Lin-Manuel Miranda drops previously unheard ‘Hamilton’ track

So what exactly happened after Alexander Hamilton cheated on his wife in Broadway’s hit musical “Hamilton”?

Well, according to the show’s head-honcho, he went to speak with his friend and confidant George Washington about a little situation that we’re going to call the “Maria Reynolds dilemma.”

On Friday (March 13), Miranda decided to bring up the country’s morale by releasing a previously unheard track from his Tony-Award winning show. Titled “I Have This Friend,” the two-and-a-half-minute song follows Hamilton after his ongoing affair with Maria Reynolds.

Throughout the track, we hear the show’s protagonist refer to himself as “this friend” instead of outright admitting what he did. He also reveals that he’s pretty much being blackmailed by several men (a reference to “We Know”) and sets the stage for the big public reveal in “The Reynolds Pamphlet.” Washington also warns Hamilton to be careful of who he hurts, which, we assume, is a call to the track “Burn.”

The track features Miranda taking on both positions as Hamilton and Washington who was played by Christopher Jackson in the original cast.

You will also notice the usage of the line “the world turned upside down,” a direct reference to “Yorktown (World Turned Upside Down)” from the first act of the show as well as the ongoing “wait for it” line that can be found in several of the musical’s tracks.

“Wish I could send you peace of mind via this app,” Miranda tweeted to his legion of followers. “Alas. But I can send you music no one’s heard. Here’s a cut Hamilton/Washington tune called ‘I Have This Friend.’ No one’s heard it, not even Kail.”

“This was my first draft of the song before ‘The Reynolds Pamphlet,'” the singer reveals on Soundcloud.

“With Hamilton & Washington. I don’t think I even showed it to Tommy Kail. It would go where ‘Hurricane is now.’ Stay safe out there. Love you.”

Listen to the track above.

On Wednesday (March 12), it was announced that all Broadway shows would be suspended effective immediately until mid-April due to Coronavirus fears. “Hamilton” performances in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami have been suspended.

Want to be in ‘The Room Where It Happens’? The ‘Hamilton’ movie will do just that

Remember when Lin-Manuel Miranda told us to “Wait for It” because his “Hamilton” news was going to “Blow Us All Away“?

Well, guys. He was right.

On Monday (Feb. 3), the Jack-of-All-Trades announced that the “Hamilton” film was, in fact, happening in conjunction with Disney and gave us all an official release date.

“Disney presents: Hamilton. With the original Broadway cast. Filmed on stage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. In a theater near you. October 15, 2021,” Miranda posted on social media.

But before you assume that this just going to be Hollywood’s take on the Tony-Award winning show, you will be wrong.

As per Miranda and a press release for the upcoming flick states, “This movie transports its audience into the world of the Broadway show in a uniquely intimate way. Combining the best elements of live theater and film, the result is a cinematic stage performance that is a wholly new way to experience Hamilton.”

Filmed right before the original cast left the production, this will give fans the chance to see the original actors “One Last Time.”

The original cast of “Hamilton” featured Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson, Jonathan Groff, Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Anthony Ramos.

Odom, Jr., Diggs, and Goldsberry all won Tony Awards for their performances in the show.

Last month during an interview at the Sundance Film Festival, Miranda was once again asked about the musical making its way to the big screen. He teased that it will invade theaters “hopefully sooner than later.”

And he was right.

In case you didn’t read everything above and are thinking “What’d I Miss?,” “Disney Presents: Hamilton” is due out Oct. 15, 2021.

Jackie Evancho channels Elphaba’s somber in ‘I’m Not That Girl’

Musical theater fans rejoice because Jackie Evancho is back with another take on a Broadway staple. On Friday (Sept. 20), the songstress unleashed her version of “I’m Not That Girl” from the Broadway hit Wicked.

Originally sung by Idina Menzel (or Kristin Chenoweth if you’re listening to the reprise), the song keeps the somewhat somber feeling though the clip in a sense. Instead of watching our protagonist deal with her feelings of not being enough for a man, the video concentrates on a group of women who don’t feel like they are enough in general.

In a similar sense, the black-and-white footage reflects how these powerful women don’t feel like they’re enough for the world around them, but when they do make the realization that they are enough, splashes of color start to appear around them.

