Valeries Gallery
Valerie Smaldone
Media Personality, Actress, Producer, Writer
Valerie Smaldone, a 5 time Billboard Magazine Award winner, is perhaps best known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 position in the New York radio market as the midday host of New York’s 106.7 FM. She ended her on air run with the station at the end of 2007. In addition, she was the co-creator, writer, producer and host of 'Spotlight On,' a nationally syndicated program that featured in-depth interviews with top recording artists such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting and Celine Dion, to name a few.
Presently, Valerie can be heard on NBC Network News promos and specialty shows and as the announcer for The Boomer Esiason Show on MSG. She writes a weekly nightlife column for TheThreeTomatoes.com, writes a theater column for Examiner.com, and has an interview program on the Italian American Network. She is an interviewer and feature reporter on Broadway for TonyAwards.com and hosts and produces celebrity portrait unveilings for Broadway stars at famed theater district eatery, Tony’s.
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2009 Review Highlights
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Two shows with stars a plenty
The theater season is back in full swing with new productions opening left and right. So let me get right to two shows that I saw back to back. Both with film stars in them, and each one as far afield
from the other as you can get.
One is a new play, the other a classic.
One is a bizarre black comedy, the other a moving and poignant true story.
Let's start with bizarre. A Behanding in Spokane, by Martin McDonagh now playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. The story revolves around a strange man who is missing a hand and has spent his life looking for it. He comes across a young scheming couple who tell him they can locate his hand. They bring him a hand, alright, but it's not his missing hand, which makes him kinda angry.
He handcuffs them with the intent of blowing them up with gasoline. Oh yeah, then there's the hotel receptionist who comes on the scene. He reveals that he likes monkeys and high school massacres.
Yep, I told you it was bizarre, but mind you, I am not saying that in a bad way. I do like bizarre, and it is so bizarre, it's wickedly funny.
For my money, the main draw of this play is the actor playing the guy with one hand. Christopher Walken. What a perfect actor for this character. He is even endearing in this diabolical role,and the delivery of his lines is beyond compare. The play keeps you engaged with its outrageous story, and Christopher Walken is simply a delight to watch. But hurry, the production has a limited run through June 6th only
The second piece is a revival of a play that made its Broadway debut 50 years ago; William Gibson's The Miracle Worker at Circle in the Square.
This production stars Abigail Breslin (the wonderful young actress from Little Miss Sunshine) and Alison Pill. Both actors shine in their respective roles of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. Their synergy and chemistry is what makes this production well worth seeing. Doing this play in the round, however, is a bit distracting for the audience, because important facial expressions are missed at one time or another. But still, it's a classic that should be seen, and these two actors are the perfect ones to be performing the roles.
Wonderful young man honored at Tony's
A new portrait has been added to the Broadway Wall of Fame at Tony's di Napoli in Times Square. A super talented young man, known for his role in High School Musical, Corbin Bleu is currently starring in In the Heights. Not only is he amazingly gifted as a talent, he is a truly special, kind and sweet man. I was delighted to host and produce a portrait unveiling for Corbin and honor him with his own painting this past week at Tony's!
