Audra McDonald News

Fresh off the blades of the Winter Olympics, ABC has reached a multi-year agreement with Disson Skating, a leader in family entertainment programming, for the exclusive broadcast of Disson Skating's legendary entertainment specials for the 2014/2015 television season.

The actor stopped by THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON to talk about his latest project.

Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, Richard chats with Submissions Only creators Kate Wetherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger about the third season, which exclusively premieres on BroadwayWorld.com tomorrow, March 3.

It was announced today that this year's Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award will be presented to Playing on Air, which produces short plays by prominent, contemporary American playwrights for a national audience via public radio and the Internet. Dedicated to nurturing and supporting theatre artists, The Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award, named for the multi-Award-winning producer, is a financial grant given annually to a theatre artist or organization who has demonstrated exceptional promise in their field.

Seth Rudetsky, the co-creator, co-writer and star of the hit Off-Broadway musical comedy Disaster!, will host a special LGBT Night at the show, along with his Disaster! co-star, award-winning comedian, writer and actress Judy Gold tonight, February 27th. The evening's special guest will include Jonathan Groff ('Looking,' 'Glee,' Spring Awakening), two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz (Big Fish, Catch Me If You Can, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), and Tony nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q).

'Submissions Only,' Broadway's favorite webseries, is back with its highly anticipated third season on Monday, March 3. Tune in exclusively to BroadwayWorld.com any time between 9 PM -10 PM that evening to view the first episode of Season 3. Starting Tuesday, March 4th, at 10 AM, the premiere episode will be available on demand to watch on BroadwayWorld.com at any time. The following seven episodes will premiere every other Monday at 9 PM and will also be available for on-demand viewing beginning the next day.

It's entirely appropriate that the first syllable of Audra McDonald's name is pronounced "awe." Anyone who's heard a recording of her voice knows how incredible she sounds, and anyone who's seen her in concert knows how engrossing she is. With her gorgeous, crystal clear soprano voice, incredible stage presence, and charismatic, engaging persona, Audra McDonald is one of the best Broadway performers of all time, and despite her self-deprecating jokes about her age and career, it's doubtful that she'll slow down soon if at all.

Seth Rudetsky, the co-creator, co-writer and star of the hit Off-Broadway musical comedy Disaster!, will host a special LGBT Night at the show, along with his Disaster! co-star, award-winning comedian, writer and actress Judy Gold on Thursday, February 27th. The evening's special guest will include Jonathan Groff ('Looking,' 'Glee,' Spring Awakening), two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz (Big Fish, Catch Me If You Can, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), and Tony nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q).

In a new move for the theater industry, the Tony Awards administration committee has voted to give nominators the option to expand the four major awards categories - musical, musical revival, play, and play revival - from four nominees, to five.

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, five-time Tony winner Audra McDonald will return to the stage as legendary songstress Billie Holliday in a revival of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. The show will open at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 13 for a limited 10-week run. Performances will begin on March 25. Check out the just-released artwork for the show below!

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, five-time Tony winner Audra McDonald will return to the stage as legendary songstress Billie Holliday in a revival of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. According to the New York Times, the show will open at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 13 for a limited 10-week run. Performances will begin on March 25.

After a high-profile launch of Broadway@ The Stroudsmoor with superstar Audra McDonald in December, the Pocono's renowned Stroudsmoor Country Inn welcomes original "Evita" Patti LuPone on March 16 at 4:00 PM. Ms. LuPone is appeared this season on FX TV's American Horror Story: Coven and HBO's Girls. Broadway@ The Stroudsmoor is hosted again by Sirius/XM Radio star Seth Rudetsky. What differentiates this concert series from any other perhaps, is the seamless mix of intimate behind-the-scenes stories from Broadway's biggest stars - prompted by the encyclopedic-minded Rudetsky's probing, funny, revealing questions - and their stellar singing of unique repertoire. The performance is presented by the Pocono Community Theater in association with Mark Cortale. For tickets please visit The Stroudsmoor Country Inn's ticketing page or call 800-838-3006. For special lodging offers when attending An Evening with Patti LuPone at The Stroudsmoor, please call 570-421-6431 Ext. 453.

Ford's Theatre Society 2013-2014 season continues with the quirky Tony-winning musical comedy 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,' directed by Peter Flynn, March 14 through May 17, 2014, at Ford's Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW, Washington, D.C.). The production features a local Washington cast of Helen Hayes Award nominees as six awkward adolescents and their proctors, all working through a daunting and hilarious championship quest.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) has announced the launch of a 2014 winter concert series. Making her debut at the Bucks County Playhouse is Tony and Emmy Award-winning Leslie Uggams, whose career has spanned Broadway, Hollywood and concert stages around the world. In AN EVENING WITH Leslie Uggams directed by Michael Bush, Leslie will perform a variety of her classic, signature songs all in one evening audiences won't forget. One performance only: tonight, February 22nd at 8pm.

Megan Mullally is a two-time Emmy-winning star of TV's Will & Grace, and star of Broadway's Young Frankenstein. Tonight, February 22 she debuts Broadway@ The Broad: Megan Mullally, her live music and comedy concert special, in Santa Monica, CA's - for two shows only.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that talks are indeed currently underway with five-time Tony winner Audra McDonald to bring her back to the stage as legendary songstress Billie Holliday in a revival of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. The show will reportedly play at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where current occupant Bronx Bombers will close on March 2, 2014. An official announcement has not yet been made, but sources tell us that a deal, dates and release is 'imminent.'

On Monday, March 10, 2014, the League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting visibility and increasing opportunities for women in the professional theatre, is pleased to recognize the talents of six outstanding women: Zoe Caldwell, Judith Dolan, Joanna Sherman, Sondra Gorney, Meiyin Wang and Katherine Kovner. The awards will be presented at the League's 2014 Awards Celebration & Big Mingle Reception to be held at 6:30 pm on Monday, March 10 at The Irene Diamond Stage (The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street) featuring emcee Tamara Tunie.