Alysha Umphress discusses "Scotland PA’s" amazing score, "On the Town" and carving your own path!

It is my honor to introduce you to the amazing Alysha Umphress. Anyone who has heard Alysha’s voice knows that I am not exaggerating when I say that she truly has one of the best voices in the business. Alysha will be starring as Jessie in Scotland, PA at the Roundabout Theatre Company’s Laura Pels Theatre, which begin performances on September 14th.

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Diversity in Motion: Hamlet 90 and Sheila B

Hamlet 90 epitomizes what theater and art should look like, and what an inclusive world does look like.  Sheila explains her personal mission as an artist when presenting new work, “a diverse group of actors from all over the world working together in a seamless ensemble.  We can do that as a world too, so for me it is a way of making a political statement without being a politician.” 

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ROCK OF AGES Veterans Dish on Wild Audiences, Bon Jovi and the Lasting Allure of the Bourbon Room

Audiences have spoken, and the 10th Anniversary New York return of Rock of Ages is a hit! The guitar-smashing, face-melting, audience-rocking ode to the 1980s has extended its limited run through January 12 of next year. We took the opportunity to chat with a few veterans of the Sunset Strip to discuss just what it is that makes the show such a blast and keeps them (and the crowds) coming back for more. 

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“Keep learning, keep pushing yourself and keep growing.” - Chatting with A CHORUS LINE’s Hillary Porter!

I would like you to meet the wonderful and oh so talented Hillary Porter. Hillary was recently seen as Diana in A Chorus Line at The Cape Playhouse which concluded its run on August 3rd. I have known Hillary for several years now and I will attest that she is one of the most selfless and kind artists I have ever come across and a TRUE triple threat. I am so happy to have had the chance to interview her!  

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“It’s Possible...” Chatting with HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’s Jon Steiger!

I would like you to meet Jon Steiger. Jon will be playing Scorpius Malfoy in San Francisco’s upcoming production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. What makes this man’s story so amazing because he was an usher at The Lyric Theatre (where Harry Potter is playing on Broadway) for well over a year as well as a tour guide at The Hudson Theatre. A show he got to watched 8 times a week on Broadway he now gets to perform in on the West Coast in San Francisco! Seriously how cool is that?

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OCEANBORN: The Future of Musical Theatre

If you have yet to hear of Oceanborn, chances are you know someone who has liked their Instagram page or has come across them on YouTube. This new musical, showcased at 54 Below, has a huge fan base online, and will be performed in the upcoming new Off-Broadway Rave Theater Festival. The writers of Oceanborn, Mhairi Cameron and Morgan Smith, are changing the ways of how musical theatre is done.

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Michael Feinstein Bringing the Great American Songbook to the Next Generation

What started as a short job for a then-21-year-old Michael Feinstein, to label and log decades of sheet music and records for Ira Gershwin, turned into a life’s work he still continues today through The Great American Songbook Foundation, a group he founded in 2007. Housed in Indiana, the Foundation includes an in-house library of artifacts, sheet music and recordings, as well as running multiple educational programs and concerts.

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Backstage with BOOK OF MORMON's Matthew Marks

With two U.S. national tours, a Chicago company, a West End company, a U.K. tour, an Australian national tour and productions in Sweden, Norway, Germany and more, The Book of Mormon now goes far beyond a young and green Marks in that small office reading the secret script in 2010.

As long as the musical is playing on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, rest assured that Matthew Marks will be there covering the Mormon boys. Despite the challenges, it is still his dream job.

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“Staying curious about everything can add so much to your artist’s toolbox.” - Chatting with COME FROM AWAY’s De’Lon Grant!

“As actors, we are continually trying to excavate human emotion and condition, which requires immense curiosity about life and the human experience. Staying curious about everything, especially that which doesn’t genuinely interest you, can add so much to your artist’s toolbox.”

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“Your definition of success is going to be different than everyone else's.” Chatting with BE MORE CHILL’s Troy Iwata!

I would like you to meet Troy Iwata! Troy is currently an understudy in Be More Chill for the roles of Jeremy, Michael, Rich, and as Cast. I have always been fascinated and inspired by swings and understudies on Broadway because their number can be called at any time. It takes a special type of performer in my eyes to do that. It was such a privilege to interview Troy!

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“Sing For Us All”: FALSETTOS Star Max von Essen Talks Touring, Timeliness and the Darker Side of “Marvin”

There are some people who you are always happy to see onstage or in a cast list. Be it a full production, a reading, a concert or a gala, certain performers show up and inevitably elevate the entire experience.  This is the story of such a fellow. 

A dashing leading man with a gorgeous tenor voice, Max von Essen has been delighting audiences in New York and across the country for the better part of two decades. 

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