Lindsay Mendez’s “Merrily We Roll Along” Broadway Cast Recording Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Cast Albums Chart

Posted on November 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez is back on top of the charts…

The new Broadway cast recording of Merrily We Roll Along, featuring the 40-year-old Mexican American Broadway singer/actress, debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart dated November 25.

In addition to Mendez, the musical also stars Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff, who have all been part of at least one top 10-charting Cast Album previously. (Groff, notably, performs on both the Nos. 1 and 2 titles on the latest Cast Albums chart – as Merrily We Roll Along bumps Hamilton: An American Musical from the top slot down to No. 2.)

Billboard’s Top Cast Albums chart ranks the top-selling musical cast recordings of the week in the U.S., based on traditional album sales, as tracked by Luminate. The new Cast Albums chart dated November 25 reflects the sales week ending November 16.

Merrily We Roll Along has music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim, with a book by George Furth, based on the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1981 for a brief run, and the 2023 production is its first revival on Broadway. It’s slated to run through March 24, 2024.

The new iteration began off-Broadway in 2022 at the New York Theatre Workshop, with the same leading cast, and played through January 22, 2023. It then began previews on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre on September 19, and officially opened on October 10.

Mendez has appeared on five top 10-charting sets on Cast Albums: Grease (the new 2007 Broadway cast recording, No. 4), Everyday Rapture (original Broadway cast recording; No. 8, 2010), Dogfight (original cast recording; No. 2, 2013), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel (2018 Broadway cast recording; No. 2, 2013), Godspell (the new 2012 Broadway cast recording; No. 1) and now Merrily We Roll Along.

Mendez also scored a Grammy nomination for best musical theater album, for Carousel.

Lindsay Mendez Starring in Ryan Murphy’s FX Anthology Series “American Sports Story”

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez is getting in the game…

The 40-year-old Mexican American Broadway singer/actress has been cast as a series regular alongside Josh Andrés Rivera and Patrick Schwarzenegger in Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology American Sports Story.

American Sports Story, a new extension of Murphy’s “American Story” franchise, is a scripted anthological limited series focusing on a prominent event involving a sports figure and re-examines it through the prism of today’s world, telling that story from multiple perspectives.

The first installment, written by Stu Zicherman, is based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. from the Boston Globe and Wondery.

It charts the rise and fall of NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez, played by Rivera, and explores the connections of the disparate strands of his identity, his family, his career, his suicide, and their legacy in sports and American culture. Schwarzenegger portrays Hernandez’s friend, former college teammate and fellow former NFL star Tim Tebow.

Mendez plays Tanya Singleton, Aaron’s cousin and favorite relative who becomes his de-facto mother.

Mendez, a Tony Award winner for Carousel, is currently back on Broadway top-lining the praised revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll along opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff.

She most recently was a series regular on the Warner Bros. series All Rise for CBS and then OWN.

Lindsay Mendez’s Broadway Revival of “Merrily We Roll Along” Breaks House Record at Hudson Theater

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez’s latest production is breaking records…

Broadway‘s starry Merrily We Roll Along revival, starring the 40-year-old Mexican American Broadway singer/actress, has reported another strong run of previews last week, grossing a hefty $1,471,644 and setting another house record at the Hudson Theatre.

The Stephen Sondheim–George Furth musical starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Mendez topped the venue’s previous seven-performance record of $1,431,543, held by David Byrne’s American Utopia.

Merrily We Roll Along was the only show on the boards officially filling all its seats for the week ending October 1.

Hamilton was a virtual sell out, with 99.7% of seats filled (and a gross of $1,776,084), and The Lion King was at 99.4% of capacity at the Minskoff (grossing $1,923,263, even with a TDF reduced-rate Sensory Friendly matinee on October 1).

Two productions opened last week: Purlie Victorious, grossing $358,336 at the Music Box, and Melissa Etheridge: My Window taking $179,113 at Circle in the Square. Press and opening night comps no doubt took a bite into receipts.

In all, the 26 Broadway productions took in $23,116,749 for the week, a small 3% increase over the previous week. Attendance for the week held steady at 199,458. Average ticket price was $115.90.

Season to date, Broadway has grossed $543,413,435 with total attendance of 4,477,657 at 88% of capacity.

All figures courtesy of The Broadway League.

