Tribute to Lena Horne in Symphony Space Concert - NYC - January 11, 2016

Schools That Can, a nonprofit focused on improving urban education, will honor the life and legacy of the late singing actress and civil-rights activist Lena Horne with a benefit concert Jan. 11, 2016, at 7:30 PM at New York City’s Symphony Space.

The concert will feature performances from Tony winner Barbara Cook, Amanda Green, six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, Tony winner Billy Porter, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Lindsay Mendez, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Telly Leung and Justin Guarini.

Lena Horne

Student choirs from the Newark Boys Chorus School and VOICE Charter School will also perform. VOICE, a public K-8 charter school in Long Island City that dedicates two hours each day to singing, will recognize the naming of its upper school as the Lena Horne Campus during the event.

"Kids today need positive role models," said Michael Druckman, founder and executive chair of Schools That Can, in a statement. "This tribute to Lena Horne reminds us all how the life of this legendary woman resonates for young people working to overcome today's opportunity gap."

In 1987 Horne earned the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ Pied Piper Award, which honors entertainers who have made significant contributions to words and music.

"When she accepted, she said, 'These are issues I care about passionately: civil rights and equal opportunities for disadvantaged children,'" recalled Gail Buckley, Horne’s daughter and a collaborator on the concert. "Those issues are more urgent today than ever. I am thrilled about this tribute to benefit Schools That Can, and to celebrate the naming of the Lena Horne Campus of the VOICE Charter School."

Click here for more information.

- See more at: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/barbara-cook-audra-mcdonald-billy-porter-telly-leung-will-pay-tribute-to-lena-horne-in-symphony-space-concert-372229#sthash.3vH1mLAz.dpuf

                                             Justin performing at the Lena Horne Tribute - January 11, 2016

CELEBRITY KARAOKE: An Epic Evening with the Stars - Hard Rock Cafe New York - October 5, 2015

BWW Interview: Justin Guarini is Warming Up His Vocal Chords for CELEBRITY KARAOKE!

byNicole RoskyOctober 3http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Justin-Guarini-is-Warming-Up-His-Vocal-Chords-for-CELEBRITY-KARAOKE-20151003

Broadway rockers Justin Guarini, Deborah Cox, Alex Brightman, and Tony Vincent, are set to rock out at Clear Channel Spectacolor's annual "Celebrity Karaoke: A Epic Evening with the Stars" on Monday, October 5, 2015 at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) at Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square (1501 Broadway). Hosted and co-produced by Guarini, "Celebrity Karaoke" will kick off New York Comic Con's New York Super Week and gives fans the opportunity to perform with a live karaoke band alongside Broadway's brightest stars.

Tickets are $40 for VIP floor seats and $25 for general admission, and are now on sale via TicketWeb here.

Guarini, recently checked in with BroadwayWorld about the upcoming event and you can check out the full interview below!

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Was this your idea? How did you become involved?

Well, I had a production deal with Clear Channel Spectacolor. And I really have to hand the idea and the concept of it to Michelle Henning who is... awesome. She is head of business development at Clear Channel Spectacolor and is just brilliant with strategy. And she really wanted to find a way to bring together the Broadway community, Comic Con, Clear Channel, Hard Rock Cafe... all these wonderful people that we get to work with via Clear Channel. So she approached me with the idea and we started just throwing out things and eventually we came up with it. It took awhile to find a name, but we said, "What's the best way we can get this across? It's Celebrity Karaoke."

But we didn't want to do karaoke like someone up there just playing CDs and MP3s. We want it to be a special experience. This is Comic Con; this is Clear Channel; this is Broadway. We want it to really have a performance aspect to it. So we said we should have a live karaoke band. So Rock Star Karaoke in New York in New York is a great band that does just that. So we partnered with Hard Rock Cafe and partnered with Comic Con to be a part of their Super Week, which is the week leading up to New York Comic Con. So Celebrity Karaoke was born.

So how do things usually go down on the day-of?

