Archive for February, 2009
Stockard Channing Featured In “Broadway For A New America”
Stockard Channing isn’t taking even one day of rest following Sunday’s final curtain of her current Broadway show Pal Joey. According to the Independent Press, Ms. Channing will be appearing in the “Broadway For A New America” benefit on Monday, March 2.
April 2nd UPDATE: STOCKARD CHANNING IS NO LONGER APPEARING IN THIS SHOW.
The concert will be hosted by Broadway star Jim Dale, and features Tony, Emmy and Oscar nominated performers Stockard Channing, Rosie Perez, Fran Drescher, Anne Meara, Lillias White, Melissa Errico and Tovah Feldshuh.
Other notables included in the benefit are current Broadway singers Rebeca Luker of “Mary Poppins”, Norm Lewis and Jonathan Freeman of “the Little Mermaid”, and Krysta Rodriguez of “In the Heights”; funny-man Richard Belzer; and three-time Emmy nominee Seth Rudetsky.
Tickets may be purchased at www.jews4change.com and click on the ticket order page.
Excerpt of Hoff’s “Don’t Look Twice” Audio Recording
Although Andrew Gross’s novel “Don’t Look Twice” is not available until March 3, a sample of Christian Hoff’s audio book recording is available through Blackstone Audio. To listen click here.
To pre-order your audio book through amazon.com, click on the “Don’t Look Twice” icon in the sidebar.
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.
Matthew Risch, One Of The Hottest Guys In Theater
The website “afterelton” posted its picks for the 37 hottest guys in theater. Among the Broadway cuties is Pal Joey’s own Matthew Risch.
by Michael Portantiere
January 27, 2009
Matthew Risch was an ensemble member and understudy in the Broadway casts of Chicago and Legally Blonde, but he stepped up to the plate and took on the title role in the current revival of Pal Joey when original star Christian Hoff dropped out of that production shortly before opening. The lyrics to one of the show’s most famous songs describe Joey Evans as a “half-pint imitation,” but as far as we’re concerned, Matthew is the real thing.
To see the entire list of 37, click here to open the article in a new window.
Patti’s Turn
Just for fun! This has nothing to do with Pal Joey but it’s a good laugh.
Listen as Patti LuPone lambasts a picture taker during a performance of Gypsy and then has the person thrown out of the theater. (The fun starts at timecode:47.)
Harold Lang’s “Pal Joey” Number on TV
The 1952 Joey Evans, dancer extraordinaire Harold Lang, appeared on a popular Sunday night variety show and with the Pal Joey company, performed “Happy Hunting Horn.” The number includes some startling dance moves by Lang. This rare kinescope speaks for itself.
Happy Birthday to Stockard Channing
Today, February 13th, is Stockard Channing’s birthday. The Pal Joey blog would like to wish her a very happy day!
TWO MINUTES with…Hayley Podschun
Hayley Podschun
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.
Stockard Channing Scheduled For Benefit
Ms. Channing in her dressing room at Roundabout’s Studio 54
Among those scheduled to appear are Stockard Channing, Scott Blakeman, Richard Belzer, Tovah Feldshuh, Jonathan Freeman, Mario Frangoulis, Marni Nixon and Seth Rudetsky. Speakers at the event will include Garden State Equality chairman Steven Goldenstein, Rabbis J. Rolando Matalon and Marcelo Bronstein and Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry.
The Jewish Alliance for Change is an organization founded to mobilize the American public to fight for marriage equality and a progressive agenda for change. All proceeds from the evening will go to the Alliance’s continued efforts in support of progressive issues.
The concert will be produced by Kati Meister and Scott Denny.
William Ivey Long Wins TDF/Irene Sharaff Award
It was announced earlier this month that William Ivey Long will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff “Lifetime Achievement” Award. The TDF Irene Sharaff Awards were founded in 1993 to pay tribute to the art of costume design. Since then, the annual award presentation has become an occasion for the costume design community to come together to honor its own.
Included in the impressive list of more than 50 Broadway shows Mr. Long has designed costumes for are the currently running Pal Joey and the forthcoming 9 to 5. He won Tonys for Grey Gardens, Hairspray, The Producers, Crazy for You and Nine and was Tony-nominated for La Cage aux Folles, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Music Man, Cabaret, Chicago and Lend Me a Tenor.
The awards ceremony will take place on March 27 at the Hudson Theatre. Congratulations, Mr. Long, on this much deserved award.
Let’s Go Back…..
….back to Pal Joey, 1940’s…
These beautiful pictures come from the private collection of broadwayworld.com poster, “allofmylife”. I couldn’t identify each picture, so I numbered them for easy reference in discussions. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. And thank you, allofmylife, for sharing your precious collection with other Pal Joey fans.
“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.
Pick Your Favorite “Bewitched”
Here are three dynamite versions of Pal Joey’s “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” performed by three of the greatest female vocalists of our era: Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and Linda Ronstadt. Which is your favorite of these?
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.
Amazon Wheel
You may have noticed the “Amazon Wheel” on the right sidebar. When a CD, movie, or book is mentioned in this blog or may be of particular interest to readers, it is added to the “wheel” to make it easy for you to visit the Amazon site and purchase the items. Please feel free to “browse”. Let me know if I’ve missed any items, or if there’s something you’d like me to add.
Read the entire post for a brief description of each item.
