Angela Lansbury News

Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN began rehearsals on Monday, January 30th, with the first preview performance set for Tuesday, March 6th, in anticipation of an April 1st, 2012 opening at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Today, the company met the press and below, BroadwayWorld brings you a FREEZE FRAME photo preview! Stay tuned for full coverage!

CLUTTER: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out, running through March 11 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave., will feature a special talkback session immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performances every other Thursday evening starting with a special "Theater Thursday" event on February 2. Dr. Scott Kaplan, an Illinois licensed clinical psychologist, will facilitate these sessions to address questions about hoarding and other themes explored in the play.

This weekend, BroadwayWorld will be presenting an illuminating InDepth InterView with legendary composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber all about the enchanting new performance capture film version of his PHANTOM OF THE OPERA sequel, LOVE NEVER DIES. Until that chat, let's take a look back at some of the finest Andrew Lloyd Webber-related performances related to the entertainment dynasty built upon his operatic pop musical version of the classic Gaston Leroux novel that is about to celebrate its 10,000th performance on Broadway later this month, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as well as its continuation, LOVE NEVER DIES, and the two revivals of his two classic 70s hit stage collaborations with previous InDepth InterView participant Sir Tim Rice coming back to Broadway in a big way - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA. Plus, a look at the new Simon Phillips-directed production of LOVE NEVER DIES coming to Fathom-equipped movie theaters nationwide on February 28 and March 7, with DVD & Blu-ray after that, as well as the PHANTOM 25 DVD & Blu-ray being released in the US on February 7. It's a busy time of year for phans, clearly! Fetch your favorite mask and check out these four Andrew Lloyd Webber delicacies before they arrive!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane is presenting the six-time Tony Award-winning musical GYPSY. The show opened January 26 and is running through April 1.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments), for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

Tickets for Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN will go on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, January 28th, 2012. Tickets will be available on Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. The box office of The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) will open Tuesday, February 14th at 10:00 am.

Today we are talking to a star of many notable films and television shows who initially surprised many viewers with his commanding presence as the voice of the Beast in Disney's classic animated film BEAUTY & THE BEAST, now back in theaters for its twentieth anniversary (in 3D) - the one and only Robby Benson. In addition to telling us all about his impressions of and experiences working on BEAUTY & THE BEAST and what he thinks of the new 3D movie experience, he also shares his affection for co-stars Angela Lansbury and Paige O'Hara - both having been previous InDepth InterView participants, as well - and what the storied legacy of the film means to him. Also, Benson discusses his talented family, including his rock star wife, Karla DeVito, and their daughter, a star-on-the-rise in her own right, Lyric (her Benson-produced debut album, LYRIC'S LOVE LIGHT REVOLUTION, is available here) and details the many hats he wears as an actor, director, producer, author, singer and recording artist. Plus, recollections on ICE CASTLES and its haunting Marvin Hamlisch theme, directing FRIENDS and EVENING SHADE, his vivid memories of performing in OLIVER!, THE ROTHSCHILDS, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE on Broadway and a discussion of his own semi-auto-biographical musical, OPEN HEART, and, of course, what it was like being suggested by Francis Ford Coppola to George Lucas for a role in STAR WARS - and much, much more!

42nd Street Moon has lined up two major guest stars, Klea Blackhurst and Jason Graae, to head the cast for the upcoming 80th Birthday salute to beloved Tony-winning Broadway composer/lyricist, Jerry Herman titled The Best of Times.

Welcome to THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As With Your Favorite Broadway Stars. Want to know what hooked them to a career in the theater? Their dream roles? Their Broadway crushes? Read on! In this next edition, we caught up with Emily Skinner of the former hits, BILLY ELLIOT, THE FULL MONTY and SIDE SHOW!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the six-time Tony Award-winning musical GYPSY, opening January 26 and running through April 1. Get a first look at the production below!

