Tag Archives: Tony Awards

Lin-Manuel Miranda Producing Film “Molina: The Story of the Father Who Raised an Unlikely Baseball Dynasty”

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Lin-Manuel Miranda is helping bring the story of a baseball dynasty to life…

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican Tony Award winning actor, singer, songwriter, rapper, filmmaker and librettist and Luis Miranda, Jr.’s Viajes Miranda is producing Disney’s feature project Molina.

Lin-Manuel MirandaThe film is based on the New York Times best-selling autobiographical book Molina: The Story of the Father Who Raised an Unlikely Baseball Dynasty by Bengie Molina.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jose Rivera, who also hails from Puerto Rico, is writing the script.

Viajes Miranda is producing alongside Rideback’s Jonathan Eirich and Diana Nabatoff of Tiara Blu Films, who secured the rights to the book.

Rideback’s Nick Reynolds is an executive producer.

Molina’s autobiography is the backbone of the story that tracks the life and upbringing of Bengie, Jose and Yadier Molina – the only three brothers to all play Major League Baseball at the same time – with a focus on their father Benjamin’s journey with the boys as he set them on the path to success.

Incredibly, the three Molina brothers from Puerto Rico all made it to professional baseball’s highest ranks, all became catchers, and all won World Series rings.  Ad Loading

The Molina Brothers, MLBMiranda was nominated for two original song Oscars for Disney films: “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto and “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. 

He recently penned the songs from the studio’s profitable Mufasa, which made $175M after all ancillaries after a $722M global gross. Miranda’s filmed live stage version of his multi Tony-winning Hamilton was acquired by Disney and streamed during the COVID-19 pandemic becoming a huge hit on the service.

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

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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.

Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical

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.

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

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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.

HamiltonThis 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)

Lindsay Mendez to Participate in One-Night-Only Special Event “Broadway’s Leading Ladies”

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Lindsay Mendez is leading a special charge on Broadway…

The 43-year-old half-Mexican American Tony Award-winning actress and singer will be among the featured stars in the upcoming one-night-only special event, Broadway’s Leading Ladies, set for New York City’s Town Hall on March 10.

The event will be broadcast on PBS later this year.

Mendez, who most recently starred in Merrily We Roll Along, joins a roster of leading ladies of The Great White Way that includes LaChanze, Kate Baldwin, Jennifer Holliday, Judy Kuhn, Jessie Mueller and Death Becomes Her star Jennifer Simard.

Additional all-star casting to be announced soon.

PBS, in partnership with No Guarantees and Nouveau Productions, said the performers were chosen in part for “unique contributions [that] have energized and defined the Broadway we know today.”

The leading ladies will be joined by members of the American Pops Orchestra, conducted by Luke Frazier, whose PBS credits include Wicked in Concert and Broadway’s Leading Men.

Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra last appeared at Town Hall in the critically acclaimed musical tribute to Edith Piaf.

A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Women’s Health Initiative at the Entertainment Community Fund, founded by cancer survivor and Fund board member Phyllis Newman.

“Broadway’s Leading Ladies is a celebration of the profound influence and enduring legacy women have made in theater,” said Christine Schwarzman, President of No Guarantees, the production company partnering with PBS and Nouveau Productions on the event. “The Broadway leading lady is a timeless and cherished tradition, from the legendary Ethel Merman to the many remarkable women who grace the stage today.”

Broadway’s Leading Men aired on PBS in November and included performances by Something Rotten!‘s Christian Borle, Aladdin’s Jacob Gutierrez, Hamilton‘s Christopher Jackson, Glee‘s Matthew Morrison, and Hadestown’s André De Shields, among others.

Eva Noblezada to Reprise Tony-Nominated Role in Special Live & Filmed West End Engagement of “Hadestown”

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Eva Noblezada is returning to the Greek underworld.

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American Tony Award-nominated and Grammy-winning actress and singer will return to Hadestown for a special live West End engagement.

