical comedy features a book by Bob Martin and Chad Ragland with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by forgiving the, prom is scheduled to open on November the 15th at a Schubert venue could be announced. Do, they have proms where you grew up Imogen, you mean promenade, no. But, let's move on the. 2018, Grammy, Awards took place at Madison, Square Garden this, past weekend and Broadway. Certainly, came to play on music's biggest night two-time, Tony winner Patti LuPone offered, a show-stopping performance, of, don't cry for me Argentina from, Evita and earned a standing ovation, Hamilton. Mastermind, lin-manuel, Miranda, nabbed his third Grammy for the Moana tune how far I'll go which, earned the award for best song written for visual media and dear, Evan Hanson garnered the award for Best Musical, Theater album making. Grammy, winners of bench passuk Justin, Paul and Ben Platt who, also took the stage to perform the West Side Story tune somewhere, on the big night in other, dear Evan Hanson news Taylor Trench joined the Grammy winning cast yes, they all received, trophies, a little, bit earlier than expected stepping, in for previous headliner Noah Galvin on January, 30th, look, out because here she comes, waitress. Alum and greatest showman breakout, star Keala settle is set to belt up ben kasica and justin paws oscar-nominated. Song this is me at the 2018, academy, awards for performance of the number as Nettie Lutz aka, the bearded lady in the PT Barnum biopic, is anything, to go by settle, will stop the show on the telecast the, Oscars is scheduled to air live on ABC on March the 4th and OH we'll be watching one, of Broadway's great, ones is coming to a city near you the hit new Broadway musical a Bronx Tale will, launch a North American tour during the 2018-19, season. Including. Engagements, at Los Angeles's, Hollywood, Pantages, Theatre Fort, Lauderdale's, Broward, Center in additional, cities to be announced, in the coming weeks, casting. For the touring production will be announced, at a later date keep an eye out for when this thrilling, doo wop musical, brings Belmont, Avenue to, your town with, frozen fractals when the New York air comes exciting, news for frozen fans for. Brand new songs written for the Broadway production will, be released on consecutive Friday's beginning, on February 23rd, the day after the musicals first Broadway performance at the st. James theater, penned. By oscar-winning, songwriting team Kristen, anderson-lopez and. Robert Lopez the four new numbers include monster, and new act 2 solo for Elsa what you know about love and need duet for anna and kristoff dangerous. To dream a new number somewhere else' and true love a new act to solo for anna the, songs were recorded but by the Broadway cast featuring Casey levy patty Muren and Jelani Aladdin, this is when we mentioned the cold never bothered us anyway right. When, we come back we get a sneak peek at the encores, production, of hey look me over checkout.

School Of Rock frontman, Justin, collects a dressing room and more. This. Week on Broadway calm the, Phantom of the Opera vlogger, Ali Walt celebrates, 30 years of the record-breaking show once, on this island star Hayley Kilgore strikes a pose The, Lion King starred Jelani Remy kicks off his new vlog and more. On. The other side always. Hi. I'm Rodney Ingram, I'm Ally you all and I'm Peter Gavin and you're, watching the, Broadway, comm, show. Welcome. Back on, stage Justin, Collette brings down the houses wannabe, rock star do, Ethan in Andrew, Lloyd Webber's school of rock with his exuberant, stage presence, and killer, comedic, timing we, recently went backstage with, Collette and it's safe to say he's as hilarious and rock-and-roll, as his character, check out his five favorite, things and learn all about his foodie in the Blowfish obsession, in his dressing room. Hi. I'm Justin, Collette and I play Dewey Finn at School of Rock and Broadway, and I'm gonna show you five of my favorite things in my dressing room at one, of my favorite things is I I split, the role of Dewey with my friend Connor. Gillooly and a couple of other guys and after every show we, leave a little post-it, for. Us for. The next Dewey who's coming in the next day and as, you can see they're gathering around the, mirror, and that's. That's thing one that cheers me up second. Favorite thing is my gear so we have acted like music gear not head, gear, so, this, is a Fender. Stratocaster that. I got, I brought, in and we had it mounted which is pretty cool these, are a couple of amps a guitar one and a bass one for when we jam, so the kids come down usually, at 15, minutes and we jam before the show which is really fun this, is another one of my amps fender, one here, we, have an acoustic guitar over there that's a a Tanglewood. Another. One of my favorite things is I get a shower in my dressing room and there's, a thing in it if you want to come in to check I have a little speaker, that. I warm up with with before the show and I. Also use it to listen to my Hootie. Another. One of my favorite things is, I have a secret stash of Canadian, candy. That. I have people smuggle here for me Linda they come. Ketchup. Chips, Hickory.

