Des McAnuff News

Storrs: Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy, April 22 - May 1, 2010 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy, April 22 - May 1, 2010 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

Next Theatre Company and Artistic Director Jason Southerland are thrilled to announce the 30th anniversary season, a year dedicated to plays that explore the myths that men and women create about their lives. The season opens in the fall with a world premiere presented at the National New Play Network's annual showcase. It continues with the regional premiere of a play Southerland first read when he met with Israeli playwright Motti Lerner (Pangs of the Messiah) in Tel Aviv earlier this year. The season comes to its climactic end with a pair of plays by Phyllis Nagy (pronounced 'Naij') who has captured wide acclaim in the United Kingdom but has been rarely produced in the U.S.

Dianne Pilkington, currently starring as Glinda in Wicked, will be appearing in The 39 Steps beginning April 26. The comedy will feature Pilkington in the roles of Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret. Joining her will be David Bark-Jones as Hannay, and Timothy Speyer and Jeremy Swift as Man 1 & 2.

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.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy, April 22 - May 1, 2010 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

Storrs: Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy, April 22 - May 1, 2010 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

The Tony®, Grammy® and Olivier® Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS shattered sales records every week of its three-week engagement at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Belk Theater in Charlotte.

Casting has been announced for the Providence engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing the Providence Performing Arts Center, May 12 - June 6.

The Charlotte, NC engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record for the third time at the Belk Theatre, part of the Broadway Lights Series presented by the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, for the week ending April 18, its final week of performances.

The Theatre School at DePaul University is pleased to announce that FRED WILLARD (actor, For Your Consideration, Best in Show, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy) will join BEN VEREEN (actor, Roots, Sweet Charity, Pippin) and 2010 Pulitzer Prize nominee TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY (playwright, The Brother/Sister Plays & Theatre School Alumnus) as recipients of the 2010 Awards for Excellence in the Arts on Monday, April 19, 2010, at the Four Seasons Hotel.

David Alan Grier is set to perform at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, on July 2.

Bay Street Theatre has announced its scheduled performers for its summer Comedy Club series. Among others, David Alan Grier is set to appear on July 19.

The Charlotte, NC engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record for the second time at the Belk Theatre, part of the Broadway Lights Series presented by the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, for the week ending April 11.

Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio - two of the original Jersey Boys of The Four Seasons - along with JERSEY BOYS: The Musical writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice have filed a law suit against six former JERSEY BOYS: The Musical performers, claiming that their tour, 'The Boys in Concert,' rips off of the Broadway musical in unauthorized ways. The New York Post reports today that 'The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Famer claims 'The Boys in Concert' steals songs, stage elements and copyrighted logos to dupe patrons into thinking it's an 'authorized road company' of the long-running Broadway musical.'

The Theatre School at DePaul University is pleased to announce that FRED WILLARD (actor, For Your Consideration, Best in Show, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy) will join BEN VEREEN (actor, Roots, Sweet Charity, Pippin) and 2010 Pulitzer Prize nominee TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY (playwright, The Brother/Sister Plays & Theatre School Alumnus) as recipients of the 2010 Awards for Excellence in the Arts on Monday, April 19, 2010, at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Today's matinee performance (April 7) of Broadway's JERSEY BOYS at the August Wilson Theatre on 52nd Street in New York City has been cancelled due to an electrical fire last night on West 52nd Street (not connected to the theatre). The JERSEY BOYS producers have been notified by the authorities that it will not be possible to have a performance this afternoon. The problem should be solved this afternoon to make sure there is a performance tonight. Exchanges for today's matinee performance can be arranged at the point of purchase.

Due to a nearby electrical fire, JERSEY BOYS has been cancelled tonight on Broadway. Refunds are available at the point of purchase. Several underground explosions occured this afternoon in a manhole in Times Square which resulted in a three-alarm fire as an underground transformer burst into flames. Multiple buildings were evacuated in the areas as firefighters investigage.

The Charlotte, NC engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS broke the box office record at the Belk Theatre for the week ending April 4, with a gross of $1,164,813, breaking the previous record of $1,147,909 set by The Color Purple for week ending May 24, 2009.

Signature Theatre, the current recipient of the Tony Award® for Regional Theatre, presents the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the acclaimed opera The Grapes of Wrath and the OBIE Award-winning Orpheus and Euridice, as well as the musicals My Life with Albertine and Dream True.