Brian Stokes Mitchell dishes about 'Glee' at his Broad concert

In addition to being known as one of Broadway’s top leading men, Brian Stokes Mitchell is fast becoming familiar to television audiences as one of Rachel Berry’s dads on Fox's “Glee.” So it came as no surprise during his concert Friday on the Broad Stage in Santa Monica when he took a moment to ask if there were any “Gleeks" -- that is, followers of the TV phenomenon -- in the house. While there was applause in response to the question, it seemed Mitchell's fans are not the hooting and hollering kind.

He then talked of his history with Lea Michele, who plays Rachel. The two first shared the stage in the original Broadway cast of “Ragtime” when Michele was 8.  They have since appeared together in the 2008 Hollywood Bowl production of “Les Misérables,” he as Javert, she as Eponine.

“I watched her grow up,” he told the audience.

At a post-concert reception in the Broad lobby, in answer to questions about “Glee,” Mitchell said: “I’m having a ball on ‘Glee.’ It’s a joy to be working there -- the whole cast is so talented.” He said he was hired for three shows and hopes he will have the chance to sing with Michele in a future episode. So far two of the episodes have aired with Mitchell and Rachel's other TV dad, Jeff Goldblum.

Mitchell earned his first Tony nomination for “Ragtime” and additional nominations for “Man of La Mancha” and “King Hedley II.” He won the best actor Tony for the musical “Kiss Me, Kate.”

L.A. Opera celebrates Verdi at 'Simon Boccanegra' party

Opera star Plácido Domingo and conductor James Conlon have worked together all over the world. Yet “Simon Boccanegra,” which opened Saturday at Los Angeles Opera, marked the first time the two have teamed for an opera by Giuseppe Verdi.

At the opening night after-party on the fifth floor of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Domingo thanked donors for making that Verdi collaboration possible. Domingo serves as general director of L.A. Opera and Conlon as its music director.

“We were waiting, James and myself, because even though we have worked across the years on many occasions, this was our first Verdi together,” Domingo said. “So to have the pleasure to do it here it was really, really extraordinary.”

The boisterous applause following the production continued into the late-night buffet supper. Addressing the dinner guests, L.A. Opera Chairman Marc Stern ticked off Domingo’s many accomplishments, which include 138 roles, 3,500 career performances, 100 opera recordings and 12 Grammy Awards, then added: “Honestly, all of that was nothing more than a rehearsal -- or a warm-up -- for what [Domingo] did tonight.”

Gustavo Dudamel, Herbie Hancock hit L.A. Phil's 'Blue' gala

The neon sign, "Rhapsody in Blue," marked the entrance to the tent on Grand Avenue, where a fundraising gala followed the Los Angeles Philharmonic's season-opening all-Gershwin concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Tuesday's after-concert party attracted actors William Shatner and Don Johnson, music legends John Williams, Quincy Jones and David Foster, and more than 600 other guests.

In keeping with a period theme, the tent had been transformed into a 1930s supper club with draped ceilings, damask walls, banquettes, ostrich feathers and vintage photos of movie idols. In a flashback to earlier days, there were matches and cigarettes on the tables, although for the smoke-free 21st century, the cigarettes were made of candy.

Throughout the evening, well-wishers swarmed the man-of-the-moment Gustavo Dudamel, conductor of the evening's George Gershwin classics, from the moment he arrived with his wife Eloisa Maturén.  

"I really love this music," Dudamel said. "It's so natural. It's so free and it's so fun to play. I was looking forward for many years to conducting Gershwin." And the L.A. Phil's music director indeed meant many years, saying, "I was conducting [Gershwin] as a kid in my house," naming as his then-favorite piece "An American In Paris," which the Phil also performed Tuesday.

Vanessa Hudgens, Joe Manganiello hit Cirque du Soleil 'Iris' debut

Sunday's world premiere of Cirque du Soleil's new movie-themed production, "Iris," created especially for its home in Hollywood, called for a gala celebration. So the partying began before the show and then picked up again full speed after the finale.

Both shindigs were star-studded affairs, with an opening-night audience that included Vanessa Hudgens of "High School Musical," Joe Manganiello of "True Blood," Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Kate Beckinsale, Matthew McConaughey, James Gandolfini, Anne Heche, director James Cameron, Christina Hendricks of "Mad Men," Geoffrey Arend of "Body of Proof," Kevin Dillon of "Entourage," Chloe Moretz of "Let Me In," George Kotsiopoulos of "Fashion Police," and Cherry Jones of "24."

Given that the centerpiece was a circus, albeit of a glamorous and sophisticated sort, many celebrities, such as director Jon Favreau, Patrick Dempsey of "Grey's Anatomy," Iqbal Theba of "Glee," Kim Raver of "24" and Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, had their families in tow.

Before the show, on exiting the arrivals red carpet, guests joined the party on Hollywood Boulevard, which was closed off and carpeted for the evening -- the usual traffic replaced by food stands offering sushi, tacos, desserts and other goodies. Models dressed as old-fashioned cigarette girls threaded their way through the crowd, carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres, candy cigarettes and iced wine.

The stars come out for Festival of New American Musicals' closing night

An impressive lineup of talent, including Kristen Bell, John Stamos, Rita Wilson, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Drew Carey and others, provided a tuneful ending Saturday to the 4th annual Festival of New American Musicals. The Hollywood actors, along with acclaimed songwriters and inspiring young artists, previewed their new shows, sang theater songs, improvised musical sketches and mingled with the estimated 200 festival supporters who turned up for the celebration.

Bob Klein, one of the festival's executive producers, said that the festival has presented 132 shows, including 16 world premieres, with more than 1,000 performances in 83 venues throughout Southern California. (Marcia Seligson and Linda Shusett are the festival's other two executive producers.) It was also announced that Darren Criss, who plays Blaine Anderson on "Glee," has been named spokesperson for the 2012 Festival of New American Musicals. Although Criss had previously been announced as a participant in the Saturday event, organizers said he was unable to come. 

Plans for L.A. Phil season-opening gala begin with food tastings

 


"We have Gustavo and Gershwin, and Herbie Hancock too -- what could be better than that?" said Joan Hotchkis, co-chair of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's annual gala, happening Sept. 27 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Hotchkis was referring to the season-opening concert, which will be conducted by Gustavo Dudamel with Herbie Hancock on the piano. On the program: Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture,” “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris.”  But for Hotchkis, there's more to the evening: the dinner that will follow for donors who pay $2,500 to $15,000 for tickets to the gala. (Tickets without the dinner run $98 to $255.)

A gourmet meal and dancing will follow the concert in an adjacent tent styled to resemble a 1940s supper club, with banquettes, damask accessories and other period touches, according to event planner Gai Klass. To ensure the menu befits the occasion, the event committee met Thursday at Disney's Founders Room to review possible contenders for the hors d'oeuvres, appetizer, main course and dessert.

The tasting began with six hors d’oeuvres, from which four would be chosen. As flavorful as the samples seemed, however, decisions had to be based upon practicality. Gone were the lobster wontons for fear their sauce might drip on a dress; next the Hoisin duck spring rolls, delicious though they were, disappeared because they would take too many bites for guests holding a glass of wine.