Jason Tam, one of Broadway’s popular singer-actors with roots in Hawaii, continues to develop his catalogue of credits.
You might remember him as the apostle Peter when NBC Live staged “Jesus Christ Superstar” on TV or as Paul San Marcos in the last revival of “A Chorus Line,” which earned him accolades.
Tam will portray John McCain, the late Republican senator from Arizona, in the world premiere of an upcoming off-Broadway musical satire, “Ghost of John McCain,” opening Sept. 24 at the SoHo Playhouse after a series of previews beginning Sept. 3.
Featuring a book by Scott Elmegreen and a score by Drew Fornarola, “Ghost of John McCain” is described as “an uproarious exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition” and “the ticket we need during the election cycle from hell.”
The plot envisions McCain –the former U.S. senator from Arizona, who served as a Naval officer before turning to politics – amid an unusual heavenly environment.
With its political spin, with an election forthcoming, the show is timely with other lead players including Luke Kolbe Mannikus as Donald Trump and Zonya Love as Kamala Harris.
When McCain awakens in the afterlife, he finds himself trapped inside the mind of former president Trump, alongside a quasi-Greek Chorus of other public figures: Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Perón, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, and Lindsey Graham. In order to escape, the motley crew is forced to engage in a high-stakes debate over life, legacy, and American values.
Catie Davis will direct…
Martin Nievera to mark 42nd anniversary
Martin Nievera, known as the Concert King of the Philippines, will celebrate his 42nd anniversary as a show biz veteran, with a performance at 8 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The venue, also known as The Big Dome, is located in Araneta City in the Cubao are of Quezon City, in the Philippines.
Nievera has performed numerous times in Hawaii and watched the Society of Seven shows regularly at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel, because his dad, Roberto Nievera, was the resident romantic singer.
He attended Kaiser High School and graduated from a Concord, Calif. school. It was his exposure to the SOS performances that piqued his interest in becoming a crooner himself.
In the Philippines, he became a recording artist, a concert performer, a TV star and movie leading man, creating a brand crossing all facets of entertainment. The concert focus has become his signature…
‘Wicked’ tops ‘Lion’ in Broadway grosses
Something “Wicked” this way comes
Last week brought an interesting mix at the pinnacle of Broadway shows. Could all those filmic pitches, about the Thanksgiving arrival of “Wicked,” the movie, fuel the New York musical production to leap to No 1, dethroning “The Lion King”?
And what’s with “The Wiz”? It jumped up on the Yellow Brick Road to No. 4 this week. Further, “Hell’s Kitchen” dropped from No. 4 to No. 6.
The Top 10:
1—”Wicked,” $2.226 million
2—”The Lion King,” $2.136 million.
3—”Hamilton,” $1.947 million.
4—”The Wiz,” $1.683 million.
5—”Aladdin,” $1.594 million.
6—”Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.544 million,
7—”Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” $1.504 million.
8—”The Outsiders,” $1.486 million.
9—”MJ the Musical,” $1.324 million.
10—”Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $1.317 million.
The entire list, courtesy the Broadway League:
And that’s Show Biz…