VIDEO: 2010 Comic Con True Blood Signing

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:33:26 -0400

Featuring Alan Ball, Charlainne Harris, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Denis O’Hare, Joe Manganiello, Kristin Bauer, and Deborah Ann Woll.

Note on the passing of two Yankee legends

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:38:03 -0400

The passing of two iconic figures in New York Yankee lore has occurred during the All Star Break. As in 2008 when Mr. Bobby Murcer, former player and sportscaster for the YES network passed a day before the game, the ASG is a bittersweet moment for fans of the Yankees and of Baseball. Mr. Bob Sheppard, lifelong PA announcer for the Bronx Bombers, died Sunday morning at the age of 99, just three months shy of his 100th birthday. Only two days later, on the morning of the All Star Game, Mr. George M. Steinbrenner III, owner of the Evil Empire, passed following a massive heart attack. He was 80 years old. Both men are incredibly important in the history of the Yankees and of the game. Thank you for the memories, Mr. Sheppard and Mr. Steinbrenner. You will be forever loved.

Babalu [video]

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 20:53:03 -0400

Raúl Esparza News: Babalu in Miami

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 20:09:23 -0400

This weekend I will be heading to Miami, FL to see Babalu!, a concert celebrating the music of Desi Arnaz previously showcased in the Lyrics & Lyricist series at New York’s 92nd St Y.

The success of the four night run in the Upper East Side, led the cast and creative team to take the show on the road to Miami, where the Cuban and Latin rhythms and beats are a part of the livelihood.

Opening tomorrow (July 8th), the show will run for five performances at the Adrienne Arsht Center and will star Lucie Arnaz, Raúl Esparza, Valarie Pettiford and special guest, Desi Arnaz, Jr. all of whom were in the show at the 92Y.

Please stayed tuned for an updated review and details about the performance. My previous review is here.

Don’t forget to check out www.ArshtCenter.com for more information and tickets. And check out Miami Herald’s Christine Dolen’s look inside Babalu.

Tickets run $35-$70.
Babalu begins Thursday, July 8th at 7:30 PM.
Final performance is Sunday, July 11th at 7:30 PM.

Launch of WTBL TV (in conjunction w/ NealB.TV)

Mon, 24 May 2010 11:24:01 -0400

WIth the ‘Sex and the City 2’ premiere happening tonight, I’ve decided to use this event to launch my new internet TV show (or something similar) in conjunction with Neal B of NealB.tv!

So, we begin with the ‘Sex and the City 2’ premiere and hope to grow from there (and what a launching pad, right?)

Stayed tuned for video from the premiere and don’t forget to watch us livestream from the event!

uSTREAM Link

2010 Drama Desk Awards

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:50:03 -0400

Another incredible night to honor the best of the theatre community took place at LaGuardia Performing Arts High School last night!

The 2010 Drama Desk Awards honored the best shows on and off broadway. Memphis took home the prize for Best New Musical, A View From The Bridge and Fences tied for Best Revival of A Play, and La Cage Aux Folles won Best Revival of a Musical! Catherine Zeta-Jones and Montego Glover tied for Best Actress in a Musical.

Check below for a complete list of winners:

