NewsSpotted! What Hollywood Celebrities Could Be Sitting Next to You at the Theatre?Celebrity spottings are always exciting, but it's even better when we catch our favorites at a show! We love seeing these superstars filling seats and supporting the theatre. Check out the VIPs who added their names to the guest lists of Broadway's hottest productions.
By
Joe Gambino
December 05, 2015
Beyoncé: Multiple Grammy Award winner Beyoncé Knowles-Carter stopped by Hamilton Oct. 22. The singer-songwriter-actress was impressed with Jonathan Groff's signature walk as King George III and told him that she just might have to steal it (watch out Les Twins?). Knowles-Carter does have some musical theatre in her bones, having starred as Deena Jones in the 2006 film Dreamgirls alongside Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Tony winner Anika Noni Rose.
Oprah Winfrey: Last week Winfrey took 28 people, including students from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, to see the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. Winfrey was nominated for an Oscar when she made her film debut as Sofia in the film adaptation of the Alice Walker novel. She's also counts producer among her resume credits, having backed the 2005 original Broadway production of The Color Purple and the current revival. But the entertainment media mogul isn't only partial to her own shows. She recently showed her support for live theatre when she took in performances of Hamilton and Kinky Boots.
Anna Kendrick: Add Kendrick to the visitor's list of the Fun Home. Earlier this fall the actress took time to visit the show's child stars backstage — tears and all. But Kendrick's love for theatre isn't new. The "Pitch Perfect" star actually made her Broadway debut as Dinah Lord in High Society at age 12, which garnered her a Tony nomination. More recently, we watched Kendrick lead movie musicals as Cinderella in the 2014 blockbuster adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and as Cathy Hiatt in the 2014 indie flick version of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years.
Mariah Carey: Aladdin isn't the only one whose wishes are being granted at the New Amsterdam Theatre. A sweet sweet fantasy came true when multiple Grammy Award-winning recording artist Mariah Carey paid a visit to the cast of the Disney musical. She even posed for a picture with James Monroe Iglehart in his full Genie garb.
James Franco: On Oct. 19,Franco took in the evening performance of Spring Awakening. The actor-director made his love for the theatre well known earlier this year, as he helped found Rattlestick West — the Los Angeles counterpart to New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Franco made his Broadway debut as George in the stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," starring opposite Chris O'Dowd as Lennie. What's more, Franco has marked himself as a true member of the theatre community with performances in Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS' Broadway Bares and Easter Bonnet Competition.
Rebel Wilson: Comedienne Rebel Wilson showed some love for straight plays when she attended Hand to God. No surprise the actress chose to take in a bit of comedy on her trip to the Great White Way. She even hung out with little devil Tyrone. Wilson's shown some of her own musical comedy chops as Fat Amy in "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2."
Cyndi Lauper: Grammy and Emmy-award winner Cyndi Lauper recently visited Fun Home's "House on Maple Avenue." The singer-songwriter won a Tony Award for Best Original Score in 2013 for her work on Kinky Boots and turned up to support the 2015 winner for Best Original Score. Before writing for Kinky, Lauper made her Broadway acting debut as Jenny in Roundabout Theatre Company's 2006 revival of The Threepenny Opera. But how did she show her true Broadway fandom? She is a composer-lyricist on Patti LuPone's solo album "Matters of the Heart."
Hugh Jackman: We all know that Jackman is a man of many talents, singing on Broadway and Tony-hosting among them. But it's always nice to see the Wolverine show up to support theatre. The Emmy and Golden Globe winner visited Fun Home — even before it won all its trophies. After making his Broadway debut in 2003 as Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz, which earned him the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical, he starred as Jean Valjean in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables. Always giving Broadway his love, Jackman is currently touring Australia with his concert "Broadway to Oz," which chronicles his journey from the Australian outback to Broadway.
A photo posted by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on
Neil Patrick Harris: Though NPH started to feel like the poster boy for Broadway in mainstream media, it's good to know he attends shows even when he's taking a break from performing. Harris visited It Shoulda Been You on opening night to support his husband David Burtka who starred in the show. He left a video message of encouragement for Sierra Boggess after attending the performance. Harris won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical his performance as the titular character in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. A four-time Tony Award host, he also appeared on Broadway in Cabaret, Proof and Assassins.
Laks, the League's former executive vice president and general counsel, has been serving in the role on an interim basis since the departure of Charlotte St. Martin.
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