“In the video, I wanted to stand strong together with other strong independent women who show no signs of conforming to today’s society, embracing their uniqueness, and marching to the tone of their own beats,” Evancho said in a press statement about the inspiration behind the music video.

Watch the music video for “I’m Not That Girl” above.

“I’m Not That Girl” is featured on Evancho’s recently released Broadway-inspired album, The Debut.

The Debut features some newer Broadway classics like “Requiem” from Dear Evan Hansen, “Once Upon A December” from the recently closed Anastasia, and “Burn” from Hamilton (which Evancho released the music video for in April) as well as classics like “Somewhere” from West Side Story, “Whispering” from Spring Awakening, and “Another Day (No Day But Today)” from Rent.

For those not familiar with Wicked, the show tells the story of Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (later changed to Glinda) when they were frenemies at Shiz University. They eventually become best friends (after Glinda realizes she’s a snotty brat) but like with most stories, things take a turn for the bad which inadvertently results in the story we all know from “The Wizard of Oz.”

The production was based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

‘Hadestown’ comes out on top with a total of 8 Tony Awards

The cast and crew of “Hadestown” walked into Radio City Music Hall with a total of 14 nominations and walked right out with a total of eight awards.

On Sunday (June 9), the 73^rd annual Tony Awards took over Radio City Music Hall in New York where a slew of Broadway’s biggest stars showed up to honor some of the biggest, headline-making shows, the actors who brought those shows to life, and the behind-the-scenes crew who made it all possible.

“Hadestown” went into the annual event with a total of 14 nominations in key categories such as “Best Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical,” “Best Direction of a Musical,” “Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre,” and more.

The underworld-based show took home eight awards in many of those categories, including the biggest award of the evening, “Best Musical.” The show’s director, Rachel Chavkin, took home the award for “Best Direction in a Musical,” a rare, but important win as she was one of a few women directors who were nominated this year.

This year’s award ceremony included a lot of firsts. Ali Stroker took home the award for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical” for her role in “Oklahoma!” Stroker is the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony Award.

Andre DeShields won his first ever Tony Award in the “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical” category for his role in “Hadestown.”

Stephanie J. Block won her first Tony for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical” for “The Cher Show,” something that her real-life counterpart was overly excited about.

“STEPHANIE, BESIDES ME…YOU ARE THE ‘BEST ME,’” Cher tweeted as the winner was announced.

The full list of winners can be found below.

73rd ANNUAL TONY AWARD NOMINEES:

Best Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations”
“Beetlejuice”
“Hadestown”
“The Prom”
“Tootsie”

Best Play

“Choir Boy” by Tarell Alvin McCraney
“The Ferryman” by Jez Butterworth
“Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus” by Taylor Mac
“Ink” by James Graham
“What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck

Best Revival of a Musical

“Kiss Me, Kate”
“Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!”

Best Revival of a Play

“Arthur Miller’s All My Sons”
“The Boys in the Band” by Mart Crowley
“Burn This” by Lanford Wilson
“Torch Song” by Harvey Fierstein
“The Waverly Gallery” by Kenneth Lonergan

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, “The Prom”
Derrick Baskin, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Alex Brightman, “Beetlejuice”
Damon Daunno, “Oklahoma!”
Santino Fontana, “Tootsie”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Paddy Considine, “The Ferryman”
Bryan Cranston, “Network”
Jeff Daniels, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Adam Driver, “Burn This”
Jeremy Pope, “Choir Boy”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show”
Caitlin Kinnunen, “The Prom”
Beth Leavel, “The Prom”
Eva Noblezada, “Hadestown”
Kelli O’Hara, “Kiss Me, Kate”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Annette Bening, “All My Sons”
Laura Donnelly, “The Ferryman”
Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery”
Janet McTeer, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Laurie Metcalf, “Hillary and Clinton”
Heidi Schreck, “What the Constitution Means to Me”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Andre De Shields, “Hadestown”
Andy Grotelueschen, “Tootsie”
Patrick Page, “Hadestown”
Jeremy Pope, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Ephraim Sykes, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Bertie Carvel, “Ink”
Robin de Jesús, “The Boys in the Band”
Gideon Glick, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Burn This”
Benjamin Walker, “All My Sons”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Lilli Cooper, “Tootsie”
Amber Gray, “Hadestown”
Sarah Stiles, “Tootsie”
Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!”
Mary Testa, “Oklahoma!”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Fionnula Flanagan, “The Ferryman”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Kristine Nielsen, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Julie White, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Ruth Wilson, “King Lear”

