“Just think,” Sir Lancelot (Taran Killam) muses as he celebrates his gay wedding at the end of Monty Python’s Spamalot. “In a thousand-and-eighteen years time, this will still be controversial.” Killam puts special emphasis on the “eighteen,” an addition to the script that nods to the supposed ways in which Spamalot remains relevant nearly two decades after the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam’s 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail tore up the 2004-2005 Broadway season.
The construction of the joke suggests that not much has changed—either for good or ill—in the past decades. That’s hardly true, because when Hank Azaria delivered the punchline in 2005, gay marriage wouldn’t be legalized in New York State for another six years. It’s surprising how much of Spamalot’s humor, especially the gay jokes, now feels rooted in an earlier time. Even peppered...
The construction of the joke suggests that not much has changed—either for good or ill—in the past decades. That’s hardly true, because when Hank Azaria delivered the punchline in 2005, gay marriage wouldn’t be legalized in New York State for another six years. It’s surprising how much of Spamalot’s humor, especially the gay jokes, now feels rooted in an earlier time. Even peppered...
- 11/17/2023
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
Winners of the 2023 CrimeCon Clue Awards were announced tonight at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fl during a ceremony hosted by ABC News Legal Analyst Matt Murphy. Presented by notables including Nancy Grace, Kelly Siegler, Camille Vasquez and Paul Holes, among others, networks, producers and publishers receiving honors at Clue's 2nd annualevent include Paramount+, NBCUniversal, Big Fish Entertainment, Oxygen True Crime, Shed Media, MTV Documentary Films, iHeartRadio and Algonquin Books.
The awards gala streamed live on Law&Crime's YouTube channel (5.2M subscribers), Facebook and TikTok, and was the "Day 2" climax of CrimeCon's annual event, which brings together experts, creators, enthusiasts and industry professionals for an immersive three-day experience.
Clue's 2022 "Crimefighter of the Year," The Black and Missing Foundation (Bamfi), presented the 2023 honor to The Gabby Petito Foundation. Bamfi Co-Founders Natalie and Derrica Wilson joined Petito's parents and stepparents onstage to present the award, and during their acceptance, the Petito...
The awards gala streamed live on Law&Crime's YouTube channel (5.2M subscribers), Facebook and TikTok, and was the "Day 2" climax of CrimeCon's annual event, which brings together experts, creators, enthusiasts and industry professionals for an immersive three-day experience.
Clue's 2022 "Crimefighter of the Year," The Black and Missing Foundation (Bamfi), presented the 2023 honor to The Gabby Petito Foundation. Bamfi Co-Founders Natalie and Derrica Wilson joined Petito's parents and stepparents onstage to present the award, and during their acceptance, the Petito...
- 9/25/2023
- Podnews.net
Oxygen’s “911 Crisis Center” and A&e’s “Secrets of the Chippendales Murders” were among the winners Saturday night at the second annual Clue Awards, held at the CrimeCon event in Orlando, Fla. Hosted by ABC News legal analyst Matt Murphy, the event included presenters Nancy Grace, Kelly Siegler, Camille Vasquez and Paul Holes. Networks, producers and publishers winning top prizes included Paramount+, NBCUniversal, Big Fish Entertainment, Oxygen True Crime, Shed Media, MTV Documentary Films, iHeartRadio and Algonquin Books.
Streamed live on Law&Crime’s social media channels, the event topped the three-day true crime convention. Among other awards, the first-ever “America’s Greatest Detective” honor was given to Cynthia Garza, Special Bureau Chief of the Conviction Integrity Unit in Dallas County, Texas. And the “People’s Choice: Creator of the Year” honor, voted by fans, was presented to Alice Lacour and Brett Talley, co-hosts of the podcast “The Prosecutors.”
As previously announced,...
Streamed live on Law&Crime’s social media channels, the event topped the three-day true crime convention. Among other awards, the first-ever “America’s Greatest Detective” honor was given to Cynthia Garza, Special Bureau Chief of the Conviction Integrity Unit in Dallas County, Texas. And the “People’s Choice: Creator of the Year” honor, voted by fans, was presented to Alice Lacour and Brett Talley, co-hosts of the podcast “The Prosecutors.”
As previously announced,...
- 9/24/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
The CrimeCon Clue Awards will return for a second year with a new streaming partner — Law&Crime’s YouTube, Facebook and TikTok accounts — on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. Et. This year’s event will be hosted by ABC News legal analyst Matt Murphy, while presenters will include Camille Vasquez, Nancy Grace and prosecutor Kelly Siegler (“Cold Justice”).
Variety has the full list of nominees, as well as this year’s recipient for the Clue Awards’ annual “Crimefighter of the Year” honor: The Gabby Petito Foundation. Per CrimeCon, the award was created to “spotlight an individual or organization’s significant impact and commitment to seeking justice for crime victims.” Derrica and Natalie Wilson, who received the award in 2022 for co-founding the Black and Missing Foundation, will present the award to Petito’s parents and step-parents during the ceremony. Petito went missing in 2021, and it was later discovered that her fiancé,...
