Peter Mills and Cara Reichel’s THE HELLO GIRLS Live Cast Album Now Available!

Broadway Records released an original off-Broadway cast recording of The Hello Girls currently available for preorder at BroadwayRecords.com and Amazon.com.

From New York to Paris, from ragtime to jazz — an ensemble of actor-musicians chronicles the story of America’s first women soldiers, The Hello Girls. These intrepid heroines served as bilingual telephone operators on the front lines, helping turn the tide of World War I. They then returned home to fight a decades-long battle for equality and recognition, paving the way for future generations.

Nominated for three Drama Desk Awards and four Outer Critics Circle Awards, The Hello Girls has music and lyrics by Peter Mills, and a book by Mills and Cara Reichel, with direction by Cara Reichel, choreography by Christine O’Grady, and music direction by Ben Moss. Orchestrations are by Peter Mills and Ben Moss, with additional drum arrangements by Elena Bonomo. Produced by Prospect Theater Company, the musical ran from November 13-December 22, 2018 at 59E59 Theaters.

The cast featured Ellie Fishman (Finding Neverland), Arlo Hill (The Most Happy Fella at Encores!), Chanel Karimkhani (The Goree All Girl String Bandat New York Musical Festival), Andrew Mayer (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Matthew McGloin (CasablancaBox at HERE Arts), Ben Moss (Spring Awakening), Lili Thomas (Disney Millennium Symphonies with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall), Skyler Volpe (West Side Story at Barrington Stage), Cathryn Wake (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), and Scott Wakefield (Hands on a Hardbody). Elena Bonomo (Waitress) was the percussionist.

Learn more from Broadway World here.

Bobby Frederick Tilley Wins Best Costume Design for BE MORE CHILL from the 2019 Theatre Fans Choice Awards

BroadwayWorld is pleased to announce the winners for the 17th annual Theater Fans’ Choice Awards, by FAR, the largest fan based awards of their kind. Open to anyone to vote, the awards present a full slate of eligible nominees in categories that both mirror the popular critical awards, as well as fan favorite categories for Best Tour, Ensemble and Off Broadway shows.

A record number of fans participated in voting for this year’s awards, doubling the number of votes from last year alone.

BE MORE CHILL leads with a total of 10 wins, followed by HADESTOWN which took home 5 awards. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD also takes home 5 awards.

Best Costume Design

Bobby Frederick Tilley II – Be More Chill

Learn more about the winners of the 17th Annual Theatre Fans Choice Awards here.

THE HELLO GIRLS Nominated for 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards this Season !

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
The Beast in the Jungle
Black Light
Girl from the North Country
The Hello Girls
Midnight at the Never Get

Outstanding Book Of A Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Robert Horn, Tootsie
Conor McPherson, Girl from the North Country
Peter Mills and Cara Reichel, The Hello Girls
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown
Jeff Whitty and James Magruder, Head Over Heels

Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, The Prom
Joe Iconis, Be More Chill
Peter Mills, The Hello Girls
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown
David Yazbek, Tootsie

Outstanding Director Of A Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Oklahoma!
Joel Grey, Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish)
Cara Reichel, The Hello Girls

Read the full list from Playbill.com here.

Neil Berg to Collaborate on Broadway Musical of Salman Ahmed’s Life and Feature Junoon Songs

Salman Ahmed’s dream of a Junoon reunion, which is shared by millions of Junoon fans, may not materialize just as yet. In a recent interview with GEO, Junoon vocalist and front man Ali Azmat – without whom a reunion cannot happen – categorically denied any such thing. “This news surfaces at least once every month. There is no reunion happening,” was Azmat’s curt response when contacted. Salman Ahmed, however, reiterated that it was happening, adding that Ali just did not want to talk about it yet.

While speculation on that front continues, it can be confirmed that Salman Ahmed is headed towards more international fame. Lyricist and composer Neil Berg, who’s produced musicals for Broadway (The Prince and the Pauper, The 12, Grumpy Old Men: The Musical) apparently read Salman Ahmad’s autobiography and life story of becoming a Pakistani rock star and forming South Asia’s most successful rock band Junoon as well as starting Vital Signs. Neil Berg has signed a contract with Salman based on his autobiography to produce a musical for Broadway. What more, Neil Berg & The Broadway All Stars invited Salman as a special guest to sing ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon Live onstage in front of a packed NY audience. He got a standing ovation!

Read the full article from The News here.

Ogunquit Playhouse Announces Premiere of GRUMPY OLD MEN

The legendary Ogunquit Playhouse is thrilled to produce five spectacular musicals for its upcoming season that includes … the U.S. premiere of the hilarious new musical Grumpy Old Men.

We have also been following the development of the brand new musical version of Grumpy Old Men and are delighted and honored to produce the U.S premiere of this hilarious new production for Playhouse audiences this season.

Season ticket subscription packages are on sale now and the only way to guarantee the best seats for the best price to these five exciting shows! Prices start at only $247 for a five-show package and $147 for a three-show package. Gift certificates and Flex Passes are also on sale online and through the Box Office. Individual tickets are on sale exclusively for Ogunquit Playhouse members beginning Tuesday, February 20. Individual tickets sales begin Monday, February 26 with prices starting at $52.

Fasten your seat belt, it’s going to be a grumpy ride! The Ogunquit Playhouse is proud to produce the U.S. premiere of the new musical-comedy, Grumpy Old Men: The Musical – on stage August 8 to September 1 and just in time to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the classic 1993 Warner Brothers film starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret. This hilarious new show was penned by Dan Remmes, with music by Neil Berg and lyrics by Nick Meglin. Two aging neighbors, Max and John, have been feuding for more than fifty years until the beautiful and charming Ariel moves in across the street -raising the rivalry to new heights! Don’t miss this laugh-out-loud story of family, friendship, love and romance in a fresh new musical that’s guaranteed to delight!

Learn more here from Maine Broadway World!