All Entries in the "Cast" Category

Parade, and Hoff, A Hit In LA

The Donmar Warehouse production of Parade is being lauded as Southern California’s Production of the year (Variety). The musical, a revival of the 1998 Jason Robert Brown/Alfred Uhry Tony Award winner, which closed after only 85 performances, is based on the true story of Leo Frank (played by T.R. Knight), who was convicted for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan in Atlanta in 1913. Director-choreographer Rob Ashford’s retooled version is said to be leaner and more intimate than the original 1998 Broadway production.

Pal Joey Special Correspondent Tom Barton saw the show during previews and had this to report:

The new version of Parade is terrific. I saw the third preview and they received an extended standing ovation. Christian is the third lead, prosecuting attorney Hugh Dorsey. It’s a very strong performance. The entire cast is wonderful, especially T. R. Knight of Grey’s Anatomy as accused killer Leo Frank. The performance was sold out.

This will be a very tough ticket.

Christian Hoff fans won’t be surprised to hear that the critics agree! The “Hollywood Reporter” states … Of special note in the splendid ensemble are …Christian Hoff as the unprincipled prosecuting attorney… ; the “Santa Monica Mirror” reports…Though Knight steals the show, the ensemble cast is likewise powerful, particularly Christian Hoff as Hugh Dorsey; and “Variety” says of Hoff’s performance…The prickly, unsympathetic defendant is at the mercy of relentless D.A. Dorsey (a superb Christian Hoff), his spellbinding gestures misdirecting attention from a parade of dubious circumstantial evidence.

Besides Knight and Hoff, the fantastic cast includes Lara Pulver as Lucille Frank, Michael Berresse, Charlotte d’Amboise, Davis Gaines, P. J. Griffith, David St. Louis, Curt Hansen, Deidrie Henry, Lisa Livesay, Hayley Podschun (Pal Joey), Rose Sezniak and Phoebe Strole. The show runs through November 15 at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles.

Roberty Clohessy Cast in Revival of “That Championship Season”

Robert Clohessy, John Doman, Lou Liberatore, Tom Nelis and Skipp Sudduth have been cast in the Westport Country Playhouse revival of Jason Miller’s That Championship Season. The production, staged by the theater’s artistic director Mark Lamos, will run August 25 -September 12.

Clohessy’s recent Broadway appearances include Pal Joey and Twelve Angry Men. Doman played Deputy Police Commissioner William Rawls on the The Wire from 2002 to 2008. Sudduth’s Broadway credits include South Pacific, The Iceman Cometh and Twelfth Night, and was a series regular on television’s Third Watch. Liberatore received multiple award nominations for his performance in Burn This on Broadway and Nelis received an Obie for his work in The Medium.

That Championship Season which previously won a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award and a New York Drama Critics Circle Award, tells the story of four high-school basketball players and their coach who, twenty years ago, brought home the state championship. Now the five men convene for their annual reunion. But the evening’s revelry turns dark as secrets are revealed, loyalties tested, and dreams diminished in this searing, knockout drama. That Championship Season brings savage humor and heart-rending compassion to its insightful exploration of a corrupted American dream.

For more information, click here to visit the Westport Country Playhouse website.

More Award Nominations for Pal Joey!

From Variety:
Astaire Awards announce nominees

Choreographers of Broadway tuners “Billy Elliot” and “Hair” and pics “Slumdog Millionaire” and “High School Musical 3″ are among the nominees of the 2009 edition of the dance-centric Astaire Awards.
Director and choreographer Stanley Donen (”Singin’ in the Rain,” “On the Town”) will get the lifetime achievement award at the ceremony, set for June 1.

Nominees for Rialto choreographer are Andy Blankenbuehler (”9 to 5″), Karole Armitage (”Hair”), Peter Darling (”Billy Elliot”), Sergio Trujillo (”Guys and Dolls”) and Graciela Daniele (”Pal Joey”)…

Performer noms for male dancers went to Jeffrey Denman (”White Christmas”), Matthew Risch (”Pal Joey”), plus a shared nom for the three young actors who rotate in the title role of “Billy Elliot” and another for the two who alternate in the role of Billy’s friend Michael.

