Fred Armisen to Star on Hulu’s “Deli Boys” for Season Two

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen has landed a deli-ghtful role…

The 58-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor, comedian and former Saturday Night Live star, has joined the cast of Hulu’s Deli Boys for the show’s second season.

Armisen will join the series regular cast alongside Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh and Poorna Jagannathan.

Deli Boys follows Mir and Raj Dar (Ali and Shaikh), a pair of pampered Pakistani American brothers who lose everything and are forced to reckon with their Baba’s (Iqbal Theba) secret life of crime as they attempt to take up his mantle in the underworld.

Jagannathan stars as Naveeda “Lucky,” Baba’s confidant and a crime boss auntie.

Armisen will play a legendary gambling savant with an uncanny ability to read people like cards in the half-hour series. His casino empire is global, but his crown jewel is in Philly. He is uniquely brilliant and deeply unhinged — a deadly combo if you cross him.

Deli Boys was created by Abdullah Saeed and developed by Jenni Konner and Nora Silver under Jenni Konner Productions.

Michelle Nader will return as showrunner and executive producer of Season 2. She will EP alongside Saeed, Konner, and Silver. Nisha Ganatra served as executive producer and director of the pilot.

20th Television produces the comedy series.

Armisen most recently reprised the role of Uncle Fester in Season 2 of Netflix’s Wednesday, starring opposite Jenna Ortega. In May, he concluded his time voicing Elliot Birch in the eighth and final season of Netflix’s Big Mouth.

Armisen is perhaps best known for his 11 seasons on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, as co-creator and co-star of IFC’s Portlandia, and co-writer, co-star, and EP of HBO’s Spanish-Language series Los Espookys.

On the film side, he recently voiced a character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and starred in Judd Apatow’s The Bubble.

He’s currently touring “Comedy For Musicians But Everyone Is Welcome” and just wrapped his Broadway debut in All In: Comedy About Love.

Isabela Merced Teams Up with Tony Succar for New Version of Her 2020 Song “Apocalipsis”

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Isabela Merced is hitting all the right notes…

The 24-year-old half-Peruvian American actress/singer has joined voices with Tony Succar to release a dynamic new version of her 2020 song “Apocalipsis.”

Merced’s revitalized interpretation elevates the original track into a dazzling exhibition of Latin music’s rich artistry.

The lively anthem blends vibrant salsa rhythms with catchy pop melodies, honoring their shared Peruvian heritage.

Succar brings his unique flair to this rendition as he masterfully integrates iconic salsa instrumentation, such as brass and percussion, with modern arrangements that enhance the song’s energy and unites two generations.

Known for appearances in film, television and Broadway, Merced played the lead in Nickelodeon’s 100 Things to Do Before High School and has also appeared in Transformers: The Last Knight, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and Dora and the Lost City of Gold.

Merced made her Broadway debut at age 10 singing in Spanish in Evita alongside Ricky Martin.

Lindsay Mendez to Guest Star on CBS’ “Elsbeth”

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez is bringing the comic timing to the small screen…

The 42-year-old half-Mexican American Tony Award-winning actress and singer will guest star in the premiere episode of the third season of CBS’ Elsbeth alongside Amy Sedaris and Andy Richter.

Based on the character featured in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) is the astute but unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to catch New York’s well-heeled murderers, utilizing her unique point of view.

Mendez will appear as Officer Grace Hackett, a hard-working officer and an aspiring stand-up comic when off the clock. When she teams up with Elsbeth for a case focused on the world of comedy, her knowledge of the business comes in handy.

Elsbeth is produced by CBS Studios and executive produced by Robert King, Michelle King, Jonathan Tolins, Liz Glotzer, Erica Shelton Kodish, Bryan Goluboff and Gail Barringer with Tolins serving as showrunner.

Robert and Michelle King co-created the series.

Mendez most recently starred in the hit Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff.

The production, which was filmed for theatrical release, will hit theaters on December 5.

On television, Mendez starred in the FX anthology series American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez for Ryan Murphy.

She was previously a series regular on All Rise from CBS/OWN.

Ariana DeBose to Star in Off Broadway Revival of Joseph Stein & Stephen Schwartz’s 1976 Musical “The Baker’s Wife”

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Ariana DeBose is getting musical in the Big Apple.

The 34-year-old half-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress, singer and dancer will star as Geneviève in a rare revival of the Joseph Stein-Stephen Schwartz 1976 musical The Baker’s Wife this fall at Off Broadway‘s Classic Stage Company.

