Broadway Comes To The White House!

Our First Lady with performers from the Joy of Motion dance troup at today's White House rehearsal. Photos/CD Brown.

The White House is celebrating Broadway this evening with a little help from a few local students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the Joy of Motion Dance Center, continuing the White House Music tradition of celebrating the arts and demonstrating the importance of arts education with its Performances At The White House series.

"This is exactly what we envisioned happening when we started this music series, opening up this White House to just so many original forms of music. And we’re going to have Broadway right here in the East Wing tonight, and it is phenomenal", said an enthusiastic First Lady.

Performers at the White House. Photo/CD Brown.

Earlier today, we got a sneak peek from what is forthcoming in tonight's salute to Broadway (to be aired on PBS October 20th at 9:00 p.m) that featured a segment from the Broadway show Hairspray, led by choreographer Jerry Mitchell.

Mitchell, who instructed the dancers during the rehearsal to straighten their arms just a bit higher during the rehearsal, was met with a bit of opposition when the First Lady questioned his recommendation.

"What's wrong with it?", asked the First Lady who was clearly enjoying the rehearsal of You Can't Stop The Beat as she could be seen dancing in her seat.

"I see nothing wrong with it", she said.

With many of the performers getting their first chance to be on TV, Mitchell wants everything to be perfect.

Especially since the entire First Family will be in attendance.

"Grandma’s coming, Malia, Sasha -- Bo, if he wouldn’t bark. But he’s not allowed to come", said the First Lady. "The President will be sitting there. Don’t be intimidated. He’s harmless."

President Obama will make opening remarks at the event which will be held in the East Room of the White House and streamed live on www.whitehouse.gov beginning tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Expected at tonight's performance: Elaine Stritch, Margo Lion, George Wolfe, Brian d'Arcy James, and Idina Menzel.

Previous “Performance at the White House” events have featured Smokey Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, Joan Baez, and A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement, and Fiesta Latina.

Related
First Lady To Through Out First Pitch

The First Lady will announce a joint initiative relating to her Let’s Move! childhood obesity campaign with members of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Mrs. Obama will join Sue Selig, wife of Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Tim Brosnan, MLB Executive Vice President of Business, Tony Clark, Director, Player Relations, MLB Players Association and the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Raysleadership and players for an 11:00 AM press conference at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Following the announcement, the players will conduct a baseball clinic on Camden Yards field for 50 young baseball players from local Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) leagues and Boys & Girls Clubs. Later that evening, Mrs. Obama will be escorted out to home plate by young baseball players from the RBI and the Boys & Girls Club who will throw out the first pitch at the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays game.

In wake of the Zika virus, travel, spring break still O.K.

Representatives from the CDC and the NIH were on hand at the White House during Monday's press briefing to update the public and address concerns over the Zika virus that has caused some babies to be born with deformities. Dr. Anne Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Tony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health told reporters that a vaccine is in the making. The pair also said they are particulary concerned about women who are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, who have either traveled to or plan to travel to areas of South America and the Carribean known to have the Zika virus. Despite those bold statements, the doctors said there is no wide-spread concern and that Americans should continue to travel, including during upcoming college spring breaks -- when college students travel to warmer climate destinations to escape winter weather. "Travel to Zika-affected areas is very common among Americans, and we don’t think that needs to stop...

ACA Health Care Operator Fired For Doing Her Job?

More woes for the Obama administration's roll out of HealthCare.gov . During the president's weekly address he urged Americans to call a toll-free number to get help enrolling in a health care plan as the website continues to be 'improved'. Said the president, "But even as we improve the website, remember that the website isn’t the only way to apply for coverage under these new plans. We’ve updated HealthCare.gov to offer more information about enrolling over the phone, by mail, or in person with a specially-trained navigator who can help answer your questions. Just call 1-800-318-2596 or visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov . No sooner than the president gives out the 800 number for Americans to speak to one of the 'specially-trained navigators', one of them gets fired, perhaps loosing her own healthcare benefits. Her malfeasance? Talking to talk show host Sean Hannity. Hannity called the 800 number with his...

Saying goodbye to Mrs. Robinson, mother of First Lady Michelle Obama.

The woman who made her mark as grandma-in-chief when President Barack Obama was elected 44th president of the United States, passed Friday. The woman who was considered the backbone of the Obama household will be remembered as a family-oriented, kind person, who remained poised as she assumed the responsibility of helping raise her two beautiful granddaughters in an environment, and in a world, far from what she ever imagined. Mrs. Marian Robinson, mother of First Lady Michelle Obama, waves to reporters during Easter egg hunt at the White House. (photo CD Brown) I recall seeing her that day in March during Women's History Month at the Smithsonian when her daughter's Inaugural gown, like all the other first lady inaugural gowns, was being cemented in Smithsonian history . She was smiling as she walked alone prompting me to ask, "is there no security, no secret service, for the first grandmother?" ADVERTISEMENT CMB BUSINESS SOLUTIONS I am also reminded of the time w...

Politics. On Point.

Search This Blog