Sticks A bunch. Of Joe Lewis I'm the. Character that I play another. One of my favorite things you won't find if you look around, but. If you look down I got. This awesome, carpet. That. After this show this is such an exhausting, show and it's like a really stressful role and so just having a nice carpet, after, the show just, to do this. Just. Do better this then oh. My. Name is Jessica, let thank, you for coming in to do it in this dressing room please. Come see School of Rock the musical, the Winter Garden Theatre Broadway. New, York City New York Earth. Get. Yourself a rug. This. Production is gonna put a whole lot of dreams stay scenarios, on our wish list Hey look me over is a collection of opening numbers grand finales and other excerpt from beloved shows that have not yet found at on course on the city center stage we, got a sneak peek of rehearsal with a superbly, starry cast take a look. Hey. Look me over is about, I think it's about eight different Broadway. Shows two. Or three songs, from each one very. Cleverly, put, together into, an evening it's, a, chance, to show man. In chair this character I created it, in The Drowsy Chaperone in the real world he's a subscriber. Two encores and he's, had, some issues, with, the programming, over the years and so, he's he's, come and he's. Going to present his own evening, and that's that sort of the conceit, it's wonderful. To be back last, time, I did a show for on courses 20 years ago in 1998, so. It's been a while I've never done an on course before so, this is my very first time so I'm very excited you know it's an amazing group, of people and everybody just kind of throws their talents, into a mixing. Bowl and it comes out a show in a week and you're like how did that happen, it's a celebration, of 25, years of encores, but instead of looking back it's looking ahead to. Shows that haven't yet been, done at encores, and ones. That the man in the chair feels really, have been neglected, it's an opportunity to take a jewel that has been buried and put. It back on stage and make it alive again and that's the wonderful thing about theater with so many big Broadway names there's a whole lot of talent headed to the city center stage according, to the cast it's a total love fest off stage you get to be in a room with all these friends and colleagues and also new. Friends, and colleagues so you've never gotten to work with before so, you get these wonderful, people and great. Reunions. And good times Nancy, opal and I went to Juilliard, together come on Carolee. You know I've known for years bebe, and Judy. So it's kind of old, home week but also you. Realize how. Small. The community, is and how, talented, and awesome everybody, is. In. The world premiere production of fire and air acclaimed, playwright Terence badali explosive, rich history of the Ballet Russe sergej.