It is really...it's something else. There's a lot of moving parts. We have to load in for the band for sure and then we're sound checking. We are making sure that our guest list is right. There's a red carpet that we have there, so we're making sure the red carpet get's set up. So it is a really big process getting everything together, and of course we have our talent coming in. We have Deborah Cox this year. We have Alex Brightman, who is going to be starring in School of Rock. There's Tony Vincent from The Voice. There are some really great people and not only that, but we have winners from the BroadwayWorld.com contest. It is just audience members can get up and sing in front of some pretty high-powered producers in the Broadway world, including Jayne Baron Sherman, who produced Hedwig and the Angry Inch... and Carl Levin of Rock of Ages. There's some really great folks who are going to be there watching and some really great talent that we have on stage. But it's a PROCESS.

And the prize package is pretty awesome, right? I saw that one of the things is a voice lesson with you!

[Laughs] This is one of those things that we really wanted to engage the Broadway community because the Broadway community is so passionate. We, as performers in the Broadway community, love when we have the chance to... whether it's just after the show singing autographs and taking pictures or to put on an event like this, it's really to say "thank you." We only get a chance to say thank you, but there's never a time, or rarely a time, when we say "Hey, come join us. Come up on the same stage that we're on and sing with us."

So that's what I think is really one of my favorite things about this is that people who love Broadway, and even if you just like theatre in general, you can come to this event and you can have the opportunity to get up and sing. Not only just in front of some people that you may know and love in the Broadway community, but in front of high-powered producers, in front of executives, in front of same tastemakers... and if you win you have the opportunity to sit down and have a voice lesson, have a headshot session. I mean, there's a chance to actually have your talent recognized. As opposed to just coming and sitting and seeing other folks sing, you have the opportunity now to have your talent recognized. So, I think that's a really awesome opportunity for folks who might not have had the chance to do that.

I have to ask, what is your go-to karaoke song?

Oh, man. I LOVE two songs, very different songs, but "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John, an awesome song. And then I have a really kind of obscure one, but I really love singing it because it's just awesome, and it's called "This Masquerade" by George Benson. Everyone knows George Benson for the song "Broadway," that's the one everyone knows George Benson from. But he did this other song called "This Masquerade," which is cool because it's very jazzy and R&B. It's just fun for me to sing because it's a challenge.

So, are you in Dallas right now, right?

I'm currently in Dallas doing Moonshine! It's awesome! I mean it's so much fun. It's an honor to get to be a part of a new musical. We're very lucky in the sense that our creative team is just an awesome grouping of people. If you look at the credentials theses people have, it is a powerhouse creative team. There's a powerhouse production team as well. So, when you get to collaborate, ultimately they make the final decisions, but when you get to collaborate or they get to tailor these roles to you, as performer that is a huge honor.

For me, this has been a really wonderful experience. This is the second time I've gotten to be a part of a brand new...to originate a role like this is pretty awesome. I hope it has another life in New York, and I hope I get to be a part of it.

Yeah, I think we all do. And how are the audiences in Texas?

The audiences are great! This is a great show for a southern audience, and it's really funny because it is loosely based on Hee-Haw, the TV show, but it is definitely irreverent and certainly a little naughty but never right on the nose. So it's interesting to see the audience's reaction and to some of the things we do in the show because I think it's unexpected. It's very unexpected, but they ultimately get a kick out of it.

Cool. I hope we get to see it in New York!

You and me both.

So we're just a few days out from Celebrity Karaoke now. What're you most looking forward to for the big night?

The best thing about this year's event, as opposed to last year's, is we have partnered with randomacts.org. That's a global non-profit, and this year we're going to benefit the community soup kitchen outreach center. So we're also accepting non-perishable food donations as well. If you come, bring a little can of something because the ultimate goal of is to help support this charity, which is doing so much for people...not only keeping people fed but also keeping them clothed. So, that's a really really big thing we're proud of this year.

So, looking ahead beyond this I am working on a project in LA, currently. And then I just feel really fortunate that a lot of work has come my way in the theatre, and I'm also going to be putting out a new recording project. Yeah, I'm working on a project for that now. It's exciting. There's a lot going on. I'm trying to cram in a lot, but I'm just very happy to be working. I'm very happy continue the path that I've been on in the theatre, and I'd like to put a little cherry on top of that with some more music because it's been a long time. In 2016, I'm looking forward to continuing on with my love of theatre and reinvesting in music.

