Arthur Laurents News

Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway at the Barn Theatre! The glamour, spectacle, and fashion of 1930s Broadway comes to the Barn in 42ND STREET June 11 through 23.

Broadway Theatre League is proud to present the 2013-2014 Broadway in South Bend Series Live! at The Morris Performing Arts Center. Headlined by the international hit, JERSEY BOYS, this season is not to be missed! The 2013-14 season also boasts MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, a new production based on a legendary recording session with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins; 2013 Tony Award nominee for Best Musical, BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL and the acclaimed revival of WEST SIDE STORY.

Christian Bautista is set to play the role of Prince Charming opposite Karylle Tatlonghari's Cinderella in Resorts World Manila's production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's classic musical 'Cinderella,' tentatively opening on Sunday, October 6 at Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The 39th season of the Hangar Theatre includes a thrilling line-up of plays and musicals including a favorite farce, a Tony-winning musical, and two regional premieres and features an array of exciting Broadway talent. The season takes off with Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers (June 13-29) followed by the premiere of a strikingly innovative concept of the Tony-winning best musical Gypsy (July 4-20). The regional premiere of Amy Herzog's critically acclaimed play 4000 Miles (July 25-August 3) is next, followed by the regional premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris (August 8-17).

The National Theatre has just announced its first subscription series in more than a decade with the announcement of Broadway at the National. Boasting the pre-Broadway world premiere of If/Then, the Washington premiere of American Idiot, and the historic return of the Tony Award-winning The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, the 2013-14 season at The National Theatre includes eight productions, and runs November 2013 through June 2014.

"West Side Story," the dramatic musical that centers around two teenage street gangs in 1950s New York City, begins a three-weekend run on the Playhouse Merced mainstage Friday, May 31 at 7:30 pm.

Pittsburgh CLO presents the Stephen Sondheim celebration, Side By Side By Sondheim, which will run tonight, May 23 through August 18 at the CLO Cabaret.

Today in 1959, Gypsy opened at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 702 performances. Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including 'Small World,' 'Everything's Coming up Roses', 'Some People', 'Let Me Entertain You', and 'Rose's Turn'.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Music Director Marin Alsop leads the BSO in a performance of the film score from Bernstein's legendary West Side Story on Thursday, June 13 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore,Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Bernstein's brilliant score will accompany a screening of the 10-time Academy Award-winning motion picture. Please see below for complete program details. Watch the webumentary here.

Theater League has announced the 2013-2014 Thousand Oaks Broadway Series Live! at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. It is a season of spectacular National Tours featuring new shows fresh from Broadway and classic Broadway favorites. This noteworthy season full of sensational music kicks off with MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, a sparkling new production based on a legendary recording session; THEADDAMS FAMILY, a brand-new Broadway hit inspired by the classic television series; MAMMA MIA!, showcasing the magic of ABBA, with timeless songs and enchanting love; and WEST SIDE STORY, the revival of a classic musical filled with iconic dance numbers and unforgettable songs.

Laura Benanti's forthcoming engagement at New York's 54 BELOW will be recorded and released by Broadway Records. 'In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live At 54 BELOW' will be released digitally on September 6th and on CD on September 10, 2013. The CD is now available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00CRU5YW0.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tonys Meet & Greet on May 1, 2013, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Amanda Green, a nominee for Best Original Score for Hands on a Hardbody. Check out what she had to say below!

Paper Mill Playhouse has just announced the cast and creative team for Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title.

Maine State Music Theatre has announced its 55th Season.

Notable Broadway leading man and internationally recognized Glee star Matthew Morrison offered up a spectacular musical medley last night on the 2013 Olivier Awards with a tribute to the Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim/Arthur Laurents musical theatre staple WEST SIDE STORY.

Wendy Beckett's seductive new play, LOVE THERAPY opens at the DR2 Theatre (101 East 15th Street) on Monday, April 29th. Directed by Evan Bergman, LOVE THERAPY is the fourth in a series of ten of Ms. Beckett's plays that will be brought across the Pacific from Australia by Peter Walters for Pascal Productions. For tickets, please visit Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200.

GYPSY is the penultimate stage mother musical, but it's also a look at the decline of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque during the depression, and it's ultimately a look at how the famous stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee, made her debut in show business. Jules Styne (composer), Stephen Sondheim (lyricist), and Arthur Laurents (book) have constructed a sturdy classic that's interesting to watch at a time when reality television has essentially revived the Ted Mack Amateur Hour, and all the baggage that comes with that. Stray Dog Theatre continues their stellar season with a rousing production of this popular standard.

From May 10-June 8, SpeakEasy Stage will proudly present the Boston regional theatre premiere of the groundbreaking musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

Today we are talking to a versatile stage and screen actress who has scored in a number of unique roles on Broadway and around the country in addition to making a recent mark with her work on the Broadway-themed web series IT COULD BE WORSE - the passionate and compelling Alison Fraser. Discussing her vast resume and some of her most fondly remembered performances to date, Fraser opens up about her remarkable career thus far - including her work originating parts in IN TROUSERS, MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS, THE SECRET GARDEN, ROMANCE/ROMANCE, GUNMETAL BLUES, THE DIVINE SISTER and more - and looks ahead to her most recent projects, current, upcoming and beyond. Most importantly, Fraser details the finer points of LOVE THERAPY, the new Wendy Beckett play she stars in Off-Broadway and outlines her continuing collaboration onstage with the playwright, having previously starred in CHARITY CASE, as well as what we can expect from the realistic new drama, opening April 29. Additionally, Fraser sheds some light on her recent work in the world premiere of the Tennessee Williams play IN MASKS OUTRAGEOUS AND AUSTERE and how that led to her new solo revue, THE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS SONGBOOK. Plus, memories of appearing in GYPSY on Broadway with Patti LuPone and working with Arthur Laurents on that as well as his own final play, cameoing on SMASH, reflections on her memorable musical partnerships with husband Rusty Magee and noted FALSETTOS songwriter William Finn, as well as thoughts on the contemporary theatre scene and her various theatre-related web projects, favorite recent shows and much, much more!