Variety has the full list of nominees, as well as this year’s recipient for the Clue Awards’ annual “Crimefighter of the Year” honor: The Gabby Petito Foundation. Per CrimeCon, the award was created to “spotlight an individual or organization’s significant impact and commitment to seeking justice for crime victims.” Derrica and Natalie Wilson, who received the award in 2022 for co-founding the Black and Missing Foundation, will present the award to Petito’s parents and step-parents during the ceremony. Petito went missing in 2021, and it was later discovered that her fiancé,...
- 9/6/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re seeing an eight p.m. performance of Back to the Future: The Musical on Broadway, I’ve got a time-travel tip for you: Set your DeLorean for about 10:10 p.m. and hit the gas, because it’s only in the final action sequence that this meandering remodeling of Robert Zemeckis’s 1985 sci-fi classic pivots from tedious fan service to stunning stage magic.
Few shows have mastered the varied arts of cinematic recreation quite like this one. Finn Ross’s video design brings the film’s iconic scenes of warp-speed time travel to thrilling life, while lit for maximal dizzying impact by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone. The reenactment of the moment when scientist Doc Brown (Roger Bart) clambers atop a clock tower during a lightning storm while Marty McFly (Casey Likes) revs the DeLorean in the distance is a perfect marriage of design elements, with video,...
Few shows have mastered the varied arts of cinematic recreation quite like this one. Finn Ross’s video design brings the film’s iconic scenes of warp-speed time travel to thrilling life, while lit for maximal dizzying impact by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone. The reenactment of the moment when scientist Doc Brown (Roger Bart) clambers atop a clock tower during a lightning storm while Marty McFly (Casey Likes) revs the DeLorean in the distance is a perfect marriage of design elements, with video,...
- 8/4/2023
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
Exclusive: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 luscious pop classic movie starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent, has recouped its costs — not only the $28 million Broadway price tag, but it also recouped sizable sums in London’s West End and Australia.
Luhrmann tells me that it’s “so gratifying that breaking even is such a big deal in the theater.”
As an antipodean, he’s especially gratified with Moulin Rouge!’s hit status in Australia.
“Australia, the English one, the Broadway one — they’ve all done it,” and “that’s down to the relentless drive that Carmen and her team in Australia, New York and London had to fulfill the dictum that the show must go on,” he says with brio in referring to Carmen Pavlovic, CEO of Sydney-based Global Creatures, the principal production company behind Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
“Check with Carmen,” Luhrmann suggests.
Luhrmann tells me that it’s “so gratifying that breaking even is such a big deal in the theater.”
As an antipodean, he’s especially gratified with Moulin Rouge!’s hit status in Australia.
“Australia, the English one, the Broadway one — they’ve all done it,” and “that’s down to the relentless drive that Carmen and her team in Australia, New York and London had to fulfill the dictum that the show must go on,” he says with brio in referring to Carmen Pavlovic, CEO of Sydney-based Global Creatures, the principal production company behind Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
“Check with Carmen,” Luhrmann suggests.
- 7/31/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Prepare for a chilling and captivating two-hour special event on 20/20 as it unravels the horrifying story of Rodney Alcala, infamously known as ‘The Dating Game Killer.’ Tune in on Friday, July 21 at 9:01-11:00 p.m. Edt on ABC as 20/20 presents an in-depth exploration of one of the most notorious serial killers of modern times.
The haunting saga begins in 1968 when Rodney Alcala lured a young girl outside the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, marking the beginning of his reign of terror that spanned over a decade, involving cross-country attacks. Posing as a professional photographer, Alcala utilized his good looks and charm to entrap his unsuspecting victims. However, his most audacious move came in 1978 when he chillingly appeared as a contestant on the popular show “The Dating Game” and won.
Through gripping first-hand accounts from investigators, victims, eyewitnesses, and even Alcala’s court-appointed psychologist, 20/20 delves deep into...
The haunting saga begins in 1968 when Rodney Alcala lured a young girl outside the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, marking the beginning of his reign of terror that spanned over a decade, involving cross-country attacks. Posing as a professional photographer, Alcala utilized his good looks and charm to entrap his unsuspecting victims. However, his most audacious move came in 1978 when he chillingly appeared as a contestant on the popular show “The Dating Game” and won.
Through gripping first-hand accounts from investigators, victims, eyewitnesses, and even Alcala’s court-appointed psychologist, 20/20 delves deep into...
- 7/20/2023
- by Alex Matthews
- TV Regular
Organised by AudioUK, the trade body which champions and supports independent audio production businesses in the UK, the Audio Production Awards, sponsored by Audible, return for their thirteenth year.
The Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievement in audio production across a huge range of audio content: podcasts, audiobooks, sound design, radio, presenting; and are open to production talent across the UK.
Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said: “I can't quite believe that it is that time of the year again, somehow here we are, ready to launch the 2023 Audio Production Awards. I'm really proud of the Audio Production Awards and the talent we are able to shine a spotlight on. The audio industry continues to be incredibly fast paced, changing and growing at speeds that seemed unimaginable.
The Awards give us a chance to take a breath and appreciate the high quality work that the people, businesses, networks and...
The Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievement in audio production across a huge range of audio content: podcasts, audiobooks, sound design, radio, presenting; and are open to production talent across the UK.
Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said: “I can't quite believe that it is that time of the year again, somehow here we are, ready to launch the 2023 Audio Production Awards. I'm really proud of the Audio Production Awards and the talent we are able to shine a spotlight on. The audio industry continues to be incredibly fast paced, changing and growing at speeds that seemed unimaginable.
The Awards give us a chance to take a breath and appreciate the high quality work that the people, businesses, networks and...
- 7/17/2023
- Podnews.net
Prepare for a shocking episode of ‘20/20′ as it delves into the horrifying story of Rodney Alcala, famously known as ‘The Dating Game Killer.’ Tune in on Friday, July 14 at 9:01-11:00 p.m. Edt on ABC as ’20/20′ presents an in-depth exploration of the sinister deeds and shocking revelations surrounding Alcala’s killing spree.
The episode titled ‘The Dating Game Killer‘ takes viewers on a journey back to 1968 when Alcala lured a young girl outside the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, marking the beginning of his cross-country attacks that spanned over a decade. Posing as a professional photographer, Alcala used his good looks and charm to trap his victims, perpetrating heinous crimes that left a trail of devastation in his wake. However, what stands out as one of his most audacious moves is his chilling appearance as a contestant on the popular 1970s TV game show ‘The Dating Game’ – and he won.
The episode titled ‘The Dating Game Killer‘ takes viewers on a journey back to 1968 when Alcala lured a young girl outside the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, marking the beginning of his cross-country attacks that spanned over a decade. Posing as a professional photographer, Alcala used his good looks and charm to trap his victims, perpetrating heinous crimes that left a trail of devastation in his wake. However, what stands out as one of his most audacious moves is his chilling appearance as a contestant on the popular 1970s TV game show ‘The Dating Game’ – and he won.
- 7/13/2023
- by Alex Matthews
- TV Regular
by Patrick Ball
"Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical" will perform tonight despite being shut out of the nominations. Photo credit: Matthew Murphy
The day is upon us, the 2023 Tony Awards are here! But, this isn’t your grandma’s Tony Awards, expect a bit of a different show this year. Due to complications from the ongoing WGA writer’s strike, the awards show telecast was initially canceled, then was subsequently given the green light providing it does not rely upon a written script. In other words, we won’t see any presenters reaching for their glasses to read a teleprompter. Also expect little banter or much at all from host Ariana Debose after her (presumably not original) Opening Number. It looks to be mostly a straightforward show of performances and awards. And boy, they’ve packed the show with performances. Not only are all the nominated musicals performing, but...
"Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical" will perform tonight despite being shut out of the nominations. Photo credit: Matthew Murphy
The day is upon us, the 2023 Tony Awards are here! But, this isn’t your grandma’s Tony Awards, expect a bit of a different show this year. Due to complications from the ongoing WGA writer’s strike, the awards show telecast was initially canceled, then was subsequently given the green light providing it does not rely upon a written script. In other words, we won’t see any presenters reaching for their glasses to read a teleprompter. Also expect little banter or much at all from host Ariana Debose after her (presumably not original) Opening Number. It looks to be mostly a straightforward show of performances and awards. And boy, they’ve packed the show with performances. Not only are all the nominated musicals performing, but...
- 6/11/2023
- by Patrick Ball
- FilmExperience
Lorna Courtney was barely out of the University of Michigan when Broadway first came calling. A native New Yorker – Queens, to be exact – and graduate of Manhattan’s performing arts Laguardia High School, Courtney was a standby in Dear Evan Hansen in 2019 and 2020 before being cast in director Ivo van Hove’s boldly reimagined West Side Story, a production that did away with the iconic Jerome Robbins in favor of the riskier, more avant-garde stylings of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.
Both shows, but particularly the short-lived 2020 West Side Story – which closed due to the Covid pandemic shutdown and never re-opened – were learning experiences for Courtney, who now draws upon those earlier shows for her Tony-nominated performance as the star and title character of & Juliet. The musical, which features songs written by hit-maker Max Martin, has become one of Broadway’s most successful crowd-pleasers, routinely pulling in weekly grosses well in excess of $1 million and filling seats at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Deadline spoke this week to Courtney as she gears up for Sunday’s Tony Awards. She’d just taped an appearance for The View and seemed to be operating on a combination of excitement, pride and maybe a jitter or two. She spoke of & Juliet, the Tonys, West Side Story, and the responsibilities and joys of leading a Broadway production night after night.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Lorna Courtney, ‘& Juliet’ (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: So, congratulations. What has this week been like for you?
Lorna Courtney: This week has been challenging in the best ways and also tiring in the best ways. Today I got up at 4:30 and performed on The View, and I met Whoopi Goldberg.
Deadline: Is it just the crazed schedule that’s challenging or are there other things weighing on you?
Courtney: Because this is my first lead role I didn’t know what to expect. I knew what it took to be a leader, but I didn’t know all of the expectations and all of the press things. It’s more than just doing the eight shows a week, and that I didn’t know, and I didn’t know how it would affect my body. First and foremost, I want to be as healthy as possible so I can do my job every night.