Wonderful...thank you for taking the time today, Justin.

Thank you for taking the time to promote this. It's really a wonderful thing, and it's benefiting a great cause. So it's a win-win all around.

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Justin Guarini took second place in the first season of "American Idol" before launching a career in music, television, and Broadway. Currently starring in Dallas Theatre Center's Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical, Guarini made his Broadway debut in 2011 in American Idiot followed by Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Romeo & Juliet, and Wicked.

BroadwayWorld.com

FYI This Masquerade by George Benson

MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical - Dallas Theater Center - September 2-October 11, 2015

Dallas Theater Center website

Book by Robert Horn • Music and Lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally
Directed by Gary Griffin • Choreographed by Denis Jones

Hilarious and downright irreverent, MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical distills the spirit of an iconic television series and bottles it into an original musical comedy! Set in present-day Kornfield Kounty, this highly anticipated show introduces a new generation of irresistible characters as it tells the story of Misty Mae, the ultimate hometown girl who heads out to follow her dreams in the big city… of Tampa. When she returns home to introduce her slick city-boy beau to her friends and family, everything goes haywire! Featuring an original score by Grammy® Best New Artist nominee Brandy Clark and Grammy® Award winning songwriter/producer Shane McAnally (two of today’s most critically acclaimed country music singer / songwriters), a book by Robert Horn, direction by Gary Griffin, choreography by Denis Jones and orchestrations by Tony® and Grammy® Award winner Stephen Oremus, MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical gets the Broadway treatment when it has its eagerly awaited world premiere this fall at DTC.

Fox 4 Interview of Justin re MOONSHINE

Villain: DeBlanks performance to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Bucks County Playhouse Education Department. - June 19, 2015

Laugh until your sides hurt tonight, June 19 at Bucks County Playhouse's late-night comedy benefit performance of Villain: DeBlanks.

After its wild success at 54 Below in New York, Villain: DeBlanks is coming to Bucks County Playhouse for its regional premiere!

Featuring the cast of BCP's smash hit, Company, this side-splitting murder mystery features Villain: Deblanks veteransJustin Guarini (Wicked and American Idol Season 1), John Bolton (A Christmas Story: the Musical), Jennifer Cody(Seussical, Disney's The Princess and the Frog), and Laura Jordan (Cry-Baby, Silence! the Musical), as well as Kate Wetherhead (Legally Blonde, "Submissions Only") and Company Director Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Bridges of Madison County).

All proceeds will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Bucks County Playhouse Education Department.

Read more:  http://www.broadwayworld.com/philadelphia/article/Hunter-Foster-and-More-Set-for-VILLAIN-DEBLANKS-BCEFA-Benefit-at-Bucks-County-Playhouse-20150618#

PHOTOS and Broadwayworld.com article

Wall Street Journal says COMPANY is "outstanding in every way" - June 11, 2015

WSJ

‘Company’ Review: Settle In for a Play About Settling Down

The story of a commitment-phobe gets a 21st-century update.

by

TERRY TEACHOUT

June 11, 2015 4:42 p.m. ET

0 COMMENTS

New Hope, Pa.

The Bucks County Playhouse, a grist mill by the Delaware River that was turned into a theater in 1939, used to be one of America’s top summer-stock houses. Alas, it fell on hard times, closing down in 2010, but now it’s back in business and presenting an increasingly ambitious roster of mainstream shows. When it comes to musicals, you can’t get much more ambitious than “Company,” the 1970 show about modern marriage in whichStephen Sondheim and George Furth rewrote Broadway’s postwar playbook. So I’m thrilled to report that Bucks County’s new production, directed by Hunter Foster, choreographed by Lorin Latarro and starring Justin Guarini as the commitment-phobic, sexually ambivalent Bobby, is outstanding in every way. Not since John Doyle revived “Company” in 2006 have I seen so noteworthy a staging.