Outstanding Play:
Alan Ayckbourn, My Wonderful Day  Annie Baker, Circle Mirror Transformation  Lucinda Coxon, Happy Now?  **John Logan, Red ** WINNER Geoffrey Nauffts, Next Fall  Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park
Outstanding Musical:
American Idiot  Everyday Rapture  **Memphis ** WINNER The Addams Family  The Scottsboro Boys  Yank!
Outstanding Revival of a Play:
**A View from the Bridge** WINNER Brighton Beach Memoirs **Fences** WINNER Hamlet So Help Me God! The Boys in the Band (tie)
Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
A Little Night Music Finian's Rainbow **La Cage Aux Folles** WINNER Promises, Promises Ragtime
Outstanding Actor in a Play:
Bill Heck, The Orphans' Home Cycle  Jude Law, Hamlet  Alfred Molina, Red  Eddie Redmayne, Red  **Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge ** WINNER John Douglas Thompson, The Emperor Jones  Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane
Outstanding Actress in a Play:
Ayesha Antoine, My Wonderful Day  Melissa Errico, Candida  Anne Hathaway, Twelfth Night  Kristen Johnston, So Help Me God!  Laura Linney, Time Stands Still  **Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family** WINNER
Outstanding Actor in a Musical:
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys  **Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER Cheyenne Jackson, Finian's Rainbow  Chad Kimball, Memphis  Nathan Lane, The Addams Family  Bobby Steggert, Yank!
Outstanding Actress in a Musical:
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow  **Montego Glover, Memphis ** WINNER  Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline  Christiane Noll, Ragtime  Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture  **Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music** WINNER (tie)
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:
Chris Chalk, Fences  Sean Dugan, Next Fall  **Santino Fontana, Brighton Beach Memoirs ** WINNER Adam James, The Pride  Hamish Linklater, Twelfth Night  Nick Westrate, The Boys in the Band
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:
Victoria Clark, When the Rain Stops Falling  **Viola Davis, Fences** WINNER Xanthe Elbrick, Candida  Mary Beth Hurt, When the Rain Stops Falling  Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge  Andrea Riseborough, The Pride
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family  Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles  Jeffry Denman, Yank!  **Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow** WINNER Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love  Bobby Steggert, Ragtime
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family  Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden  **Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises ** WINNER Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music  Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem  Terri White, Finian's Rainbow
Outstanding Director of a Play:
Jonathan Bank, So Help Me God!  Jack Cummings III, The Boys in the Band  Sam Gold, Circle Mirror Transformation  Michael Grandage, Hamlet Michael  **Grandage, Red** WINNER Ethan Hawke, A Lie of the Mind
Outstanding Director of a Musical:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow  Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime  Igor Goldin, Yank!  Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles **Michael Mayer, American Idiot ** WINNER Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Outstanding Choreography:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow  Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime  Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles  Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys  **Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away** WINNER Sergio Trujillo, Memphis
Outstanding Music:
**David Bryan, Memphis** WINNER Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson  Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love  John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family  Joseph Zellnik, Yank!
Outstanding Lyrics:
Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical  Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo  **John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys** WINNERS Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!  Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family  David Zellnik, Yank!
Outstanding Book of a Musical:
Joe DiPietro, Memphis  Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love  Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture  David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys  **Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson** WINNER David Zellnik, Yank!
Outstanding Orchestrations:  Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys  Tom Kitt, American Idiot  Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture  John Oddo, All About Me  **Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis** WINNERS
Outstanding Musical Revue:
Fascinating Aïda: Absolutely Miraculous!  Million Dollar Quartet  Newsical The Musical  Simon Green: Traveling Light  **Sondheim on Sondheim** WINNER
Outstanding Music in a Play:
Adam Cochran, A Play on War  Adam Cork, Red Gaines, A Lie of the Mind  Philip Glass, The Bacchae  Hem, Twelfth Night  **Branford Marsalis, Fences** WINNER
Outstanding Set Design:
Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band  **Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family ** WINNERS Derek McLane, Ragtime  Christopher Oram, Red Jay Rohloff, Underground  Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel
Outstanding Costume Design:
Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones  Clint Ramos, So Help Me God!  Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden  **Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play:
Neil Austin, Hamlet  **Neil Austin, Red** WINNER Christian M. DeAngelis, Lizzie Borden  Maruti Evans, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night  Natasha Katz, The Addams Family  Dane Laffrey, The Boys in the Band
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:
**ACME Sound Partners, Ragtime ** WINNER Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles  Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture  Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys  Scott Lehrer, Finian's Rainbow  Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play:
Dan Bianchi & Wes Shippee, Frankenstein  Dale Bigall, Underground  Adam Cork, Enron Lindsay Jones and Jamie McElhinney, Top Secret:  The Battle for the Pentagon Papers  **Fitz Patton, When the Rain Stops Falling** WINNER Elizabeth Rhodes, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night
Outstanding Solo Performance:
Theodore Bikel, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears  **Jim Brochu, Zero Hour ** WINNER Colman Domingo, A Boy and his Soul  Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking  Judith Ivey, The Lady With All the Answers  Anna Deavere Smith, Let Me Down Easy
Unique Theatrical Experience:
Charles L. Mee's Fêtes de la Nuit Hansel and Gretel John Tartaglia's Imaginocean **Love, Loss, and What I Wore** WINNER Stuffed and Unstrung The Provenance of Beauty

Watch SEX AND THE CITY 2 PREMIERE LIVE from NYC!