Best Direction of a Musical

Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown”
Scott Ellis, “Tootsie”
Daniel Fish, “Oklahoma!”
Des McAnuff, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Casey Nicholaw, “The Prom”

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Goold, “Ink”
Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman”
Bartlett Sher, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Ivo van Hove, “Network”
George C. Wolfe, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Best Book of a Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud,” Dominique Morisseau
“Beetlejuice,” Scott Brown and Anthony King
“Hadestown,” Anaïs Mitchell
“The Prom,” Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
“Tootsie,” Robert Horn

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

“Be More Chill,” Joe Iconis
“Beetlejuice,” Eddie Perfect
“Hadestown,” Anaïs Mitchell
“The Prom,” Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” Adam Guettel
“Tootsie,” David Yazbek

Best Choreography

Camille A. Brown, “Choir Boy”
Warren Carlyle, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Denis Jones, “Tootsie”
David Neumann, “Hadestown”
Sergio Trujillo, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Orchestrations

Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, “Hadestown”
Larry Hochman, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Daniel Kluger, “Oklahoma!”
Simon Hale, “Tootsie”
Harold Wheeler, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Peter England, “King Kong”
Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown”
Laura Jellinek, “Oklahoma!”
David Korins, “Beetlejuice”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Bunny Christie, “Ink”
Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Santo Loquasto, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Jan Versweyveld, “Network”

Best Costume Design of a Play

Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Toni-Leslie James, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Clint Ramos, “Torch Song”
Ann Roth, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Ann Roth, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Michael Krass, “Hadestown”
William Ivey Long, “Beetlejuice”
William Ivey Long, “Tootsie”
Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show”
Paul Tazewell, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Sound Design of a Play

Adam Cork, “Ink”
Scott Lehrer, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy”
Nick Powell, “The Ferryman”
Eric Sleichim, “Network”

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Peter Hylenski, “Beetlejuice”
Peter Hylenski, “King Kong”
Steve Canyon Kennedy, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Drew Levy, “Oklahoma!”
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown”

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Ink”
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Peter Mumford, “The Ferryman”
Jennifer Tipton, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, “Network”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “The Cher Show”
Howell Binkley, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Bradley King, “Hadestown”
Peter Mumford, “King Kong”
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, “Beetlejuice”

‘Hadestown,’ ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ lead 73rd Annual Tony Awards nominations

The 73^rd annual Tony Awards just unveiled their list of nominees, and it looks like Hades, Persephone, and the cast of “Hadestown” just took the lead with the most nominations this year. On Tuesday (April 30), Tony Award-nominee Brandon Victor Dixon and two-time-Tony-Award winner Bebe Neuwirth announced the full list of nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Newcomer “Hadestown” earned the most nominations with a total of 14. The show earned spots in several big categories including “Best Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical,” “Best Direction of a Musical,” “Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre,” and more.

Coming in with a total of 12 nominations is fellow musical “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life of the Temptations.” The Temptations-based show is described as “a jukebox musical with music and lyrics by the Motown group.” “Ain’t Too Proud” is also nominated for several big categories including “Best Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical,” and a double nomination in the “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical” category.

Coming in with a total of 11 nominations is “Tootsie,” the show based off the 1982 comedy starring Dustin Hoffman. Like “Hadestown” and “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Tootsie” is nominated for “Best Musical” as well as “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical,” and “Best Direction of a Musical.”

As pointed out by several publications, there were some surprising snubs on the list. Box-office hits “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Network” were both shut out of the “Best Play” category.

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on June 9 on CBS. Jack of all trades James Corden will once again serve as host during their year’s festivities. The full list of nominations can be found below.

73rd ANNUAL TONY AWARD NOMINEES:

Best Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations”
“Beetlejuice”
“Hadestown”
“The Prom”
“Tootsie”

Best Play

“Choir Boy” by Tarell Alvin McCraney
“The Ferryman” by Jez Butterworth
“Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus” by Taylor Mac
“Ink” by James Graham
“What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck

Best Revival of a Musical

“Kiss Me, Kate”
“Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!”