Working in tandem with Jason Sherwood and Jennifer Caprio, respectively the set and costume designers, Mr. Foster has chosen to produce “Company” not as a “Mad Men”-style period piece but in a modern-dress-and-cellphones version, discreetly altering the now-whiskery cultural references (Eleanor Roosevelt becomes Ruth Bader Ginsburg) to give it a fresher air. Not only does this approach work dramatically, but Bobby’s morbid fear of settling down is, if anything, more to the point today than it was 45 years ago. The staging, which makes advantageous use of a turntable, speeds the cast from scene to scene with unostentatious fluidity, and Ms. Latarro’s smartly crafted dances never fail to serve the plot.

Mr. Guarini’s splendidly sung Bobby put me in mind of Dean Jones, who created the role in the original Broadway production. Initially affable yet guarded, he opens up in “Being Alive” to overwhelming emotional effect. The 13 actors with whom he shares the stage all give sharply and imaginatively characterized performances. Candy Buckley and Kate Wetherhead, who play Joanne (Elaine Stritch’s old role) and Amy, have the biggest parts and thus make the deepest impressions, but there are no weak links elsewhere in the cast. The pit band is a bit on the small side but very well drilled and rhythmically tight.

Like most summer-stock productions, this one had just two weeks of rehearsal. That so fine a revival of so complex a musical should have been put together on such a tight schedule, however, borders on the miraculous. If all its present-day shows are as strong as “Company,” then the Bucks County Playhouse is surely headed back into the spotlight.

philly.com Interview - May 29, 2015

VIDEO of rehearsals at BCP

For 'American Idol' pioneer Justin Guarini, the play's the thing

Justin Guarini is taking a break from pop for the musical stage. (MANDEE KUENZLE)

Chuck Darrow

POSTED: Friday, May 29, 2015, 3:01 AM

The first thing you notice about Justin Guarini is that he looks nothing like he did when he spent several months as a national obsession on the first season of "American Idol."
Gone is the halo of tight, reddish curls that crowned his boyish, clean-shaven face. Today, the 36-year-old Doylestown native sports black hair cut relatively short, a slightly scruffy black beard and a mustache (all of which give him a passing resemblance to 1950s actor Sal Mineo).

And his professional focus, at least for the time being, is no longer mainstream pop music but show tunes from such works as "Wicked" and Stephen Sondheim's "Company," in which he is starring, tonight through June 21, at New Hope's Bucks County Playhouse.

Although he earned a place in American pop-culture history by being the runner-up (to Kelly Clarkson) on the first season of "Idol," musical theater was where he got his first taste of show business. Ironically, it wasn't at the venerable New Hope venue that sits just a short ride from his hometown of Doylestown, where he continues to live with his wife,Reina, and their three children, ages 2-10.

"I always knew about [the Playhouse], but I wasn't formally introduced to it until I worked here. That was relatively late," offered Guarini, as he sat at the theater's alfresco bar Tuesday evening.

"I heard all about [the theater], but at the time . . . let's just say they didn't have the management then that they have now. And I was so into sports as a kid, I kind of came to theater a little bit later."

Instead, Guarini broke into performing "at this place called the Pied Piper, at the Pipersville Inn," he recalled. "It was a dinner theater. People would come, they would eat and there was a stage that was literally the size of a postage stamp. All of our entrances and exits happened through doorways."

The shows in which he performed were musical revues. "We took a bunch of popular [show tunes] and set a story to them. I will never forget suiting up, putting a fruit hat on my head, a big dress with these fake breasts and singing [the gay anthem] 'I Am What I Am' [from 'La Cage aux Folles'] without really understanding what I was doing. I was 15-16, what did I know about anything? And it was hilarious. I thought it was fun, being with other like-minded individuals. I really owe a lot of my life to that."

Having been "bitten by the bug" at the Pied Piper, Guarini went on to perform in musicals at Central Bucks East High School. In 2002, he was ready to hit the big time, having scored a role in the Broadway production of "The Lion King."

As he had auditioned for the Disney blockbuster previously, accepting the offer to join the New York cast should have been a no-brainer. But, he explained, "all of a sudden, this show nobody ever heard of kind of sticks a fork in the road, and I said to the casting people, 'Hey I'm gonna go out to L.A. and do this thing. I might get cut; can I have a week just to see what happens?' "

What happened, of course, was that he went on to the final "Idol" round and, "for the next seven or eight years, my life was in a completely different universe."

