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

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.

Bianca Del Rio Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bianca Del Rio has new representation…

The 47-year-old Cuban & Honduran American drag queen, comedian, actor and former RuPaul’s Drag Race winner, whose real name is Roy Haylock, has signed with CAA for representation.

Bianca Del RioNamed on New York Magazine’s list of “most powerful drag queens in America,” Del Rio is best known as the winner of Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when she was crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar.

As an actor, Del Rio starred in Matt Kugelman’s 2016 feature film Hurricane Bianca, and its sequel, 2018’s, Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate. That same year, she published her first book, Blame It On Bianca Del Rio: The Expert on Nothing With An Opinion on Everything.

In 2019, she made her West End debut in the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, where she played the role of Hugo/Loco Chanelle.

Del Rio made history during her 2019 “It’s a Jester Joke” tour, becoming the first drag queen to ever headline sold-out shows at both Wembley Arena in London and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Last fall, she completed her fifth global stand-up comedy tour, Unsanitized, performing in 99 cities and 27 countries across five continents.

Shuga Cain’s London West End Smash “Death Drop” Headed to Broadway

Shuga Cain is dropping into the Big Apple…

London’s West End smash Death Drop, starring the 45-year-old half-Salvadoran American drag queen, is coming to New York this summer.

Shuga CainDeath Drop is set to begin its Off-Broadway previews on June 30, followed by opening night on July 13 at New World Stages.

In addition to Shuga Cain, the stage name of Jesus Martinez, the show also stars RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Jujubee as Summer Raines, Willam as Shazza and Shuga Cain as Lady Rosebud von Fistenberg.

Joining the Drag Race alumni include Peachez Iman Cummings as Morgan Pierce, Wang Newton as Phil Maker and the Death Drop writer Holly Stars as the Bottomly Sisters. Kiki Ball-Change will serve as an understudy. Additional casting will be announced soon.

Here’s the official description: On Tuck Island a gaggle of girls join each other for a soirée, but when the tension rises as the peculiar guests reveal their sordid pasts, one by one they “sashay away.” That is until at the last shocking moment when the surviving girls find out how earlier guests dropped to their deaths.

Based on an original idea by Christopher D. Clegg , Death Drop was written by drag queen and comedian, Holly Stars.

Stars is joined behind the curtain by director Jesse Jones, scenic designer Justin Williams, costume designer Isobel Pellow, lighting designer Jack Weir, sound designer Beth Duke, wig designer Florencia Melone, vocal supervisor Jacob Yates and composers Nicola Dempsey and Rosie Dempsey.

The Off-Broadway show is produced by TuckShop, Tom Smedes, Heather Shields, Peter Stern, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. BatmanAndres Martinez, Marc David LevineScott Johnson, M&E Productions, Bryan McCaffrey, Kyle Valentine, and Michael McCraryCody Lassen serves as executive producer. Alex Wyse and Wes Taylor are dramaturgs.

Stephanie Beatriz to Star in Peacock’s Live-Action Film Adaptation of “Twisted Metal” Video Game

Stephanie Beatriz is getting things twisted

The 41-year-old Colombian and Bolivian American actress will star in Peacock’s Twisted Metal, the live-action video game adaptation starring Anthony Mackie.

Stephanie BeatrizBeatriz will play the character of Quiet, a ferocious, badass car thief who acts purely on instinct – you couldn’t stop her any more than a manhole could stop a volcano. Coming from a community that oppressed her into silence, Quiet’s wish is to find her place in this dark, chaotic world. But when she becomes clouded by her need for revenge, Quiet forms an unlikely, antagonistic bond with John Doe (Mackie).

From Cobra Kai writer Michael Jonathan SmithTwisted Metal is a half-hour, high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a trigger-happy car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.

Alongside Mackie and showrunner Smith, executive producers also include Kitao Sakurai—who will also direct multiple episodes—Reese, Wernick, Will Arnett, and Marc Forman via their Electric Avenue production company, Jason Spire of Inspire Entertainment, Peter Principato of Artists First, Asad Qizilbash, and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions, Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios.

The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Beatriz most recently made a splash as the voice of Mirabel in Disney’s Encanto. Prior to that, she starred in Matthew Dunster’s hit theatrical production 2:22 on London’s West End and also played Carla in the Warner Bros. film adaptation of Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical In The Heights.

Beatriz is best known for playing fan-favorite Detective Rosa Diaz in the NBC comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine throughout the show’s eight-season run.

