Barbara Siegel News

The Town Hall 2014 Summer Season: Broadway Preludes just presented Broadway Rising Stars, the annual revue giving recent graduates from the nation's leading performing arts schools a chance to showcase their talents and perform on the legendary stage. Directed by Scott Coulter, Broadway Rising Stars is created, hosted and written by Scott Siegel and features the brightest talent from AMDA, CAP 21, Circle in the Square, Juilliard, Marymount, The New School, NYU's Steinhardt and Tisch, Pace University, and more. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special night below!

"Shades of Blue" is another first-class invitation for the versatile Bufford to show her many sides. The material -- an odyssey of blues made famous by the likes of Bessie Smith, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, Dinah Washington, John Legend, and The Animals -- reels from deep in its southern roots to its far-flung northern heights. Shadowing Bufford on this kaleidoscopic journey is her music director Ian Herman on piano.

Tony Award-Winners Adriane Lenox (After Midnight, Doubt),Karen Ziemba (Bullets Over Broadway, Curtains, Contact), Randy Graff (LES MISERABLES, City of Angels) and Andy Blankenbuehler (In The Heights, Bring it On), Tony Award-nominees Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon, Baby, Cats), Sally Mayes (She Loves Me), Christiane Noll (Ragtime, Chaplin, Jekyll & Hyde), Stephen Bogardus (Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Bob Stillman (Dirty Blonde) and Annie Golden(Hair), and Elizabeth Stanley (Million Dollar Quartet, Company), Ann Harada (Cinderella, Avenue Q), Eddie Korbich(A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Kerry O'Malley (Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Sally Wilfert (Assassins) and Nightlife Award Winners Scott Coulter, Julie Reyburn andSteve Ross appeared in Town Hall's Broadway by the Year Series on Monday night, May 12, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1965-1989.

Eligibility and award category designations for the productions under consideration this season were determined by the Drama Desk board of directors with recommendations from the nominating committee. Because of the abundance of great work throughout the season, the Board also authorized the increase in the number of nominees allowed in select categories.

Distinguished American actor John Glover (Witch/A Porter/Murderer 3 in Lincoln Center's Macbeth) will join Drama Desk's 'Why Shakespeare? Why Now?' at Sardi's today, April 4 (11:45 AM-2:30 PM), it was announced by Isa Goldberg, president of Drama Desk. Glover will join panelists-actors Michael Pennington and Scott Shepherd and directors Daniel Sullivan and Julie Taymor-in the lively discussion exploring the reasons why New York's current theater season has such a distinctive Shakespearean flavor. Carol Rocamora, an educator, critic, playwright, translator, and Drama Desk member, will be the moderator.

Academy Award winners Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez ('Let It Go' from Frozen) and two-time Emmy and Golden Globe Nominee Fran Drescher (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella; 'The Nanny') will announce the nominations for the 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 11:00 AM at 54 Below (254 W. 54th Street), it was announced today by Gretchen Shugart, CEO of TheaterMania.com and Isa Goldberg, Drama Desk President.

Distinguished American actor John Glover (Witch/A Porter/Murderer 3 in Lincoln Center's Macbeth) will join Drama Desk's "Why Shakespeare? Why Now?" at Sardi's on Friday, April 4 (11:45 AM-2:30 PM), it was announced by Isa Goldberg, president of Drama Desk. Glover will join previously announced panelists-actors Michael Pennington and Scott Shepherd and directors Daniel Sullivan and Julie Taymor-in the lively discussion exploring the reasons why New York's current theater season has such a distinctive Shakespearean flavor. Carol Rocamora, an educator, critic, playwright, translator, and Drama Desk member, will be the moderator.

Award-winning director Julie Taymor will join the Drama Desk's "Why Shakespeare? Why Now?" panel discussion at Sardi's on Friday, April 4 (11:45 AM-2:30 PM), it was announced by Isa Goldberg, president of Drama Desk. Taymor will join previously announced panelists-actors Michael Pennington and Scott Shepherd and director Daniel Sullivan-in the lively discussion exploring the reasons why New York's current theater season has such a distinctive Shakespearean flavor. Carol Rocamora, an educator, critic, playwright, translator, and Drama Desk member will be the moderator.

New York's theater season has had a distinctive Shakespearean flavor to it with the critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Globe productions of Twelfth Night, or What You Will and Richard III (in repertory at the Belasco Theater), Lincoln Center Theater's Macbeth, the Bard's The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare in the Park), King Lear (by Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn), and the Wooster Group's Cry, Trojans! (Troilus & Cressida). The Drama Desk's annual Spring Luncheon/Panel Discussion at Sardi's Eugenia Room, 234 West 44th St., on Friday, April 4, will try to answer the questions 'Why Shakespeare? Why Now?' with a distinguished lineup of guests, including British actor/director Michael Pennington (King Lear); Scott Shepherd (Cry, Trojans!, The Wooster Group's Troilus & Cressida); and director Daniel Sullivan (The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare in the Park). Carol Rocamora, a renowned playwright/critic and educator, will serve as moderator.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello,Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out backstage photos below!

The 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2014 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street), it was announced today. Shugart is the Managing Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards. Joey Parnes Productions will produce and manage the show.

Theater publicist Leslie Bader Papa has been added to the Drama Desk panel discussion, 'You Gotta Have A Gimmick ...•Or A Star!' on Monday, Feb. 10, at 6 PM at Stage 72/Triad, 158 W . 72nd St., in Manhattan, it was announced by Randie Levine-Miller, who will moderate the lively discussion focusing on the effort and skills it takes to promote a show, both Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Winners of the 12th Annual Nightlife Awards and Special Guest Stars joined together to celebrate New York Nightlife earlier this week at The Town Hall. Special Guest Stars included Stephanie J. Block. Tony Award Winner Bill Irwin, Tony Nominee Jason Robert Brown, Recording and Concert Artist Nellie McKay, and the show's Three-Time Emmy Award-winning host, Bruce Vilanch. broadwayWorld brings you photos from the special event below!

Peter Filichia, theater critic emeritus for the Star-Ledger newspaper in Newark and "News 12 New Jersey" will join theater publicists Joshua Ellis and Susan Schulman as panelists at the Drama Desk's first Panel Discussion of 2014 -- entitled "You Gotta Have A Gimmick….Or A Star!" - on Monday, Feb. 10, at 6 PM at Stage 72/Triad, 158 W. 72nd St., in Manhattan. Recommended arrival for the panel is at 5:30 PM ; the discussion will be held from 6-7:15 PM. A cash bar will be available. Tickets may be ordered online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/931127 or by calling (212) 352-3101. Tickets are $20 online and at the door. Randie Levine-Miller will moderate the panel discussion about the effort and skills it takes to promote a show, both Broadway and Off-Broadway.

The 58th Annual Drama Desk awards will take place on May 19th at Town Hall and this morning, the nominees were announced by John Lloyd Young (Drama Desk Winner, Jersey Boys) and Linda Lavin. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos below!