The revival – the first full-scale New York City production of the musical – will run from October 23 to December 14 at CSC’s Lynn F. Angelson Theater.

Opening night is set for November 11.

A complete performance schedule, additional casting and full creative team will be announced at a later date.

The production was announced by Classic Stage Company’s Jill Rafson, Producing Artistic Director.

Opening CSC’s 2025-2026 Season, The Baker’s Wife features a book by Tony Award winner Stein, music & lyrics Schwartz, based on the film La Femme du Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono.

Directing will be Gordon Greenberg.

“Ariana is one of our finest young singing actresses, and I’m excited by the depth and nuance she will bring to the title role,” said composer Schwartz. “Plus, I’ve had the pleasure of hearing her sing ‘Meadowlark,’ so I know CSC audiences are in for a treat.” (“Meadowlark” is the musical’s oft-covered most famous song, a staple in the repertoires of Patti Lupone, Sarah Brightman, Betty Buckley, Erika Henningsen and many others).

Director Greenberg said, “Ariana DeBose brings an electric mix of vulnerability, wit, and star power to Genevieve – qualities that not only honor Stephen and Joe’s beautiful work but also ignite it in thrilling new ways. She’s the kind of performer who makes you lean forward in your seat – not just because of her voice, which is extraordinary, but because of the emotional truth she brings to every moment. Watching her inhabit this role will be like discovering the character for the first time.”

The synopsis: “In a quiet French village, a baker and his wife bring fresh bread…and fresh gossip. But when temptation stirs and hearts wander, the whole town gets caught up in a swirl of romance, mischief, and melody. The Baker’s Wife brings Stephen Schwartz’s soaring score, including the iconic ‘Meadowlark,’ to life in its first major New York appearance. Sweet, surprising, and full of heart, this long-awaited production celebrates love in all its perfectly imperfect recipes.”

The musical originally toured the United States for six months in 1976, a legendarily troubled production, retooled constantly, that has long since entered stage lore.

LuPone (who played Geneviève, opposite Topol, an actor she loathed, who played the baker) once told The New York Times, “Every time somebody joined the company, we looked at them and went, ‘Oh my God, what did you do that put you in the bowels of hell?’”

The production was closed by the authors and producer David Merrick before reaching Broadway, and has intrigued theater buffs ever since.

DeBose gained worldwide recognition for her Oscar-winning performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, becoming the first openly queer Afro-Latina to receive an Academy Award.

DeBose most recently starred opposite Ke Huy Quan in Universal’s action-romance Love Hurts.

Her upcoming feature film projects include Lear Rex and Tow, the latter for which she also serves as executive producer.

Her other recent films include Matthew Vaughn’s action film Argylle (Apple/Universal), Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space thriller I.S.S., Disney’s 100th anniversary animated film Wish, Kraven the Hunter (Sony Pictures) and House of Spoils (Blumhouse/Prime Video).

DeBose also recently wrapped production on the Prime Video series adaptation of Patricia Cornell’s Scarpetta, starring opposite Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis.

In 2022, 2023, and 2024, DeBose hosted the Tony Awards, and also starred in both seasons of the critically acclaimed musical comedy series Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+) as well as Ryan Murphy’s The Prom (Netflix).

On Broadway, DeBose is perhaps best known for her Tony-nominated role as Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and for being part of the original cast of Hamilton (she also appeared in the film adaptation for Disney+).

Other stage credits include Pippin, Motown the Musical, Bring It On: The Musical and Company.

The Baker’s Wife is presented by special arrangement with the Menier Chocolate Factory (David Babani, Artistic Director), Creative Partners Productions and Aaron Glick.

Filmed Version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” Musical to Hit Theaters in September

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s biggest Broadway hit is heading to a movie theater near you.

The filmed version of the 45-year-old Puerto Rican Tony-winning multi-hyphenate’s period Broadway musical Hamilton will hit theaters on September 5.

Miranda spilled the beans on The Tonight Show recently.

Disney will have more details very soon the release, but the date is already on Comscore. You can also see a new trailer above.

In February 2020, Disney bought the filmed version of the stage show for $75M, planning a theatrical release for October 2021. COVID-19 sidetracked those plans and Hamilton dropped on Disney+ in July 2020 to great viewership success and ultimately two Emmy wins in a 12 nom count, including Outstanding Variety Special.00:00

Hamilton additionally will be released in theaters in Canada and Puerto Rico on September 5, the UK and Ireland on September 26, and Australia and New Zealand on November 13.