Deadline: I thought you were going to say “First and foremost I want to sleep.”
Courtney: Well, that too.
Deadline: You said you know how to be a leader. But I’m wondering how you learned that. This is your first lead role on Broadway.
Courtney: I like to think it’s because I take everyone into consideration and have everyone’s thoughts in my mind, that way I don’t not include anyone’s voice, by making sure everyone is heard, their concerns even if it’s like something in their personal life, I’ll talk to them and I’ll check in with them. I also like to bring a positive attitude to work, an uplifting one because we’re all tired these past couple of weeks. If one of us or some of us can at a ten while others are maybe at a a six or a seven, then it balances everything out.
Deadline: You were working at an Equinox Health Club when you got the news that you’d been cast in & Juliet. What a ride this must have been. How do you think coming so far so quickly impacts your performance as a leader?
Courtney: I think that because of all this great press and publicity that there are certain expectations of excellence, right? Well, this is live theater. Anything can happen, particularly with my character. The reason I love my character so much – and she’s a lot like me – is that she learns there is no such thing as perfection and it’s in the imperfections that we find grace and that we learn and that we grow as human beings. That’s what I love about my job, knowing that I don’t have to carry all of the burden because it’s really not about me. It really does take every single person in our production to make this show happen every night, and every single person was specifically picked for a reason that’s so individual, even in the way that they move. We don’t all move the same.
Deadline: Let’s talk about the Max Martin songs. Did knowing these hits beforehand give you any trepidation in performing them?
Courtney: I think initially the thought came into my head that, oh my gosh, these are songs that everyone knows and everyone knows so well. There is a bit of fear associated with that if you think of it as doing a cover version, but we are not doing covers of the songs. We’re actually storytelling using the lyrics, and even though a lot of the songs are recognizable, I think because of the new orchestrations they’re a bit different than what people expect. So you might not realize what the song is until certain lyrics come up, and then some people chuckle or giggle or laugh because they’re like, Oh! I know this song. Then they really listen because they’re hearing the words in a completely different way. And that’s how I approached them as an actor. Who am I talking to with this song, what am I trying to say? And that’s how I was able to disassociate them from the fact that they’re so famous. And it works.
Deadline: So there wasn’t the pressure of thinking, Ok, I’ve got to sound like Britney Spears here.
Courtney: I could try and sound like Britney Spears if we were doing that type of, like, impersonation, you know, that type of musical, but we’re not, and there’s so much freedom in that. Not once did Max say to me, ‘You need to sound this way.’ Maybe he gave me a little, like, ‘Oh you can scoop up on this part,’ but I think that’s why they chose me – they liked all of the musical experience and background that Lorna has, which comes from gospel music, jazz, R&b, pop, and studying opera in high school and musical theater in college.
Deadline: Yes, I suppose the songs have to be recognizable for the show but at the same time you have to bring yourself to them, or what’s the point?
Courtney: Exactly.
Deadline: Speaking of bringing yourself, let’s talk about the shows you did before & Juliet. What did you learn from Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. Especially West Side Story, which I think was a really interesting production that should have lasted longer.
Courtney: With Dear Evan Hansen, I went into that show a week after I graduated from U Mich and I was thrown into a show that had already been set, a show that was a commercial success. The direction was very specific and particular because they knew what worked and what didn’t. So there was some room for creativity but not much. But I will say that working with a smaller cast was really amazing and you become like family, which I love.
And then on the flip side of that, there was West Side Story, a revival. We all know West Side Story, but that version completely turned everything on its head and really looked at it with a different lens, literally because they integrated film into the musical and that was the first time that I’ve ever experienced having mixed media with theater. I thought it was beautiful. I mean, it took all of the elements of why we love film, the close-ups and the things that we normally wouldn’t be able to see sitting in a large Broadway theater.
And the dance was all new choreography, and the fight scenes looked like actual fight scenes because they weren’t doing ballet. They had knives. So it was dark, but it was human, and it was beautiful. We had two months of rehearsals figuring out what to do and creating a show as if it was a workshop, but we were going to Broadway. The cast was huge, and the orchestra was huge, and it was an amazing experience.
But Mia [Pinero] – the other understudy for the role of Maria – and I were put in an uncomfortable position. I didn’t even have a dance call for the show and I was thrown in as a dancer. It was completely new to me. I had no clue what style of dance [choreographer] Anne Teresa creates, and I didn’t know how to move my body like that, so it was very challenging. I think in the end it helped push me into expanding beyond what I think I can’t do, if that makes sense.
Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: What you think you can’t do that maybe you actually can.
Courtney: Exactly. Exactly. I can do it. And with this show, & Juliet, I mean, it is pretty impossible to do eight times a week. It’s very, very hard. Physically and of course vocally, it’s very challenging. The way I’m able to do it is when I’m not on stage I spend time working on my body and working with [movement consultant] Marcia Polas, who does craniosacral therapy and myofascial release techniques, and with Matt Farnsworth, our voice consultant for this show, to ensure that I’m keeping myself as healthy as possible. I haven’t had an injury. Yay!
Deadline: That’s really good to hear. People who are do eight shows a week, injuries are pretty common.
