Ryan Lee Gilbert. IMOGEN: And I'm Imogen Lloyd Webber. This

week, we chat with the winners at this year's Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards, sit down

with ANGELS IN AMERICA's Tony-nominated director and designers and more.

RYAN: And later, we talk to the five Tony-nominated cast members of Broadway's new production

of CAROUSEL. But first, let's get started with the news. What's the buzz, Imogen?

IMOGEN : It's the most wonderful time of year…The Tony Awards are almost upon us!

Some of the biggest stars from stage and screen will be appearing at the 72nd annual ceremony,

including current BOYS IN THE BAND players Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons and

Andrew Rannells, HAMILTON Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr., two-time Emmy winner and Broadway

vet Uzo Aduba, STRAIGHT WHITE MEN's Armie Hammer, MARY PAGE MARLOWE's Tatiana Mas-lany

and stage alum Claire Danes. Hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban, the Tonys will

air live on CBS from Radio City Music Hall on June 10th.

RYAN : NBC has tapped the 1960s musical HAIR as its next live TV broadcast. The show, which

features music by Galt MacDermot and a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado,

is set for a spring 2019 airing, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. HAIR, which

follows a tribe of young, free-spirited hippies in New York, who resist authority and the

looming Vietnam War through a Be-In and draft card burning, premiered in 1967 at off-Broadway's

Public Theater before a Broadway transfer the following year. The 2009 revival, which

starred Gavin Creel, Will Swenson and Caissie Levy, went on to win the Tony Award for Best

Revival of a Musical. A long-planned BYE BYE BIRDIE LIVE! with Jennifer Lopez, initially

scheduled for 2017—as well as live version of A FEW GOOD MEN—have been delayed. Cast

and creative teams for HAIR LIVE! will be announced in the coming months.

IMOGEN: When you think of HAIR, Ryan, what comes to mind.

RYAN: Um. Nudity, drugs and free love. IMOGEN: Perfect for network TV.

IMOGEN : EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, the buzzy new West End musical, is being adapted

into a major motion picture via Warp Films. Based on a true story, the Olivier-nominated

tuner follows the title character who, after receiving pushback when he announces he will

wear a dress to prom, overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness

and into the spotlight. Featuring a book and lyrics by Tom MacRae and music by Dan Gillespie

Sells, the stage version's director, Jonathan Butterell will helm the movie, while MacRae

is penning the script. Filming is expected to commence in spring 2019, with a release

date to be announced. Meanwhile, the show has just extended through April 2019 at London's

Apollo Theatre.

RYAN : ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE, the new musical featuring the songs of Jimmy Buffett, has

set the date for its last performance on Broadway. The cast will take their final bows at the

Marquis Theatre on July 1. Shortly after closing on the Main Stem, the cast, including Paul

Alexander Nolan, Alison Luff, Lisa Howard and Eric Petersen, will travel to Washington,.

D.C., to perform on PBS' A CAPITOL FOURTH on July 4. Directed by Christopher Ashley

and featuring a book by Greg Garcia and Mike O'Malley, an ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE tour

will launch in October 2019 in Providence, RI. Meanwhile, David Yazbek and Itamar Moses'

new musical THE BAND'S VISIT will launch its first North American tour also in Providence,

in June 2019. Directed by David Cromer, THE BAND'S VISIT officially opened at Broadway's

Ethel Barrymore Theatre in November 2017, and was recently nominated for 11 Tony Awards,

including Best Musical. Exact dates, casting and additional cities for both tours will

be announced at a later time.

IMOGEN : Katharine McPhee is taking on a second shift at WAITRESS. After concluding her current

run on June 17th, McPhee will don Jenna's apron once more from July 5th through August

19th. As previously reported, the SMASH alum is set to have a leading man switcheroo from

June 5th, when Erich Bergen replaces Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter. Other company members

currently cooking up a storm at the at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre include Caitlin Houlahan

as Dawn, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Becky, Steve Vino-vitch as Joe, Benne Elledge as

Cal, Ben Thompson as Earl and Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie.

RYAN: Do you think Katharine McPhee was inspired to stay in the role longer because she won

the Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Favorite Replacement?

IMOGEN: Sure. And she's a smash. RYAN: I see what you did there.

IMOGEN: Yes, everyone did.

RYAN : Donna Murphy will once star as Dolly Gallagher Levi at select performances of HELLO,

DOLLY!. During Bette Midler's upcoming return to the Tony-winning revival, Murphy will take

the Shubert Theatre stage at certain performances. Midler steps back into the production on July

17, replacing her replacement Bernadette Peters. She'll play a six-week engagement before

HELLO, DOLLY! ends its run on August 25. PARKS AND RECREATION actor Paul Schneider has completed

the cast of Young Jean Lee's STRAIGHT WHITE MEN on Broadway. Schneider joins the previously

announced Josh Charles, Armie Hammer, Tom Skerritt and more in the play, which follows

a father and his three adult sons as they ring in Christmas by contemplating the value

of straight white men in a society driven by conversations of identity and privilege.

Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, STRAIGHT WHITE MEN will begin performances at the Helen Hayes

Theater on June 29. And Jason Tam will appear in the off-Broadway premiere of BE MORE CHILL,

taking on the role of the SQUIP. As previously reported, the coming-of-age musical, which

features a score by Joe Iconis, will begin performances July 26 at the Pershing Square

Signature Center.

IMOGEN : When we come back, we sit down with MY FAIR LADY's loverly design team, get

a sneak preview at the new musical HALF TIME and more.

PAUL: This week on Broadway.com, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS Tony nominee Ethan Slater talks

about making the role his own on SHOW PEOPLE, THE BOYS IN THE BAND's Charlie Carver turns

on the charm and more.

it's Broadway's most nominated new musical with 12 Tony nominations in

Best Director yes choreography the school and best musical of the year

Spongebob Squarepants the Broadway musical get your tickets now

--Hi, I'm

Ethan Slater and you're watching the Broadway.com show.

--IMOGEN: Welcome back. Since

2000, Broadway.com has asked our readers to pick their favorites of the season in our

annual Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards. This year MEAN GIRLS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS,

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND and ANGELS IN AMERICA came out on top. We hit the red carpet at

a private reception for the winners and chatted with them about why this award given by the

fans is truly special.

--It is exhilarating to

be in a room filled with people who are fans of theater, and also who were voted

on by fans of theater. It's pretty special. --It makes you realize how

incredible this community is. I come into the room and I see collaborators that I

know, and collaborators that I respect and love, so I feel like you know it just

brings people together in another way, and we get to celebrate each other's

work.

--When it comes to award season, it's the people in the business, it's the

people who have been doing this for years. So to have an event to have an

award where it's it's about the fans, and the people who come and see the show,

it's really cool.

--Every day, every night every performance, you're trying to

deliver the play and make it a worthwhile experience for you know this

this audience that's you know it's it's a big thing to go to a Broadway play. And

they're discerning. It's just really thrilling to know that people actually

really enjoyed it and and and remembered it

--I don't know if I'm gonna get to

experience this again where before we've even set foot on stage, people are

cheering and they're excited to see what's gonna happen. And then to know

that what we've done after that, they've enjoyed and that they voted and are

supportive of the show that's really wonderful. --It just feels really nice for

people who are taking the time out of their lives and taking money out of

their own pockets to come see the show and supporting you and so I'm honored to

be here.

--IMOGEN V.O.: Here's what the stars had to

say directly to their fans.

--Oh my god

Oh my acceptance speech. Thank you all thank you to everyone who voted for this

it's so cool it makes me so happy thank you

--Thank you so much

fans and do not throw away your shot and we love you from the Ham fam

--Thank you

so much. We will treasure this and you know it's a it's a it's a glorious honor

for us at Cursed Child

--It really brings us so much joy to know that you like the

show and that you like the songs and thank you! You are the best.

--Thank you to everybody who voted for femal breakthrough artist. I love you

all! Thanks for coming to see the show you guys Rock you are so grool, stay grool.

--There are too many people to thank because it takes a village to make a

show and it takes a village to make a role, so thank you to everyone!

--Hey, we

love you, and thank you, and how cool is this, and come see us through the show

and act like idiots?

--Broadway.com friends fans theater goers we love you keep

coming to the theater! --IMOGEN V.O.: We asked this year's winners

what they're going to do with their new trophies.

--I'm going to treasure

it in my house.

--You know I'm actually moving very soon and so I'm picking out

like shelves that it might go on. I think it would look nice on something with

sort of like a blond finish or a beige finish, so I'll be taking this to Ikea

next weekend to see what it looks best on. --I'm going to snuggle this award right

next to my other two awards that I got a couple years ago for Hamilton, so thank

you audience for choosing me again! --Well Tina Fey puts her award on on her toilet,

well one of her awards she has many. so maybe I'll do that too!

--I think Jeff put

one in there as a joke and it's kind of stayed when the cast is coming over, but

I wouldn't say what kind cuz --It's a heavy one and it works well in the

bathroom. And and you have several of them! --Well

--And it's but it's not an

Emmy. So Taylor Louderman will never be invited back to our home again

--Put them in a

very special place. They go on a special shelf so I can look at

them and be reminded that art isn't about myself, it's about putting

something out for people to identify with, and

hopefully that helps them through their life.

--BETH: The sweeping revival of MY FAIR

LADY reunites the Tony-winning creative team of director Bartlett Sher, costume designer

Catherine Zuber and set designer Michael Yeargan. The trio has earned awards and acclaim for

their past collaborations, including THE KING AND I, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE BRIDGES OF

MADISON COUNTY, SOUTH PACIFIC and more. We spoke with this dream team about the Lincoln

Center Theater revival