Des McAnuff News

Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Nightwood Theatre is thrilled to present the Toronto premiere of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize award-winning play Ruined. Written by Lynn Nottage and starring theatre and film veterans, Yanna McIntosh and Sterling Jarvis, the story is set in a small mining town in the civil war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street), Times Square's landmark concert venue, presents Ben Vereen in a concert on Friday, February 18 at 8:00PM that coincides with the release of his new CD "Stepping Out With Ben Vereen" on the Ghostlight Records label.

Rehearsals for the new musical production Doctor Zhivago recently began in Sydney, with the full cast assembled for the first time. The creative team, a mix of US and Australian, were thrilled with the excitement and energy in the rehearsal room. Director Des McAnuff Jersey Boys arrived in Australia from Canada just before Christmas to commence rehearsals, and others had flown in from the US including composer Lucy Simon, choreographer Kelly Devine, music supervisor Eric Stern, orchestrator Danny Troob and US co-producer Anita Waxman. In the clip below, check out Anthony Warlow and Lucy Maunder sing 'Now' from the new musical.

Rehearsals for the new musical production Doctor Zhivago began in Sydney today, with the full cast assembled for the first time. The creative team, a mix of US and Australian, were thrilled with the excitement and energy in the rehearsal room. Director Des McAnuff Jersey Boys arrived in Australia from Canada just before Christmas to commence rehearsals, and others had flown in from the US including composer Lucy Simon, choreographer Kelly Devine, music supervisor Eric Stern, orchestrator Danny Troob and US co-producer Anita Waxman.

La Jolla Playhouse's production of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize- winning play 'Ruined' earned top honors Monday at the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle's 2010 Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence.

Ted Sod, Roundabout's Education Dramaturg, sat down with director and actor Brian Bedford to hear his thoughts on The Importance of Being Earnest and his character: Lady Bracknell.

The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street), Times Square's landmark concert venue, presents Ben Vereen in a concert on Friday, February 18 at 8:00PM that coincides with the release of his new CD 'Stepping Out With Ben Vereen' on the Ghostlight Records label. Ben Vereen is a Tony Award winning stage veteran and Broadway star.

The Canadian Premiere of PARADE is currently playing at The Berkeley Street Theatre, and Micheal Therriault (who plays the lead role) took a few minutes to speak to BWW about the show and about his own love of musical theatre.

Given the odds, for one to have been involved with a singular Broadway success would be impressive. To have been involved with two would solidify one's status as a true Broadway 'player.' How about 4, running at the same time? Only two artists have been able to boast such an accomplishment, the first being Susan Stroman, whose productions of Contact, The Producers, The Music Man, and Thou Shalt Not all ran simultaneously for a short time in 2001. Last season, Broadway's go-to choreographer, Sergio Trujillo, joined her company with his superfecta of Next to Normal, Jersey Boys, The Addams Family and Memphis. It appears that like Jersey Boys, Memphis, and The Addams Family, Trujillo is showing no signs of breaking his streak, or going anywhere, with new projects in the pipeline incoming.

The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominees for the 2010 Craig Noel Awards, which will be unveiled at a ceremony in La Jolla on Jan. 10, 2011.

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.

The Boston engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record at the Colonial Theatre, grossing $1,127,032 for the week ending January 2, 2011.

2010 was quite a year for Broadway with some spectacular opening nights. We'll be sharing highlights from the year in photos, videos, interviews and more throughout this final week of the year. First off is a look at some of the star and excitement filled opening night curtain calls of 2010. Photos by Walter McBride / WM Photos / Corbis

Rehearsals for the new musical production Doctor Zhivago began in Sydney today, with the full cast assembled for the first time.

Rehearsals for the new musical production DOCTOR ZHIVAGO began in Sydney today, with the full cast assembled for the first time. The creative team, a mix of US and Australian, were thrilled with the excitement and energy in the rehearsal room. Director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys) arrived in Australia from Canada just before Christmas to commence rehearsals, and others had flown in from the US including composer Lucy Simon, choreographer Kelly Devine, music supervisor Eric Stern, orchestrator Danny Troob and US co-producer Anita Waxman. Lyricists Michael Korie and Amy Powers and book writer Michael Weller arrive next week.

JERSEY BOYS, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical, returned to Boston and received rave reviews once again at the Colonial Theatre, where it opened Friday, December 17 (performances began Thursday, December 16) and will play through Sunday, January 30, 2011.

Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Nightwood Theatre is thrilled to present the Toronto premiere of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize award-winning play Ruined. Written by Lynn Nottage and starring theatre and film veterans, Yanna McIntosh and Sterling Jarvis, the story is set in a small mining town in the civil war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The acclaimed Stratford Festival production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum has its Toronto debut this weekend! Mirvish Productions is mounting a month long production of the Sondheim classic, with Bruce Dow and Sean Cullen alternating the lead role of Pseudolus. Both extremely funny and talented stars in their own right, this is a unique opportunity to see two very different takes on the role. BWW sat down and spoke with both of them about FORUM, role sharing and Sondheim.

The Philadelphia engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record at the Forrest Theatre for the eighth time, grossing $1,514,718 for the week ending December 12, its final week in Philly.

Dates have been announced for the Philadelphia engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing the Forrest Theatre, as part of the new 2010-2011 Broadway Season. The musical will make its Philadelphia premiere on September 30, 2010 and play through Dec. 12, 2010.