Diarga Lofts groundbreaking, dance. We, headed downtown to classic stage company to, check in with star Douglas Hodge who, plays a tempestuous, impresario. At the heart of the drama. Fire. Is, really, the story of Diaghilev, and Lee, Ballet Russe, Diaghilev. Was an incredible. Producer. Really he said, he didn't have any talent of his own but he clearly did he was a brilliant pianist, and he loved, ballet and he formed the synthesis, of music, art and decor. Design, he. Employed, people like Picasso, Stravinsky. Debussy, you could almost say that they are loved ballet, wouldn't exist anymore probably. Would have died if it hadn't been for him working the John Doyle, he's. Scottish which means his mean and, tough. And. Economical. But, his whole. Artistic, impulses, to take away constantly. To strip away and Constantine you know I mean he'd love it if the audience came in and used their own imaginations, he. Feels that on the bare floor boards, with, a few chairs and, a few lights and the, audience in full sight they. Can just get very close up to the acting and intimate and Terrence, yes. Latterly, in his life has written this extraordinary, love. Letter really to DLF and to that, period and he seems to know everything about it but it is essentially, it's extremely, poetic, and it's a pian to all. The, the. Things that we're sort of missing at the moment you know the. Grace and harmony. And beauty and elegance and, manners and. That. Whole world that is so important, that redresses, the, levels. Of barbarism, in the world I, believe you, know, he. Has written this love letter to quadruples. What is like for him to be at the center of a cast filled, with acclaimed talents, well, they're fabulous and also it's um well. Nigh yeah. Marin mazzie is a miracle. Yeah, Marcia for. Oscar nominations, I think John Glover a. Legend. In his own right those three are, just extraordinary, stanchions. To base a play on and then there's these two young guys who. Can. Incredibly. Both ballet, dance and, act. Which. Is something. I have, never to my life so, yeah we do have the young Andy and then the more experienced, actors in the cast it's a play about arts, and play about poetry and a play about beauty, and it's, written as a poem, and I, think these are tough brutal. Unpoetic. Times there's. Lots to, discuss. It's current and relevant I, think but essentially, it's a, gentle. Beautiful, piece about, beautiful. Things. We. Have a feeling audiences, will be taking to Twitter after canceling this place world premiere JC Lee has penned relevance, which stars Tony winner Jane Holly shell and Tony nominee Pascal Armand at odds, as a celebrated, author and a veteran feminist warrior when a heated exchange between the two women goes viral well, you'll just have to see the play at MCC and find out we chatted with the cast to get the scoop on this brand-new work. Relevance. Is about, an older. Feminist. Thinker, who, at, a literary conference, on stage. With, a younger african-american. Feminist, thinker comes, into conflict what drew me to this project is. How. Relevant, it actually is I feel like it is literally, in the center of conversations. That I have been having for the last you know two, years.

About. Intersectional. Feminism about. How, the. Left. Deals. With each other what attracted. Me to the role, itself. Was its complexity. There's not very much gray in her it's kind of black and white but, also the, actual, themes that are discussed, in the play are very, prescient, important. And that, was stimulating. And challenging and. Exciting to me it's a great time for this coming. Off they need to movement or right in the middle of it so I'm very. Happy. To be doing my, part for the, movement, it's an extraordinary piece of writing. Becoming. More and more extraordinary. As we go, JC. Lee's work, is not. Only his work with his way of working as, it's. So collaborative, and so. Just. Frightening. Ly intelligent, I started, writing the play back in 2015 and, it was sort. Of a Polito polite, critique, of liberalism, on a certain level and in, the, wake of the election took, on a different kind of urgency and now it feels like it's a, reckoning. For, progressives. To play on some level in terms of how people move, forward. Politically. In. This new, environment, feminism. The me2 movement and social, media are among the hot topics, relevance will bring center stage the cash shared what they hope audiences will take away from the show I hope. That audiences, are, challenged. I hope. That what they think they know about themselves and, their, friends and colleagues get. Some you know shake it up a little bit Oh audience is to take away the idea of. Having discussions. Again I think I think, social media is great and as this play points out it makes people have a voice who wouldn't otherwise have, a voice but I think sometimes we lose just. A dialogue, I hope people go, home. Examining. Their own lives and. Where. They stand on the issues that are, discussed. In the play and perhaps. The. Play will, have opened. Their eyes or their minds, or their hearts in ways, to, things, they thought they knew they believed but needed to reexamine well. I want them to have a good time but then I also want them to take this conversation outside.