Among box office benchmarks for Hamilton, the staged musical in previews made $400M in Chicago, breaking the B.O. record for a theater in the Windy City.

Hamilton opened on Broadway in 2015, going on to win 11 Tony awards, including Best Musical, as well as a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

The original cast includes Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler; Jonathan Groff as King George; Christopher Jackson as George Washington; Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds; Okieriete Onaodowan as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison; Anthony Ramos as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton; and Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton.

Hamilton is inspired by the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow and produced by Thomas Kail, Miranda, and Jeffrey Seller, with Sander Jacobs and Jill Furman serving as executive producers. Filming was produced by RadicalMedia.

“When we filmed Hamilton, we wanted to try to capture the feeling of being in the Richard Rodgers Theatre during that first year on Broadway,” says director/producer Kail, “and we’re thrilled that audiences will now have the opportunity to experience it on the big screen.”

Joseph Morales to Appear in the MGM+ Comedy Series “American Classic”

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Joseph Morales has landed a classic role…

The half-Mexican American actor has been cast in MGM+‘s upcoming comedy series American Classic, which stars Kevin Kline, Jon Tenney and Laura Linney.

From co-creators Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin, American Classic is an 8-episode series that centers on Broadway star and notorious narcissist Richard Bean (Kline), who suffers a spectacular public meltdown and returns to his hometown and the family-run theater where he first became aware of his brilliance. When he arrives, he is shocked to discover that his father Linus Bean (Cariou), the former artistic director, has lost a step and that the once-respected theater, now run by his brother Jon (Tenney), and his wife (Linney), now the town’s mayor, has become, by necessity, a low-rent dinner theater serving roast beef and murder mysteries. He decides to save the town, the theater, and the world by presenting a great American classic on the dinner theater stage, directed by and starring, of course, Richard Bean.

Morales will appear in a recurring role as Jeff Jeffries, a loan officer at the local bank who has been working with Kristen and Jon for years. He’s not a man of the theater, but once he’s got a taste, he can’t get enough.

Fifth Season is the studio, with Mar-Key Pictures, Likely Story and Anonymous Content producing.

The series is scheduled to go into production in 2025 in New Jersey.

Morales starred as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway musical Hamilton‘s Chicago production and second national touring production.

Raúl Esparza to Star in Hollywood Bowl Production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl Esparza has landed a Superstar role…

The 54-year-old Cuban American actor, considered one of Broadway‘s most prominent leading men since the 2000s, has joined the cast of next month’s Hollywood Bowl production of Jesus Christ Superstar, starring the Cynthia Erivo and Adam Lambert.

Esparza will play Pontius Pilate. Erivo is playing Jesus and Lambert is Judas.

Additional casting will be announced.

Sergio Trujillo directs.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber–Tim Rice musical will be performed on Friday, August 1, at 8:00 pm; Saturday, August 2, at 8:00 pm; and Sunday, August 3, at 7:30 pm.

Esparza’s many stage credits include Tony-nominated performances in Broadway’s Taboo (2005), Company (2007) The Homecoming (2008), and Speed-the-Plow (2009).

Other theater credits include Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Assassins and Evita.

On television, Esparza can currently be seen in Hulu’s limited series Candy, and he is perhaps best known for his long-running role of Rafael Barba in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

His film credits include Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, Jonathan Ullman’s Trouble in the Heights, Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take and Sidney Lumet’s Find Me Guilty.

Justina Machado Earns Her First-Ever Tony Awards Nomination for “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical”

Posted on May 2, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado has earned a career first…

The 78th annual Tony Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 52-year-old Puerto Rican actress earning her first-ever Tony nod.

Machado earned a nod in the Actress in a Featured Role (Musical) category for her work in Real Women Have Curves: The Musical.

She originated the role of Carmen Garcia in the Broadway musical production of Real Women Have Curves.

Joy Huerta has earned her first Tony Award nomination…

The 38-year-old Mexican Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and Jesse & Joy duo member is nominated in the Best Original Score category for co-writing the music and lyrics for Real Women Have Curves: The Musical alongside Benjamin Velez.

Marco Ramirez has earned a Tony Award nod in the Best Book of a Musical category.

The Latino television producer, screenwriter and playwright earned the nod for his work on Buena Vista Social Club, which earned 10 Tony Award nominations.

Former Miami City Ballet principal dancer Patricia Delgado has earned a Tony Award nod for Best Choreography.

