Times Square Chronicles
Still Waiting in the Wings
By Suzanna Bowling
May 3, 2020

The new film Still Waiting in the Wings is an all-star musical homage to Broadway. The film will be released worldwide on May 15, 2020, on DVD and all digital platforms. Directed by Q. Allan Brocka and written by Jeffrey A. Johns and Arie Gonzalez. The cast includes Jeffrey A. Johns, Joe Abraham, Rena Strober, Adam Huss, Blake Peyrot, Harrison White, and Rebekah Kochan, with special appearances by Nick Adams, Ed Asner, Carole Cook, Lee Meriwether, Patricia Richardson, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Sally Struthers, Bruce Vilanch, and Cindy Williams.

The stars sing and dance while living the reality of slinging hash under the florescent lights at Times Square’s famed “Café Broadway.” The movie features original songs by Danny Abosch, Andrew Byrne, Ken Clifton, Arie Gonzalez, Paul Louis, Matthew Lee Robinson, Nick Santa Maria, Ruth Wallis, and Michael Whitney, with choreography by Cassie Nordgren, Arianna Hyatt, and Lee Martino.

The post Musical Homage To Broadway, ‘Still Waiting in the Wings’ will be released worldwide on May 15, 2020, on DVD and all digital platforms first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Touch the Sky, a benefit celebrating the Manhattan and Brooklyn arrival of the L.A.-based playgrounds organization Shane’s Inspiration, will honor multiple Tony winner Chita Rivera October 1 at 7:30 PM in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Those scheduled to pay tribute to Rivera, who received the 2018 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, include Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, Melissa Errico, Ali Stroker, Joan Ryan, and Liz Callaway. Seth Rudetsky will host.

The evening was conceived by Ryan and is executive-produced by Ryan and Scott Mauro. Producers include Brad Thornton and NY1’s Roma Torre. Bruce Vilanch will provide special material, and Ron Abel is musical director.

Paul Hastings LLP will receive the Corporate Responsibility Award for its unwavering commitment to Shane’s Inspiration.

The post Bruce Vilanch will provide special material at a benefit honoring Chita Rivera October 1, 2018 first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

There’s a certain feeling that invades my consciousness when I attend a Dancer’s Event…

It is a deep, passionate, all-encompassing love amongst it’s members. And that is what I was feeling, attending a most prestigious (in my opinion) Event; The Professional Dancer’s Society 2018 Annual Luncheon & “Gypsy” Award Ceremony, held in the International Room at the Beverly Hilton.

It starts with the Dancers, Choreographers, Dance Divas from all mediums showing up in a corner of the lobby; all of whom have pre-paid to attend, with all money raised being given to The Actor’s Fund and Dancers in need; in a bevy of energy and mutual admiration of others gathering.

The ambience cannot be described. Put some wild-and-crazy dancers together, covering decades of working together and weathering brutal rehearsals, live performances, injuries, touring, and surviving in a very competitive business and you end up having a love-in. We are a unique family of misfits and artistic, diverse and creative souls.

Our President, Mitzi Gaynor, BWW Feature: PDS’s Star-Studded Luncheon and Gypsy Award Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroomwas side-crackingly funny, and had a lot of choice comments that would be best not quoted here, but had the crowd in an uproar. Joni Berry, the glue that holds all of this together, introduced one of the best honoree lists in PDS history. Honored this year were George Chakiris, Barrie Chase and Toni Basil. What a marquee that would be!

Past honorees, beginning in 1987, have been Hermes Pan, Donald O’Connor, Sammy Davis, Jr., Debbie Reynolds, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, Mickey Rooney, Shirley MacLaine, Mitzi Gaynor, Juliet Prowse, Gwen Verdon, Ann-Margaret, Sandy Duncan, Tommy Tune, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Onna White, Sandy Duncan, Chita Rivera, Marge Champion, Gregory Hines, Rita Moreno, Florence Henderson, Jane Powell, Rob Marshall, Carol Lawrence, Ben Vereen, Bob Mackie, Leslie Caron, Carl Reiner, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Channing, among others.

The show, produced by incredible, noted Dancers/Choreographers, Lee Hale, Charlene Painter, Ted Sprague, Joe Tremaine, Anita Mann Kohl and Tommy Peel, is a tribute to who, what and why Dancers have been influential as a part of the Entertainment Industry.

BWW Feature: PDS’s Star-Studded Luncheon and Gypsy Award Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel International BallroomDick Van Dyke started off the festivities, which has become a yearly tradition. He was honored in 1999 by the PDS, and is always exhuberant and gracious. Joe Tremaine also lent his comments to the purpose of the event. HONOREES this year were Barrie Chase, who was Fred Astaire’s “Personally Chosen Dance Partner” in numerous films, introduced by Julie McDonald. Her film clips, edited by the incomparable Lee Hale, were varied and unique. She marked a time-period of dance that contributed to advancing dance as a narrative to moving the plot of a film forward.