Of The theater and, find. Out what their place is in the, discussion, in the debate it, doesn't, just stop once you leave the theater. When. We return even, says house is all about her autobiographical one-woman. Show in the body of the world. Go. Ahead, throw. Rocks at me. Baking. A pie is easy. And you know how. If. Only life were as easy as pie. Waitress. Is a hip raise in New York Times with, songs like grammy-nominated artist. Sara, Bareilles an, uplifting. Celebration. Of love and laughter. Eve. Ensler is a playwright performer, and activist, known, for the global phenomenon The Vagina Monologues, her newest theater piece is adapted from her memoir in the body of the world now, playing at Manhattan Theatre Club the solo show connects her cancer diagnosis, to her work with female survivors of violence in the Democratic, Republic of Congo her, own childhood, trauma and more i sat, down with Ensler to talk about bringing this deeply personal story to, the stage. Eve. It is an honor, to have. You here today because I am such a fan and such an admirer of your work, your. New play is so moving it leaves, no feeling unfilled, tell. Me why you wanted, to take. The story of yours which is so deeply, personal and write, a memoir and then adapt it for the stage well, I don't know at the beginning that I was planning to do this on stage I did it as a memoir I think. I wrote it for many reasons, I think having. Gone. Through this huge process. When. I had stage, four cancer eight years ago it, was just this incredibly. Powerful. Emotional. Political. Spiritual. Mystical, experience. And I. Wanted to write about that and and I in a weird way the book was really the completion I what I thought was the completion of the experience, and then. Diane. Paulus up at a RT American, Repertory. Theatre. Read it and she. Just suggested, to me wouldn't, this be an amazing, woman, show and I think secretly. There, might have been that idea embedded, in me somewhere but when she said it it was like wow, that would be really intense. And really. Exciting, to see if we could make this into a theater piece and so, we embarked on that I actually. I'm really beginning to see performing, it every night how this is really. The completion, of that, whole. Kind, of alchemic. Journey that I had when. I was both working. And supporting, and being in solidarity with women in Congo where we were opening the city of joy which, coincided, with me being diagnosed, with stage 4 cancer let's, talk about that connection because so much of this play is about connecting. The inner and the outer, tell. Me how that occurred. To you how that used to talk about being in your body I want to know exactly, what that means one. Thing I know from, my own experience having. Been molested. And beaten, very severely as a child is that when you are attacked, when violence, happens to you you have to leave your body because. Your body became, it really becomes this landscape, of terah trauma. Of loneliness. You, can't bear to be in it because all the memories are there all the trails. Protection, in a way yeah it's self personal you disassociate. From yourself and I think, the. The sorrow, of that and the bad news of that is that when women are not in their bodies they're not in their sexuality. They're not in their imaginations. They're not in their power they're not in their energy and so, we're losing you know, massive. Amounts. Of brilliance. Intelligence. Drive. Energy. That could be turning this whole world. That we're living in around and I think I. Thought. Having written the Vagina Monologues intermittent, the good body then written play after book that okay I think I'm in my body now and then I got cancer and, I woke up after her a nine-hour surgery missing.

Seven, Organ 70 nodes things replaced cut rearranged. But. It was really amazing I was lying there with tubes coming out of me and, I was in my body I was, a body and I think what it means is that we're, not disassociated. From ourselves we're, not living someone else's life we're. Not living. Through someone else's experience we're actually having our own experience, and trusting, our own experience, what, I love about your work is that you often. Say what is unsaid and you, confront what people are denying and. Because. Of that I think you have become the, receiver, of other people's stories I mean, I'm sure the, Vagina Monologues was of course a global sensation. And, you did it all over the country as well how. Do you grapple with all of these women and men telling, you about their trauma I'm, glad I heard those stories I'm glad I heard those stories I'm glad I went to Afghanistan and Congo and Haiti and Kosovo. And India, you, know I I got to go to 75. Countries and sit, with women in all kinds of refugee. Camps and war zones and in, beautiful situations. In difficult. Situations, and I got to see. This incredible. Story of women, both, the, horror story but also the vitality, of, women and the fierceness of women in the imagination. Of women I got to see that around the world and I think, now I am. Getting a bunch, of emails since the show started it and it's. It's amazing to, see the kind of things people are sharing with me particularly, men one, of the things that really struck me about the show is how personal, it was not just about your cancer diagnosis, or about your work, with women which everyone pretty, much knows about but, about how you had to deal with your, own sister. Your own mother because so many people can work for women or talk about sisterhood. But, then dealing, with their own family members is often the toughest thing you know there's always a divide you're great in the world and then you go home to your family you're like. Anything. That I preach um, you. Know for me the, whole journey with, cancer. Was unbelievable. It was almost like the. Great divine. Mother. Said okay I'm gonna throw you everything. So, you can just blow out every socket and be and, be changed and so my. Mother died during chemo, which. Was really. Hard but it was also like I had an opportunity to, really go down and be with her and love her and make peace with her and my, sister came back into my life and was totally. Nurturing. And beautiful, and that was this incredible, so, there was a lot of healing that, happened and there was also a. Lot. Of stuff, I had to face and I didn't know if I was gonna die like I really didn't all through and, up. Until three years after you, know so, when you're on that perch, it's. A very incredible, place it's.

