Santino Fontana has landed his next Broadway project…
The 40-year-old part-Spanish American actor will star in the stage adaptation of The Pianist, based on the Władysław Szpilman memoir that was the source of the Oscar-nominated 2002 film of the same name.
The project is being developed by director Emily Mann with an eye toward Broadway.
An industry reading is set for New York City this month with the Tony Award-winning Fontana in the lead role
The project was announced by producers Robin de Levita Productions, Gorgeous Entertainment, and Wolk Transfer Company.
Described as a play with music, The Pianist features an original score by Dutch concert pianist Iris Hond.
The invitation-only industry reading is set for June 23, with Fontana leading a company that includes Richard Topol, Georgia Warner, Claire Beckman, Arielle Goldman, Paul Spera, Addison Finley, Jordan Lage, Robert David Grant and Tina Benko.
The Pianist tells the true story of Szpilman, a survivor of Nazi-occupied Warsaw in World War II. The 2002 film adaptation of Szpilman’s 1946 memoir won Adrien Brody an Oscar for his portrayal of the composer, with Roman Polanski winning Best Director and Ronald Harwood Best Adapted Screenplay.
“The Pianist tells a soaring tale of survival and triumph through music,” says producer Wolk. “It is a riveting story that is fiercely present tense — though it’s set in the past, it shows us that just like today, worlds are destroyed when we demonize each other. And it gives us hope by showing how human connections and the power of music can transcend hate and fear and heal our hearts.”
Producers say the production will feature the first-time theatrical use of “a richly immersive soundscape” enhanced by Atmos Dolby Surround Sound, that allows for surround sound effects, isolating particular parts of an audio track, to be placed in a particular area of a theater. The production team also includes scenic design by Beowulf Boritt and sound design by Mark Bennett.
Rosie Perez is helping raise money for the people of the Ukraine…
The 57-year-old Puerto Rican Oscar-nominated actress is among an all-star roster of film, television and theater performers who’ve signed up for a 10-hour telethon to raise money for the victims of the war in Ukraine.
Entitled “Stars in the House,”the special will air on Saturday, March 26 from noon-10:00 pm Eastern.
In addition to Perez, the other celebrities scheduled to appear on the telethon include Steve Martin, Annette Bening, Billy Porter, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Chenoweth, David Hyde Pierce, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin, as well as Tituss Burgess, Kelli O’Hara, Donna Murphy, Annaleigh Ashford, Jessie Mueller, Josh Groban, Judith Light, John Stamos, Lindsay Mendez, Laura Benanti, Norman Lear, Betty Buckley, Mandy Patinkin, Rachel Bloom, Patrick Wilson, Shoshana Bean, James Monroe Iglehart, Brittney Johnson, Santino Fontana, Judy Kuhn and Norbert Leo Butz.
The event also hopes to feature Ukrainians, including Oleg Karpenko, a Ukrainian theater and film actor who co-starred with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Servant of the People.
The special can be viewed and listened to on the series’ site, the Stars in the House YouTube channel, as well as SiriusXM Stars109.
Donations made during the event will benefit the International Rescue Committee and its humanitarian efforts for those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Stars in the House is a live-streamed concert series created by SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and producer James Wesley that has raised over $1 million for the Actors Fund’s COVID-19 relief program and other nonprofits.
It’s just one way the theater community has tried to help Ukrainians: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS awarded $300,000 in emergency grants to ameliorate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and a portion of ticket sales for “The Minutes” will go to Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
The 39-year-old part-Spanish America actor will perform at Show of Titles, a special livestreamed musical event next month benefiting The Actors Fund.
Fontana joins a lineup of nearly 30 stars – from Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Kelsey Grammar and David Alan Grier to Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Henry and Phillipa Soo – who will perform title songs from more than 20 musicals.
The event will feature title songs of Broadway musicals spanning nine decades, from “Lady Be Good” to “The Light in the Piazza.”
The line-up also includes Annaleigh Ashford, Len Cariou, Isabelle Huppert, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melba Moore, Jessie Mueller, Eva Noblezada, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, Michael Rupert, Ernie Sabella, Lea Salonga, Will Swenson, Aaron Tveit, Leslie Uggams, Vanessa Williams and Patrick Wilson.
