UPDATE ON TONA KAY’S CANCER FIGHT
We recently received news about our friend, Tonya Kay. You may know her as the interviewer seen in A4D videos. In the spring of 2020, Tonya was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, an uncommon type of breast cancer. As the pandemic took hold around the world, she was told the words no one ever wants to hear, ‘You have cancer.’
Here’s the most recent update from Tonya:
‘Hey everybody. It’s Tonya Kay writing. Since last updating you, I had three more cryoablations, caught a hefty case of COVID, and had an appendectomy.
I keep waiting for things to get better before I write to you. Psychology makes zero sense, right?
Well … last week I went back to Los Angeles for my 6-month cancer scans and they did find a new suspicious area, so we biopsied again. The results are in and I do have a new spot of active cancer in the same breast.
I always wanna be the positive clown who gives the impression that I’ve got my weird life together or at least that I’ve signed a peace treaty with chaos, but I’m feeling defeated and deflated.
Okay hang in there, anyone who is going through it. And keep shining to those who are blessed. When you strip everything back we’re all just staying alive as long as we can.’
Tonya has a Go Fund Me page to help with her expenses. Any size donation makes it possible for medical treatment for this amazing person who continues to fight through this most difficult challenge.
DONATE & READ TONYA’S FULL STORY HERE >
Donations toward this Go Fund Me page are going directly to Tonya through a 501(c)3 nonprofit, Kalopsia, so your donation is tax deductible.
Tonya in action in one of her many A4D videos. Use this image to watch.
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Broadway League has announced that Broadway theaters will be allowed to drop their mask mandates starting July 1. The League described the new policy as “mask optional,” and said it would be re-evaluated monthly.
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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - THE FIRST TWO DANCERS GO HOME
 This week’s episode opened with the Top 12 dancers doing a group routine to Aura by Lady GaGa. After that, Ralyn & Carter kicked off the performances with a Contemporary piece to Mindless Town choreographed by Teddy Forance. Alexis & Keaton rocked a Cha Cha choreographed by Dancing With The Stars pro couple, Danielle Karagach and Pasha Pashkov to I Like it Like That. Virginia & James delivered a Jaci Royal choreographed Contemporary dance to Sleeping At Last. Virginia had one of the strongest performances of the night. Jordan & Waverly rocked out a Jazz number choreographed by Dominique Kelly. They danced to Can’t Buy Me Love by Michael Bublé. Anna & Beau delivered a Contemporary routine choreographed by Talia Favia to Exile. To cap off the performances, Essence & Thiago hit the stage with a Hip Hop number to The One, choreographed by Mel Charlot. Immediately after the final dance, Cat Deeley opened the voting to the studio audience. Once the votes were tallied, the bottom four dancers were revealed. They were Jordan, James, Waverly, and shockingly, Virginia was in that group. Break to commercial and the Judges deliberated who they would send home. In the end, James and Virginia were both sent home. Next week’s theme will be Trip Around the World.
THE 2022 CHITA RIVERA AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED
 Winners were announced on June 20 for the 2022 Chita Rivera Awards! The ceremony honored outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles on Broadway and off-Broadway. Also honored was outstanding choreography in film that opened pre-Covid in the 2021-2022 season. The Tony-nominated revival of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf took home two awards, including Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show and Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show for Tendayi Kuumba’s performance. Paradise Square’s Tony-nominated Bill T. Jones, Garrett Coleman, and Jason Oremus received Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show. Tony winner Myles Frost of MJ and Tony nominee Jared Grimes of Funny Girl tied for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show. Annie-B Parson, who choreographed David Byrne’s American Utopia, received the Douglas & Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award. The 2022 Chita Rivera Awards celebrated excellence in Off-Broadway musical theater by presenting two special awards. Josh Prince won for Trevor for Outstanding Choreography in an off-Broadway show and the Outstanding Ensemble in an off-Broadway Show was awarded to The Wrong Man. Outstanding Choreography for a Theatrical Release was awarded to tick…tick…Boom! for choreographer Ryan Heffington and assistant choreographer Jenny Griffin. Finally, the Outstanding Direction of a Documentary Release was a tie between First Try, directed by Josh Prince and Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, directed by John Carluccio. The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation.
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COMPANY SETS BROADWAY CLOSING; SHOW TO TOUR IN 2023-24
 The revival of Stephen Sondheim’s and George Furth’s Company, the most honored musical of the Broadway season including the 2022 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, will play its final performance at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on July 31. A North American tour of Company is planned for the 2023-2024 season. When it ends its run, Company will have played 300 performances (268 regular performances and 32 preview performances). Company began preview performances on March 2, 2020. Following the Broadway shutdown, resumed previews on November 15, 2021. The production was in previews when on November 26, 2021, Broadway suffered the loss of composer Stephen Sondheim. This production of Company was the last Broadway production of his work he saw to fruition before his passing at age 91.
