Category Archives: Broadway

Our Broadway run continues as this Dazzler of the Day just opened as the title character in the long-awaited revival of ‘The Who’s Tommy’. Having missed it on its first go-round in the mid-90’s, I’ll be seeing it next month on our return to Broadway trip. Ali Louis Bourzgui has been winning raves as Tommy, and comes with a resume chock-full of notable performances – see the exquisite excerpt from his website below for a better introduction:

I’m a SWANA (Moroccan American) actor, singer, musician and creator based in NYC. You can catch me as Tommy in Des McAnuff and Pete Townshend’s revival of The Who’s Tommy on Broadway (Jeff Award for Performer in a Leading Role for the Goodman Theatre run.) Recent work includes Paul in the Company 1st National Tour, Haled on The Band’s Visit National Tour and playing Young Mazin/Yousif in The Goodman’s World Premiere play, Layalina. You can also hear my voice on the Monkeypaw/Gimlet horror podcast Quiet Part Loud produced by Jordan Peele. Originally from Pittsfield, MA, I’ve always loved nature and every branch of art. When not performing you can usually find me hiking, gardening, geeking out over jazz, playing guitar and writing music. I graduated from the Ithaca College B.F.A. Musical Theatre program and have worked regionally at venues such as The Goodman Theatre, Barrington Stage Co., Theaterworks Hartford, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Group, The Theater Barn, & Ghostlit Rep Theatre Co. I’m also a proud ISF scholar, working actively to increase Arab American/Muslim representation in media in order to improve public opinion and policy. The only thing I love more than what I do is peanut butter…I really love peanut butter.

Joining her co-star in ‘The Great Gatsby’ on Broadway, Eva Noblezada earns her first Dazzler of the Day thanks to her latest turn in the new musical. As Daisy Buchanan, Noblezada has the formidable task of channeling the fractured facets of this inward-centered jewel, which has sometimes been one of the more dangerous and difficult traps of the Gatsby story. Daisy can be seen in so many ways, on so many levels, and the greatest portrayals leave room for interpretation, leaving the viewer wondering what her main motivation might be. After her lauded performances in ‘Hadestown’, ‘Miss Saigon’, and ‘Les Miserables’, along with a pair of Tony nominations,  Noblezada is getting praise for her take on the complex character around which all of Gatsby revolves. I cannot wait to see her next month. 

There’s nothing foolish about this post, as Jeremy Jordan is one of the powerhouse Broadway performers on stage today, and here he earns his crowning as Dazzler of the Day thanks to a career of powerful performances. Many remember him from his star-making turn in ‘Newsies’; my first in-person wonder at his talent came when he originated the main role in ‘Finding Neverland’ at the musical’s Boston try-out (a show that would have possibly fared much better had they not put in a certain someone else for the Broadway shift, but I digress…) Jordan has also been on the big screen in ‘The Last Five Years’, and numerous other theatrical productions such as ‘Rock of Ages’, ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Bonnie & Clyde’. His live performances are the stuff of legend (seek out footage of his key change in Celine Dion’s ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now‘ at one gig and marvel at the rightful audacity he has to pull it off and then some). Currently he is starring in ‘The Great Gatsby’ with Eva Noblezada, which my Mom and I will see next month on our Broadway return. If anyone can capture the enigmatic allure of that fantastic fictional creation by setting it to soaring voice, it’s Jeremy Jordan. See more on his official website here. 

Broadway aficionado, and theatrical showstopper in his own right, Seth Rudetsky has been dazzling audiences throughout his storied career. Not only has he performed in myriad Broadway shows, he’s written a number of books on the subject, and his passion for performance – and performers – is unparalleled. He handily earns this Dazzler of the Day feature for continuing to impress and astound – check out his website here for further evidence of his brilliance. 