Four TONY Nominations for Pal Joey!

The American Theatre Wing announced the 2009 Tony Award Nominees today. While Billy Elliott and Next to Normal topped the list of multiple nominations by show (15 and 11 respectively), Roundabout Theatre Company’s Pal Joey picked up a respectable 4 Tony nods:

Best Revival of a Musical
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical; Stockard Channing
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical; Martha Plimpton
Best Scenic Design of a Musical; Scott Pask

Congratulations to Roundabout and the entire Pal Joey team!!

For a full listing of Nominees, read more.

Pal Joey Hits It Big With Award Nominations

The Drama Desk Awards nominations were announced on April 27 at the New York Friars Club, with Pal Joey garnering three nominations:

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Stockard Channing
and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Martha Plimpton

The Drama Desk, an organization of professional theater critics, writers and editors, bestows awards with Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions competing in the same categories. The ceremony will be held on May 17 at F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center, hosted by Harvey Fierstein.

For a full listing of Drama Desk Award nominees, please click here.

Also, the Outer Critics CircleAwards nominations were announced on April 20 at the Algonquin Hotel, with Pal Joey being nominated for two awards:

Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Martha Plimpton

Outer Critics Circle Awards are bestowed by an association whose members are affiliated with more than 90 publications and broadcasting outlets. Winners will be announced on May 11, and the 2009 awards ceremony will be held on May 21 at Sardi’s.

For a full listing of Outer Critics Circle Awards nominees, please click here.

Congratulation to Stockard and Martha for those well-deserved noms!

Robert Clohessy on ABC’s “The Unusuals”

Imagine my delight last night when my husband called out to me, while watching TV, “Hey, that’s the guy from Pal Joey“. I knew immediately who he was talking about, because he was watching a new show on ABC called “The Unusuals”, which is a kind of gritty New York type of show. Who else could it be but Robert Clohessy (Pal Joey’s Mike), who is, to me, the quintessential gritty New Yorker?

Clohessy had a guest starring role as Mike Boorland, the head of a New York crime family that, after being quiet for years, has suddenly gone on a daylong crime spree. Clohessy played the part perfectly - wise-ass tough guy who has no respect for the police. He was great, and it was great to see him on television again. My husband and I really enjoyed him on the short-lived Fox drama “New Amsterdam”, on which he played Detective Tony Santori. Here’s hoping he gets picked up on another drama soon!

To watch the April 15 episode, Boorland Day, click here.

Triad Theatre Presents Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines

Following our Pal Joey favorites beyond Studio 54……

Thursday, March 5, 2009; Posted: 11:03 PM - by BWW News Desk

The Triad Theatre presents Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines Sunday, March 22, 2009. Broadway Dance Diva, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, takes the stage in her one woman show…Gaines is no stranger to the stage as she [recently appeared] in her third originated Broadway production, Pal Joey at 54 Studio. What you may not know is that, not only does this graceful leggy beauty dance, she also sings. Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines is a trained dancer who’s studied at the infamous Baltimore School for the Arts as well as The Julliard School.

Her BFA has allowed her to join world renowned companies such as Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn, The Frankfurt Ballet and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ms. Gaines was also noted as one of the top 25 dancers to watch in the 2005 issue of Dance Magazine. Come and discover another side of Bahiyah as she takes the stage to serenade you with songs of love & laughter in jazz, R & B, and standards. This celebrated dancer who’s conquered dance in concerts world wide would like to invite you come into “her world” as she performs in her own one woman show at The Triad. “Because I’m known as a dancer, I feel the need to show the world what else I have to share,” said Ms. Gaines.

Come and join Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines in a sensational evening at The Triad on March 22nd a 7pm. The Triad is located at 158 West 72nd 2nd floor between Broadway & Columbus. *There is a 2 Drink Minimum. The Triad is cash only.

….check back for more cast updates….

LAST CHANCE! Pal Joey Plays Last Show March 1

Only a few days left to catch Stockard Channing, Matthew Risch and Martha Plimpton starring in Pal Joey at the Roundabout Theatre Company’s Studio 54. The final curtain is Sunday, March 1, and tickets are available.

