Bea Arthur News

Yesterday (5 October), at the launch event in London for Motown the Musical, Cedric Neal (Berry Gordy) and Lucy St. Louis (Diana Ross) were announced to lead the cast in the West End production, opening at the Shaftesbury Theatre in February 2016.  With music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, Motown the Musical is directed by Charles Randolph-Wright.  London previews will begin on 11 February 2016, with press night on 8 March 2016, with the show booking to 22 October 2016.

 The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) (Executive Director & Producer Dan Markley) will honor Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, theatre executive and producer Darren P. DeVerna and former NYMF board chair Martin Grant at its 2015 Gala to be held on Sunday, November 15th at the Edison Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan (240 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036).

Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2015-2016 season was announced today by Acting Artistic Director Braden Abraham. The season is headlined by the new musical Come from Away, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced and the world premiere of R. Hamilton Wright's Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem.

SPARKLE & CIRCULATE with JUSTIN SAYRE - the official monthly podcast of the International Order of Sodomites - has posted its eleventh episode, which features an interview with Brendan Maclean, the acclaimed Australian singer and songwriter. Maclean - hailed as "infectious and hypnotic" by BuzzFeed - discusses his new EP Thought I'd Cry For You Forever, his role in Baz Luhrmann's film The Great Gatsby, his upcoming album with RuPaul's producer Lucian Piane and collaborating with Neil Gaiman on a new song. Also, Justin gives the back story behind his debut novel Husky, released this month from Penguin Books. The show is available on iTunes here.  

THE MEETING* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Sunday, September 27 at 9:30 PM to open the Fall 2015 Season. The September 2015 show will feature a celebration of Whitney Houston, with special guests Darius de Haas, Natalie Joy Johnson, Jaime Cepero, Inyang Bassey and others to be announced. Tracy Stark serves as the show's Music Director.

Fresh off its world-premiere run in Minneapolis, where Star Tribune declared "Akeelah and the Bee triumphs," Children's Theatre Company's new production about an 11-year-old spelling prodigy comes to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. The show is adapted for the stage by veteran playwright Cheryl L. West (Arena's Pullman Porter Blues, Jar the Floor), who partners with celebrated director Charles Randolph-Wright (director of Broadway's Motown and an inaugural resident playwright with Arena Stage, where he premiered his play Love in Afghanistan). Akeelah and the Bee runs November 13-December 27, 2015 in the Kreeger Theater.

'It is important to document theatre history so that future generations can truly comprehend the impact and artistic value of the great works.'

Eric Bryant (Room Service), Susan Cella (The Graduate), Adam LeBow (Greenwood), Allen Lewis Rickman (Relatively Speaking), Sarah Sirota (Zuccotti Park), and Melissa Teitel (I Hate Hamlet) co-star. Performances begin October 2.

Lerner & Loewe's classic musical MY FAIR LADY launches Lyric Stage's 2015-16 season tonight, September 4.

The 80's hit television show THE GOLDEN GIRLS gets a revival, in puppet form, with the THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND.

Casting has been announced for the upcoming edition of Dennis Hensley's The MisMatch Game. The side-splitting parody of the 70s game show returns to the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Renberg Theatre for two nights only, tonight, August 29 at 8pm and tomorrow, August 30 at 7pm. 

Casting has been announced for the upcoming edition of Dennis Hensley's The MisMatch Game. The side-splitting parody of the 70s game show returns to the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Renberg Theatre for two nights only, Saturday, August 29 at 8pm and Sunday, August 30 at 7pm. 

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Sunday, September 27 at 9:30 PM to open the Fall 2015 Season.

SPARKLE & CIRCULATE with JUSTIN SAYRE - the official monthly podcast of the International Order of Sodomites - has posted the ninth episode, which features an in-depth conversation with James Gavin, author of the acclaimed biography 'Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee' and previous books on Lena Horne, Chet Baker and New York nightlife. The show is available on iTunes here. Previous episodes- featuring interviews with Randy Harrison, Justin Vivian Bond, Michael Musto, Frank DeCaro, Kim David Smith, Jeffery Self and R&B legend Sarah Dash - are also available. SPARKLE & CIRCULATE is produced by Dan Fortune and Tyrus Emory.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to OASIS (298 Eleventh Street, San Francisco CA) tonight, August 1 at 7:00 PM after a sold out debut show in April.

It's time once again to "get ready to match the stars" with a new edition of Dennis Hensley's The MisMatch Game, the show the Los Angeles Times calls, "witty, ribald ... an adventure in surrealist era bending." The side-splitting parody of the 70s game show returns to the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Renberg Theatre for two hilarious nights, Saturday, August 29 at 8pm and Sunday, August 30 at 7pm. 

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: INTO THE WOODS comes to Forest Park, MACK & MABEL take over Chichester, LOVE LETTERS heads out on tour and more!