Best Revival of a Play

“Arthur Miller’s All My Sons”
“The Boys in the Band” by Mart Crowley
“Burn This” by Lanford Wilson
“Torch Song” by Harvey Fierstein
“The Waverly Gallery” by Kenneth Lonergan

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, “The Prom”
Derrick Baskin, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Alex Brightman, “Beetlejuice”
Damon Daunno, “Oklahoma!”
Santino Fontana, “Tootsie”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Paddy Considine, “The Ferryman”
Bryan Cranston, “Network”
Jeff Daniels, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Adam Driver, “Burn This”
Jeremy Pope, “Choir Boy”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show”
Caitlin Kinnunen, “The Prom”
Beth Leavel, “The Prom”
Eva Noblezada, “Hadestown”
Kelli O’Hara, “Kiss Me, Kate”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Annette Bening, “All My Sons”
Laura Donnelly, “The Ferryman”
Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery”
Janet McTeer, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Laurie Metcalf, “Hillary and Clinton”
Heidi Schreck, “What the Constitution Means to Me”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Andre De Shields, “Hadestown”
Andy Grotelueschen, “Tootsie”
Patrick Page, “Hadestown”
Jeremy Pope, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Ephraim Sykes, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Bertie Carvel, “Ink”
Robin de Jesús, “The Boys in the Band”
Gideon Glick, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Burn This”
Benjamin Walker, “All My Sons”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Lilli Cooper, “Tootsie”
Amber Gray, “Hadestown”
Sarah Stiles, “Tootsie”
Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!”
Mary Testa, “Oklahoma!”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Fionnula Flanagan, “The Ferryman”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Kristine Nielsen, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Julie White, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Ruth Wilson, “King Lear”

Best Direction of a Musical

Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown”
Scott Ellis, “Tootsie”
Daniel Fish, “Oklahoma!”
Des McAnuff, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Casey Nicholaw, “The Prom”

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Goold, “Ink”
Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman”
Bartlett Sher, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Ivo van Hove, “Network”
George C. Wolfe, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Best Book of a Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud,” Dominique Morisseau
“Beetlejuice,” Scott Brown and Anthony King
“Hadestown,” Anaïs Mitchell
“The Prom,” Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
“Tootsie,” Robert Horn

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

“Be More Chill,” Joe Iconis
“Beetlejuice,” Eddie Perfect
“Hadestown,” Anaïs Mitchell
“The Prom,” Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” Adam Guettel
“Tootsie,” David Yazbek

Best Choreography

Camille A. Brown, “Choir Boy”
Warren Carlyle, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Denis Jones, “Tootsie”
David Neumann, “Hadestown”
Sergio Trujillo, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Orchestrations

Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, “Hadestown”
Larry Hochman, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Daniel Kluger, “Oklahoma!”
Simon Hale, “Tootsie”
Harold Wheeler, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Peter England, “King Kong”
Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown”
Laura Jellinek, “Oklahoma!”
David Korins, “Beetlejuice”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Bunny Christie, “Ink”
Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Santo Loquasto, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Jan Versweyveld, “Network”

Best Costume Design of a Play

Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Toni-Leslie James, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Clint Ramos, “Torch Song”
Ann Roth, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Ann Roth, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Michael Krass, “Hadestown”
William Ivey Long, “Beetlejuice”
William Ivey Long, “Tootsie”
Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show”
Paul Tazewell, “Ain’t Too Proud”

Best Sound Design of a Play

Adam Cork, “Ink”
Scott Lehrer, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy”
Nick Powell, “The Ferryman”
Eric Sleichim, “Network”

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Peter Hylenski, “Beetlejuice”
Peter Hylenski, “King Kong”
Steve Canyon Kennedy, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Drew Levy, “Oklahoma!”
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown”

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Ink”
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Peter Mumford, “The Ferryman”
Jennifer Tipton, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, “Network”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “The Cher Show”
Howell Binkley, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Bradley King, “Hadestown”
Peter Mumford, “King Kong”
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, “Beetlejuice”

Jackie Evancho channels Eliza Schuyler’s heartbreak in ‘Hamilton’ cover

Jackie Evancho won the hearts of music lovers when she was just ten years old and has managed to make the graceful jump from cute “child prodigy” to a full-fledged talented adult vocalist. With her new studio album just a few hours away from being released, the singer has gifted fans the music video for one of the tracks on the album. On Thursday (April 11), Evancho released the music video for her take on the Hamilton track, “Burn.”