The 44-year-old Cuban ballet dancer, répétiteur and teacher earned the nomination for her acclaimed work alongside her husband Justin Peck for Buena Vista Social Club.

Arnulfo Maldonado earned a nod in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category.

The Latino scenic designer set and costume designer earned the nod for Buena Vista Social Club.

This year’s Tony Awards will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Hosted by Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo,

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards will broadcast live to both coasts on Sunday, June 8 on CBS, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Here’s the complete list of Tony Award nominations:

Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

Best Play
English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain
Oh, Mary!
Purpose

Best Musical Revival
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd.

Best Play Revival
Eureka Day
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
Yellow Face

Actor in a Leading Role (Musical)
Darren Criss: Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand: Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis: Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff: Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart: A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan: Floyd Collins

Actress in a Leading Role (Musical)
Megan Hilty: Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald: Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers: Boop! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger: Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard: Death Becomes Her

Actor in a Featured Role (Musical)
Brooks Ashmanskas: Smash
Jeb Brown: Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein: Gypsy
Jak Malone: Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Taylor Trensch: Floyd Collins

Actress in a Featured Role (Musical)
Natalie Venetia Belcon: Buena Vista Social Club
Julia Knitel: Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence: Just in Time
Justina Machado: Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods: Gypsy

Actor in a Leading Role (Play)
George Clooney: Good Night, and Good Luck
Cole Escola: Oh, Mary!
Jon Michael Hill: Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim: Yellow Face
Harry Lennix: Purpose
Louis McCartney: Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Actress in a Leading Role (Play)
Laura Donnelly: The Hills of California
Mia Farrow: The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson: Purpose
Sadie Sink: John Proctor is the Villain
Sarah Snook: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Actor in a Featured Role (Play)
Glenn Davis: Purpose
Gabriel Ebert: John Proctor is the Villain
Francis Jue: Yellow Face
Bob Odenkirk: Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora: Oh, Mary!

Actress in a Featured Role (Play)
Tala Ashe: English
Jessica Hecht: Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat: English
Fina Strazza: John Proctor is the Villain
Kara Young: Purpose

Best Book of a Musical
Buena Vista Social Club: Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw: Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her: Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Best Original Score
Dead Outlaw: Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her: Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending: Music: Will Aronson; Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical: Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical: Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse: Smash
Camille A. Brown: Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli: Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell: Boop! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck: Buena Vista Social Club

Direction (Play)
Knud Adams: English
Sam Mendes: The Hills of California
Sam Pinkleton: Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor: John Proctor is the Villain
Kip Williams: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Direction (Musical)
Saheem Ali: Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Arden: Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer: Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli: Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd: Sunset Blvd.

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg: English
Rob Howell: The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask: Good Night, and Good Luck

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck: Swept Away (pictured)
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve: Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado: Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane: Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane: Just in Time

Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo: Good Night, and Good Luck
Marg Horwell: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell: The Hills of California
Holly Pierson: Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel: Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite: Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes: BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos: Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell: Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber: Just in Time

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers: The Hills of California
Jon Clark: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali: Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasilesk: John Proctor is the Villain (pictured)
Nick Schlieper: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles: Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau: Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton: Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend: Death Becomes Her

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti: Stranger Things: The First Shadow (pictured)
Palmer Hefferan: John Proctor is the Villain
Daniel Kluger: Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell: The Hills of California
Clemence Williams: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans: Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher: Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski: Just in Time
Peter Hylenski: Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier: Floyd Collins

Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber: Just in Time
Will Aronson: Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin: Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia: Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber: Sunset Blvd.

Joy Huerta Earns Outer Critics Circle Awards Nomination for Co-Composing “Real Women Have Curves” Score

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Joy Huerta is celebrating a Curves-aceous shout out!

The 38-year-old Mexican Grammy– and Latin Grammy-winning singer and songwriter – a vocalist of Jesse & Joy, a duo she forms with her older brother, Jesse Huerta – has earned a nomination for this year’s Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Huerta is nominated in the Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) for co-composing the music and wrote the lyrics for the Broadway musical Real Women Have Curves alongside Benjamin Velez,

The musical is based on the play and film of the same name.

But Huerta isn’t the only Real contender this year.

Wilberth Gonzalez has earned an Outer Critics Circle Awards nod for Outstanding Ciostume Design.

The Latino costume designer and illustrator earned the nomination for his work alongside Paloma Young for Real Women Have Curves.

