Alan Menken News

Joel Grey and Jeanine Tesori were honored last night at the Encompass New Opera Theatre's Gala celebration at The National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South, New York City), starring in the Musical Salute are Jeffry Denman, David Garrison, Lisa Kron, Judy Kuhn, Karen Mason, Michael McElroy, Bebe Neuwirth, Tonya Pinkins, David Pittsinger, Ron Raines, Patricia Schuman, Christopher Sieber, and Betsy Wolfe. BroadwayWorld brings you phtoos from inside the gala below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, October 26, 2014 - Sunday, October 26, 2014.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the U.S. premiere production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken (Newsies, Little Shop of Horrors) and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), book by Peter Parnell (The West Wing, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) and direction by Scott Schwartz (Playhouse's Jane Eyre, Broadway's Golda's Balcony). Produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions, The Hunchback of Notre Dame begins tonight, October 26, and runs through December 14, 2014 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The Muny in St. Louis has just revealed their 2015 season via the St. Louis Post Dispatch which will include BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, MY FAIR LADY, OKLAHOMA!, HAIRSPRAY, INTO THE WOODS, BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY and a new adaption of HOLIDAY INN.

The U.S. premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at La Jolla Playhouse, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz , book by Peter Parnell and direction by Scott Schwartz, begins performances tomorrow, October 26 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. Just yesterday, the cast gathered for the sitzprobe - check out a photo, posted by Erik Liberman on Twitter, below!

Today, October 25, 2014 at 3 pm and 8 pm, The Grand 1894 Opera House presents the 'divine' Broadway music comedy, Sister Act.

A Christmas Carol, with music by 9 time academy award winner Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent, opens at Yorktown Stage on November 22. This is the spectacular musical adaptation of Charles Dickens's most well known story. Proving its staying power with a decade long run at Madison Square Garden, A Christmas Carol is an ideal choice to create a holiday tradition.

Esta mañana Whoopi Goldberg ha asistido a la rueda de prensa que ha tenido lugar en el Hotel Palace de Barcelona, a poca distancia del lugar donde esta noche se estrenara 'Sister Act, El Musical' en Barcelona. El Teatre Tivoli de la Ciudad Condal sera testigo de la primera produccion en castellano de este espectaculo, producido por Whoopi Goldberg, El Terrat y Stage Entertainment.

Una de las comedias cinematograficas mas taquilleras de los años 90 fue 'Sister Act'. Su exito genero una continuacion y, posteriormente, un musical. Y es que lo tiene todo para poder lucir en un escenario: un argumento sencillo, una protagonista carismatica, canciones y un coro hilarante. Esta version musical que mantiene en gran parte el argumento de la pelicula (cabaretera huye de gangsters, se refugia en un convento y revoluciona a las monjas), añade numeros musicales para todos los personajes y se desmadra -aqui, la mayor diferencia- en lo que respecta a los numeros musicales de las monjas. Si en la pelicula se versionaban conocidas canciones soul de los años 60 como 'My guy' o 'I will follow him', aqui las canciones son nuevas (el prolifico Alan Menken esta al frente de la partitura), convirtiendo cada cancion de las monjas en un numero alocado, que gracias a la simpatia y a la gran interpretacion de las actrices-cantantes no desentona del conjunto, si no que hace el musical mas vistoso y popular. Ahora la accion se ambienta, a diferencia de la pelicula, en los años 70, cosa que permite que el espectaculo luzca vestuarios, decorados y luces de lo mas setentero. Aunque curiosamente, la parte de los 70 solo esta representada en las escenas de los gangsters, dividiendo asi a 'Sister Act' en dos estilos musicales: mientras los chicos homenajean (brillantemente) a los Bee Gees o a Barry White, las chicas cantan canciones de clasico estilo intemporal. Mireia Mambo Bokele es Deloris Van Cartier, un verdadero hallazgo que brilla con luz propia en cada escena, con excelente voz y simpatia. Àngels Gonyalons esta excelente como la estricta e ironica Madre Superiora, Enrique Sequero es un terrorifico gangster (acompañado de tres divertidos patanes) y Juan Delgado, el policia, con una excelente voz, se queda un poco corto a nivel interpretativo. Fermi Reixach reparte entusiasmo y dejo para el final uno de los mejores castings de la historia de los musicales; imposible destacar una hermana/monja por encima de otra: desde la flipada Maria Juana de Amparo Saizar hasta la imprevisible y descacharrante Maria Lazaro de Silvia Abril, pasando por la muy convincente Maria Patricia de Malia Conde y la tierna con voz atronadora Maria Roberta de Gara Roda. Ellas hacen que desees ver mas numeros musicales protagonizados por las monjas y te garantizan risas en cada escena suya. 'Sister Act' es un musical para todos los publicos con mucho humor, que fluye sin altibajos (quizas, repito, en ocasiones prefiramos ver mas monjas que otros personajes) donde los gags locales funcionan incluso mejor que los originales. Cosa que nos hace reflexionar en si no hubiera sido una buena idea hacer una adaptacion total del libretto (claro que con esto de las franquicias no se juega). Totalmente recomendable.

Ayer se presentaron en el Teatre Tivoli algunos numeros del musical 'Sister Act', protagonizado por Mireia Mambo como Deloris Van Cartier y Àngels Gonyalons como la Madre Superiora. ¡No te lo pierdas!

Sonnet Repertory Theatre presents their Twelfth Annual Benefit and Cabaret on Sunday, November 23, at Joe's Pub to honor award-winning actress, CELIA WESTON.

Producers Whoopi Goldberg, TROIKA Entertainment, LLC and Sister Act On Tour, LLC, present the second National Tour of SISTER ACT, which launched October 14 at the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington, DE. SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony Award nominations including BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/Glenn Slater (lyrics), and BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane). Check out photos of the new cast in action below!

MARK MY WORDS 2014: A WICKED COOL EVENING, tonight, October 21 at 8:00 p.m., is a once-in-a-lifetime event - a conversation between the creators of the book and Broadway smash Wicked. Gregory Maguire wrote the original novel Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Stephen Schwartz, legendary composer and lyricist of Pippin and Godspell, adapted Maguire's twisted take on L. Frank Baum's universe into one of the most successful musicals in history. Moderated by Connecticut theater legend Frank Rizzo, this is a unique opportunity to hear these creators talk about writing, music, theatre and, of course, the Wonderful World of Oz.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to Seattle as part of the KeyBank Broadway at The Paramount series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at The Paramount Theatre from today, October 21 - 26, 2014.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Thousand Oaks as part of the Theater League 2014 - 2015 season. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza December 4-7. For information on the production, visit www.BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com.

Linda Lavin will be joining the lineup of stars honoring Joel Grey and Jeanine Tesori at the Encompass New Opera Theatre's Gala celebration on Oct. 26th at The National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South, New York City).

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati kicks off its 90th MainStage season today, October 17 through October 19, and October 25, 2014 at the Taft Theatre with DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR., one of the company's most requested shows.

Direct from Broadway, SISTER ACT, the hilarious, five-time Tony-nominated musical smash, comes to Wilmington, Delaware! SISTER ACT appears at the DuPont Theatre for eight performances only, October 14-19, 2014. Check out a first look below!

Direct from Broadway, SISTER ACT, the hilarious, five-time Tony-nominated musical smash, comes to Wilmington, Delaware! SISTER ACT appears at the DuPont Theatre for eight performances only, October 14-19, 2014. Check out a first look below!

Producers Whoopi Goldberg, TROIKA Entertainment, LLC and Sister Act On Tour, LLC, present the second National Tour of SISTER ACT, launching tonight, October 14 at the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington, DE.