The music video for the song finds Evancho playing the part of the heartbroken girlfriend after finding out that her boyfriend was cheating on her. Like Eliza Schuyler (Alexander Hamilton’s wife), Evancho has to watch as her significant other’s infidelity is plastered all over the place for everyone around her to see. As she gets sympathetic looks from those around her, the line “the world has no right to my heart” seals that the relationship is over.

Evancho’s video plays homage to how Eliza dealt with the news of her husband’s infidelity in the musical after he publicly revealed his affair in The Reynolds Pamphlet (he did this to avoid having his political reputation tarnished). Eliza goes into hiding to avoid the sympathetic looks but eventually has to put that aside and live her own life.

The almost-four-minute clip was directed by Kamp Kennedy. Watch the music video for “Burn” above.

“Burn” is featured on Evancho’s upcoming Broadway-inspired album, The Debut. The Debut is due out this Friday, April 12, through Vydia. Pre-orders are still available for the record on Evancho’s website.

The Debut features songs from some of Broadway’s current hit musicals like Dear Evan Hansen (“Requiem”), Anastasia (“Once Upon a December”), Wicked (“I’m Not That Girl”), The Greatest Showman (“A Million Dreams”), and more.

Hugh Jackman announces his return to Broadway in ‘The Music Man’ revival

We all know that Hugh Jackman is “the greatest showman” and now it looks like he’s ready to return to where it all started. On Wednesday (March 13), the performer announced plans to return to Broadway in 2020. Taking to social media, Jackman revealed that he will star in the upcoming revival of Meredith Willson’s 1957 classic “The Music Man.”

“The Music Man. Broadway. October 22, 2020. ⁦@MusicManBway⁩,” Jackman posted on Twitter.

Jackman will play the role of Harold Hill, a con man whose latest scheme involves posing as the organizer of a boys’ marching band in a ploy to run away with all the money he collects for instruments and uniforms.

Jackman is no stranger to the Broadway stage having performed in several productions including “Oklahoma!” and his one-man show.

His role as Hill will mark the first time in over a decade that the actor will perform on a Broadway stage. His last Broadway role as Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz” earned him a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

Group tickets go on sale on June 9, 2019, while single tickets go on sale Sept. 15, 2019.

Previews for the show begin on Sept. 9, 2020, with opening night taking place a few weeks later on Oct. 22, 2020. The show will take over one of the Shubert Organization’s theatres.

Before returning to Broadway, Jackman will spend most of the spring and summer months on the road for his “The Man. The Music. The Show” one-man show.

The first leg of the tour will find Jackman performing at venues across Europe with stops in Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Manchester, and Dublin. The 12-stop jaunt will begin on May 13 at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany and conclude with a two-night engagement at the O2 Arena in London on June 2 and 3.

Following a couple of weeks off, Jackman will journey across the pond for the United States-centric leg of the tour. The 22-stop excursion will begin on June 18 at the Toyota Center in Houston and conclude with a double-night engagement at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 19 and 20.

The show’s set list will include songs from his past films like “The Greatest Showman” and “Les Miserables” as well as Broadway songs from productions like “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy from Oz.” The full list of tour dates can be found here.

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ soundtrack to get deluxe reissue

If you’ve been listening to the Dear Evan Hansen original cast recording nonstop since the award-winning show made its debut on Broadway, then we’ve got some great news for you. On Thursday (Nov. 1), Atlantic Records announced plans to re-release the Grammy-award winning album with a couple of extra treats. The deluxe re-issue of the Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording) will include the original 14 tracks as well as six bonus songs.

The additional tunes will include unreleased songs, demos, and acoustic versions of certain tracks all performed by the original and current cast members of the Broadway production. The re-issue will also feature a special version of the show’s signature song, “Waving Through a Window,” performed by Katy Perry.

“On April 29, 2017, I went and saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, and was emotionally transformed forever,” the pop star said in a press release.

