Twin Cities-bred Broadway star Laura Osnes (pictured above in a promotional poster) will hit the big screen this summer, if only for a flash.
The Eagan High School graduate stars in "Bandstand," the Tony-winning musical that will be broadcast for two nights only — June 25 and 28 — in more than 700 cinemas nationally.
The swing-inspired show, about returning World War II veterans who enter a big band contest, is directed by Andy Blankenbuehler, best known for choreographing "Hamilton." Osnes plays an aspiring jazz singer and poet widowed by the war.
"Bandstand" had a short life on Broadway, closing last September after only 166 performances despite winning Tony Awards for its choreography and musical orchestration.
Producers filmed the show before it closed in hopes of giving it a second life, including a possible national tour, and have partnered with veterans' groups to promote the screening. It will include a video introduction by former Second Lady Jill Biden, an advocate for military families.
The "Bandstand" screenings are being produced by Fathom Events, which brings the Metropolitan Opera to movie theaters along with other entertainment and sports events. It will be shown locally at the AMC Southdale, AMC Rosedale and Emagine Willow Creek. Click here for ticket information.
While the New York Times gave the show a mixed review, calling it "an undercooked apple pie, served with a dollop of anguish," the critic praised Osnes for her "silvery voice" and the "real feeling" she put into portraying her character's loss.
Osnes is a two-time Tony nominee for the title roles in "Cinderella" and "Bonnie and Clyde."The Burnsville-born actress got her start at Children's Theatre and played Sandy in "Grease" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Osnes burst onto the national scene in 2007, when she won an NBC reality TV show to play Sandy in a Broadway revival of "Grease."
