Theater stars Andrea Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Will Swenson will appear in the third episode of Side by Side by Susan Blackwell, the original Broadway.com series hosted by Susan Blackwell ([title of show]). The episode will premiere on Monday, February 8, 2010.
Martin is an acclaimed lady of the stage and screen. She become a comedy icon for her work on the sketch series SCTV, which earned her two Emmy Awards for writing. She won a Tony Award for My Favorite Year in 1993 and has additionally been nominated for Candide, Oklahoma! and Young Frankenstein. Her other Broadway credits include Fiddler on the Roof and Exit the King. On the big screen, she has appeared in the films My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Wag the Dog, among others.
Miranda burst onto the Broadway scene in 2008 as composer, lyricist, conceiver and star of the hit musical In the Heights. Miranda received a Tony Award for best score for the show (and an additional nomination for his acting), which was also named Best Musical. He also won 2008 Broadway.com Audience Awards for Favorite Breakthrough Performance and Favorite New Broadway Song for the show’s title song. Miranda is currently adapting In the Heights for Hollywood, and is set to reprise his leading role of Usnavi for the upcoming movie version, set to start filming later this year. Miranda also provided Spanish lyrics for several of the iconic songs of West Side Story when the current Broadway revival opened last season.
Swenson is currently starring as Berger in the hit Broadway revival of Hair, a performance that earned him a 2009 Tony Award nomination. He will reprise his role in the upcoming London production of the show, which starts April 1 at the Gielgud Theatre. He was previously seen on Broadway in Brooklyn, Lestat and 110 in the Shade. He won a 2009 Broadway.com Audience Award in the category of Favorite Onstage Pair, an honor shared with Hair co-star Gavin Creel.
Conceived, written and hosted by Susan Blackwell, Side by Side by Susan Blackwell premiered in December on Broadway.com. In each monthly episode, Blackwell spends a fabulous morning, noon and night with three stage stars. Past episodes have featured Laura Benanti, Gavin Creel, Sutton Foster, Jonathan Groff, Beth Leavel and Kelli O’Hara. Side by Side by Susan Blackwell is produced and directed by Paul Wontorek, with Jason Dickerson serving as co-producer.
To watch Side by Side by Susan Blackwell, click here.