Making special appearances will be Broadway Inspirational Voices, Candice Bergen, Danny Burstein, Bryan Cranston, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, John Lithgow, Lindsay Mendez, Phylicia Rashad, Ben Vereen, BD Wong and Florian Zeller.
Conceived by Broadway’s Best Shows producer Jeffrey Richards, Show of Titles will be directed by Lonny Price, with music direction by Jason Howland, and livestreamed on June 8, 8:00 pm ET on Stellar for a limited time only.
Tickets went on sale May 17 for $29 ($39 starting May 21), with all sales donated to The Actor’s Fund.
Composers represented include Lee Adams, Maxwell Anderson, Burt Bacharach, Irving Berlin, Jerry Bock, Bertolt Brecht, Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Joe Darion, Hal David, Fred Ebb, Gary Geld, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Adolph Green, Adam Guettel, Oscar Hammerstein, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Herman, John Kander, Burton Lane, Mitch Leigh, Alan Jay Lerner, Frank Loesser, Frederick Loewe, Galt MacDermot, Cole Porter, James Rado,Gerome Ragni, Richard Rodgers, Charles Strouse, Jule Styne, Peter Udell and Kurt Weill.
The 2019 Tony Award nominations have been announced, with the 27-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer earning recognition.
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 Temptations, Beetlejuice, The 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
The New York Drama Desk Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 48-year-old Cuban American stage and television actor and voice artist earning recognition.
Esparza, who has previously won the Drama Desk Award for his roles in Company on Broadway (2007) and Taboo (2004), is nominated in the Outstanding Actor in a Play category for his role in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.
Santino Fontanahas earned a nod for his gender-bending role…
The 37-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer is nominated in the Outstanding Actor in a Musical category for his starring role as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie, which is based on the 1982 comedy film of the same name.
Fontana previously won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Playfor his work in Brighton Beach Memoirs.
George Salazarhas also earned a Drama Desk nod.
The 33-year-old half-Ecuadorian American actor, singer and musician is up for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in Be More Chill.
He was previously nominated in the same category in 2017 for his role in The Lightning Thief.
Unlike the Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards cover both Broadway and Off Broadway, significantly lessening the nominations’ prediction factor.
The winners of the 64th annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced Sunday, June 2, during a ceremony hosted by Michael Urieat the Town Hallin Manhattan. The awards are voted on by theater critics, journalists, editors, publishers and broadcasters.
Here ‘s the complete list of Drama Desk Awards nominations (Off Broadway productions are indicated by theater company):
Outstanding Play “Fairview,” by Jackie Sibblies Drury, Soho Rep “The Ferryman,” by Jez Butterworth “Lewiston/Clarkston,” by Samuel D. Hunter, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater “Usual Girls,” by Ming Peiffer, Roundabout Theatre Company “What the Constitution Means to Me,” by Heidi Schreck, New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway
Outstanding Musical “Be More Chill” “The Hello Girls,” Prospect Theater Company “The Prom” “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future,” Ars Nova “Tootsie”
Outstanding Revival of a Play “Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine,” Signature Theatre “Henry VI: Shakespeare’s Trilogy in Two Parts,” National Asian American Theatre Company “Our Lady of 121st Street,” Signature Theatre “Summer and Smoke,” Classic Stage Company/Transport Group “The Waverly Gallery” “Uncle Vanya,” Hunter Theater Project
Outstanding Revival of a Musical “Carmen Jones,” Classic Stage Company “Fiddler on the Roof,” National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and Off-Broadway “Kiss Me, Kate, Roundabout Theatre Company “Merrily We Roll Along,” Fiasco Theater/Roundabout Theatre Company “Oklahoma!,” Bard Summerscape/St. Ann’s Warehouse and Broadway
Outstanding Actor in a Play Jeff Biehl, “Life Sucks” Edmund Donovan, “Lewiston/Clarkston” Raúl Esparza, “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” Russell Harvard, “I Was Most Alive With You” Jay O. Sanders, “Uncle Vanya”
Outstanding Actress in a Play Midori Francis, “Usual Girls” Zainab Jah, “Boesman and Lena” Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery” Laurie Metcalf, “Hillary and Clinton Heidi Schreck, “What the Constitution Means to Me”