Eva NoblezadaAnaïs Mitchell’s hit Tony-winning Broadway musical – based on the Orpheus myth – will be professionally filmed live featuring the original Broadway cast, producers 

Noblezada will reprise her Tony-nominated role as Eurydice for the special engagement.

Additionally, Reeve Carney will reprise his role as Orpheus from the original Broadway cast for the London pro-shoot. André De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone, and Patrick Page as Hades.

The filming will take place at London’s Lyric Theatre across three performances: Friday, February 28; and both matinee and evening performances on Saturday March 1. There will be 2,000 tickets in total available to purchase for the filmed performances, with tickets on sale Friday, January 31 at 12 pm.

Casting for performances between February 11 and March 9, including the filmed performances, will feature the previously announced original cast members from the National Theatre and the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway productions.

Completing the cast will be Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel as Fates, Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Waylon Jacobs and Christopher Short as Workers, and Lucinda Buckley, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Winny Herbert, Ryesha Higgs and Miriam Nyarko as Swings.

To prepare for the filming, performances from February 25 – 27 have been removed from the performance schedule. The producers have noted that there are currently no set plans or dates for the release of the film version.

Hadestown opened to huge critical acclaim at the Lyric Theatre, London in February last year, five years after a sold-out engagement at the National Theatre in 2018 and is now booking in the West End until September 28, 2025.

Hadestown is produced in London by Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, Tom Kirdahy and the National Theatre in association with JAS Theatricals.

Eva Noblezada Joining Cast of Broadway‘s “Cabaret at the KitKat Club” for Limited Run

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Eva Noblezada is hitting the cabaret….

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American actress and singer, a two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy winner, will join masked country music star Orville Peck in Broadway‘s Cabaret at the KitKat Club.

Eva NoblezadaNoblezada and Peck are set as the new Sally Bowles and Emcee in the musical.

Peck, making his Broadway debut, and Noblezada will play a limited 16-week engagement at the August Wilson Theatre starting Monday, March 31, through Sunday, July 20.

They’ll take over for Adam Lambert and Auli‘i Cravalho who, as previously announced, will play their final performances on Saturday evening, March 29.

Casting for the two roles after Sunday, July 20, will be announced this summer.

The announcement was made by producers Adam Speers for ATG Productions, Underbelly, Gavin Kalin Productions, Hunter Arnold, Smith & Brant Theatricals and Wessex Grove.

Noblezada finishes her run as Daisy Buchanan in the hit Broadway musical The Great Gatsby on January 30, then joins other original Broadway cast members of Hadestown for a limited engagement reunion in the West End production.

She made her Tony-nominated Broadway debut in the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon, and on film she has appeared in Yellow Rose and Easter Sunday.

Said Noblezada, “While studying musical theater in school, Cabaret always stood out. I was, and am, amazed by the lineage of theater royalty who have been in the show. And Sally Bowles to me is simply… fascinating. She is like a totally conscious child who is also completely unhinged. Almost clownish. But real and raw and in your face. And that character amidst and against that backdrop of such an evil reality is painfully surreal. I am totally psyched to start learning more. And I am ready to be as submissive as possible to the iconic world that is Cabaret.”

Producers aren’t saying whether Peck will play the Emcee with or without a mask.

“The Emcee has been my dream role since I was a teenager,” said Peck, who is rarely seen in public without his signature, often-fringed mask and whose concert performances are highly theatrical. “The nature of the character allows for complete freedom of individual expression. It can be portrayed through such a vast range of emotions, perspectives, and performance styles. That kind of freedom is every actor’s dream.”

Peck, who trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and appeared on London’s West End in the Olivier Award-nominated Peter Pan Goes Wrong before releasing his innovative, career-making albums Pony (2019), Bronco (2022) and Stampede (2024), continued, “I truly cannot believe I’m getting to make my Broadway debut in one of my favorite shows and in probably my favorite role in all of musical theater. I grew up in the theater. I was a working actor and a dancer for many years before I started making music. I did the hustle, and the struggle, for a long time, trying to make things happen for myself. But it taught me so much of who I am as a performer and a person, so it feels very full circle to be making a return to it at this point in my career.”