Courtney: After the show I get home as quickly as I can. I run a bath with Epsom salt. Heat up my prepared meals from CookUnity, and to save time I eat in the tub. Then after that I get on the ground and use different Pilates balls to release tension and reset my spine before I go to bed. Sometimes I’ll put on magnesium lotion and arnica gel. Cool down vocally. And then do it all again the next day.
Deadline: What’s the day like before you go into the show?
Courtney: It changes every day but as of late I haven’t had a day off really for the past month. Today is a Monday and I’m working. I’m doing performances whether it’s singing or interviews, which I’m happy and I’m blessed to do. I’m so blessed that this show is what it is and that people react to it the way that they do. The crowd goes wild, they absolutely love it, and they have the best time and they come back. They often message me or I’ll see them at the stage door and they’ll tell me, especially little girls, that they look up to me and are inspired. I’ll see them in the audience and that’s all that I want to do, to be there for them. I want them to be able to see themselves on stage and to see themselves as a lead and as a person of color who’s a lead.
Melanie La Barrie and Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: And Juliet is, finally, a lead in her own story. She’s not the plus-one anymore.
Courtney: And she let’s girls see that there is no such thing as perfection. As Mel [Melanie La Barrie, who plays Juliet’s nurse] sings, ‘You’re f’ing perfect to me.” It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to pick yourself up and to try again. Juliet realizes that she loves herself, and that maybe the people who you think you should love the most, when they’re not there for you, it’s okay. You have your friends. You have the people in your life that are not your biological family but are family to you. She gives so much of her heart and supports everyone in the show, and by the end when she needs the support everyone comes to her, and she’s able to rise up on that platform and sing.
Deadline: One more question then I’ll let you go. The Tonys are this Sunday. What do you plan to do that day?
Courtney: You know, I don’t even have a dress yet, I really don’t. But I’m not worried about it. I’m hopeful everything will come together. I’m taking it as an opportunity to celebrate Broadway, to celebrate my peers, and I’m really glad that it’ll be happening and that it’s happening at the United Palace theater, such a historic theater, such a beautiful venue and space. And I will be performing at the Tony Awards! Like, I could cry. I will actually be performing on the Tony Awards, and that in and of itself is it for me. I’m so glad that I’m doing it with this show and with this cast. And then we’ll just see how the rest of the night goes.
Both shows, but particularly the short-lived 2020 West Side Story – which closed due to the Covid pandemic shutdown and never re-opened – were learning experiences for Courtney, who now draws upon those earlier shows for her Tony-nominated performance as the star and title character of & Juliet. The musical, which features songs written by hit-maker Max Martin, has become one of Broadway’s most successful crowd-pleasers, routinely pulling in weekly grosses well in excess of $1 million and filling seats at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Deadline spoke this week to Courtney as she gears up for Sunday’s Tony Awards. She’d just taped an appearance for The View and seemed to be operating on a combination of excitement, pride and maybe a jitter or two. She spoke of & Juliet, the Tonys, West Side Story, and the responsibilities and joys of leading a Broadway production night after night.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Lorna Courtney, ‘& Juliet’ (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: So, congratulations. What has this week been like for you?
Lorna Courtney: This week has been challenging in the best ways and also tiring in the best ways. Today I got up at 4:30 and performed on The View, and I met Whoopi Goldberg.
Deadline: Is it just the crazed schedule that’s challenging or are there other things weighing on you?
Courtney: Because this is my first lead role I didn’t know what to expect. I knew what it took to be a leader, but I didn’t know all of the expectations and all of the press things. It’s more than just doing the eight shows a week, and that I didn’t know, and I didn’t know how it would affect my body. First and foremost, I want to be as healthy as possible so I can do my job every night.
Deadline: I thought you were going to say “First and foremost I want to sleep.”
Courtney: Well, that too.
Deadline: You said you know how to be a leader. But I’m wondering how you learned that. This is your first lead role on Broadway.
Courtney: I like to think it’s because I take everyone into consideration and have everyone’s thoughts in my mind, that way I don’t not include anyone’s voice, by making sure everyone is heard, their concerns even if it’s like something in their personal life, I’ll talk to them and I’ll check in with them. I also like to bring a positive attitude to work, an uplifting one because we’re all tired these past couple of weeks. If one of us or some of us can at a ten while others are maybe at a a six or a seven, then it balances everything out.
Deadline: You were working at an Equinox Health Club when you got the news that you’d been cast in & Juliet. What a ride this must have been. How do you think coming so far so quickly impacts your performance as a leader?
Courtney: I think that because of all this great press and publicity that there are certain expectations of excellence, right? Well, this is live theater. Anything can happen, particularly with my character. The reason I love my character so much – and she’s a lot like me – is that she learns there is no such thing as perfection and it’s in the imperfections that we find grace and that we learn and that we grow as human beings. That’s what I love about my job, knowing that I don’t have to carry all of the burden because it’s really not about me. It really does take every single person in our production to make this show happen every night, and every single person was specifically picked for a reason that’s so individual, even in the way that they move. We don’t all move the same.