Lily Tomlin, Joanne Worley, Carole Cook, Bruce Vilanch along with filmmaker and multi TONY-winning Director and Producer, Dori Berinstein all gathered on one stage to salute a star, an icon and a legend - Ms. Carol Channing. On Wednesday night, the Paley Center featured these incredible talents as well as gathering many more in the audience for the Los Angeles premiere screening of 'Carol Channing: Larger Than Life.' The panel members, who also appear in the critically acclaimed documentary, gathered with other friends, colleagues and fans of the woman who has been dubbed, and deservingly so, 'The First Lady of Musical Theatre.' Seen among those in attendance were a who's who of TONY, OSCAR, EMMY & GOLDEN GLOBE award winners including George Chakiris, Charles Fox, Davis Gaines, Ilene Graff, Tippi Hedren, Michael Learned, Kate Linder, Julie Newmar, Connie Stevens, Ruta Lee, Rose Marie, Richard Skipper, Barbara Van Orden, Dee Wallace and co-producer, B. Harlan Boll, to enjoy a film that also featured such noted industry greats as Loni Anderson, Marge Champion, Tyne Daly, Jerry Herman, Angela Lansbury, Bob Mackie, Margaret O'Brien, Debbie Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Tommy Tune, Barbara Walters and many more.

Today we are honoring the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, which went on to win in the categories of Best Song and Best Score for Broadway's own Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - Disney's tale as old as time; the much-beloved and cherished BEAUTY & THE BEAST. Based on the French fairytale of its namesake, BEAUTY & THE BEAST was a landmark achievement in animated film and proved that Disney's previous animation renaissance mega-hit THE LITTLE MERMAID - also penned by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - was much more than merely a fluke. A new age of animated film treated totally seriously by critics and audiences alike allowed for Disney to continue on with even more success in the following years with even bigger family-friendly hits like ALADDIN and THE LION KING. Yet, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is the most elegant and enrapturing of all Disney animated films from the last century and just may be the very finest of all their animated features that came to pass during that era of renewed interest in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Featuring the vocal talents of legendary stage and screen star Angela Lansbury - check out our extensive InDepth InterView for a few recollections about that experience here - as well as Broadway's own Paige O'Hara and TV/film notable Robby Benson - both of whom will be featured in extensive InDepth InterViews right here on BroadwayWorld next week. Beginning with a prologue and opening song sequence - "Belle" - to rank among the very best not only in film, but stage musicals, as well, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is a rich French country meal topped off by a dizzying array of aural, visual, emotional, comedic and dramatic treats. 'Belle' is merely the starter bread - or, should I say, pain. So, today, we pay tribute to BEAUTY & THE BEAST as it roars back to movie theaters nationwide, now in a diligently-recreated and astonishingly imagined brand new 3D realization. Before you go see all the stunning sights and sounds of the film itself, whether sampling the 3D version in your home 3D studio or out at the Cineplex, here we have some of the finest musical moments to delight in from the storied history of the immensely successful Disney classic in all three of its versions - original animated film, Broadway stage musical and 3D movie experience.

Performing at such prestigious venues as New York's Lincoln Center and Chicago's Auditorium Theatre has earned After Dark Award-winning vocalist and Naperville native Joan Curto the title of 'cabaret icon' by NBC TV Chicago.

Wendy Kaplan, President of MadKap Productions, announced today that the new production CLUTTER: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out will make its Midwest Premiere at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave., opening Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. and closing March 11, 2012.

Wendy Kaplan, President of MadKap Productions, announced today that the riveting new production CLUTTER: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out will make its Midwest Premiere at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave., previewing January 19; opening Friday, January 20; and closing March 11, 2012.

Wendy Kaplan, President of MadKap Productions, announced today that the new production CLUTTER: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out will make its Midwest Premiere at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave., opening Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. and closing March 11, 2012.

Angela Lansbury, who will return to Broadway this spring in Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN, has had a career spanning more than six decades that includes film, television and stage success.