Rita Moreno to Star in the Feature Film “The Prank”

Rita Moreno is pranking around…

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award winner) has landed a starring role in the feature film The Prank, which will be directed by Maureen Bharoocha.

Rita Moreno

Moreno will star opposite Connor Kalopsis and Ramona Young.

The Prank follows two high school students who play a prank on their physics teacher, Mrs. Wheeler, played by Moreno. When she fails them on a test; they teach the imperious, demanding, insulting instructor a lesson by falsely accusing her of the murder of a missing student.

Other cast in The Prank includes Keith David, Meredith Salenger, Jonathan Kimmel, Nathan Janak and Kate Flannery.

Filming begins this month in and around Los Angeles.

The dark comedy is written by Rebecca Flinn-White & Zak White.

“Rita Moreno is a force of nature and an icon who continues to redefine herself,” said Bharoocha. “Her brilliant comedic mind lends itself to the perfect ‘Mrs. Wheeler’, a character we have never seen her play, and one that will no doubt surprise audiences.”

Moreno has won an Oscar (West Side Story), a Tony (The Ritz), two Emmys (for her turns respectively in 1977 and 1978 on The Muppet Show and Rockford Files), and a Grammy (Best Children’s Album for The Electric Company).

Moreno has starred on Broadway and London’s West End, appeared in more than 40 feature films and has performed in numerous regional theaters, including her one-woman show, Life Without Makeup, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She recently co-starred in the critically acclaimed Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day At A Time.

Her documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It, produced by Lear, Lin Manuel Miranda and Brent Miller had its world debut at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The film, which was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike, will have its television debut on PBS’ American Masters nationwide on October 5.

Moreno also co-stars and is an executive producer of the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, set to open on December 10.

The recipient of the Peabody Career Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime contributions to American culture, she was also honored by her peers as the 50th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Moreno’s all-Spanish-language album, Una Vez Más, was produced by her good friend Emilio Estefan, and she is a New York Times bestselling author with her first book, Rita Moreno: A Memoir. Moreno has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush and the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.

 Helena Bonham Carter to Star Opposite Pierce Brosnan in Rom-Com “Not Bloody Likely”

 Helena Bonham Carter is preparing to Doolittle

The 54-year-old part Spanish actress will star opposite Pierce Brosnan in Not Bloody Likely, a romantic comedy exploring the true story of the 1914 West End production of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

Helena Bonham Carter

In the film, Shaw (Brosnan) has written his masterpiece Pygmalion (which would later be adapted into the Oscar-winning musical My Fair Lady) and is determined for the great Mrs. Pat Campbell (Bonham Carter) to play the role of Eliza Doolittle. But is her casting just a chance for Shaw to rekindle his once great love, the one that got away?

Joel Hopkins has written and is directing the film, he previously helmed the comedy The Love Punch starring Brosnan.

Production is set for the UK in Spring 2021.

The pairing of Bonham Carter, coming off the back of The Crown and Enola Holmes, with Brosnan, who was in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga this year and has Cinderella coming up, should be a hot one; and word on the street right now is that comedy is high in demand after the bruising year that has been 2020.

“This is exactly the kind of film the world needs right now. A feel-good story that will make you laugh and make you cry for the right reasons. We can’t wait to get started,” said producers Rolston and Braithwaite.

“Joel’s wonderfully entertaining script breathes new life into the most beloved of Shaw’s plays and the casting of Helena Bonham Carter and Pierce Brosnan will make this a strong commercial proposition for buyers around the world,” added Cornerstone’s Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder.

Santino Fontana Earns Tony Awards Nomination for “Tootsie”

Santino Fontanais back in the running…

The 2019 Tony Award nominations have been announced, with the 27-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer earning recognition.

Santino Fontana

Fontana, previously nominated in 2013 for his starring role as Prince Topher in the Broadwaymusical Cinderella, is nominated in the Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for his work in Tootsie.

Fontana portrays Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film of the same name, which starred Dustin Hoffman as the lead character.

Eva Noblezadais now a two-time Tony Award nominee…

The half-Mexican American actress/singer, who received a Tony nomination in 2017 for starring in the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon, is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for portrayingEurydice in Hadestown.

Prior to appearing on Broadway in Hadestown, Noblezada opened in the lead role of Eurydice in the Royal National Theatre‘s production of the musical on the West End.

Sergio Trujillowill be crossing his fingers on Broadway’s biggest night.