Deadline: Let’s talk about the Max Martin songs. Did knowing these hits beforehand give you any trepidation in performing them?
Courtney: I think initially the thought came into my head that, oh my gosh, these are songs that everyone knows and everyone knows so well. There is a bit of fear associated with that if you think of it as doing a cover version, but we are not doing covers of the songs. We’re actually storytelling using the lyrics, and even though a lot of the songs are recognizable, I think because of the new orchestrations they’re a bit different than what people expect. So you might not realize what the song is until certain lyrics come up, and then some people chuckle or giggle or laugh because they’re like, Oh! I know this song. Then they really listen because they’re hearing the words in a completely different way. And that’s how I approached them as an actor. Who am I talking to with this song, what am I trying to say? And that’s how I was able to disassociate them from the fact that they’re so famous. And it works.
Deadline: So there wasn’t the pressure of thinking, Ok, I’ve got to sound like Britney Spears here.
Courtney: I could try and sound like Britney Spears if we were doing that type of, like, impersonation, you know, that type of musical, but we’re not, and there’s so much freedom in that. Not once did Max say to me, ‘You need to sound this way.’ Maybe he gave me a little, like, ‘Oh you can scoop up on this part,’ but I think that’s why they chose me – they liked all of the musical experience and background that Lorna has, which comes from gospel music, jazz, R&b, pop, and studying opera in high school and musical theater in college.
Deadline: Yes, I suppose the songs have to be recognizable for the show but at the same time you have to bring yourself to them, or what’s the point?
Courtney: Exactly.
Deadline: Speaking of bringing yourself, let’s talk about the shows you did before & Juliet. What did you learn from Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. Especially West Side Story, which I think was a really interesting production that should have lasted longer.
Courtney: With Dear Evan Hansen, I went into that show a week after I graduated from U Mich and I was thrown into a show that had already been set, a show that was a commercial success. The direction was very specific and particular because they knew what worked and what didn’t. So there was some room for creativity but not much. But I will say that working with a smaller cast was really amazing and you become like family, which I love.
And then on the flip side of that, there was West Side Story, a revival. We all know West Side Story, but that version completely turned everything on its head and really looked at it with a different lens, literally because they integrated film into the musical and that was the first time that I’ve ever experienced having mixed media with theater. I thought it was beautiful. I mean, it took all of the elements of why we love film, the close-ups and the things that we normally wouldn’t be able to see sitting in a large Broadway theater.
And the dance was all new choreography, and the fight scenes looked like actual fight scenes because they weren’t doing ballet. They had knives. So it was dark, but it was human, and it was beautiful. We had two months of rehearsals figuring out what to do and creating a show as if it was a workshop, but we were going to Broadway. The cast was huge, and the orchestra was huge, and it was an amazing experience.
But Mia [Pinero] – the other understudy for the role of Maria – and I were put in an uncomfortable position. I didn’t even have a dance call for the show and I was thrown in as a dancer. It was completely new to me. I had no clue what style of dance [choreographer] Anne Teresa creates, and I didn’t know how to move my body like that, so it was very challenging. I think in the end it helped push me into expanding beyond what I think I can’t do, if that makes sense.
Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: What you think you can’t do that maybe you actually can.
Courtney: Exactly. Exactly. I can do it. And with this show, & Juliet, I mean, it is pretty impossible to do eight times a week. It’s very, very hard. Physically and of course vocally, it’s very challenging. The way I’m able to do it is when I’m not on stage I spend time working on my body and working with [movement consultant] Marcia Polas, who does craniosacral therapy and myofascial release techniques, and with Matt Farnsworth, our voice consultant for this show, to ensure that I’m keeping myself as healthy as possible. I haven’t had an injury. Yay!
Deadline: That’s really good to hear. People who are do eight shows a week, injuries are pretty common.
Courtney: After the show I get home as quickly as I can. I run a bath with Epsom salt. Heat up my prepared meals from CookUnity, and to save time I eat in the tub. Then after that I get on the ground and use different Pilates balls to release tension and reset my spine before I go to bed. Sometimes I’ll put on magnesium lotion and arnica gel. Cool down vocally. And then do it all again the next day.
Deadline: What’s the day like before you go into the show?
Courtney: It changes every day but as of late I haven’t had a day off really for the past month. Today is a Monday and I’m working. I’m doing performances whether it’s singing or interviews, which I’m happy and I’m blessed to do. I’m so blessed that this show is what it is and that people react to it the way that they do. The crowd goes wild, they absolutely love it, and they have the best time and they come back. They often message me or I’ll see them at the stage door and they’ll tell me, especially little girls, that they look up to me and are inspired. I’ll see them in the audience and that’s all that I want to do, to be there for them. I want them to be able to see themselves on stage and to see themselves as a lead and as a person of color who’s a lead.
Melanie La Barrie and Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: And Juliet is, finally, a lead in her own story. She’s not the plus-one anymore.
Courtney: And she let’s girls see that there is no such thing as perfection. As Mel [Melanie La Barrie, who plays Juliet’s nurse] sings, ‘You’re f’ing perfect to me.” It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to pick yourself up and to try again. Juliet realizes that she loves herself, and that maybe the people who you think you should love the most, when they’re not there for you, it’s okay. You have your friends. You have the people in your life that are not your biological family but are family to you. She gives so much of her heart and supports everyone in the show, and by the end when she needs the support everyone comes to her, and she’s able to rise up on that platform and sing.
