Idina Menzel Is Renting Again, Clay Aiken Tastes the Rainbow and More Lessons of the Week
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we can’t learn a few things here and there. Broadway taught us a slew of lessons over these last seven days, from the innate impression talents of Lilla Crawford to the sexy, skeptical eye of Maks Chmerkovskiy to the Tony-winning Rolodex of Vanessa Williams. Read on for our top 10 lessons of the week.
Adam Chanler-Berat Is a Hopeless Bromantic
Broadway’s studliest former starcatcher Adam Chanler-Berat will lend his sweet, sweet vocals to Bromance in Concert, a new musical at Joe’s Pub that hopes to bridge that small grande venti gap between musical theater and the beer/booze/bro crowd. With song titles like “Sports Center,” “Chili Cheese Fries” and “Wingman,” this is easily going to be the frattiest musical since The 25th Annual Putnam County Flip Cup Tournament.
Vanessa Williams Has Sondheim on Speed Dial
The Trip to Bountiful’s Vanessa Williams told us this week that her friendship with musical legend Stephen Sondheim still gives her chills: “You pinch yourself and say, ‘Oh my God, I remember studying this guy’s music, and now he’s part of my Rolodex.’” We’re assuming Williams meant to say “smartphone contacts” instead of “Rolodex,” leading us to wonder: Does this mean that Williams texts Sondheim on a daily basis? And more importantly, which emoji does he use!?!?
You Don’t Knowmo Shlomo
The new Broadway musical Soul Doctor will surely shed light on the rockstar rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, but we did some digging of our own and found out some surprising deets about this titillating Talmudist. Did you know he had an exceptionally large hippie following? Or that he went on an insane LSD trip? Or how about all those sex scandal allegations? It just goes to show, there’s more to someone than meets the rabb-i.
Clay Aiken Tastes the Rainbow
We can’t be the only ones obsessed with the new promo photo of Clay Aiken as the titular star in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Although the show is in faraway Maine, we can’t stop loving on Aiken’s come-hither face, Garnier Fructis-worthy locks and his fashion-forward rainbow robes. Ain’t nobody gonna say “Poor, Poor Joseph” with those bougie threads! It’s like William Ivey Long threw up a bunch of Skittles!
Australia Is So Over Daddy Warbucks
Before Australian superstar Anthony Warlow accepted the role of Oliver Warbucks in the Broadway revival of Annie, some of his critics down under asked the actor, “’If you’re going to Broadway, the theatrical mecca, why would you do a role like Warbucks?’” Wooooahhh, koala bears, let’s not get carried away! Don’t forget, Warbucks has tons of redeeming qualities, like wealth and furs and wealth. Although, to be fair, the Aussies aren’t the only ones who have had it with Warbucks, because you know Mrs. Pugh has been over it since the ‘80s.
Reeve Carney Is All Out of Web
Three years is a long time to be swinging from buildings and saving the same damsel in distress over and over again (MJ, get it together girl!). Now it’s time for Reeve Carney to hang up his tights, as the original Peter Parker has set a date to fly out of the Broadway production of Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark, which he’s been with since 2010. We’re sad to see him swing off, but we’re excited for whatever he does next. Which is turning on the dark, probs.
Lilla Crawford Is a Master of Mimicry
Lilla Crawford may have belted her last “Tomorrow” in Annie, but the little diva proved to us via her incredible video blog series that there was always a chameleon beneath that curly red wig. In the final episode, Crawford channels every Broadway.com vlogger from Laura Osnes to Billy Porter to Alan Cumming, giving us a pitch-perfect reason to believe that she can do impressions of anyone at all. Yo Lils—how’s your Paul Wontorek?
Don’t Try to Fake It with Maks Chmerkovskiy
Debonair Forever Tango dancer Maks Chmerkovskiy is on to you, ladies. In our latest Ask a Star, Chmerkovskiy (and fellow Dancing with the Stars fox Karina Smirnoff) admitted that performing a passionate tango with a not-so-passionate partner is near impossible. “No, absolutely not, how would that work?” exclaimed the ballroom baller. “It’s like faking an orgasm. Never works.” Somehow we think Meg Ryan would disagree.
Anthony Rapp and Idina Menzel Are Renting Again
In the most glorious bit of casting news this side of Alphabet City, former Rent co-stars Anthony Rapp and Idina Menzel will reunite in the brand new Broadway musical If/Then this spring. Rent fans, listen up: I Should Tell You to get on Life Support because You’ll See that we’re Over The Moon about Mark and Maureen hitting the stage together Another Day. Will I go see this? I’ll Cover the ticket price 4 U, Love. Voicemail #2!
Ramin Karimloo Could Have Been Phantom of the Ice Rink
West End dreamboat Ramin Karimloo has tackled leading roles like Jean Valjean and the Phantom, but this Canadian catch revealed during Show People that he would have been a hockey player…until he saw Phantom of the Opera and fell in love with musical theater. It’s a shame, because we would have loved to see him rock one of those sporty little jerseys, but why can’t those worlds collide anyway? Maybe all the Phantom and Raoul need to settle their differences is a good old-fashioned ice brawl—with plenty of sing-fighting, obvi.
