Bob Fosse News

Chicago, a show that has been long awaited at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, will takes its bow this fall as part of the theatre's 2011 Season.

As announced on the Friday, June 17 edition of 'Live with Regis and Kelly,' this fall, Kara DioGuardi, Grammy nominated songwriter and star of 'American Idol' and Bravo's 'Platinum Hit', will make her Broadway stage debut as merry murderess Roxie Hart in the Tony Award-winning hit musical CHICAGO for an eight-week limited engagement, Monday, September 5 through Sunday, October 30, 2011 at the Ambassador Theatre.

Cortland Repertory Theatre will serve up plenty of 'razzle dazzle' in the second show of their 40th Anniversary 'Ruby Jubilee' season as they present the notoriously sassy and jazzy musical 'Chicago', with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book written by Ebb and Bob Fosse, based on the play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins.

Nikka Graff Lanzarone, who recently appeared as 'Marisa' in Lincoln Center Theater's production of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, will be stepping into the role of Velma Kelly in Broadway's long-running production of CHICAGO.

A Tony Award winner for his renowned performance in Bob Fosse's Pippin, BEN VEREEN, will perform from his new CD, 'Steppin' Out Live With Ben Vereen', at the UWS Apple Store (on Broadway between 68th and 67th) on June 13th at 7pm.

The second of two musicals planned this summer at Playhouse on Park opens July 13th. Chicago the musical is based on the original play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins. It is loosely based on the trials of two women accused of murder in the 1920s.

Touring production of the hit revival 'Chicago' is still heaven nowadays.

Christie Brinkley, who made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in CHICAGO earlier this year, receiving great critical acclaim, will come direct from New York to play the role in London's West End from Monday 11 July for a strictly limited four-week season, ending on Saturday 6 August. She will be joined by Amra-Faye Wright, who has been playing Velma Kelly opposite Christie on Broadway. Amra-Faye will also star in the Cambridge Theatre production from 11 July to 6 August. Jonathan Wilkes will continue in the role of Billy Flynn, James Doherty as Amos Hart, Jasna Ivir as Mama Morton and R. Whitehead as Mary Sunshine, all until 27 August, when CHICAGO will leave the Cambridge Theatre.

On Wednesday, June 8th between 7AM-9AM Sutton Foster, Joel Grey and Kathleen Marshall will take 'CBS Early Show' behind the scenes at Anything Goes and on Tuesday, June 14th watch 'The Late Show with David Letterman' to see Sutton Foster and the cast perform 'Blow, Gabriel Blow' between 11:35PM-12:35AM.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the return of Broadway's record-breaking musical smash hit CHICAGO for a limited one-week engagement.

Final weeks have begun for the limited engagement of Roundabout Theatre Company's critically acclaimed and Tony nominated production of Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring Brian Bedford as 'Lady Bracknell.' The final performance of the 28-week run will be Sunday, June 26th at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd St.).

A Tony Award winner for his renowned performance in Bob Fosse's Pippin, BEN VEREEN, will perform from his new CD, 'Steppin' Out Live With Ben Vereen', at the UWS Apple Store (on Broadway between 68th and 67th) on June 13th at 7pm.

Today we are listening to one of the most highly-anticipated cast albums of the season, featuring a bona fide Hollywood star at its center - none other than Harry Potter himself, no less - in one of the most celebrated of Golden Age musicals. I am speaking, of course, of the 2010 Broadway revival of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING starring Daniel Radcliffe alongside Emmy-winner Tammy Blanchard, Tony nominee John Larroquette, and Christopher J. Hanke in the role made famous in the original production by cutup comedian Charles Nelson Reilly. So, just how well does Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows' Pulitzer Prize-winning musical hold up on record nearly fifty years after its inception and original cast album? How does this recording stack up next to the treasured Original Broadway Cast Recording - the flawless Sony Masterworks reissue reviewed in this very column last year included - as well as the film soundtrack and 1995 revival recording? Furthermore - and, the question on everyone's lips; or the ponderousness perched on the extremity of everyone's earlobes - is Mr. Radcliffe more or less than his stalwart predecessor in the role of J. Pierrepont Finch - MAD MEN's Robert Morse - and, how does he measure up to the Tony-winning lead of the Des McAnuff revival from the 90s, Matthew Broderick? Clearly, this HOW TO SUCCEED is its own thing. And how - and, how much! The revival recording of HOW TO SUCCEED is a more-than-filling meal with appetizers, desserts and some more-then-generous 1960s sized cocktails thrown in for good measure - more than measuring up to what has come before, in the process. But, how exactly do you like your food served up? And, your drinks prepared? Many should be more than satiated - this HOW TO SUCCEED certainly succeeds.