“In my own life, I’ve struggled with depression, and like so many, always feeling alone in the battle of wanting to belong. That night, I was particularly struck by the song ‘Waving Through A Window.’ It embodied the mental isolation I sometimes fought. So when my friends Benj Pasek and Justin Paul came to me and asked if I would like to record this song, not only to help launch the national tour, but to continue the conversation on mental health and all its complexities, I jumped right in. I hope this song helps you know that you are not alone, and that I’m waiving back at you.”

The digital version of the deluxe album is due out this Friday, Nov. 2, through Atlantic Records. At the time of this publication, no physical version of the album is available, but Atlantic Records does say that a physical album will come at a later date.

To celebrate the release of the revamped soundtrack, an exclusive digital listening party will be held on Nov. 2 at midnight EST. The party, which will take place over on YouTube, will feature special messages from the cast and creative team as well as commentary on all the new recordings from the show’s masterminds Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Alex Lacamoire. As if that wasn’t enough, Perry’s version of “Waving Through a Window” will make its debut during the listening party. Listen to a snippet of the pop star’s version of the track here.

So grab your stripped blue polo shirt, cast, and a dark hoodie and don’t forget to tune in here.

Dear Evan Hansen is currently running at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre while its national tour is underway. Tickets for the show can be found here.

The complete track listing for the Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording) – Deluxe Album can be found below.

TRACK LISTING:

01. “Anybody Have a Map?” – Rachel Bay Jones & Jennifer Laura Thompson
02.“Waving Through a Window” – Ben Platt & Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen
03. “For Forever” – Ben Platt
04. “Sincerely, Me” – Mike Faist, Ben Platt & Will Roland
05. “Requiem” – Laura Dreyfuss, Michael Park & Jennifer Laura Thompson
06. “If I Could Tell Her” – Ben Platt & Laura Dreyfuss
07. “Disappear” – Mike Faist, Ben Platt, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland, Jennifer Laura Thompson & Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen
08. “You Will Be Found” – Ben Platt, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland, Laura Dreyfuss & Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen
09. “To Break in a Glove” – Michael Park & Ben Platt
10. “Only Us” – Laura Dreyfuss & Ben Platt
11.“Good for You” – Rachel Bay Jones, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland & Ben Platt
12. “Words Fail” – Ben Platt
13. “So Big/So Small” – Rachel Bay Jones
14. “Finale” – Ben Platt & Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen
15. “Obvious (Bonus Track)” – Taylor Trensch
16. “Hiding in Your Hands (Bonus Track)” – Mallory Bechtel
17. “Part of Me (Bonus Track)” – Dear Evan Hansen August 2018 Broadway Cast
18. “In the Bedroom Down the Hall (Demo)” – Rachel Bay Jones & Jennifer Laura Thompson
19. “Disappear (Acoustic)” – Taylor Trensch & Alex Boniello
20. “Waving Through a Window (Bonus Track)” – Katy Perry

Travel to Bikini Bottom in ‘(Just a) Simple Sponge’

If you haven’t had the chance to see the new “SpongeBob SqaurePants: The Musical” then you should probably get on that soon before tickets for the Tony-nominated show are sold out indefinitely. But, if you can’t make it to New York any time soon, don’t worry because you can get a little sneak peek at the musical now. On Friday (May 4), the official music video for the show’s tune “(Just a) Simple Sponge” was released.

The almost four-minute clip features the show’s star, Ethan Slater, recording the song in a recording studio surrounded by the show’s ensemble. In between the footage of the musicians in the studio, there is footage from the showing which brings the cartoon version of Bikini Bottom to life. Watch the music video for “(Just a) Simple Sponge” above.

“(Just a) Simple Sponge” was written by Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie. In addition to Urie, the multi-award nominated musical includes songs from Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Tony-nominated Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, David Bowie, and many more.

The musical is described as: “The stakes are higher than ever as SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Chaos erupts. Lives hang in the balance. And just when all hope seems lost, a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage.”

The cast includes Slater as said unexpected hero, SpongeBob SquarePants; Gavin Lee as Squidward Q. Tentacles; Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks; Brian Ray Norris as Eugene Krabs; Danny Skinner as Patrick Star; and Wesley Taylor as Sheldon Plankton.

Last week, it was announced that the musical was nominated for a total of 12 Tony Awards tied with fellow newcomer “Mean Girls.” Those categories include “Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre,” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical” for Slater, and “Best Musical.”

