Broadway Buzz - Sister Act

The last, but certainly not least, Tony® Award nominee for Best Musical is bringing disco to the Broadway stage.

Based on the 1992 film, Sister Act transforms a convent into a musical act with a Tony nominated original score by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid). After witnessing a murder, Deloris Van Cartier is put into protective custody in a convent. Deloris, played by Best Actress nominee Patina Miller in her Broadway debut, is disguised as a nun and brings a little soul to the convent choir during her stay.

In an interview with Broadway.com, Patina Miller said she was inspired to become an actress by the original sister, Whoopi Goldberg. For Patina, being cast onstage in the same role must have been dream come true! Even though it’s the same role, there are a few differences between the film and stage performances. Show producer Whoopi Goldberg told Good Morning America that the stage version features a younger Deloris in a disco era, not the ‘90s like the film. Watch as Patina Miller and the cast of Sister Act spread the word in “Take Me to Heaven” on Good Morning America.

Want to join the Sister Act sisterhood? Transform yourself into a sister. I have to admit I already did.

Broadway Buzz: Catch Me If You Can

Tony® Award nominee #3 is not only a familiar title, but based on a true story.

Catch Me If You Can is based on the incredible true story of Frank William Abagnale, Jr. and his life as a con artist. He starts by forging checks and then smooth talks his way into posing as a pilot, doctor and lawyer all before he turns 21. FBI Agent Carl Hanratty is close on his trail, but who knows what will happen if the two come face to face. Frank, Jr. makes living the high life sound easy, but I wouldn’t want him defending my court case!

The story has been captured by a book, a hit DreamWorks film, and a now Broadway show. It premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in 2009, and opened on Broadway this April. There were only a few short weeks for the Tony voters to catch the show, but it seems they caught something they liked! The show is nominated for four Tony Awards, including Norbert Leo Butz’s nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his role as Carl Hanratty.

Starring opposite of Norbert Leo Butz is up and coming Aaron Tveit, playing the tricky Frank William Abagnale, Jr. He made his Broadway debut in 2006 as Link Larkin inHairspray and also has starred on Broadway in Next to Normal and Wicked. Now he’s “Live in Living Color,” dancing, singing and conning his way across the stage.

A select few can say their life is documented by a book, movie and musical. Catch Me If You Can has been an exciting development for the actual Frank William Abagnale, Jr., and the show’s Press Rehearsal gave him the opportunity to say how excited he is that his true story has reached the Broadway stage.

"You Know Who Would Love This Show..."

How many times you seen a performance, and thought, “You know who would love this show..."

It’s a phenomenon that’s rather unique to the performing arts. From the moment theater fans “catch the bug,” there’s a drive to share that intangible excitement. You hope that the people you care about – whether it’s your husband, your parents, your best friend or the neighbors across the street – will find a show that strikes a chord within, inspiring, invigorating, and entertaining days, weeks, months and even years later.

Jersey Boys is that kind of show, and it’s playing an extended three-week Wisconsin premiere at the Fox Cities P.A.C. June 1-19. On Broadway and around the country, it’s captivating audiences, drawing people in with a true story of friendship, fame and fortune and four blue-collar kids that made music history. Broadway fans will be delighted by Jersey Boys’ stunning production values, unforgettable cast and show-stopping drama, but even theater newbies will be lured to the spotlight.

Jersey Boys is perfect for…

Music Fans 
Whether your folks cruised around listening to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in their first car or you know their music from listening to the oldies, the true story of the group comes to life with 19 hit songs that paved the road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hear “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Dawn,” “My Eyes Adored You,” and more, live with Frankie Valli’s legendary falsetto.


Broadway Devotees
Jersey Boys is more than a juke box musical. Sure it includes a lot of songs you already know by heart, but it also took home four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When you ask four men what really happened, you get four different answers, and the book, written by Marshall Brickman ad Rick Elice, lays out a compelling story of friendship, betrayal, mob ties and contracts signed with a handshake. There’s no shortage of drama in Jersey Boys.



Manly Men 
If your husband or father is more interested in “Law and Order” than “Masterpiece Theater,” Jersey Boys might just be the story to show him that Broadway is more than costumes and chorus lines. Four “tough guys” tell the story, so even a reluctant ticket holder might just catch the theater bug.



Tickets for Jersey Boys start at $61, and they’re on sale now at foxcitiespac.com! Make sure you have your seats, and share your excitement with the theater skeptics in your life.

Broadway Buzz - The Scottsboro Boys

Our list of Tony® Award nominated Best Musicals continues with The Scottsboro Boys.

Set in the 1930s, The Scottsboro Boys is based on the true story of a court case where nine African American men were unjustly accused of attacking two white women on a train in Alabama. The young men, all under the age of 22, were convicted by a white jury and spent years in jail while the case was tried and retried.

Not all dramatic stories are portrayed dramatically onstage. The Tony nominated score by John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, the musical men also behind the courtroom favorite Chicago, brought a little “Razzle Dazzle” to this unfortunate courtroom case by telling the story through a minstrel show. Minstrel shows emerged in the 1830s as a popular form of entertainment and a precursor to vaudeville, consisting of skits, songs and one-act plays often with crude stereotypes and degrading caricatures of African American slaves. The musical’s minstrel form was offensive to some, and Kander responded in The New York Times that, “The minstrel show elements are, I like to think, part of the entertainment, but in a way that makes you think about how we tell stories, tell our history as Americans.”

The show’s brief run on Broadway from October 31-December 12, 2010 left a lasting impression. It received 12 Tony Award nominations this spring, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and several best actor/actress nominations.

If you loved the merry murderesses of Chicago like I did, maybe you’ll back The Scottsboro Boys as Best Musical.

Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!

The audience was treated to an afternoon of  ventriloquism and history.  The history part consisted of witchcraft, sorcerers and magicians and the tricks that they would play on unsuspecting villages by throwing their voices.  We also got an understanding of how Jay became a ventriloquist and his life long dedication to the art. 

He introduced us to his entertaining "cast of characters" and YES, even Bob made an appearance.  Since it was in such a intimate setting I felt like Bob was talking directly to me and brought me back to my childhood. 

My only "thumbs down" was to the person in the theater who neglected to turn off their cell phone. During the most moving part of Jay's life story, yup you guessed it, had their phone ring with some sort of country song.  They then took their phone out and silenced the ringer.  It bother the audience and unfortunately ruined the moment for Jay.  My deepest apologies Jay for that person's rudeness but we thank you for a great show.

Thanks for supporting your Fox Cities P.A.C., and as always, I welcome your comments.