All tagged Cabaret

Robbie Rozelle is Bustin’ Out

Today, I am sitting down to interview Robbie Rozelle, who is about to make his sophomore outing at Feinstein’s/54 Below with his show Bustin’ Out. After a successful debut effort titled Songs From Inside My Locker, Robbie was asked to be the venue’s Pride headliner. Mr. Rozelle, who is a busy guy with his work at Broadway Records, directing acts for the likes of Jessica Vosk, Kate Baldwin, and Melissa Errico, as well as having the dubious distinction of managing my website and social media, found a few minutes for me to pick his brain about the upcoming show.

Broadway Blip: Eleven O'Clock Numbers

Eleven o’clock numbers in Broadway shows are the last big number with oomph that drives a Broadway show to its conclusion. Eleven o’ clock numbers got their name from a time when theatre started much later in the evening than it does in this day and age (usually around 8:45 PM). Consequently, these big and/or emotionally charged numbers in Act II of a musical would occur right around 11:00 PM.

Timothée Chalamet: From Promising Stage Actor to Promising Screen Superstar

In 2016, I grabbed a last minute ticket for John Patrick Shanley’s Prodigal Son playing at Manhattan Theatre Club. I was (and still am) an enormous fan of Shanley’s Doubt and was excited to see what else this playwright had in store. Chiefly, however, my reason for seeing Prodigal Son was ignited by word on the street, of one particular young actor named Timothée Chalamet who playing the lead role in the show. Playing a troubled kid from the Bronx on scholarship at a New Hampshire boarding school, Chalamet had been hand-chosen by the playwright to play a younger version of Shanley in this semi-autobiographical play. The young actor struck a chord with me, giving a performance both refined and raw, brimming with emotions that could turn on a dime. In fact, although Prodigal Son turned out not to be Shanley’s best work (by a mile), I walked out of the theatre thinking that this young man had taken a mediocre script and elevated it to something far more than what was on the written page. I knew I had just witnessed a performer who would someday light up the firmament with his talent. (He would, in fact, win a Lucille Lortel Award for his work in Prodigal Son).

Dressing Them Up - Iconic Costumes of Broadway Musicals

Most Broadway musicals have so many exciting things going for them: music, drama, great performers, inspired direction and choreography, great marketing campaigns. Then there is the physical production itself: the monumental sets, the breathtaking lighting and of course, the brilliantly designed costumes that bring the characters to life. Over the years, there have been some particularly memorable costumes, and some of these creations have moved on to iconic status. Today’s blog looks at some of the most iconic of all Broadway costumes, the fashion creations that have instantly intrigued and excited us through their perfection.