Bruce Vilanch, who had us all in stitches, introduced Toni Basil, honored next, for bringing “street dancing” into the mainstream, with her mixture of hip-hop and ballet, was delightfully entertaining in recalling her early history and background as a member of a family that included a family vaudeville act and father who was a band leader in Las Vegas.< There is a tradition exclusively among dancers, all over the globe, to present a "Gypsy Robe" to one Dancer each year at such events. It exemplifies unique, llfe-long dedication to giving your soul and spirit to the Art of Dance. It is a revered accolade in the Dance World, as the highest honor to be the recipient of. Joanne Divito was the deserved recipient this year. Her life has been dedicated to dance, in many forms, as a teacher, choreographer, dancer on Broadway and head of Career Transition for Dancers, a revolutionary organization to help dancers find direction into a career after Dance. As a side note, Equity (A.E.A.) has proposed doing away with the name "Gypsy" as being un-PC; an unpopular idea amongst the Dancers who are the multitude of members of that Union. There has never been any intent to slur a minority culture; to Us, it is a term of endearment. Sandy Roveta, last year's Gypsy Robe recipient, was poignantly moving. When a dancer can pour her heart out to her peers, it is definitely from the heart. The poem she penned and read aloud, had everyone laughing and crying at the same time, as we all could relate! Here it is: BWW Feature: PDS's Star-Studded Luncheon and Gypsy Award Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel International BallroomBWW Feature: PDS's Star-Studded Luncheon and Gypsy Award Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel International BallroomThe absolute highlight of the afternoon was the Presentation of the PDS AWARD to Academy Award Winner George Chakiris for his Extraordinary Contribution To The Dance. Russ Tamblyn, (West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers...) presented George Chakiris with the Award. BWW Feature: PDS's Star-Studded Luncheon and Gypsy Award Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom Seated at George's Table were Dance Royalty: The partial Cast from the Original WEST SIDE STORY! In addition to George Chakiris (Bernardo) & Russ Tamblyn, (Riff), in attendance were Jaime Rogers, (Loco) Maria Jimenez Henley (Teresita), Bob Banas, (Joy-Boy) Gina Trikonis (Graziella) and David Winters (A-Rab);Tony Mordente (Action) was unable to attend, but duly mentioned. In between were performances by local Dance Companies, and introductions of the many Celebrity/Dancers in the audience. On each side of the room were giant screens, where so many amazing dance clips were woven together and produced by Lee Hale that are priceless montages of Dance through History, and were all met with exuberant applause and appreciation. If you love to dance, love watching dance, or just enjoy dancers and their lively events, come to this spring event next year and contribute to the betterment of artistic endeavors. It's a hell-of-a show!

The post Bruce Vilanch Honors Toni Basil At PDS’s Gypsy Award Ceremony first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

SUMMARY

Still Waiting follows the trials and triumphs of a ragtag team of actors waiting tables in Times Square at The Cafe’ Broadway. While dreaming of the glow of the footlights next door, the reality of slinging hash under florescent lights mixes sweet aspirations with bitter drama. The performers of New York City are as varied as it’s inhabitants: the diva, the theatre queen, the soap star, and even a couple of strippers thrown in for good measure! There’s no people like show people (Thank God), and there’s no telling what can happen when they’re pitted against each other.

We are so excited to re-assemble the cast and songwriting team of Waiting In The Wings: The Musical and bring to you the sequel, Still Waiting In The Wings. We have many delightful cameos joining the cast and want to make sure we bring you the same quality production as our initial film. While $3,000 isn’t a high goal, this is the amount we absolutely need to pay for post production services. While we could cut corners, we need to make the highest quality film to show indy movie musicals can still be made and look like a million dollars!

Starring:

Jeffrey A. Johns
Joe Abraham
Lee Meriwether
Chita Rivera
Cindy Williams
Bruce Vilanch
Patricia Richardson
Sally Struthers
Ed Asner
and many more…

Trailer:

Still Playing The Festival Circuit

QCinema: Fort Worth – Best of the Festival

Official Website

Click Here

The post See Bruce Vilanch In The New Musical “Still Waiting In The Wings” – Now Playing The Festival Circuit first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Preliminary casting has been announced for Broadway Backwards 7, which as previously reported, will be held at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Monday, March 5 at 8pm.

The show features performers singing material usually performed by members of the opposite gender. It is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and benefits Broadway Cares and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

The cast will include Bryan Batt, Sierra Boggess, Mario Cantone, Robin De Jesús, Shawna Hamic, Telly Leung, Adam Pascal, Andrew Rannells, Chita Rivera, and Bruce Vilanch, with more to be announced.

Robert Bartley will again direct and choreograph the event, which will feature musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. The creative team will also include lighting designer Ryan O’Gara, costume designer Philip Heckman and co-choreographers Stephanie Klemmons and Patrick O’Neill.

Click here for more information and Broadway Backwards 7 tickets.

The post Bruce Vilanch, Others To Perform In Broadway Backwards 7 first appeared on We Got Bruce!.