Mostly, his life was an endless round of TV appearances and concerts on the road, but the urge to return to the East Coast ultimately proved to be too strong, and in 2010 he moved back to Doylestown from Los Angeles and looked to Broadway.

His first role, in 2010, was in the Lincoln Center production of "A Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," a musical based on the acclaimed film by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. "It was the most heady experience of my life," he said. "I was around all these [Broadway] veterans. I learned how to behave with that caliber of talent. That was my master class."

Broadway roles in "American Idiot" and "Wicked" followed, as did work in regional productions, including "Chicago" at the Media Theatre.

Today, Guarini is plotting a return to pop music, this time as a singer-songwriter, a path he expects to be on in the near future.

And while his post-"American Idol" career hasn't followed the same chart-topping route as that of Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry, he nonetheless cherishes his time as an "Idol" idol.

"I'm very proud of not only the honor of being on the first season, but I'm proud of how we all were able to set the bar for everyone else to come," he insisted. "It has done wonders for my life, not to mention my career. I have absolutely nothing but love for that show."

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Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New Hope, show times vary, $29-$85, 215-862-2121, bcptheater.org.

philly.com


ZOREN: Justin Guarini has found a home on the stage

Thinking Out Loud/Lean On Me VIDEO - May 27, 2015

Justin Stars in "Company" - Video

Tony Awards Simulcast - Times Square - BWW Interview - simulcast broadcast on June 7, 2015

Kevin York Photography

PHOTOS at Times Square

by Randy RainbowMay 13 http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Deborah-Cox-and-Justin-Guarini-Prep-to-Host-the-2015-Tony-Awards-Simulcast-20150513#

On June 7th, Broadway veterans Deborah Cox (Aida, Jekyll & Hyde) and Justin Guarini (Wicked, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) will host the seventh annual simulcast of the Tony Awards, live from Times Square. The free event, which is open to the public, will feature special guest appearances and live performances. BroadwayWorld recently caught up with the stars on the famed red steps of Duffy Square to chat with them about the big night!

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Tell us about this exciting event and what will be happening here on Tonys night.
Justin Guarini: We are very excited to be hosting the Times Square simulcast. Basically, while the Tonys are happening, as many people as can fill the Square are gonna be able to watch the show on two separate screens. The place is gonna be packed wall-to-wall with Broadway fans, all here to celebrate.
Deborah Cox: It's my first year and I'm so excited about this. It's gonna be a huge, huge party. Also, I think one of the great things is that we'll be able to engage people who may not have even known that the Tonys were happening.
Justin, you're returning as host for a second time. What was the most fun about your experience last year?
JG: The best part was seeing just how much people loved watching the Tonys, and loved watching them live. We also had so many great live performances last year, and this year will be even more amazing. First of all, we have Miss Deborah Cox, so it's already bigger than last year!
What are you most looking forward to about this year's Tonys telecast?
JG: I always look forward to the performances. And you know, unless you're in Radio City Music Hall at the event, you don't get to see the Creative Arts Awards, but we'll be streaming those as well. As performers, we love being recognized for what we do, but there are so many talented people behind every great performance. It's really important that they're celebrated as well.
DC: Well, I just love this time of year. It's a chance to really celebrate all these amazing performers who are there, doing their thing and puttin' it down 8 shows a week! So to be able to bring recognition to them is just awesome.
Care to make any Tony predictions?
JG: This season was so strong and there were so many great shows - I mean, there are every season, but I feel like there was a lot of special stuff going on this year. I just can't wait to see who wins!

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Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming will co-host the 69th Annual Tony Awards® on Sunday, June 7. The show will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City from 8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT, on the CBS Television Network. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Simulcast of the Tony Awards, Times Square - June 7, 2015

by TV News DeskMay 6 http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Justin-Guarini-Deborah-Cox-to-Co-Host-2015-TONY-AWARDS-Simulcast-in-Times-Square-20150506

Clear Channel Spectacolor is partnering with the Tony Awards® and the Times Square Alliance to bring Broadway fans the seventh annual simulcast of the TONY AWARDS in Times Square. The free outdoor event will be hosted by Justin Guarini (Wicked, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, American Idiot, Romeo and Juliet) and Deborah Cox (Aida, Jekyll & Hyde) on Sunday, June 7 from 4:00 - 11:00 p.m.

