Charles Strouse News

After a brief hiatus from any major productions, STAGED! Portland's Musical Theatre Series is back with an ambitious summer line-up. STAGED! is presenting an in-depth look at one of the most dynamic musical theatre composers working today, Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown.

Dallas Theater Center proudly presents IT'S A BIRD...IT'S A PLAN...IT'S SUPERMAN, starring Matt Cavenaugh as Clark Kent/Superman and Patrick Cassidy as arch-villain Max Menken, June 18 - July 25, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theater at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

HARTFORD CHILDREN'S THEATRE is pleased to announce its 2010-2011 Family Main Stage Series, 'Pure Imagination.' With stories as diverse as a world-famous candy man's quest for an heir, a plucky orphan's tale of hope and optimism and a 13 year old boy's struggle to fit in, 'Pure Imagination' is sure to delight and entertain the entire family.

Experience this unforgettable story of love and loss when Pittsburgh CLO presents the epic musical Miss Saigon, June 8- 20 at the Benedum Center in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District. One of the most stunning Broadway productions of all time, Miss Saigon is a raw and uncompromising tale that has captivated audiences around the world.

Producer Arielle Tepper Madover, currently represented on Broadway with the Tony Award®-nominated play Red, announced today that she has acquired the production rights for the beloved Tony Award®-winning musical ANNIE and will produce an all-new production of it for Broadway, opening in Fall, 2012.

Today, we are taking a look at a clip from the 1971 Tony Awards in the title song from that year's Best Musical. The song is performed by the chorus members of the ALL ABOUT EVE musical, the Lauren Bacall-led APPLAUSE. This clip features a twenty-six-year-old Bonnie Franklin leading one of two featured numbers (and she was nominated for Best Featured Actress - losing out to Melba Moore for PURLIE) who would later find fame on the hit 80s sitcom ONE DAY AT A TIME… APPLAUSE had all the makings of a truly great musical: a score by then-white-hot songwriting team Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, a book by legends Betty Comden and Adolf Green, and a leading lady the likes of whom simply don't exist anymore in Lauren Ball. Stars like her don't shine, they radiate. They just ARE, and Bacall was (and still is). Don't let the fact that she can't really sing fool you: she could put over a number as well as Merman, Callas or Lotte Lenya, for that matter. So here, with a nod to the currently-running shows of that time - among them CABARET, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, HELLO,DOLLY, MAME - and many others in a fun parody sequence that is not a part of the original cast album for what we would assume would be questionable copyright issues given the uncanny homage. Also, viewer beware that there is some slight nudity in the form of some bare backsides at one point in the clip, but surely something broadcast on national television nearly forty years ago could not be held accountable for too much prurience. It's a bit of a desperate ploy in a bit of a desperate song from an even more desperate show. It just screams "Like me!" but one may find it hard to fully embrace the at-times pure camp and over-the-top elements on display in an entirely serious way. Take it for what it is: frivolous fun. Whatever the case with APPLAUSE, it truly seems they threw everything and the kitchen sink into this number - with interesting, if not entirely successful, results. Be sure to stay tuned past the seven minute mark for a quite unexpected surprise. Speaking of which: Bonnie Franklin sure could tap, but her other talents are seemingly a bit less pleasurable from an audience member's point of view judging by this clip. See if you don't agree. The over-the-top camp and hokey allure of this clip justify this as the sole, perhaps, for-diehards-only entry in our Top Ten Tony Moments countdown. After all, a little frothy fun never hurt anybody. 'Til tomorrow…

The Drilling Company's Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot will open its 2010 season with 'Love's Labours Lost,' directed by Kathy Curtis, July 8 to 24. The season will also include 'Julius Caesar,' directed by Hamilton Clancy, July 29 to August 14. This is the 19th consecutive year for Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot, a favorite New York summertime cultural treat that is performed free in a municipal parking lot at the corner of Ludlow and Broome Streets, Manhattan.

El 9 de Octubre de 2010 Annie, el musical de Charles Strouse volverá a Madrid después de 10 años y se estrenará en el Teatro Nuevo Apolo. Las audiciones han sido convocadas para los días 7 y 8 de junio en el Círculo Catalán de Madrid (Plaza de España, 6).

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Long Wharf Theatre is pleased to announce the full company for Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie, directed by Gordon Edelstein with Patch Darragh (Tom Wingfield), two-time Tony® Award winner Judith Ivey (Amanda Wingfield), Keira Keeley (Laura Wingfield), Michael Mosley (Jim O'Connor).

Experience this unforgettable story of love and loss when Pittsburgh CLO presents the epic musical Miss Saigon, June 8- 20 at the Benedum Center in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District. One of the most stunning Broadway productions of all time, Miss Saigon is a raw and uncompromising tale that has captivated audiences around the world.

Fidelity Investments®, in partnership with Billy Elliot the Musical, the Viertel/Frankel/Baruch/Routh Group and LeAp (Learning through an Expanded Arts Program) today announced that two-time Academy Award® Winner Hilary Swank will host the 2010 Fidelity FutureStage® Finale on Monday, June 14.

On Thursday May 27th at 7:30 pm, SIGNAL, a large ensemble comprising some of Eastman School of Music's most gifted and innovative alumni, will perform the World Premiere of Stabat Mater by Nico Muhly.

BROADWAY BY THE BAY (BBBay), the Peninsula's premiere musical theatre company, continues its 45th season with a production of the classic Broadway musical ANNIE, running Thursday, July 15 through Sunday, August 1 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center (600 N. Delaware Ave., San Mateo). Press night is scheduled for Friday, July 16, 2010.

Miracle Theatre Group and Staged! Portland's Musical Theatre Series present a collaborative production of SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

The Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that 81-year old composer Charles Strouse took ill while in Philadelphia yesterday to accept a lifetime achievement award at the Arts Bank in Philadelphia. Strouse had attended 'By Strouse' a tribute show and then was scheduled to do a talkback and to perform a couple of his songs.

Autistic students, in 6th to 8th grade at PS 094 in Manhattan are preparing for a performance at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway (249 West 45th Street) on Monday, May 17th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Disney's High School Musical star Corbin Bleu will be on hand to lend his applause and serve as the event's master of ceremonies.

The Dundalk Community Theatre will perform the family musical ANNIE, May 14 - 23, 2010, at their theatre in Baltimore. The Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin musical will be directed by Tom Wyatt.

Astoria Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce their production of the Stephen Schwartz musical Children of Eden, choreography by Christine O'Grady, musical direction by Lilli Wosk, and directed by Tom Wojtunik.

On Thursday May 27th at 7:30 pm, SIGNAL, a large ensemble comprising some of Eastman School of Music's most gifted and innovative alumni, will perform the World Premiere of Stabat Mater by Nico Muhly.

Legacy Theatre's next mainstage production will be ANNIE playing from July 9 through August 1, 2010 with book by Thomas Meehan, Music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. This production will conclude the 2009-2010 season.