Betty Comden News

The new Broadway revival of On The Town was recorded in November 2014 for a two-disc cast album to be released by PS Classics. After announcing a previous date for January 20, the label's website now lists a March 3 release.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber have announced the next production in the second season of Chicago's hit 'lost' musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits... City of Angels, featuring book by Larry Gelbart (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, M*A*S*H), music by Cy Coleman (Sweet Charity, Barnum) and lyrics by David Zippel (The Goodbye Girl, Disney's Mulan) with direction by Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham. City of Angels is presented for two-nights-only Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4 at 8:00 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Sondheim on Sondheim (February 6 - March 15) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Braodway. It's the Top Ten Hot Topix for the last half of 2014, and the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration on Wednesday, January 7th, 2015!

2015 is almost here, and that means that a slew of new shows are on their way to the Great White Way. Before the 2015 Awards season gets started, no less than nineteen new productions will take tike their first Broadway bows. Catch up on what's in store for the season ahead below!

For Day 7 of BroadwayWorld's 12 Days of Christmas 'video finds,' we present Carol Burnett and Alan Alda. They both boast Broadway pedigrees.

Lyrics & Lyricists gets going on the opening show of its 45th season with "A Good Thing Going: The Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince Collaboration" on January 10, 11 and 12. Artistic director David Loud, himself a frequent Sondheim collaborator, explores the 1970-1981 partnership behind the groundbreaking musicals Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along - with cast members Kate Baldwin, Heidi Blickenstaff, Liz Callaway, James Clow, Jason Danieley, and Alan H. Green.

Today in 1991, the second Broadway revival of Peter Pan opened at the MInskoff Theatre, where it ran for 48 performances. Peter Pan is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and Barrie's own novelization of it, Peter and Wendy. The music is mostly by Mark 'Moose' Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The original 1954 Broadway production, starring Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars.

Peter Pan Takes Flight at New Stage on Dec. 4th

Get a sneak peek of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY!

Bring home the magic and adventure of NBC's all-new production of Peter Pan Live! on DVD Dec. 16, 2014 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Having witnessed the stultifying, bloated NBC production of PETER PAN LIVE (what were the 'powers that be' thinking would hold a child's attention span for three hours, however padded with yet more Peter Pan plugs from Walmart?), I was reluctant to attend Playhouse on the Square's annual production of the James Barrie children's classic. I am probably one of the handful of reviewers to recall the 1955 NBC production (and later one as well) with the legendary pairing of Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard (whose fruity, overly ripe 'Captain Hook' would make Johnny Depp's 'Jack Sparrow' seem more like a white collar executive). As an IPad-free child inured to black and white fare, it hardly mattered that Mary Martin was, to put it politely, mature; that the production values were clunky; that the wires and 'Tinker' herself were glaringly apparent. In short, I was captivated. Yet, Martin possessed the kind of spunk and spontaneity that made us children believe (not to mention that she had the kind of singing voice that made her a legendary Broadway performer, as evidenced by SOUTH PACIFIC and SOUND OF MUSIC). She could make a child want to fly. Allison Williams, last evening's 'Peter,' lacked that optimistic boyishness (though she had the tomboyish Hilary Swank look 'nailed') and, despite having a pleasant enough voice, often seemed out of breath; but Chrisopher Walken, whom I like and who I initially thought would be inspired casting, seemed to have wandered in from a cocktail party hosted by zombies. His dancing made that of the Monster in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN seem as nimble as that of Fred Astaire. Despite the wonderful lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and despite the 'ear candy' musical score by Mark Charlalp and Jule Stein, those long, middle stretches in Neverland made me wonder if it would Neverend.

Pirates! Crocodiles! Mermaids! Magic! Relive all of the heavenly high-flying highlights of last night's PETER PAN LIVE!

Today we turn our attention to a Golden Age master who was celebrated earlier this week via PETER PAN LIVE! and rightly so given this is now his centennial year, Adolph Green.

Growing up, my brother, sister, and I wore out our VHS recording of one of Mary Martin's TV productions of PETER PAN. Mixed in between viewings of APOLLO 13 and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, we learned every word to every song, and while I don't remember dancing along with the Lost Boys, there is no doubt that we could have, if asked. I've never seen the musical on stage, so, for me, PETER PAN simply belongs on TV; and producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan spared no fiary dust in creating a magical PETER PAN that reinforced why this holiday tradition should never grow up and fly away. Despite a handful of hiccups that befall many live productions, simply put, PETER PAN LIVE! is a triumph for children young and old.

In anticipation of NBC's exciting live broadcast of the musical Peter Pan this Thursday, I knew it was essential to attend the Patrick Grossman directed incarnation running through January 4th at The Noel Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center (CMPAC). They have been overly buzzing, too, as they even received a shout out from Allison Williams (who portrays the title character for NBC) on the Seth Meyer's show.

Sondra Lee, who portrayed Tiger Lily in the 1954 Broadway production of PETER PAN, as well as the 1955 telecast, spoke about Thursday night's live broadcast on NBC.

Der Winter hat gerade erst begonnen, aber die Freilichtbuhnen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz blicken schon auf den nachsten Sommer. Viele der Openair-Theater in der Region fuhren auch 2015 wieder Musicals auf und haben bereits die Spielplane fur den kommenden Sommer veroffentlicht. Auf dem Programm stehen Klassiker wie Cabaret und Singin' in the Rain, aber auch Deutschlandpremieren wie Zorro und selten gespielte Musicals wie Der Geheime Garten und Das Lacheln einer Sommernacht. Vielerorts auch hat bereits der Vorverkauf begonnen. Damit ihr euch die besten Platze sichern und Ausfluge planen konnt, gibt es hier eine Übersicht uber einen Großteil der Freilicht-Musicals im Sommer 2015.