SpongeBob SquarePants, The New Musical Original Cast Recording is now available from Masterworks Broadway wherever music is sold.

“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” is now playing at the Palace Theatre. To purchase tickets for an upcoming show, head on over to the musical’s website here.

‘Mean Girls,’ ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ lead 2018 Tony Award Nominees

The nominees for the 72nd annual Tony Awards have been unveiled and it looks like films and television shows turned into Broadway hits as well as revivals are leading the pack this year. On Tuesday (May 1), Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton”) and Katherine McPhee (“Smash,””Waitress”) headed to the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts in Manhattan to announce the nominees for the 24 categories.

Leading with a total of 12 nominations a piece are “Mean Girls” and “SpongeBob SqaurePants: The Musical.” The two Broadway hits will compete in several of the same categories including “Best Musical Score,” “Best Book of a Musical,” and “Best Musical.” Not too far behind with a total of 11 nominations a piece are “Angels in America,” “The Band’s Visit,” and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel.”

Right behind “Angels in America,” “The Band’s Visit,” and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel” with a total of ten nominations including “Best Play” is J.K. Rowling’s two-part drama, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

In addition to all the Broadway shows that will be competing against each other, the Tony committee also announced special awards will be given to Bruce Springsteen and John Leguizamo for their one-man shows; “Springsteen on Broadway” and “Latin History for Morons.” This year, the committee will also present actress Chita Rivera and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber with lifetime achievement awards.

The 72nd Tony Awards will take place on June 10 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The broadcast will air live on CBS. Tony nominees Sara Bareilles (“Waitress”) and Josh Groban (“Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”) will co-host this year’s ceremony,

For now, the complete list of 2018 Tony Award nominees can be seen below.

2018 TONY AWARD NOMINEES:

Best Play

“The Children” — Author: Lucy Kirkwood
“Farinelli and the King” — Author: Claire van Kampen
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two” — Author: Jack Thorne
“Junk” — Author: Ayad Akhtar
“Latin History for Morons” — Author: John Leguizamo

Best Musical

“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Revival of a Play

“Angels in America”
“Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
“Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
“Lobby Hero”
“Travesties”

Best Revival of a Musical

“My Fair Lady”
“Once on This Island”
“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Book of a Musical

“The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses
“Frozen,” Jennifer Lee
“Mean Girls,” Tina Fey
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical,” Kyle Jarrow

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

“Angels in America,” – Music: Adrian Sutton
“The Band’s Visit,” – Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
“Frozen,” –  Music & Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“Mean Girls,” – Music: Jeff Richmond and Lyrics: Nell Benjamin
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” – Music & Lyrics: Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”
Tom Hollander, “Travesties”
Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and the King”
Denzel Washington, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”
Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”
Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”
Joshua Henry, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”
Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”
Hailey Kilgore, “Once on this Island”
LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”
Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”
Jessie Mueller, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”
Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”
David Morse, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Susan Brown, “Angels in America”
Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Deborah Findlay, “The Children””
Denise Gough, “Angels in America”
Laurie Metcalf, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”
Alexander Gemignani, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”
Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Ariana DeBose, ‘Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Renée Fleming, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Lindsay Mendez, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Ashley Park, “Mean Girl”
Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady””

Best Direction of a Play

Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”
Joe Mantello, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Patrick Marber, “Travesties”
John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
George C. Wolfe, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, “Once on this Island”
David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”
Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King’
Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Santo Loquasto, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Dane Laffrey, “Once on this Island”
Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit”
Scott Pask, Finn Ross & Adam Young, “Mean Girls”
Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”
Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Ann Roth, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Ann Roth, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”
Clint Ramos, “Once on this Island”
Ann Roth, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Paule Constable, “Angels in America”
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Paul Russell, “Farinelli and the King”
Ben Stanton, “Junk”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once on this Island”
Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”
Brian MacDevitt, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Sound Design of a Play

Adam Cork, “Travesties”
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”
Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Tom Gibbons, “1984”
Dan Moses Schreier, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”
Peter Hylenski, “Once on this Island”
Scott Lehrer, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”
Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Choreography

Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”
Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Justin Peck, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Orchestrations

John Clancy, “Mean Girls”
Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin, “Once on this Island”
Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”
Jonathan Tunick, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”