The internationally recognized Colombian choreographer is nominated in the Best Choreography category for his work in Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations.

Trujillo previously earned a Tony Award nod in the same category for his work on the Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan musical On Your Feet! 

Hadestowntopped all nominees with nods in 14 categories including best musical, where it will go up against Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the TemptationsBeetlejuiceThe Promand Tootsie.

This year’s Tony Awards will air at 8:00 p.m. on CBS on June 9 from Radio City Music Hall, with James Cordenserving as host.

Here’s the full list of nominations:

Best Play
The Ferryman
Choir Boy
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
What the Constitution Means to Me
Ink

Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play 
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play 
Annette Benning, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney + Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Rogers + Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Harold Wheeler, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill + Peter Nigrini, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Rogers + Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Drew Levy, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg + Jessica Paz, Hadestown

Best Original Score
Be More Chill,music & lyrics by Joe Iconis

Beetlejuice, music & lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Hadestown, music & lyrics Anais Mitchell
The Prom, music by Matthew Sklar & lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, music & lyrics by David Yazbek 

Best Book of a Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations, Dominique Morisseau
Beetlejuice, Scott Brown & Anthony King
Hadestown, Anais Mitchell
The Prom, Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, Robert Horn

Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Scene Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network

Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird

Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld + Tal Yarden, Network

Eva Noblezada to Star Opposite Lea Salonga in the Musical Drama “Yellow Rose”

Everything’s coming up Roses for Eva Noblezada

The 22-year-old half-Mexican American actress and singer will star in the musical drama Yellow Rose.

Eva Noblezada

Noblezada, who received a Tony Award nomination for her lead role as Kim in the 2014 West End and 2017 Broadway revivals of Miss Saigon, will star opposite Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, who portrayed Kim in the original Broadway cast.

Directed by Diane ParagasYellow Rose tells the story of a 17-year old Filipino American girl from Texas who secretly dreams of becoming a country music star. When her mom is arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she runs away and is forced to embark on a journey to forge her own path or face deportation with her mother back to the Philippines.

This will mark Noblezada feature film debut. In addition to Salonga, she’ll also star alongside country music artist Dale Watson, Liam Booth, Gustavo Gomez(Walking Dead, Animal Kingdom),Libby Villari (Boyhood) and Princess Punzalan.

The film will feature original music composed and performed by the cast and director.

Carter Heading to the White House on the CW’s “Supergirl”

Lynda Carter is going from superhero to super leader…

The 64-year-old part-Mexican and part-Spanish American actress/singer, best known for starring as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince on the cult classic ABC/CBS series, will portray the President of the United States on the second season of the CW’s superhero drama series Supergirl.

Lynda Carter

It had long been rumored that Carter was being eyed for the role on the Melissa Benoist-starrer and mentioned as an idea by the show’s executive producers, and now it’s all official.

Carter joins other superhero alums to appear on the series. Lois and Clark star Dean Cain and Supergirl actress Helen Slater play Kara’s (Benoist) adoptive parents.

Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series, more recently starred as Matron Mama Morton in the London West End production of Chicago. Her television appearances have included The Muppet ShowPartners in Crime and Two and a Half Men.

She also has released three albums, including 1978’s Portrait, 2009’s At Last and 2011’s Crazy Little Things.

Based on the DC Comics characters, Supergirl also stars Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh, David Harewood, Jeremy Jordan and Calista Flockhart.

Bedella Wins Olivier Award for His West End Performance in “In The Heights”

David Bedella’s career is reach new award-winning Heights

The 53-year-old Mexican American television and musical stage actor took home the prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at last night’s Laurence Olivier Awards.

David Bedella

Bedella won the award for playing the role of Kevin Rosario in the Tony Award-winning musical In The Heights at the Kings Cross theatre in London.

It’s Bedella’s second Olivier award, following his win in the Best Actor in a Musical category for his performance in Jerry Springer – The Opera.

Meanwhile, the show’s star on Broadway Lin-Manuel Miranda won the Olivier Award for best score for the current London production of In the Heights — the show Miranda conceived, wrote, scored and starred in before doing the same for current musico-historico blockbuster Hamilton.

But that’s not all… In the Heights choreographer Drew McOnie won, as did Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, the show’s orchestrators and arrangers.

2016 Olivier Award winners featuring Latinos:
Outstanding Achievement in Music:
 In The Heights,  music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, orchestrated and arranged by Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, at King’s Cross Theatre.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical: David Bedella, In The Heights.