The annual event gives attendees a chance to be part of the full TONY AWARDS experience, including red carpet arrivals and the full awards show presentation via Clear Channel's SpectacolorHD screens in the heart of the Broadway community-New York City's Times Square.

Guest Appearances, the Red Carpet, the Tony Awards, and More
The Times Square simulcast will feature special guest appearances and performances. In addition, portions of the TONY AWARDS Red Carpet and the entirety of the TONY AWARDS show-including the Creative Arts Awards which can otherwise only be seen live inside Radio City Music Hall-will stream live, giving theatre lovers a front row seat to all of the award show action

The simulcast will take place rain or shine, with full audio and seating for 2,000 guests starting at 4:00 pm on Duffy Square and the Broadway Plaza BETWEEN 46th and 48th St, the heart of Times Square. The event is free and open to the public.

"We are so excited to have Justin return this year alongside the supremely talented Deborah Cox to host this incredible annual event," said Harry Coghlan, President of Clear Channel Outdoor New York. "Clear Channel Spectacolor is thrilled to again serve as a producing partner for such a unique celebration of the Broadway community in the heart of the Great White Way."

"This year's Times Square celebration is going to be star-studded, packed with great performances, and bigger than ever before," noted Guarini. "I couldn't be more honored to have the incredible Deborah Cox as my partner-in-crime as we take the stage to help honor the wonderful shows that make Broadway and New York City one of the premier destinations in the world."

Cox stated, "I'm very excited and thrilled to co-host and perform with Justin Guarini at this year'sTONY AWARDS in Times Square. Performing on Broadway has been an exhilarating experience for me. It is an honor to be a part of the celebration of Broadway's best!"

"We are thrilled to once again partner with Clear Channel Spectacolor, the Times Square Alliance and the city of New York to bring the TONY AWARDS broadcast to the heart of the Theater District - Times Square," said Charlotte St Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing. "The simulcast is the ideal opportunity for local and visiting Broadway fans to enjoy the TONY AWARDS on the big screen and cheer alongside fellow theatre enthusiasts. We look forward to another successful year!"

The Tony Awards, which be hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming, will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS, on Sunday, June 7th, 8:00 - 11:00 PM (ET/PT time delay). The TONY AWARDS are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Clear Channel Spectacolor is co-producer of the 2015 simulcast and an official media partner of the 69thAnnual Tony Awards.

About the Simulcast Hosts
Grammy®-nominated, multi-platinum selling singer and entertainer Deborah Cox has been a force on the R&B and pop charts for over 20 years, with six top 20 Billboard R&B singles and 12 #1 hits on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. Her new single, More Than I Knew was released in early 2015. Cox was discovered by Clive Davis and signed to Arista Records where she released her gold-selling debut album, Deborah Cox, in 1995. Her follow up album, One Wish, produced top-selling hits, including Nobody's Supposed to Be Here, We Can't Be Friends, and It's Over Now. Through live performances and recordings, she has collaborated with CELEBRATED artists and producers ranging from Andrea Bocelli, David Foster and Cyndi Lauper to Sarah McLachlan, Whitney Houston, Kenny "Babyface " Edmonds, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

In addition to a rewarding recording career, Cox has performed as part of the Tony Award-winning Broadway productions of Aida and Jekyll & Hyde. She gave a critically-acclaimed performance singing as THE VOICE of Whitney Houston for Lifetime's recent biopic of the singer, and has recorded extensively for film soundtracks including Akeelah and the Bee, Hotel Rwanda,KINGDOM Come, and Money Talks, among others. In April 2016, Cox will star in the Asolo Repertory Theatre's Broadway-bound musical Josephine. Her forthcoming album, Work of Art will be released in 2015.