Outstanding Actor in a Musical Brooks Ashmanskas, “The Prom” Andrew R. Butler, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Damon Daunno, “Oklahoma!” Santino Fontana, “Tootsie” Steven Skybell, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Outstanding Actress in a Musical Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show” Beth Leavel, “The Prom” Rebecca Naomi Jones, “Oklahoma!” Anika Noni Rose, “Carmen Jones” Stacey Sargeant, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future”
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Charles Browning, “Fairview” Arnie Burton, “Lewiston/Clarkston” Hampton Fluker, “All My Sons” Tom Glynn-Carney, “The Ferryman” Brandon Uranowitz, “Burn This”
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Harriett D. Foy, “The House That Will Not Stand” Megan Hill, “Eddie and Dave” Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill A Mockingbird” Ruth Wilson, “King Lear” Alison Wright, “Othello”
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Corbin Bleu, “Kiss Me, Kate” André De Shields, “Hadestown” Sydney James Harcourt, “Girl from the North Country” George Salazar, “Be More Chill” Patrick Vaill, “Oklahoma!”
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Stephanie Hsu, “Be More Chill” Leslie Kritzer, “Beetlejuice” Soara-Joye Ross, “Carmen Jones” Sarah Stiles, “Tootsie” Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!” Mary Testa, “Oklahoma!”
Outstanding Director of a Play Sarah Benson, “Fairview” Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, “The Jungle” Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman” Tyne Rafaeli, “Usual Girls” Taylor Reynolds, “Plano” Jeff Wise, “Life Sucks”
Outstanding Director of a Musical Noah Brody, “Merrily We Roll Along” Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown” Scott Ellis, “Tootsie” Daniel Fish, “Oklahoma!” Joel Grey, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Outstanding Choreography Camille A. Brown, “Choir Boy” Warren Carlyle, “Kiss Me, Kate” Denis Jones, “Tootsie” Lorin Latarro, “Twelfth Night” Rick and Jeff Kuperman, “Alice by Heart” David Neumann, “Hadestown”
Outstanding Music Andrew R. Butler, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future” Joe Iconis, “Be More Chill” Peter Mills, “The Hello Girls” Mark Sonnenblick, “Midnight at the Never Get” Shaina Taub, “Twelfth Night” David Yazbek, “Tootsie”
Outstanding Lyrics Chad Beguelin, “The Prom” Andrew R. Butler, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future” Joe Iconis, “Be More Chill” Peter Mills, “The Hello Girls” David Yazbek, “Tootsie”
Outstanding Book of a Musical Scott Brown and Anthony King, “Beetlejuice” Andrew R. Butler, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future” Robert Horn, “Tootsie” Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, “The Prom” Dominique Morisseau, “Ain’t Too Proud”
Outstanding Orchestrations Larry Blank, “Fiddler on the Roof” Simon Hale, “Girl from the North Country” Daniel Kluger, “Oklahoma!” Charlie Rosen, “Be More Chill” Daryl Waters, “The Cher Show”
Outstanding Music in a Play Paul Castles and Jongbin Jung, “Wild Goose Dreams” Justin Ellington, “Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie” Justin Ellington, “The House That Will Not Stand” Nick Powell, “The Lehman Trilogy” Jason Michael Webb and Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy”
Outstanding Set Design of a Play Miriam Buether, “The Jungle” Es Devlin, “Girls & Boys” Maruti Evans, “The Peculiar Patriot” Mimi Lien, “Fairview” Matt Saunders, “Daddy”
Outstanding Set Design for a Musical Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown” Laura Jellinek, “Oklahoma!” Laura Jellinek, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future” David Korins, “Beetlejuice” Rae Smith, “Girl from the North Country”
Outstanding Costume Design for a Play Dede M. Ayite, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” Dede M. Ayite, “If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhfucka” Ásta Bennie Hostetter, “Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie” Toni-Leslie James, “Bernhardt/Hamlet” Nicole Slaven, “Henry VI: Shakespeare’s Trilogy in Two Parts”
Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical William Ivey Long, “Beetlejuice” William Ivey Long, “Tootsie” Bobby Frederick Tilly II, “Be More Chill” Michael Krass, “Hadestown” Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show” Paloma Young, “Alice by Heart”
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play Amith Chandrashaker, “Boesman and Lena” Amith Chandrashaker, “Fairview” Jiyoun Chang, “Slave Play” Jon Clark, “The Jungle” Simon Cleveland, “Spaceman” Yi Zhao, “The House That Will Not Stand”
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical Adam Honoré, “Carmen Jones” Bradley King, “Hadestown” Jamie Roderick, “Midnight at the Never Get” Barbara Samuels, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future” Scott Zielinski, “Oklahoma!”
