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April 9th, 2013
11:18 AM ET

Actors George Wendt and Cory Michael Smith take on Broadway adaptation of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'

Truman Capote's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is best known for the 1961 film adaptation starting Audrey Hepburn. It's now on Broadway, starring "Game of Thrones" actress Emilia Clarke as Holly Golightly.

One costar is George Wendt, also known as Norm from "Cheers," in the role of Holly's bar owner friend Joe. And in his Broadway debut, Cory Michael Smith plays Fred, the neighbor and friend of Holly.

John Berman had the chance to sit down with Wendt and Smith to talk about their roles in the iconic play.


Filed under: Broadway
March 27th, 2013
11:09 AM ET

Actor Courtney Vance a 'Lucky Guy' in new Broadway show

From Hollywood to the Great White Way, Tom Hanks is making his Broadway debut as "New York" newspaper columnist Mike McAlary. He stars alongside two-time Tony nominee Courtney B. Vance, who plays McAlary's editor Hap Hairston. The play is also the final work of the late three-time Academy Award nominee Nora Ephron.

On "Starting Point" this morning, Vance talks with Soledad about the role, and coming back to Broadway after decades working in Hollywood.


Filed under: Broadway • Entertainment
January 25th, 2013
09:48 AM ET

Celebrating 25 years of 'The Phantom of the Opera' on Broadway – Stars Hugh Panaro and Sierra Boggess on what keeps the audience returning for more

Broadway’s beloved musical, “The Phantom of the Opera,” marks its 25th anniversary on Broadway this year. The longest-running show in Broadway history and the winner of seven Tony awards, including best musical, the New York production has played more than 10,000 performances since it opened in 1988. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic has been seen by nearly 15 million people and grossed over $850 million.

Hugh Panaro and Sierra Boggess star in the current Broadway production as the Phantom and the ingénue Christine, respectively. They’ll be appearing in the show this weekend when it celebrates its 25th year, and spend some time in the "Starting Point" studio today before the big curtain call.

Boggess feels the show owes its success to Webber’s score. “It’s one of the most gorgeous, most lush, most romantic scores ever written and everyone knows it. It’s amazing.” Boggess says. “People who haven't even seen a Broadway show know “The Phantom of the Opera’s” score."

Panaro, who has performed in the musical roughly 3,ooo times, says the audience makes the show different each time. “I think the beauty of live theater is that you have a brand new audience every single night and you have children who may have never seen a Broadway show before and it's their first, you know, foray into musical theater,” Panaro says. “I feel like we have almost a job to keep it fresh no matter what because we might be inspiring that future Phantom or Christine.”


Filed under: Broadway • Entertainment • Musical • Musical Theater