TWO MINUTES with…Hayley Podschun

Pal Joey’s Hayley Podschun (The Kid) is a beautiful and talented young woman who already has quite a diverse background in show business. She started out in the National Tour production of Hairspray, but before following that up with the role of Tammy on Broadway, Hayley played her in HAIRSPRAY the movie! Let’s take TWO MINUTES and get to know her better, shall we?

PJBlog: If we’ve learned anything from this production of Pal Joey, it’s the importance of the understudy! You understudy both Linda English and Val…have you had the opportunity to go on in either of these roles?

Hayley: I haven’t gone on for either, but it’s fine. Every Friday we have understudy rehearsal, so at least I get to play the roles once a week :~)

PJB: Before Pal Joey, you were in Sunday in the Park with George, where you understudied six different roles AND you were the dance captain. Can you tell us a little bit about how understudies rehearse and stay prepared for so many different roles?

Hayley: In “Sunday” it was really hard because we standbys came into the rehearsal process two weeks later than everyone else -we had a lot of catching up to do. I watched the show A LOT, took TONS of notes. Not only was I responsible for my “tracks”, I had to know everyone else’s parts because I was the dance captain. Once we were open, the standbys had rehearsal once a week.

PJB: At your very young age, you’ve had so many experiences – Hairpsray National Tour, HAIRSPRAY the movie, and Broadway. How do the experiences compare with each other? Is there one that’s your true “love”?

Hayley: They are all SO different but wonderful in their own way. Tour was great because I got to see the country and travel before I “settled down” anywhere. The movie was fun because I’ve never done a movie and I got to see what that world was like. Getting to finish my Hairspray life on Broadway was great. I made such wonderful friends. “Sunday” was spectacular because it was a show I never thought I’d do in my life. It was the most magical experience. Pal Joey has been great because I’m working with the best of the best in the business. Joe Mantello, Graciela Daniele, and Paul Gemignani are dreams and the cast is so talented. I just love it. I’ve been very lucky to have such diverse shows.

PJB: I guess Studio 54 has become like a second home to you now – “Sunday In The Park”, followed by Pal Joey… do you know what comes next?

Hayley: Yeah! I’m actually going to be doing “The First Wives Club” playing the role of Chris. We will be in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre this summer then open on broadway in October.

PJB: That is fantastic news! Thank you, Hayley, for sharing a few minutes with us, and we look forward to following your career, to First Wives Club and beyond.

************************************************************************************************

Hayley kept a movie diary while on the set of HAIRSPRAY. Following are excerpts from that diary.

“SHARE YOUR PAL JOEY EXPERIENCE”

Click here to visit the “Share Your Pal Joey Experience” page. This page is updated as I receive new pictures and “experiences”. If you would like your pictures and/or text to appear on the page, please e-mail them to  admin at paljoeyblog.com.

Pal Joey Understudies

As listed in the Playbill, the understudies for Pal Joey are as follows:

For Joey Evans: ERIC SCIOTTO; for Vera Simpson: NICOLE ORTH-PALLAVINCINI; for Gladys Bumps: LISA GAJDA; for Linda English: HAYLEY PODSCHUN; for Mike, Ernest: MARK MORETTINI; for Ludlow Lowell: ANTHONY HOLDS

If you’ve been to a show where the understudy went on for the principal, we’d love to hear about it! Please share your experience by commenting on this thread.

Lisa Gajda, Gypsy of the Month for February

When Eric Sciotto was announced as Pal Joey’s Gypsy Robe recipient (see archives) it was mentioned that Lisa Gajda had previously won the honor three times. This made me wonder why it was Eric, and not Lisa, who received the honor for Pal Joey. Well, a recent article on Broadwayworld.com (GYPSY OF THE MONTH: Lisa Gajda of ‘Pal Joey’, by Adrienne Onofri) not only answers that question, but makes it clear what a “Pal” Lisa truly is:
“‘Pal Joey’ would have been Gajda’s fourth time receiving the Gypsy Robe - presented on opening night to the ensemble member with the most Broadway credits - but she decided to forgo the honor so it could go to her friend Eric Sciotto, who’d never received it in his previous seven shows. Gajda received the robe for her last two shows, Cry-Baby (which Sciotto was also in) and The Times They Are A-Changin’, as well as for 2003’s Taboo.”