In a statement, director Rebecca Frecknall said, “After such a brilliant collaboration with Adam Lambert, I’m thrilled to be able to bring yet another incredible contemporary musician into the role of the Emcee. Orville brings such theatricality to his own musical performance and has one of the most crystalline voices in music right. It’s going to be exciting to see him become a part of our production and hear him sing John Kander and Fred Ebb’s score.”

She continued, “I’ve followed Eva’s work for years and it’s a privilege to have her join the company as our next Sally Bowles on Broadway following Auli‘i’s magnificent run. She brings such truth and emotional vulnerability to her work and has a voice that always thrills. She is truly one of theater’s great leading ladies, so it only seems fitting for us to get to see her take on this great canonical role.”

Prior to Adam Lambert and Auli‘i Cravalho, Broadway’s Cabaret starred Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, who originated the roles last spring. The current cast also includes Bebe Neuwirth, Calvin Leon Smith, Steven Skybell, Henry Gottfried and Michelle Aravena.

Auli’i Cravalho to Make Broadway Debut as a New Lead in “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club”

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Auli’i Cravalho will be spending her nights at the Kit-Kat Club.

The 23-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer, who rose to acclaim as the lead of the voice cast of Disney’s Moana, and American Idol alum Adam Lambert  will step in the respective roles of Sally Bowles and Emcee in Broadway‘s Cabaret revival on September 16.

Auli’i CravalhoTheir limited engagement runs through March 30.

Gayle Rankin and Eddie Redmayne will give their final performances as Bowles and Emcee in the Tony-nominated Kander-and-Ebb musical two nights earlier.

“I’m thrilled to join the long line of talented women who have taken on the iconic Sally Bowles,’ most recently, the woman I watched with notebook and pen in hand, the dynamite Gayle Rankin,” said Cravalho in a statement. “To join a show with so much history—and such a stellar cast and crew—means it’s quite literally an honor to get my butt kicked each week.”

Lambert added, “Growing up on the musical theater stage, it was always a childhood dream to perform on Broadway. With this production of Cabaret, it finally felt like the right time to accept an invitation to make my debut. The themes of this show have always resonated with me and given the current sociopolitical climate the world is in, feel eerily timely.”

Officially titled Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club, the show moved to Broadway in April from London’s West End, where it dominated the 2022 Olivier Awards. It went on to score nine Tony nominations including Best Revival of a Musical, later winning for Tom Scutt’s scenic design.

The current Cabaret cast also includes Bebe Neuwirth, Ato Blankson-Wood, Steven Skybell, Henry Gottfried and Natascia Diaz.

Cameron Diaz to Star in DreamWorks Animation’s “Shrek 5”

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Cameron Diaz is seeing green…

A fifth Shrek film is in the works, with the the 51-year-old Cuban American actress and fellow stars Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy set to return, per DreamWorks Animation.

Cameron Diaz“Not too Far, Far Away…” wrote a spokesperson for the studio on X. “@Shrek 5 is coming to theaters on July 1, 2026 with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz.”

Walt Dohrn, who worked on the second and third films as a writer and artist and as Head of Story on the fourth film, will direct Shrek 5.

Gina Shay is returning to produce alongside Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, with Brad Ableson co-directing.

ShrekMurphy hinted that the project was in motion in a video interview with Collider just last month. “We started doing Shrek four or five months ago,” he said. “I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year. We’ll finish it up.” In that interview, Murphy let slip that his character Donkey, the trusty sidekick of Myers’ ogre Shrek, also will be getting his own spinoff movie.

One of DreamWorks’ most celebrated animated franchises, Shrek is based on the 1990 picture book from writer and cartoonist William Steig. The franchise kicked off with the 2001 film that introduced viewers to Shrek, an ogre embarking on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona (Diaz).