Opening Night for Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim & George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” Starring Lindsay Mendez Set for October

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez is rolling along toward opening night…

An official opening night date has been set for the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along, starring the 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer and Broadway star.

Following the previously announced September 19 preview launch, the opening night for the revival will be Tuesday, October 10 at the Hudson Theatre.

The first, star-packed Broadway revival of Sondheim and Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along has extended its engagement by two months, giving ticket buyers until March 24, 2024 to see the production featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Mendez.

Performances begin Tuesday, September 19 at the Hudson Theatre. The original closing date was January 21, 2024. The extension was announced this week by producers Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Patrick Catullo and Jeff Romley, who cited popular demand as the reason for the longer run.

Directed by Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along features music & lyrics by Sondheim, a book by Furth, and is based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart. Radcliffe plays Charley Kringas, Groff is Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez is Mary Flynn.

Additionally, the production will feature Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard and Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson.

The cast will also include Max Rackenberg, Brady Wagner, Sherz Aletaha, Maya Boyd, Leana Rae Concepcion, Morgan Kirner, Ken Krugman, Corey Mach, Talia Robinson, Amanda Rose, Jamila Sabares-Klemm, Brian Sears, Evan Alexander Smith, Christian Strange, Koray Tarhan, Vishal Vaidya, Natalie Wachen and Jacob Keith Watson.

The production began a sold-out run Off Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2022 after engagements at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory and an Olivier Award-winning West End transfer.

Lindsay Mendez’s Revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” to Open on Broadway in September

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez will be rolling along in September…

The upcoming Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along starring the 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress and singer, Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff will play its first performance at the Hudson Theatre on Tuesday, September 19, producers have announced.

Directed by Maria Friedman, the production played a sold-out Off Broadway run at New York Theatre Workshop last year. The preview date for the strictly limited, 18-week Broadway engagement was announced by producers Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Patrick Catullo and Jeff Romley.

Merrily We Roll Along features music and lyrics by Sondheim, a book by George Furth, and is based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart. The revival is choreographed by Tim Jackson

In addition to the previously announced stars (Radcliffe will play Charley Kringas; Groff, Franklin Shepard; and Mendez, Mary Flynn), the production will feature Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard, and Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson. The cast will also include Sherz Aletaha, Leana Rae Concepcion, Morgan Kirner, Corey Mach, Talia Robinson, Amanda Rose, Jamila Sabares-Klemm, Brian Sears, Evan Alexander Smith, Christian Strange, Koray Tarhan, Vishal Vaidya, Natalie Wachen, and Jacob Keith Watson.

Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts “the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley.” The production describes the musical as an “inventive cult-classic ahead of its time” featuring such Sondheim songs as the title number, “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” and “Our Time.”

The musical, considered one of Sondheim’s trickiest to stage due to its reverse-chronology plot, also is being developed as a film – unrelated to the Broadway production – by Richard Linklater and set to star Ben Platt, Paul Mescal and Beanie Feldstein. Like Linklater’s 2014 film Boyhood, Merrily will be filmed over the course of more than a decade.

Lindsay Mendez to Star in Off-Broadway Revival of “Merrily We Roll Along”

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Lindsay Mendez is rolling along…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress, singer and Broadway star has been cast in the highly anticipated off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.

Mendez will play Mary and Jonathan Groff will play Franklin in the project, which will begin previews at New York Theatre Workshop on November 21 ahead of an official opening night on December 12.

The run is scheduled through January 8.

With a score by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, Merrily We Roll Along is based on a play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, and features classic songs like “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” and “Our Time.”

It tells the story of a trio of creative friends making their way in New York, and is famously told in reverse chronology.

Mendez won the “triple crown” (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards) for her performance in the 2018 Broadway revival of Carousel.

Mendez and Groff join the previously announced Daniel Radcliffe, who stars as Charley.

Presented in a special arrangement with Sonia Friedman Productions, the Menier Chocolate Factory (Artistic Director David Babani), and Patrick Catullo, Merrily We Roll Along will be directed by Maria Friedman and choreographed by Tim Jackson.

The creative team for Merrily We Roll Along will include Catherine Jayes as music supervisor and Alvin Hough, Jr. as music director, with scenic & costume design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, and sound design by Kai Harada.