Broadway was not always Gajda’s (pronounced Guy-da) life. When she was around 20, she and a friend took a road trip to California and she ended up staying for several years. She started getting work right away and danced in awards shows quite regularly. At the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, she danced with Paula Abdul to “Vibeology”. She worked on videos, commercials, movies, AND the 1990 and 1991 Academy Awards. But New York is where she really wanted to be, and she moved back in the mid-90’s. Within six months, she was cast in the tour of Tommy, playing the Nurse and other ensemble roles. In the spring of 1995, she made her Broadway debut as a swing in Tommy (see archives).

By the time she auditioned for Pal Joey, Lisa had learned how to make herself into whatever type was needed. “My look is pretty contemporary,” she says, “so I went to the audition with big fake boobs and tried to make myslef look soft.” She obviously did something right!

In Pal Joey, Gajda is one of the two ladies who dance with Joey (Matthew Risch) in the opening ballet, and she is the lilac in the comic Act 1 song “The Flower Garden of My Heart.” And although she understudies for Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps), she isn’t yearning for speaking parts. “I’m a real dancer. It’s not very interesting to me to pursue doing roles. I grew up loving to dance, so that doesn’t mean that I wanted to act and sing.” And her sage advice for other gypsies? “If you’re dancing in the chorus, don’t spend you entire life waiting to do something else, because it’s an honor and a great gift to dance in the chorus.”

Click here to read Broadwayworld.com’s article.

“Gal Pals” Out On The Town

I came across this New York Times article and had to share with my Pal Joey pals. It’s always nice to see a cast having fun outside the theater.

A Night Out With | Martha Plimpton
Old Hand, New Hands
By MERVYN ROTHSTEIN
Published: January 30, 2009

A HALF-HOUR after finishing her night’s work in “Pal Joey,” Martha Plimpton walked into the Grill at the Players, a private club across from Gramercy Park.

With her were four “Pal Joey” colleagues — Lisa Gajda, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O’Brien and Krista Saab — the female dancers from the Roundabout Theater Company revival of the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical, in which Ms. Plimpton is starring at Studio 54.

Ms. Plimpton planned a session of poker — a game some of the dancers had never played, but which she was eager to teach. “We’ve gone out quite a few times,” she said of the group. “We call each other the Tribe. They’re my protectors and guides.”

Ms. Plimpton, 38, has received two Tony nominations — as best featured actress in “The Coast of Utopia” in 2007 and “Top Girls” last year. This season the critics have been more than kind to her portrayal of Gladys Bumps, a singing and dancing floozy with a grudge. She has also been taking some days off and flying to the West Coast to film a comedy pilot for Showtime — “The End of Steve,” with Matthew Perry of “Friends” as an egomaniacal television talk show host and Ms. Plimpton as his producer.

The Players, founded in 1888 by Edwin Booth and Mark Twain, among others, has long catered to what it calls “members of the dramatic profession.” The Grill’s wall is crowded with portraits of the likes of Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Ms. Plimpton pointed to a picture of the actor John Carradine. “That’s my grandfather up there,” she said. “That’s pretty cool, huh?” (Her parents are the actor Keith Carradine and the actress Shelley Plimpton.)

“The club’s history is special to me,” Ms. Plimpton added later.

Behind The Scenes at Pal Joey - with Jenny Fellner

Broadway.com’s latest “Behind The Scenes” is Backstage at Pal Joey with Jenny Fellner. Go backstage with Jenny and see dressing rooms, costumes, furniture hanging from the ceiling, and you may see a few familiar faces along the way. Jenny is delightful in this entertaining video tour.

Click here to watch broadway.com’s “Behind The Scenes” with Jenny Fellner.

Pal Joey Video Review

Broadway .com has a section titled “Word of Mouth” that allows real theatergoers the opportunity to give their opinions on what’s hot and what’s not on Broadway. In this segment, panelists Mark, Mary and Steven discuss their thoughts on Pal Joey. (The video also includes several clips from the show.)

Click here to watch the video in a new window.