With the new trailer for the next season of ‘The Gilded Age’ that was just released, I am once again obsessed with this show from the creator of ‘Downton Abbey’. To that end, this Dazzler of the Day goes to Donna Murphy, whose glorious portrayal of Mary Astor is one of the highlights of the series. From a subdued ferocity that belies her formidable social status, to the icy smiles she bestows upon her enemies, Murphy exhibits a lofty untouchable air that is eons from the legendary performance she gave as Fosca in Stephen Sondheim’s underappreciated ‘Passion’. I distinctly recall her work in that seminal production, and it haunts me to this day. Her role on ‘The Gilded Age’ is much more fun, even as she layers it with nuance and studied diction. Seeing her go head-to-head with Carrie Coon’s Bertha is sure to be the dramatic match-up of the fall season. 

Fresh off their Tony win as Best Leading Actor in a Musical, J. Harrison Ghee earns their first crowning as Dazzler of the Day. With an acclaimed performance in ‘Some Like It Hot’, Ghee is burning up the Broadway boards, which should come as no surprise to those of us who have followed their incendiary career, including on-stage appearances in ‘Kinky Boots‘, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, and ‘Chicago’. I can’t wait to see where they will take us next.  

One of my most enjoyable Broadway experiences was getting to see the original production of ‘Steel Pier’ when it first opened in 1997. Aside from the ferocious appearance of Debra Monk and the broadway debut of a powerhouse sprite named Kristin Chenoweth, it also marked the first Broadway show for Brad Bradley. What I remember most of that show was the incredible troupe of dancers, and how I marveled at what they were doing on that stage – physically defying the limits of the human body for every show – emblematic of the dance competition at the heart of the production. Brad Bradley played Buddy Becker and Mr. Peanut, gamely dancing his way into the heart of every audience. Since then he’s kept going, one long dance of a theatrical journey that has tread throughout Broadway, television, and film. Check out his website here for further evidence of his brilliance. Today he is the Dazzler of the Day for thrilling me all those years ago in ‘Steel Pier’. 

My adoration for Douglas Sills was born instantly, intensely, and irrevocably the moment he set foot onstage as the lead character in ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ in the 90’s. In that show he gave the performance of a lifetime, cementing his stature as a powerhouse in front of an audience, as much as he had proven himself to be behind the camera. His turn as Percy, alternately swashbuckling and fanciful, filled with foppish flourishes and pivoting into deadly-earnest drama at the drop of a feathered hat, was the sort of revelatory showcase that seals a history-making moment on Broadway. I still remember that theatrical season, mostly due to Sills and his indelible creation. Decades later, we would have the privilege and joy of seeing him back on a big Broadway stage with his scene-stealing role in ‘War Paint’ with Patti LuPone (who infamously once flashed him on a dare) and Christine Ebersole (hello Big and Little Edie). Lately, he’s been giving hearts a tug on the Broadway-infused fabulousness that is ‘The Gilded Age‘, where his pseudo-French chef proved one of the downstairs highlights of the first season. I can’t wait to see where he takes us next – until then he is the Dazzler of the Day. 

If her impressive body of Broadway work wasn’t enough to merit this honor, her turn on last night’s Tony Awards certainly cements the deal. This is Joaquina Kalukango, who also won a Tony Award last night for her soul-seering work in ‘Paradise Road’. Today she earns this Dazzler of the Day, and is no doubt on her way to more compelling accolades.

This marks Ricky Schroeder’s second appearance as Dazzler of the Day, following his very first time here, and it’s a well-deserved honor, timed to coincide with his fundraising efforts for the 30th anniversary of Broadway Bares, which raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Schroeder has been one of stand-outs in that entertaining enterprise (this is his tenth year taking part), and looks to continue that red-hot streak as the show returns to its live, in-person glory. 

{Check out his fundraising page here, and spread the good word.}

Theatrical force-of-nature Ramin Karimloo is an Olivier and Tony Award nominated stage icon, who earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to his upcoming role in Broadway’s revival of ‘Funny Girl’. If there’s one show I want to see this season, that is definitely it. Check out Karimloo’s website here for a more comprehensive view of his impressive accomplishments.