Justin Guarini became a household name as the powerful singer who was the season one runner up on American Idol, however, the range of his of his many talents-from hosting and acting to becoming one of the new fresh faces of Broadway-have continued to shine in the years since. Since his starring role on Idol, and performing for sold out crowds both across the country and internationally as part of the Idols Live! tour, Guarini completed two studio albums including Justin Guarini (RCA Records) and Stranger Things Have Happened (Gregorian Music,), as well as cast recordings for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Romeo and Juliet. His big screen debut, From Justin to Kelly, led to additional film and television roles, including on Run of The House, Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, the CMT original series Gone Country, and the theatrical release of Romeo and Juliet. Guarini served as a resident host for the TV Guide Network and for various web series, including a weekly video blog for Fancast-Comcast's premiere online entertainment site.

Most recently, Guarini has emerged as one of the "new" faces of Broadway, having recently completed his fourth role as Fiyero in Wicked. He made his Broadway debut in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and went on to play the role of Will in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of American Idiot, followed by a turn as Paris in the modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. His regional theatre credits include starring roles in Paint Your Wagon, Rent, Chicago, and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat among others.

A Philadelphia native, Guarini began formal music training with the Atlanta Boys Choir and studied vocal performance, dance, theatrical arts, and film and television acting at The University of The Arts in Philadelphia.

Beyond the 140 Interview - 2 hr. interview - April 7, 2015

Justin was a guest.  He shared information about Idol, current projects and played some games on the show. He was the only guest for the entire two hour show. It was a good interview.

Soundcloud

[No longer Available]

Diet Dr Pepper – Lil’ Sweet ‘Birthday’ (2015)

How he became 'Lil Sweet - EW interview

Justin to Lead Bucks County Playhouse's COMPANY, Directed by Hunter Foster - May 29-June 21, 2015

👤by BWW News DeskMarch 19 http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Justin-Guarini-to-Lead-Bucks-County-Playhouses-COMPANY-Directed-by-Hunter-Foster-20150319#

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) Justin Guarini - the breakout star of AMERICAN IDOL and several Broadway musicals and plays - will return to Bucks County Playhouse as Bobby in COMPANY, May 29-June 21.

Playhouse Artistic Associates Hunter Foster and Lorin Latarro, who have joined forces for BCP's SUMMER OF '42, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' and NATIONAL PASTIME, will serve as director and choreographer, respectively. The creative team also includes: Jason Sherwood, Scenic Design; Jennifer Caprio, Costume Design; and Jake DeGroot, Lighting Design.

"Justin immediately came to mind as soon as we entertained the idea of bringing COMPANY to stage at BCP," said producing director Alexander Fraser.

"We are thrilled to have Justin back home at the Playhouse, in a role that is a perfect fit for his extraordinary talent," said executive producer Robyn Goodman.

This marks a homecoming for Mr. Guarani, a native Doylestown in Bucks County. After creating a sensation as the 1st runner up (to Kelly Clarkson) in the very first season of AMERICAN IDOL, Mr. Guarani's career has taken him from music to TV and film, as well as the stage: his numerous Broadway appearances include WICKED, ROMEO AND JULIET, AMERICAN IDIOT, WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN and GOOD VIBRATIONS. He is currently appearing - through March 22 - in the ENCORES! revival of the musical PAINT YOUR WAGON at City Center in New York.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by George Furth, COMPANY has been one of the theatre's most enduring musicals since it debuted in 1970: It's Robert's 35th birthday, and his friends want him to settle down. During a hilarious array of interactions over dinner, drink and even a wedding, "those good and crazy people, my married friends," finally make Robert understand that being alone isn't really being alive.

COMPANY follows Bucks County Playhouse's season opener, the musical NATIONAL PASTIME, running April 2-19. BCP's 76th anniversary season will continues this summer with ON GOLDEN POND and ANIMAL CRACKERS, and closes with IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY in December.

Following last season's Broadway production of Terrence McNally's play MOTHERS AND SONS - which began its journey at Bucks County Playhouse in 2013 - it was recently announced that another BCP production, MISERY, based on Stephen King's novel, will open on Broadway this Fall starring Bruce Willis, marking the 2nd time in three years that a BCP show has landed on the Main Stem.

Alexander Fraser is BCP'S Producing Director; Robyn Goodman is Executive Producer; Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler are Producers.