Sat, 22 May 2010 13:03:19 -0400

MONDAY May 24, 2010 at 6PM EST

WATCH ONLINE on uSTREAM  On Monday, May 24 2010, watch LIVE as Neal B (http://www.nealb.tv/) brings you the celebrities and style -live from the red carpet at the premiere of “Sex and the City 2″ in New York City!

Watch all the fashion, celebrity interviews and behind the scenes action as it happens live.
For updated time and information, please visit:

NealB.tv or WillingToBeLucky.net

Green Day’s Surprise Performance at ‘American Idiot’

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:58:20 -0400

After missing opening night, I managed to return to the US just in time to attend MTV’s special performance of the Green Day musical, American Idiot. Friend and fellow blogger, Neal B. won tickets through MTV but was unable to attend, so I invited my friend, Kalvin who had attended Twelfth Night last summer with me on numerous occasions and had been looking forward to seeing Mr. Sands in his newest show.

We ended up with center orchestra seats in the second row. After yet another incredible performance by the cast, and after an encore of their own, the cast was joined on stage by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool who performed the title song from the show, as well as “Basket Case” from their album, Dookie.

Green Day keeps the crowd energized during their performance of ‘American Idiot’!

The cast poses for pictures with Green Day and leaves the stage after an exciting surprise performance by the band!

Direct From Broadway - HAIR on the West End Short Review

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:19:39 -0400

As you may know, I went to London for opening night of Broadway’s HAIR on the West End last week. Well, what was supposed to be a five day tour lasted a bit longer than expected. The airport closures caused me to miss opening night and the after party of American Idiot back in NYC and came close to making me miss other events in the City. Needless to say, it was an incredible trip!

I arrived in London on Tuesday the 13th and headed down to the theatre to see HAIR’s Press Opening Night! I had a great seat in the dress circle on the aisle. I really had forgotten how much I missed this show, this tribe, everything; the moment the music started, I remembered.
 The staging of this London production is fantastic! The tribe, as on Broadway, interacts with the crowd, running around the Gielgud Theatre, messing with and climbing over audience members. And they do seem to be in the dress circle (mezzanine) much more often than they did at the Hirschfeld.
 All of the performances were incredible! The new additions blended in nicely with those that originated in the revival on broadway. It was also great to welcome back Allison Case and Rachel Bay Jones as Crissy and Mother/Buddhadalirama, respectively. One noticeable absense was Bryce Ryness as Woof. Although Luther Creek did a fine job as the Jagger-obsessed hippie, it will always be difficult for me to see anyone else as Woof.

Their energy was still phenomenal and it was obvious that they were intent on their mission in spreading the message of the show. And the audience loved it! The stage overflowed with people joining the dance party after the curtain call. And no one wanted the party to end as the band played Let the Sunshine a second time!

Overall this is a great production for everyone, those seeing the show for the first time or the 21st time! If you can get to London (volcano permitting) by plane, train or ship, get there as fast as you can (or at least by Oct. 2nd, the final performance date for this cast) and check out HAIR on the West End!!!

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Direct from Broadway, the HAIR revival is playing at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End.

For tickets, head to the Official UK Website.
Prices start at £17.50 (obstructed view) and run to £65.
Premium Seats are available by clicking this link and are £85.

The Weeks Ahead

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 15:05:19 -0400

Tonight, I am seeing New York City Center’s Anyone Can Whistle starring Raúl Esparza, Donna Murphy and Sutton Foster.
Saturday, I attend the GenArt Premiere of Adrian Grenier’s Teenage Paparazzo.
Sunday, I see Anyone Can Whistle a second time; I can’t see Raúl only once!
And finally Monday, I fly to London for opening night of HAIR on the West End! I will be spening the week in London, visit sites and participating in various HAIR related events and I’ll be posting as many updates as possible, tweeting and maybe live streaming as I attend the festivities!

So be sure to follow @Corellianjedi2 and @Willing2BeLucky for more details and be sure to suggest any ideas you have!