A Very up chemic place it's very it's. A very shamanic, place because. You. Are you're. So close to your death that. You can actually see your life in a very different way and all that, is insignificant. And petty. And. It. Just falls away and, the. What. Matters, becomes. Uttermost. You, know and that's. Amazing. It, surprises, me that you said, that you didn't think this was going to be a theater piece because that is so fun to me to, who you are you are a playwright, first I always think I know you're an activist as well well. You know it's funny I think, it's probably because what, this play. There. Was like some part of me it was it's wrong oh my god I mean, this this. Is it's you, cannot do it but to give everything to this you can't pretend, and so. I think probably I wasn't, opening, my eyes yet, to the reality, of what this would mean and. And what it would call up and what it would demand because. This is your story, and it's personal in a way that the Vagina Monologues was not although that had personal pieces in it what, did you learn from Diane Paulus in taking, a look at it with fresh eyes Oh Diane's such a brilliant director and such a wonderful, person it's one of the best experiences, I've ever had in my vehicle life I think what Diane did. First. Of all I never saw myself as an actor I kind. Of saw myself as this person who performed my work so usually. I had cards, and and she, was like now we're. Going for it like you're gonna you're, gonna be an actor so she really pushed me to do things I never thought I could do what was the writing process like for you because this, was something that was so personal to you I assumed. You weren't taking notes while you were going through it. Was very did you have to relive it while you were I did and now you're reliving it I used to live in Paris and and, I went to Paris. And I was there for months and then literally writing. The book was like like my body wrote the book and there'd, be days where I'd be wailing on the floor there'll be days where I would just cry the whole day because, my, body remembered, it I didn't. Remember it so I had to just be in my body to write the book it's so theatrical, and you, have people get into their own bodies in the audience because you get people on their feet does that fun for you to do is so much fun I was a little scared in New York because we know that you know the New Yorkers are sometimes you know refuse errs in nature but, you know what I realized everybody wants everybody wants to connect we, can pretend in the city in our black and our cynical, news that were but, you know everybody, here, wants to connect we're, all lonely in this neoliberal. Capitalist, culture we're, all isolated we're. All by ourselves everyone's. Busy feeling they didn't add up or, measure up they're, not good enough you. Know everybody, I don't care who you are and it's all what, keeps us in our place which, keeps us beholding, to these autocrats, and these, billionaire. Politicians. Who are ruling our world and when we connect, when, we feel each other when we dance together when we laugh together then. We were all reminded, of our, power of our not, the power over but. Our power to love a power to connect our power to care and I, think that that's, really what's happening in the theatre there's just a lot, of connection, happening, and I'm not in a small t way but, in a way where we're. Going through something together I love. That your bio says that Eve Ensler lives, in the world what's. More truthful, than that that's where I live that's where you live yeah yeah, I don't I don't know that I believe in countries, you know I believe, in people I believe in hearts and I think any, places. Where we have to have borders, or walls or divisions, or subdivisions, they, really don't interest me you. Know I want to live in this world where. Everybody's in it and everybody's included and no, one gets left, out and no one gets thrown out or, deported. You. Know Eve. Thank you so much and congratulations, on, this piece it's really beautiful thank you so much and happy to talk to you. When. We come back we watch Ben Platts incredible, performance, from the 2018 Grammy, Awards. On. The other side always. Waiting. Through it, all. Hi. I'm Lily Cooper and I play Sandy Cheeks in Spongebob, Squarepants and you're watching the broadway.com show. Thank. You for watching the broadway.com, show. We leave you with Ben Platts amazing. Rendition of somewhere, from West Side Story from the 2018, Grammy, Award ceremony see you next week. We'll. Finally.

2018-02-04 05:55

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