Tickets to Bucks County Playhouse productions start at $29 and can be purchased by calling 215-862-2121 or online at bcptheater.org

© 2015 Copyright Wisdom Digital Media. All Rights reserved.

Video musical highlights from Paint Your Wagon - March 18, 2015

The Music of Paint Your Wagon

INTERVIEW RE PAINT YOUR WAGON

From the Dressing Room with Justin - March 13, 2015

Pops Concert - March 15, 2015

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Pops Concert 

Featured Event:

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Delaware Valley College
Student Center Auditorium

Two of Bucks County’s rising stars are now tearing up the boards on Broadway, and the Bucks County Symphony has snared them both to be our special Pops guest performers! CB West grad Jenny Lee Stern is currently appearing in “Rocky," and CB East grad Justin Guarini is in the hit-musical “Wicked.” Join us for an evening of Broadway melodies, and help us celebrate the success of two very special home-grown talents!

Justin Guarini

A native of Georgia, Justin Guarini has called Doylestown his home since 1990, and graduated from Central Bucks High School East in 1997.  He studied theater and vocal performance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and attended the School for Film and Television in New York. 

Justin achieved national recognition as a finalist in the first American Idol competition in 2002.  Although he declined a role in the Broadway production ofThe Lion King to participate in the premier season of American Idol, Justin has recently been a featured performer in several Broadway shows, including Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown(Carlos), American Idiot (Will), and Romeo and Juliet (Paris).  He is currently starring as Fiyero in the Gershwin Theatre’s production of Wicked.

Justin has also appeared in numerous regional theater performances, notably Rent (Roger), Chicago(Billy Flynn), Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and the world premiere production of Stephen King and John Mellancamp’s new musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (Drake).  He has appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and as a guest host on Live With Regis and Kelly, and for several years was a host on the TV Guide Network.  Justin’s TV credits include Run Of The House(Fox) and Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney). He has produced two solo albums: Justin Guarini, andStranger Things Have Happened, and recently made his debut at a New York cabaret and restaurant, 54 Below, performing in Lovesick, a show he had created for a February 2014 performance at the Bucks County Playhouse.

Justin, a strong advocate of music in public schools, has served as a national spokes-person in support of music education programs. He has also participated in numerous charity fundraisers for Habitat For Humanity, Rockers On Broadway, and various children’s hospitals across the country.

Justin and his wife, Reina, live in Doylestown with their three children, Lola, William and Asher.

Bucks County Symphony Orchestra

Justin in "Paint Your Wagon" - March 18-March 22, 2015

New York Times review and VIDEO included

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Keith Carradine, Jenni Barber, Justin Guarini & More Set for Lerner and Loewe’s Paint Your Wagon at Encores!

This Lerner and Lowe tuner has found its wand’rin’ stars! Two-time Tony nominee Keith Carradine (Hands on a Hardbody, The Will Rogers Follies) and Alexandra Socha (Fun Home), along with Wickedalums Jenni Barber and Justin Guarini, will headline the previously announcedproduction of Paint Your Wagon. Part of New York City Center’s 2015 Encores! season, the show will be directed by Marc Bruni and choreographed by Denis Jones and run March 18 through March 22.

The Paint Your Wagon cast will also include Robert Creighton, Caleb Damschroder, Nathaniel Hackmann, Robyn Hurder, Melissa van der Schyff, Scott Wakefield and William Youmans, with Darien Crago, Steve Czarnecki, Nicolas Davila, Casey Garvin, Shonica Gooden, Timothy Hughes, Naomi Kakuk, Justin Keyes, Jenny Laroche, Melissa Hunter McCann, Harris Milgrim, Kevin Munhall, Kristin Piro, Robbie Roby, Jason Simon, Kevin Vortmann, Nicholas Ward and Mikey Winslow. Additional casting will be announced later.

Before My Fair Lady and Camelot, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote Paint Your Wagon, a 1951 musical about a dreaming gold prospector (Carradine) whose daughter (Socha) finds gold—and love—changing their lives forever. Paint Your Wagon opened at the Shubert Theatre on November 12, 1951 and ran for 289 performances. Songs include “They Call the Wind Maria,” “I Talk to the Trees” and “Wand’rin’ Star.”

Broadway.com

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