Arthur Laurents News

The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre honored esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award on April 16, 2012. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, was presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. BroadwayWorld was there for the reception and brings you photo coverage below!

When the national touring production of WEST SIDE STORY made its way to the OHIO THEATER last night, I embraced the opportunity to re-visit this 1957 Arthur Laurents' adaptation of Shakespeare's 'ROMEO AND JULIET' and experience the delight of what is truly timeless about classic musical theater.

Director Michael Wilson, straight from the Broadway opening of "The Best Man," has lined up a cast of New York veteran and major regional performers for the preview presentation of a "new" William Inge play on April 18. Wilson helms "Off the Main Road" on Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., in the William Inge Theatre at Independence, Kansas. The Inge work will be the opening night event of the 31st Annual William Inge Theatre Festival at the playwright's alma mater Independence Community College.

The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre last night honored esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, was presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit last night, April 16, 2012 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. Check out these photographs of the presentation.

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Columbus, opening at the Ohio Theatre on Tuesday, April 17. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

WEST SIDE STORY is currently touring the country, and now stars Ross Lekites as Tony, Evy Ortiz as Maria, Michelle Aravena as Anita, Drew Foster as Riff and German Santiago as Bernardo. Also featured are Mike Boland as Schrank, Stephen DeRosa as Glad Hand, Jon Drake as Action, Wally Dunn as Krupke, Alexandra Frohlinger as Anybodys, Jay Garcia as Chino, Casey Garvin as Diesel, Nathan Keen as Big Deal, Harris Milgrim as Snowboy, John O'Creagh as Doc, Christopher Rice as Baby John, Clay Thomson as A-rab, along with Karolina Blonski, Alicia Charles, Lauryn Ciardullo, Dean Andre De Luna, Lori Ann Ferreri, Ryan Ghysels, Tim Hausmann, Nicole Hellman, Laura Irion, Thayne Jasperson, Gizel Jimenez, Eric Anthony Johnson, Patrick Ortiz, Kristen Paulicelli, Christie Portera, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Alexandra Blake Redelico, Michael Scirrotto, Jeffrey C. Sousa, Dani Spieler, Jessica Swesey, Kathryn Lin Terza and Kirstin Tucker.

The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit on April 16, 2012 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer said, 'I am thrilled that Patti LuPone will be this year's recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Award. With her wonderful performances in Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Company, Passion, and more - she has had an amazing connection to Steve's words and music. It's wonderful to add her name to the distinguished honorees Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters. We look forward to saluting Patti and her extraordinary talents in April.'

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Milwaukee and is presented by Broadway Across America-Milwaukee and the Marcus Center as part of the Time Warner Cable Broadway at the Marcus Center Series. WEST SIDE STORY will open at the Marcus Center on April 10-15. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The tour of the Broadway revival of West Side Story is coming to New Jersey. West Side Story will open at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on May 1, 2012. Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. Mr. Saint is also the artistic director of the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Milwaukee and is presented by Broadway Across America-Milwaukee and the Marcus Center as part of the Time Warner Cable Broadway at the Marcus Center Series. WEST SIDE STORY will open at the Marcus Center on April 10-15. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The tour of the Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Philadelphia. WEST SIDE STORY performs at the Academy of Music through April 8 as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization.

Director Michael Wilson, straight from the Broadway opening of "The Best Man," has lined up a cast of New York veteran and major regional performers for the preview presentation of a "new" William Inge play on April 18. Wilson helms "Off the Main Road" on Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., in the William Inge Theatre at Independence, Kansas. The Inge work will be the opening night event of the 31st Annual William Inge Theatre Festival at the playwright's alma mater Independence Community College.

SBCT will next present Gypsy! "Let Me Entertain You," "Together Wherever We Go," "All I Need is the Girl," and "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

Lookingglass Theatre, Frontera Grill and Silverguy Entertainment announce additional performances of Rick Bayless in Cascabel: Dinner - Daring - Desire, a theatrical adventure featuring a feast, circus acts, and a love story starring celebrity chef Rick Bayless. The culinary and theatrical experience has been extended an additional week, through April 29, 2012, at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works.

The tour of the Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Philadelphia. WEST SIDE STORY will open at the Academy of Music on March 28 through April 8 as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization.

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Columbus, opening at the Ohio Theatre on Tuesday, April 17. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The tour of the smash-hit Broadway revival of West Side Story is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. West Side Story will open at the Center on April 24. Tony Award®-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the associate director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

Today in 2008, the fourth Broadway revival of Gypsy opened at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 332 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'.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, March 18, 2012 - Sunday, March 18, 2012.

Today in 1965, Do I hear a Waltz? opened at the 46th St. Thetare (Now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 220 performances. Do I Hear a Waltz? is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Richard Rodgers, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo, which was the basis for the 1955 film Summertime starring Katharine Hepburn. The Broadway cast included Elizabeth Allen, Sergio Franchi, Carol Bruce, Madeleine Sherwood, Julienne Marie, Stuart Damon, Fleury D'Antonakis, and Jack Manning. It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Scenic Design, but lost in all three categories.