The winners of the 75th Anniversary Outer Critics Circle Awards will be announced on Monday, May 12, 2025, followed by an awards ceremony on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

The Outer Critics Circle is the official organization of writers on New York theater for out-of-town, national, and digital news publications. The Circle awards trophies for both Broadway and Off Broadway productions.

Here’s a look at this year’s nominees:

2025 OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Outstanding New Broadway Play
Cult of Love
The Hills of California
John Proctor Is the Villain
Purpose
Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Outstanding New Broadway Musical
Boop! The Musical
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat
Real Women Have Curves

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
The Big Gay Jamboree
Drag: The Musical
We Live in Cairo

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
The Antiquities Grangeville
Here There Are Blueberries Liberation
Table 17

John Gassner Award (new American play preferably by a new playwright)
Amy Berryman, Walden
George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Good Night, and Good Luck
Marin Ireland, Pre-Existing Condition
Lia Romeo, Still
Emil Weinstein, Becoming Eve

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Once Upon a Mattress
Sunset Boulevard

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave
Glengarry Glen Ross
Romeo + Juliet
Vanya
Yellow Face

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play
Kit Connor, Romeo + Juliet
Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
Mia Farrow, The Roommate
Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Kieran Culkin, Glengarry Glen Ross
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Mare Winningham, Cult of Love
Kara Young, Purpose

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical
Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Audra McDonald, Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard
Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical
Danny Burstein, Gypsy
Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat
Michele Pawk, Just in Time
Christopher Sieber, Death Becomes Her
Michael Urie, Once Upon a Mattress

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Nick Adams, Drag: The Musical
Marla Mindelle, The Big Gay Jamboree
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Safety Not Guaranteed
Alaska Thunderfuck, Drag: The Musical
Taylor Trensch, Safety Not Guaranteed

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, We Live in Cairo Paris Nix, The Big Gay Jamboree Eddie Korbich, Drag: The Musical
Elaine Marcos, Drag: The Musical Andre De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball Henry Stram, Three Houses

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Caroline Aaron, Conversations with Mother
Murray Abraham, Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave
Jayne Atkinson, Still
Adam Driver, Hold On to Me Darling
Anthony Edwards, The Counter
Paul Sparks, Grangeville

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play
Betsy Aidem, Liberation Sean Bell, The Beacon
Michael Rishawn, Table 17
Richard Schiff, Becoming Eve
Frank Wood, Hold On to Me Darling

Outstanding Solo Performance
David Greenspan, I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan
Khawla Ibraheem, A Knock on the Roof
Sam Kissajukian, 300 Paintings
Andrew Scott, Vanya
Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat
Daniel Lazour and Patrick Lazour, We Live in Cairo
Bob Martin, Boop! The Musical
Marco Pennette, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat
David Foster and Susan Birkenhead, Boop! The Musical
Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, Real Women Have Curves
Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
Doug Besterman, Death Becomes Her
Joseph Joubert and Daryl Waters, Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Daniel Lazour and Michael Starobin, We Live in Cairo
Andrew Resnick, Just in Time

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Robert Hastie, Operation Mincemeat
Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Jerry Mitchell, Boop! The Musical

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Trip Cullman, Cult of Love
Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
Phylicia Rashad, Purpose
Danya Taymor, John Proctor Is the Villain

Outstanding Choreography
Jenny Arnold, Operation Mincemeat
Warren Carlyle, Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Shannon Lewis, Just in Time
Jerry Mitchell, Boop! the Musical

Outstanding Scenic Design
Miriam Buether, Jamie Harrison, and Chris Fisher, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Dane Laffrey, Maybe Happy Ending
Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Costume Design
Gregg Barnes, Boop! The Musical
Wilberth Gonzalez and Paloma Young, Real Women Have Curves
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, Swept Away
Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Sound Design
Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Adam Fisher, Sunset Boulevard
Peter Hylenski, Death Becomes Her
Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
John Shivers, Swept Away

Outstanding Video/Projections
59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, Sunset Boulevard
David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Hana S. Kim, Redwood
Finn Ross, Boop! The Musical

Special Awards
Patrick Hoffman, the recently retired curator of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, in honor of over three decades of service to the theater community, during which time he ensured the preservation of over 1,200 productions.

Note on Eligibility
The following productions were considered in previous seasons, with only new elements eligible during this cycle: Buena Vista Social Club; Dead Outlaw; English; Hold On to Me Darling; Job; and Oh, Mary!. The following productions were not eligible for awards this season: All In: Comedy About Love, and Ben Platt: Live at the Palace.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” Cast Album Added to Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway musical has earned a place in the Registry.