Deadline: One more question then I’ll let you go. The Tonys are this Sunday. What do you plan to do that day?
Courtney: You know, I don’t even have a dress yet, I really don’t. But I’m not worried about it. I’m hopeful everything will come together. I’m taking it as an opportunity to celebrate Broadway, to celebrate my peers, and I’m really glad that it’ll be happening and that it’s happening at the United Palace theater, such a historic theater, such a beautiful venue and space. And I will be performing at the Tony Awards! Like, I could cry. I will actually be performing on the Tony Awards, and that in and of itself is it for me. I’m so glad that I’m doing it with this show and with this cast. And then we’ll just see how the rest of the night goes.
- 6/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In a Broadway season that might be remembered for a lovely, pared-down minimalism – the intriguing starkness of A Doll’s House with Jessica Chastain, the less-is-more near-concert-style presentations of Into the Woods and Parade – director Thomas Kail’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will stand out for, among many other attributes, its full-on, unabashed ambition. A prodigious theatrical event that aims for greatness and achieves it, this revival of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler masterpiece is not to be missed.
With Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford leading a flawless, 25-member cast that also includes Stranger Things‘ Gaten Matarazzo, the revival, opening tonight at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, makes the case that Sweeney just might be Sondheim’s greatest work (at least until the next production of Sunday in the Park comes...
With Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford leading a flawless, 25-member cast that also includes Stranger Things‘ Gaten Matarazzo, the revival, opening tonight at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, makes the case that Sweeney just might be Sondheim’s greatest work (at least until the next production of Sunday in the Park comes...
- 3/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Your first thought after seeing Bad Cinderella, the latest musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is, well, she isn’t that bad. For better and worse.
The musical, energetically directed by Laurence Connor, opens on Broadway tonight with quite a reputation: We’ve heard it was lambasted by critics in London (it wasn’t). That Andrew Lloyd Webber himself trashed it (he didn’t).
The truth: Bad Cinderella, known as plain old Cinderella during an abbreviated London run that had the dreadful timing to coincide with the Covid pandemic (that was Lloyd Webber’s point when he lamented opening the show then), is a musical that upends and modernizes the age-old tale with an irreverent, knowing tone meant to smirk away the old lessons and replace them with new ones – with morals, as in the moral of the story, that more closely aligned with today’s thinking.
What, you’ve seen this before,...
The musical, energetically directed by Laurence Connor, opens on Broadway tonight with quite a reputation: We’ve heard it was lambasted by critics in London (it wasn’t). That Andrew Lloyd Webber himself trashed it (he didn’t).
The truth: Bad Cinderella, known as plain old Cinderella during an abbreviated London run that had the dreadful timing to coincide with the Covid pandemic (that was Lloyd Webber’s point when he lamented opening the show then), is a musical that upends and modernizes the age-old tale with an irreverent, knowing tone meant to smirk away the old lessons and replace them with new ones – with morals, as in the moral of the story, that more closely aligned with today’s thinking.
What, you’ve seen this before,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
What if Juliet had lived? What if she had not given her 14-year-old life for a wild boy she barely knew? What if she had not let brash youthful narcissism deformed by the patriarchy and male violence overtake her better judgment and lived a full, happy, maybe even quiet life well into whatever passed for adulthood in 14th Century Verona.
Directed by Luke Sheppard and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, & Juliet, the new jukebox musical of songs written by super-producer Max Martin, with a book by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read, posits an answer to all those questions, though “quiet” never quite enters the equation. No, had Juliet lived, this musical, opening tonight on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, suggests she and her pals would spend a great deal of their time belting ballads of empowerment and lecturing all within earshot about pride,...
Directed by Luke Sheppard and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, & Juliet, the new jukebox musical of songs written by super-producer Max Martin, with a book by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read, posits an answer to all those questions, though “quiet” never quite enters the equation. No, had Juliet lived, this musical, opening tonight on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, suggests she and her pals would spend a great deal of their time belting ballads of empowerment and lecturing all within earshot about pride,...
- 11/18/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Two of the fall Broadway season’s buzzy new musicals – A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical and Some Like It Hot – began previews last week, both doing solid business in their first, partial weeks.
A Beautiful Noise pulled in an impressive 845,074 for five performances, filling 88 of seats at the Broadhurst with an average ticket price of 166. The show opens December 4.
Over at the Shubert Theatre, Some Like It Hot, the musical adaptation of the 1959 classic film comedy, took in 539,593 for 6 performances, filling 82 of seats at the venue with a 76 average ticket. Opening night is Dec. 11.
In all, Broadway’s 32 shows grossed in 29,813,739, a boost of 9 from the previous week. Attendance was up about 8 to 246,013.
Some other recent arrivals include & Juliet, in previews at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre and grossing a hefty 779,402 for seven previews, with attendance at 98 of capacity. Kimberly Akimbo, the acclaimed Off Broadway musical making its Broadway debut,...
