Love is Love is Love is Love

During LGBT Pride Month, I was pleased to welcome Rochester native Nicolette Hart to Stage Notes. She’s a Broadway superstar, a backup vocalist for Bette Midler, and one of the most talented triple threats I know.  My full interview with her, including songs, is available below.

Lin-Manuel Miranda won the award for Best Score for Hamilton, and in lieu of a traditional speech, he delivered a poem about love for his wife and the need for love in the wake of tragedy, no doubt responding to the horrific mass shooting in Orlando. By the end, he was in tears, and the crowd was cheering. Following is the transcript:

“My wife’s the reason anything gets done. She nudges me towards promise by degrees. She is a perfect symphony of one. Our son is her most beautiful reprise. We chase the melodies that seem to find us. Until they’re finished songs and start to play. When senseless acts of tragedy remind us. That nothing here is promised, not one day This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall, and light from dying embers. Remembrances that hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; Cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa’s symphony; Eliza tells her story. Now fill the world with music, love, and pride.”

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Nicolette Hart performing with Bette Midler during It’s the Girls Tour

A Broadway Easter Celebration

Join Host Robert Hammond (full program below) as he examines how religion influences musical theatre. The Book of Mormon is one of Broadway’s biggest box-office hits – recently there have been revivals of Christian-themed musicals — Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar.  The revival of the revival of the revival (well, you get the picture!) of Les Miserables is still open on the Great White Way! The current revival closes in September.  Among others, Fiddler on the Roof and Spring Awakening are steeped with religious undertones. It’s probably fair to say that the theater has seen the way of the Lord. Has someone been putting sacrament in the water? Or have playwrights just gotten in touch with their devout or devoutly satirical sides?

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Happy Anniversary, Stage Notes!

It seems Like Stage Notes began airing on WXXI FM 91.5 yesterday – October 24th marked its sixth anniversary.  Although it airs elsewhere throughout the country, WXXI was the first station that gave it the green light.

Thank you for listening and supporting the program.  Below is a link to the full anniversary program that aired.  It featured many special guests, including Norm Silverstein, Sue Rogers, Elissa Orlando, Ruth Phinney, and Julia Figueras. NPR’s Ari Shapiro was kind enough to join the celebration. Thank you, Ari!

Please Follow Stage Notes on Twitter @stagenotes, and be sure to like our page on Facebook.  Again, thank you.  Enjoy!

This Ain’t Your Mamma’s “Pippin”

BUT she and  the entire family will love it!  Although the story, music, and Bob Fosse’s choreography remain intact, this amped up, high-flying, death-defying revival of the 1970s era musical by Stephen Schwartz is a joyride you won’t soon forget.  The acrobatics are stunning — it’s like watching a science fiction movie on stage.  You’ll leave wondering — how did they do that?! Can someone really do that with their body?!

All this to say, don’t miss the Broadway tour of Pippin. It’s every bit as good as the Broadway production. In the title role,  Kyle Dean Massey is a quadruple threat! His voice is flawless! It should be illegal for one person to possess this much talent.

At 63 you won’t believe what Lucie Arnaz (Berthe) does on a trapeze. She’s the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in real life and Pippin’s grandmother in the show.

During my interview with Kyle Dean Massey (available on demand below), he mentioned that Pippin is the first show he’s been in where the ensemble is without a doubt as integral as the main characters.  He’s right – there are no tangential roles in this Pippin.

I’m not sure if anyone can top Patina Miller, who won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical for her performance as the Leading Player in the Broadway revival of Pippin. It isn’t Sasha Allen, who was in the top 5 on Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice. She does not have “the voice” for this role. After the disastrous performances of  American Idol  wannabes Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I’m beginning to think “making it” on a reality show doesn’t  necessarily mean you’re cut out to be on the Great White Way.  Ms. Allen is an excellent dancer.  She’s probably better suited for Dancing with the Stars.

Pippin is on stage through Sunday, January 18th at RBTL’s Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, New York.  Tickets available at RBTL.org.  The entire tour schedule is at Pippinthemusical.com/tour.

 

Listen to Kyle Dean Massey’s Full Interview

Broadway veteran and now a star on ABC’s hit show Nashville, Kyle Dean Massey joined Robert Hammond on Stage Notes to discuss his success on the boards and specifically his title role in Pippin.  Music from the New Broadway Cast Recording of Pippin, original music sung by Kyle, and songs from other musicals he’s starred in are featured.

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