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican award-winning actor, composer, lyricist, producer, director and playwright’s cast album for his Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation Hamilton: An American Musical is among this year’s 25 additions to the National Recording Registry, which is administered by the Library of Congress.

This year’s selections span 102 years, from 1913 (a recording of “Aloha ‘Oe” by Hawaiian Quintette) to 2015 (Miranda’s Hamilton cast album).

Hamilton (2015) is the first Broadway cast album that was released since Sweeney Todd in 1979 to be selected.

The album, like the musical, has been a best-selling phenomenon, receiving Diamond certification (meaning 10 million copies sold) from the RIAA in 2023.

Produced by The Roots members Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, the album preserves the musical’s original Broadway cast, and released September 25, 2015, via Atlantic Records.

Freddy Fender’s country/pop smash “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” (1975) has also been added to the Registry.

The late Mexican American singer’s song is one of three songs on the Registry to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Before the Next Teardrop Falls” topped that chart for two weeks.

The single — which features verses sung in both English and Spanish — broke boundaries in the music industry by becoming a crossover hit, reaching No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs chart and the Billboard Hot 100.

Fender’s emotive performance and heartfelt delivery turned the song into a classic, showcasing the power of Latin voices in country music — a genre that initially had limited representation from Hispanic artists.

Vicente Fernández’s enduring ranchera classic “El Rey” (1973), one of the most recognizable songs in Regional Mexican music, joined the roster of Latin recordings in the Registry.

The late Mexican singer and actor’s iconic song appears on his 1973 album, El Ídolo de México, and it was written by José Alfredo Jiménez in 1971.

With its kingly themes of resilience and pride, “El Rey” has become emblematic of Chente’s enduring legacy, even inspiring a 2022 Netflix bioseries of the same name that celebrates his life and career. The mariachi singer — who died in 2021 — remains one of Mexico’s most celebrated musical figures, and his induction into the Registry further solidifies his enduring legacy.

More than 2,600 nominations were made by the public this year.

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian of Congress, with advice from the National Recording Preservation Board, selects 25 titles each year that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Recordings become eligible for the Registry 10 years after release, compared to 25 years for the Grammy Hall of Fame. (Which means the Hamilton cast album won’t be eligible there for another 15 years.)

“These are the sounds of America – our wide-ranging history and culture,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement. “The Library of Congress is proud and honored to select these audio treasures worthy of preservation.”

Industry veteran Robbin Ahrold serves as chair of the National Recording Preservation Board. “This year’s National Recording Registry list is an honor roll of superb American popular music from the wide-ranging repertoire of our great nation,” he said in a statement.

These 25 recordings bring the number of titles on the Registry to 675. This represents just a tiny fraction of the Library’s vast recorded sound collection of nearly four million items.

Here’s the complete list of 2025 additions to the National Recording Registry. They are listed in chronological order by release date.

“Aloha ‘Oe” – Hawaiian Quintette (1913, Victor)
“Sweet Georgia Brown” – Brother Bones & His Shadows (1949, Tempo)
“Happy Trails” – Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (1952, RCA Victor)
Radio Broadcast of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series – Chuck Thompson (1960)
Harry Urata Field Recordings (1960-1980)
Hello Dummy! – Don Rickles (1968, Warner Bros.)
Chicago Transit Authority – Chicago (1969, Columbia)
Bitches Brew – Miles Davis (1970, Columbia)
“Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” – Charley Pride (1971, RCA Victor)
“I Am Woman” – Helen Reddy (1972, Capitol)
“El Rey” – Vicente Fernández (1973, CBS)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John (1973, MCA)
“Before the Next Teardrop Falls” – Freddy Fender (1975, ABC/Dot)
I’ve Got the Music in Me – Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker (1975, Sheffield Lab)
The Kӧln Concert – Keith Jarrett (1975, ECM)
Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band (1976, Capitol)
Nimrod Workman Collection (1973-1994)
Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman (1988, Elektra)
My Life – Mary J. Blige (1994, Uptown/MCA)
Microsoft Windows Reboot Chime – Brian Eno (1995)
“My Heart Will Go On” – Celine Dion (1997, 550 Music/Epic)
Our American Journey – Chanticleer (2002) (album, Warner Classics International)
Back to Black – Amy Winehouse (2006 album, Republic/Universal Music)
Minecraft: Volume Alpha – Daniel Rosenfeld (2011 album, self-released)
Hamilton: An American Musical – Original Broadway Cast Album (2015 album, Atlantic)

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Broadway