Winning the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature and grossing more than $488 million worldwide, the original film’s success paved the way to sequels Shrek 2 (2004), where Shrek meets Fiona’s parents, and Shrek the Third (2007), which follows Shrek’s journey to find the next heir to the throne.

The fourth installment, Shrek Forever After (2010), explores Shrek’s midlife crisis and his wish to erase his past.

The franchise also includes the spin-off Puss in Boots (2011), starring Antonio Banderas as the swashbuckling feline, and its sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which was Oscar-nominated and grossed $481M globally upon its December 2022 debut.

The first four Shrek films have earned more than $2.9 billion worldwide, spawning a global live-touring show, a Broadway musical that earned eight Tony nominations and 12 Drama Desk nominations, plus an immersive tourist destination in London and popular events and attractions across Universal Destinations & Experiences’ theme parks.

Sergio Trujillo to Direct & Choreograph The Broadway-Bound “Studio 54 The Musical”

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It’s a disco inferno for Sergio Trujillo…

The 61-year-old Colombian Tony Award-winning theater director, choreographer, dancer and actor will direct and choreograph the Broadway-bound Studio 54 The Musical.

Sergio TrujilloProducers Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron are developing the new work with a book by Chad Hodge.

The musical, which will feature a full playlist of hits from the disco era, will trace “the astonishing ascent and sudden downfall of the most legendary club in nightlife history.”

“Neil Meron and I started talking about the amazing story of Studio 54 as a possible series years ago,” said Greenblatt in an exclusive statement to Deadline, “but we finally came to our senses and realized we had the perfect musical right under our noses.”

Add Meron, “And with book writer Chad Hodge and the incredible Sergio Trujillo, who came of age during the disco dance craze in Toronto and New York, we have the perfect team to bring it to life.”

Casting details and production schedule are to be announced.

The synopsis: “In staggeringly short order, two scrappy impresarios turned an abandoned west side theater into the hottest club in the history of New York– utterly transforming music, nightlife, and celebrity culture in the process. It also transformed the lives of everyone who made it past the door, whether for one extraordinary night or every night. Until it all abruptly came to an end. Studio 54 The Musical will bring audiences past the velvet rope and into a world of unfathomable decadence, set to the thumping sound of the most iconic disco hits of the 1970s and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, all having the time of their lives. Welcome to Studio 54.”

The legendary disco nightclub was opened by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager in 1977 and quickly become a cultural sensation. Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Truman Capote, Bianca Jagger and countless other celebrities made the venue their nighttime home-away-from-home, along with New York City’s most fabulous collection of gay, straight and trans nightclubbers. The club on West 54th Street in Manhattan is currently a Broadway theater operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company.

Trujillo has an impressive roster of Broadway credits, including Ain’t Too Proud, Memphis, Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, On Your Feet! and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

He was most recently Director/Choreographer of the new musical Real Women Have Curves, which debuted at American Repertory Theatre, and he served as choreographer for the upcoming movie musical Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Jennifer Lopez.

He was Emmy-nominated for his choreography for NBC’s Annie Live!

Olga Merediz to Star in A24’s Rom-Com “Eternity”

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Olga Merediz isn’t waiting an eternity to lock in her next project.

The 68-year-old Cuban actress and singer has joined the cast alongside John Early of A24’s Eternity.

Olga MeredizThe romantic comedy, in which people must decide who they want to spend eternity with, also stars Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

David Freyne is directing the movie; Pat Cunnane wrote the script, which appeared on the 2022 Black List.

A24 is financing and distributing the rom-com, as well as producing with Star Thrower Entertainment and its founders Trevor White and Tim White. The film is currently in production.

Merediz is best known for originating the role of Abuela Claudia in the Broadway musical In the Heights. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance, and she reprised the role in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation.

Merediz also voiced a role in Disney’s animated musical hit Encanto, and her television credits include Orange Is the New Black and Shades of Blue.