Outstanding Projection Design Peter England, “King Kong” Katherine Freer, “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” Luke Halls, “The Lehman Trilogy” Alex Basco Koch, “Be More Chill” Peter Nigrini, “Beetlejuice” Joshua Thorson, “Oklahoma!”
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play Tyler Kieffer, “Plano” Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy” Nick Powell, “The Ferryman” Jane Shaw, “I Was Most Alive With You” Mikaal Sulaiman, “Fairview”
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Simon Baker, “Girl from the North Country” Drew Levy, “Oklahoma!” Brian Ronan, “Tootsie” Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown” Mikaal Sulaiman, “Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future”
Outstanding Wig and Hair Design Campbell Young Associates, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus” Cookie Jordan, “Eddie and Dave” Paul Huntley, “Tootsie” Charles G. LaPointe, “Beetlejuice” Charles G. LaPointe, “The Cher Show”
Outstanding Solo Performance Mike Birbiglia, “The New One” Carey Mulligan, “Girls & Boys” Liza Jessie Peterson, “The Peculiar Patriot,” National Black Theatre/Hi-Arts Erin Treadway, “Spaceman,” Loading Dock Theatre Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag”
Unique Theatrical Experience “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914,” Theater Latté Da/Laura Little Theatrical Productions / Sheen Center “Love’s Labor’s Lost,” Shake & Bake The B-Side: “Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons,” The Wooster Group “What to Send Up When it Goes Down,” The Movement Theatre Company
Outstanding Fight Choreography U. Jonathan Toppo, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” Claire Warden, “Daddy” Claire Warden, “Slave Play”
Ensemble Award: “To the uncanny ensemble of Dance Nationfor their pointed portrait of a dance troupe riven by competition but fused by the experiences of youth: Purva Bedi, Eboni Booth, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Dina Shihabi, Ellen Maddow, Christina Rouner, Thomas Jay Ryan, Lucy Taylor, and Ikechukwu Ufomadu.”
Sam Norkin Award: “To Montana Levi Blanco, who enriched this season with his vibrant and detailed costumes for Fairview, The House That Will Not Stand, Fabulation, Or the Re-Education of Undine, Eddie and Dave, “Daddy,” and Ain’t No Mo’. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a Blanco costume is worth considerably more, telling us a complete story about its wearer while giving us something fabulous to look at.”
To Mia Katigbak, “the backbone of the off-Broadway scene, we acclaim her for her performances this season in Henry VI: Shakespeare’s Trilogy in Two Parts, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, Peace for Mary Francis and Recent Alien Abductions. This award also recognizes her vital presence as the artistic director of NAATCO and her sustained excellence as a performer and mentor.”
To Repertorio Español“for presenting a year-round rotating repertory of new and classic Spanish-language plays in its intimate Gramercy venue. For the past 51 years, Repertorio has been an indispensable theater for Spanish-speaking audiences, while inviting non-Spanish-speaking theatergoers to discover the delights of the Spanish-language canon and introducing New York audiences to the work of actors like Zulema Claresand Germán Jaramillo.”
The project is being developed by director Emily Mann with an eye toward Broadway.
