Reviewing the Drama: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Ballet, Movies, and TV Reviews

Hamilton is Coming to Broadway! It is now confirmed that Lin-Manuel Miranda 's Hamilton will bow on Broadway. Previews will begin July 13, and opening night is set for August 6 . Miranda's musical about one of our most fascinating founding fathers will play the Richard Rodgers, where In the Heights ran (this was expected, but I was hoping for a more intimate theatre). Almost all of the off-Broadway cast will make the transfer, including Christopher Jackson , Leslie Odom, Jr. , Phillipa Soo , Daveed Diggs and Renee Elise Goldsberry . Almost isn't all, though. At this time, we don't know who'll play King George. Brian d'Arcy James, who is giving one of the funniest performances I've ever seen, is departing (on March 1) the off-Broadway Hamilton to open Something Rotten on Broadway. Tony nominee and fan favorite Jonathan Groff is stepping into the role off-Broadway , but his casting is not confirmed for the Broadway run.  Tickets for the Broadway run ...

If you've been holding out for a hero, look no further than Brooklynite , the original musical that just opened off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre. Michael Mayer  ( Spring Awakening , American Idiot , Hedwig and the Angry Inch ) directs the musical he co-wrote with Peter Lerman  (book: Mayer and Lerman; score: Lerman), and in doing so brings audiences a delightful tale of a young man who discovers you don't need super powers to be a hero. Brooklynite  is set in Brooklyn in a time that is "real soon," according to the program. About ten years before "real soon," an asteroid hit NYC, and the fallout imbued six Brooklynites with super powers. This Legion of Victory has kept Brooklyn safe and virtually crime-free for years. Trey ( Matt Doyle ) is a normal guy, a hardware store clerk who wants to recreate the asteroid effect so he, too, can become a superhero and save the world. Legion member Astrolass ( Nicolette Robinson ) has been saving lives for ten ye...

The 87th Academy Awards were handed out on Sunday night! The full list of winners in below but first, as always, some fashion. We start with some men. I found the red carpet to be rather tame this year, nothing exceptionally good or bad, but the men looked great. So first up are three men who went for classic looks and looked great. From left to right: Chris Pratt in Tom Ford; Michael Keaton in Ralph Lauren; and Chris Pine in Armani. What a way to start! Next, one of the evening's trends: ladies in red. Above left is nominee Rosamund Pike in Givenchy, and above right is presenter Dakota Johnson in Saint Laurent. Another colorful trend was yellow. Below left is Jennifer Hudson in Romona Keveza, and below right is Emma Stone in Elie Saab. The two ladies are wearing significantly different shades of yellow. Hudson looks great in hers while this particular hue doesn't complement Stone's coloring. Several couples made statements on the red carpet. Above ar...

Hamilton is Open! Lin-Manuel Miranda 's opus, Hamilton , opened this week, and you must do everything in your power to get a ticket . Inspired by Ron Chernow's biography, Alexander Hamilton , Miranda's show (which he wrote and stars in) delves into one of our founding fathers, and the many personalities he tangled with. The new musical is vital and entertaining, and runs at the Public through May 3. Read my review ; watch, below, as Broadway.com's Paul Wontorek chats with the cast and creative team on opening night; and then head to Broadwayworld.com for opening night photos. Casting News TV —Stage and screen star (and Tony nominee) Thomas Sadoski ( Other Desert Cities , The Newsroom ) has been cast in a CBS pilot called Life in Pieces . He joins Colin Hanks, Betsy Brandt and Dianne Wiest. Sadoski can currently be seen in Wild and NBC's The Slap , and will soon be back off-Broadway in Neil LaBute's The Way We Get By , at Second Stage . Deadline h...