Dave Anzuelo will serve as fight & intimacy director, with Jhanaë K-C Bonnick as stage manager.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, September 21, at noon ET.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in Simon Stone’s Contemporary Rewrite of Euripides’ Tragedy “Medea”

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale is preparing for a tragedy…

The 49-year-old half-Cuban American actor will star opposite Rose Byrne in Simon Stone’s contemporary rewrite of the Euripides’ tragedy Medea at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in January.

Originally staged in 2014 by Amsterdam’s International Theater Amsterdam(formerly Toneelgroep Amsterdam), Medea will pair real-life couple Byrne and Cannavale, with additional cast to be announced.

Stone’s adaptation of the Medea story uses the true-life crime case of American Debora Green, who poisoned her cheating husband and killed two of her three children in 1995. The adaptation played London’s Barbicanin 2019, where it starred Marieke Heebink and Aus Greidanus Jr.

Cannavale was seen on Broadway last fall in The Lifespan of a Fact, co-starring Daniel Radcliffe and Cherry Jones. His many stage credits include the Tony-nominated Mauritius, The Motherf*cker With The Hat, The Hairy Ape, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hurly Burly, and others.

He’s a member of the Labyrinth Theater Company. His upcoming films include The Irishman, Superintelligence, and Motherless Brooklyn.

“I’m excited to welcome writer/director Simon Stone following his enormous success with Yerma,” said BAM artistic director David Binder, “and look forward to having the incredible actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale in lead roles on our stage.”

Medea will be produced in Brooklyn by International Theater Amsterdam, BAM, and David Lan, who will serve as BAM’s Theater Associate.

Hayek’s “Everly” to Have Its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek’s ready to have a Fantastic time in Texas…

The 48-year-old Mexican actress’ action thriller Everly from Radius-TWC will make its world premiere this month at Fantastic Fest, the genre fest that takes place in Austin, Texas.

Directed by Joe Lynch from a script by Yale Hannon, the film centers on Hayek’s character. She’s described as a down-on-her-luck woman forced to fend off waves of assassins sent by her ex, a dangerous mob boss, while trying to save her estranged mother and daughter.

Joining Hayek’s film in Austin will be Blumhouse Productions and MGM/Orion’s horror remake The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Radius-TWC’s horror film It Follows, Picturehouse’s The Guest, and Dimension/Radius’ Daniel Radcliffe starrer Horns.

The annual festival runs September 18-26 out of the Alamo Drafthouse theaters, which this year will simultaneously screen its opening night film, Kevin Smith’s Tusk with Genesis Rodriguez, and the world premiere of anthology The ABCs Of Death 2 in all Drafthouse markets nationwide along with Q&As live-streamed into theaters and online.

Segarra Lands Role in Judd Apatow’s Comedy “Trainwreck”

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Josh Segarra is a trainwreck…

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a role in Judd Apatow’s latest comedy Trainwreck.

Segarra, who was recently upped to series regular for the second season of USA Network’s comedy series Sirens, will portray the role of Oli, a Staten Island smooth talking guy.

The ensemble cast includes Amy Schumer, Daniel Radcliffe, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Barkhad Abdi, Mike Birbiglia, Jon Glaser, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, LeBron James and Method Man.

Trainwreck is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015.

Lovato to Perform for Logo TV’s “Trailblazers” Special

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato is preparing for a trailblazing performance for gay rights…

The 21-year-old part-Mexican American singer/actress is set to perform for Trailblazers, a Logo TV special set to tape Monday, June 23 in New York City and air Thursday June 26 at 9:00 pm EST/PT to commemorate the one-year anniversary of when the Defense of Marriage Act was overruled.

Lovato will join a list of confirmed performers that includes Sia and A Great Big World, Michael Stipe, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Pete Wentz.

No word on what song Lovato will perform on the Logo TV special.

The “Trailblazers” event will honor activist Edie Windsor, DOMA litigator Roberta Kaplan, NBA star Jason Collins and Netflix hit series Orange Is The New Black (including stars Laverne Cox and Lea DaLaria) for their efforts in advancing the LGBT community.

Former R.E.M. singer Stipe will also appear to honor Ugandan gay rights activist and refugee John “Long Jones” Abdallah Wambere as an “International Trailblazer” for his work with Spectrum Uganda Initiatives, which advocates for LGBT rights and provides health and education services

Additional stars set to present or make special apperances include Daniel Radcliffe, Jared Leto, Kylie Minogue, Ariana Grande, Rita Ora, Tegan & Sara and Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace.

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