Anyone who’s seen A Chorus Line is familiar with the high-pressure, “I hope I get it!” process of a musical theater audition. Out of hundreds of hopefuls, you have to be the one whose skills are strong enough to catch the casting director’s eye. Then comes the callback, the workshop—and, most of the time, the […]
It seems like only yesterday that Disney debuted its first Broadway musical, Beauty and the Beast. But that’s just because time flies when you’re having theatrical fun: Beauty actually opened in 1994—which means that Disney on Broadway turns the big 2-0 this year. And what would a Disney birthday be without a giant party? The Newsies boys are ready to […]
Can you think of anything you’ve done 7,000 times? OK, maybe brushing your teeth—if you do it twice a day for 10 years, you get roughly 7,000 cleanings. But my point is that 7,000 is a lot. And on Wednesday, September 3, The Lion King on Broadway will mark its 7,000th performance. Also a ginormous […]
It’s the ciiiiiiircle of liiiiiiiiife! Today the Broadway production of The Lion King celebrates its sixteenth birthday. Sweet sixteen! And it feels like only yesterday that everyone in the world fell in love with the show’s crazy, puppet-y brand of awesomeness. He’s gonna be a mighty king! (Photo by Joan Marcus) Some fun birthday facts: […]
Pop-up stores, puppets and The Lion King: These are a few of my favorite things. So imagine my glee when I discovered there’s a new exhibit in NYC that combines all three. (Squee!) “Inside The Lion King“ is a pop-up exhibit currently taking over the corner of 42nd Street and 6th Avenue, near Bryant Park. […]
Last week, the Dance Spirit editors were discussing how much we loved the Broadway shows we’ve seen lately: Annie, Bring It On, Elf. And that got us thinking about our very first Broadway experiences. Do you remember the magic you felt the first time curtain went up and the star stepped into the spotlight? And […]
Are you in NYC? Do you enjoy free things? OK, that second question was rhetorical—of course you do! And you’re in luck, because Harlem School of the Arts is offering 3 full days of free classes in dance, musical theater, music, theater and visual arts for all ages Sept. 4-7. This is a chance to […]
Who caught the Tony Awards yesterday? It was an interesting night at the Beacon Theater, with lots of surprises when it came to the winners, for sure. But I’d like to begin this recap by establishing that Neil Patrick Harris is a national treasure. If he could host everything, ever—maybe with an occasional cameo by […]