A Beautiful Noise pulled in an impressive 845,074 for five performances, filling 88 of seats at the Broadhurst with an average ticket price of 166. The show opens December 4.
Over at the Shubert Theatre, Some Like It Hot, the musical adaptation of the 1959 classic film comedy, took in 539,593 for 6 performances, filling 82 of seats at the venue with a 76 average ticket. Opening night is Dec. 11.
In all, Broadway’s 32 shows grossed in 29,813,739, a boost of 9 from the previous week. Attendance was up about 8 to 246,013.
Some other recent arrivals include & Juliet, in previews at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre and grossing a hefty 779,402 for seven previews, with attendance at 98 of capacity. Kimberly Akimbo, the acclaimed Off Broadway musical making its Broadway debut,...
- 11/8/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Vulture Watch
It's all in the details. Has The Fatal Flaw TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on ABC? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Fatal Flaw, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
Airing on the ABC television network, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers. In each installment, firsthand accounts from authorities and journalists illuminate...
It's all in the details. Has The Fatal Flaw TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on ABC? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Fatal Flaw, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
Airing on the ABC television network, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers. In each installment, firsthand accounts from authorities and journalists illuminate...
- 7/11/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
ABC has just four episodes planned for The Fatal Flaw TV show. But, if the ratings are good enough, it would certainly be possible to find new cases and make additional episodes. Will The Fatal Flaw be cancelled or renewed for season two? Stay tuned.
A true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts via unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers. In each installment, firsthand accounts from authorities and journalists illuminate the disturbing events as they describe the twists and turns of the investigation and the breakthrough moments that led investigators and police to the killer’s doorstep. Episodes reveal the...
A true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts via unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers. In each installment, firsthand accounts from authorities and journalists illuminate the disturbing events as they describe the twists and turns of the investigation and the breakthrough moments that led investigators and police to the killer’s doorstep. Episodes reveal the...
- 7/8/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Little things mean a lot in the first season of The Fatal Flaw TV show on ABC. As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like The Fatal Flaw is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the first season episodes of The Fatal Flaw here.
An ABC true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the...
An ABC true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives. Contributors include legal analyst Ryan Smith, ABC News contributor Elizabeth Vargas, and former prosecutor Matt Murphy. In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the...
- 7/8/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Network: ABC
Episodes: Ongoing (hour)
Seasons: Ongoing
TV show dates: July 7, 2022 -- present
Series status: Has not been cancelled
Performers include: Ryan Smith, Elizabeth Vargas, and Matt Murphy.
TV show description:
A true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives.
In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers.
Read More…...
Episodes: Ongoing (hour)
Seasons: Ongoing
TV show dates: July 7, 2022 -- present
Series status: Has not been cancelled
Performers include: Ryan Smith, Elizabeth Vargas, and Matt Murphy.
TV show description:
A true-crime series, The Fatal Flaw TV show explores deadly criminal acts from unique perspectives.
In the series, miniature dollhouses of crime scenes are used to take viewers through chilling homicides and the tiny clues at the crime scenes that helped investigators identify the killers.
Read More…...
- 7/8/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Mini Intro: We've always wanted to launch a weekly theater column here so we're finally doing it. Though theater is not film (the focus of this site), it relates in many ways to the screen arts. So we'll end each column with screening recommendations! In weeks where we don't get invited to shows, we'll get creative to keep it going. This will be a Monday night series from here on out. - Editor
Mare Winningham in 'Girl From the North Country'. Photo © Matthew Murphy
by Nathaniel R
The Tony-nominated jukebox musical Girl From the North Country closes on Broadway tomorrow, Sunday June 19th with the 3:00 Pm matinee. While it's too late to urge you to attend (unless you're right here in the five boroughs) there are still ways to enjoy the show in retrospect. The easiest of those is listening to the cast recording with its Tony-winning orchestrations. But...
Mare Winningham in 'Girl From the North Country'. Photo © Matthew Murphy
by Nathaniel R
The Tony-nominated jukebox musical Girl From the North Country closes on Broadway tomorrow, Sunday June 19th with the 3:00 Pm matinee. While it's too late to urge you to attend (unless you're right here in the five boroughs) there are still ways to enjoy the show in retrospect. The easiest of those is listening to the cast recording with its Tony-winning orchestrations. But...
- 6/18/2022
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Rodney Alcala, the infamous serial killer whose spree of dozens of murders ended after he won on The Dating Game, is the focus of Friday’s two-hour episode of ABC’s 20/20. The show airs at 9 p.m. Et.
In this exclusive clip from the 20/20 special, the now-adult friend of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe — one of Alcala’s murder victims — who also helped provide a sketch of Samsoe’s killer recounts being shown The Dating Game episode, which a detective on the case randomly caught on TV soon after Alcala was named a suspect.
In this exclusive clip from the 20/20 special, the now-adult friend of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe — one of Alcala’s murder victims — who also helped provide a sketch of Samsoe’s killer recounts being shown The Dating Game episode, which a detective on the case randomly caught on TV soon after Alcala was named a suspect.
- 1/8/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
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