Des McAnuff News

As a super-special Spring extension of BroadwayWorld's SOUND OFF column, every day until the Tony Awards on June 12 we will be presenting a spectacular new entry in the SPOTLIGHT ON THE 2011 TONY AWARDS series featuring a particularly entertaining, interesting, relevant and exciting Tony Awards-related clip from the last sixty-three years of the ceremonies (and subsequent seasons on Broadway) with a rundown and commentary on the sights, sounds and showmanship on display in each carefully chosen selection - all, of course, coming in anticipation of Broadway's biggest night, which will be broadcast on CBS this year, as always. Once again this year, BroadwayWorld is the official home of the 2011 Tony Awards and we will also be featuring exclusive interviews, articles, photos, video content, interactive features and more in the coming days and weeks leading up to the event so be sure to check back daily for your theatre fix!

To celebrate summer, Sunday performances of the international multi award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS at the Prince Edward Theatre will start at the later time of 5.00pm from Sunday 5 June, for 13 weeks through to 28 August.

Roger Daltrey plans to bring THE WHO'S TOMMY on tour this fall. The Who's Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, also by Pete Townshend, with additional material by John Entwistle and Sonny Boy Williamson.

JERSEY BOYS Las Vegas, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, celebrates its third anniversary at The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino on Thursday, May 12. The show will celebrate the anniversary with a one-of-a-kind JERSEY BOYS cake, which will be presented on the stage following curtain call of the 7 p.m. performance.

Jersey Boys, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre where it will play its final performance on May 8, 2011.

Casting has been announced for the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center premiere engagement of the Tony®, Grammy® and Olivier® Award winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The cast of JERSEY BOYS will be led by Matt Bailey (Tommy DeVito), Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli), Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi) and Quinn VanAntwerp (Bob Gaudio) as The Four Seasons, with Jonathan Hadley and Joseph Siravo.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) will present a special evening of readings at The Drama Book Shop on May 10, 2011 in anticipation of their world premiere production of Michael Weller's Side Effects, directed by David Auburn.

The new Broadway musical Baby It's You! tells the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Starring Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Greenberg, conceived by Floyd Mutrux, directed by Floyd Mutrux and Sheldon Epps, and written by Tony nominated book writers Mutrux and Colin Escott, the team behind Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, Baby It's You! began performances at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) Saturday, March 26, 2011, and opens TONIGHT, April 27, 2011, at 6:30pm. Baby It's You! features a cast of 19 that includes Allan Louis, Geno Henderson, Erica Ash, Kelli Barrett, Kyra DaCosta, Crystal Starr Knighton, Barry Pearl, Christina Sajous, Brandon Uranowitz, Alison Cimmet, Erica Dorfler, Berlando Drake, Adam Heller, Jahi A. Kearse, Annette Moore, Zachary Prince, Ken Robinson and Chelsea Morgan Stock.

La Muse Venale presents a musical tale of dreams, possibilities and heartbreak in Robert L. Hecker's Honestly Abe, which shines a spotlight on a little-known early chapter in the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Directed by Joshua A. Kashinsky, Honestly Abe will begin performances at the Mint Theater at 311 West 43rd Street.

This weekend marks the opening of his new vampire-centric horror film STAKE LAND, and you can catch him every week on FOX's hit series FRINGE, but Michael Cerveris is certainly best known for his series of stunning performances in some of the finest musical theatre productions of the 21st century - John Doyle's SWEENEY TODD and Joe Mantello's ASSASSINS chief among them - as well as for originating the title role in Pete Townshend's singular Broadway foray, The Who's TOMMY. With a captivating new double-disc concept album - NINE LIVES - out now, it seems that Cerveris has found a way to juggle it all. In this extensive two-part conversation, we take a look back at his experiences in the aforementioned Sondheim musicals, as well as his series of performances in Sondheim shows under the direction of Lonny Price at the Ravinia Festival co-starring Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone, and also touch upon his work in plays, such as his recent Kent in Kevin Kline's KING LEAR at The Public, HEDDA GABLER opposite Mary Louise Parker, and Sarah Ruhl's IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY). Additionally, he shares his Tony memories, singing SWEENEY TODD at the recent SONDHEIM! Celebration, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, TITANIC and much, much more in this compelling and comprehensive conversation. His new feature film STAKE LAND opens in selected cities this weekend and Part II arrives next week!

Blackfriars Theatre, a not-for-profit mid -sized professional theatre on Rochester's 'Theatre Row' is pleased to announce the opening of 'Tommy,' by The Who (music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, with additional lyrics and music by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff.)

ersey Boys, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, April 21-May 8, 2011.

David Hasselhoff attended JERSEY BOYS at the Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino on Tuesday, April 19. After the show, Hasselhoff went backstage to meet and congratulate the boys on a stunning performance. Hasselhoff is best known for his role on 'Baywatch' and judge on 'America's Got Talent.' Check out a photo from the event below!

WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin today announced casting details for Shooting Star which will be performed on the Main Stage May 27 - June 26, 2011.

According to WAToday, producers are hoping to bring OCTOR ZHIVAGO STAR Anthony Warlow alongfor a West End transfer. The production is currently enjoying a successful run at Her Majesty's Theatre in in Melbourne, following at Sydney's Lyric Theatre. Grossing an average of $1 million a week. An official announcement concerning the West End production is exected to be made during the 12 week Melbourne run.

Fox Associates announces its stellar 2010-2011 U.S. Bank Broadway Series. Alongside the previously announced engagement of Broadway's latest sensation BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, winner of the 2009 Tony Award® for Best Musical; will be Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, a stunning reinvention produced by Lincoln Center Theater, making its St. Louis debut. Also included in the series are: SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks film that started it all, brings the hilarious story of everyone's favorite ogre to life on stage; 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL the new musical comedy, direct from Broadway & based on the hit movie; and NEXT TO NORMAL winner of three 2009 Tony Awards including Best Score. The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, JERSEY BOYS returns to round out the six show series.

La Muse Venale presents a musical tale of dreams, possibilities and heartbreak in Robert L. Hecker's Honestly Abe, which shines a spotlight on a little-known early chapter in the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Directed by Joshua A. Kashinsky, Honestly Abe will begin performances at the Mint Theater at 311 West 43rd Street.

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO- The explosive new musical romance DOCTOR ZHIVAGO will be appearing at Her Majesty's Theatre in 2011.

Met Music Director James Levine leads the new production premiere of Die Walküre, Robert Lepage's staging of the second opera in Wagner's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. The production opens Friday, April 22, with an exceptional cast of Wagnerian singers, most of whom are singing their roles for the first time at the Met.

Blackfriars Theatre, a not-for-profit mid -sized professional theatre on Rochester's 'Theatre Row' is pleased to announce the opening of 'Tommy,' by The Who (music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, with additional lyrics and music by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff.)