Berry Gordy News

BroadwayWorld has learned John Ellison Conlee, Tony nominee for THE FULL MONTY, has had to depart Encores! Off-Center's upcoming production of Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY due to a scheduling conflict. Ryan Andes, who last starred on TV in PETER PAN LIVE! and in Broadway's BIG FISH, steps in.

The West End production of Motown the Musical, opening at the Shaftesbury Theatre in February next year, held open casting auditions in London today (7 July 2015).  Almost 200 people attended and auditioned for the opportunity to portray the iconic artists of Motown in the musical.

The West End production of Motown the Musical, opening at the Shaftesbury Theatre in February 2016, will hold open casting auditions next month for the opportunity to portray the iconic artists of Motown in the musical.

For nearly three vigorous hours, MOTOWN - THE MUSICAL provides one helluva show. More like a CONCERT rather than your typical book musical, this dazzling, high-octane extravaganza of music and dance is a visual and aural feast that gamely crams in more than 60 hits from the groundbreaking record company's discography. The story---penned by Motown founder Berry Gordy himself---may be its lone weak spot, but there's no denying how fun it is to see and hear this impressive cast of quintuple-threats recreate these greatest hits live on stage. The rousingly entertaining, exuberantly-performed stage spectacular continues at Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Center for the Arts through June 28.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that music executive Edna Anderson-Owens, portrayed by Saycon Sengbloh in the Broadway musical MOTOWN, has passed away. She was 76 years old. 

Playwright Rory Sheriff penned the stage play, 'Be A Lion', a delightful spinoff to the Broadway musical and film, 'The Wiz', an adaptation of the television classic, 'The Wizard of Oz'.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Maine, Chicago, Italy, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include FAME at Maine State Music Theatre, a 'risky' FUNNY GIRL in Italy, and full coverage of Gloria Estafan's Broadway-bound ON YOUR FEET!, just to name a few.

For three decades, the Grammy-winning, funk/soul super group The Commodores, comprised of Walter 'Clyde' Orange, William 'WAK' King, and James Dean 'J.D.' Nicholas, have remained a force in the music industry with hits including 'Brick House,' 'Night Shift,' 'Three Times A Lady,' 'Easy,' and 'Lady (You Bring Me Up).'

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and The Orpheum Theatre, are proud to announce that performances for MOTOWN THE MUSICAL begin July 14, 2015.  Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at the official Orpheum Theatre website, www.orpheum-memphis.com, The Orpheum Box Office (901.525.3000), the ticket counter at The Booksellers at Laurelwood, and all Ticketmaster centers (901.743.ARTS).  MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will play at The Orpheum Theatre, July 14 - 19, 2015.  Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by calling 901.529.4226.     

Segerstrom Center for the Arts and producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy are proud to announce that the Orange County engagement of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL begins tonight, June 16, 2015.

Director Nick Kenkel has made lightning strike a second time at North Shore Music Theatre with his dazzling and definitive production of DREAMGIRLS. Blessed with a dream design team and a tremendously talented cast of triple threats, Kenkel has dug beneath the glitz and the glamour of the American music industry to explore the hopes, joys, disappointments and sorrows that accompany stars on the way up and back down.

BNY Mellon presents Smokey Robinson with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the first installment of the symphony's Summer with the Symphony: Thursday Night Icons series on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Heinz Hall.

The talented cast of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL treated unsuspecting passengers to an impromptu performance on a Virgin Air flight to Detroit.

BNY Mellon presents Smokey Robinson with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the first installment of the symphony's Summer with the Symphony: Thursday Night Icons series on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Heinz Hall.

Bree Langridge and her band combine copious amounts of sequins, big hair and iconic songs in LITTLE DIANA AND THE BIG FUZZ as they channel Diana Ross and The Funk Brothers for an hour of music and stories.

Brandon Victor Dixon and Steven Pasquale will join the previously announced Sutton Foster in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, running July 15 - 18, 2015 at New York City Center. (NOTE: Brandon Victor Dixon will replace the previously announced Joshua Henry, who has had a scheduling conflict.) The production will be directed by Leigh Silverman, with choreography by Sonya Tayeh. Jeanine Tesori is the Artistic Director of Encores! Off-Center and Chris Fenwick is Music Director.

Dallas Summer Musicals and Performing Arts Fort Worth proudly announce their 2015-2016 Broadway seasons! Once again, the two performing arts groups, in a groundbreaking move spearheaded last season, will come together to co-present many of these titles, allowing patrons across North Texas ample opportunities to experience the Best of Broadway.

Summer is coming and luckily for you, here in Houston there is no shortage of nice, air-conditioned theaters for you to choose from. With so many choices it can be a daunting task, so let the BWW Houston editors give you their picks for the upcoming summer season.

As summer approaches, so does an exciting season of local and touring stage productions, with an array of choices for the entire family. Here are our picks for Dallas and Fort Worth's hottest tickets this summer.

Now that Memphis in May has finally bid adieu to the Sunset Symphony, crowned the winners of the barbecue contest,and trod well the welcome mat to the magnficent new Bass Pro Shop, Memphians can look to its theatres, old and new, for diversions of a histrionic nature.