BETH LEAVEL, TAYLOR IMAN JONES & FULL CAST SET FOR WORLD PREMIERE OF THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
 Tony winner Beth Leavel and Taylor Iman Jones are confirmed to take on the roles of Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs in the world premiere of The Devil Wears Prada. They were announced in 2019 and will begin its world premiere at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre on July 19. Anna D. Shapiro directs the new musical, which is based on the movie of the same name and features a book by Kate Wetherhead, music by Elton John, and lyrics by Shaina Taub. MTV Video Music Award winner James Alsop choreographs. The cast features Javier Muñoz, Christiana Cole, Megan Masako Haley, Tiffany Mann, Michael Tacconi, and Christian Thompson. The Devil Wears Prada focuses on Runway Magazine and the conflict assistant Andy Sachs faces working for Editor-in-Chief, Miranda Priestly.
TITANIQUE GETTING READY TO MAKE WAVES OFF BROADWAY
Titanique, the new musical send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic, featuring the songs of Céline Dion, is coming to The Asylum Theatre. Co-written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle, and Constantine Rousouli, and directed by Blue, Titanique officially opened June 23, 2022 and will run through September 25. Leading the cast are the show’s co-authors Mindelle as Céline Dion and Rousouli as Jack; alongside Frankie Grande as Victor Garber, Kathy Deitch as Molly Brown, Ryan Duncan as Ruth, Alex Ellis as Rose, John Riddle as Cal, and Jaye Alexander as The Iceberg. Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert features My Heart Will Go On, All By Myself, and To Love You More. Titanique features choreography by Ellenore Scott (Broadway’s Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night).
Fresh from earning an EGOT with the Best Musical Tony win for A Strange Loop, Jennifer Hudson’s daytime talk show has a premiere date. The Jennifer Hudson Show will air on Fox beginning on September 12, which is also her birthday… Former Pretty Woman: The Musical castmates, Samantha Barks and Alex Stoll, have announced they are married… James Rado, the Tony and Grammy-winning co-creator of the fan-favorite musical Hair, died peacefully on June 21 in New York City surrounded by his family; the cause was cardio respiratory arrest. He was 90…
BEANIE FELDSTEIN & JANE LYNCH TO DEPART FUNNY GIRL THIS FALL
 It has been announced that Beanie Feldstein and Jane Lynch will depart Funny Girl on September 25. Funny Girl stars Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice, Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, 2022 Tony Award nominee Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, and five-time Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch as Mrs. Rose Brice. Tony Award winner Michael Mayer directs this brand-new Funny Girl, featuring the classic score by Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award winner Jule Styne and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner Bob Merrill, (comprising additional songs from Styne & Merrill). The original book by Isobel Lennart, from an original story by Miss Lennart, is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. Choreography is by Ellenore Scott and Ayodele Casel (tap).
WORLD PREMIERE OF WATER FOR ELEPHANTS MUSICAL SET FOR ATLANTA’S ALLIANCE THEATRE NEXT SUMMER
 The new musical Water for Elephants, based on the novel of the same name by Sara Gruen, will have its world premiere at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre next summer. The musical is helmed by Kimberly Akimbo director Jessica Stone and features a book by Rick Elice and a score by PigPen Theatre Co. It will have a sneak peek presentation in NYC on June 27 and 28. Water for Elephants is an adventure filled with romance, deception, and magic under the big top of a traveling circus. Running toward a new life, Jacob Jankowski hitches a ride on a mysterious train. When ringmaster August brings in Rosie the elephant as the new star attraction, Jacob and August’s wife Marlena join forces to train her. Jacob and Marlena’s shared compassion develops into love and August’s cruel nature surfaces.
WEST SIDE STORY’S JOSH ANDRES RIVERA JOINS HUNGER GAMES PREQUEL
 West Side Story breakout stars Rachel Zegler and Josh Andres Rivera are teaming up for another movie. Rivera has joined Lionsgate’s Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Rivera will play Sejanus Plinth, the mentor to a tribute from District 2 and a close friend of young Coriolanus Snow, who will be played by Tom Blyth. Zegler will star as Lucy Gray, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. The adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel will debut in theaters worldwide on November 17, 2023. Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the four Hunger Games films, returns to helm. Lionsgate’s four-film franchise, which starred Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, earned over $3 billion globally when it wrapped up in 2014.
Modern Irish dance and magic show Celtic Illusion has canceled its off-Broadway run. The production was originally announced to begin performances at New World Stages on June 30 and have a limited run through September 11. Lord of the Dance star Anthony Street created, choreographed, and stars in the stage show. They hope to try again in the future to bring the show to New York City… The Book of Mormon alums Nic Rouleau and Corey Hummerston have tied the knot! They were married on June 19 in Hudson, New York at Burkestone Estate by longtime Book of Mormon castmate and Olivier Award winner Stephen Ashfield…
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