Monday, October 19, 2009

Jonathan Groff to Join Spring Awakening Co-Star Lea Michele on Glee



Well who didn't see this coming?

EW's Michael Ausiello reports that Jonathan Groff will join his Spring Awakening co-star Lea Michele for 5-6 episodes this spring on the hit Fox show Glee, playing the lead singer of rival show choir Vocal Adrenaline. Groff, who received a Tony nomination for playing Melchior in Awakening, recently appeared in Central Park in The Bacchae, and onscreen as Michael Lang in Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock.

According to series creator Ryan Murphy, Groff's character is “a male diva…a miva.” He will also be a potential love interest for Michele's character Rachel Berry. We know how steamy their Spring Awakening love scenes were -- can there be more in store on Glee?

Can't wait!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Listen to a Clip of American Idol champ Kris Allen's New Single "Live Like We're Dying"

I'm a big Kris Allen fan. Big. And I couldn't be more excited that the 23-second clip below of his rumored new single "Live Like We're Dying" sounds AWESOME. Like, One Republic meets Jason Mraz AWESOME. It's a cover of a song by a band called The Scripts, but since no one's ever heard of them, or the song, who the heck cares? The song is (have I mentioned?) AWESOME!

Listen below and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Idol Thoughts Interviews So You Think You Can Dance's Nigel Lythgoe


I just got off the phone with Nigel Lythgoe, and here's a few nuggets of information he shared about Season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance:

-Because of scheduling issues, the season finale episode will feature the Top 6, instead of the usual Top 4. This was to avoid starting with a "Top 18". By my estimations, this would put the finale on December 16, 2009.

-Adam Shankman joining the show does not mean the end of guest judges -- in fact, Jennifer Lopez, a big fan of the show, has expressed interest in joining the panel, and Nigel still hopes to get Paula Abdul from time to time.

-If the show is not successful in the fall Nigel expects it will return to the summer -- he can't imagine Fox would throw the baby out with the bathwater.

-Nigel thinks this past season was booooooooooooring, and though the dancers were technically adept, he thought they were seriously lacking in personality.

-He thinks Danny Tidwell is the best dancer the show has had, and thinks Travis Wall was a better dancer than Benji Schwimmer, and, in this past season, Brandon was a better dancer than Jeanine.

Episode 2 of the new season of SYTYCD airs tonight!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

SYTYCD's Will Wingfield Joins Broadway's "In The Heights"


So You Think You Can Dance is taking over the world!

First Lacey Schwimmer, Dmitry Chaplin and Chelsie Hightower infiltrated Dancing with the Stars, Travis Wall returned triumphantly as a choreographer on the show, Kherington Payne got cast in the remake of Fame and Neil Haskell showed up Off-Broadway in Altar Boyz and on Broadway in 9 to 5. Now Season 4's Will Wingfield will be the new "Graffiti Pete" in In the Heights!

I saw Will, who was egregriously kicked off in the Top 8 of SYTYCD two seasons ago, this summer at City Center Encore's The Wiz, where he played the head monkey. Though he didn't have much to do, he danced fabulously, and certainly had more energy than star Ashanti. I mean...

Also coming to the Great White Way this fall is Season 3 runner-up Danny Tidwell, who will be a featured dancer in Memphis. Love!

Now we just gotta find a place for Katee Sheean and Janette Manrara!

So You Think You Can Dance Season Six Top 20 Spoilers - Who Made the Cut?



We just finished So You Think You Can Dance Season Five, and already its time to focus on Season Six. I know there's a risk of too much of a good thing, but I, for one, am thrilled we get two seasons of my favorite reality show back-to-back. Bring on the dance!

Sytycdism.com is reporting some spoilers of which dancers made it to Las Vegas, and as of today, they're saying the Top 20 has not been officially selected. For now, then, take a look at the list of folks who made the cut, and who got cut. You know the deal -- if you want to be surprised when Season 6 debuts on September 9th, don't look!

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!


**All news courtesy of sytycdism.com. Take with a grain of salt.

Before we get to the full list, here's one big one for ya -- Evan Kasprzak's brother Ryan, who got tons of screen time in the audience during SYTYCD Season Five, got the boot. Guess they are not the new Benji and Lacey Schwimmer after all!

NOTABLE CUTS
- Romulo Villaverde - Janette's audition partner for S4, S5
- Arielle Coker - auditioned for season 5 last year with Philip Chbeeb (S5)
- Megan Kinney - Caitlin Kinney's (S5) sister

STILL IN CONTENTION
Guys
- Jakob Karr (contemporary) - Married to Jeanine Mason on Facebook, "The Male Jaimie Goodwin", NYCDA National Outstanding Male Senior 2008
- Nathan Trasoras (contemporary/hip hop) - The 17 Now 18 Year Old Eye Candy
- Billy Bell (contemporary) - Jeanine Mason's Prom Date, West Coast Dance Explosion National Senior Elite 2008, Juilliard student
- David Hovhannisyan (ballet) - Principal with the Milwaukee Ballet
- Brandon Dumlao (hip hop) - Funkanometry SF company member
- Trump Card (contemporary) - BeyonD Dance Convention faculty member
- Victor Smalley (contemporary) - Another dancer from Miami
- BBoy Legacy (breakdancing/hip hop) - Perhaps the best bboy to be on SYTYCD
- Peter Sabasino (tap) - Tap dancer who auditioned S4
- Phillip Atmore (tap) - Really talented tapper
- Jeroboam Bozeman (contemporary/ballet?) - Tall, has a cool name

Girls
- Paula VanOppen (contemporary) - Trained at Dance Precisions with Kherington, Nathan
- Jacki Ford (contemporary/jazz) - Joey Dowling's sister
- Mollee Gray (contemporary) - HSM dancer, trained at The Dance Club (Randi, Allison)
- Bianca Revels (tap) - Hailed best female tapper to audition on SYTYCD
- Alexie Agdeppa (contemporary) - Beautiful dancer from Los Angeles
- Channing Cooke (contemporary) - Travis Wall likes her I think
- Pauline Mata (contemporary) - auditioned season five

** About four ballroom dancers in the bunch (2 boys, 2 girls); none of the girls as hot as Chelsie Hightower. One of the couples is married. There was another championship couple during Vegas but got cut.

Thoughts?