Donna Murphy News

Broadway's Donna Murphy is listed in the cast of CBS' just-picked-up pilot Made in Jersey (formerly titled Baby Big Shot) starring Janet Montgomery as a working-class woman who will use her street-ways to compete against her colleagues at a posh New York law firm.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: FOLLIES travels to LA, Sumissions Only wraps Season 2, Drama Desk Nominees celebrate, and so much more!

Rumours that The Public Theatre's production of INTO THE WOODS will transfer to Broadway have been fueled once more by The New York Post, which reports that extentions to Donna Murphy, Amy Adams and the rest of the cast's contracts are being negotiated.

What happens after "happily ever after" is explored in this deft and delicious production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 1987 musical, Into the Woods.

The York Shakespeare Company is pleased to present Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST, directed by Seth Duerr. True West will play a three-week limited engagement at Theatre 54 @ Shetler Studios (244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor). Performances begin Friday, June 8 and continue through Saturday, June 23. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.). $18 tickets are available at www.smarttix.com.

The Public Theater announced complete casting today for AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of the 50th Anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, AS YOU LIKE IT will begin previews on Tuesday, June 5 and continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30, opening on Thursday, June 21.

Nominations for The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Friday, April 27, 2012 at Feinstein's at Loews Regency by Drama Desk Award winners Brian d'Arcy James and Donna Murphy, with Death Takes a Holiday, Follies and Nice Work If You Can Get It leading the pack. Yesterday, May 8, all of the nominees were celebrated at a special reception and BroadwayWorld was there to capture it all.

A free concert celebrating the release of Over The Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project, a multi-media charity project that includes a two-CD set of original lullabies composed and sung by Broadway's brightest stars, a lavishly-illustrated hardcover book of 17 songs from the album, a corresponding e-book encompassing the entire collection, and a documentary film. The project gathers many of contemporary theater's greatest composers and vocalists, as well as award-winning illustrators and set designers, all of whom donated their talent to this endeavor.

Today in 2007, LoveMusik opened at the Biltmore Theatre (now the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre), where it ran for 60 performances. LoveMusik is a musical written by Alfred Uhry, using a selection of music by Kurt Weill. The story explores the romance and lives of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya, based on Speak Low (When You Speak Love): The Letters of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya. The show was directed by Harold Prince, with musical staging by Patricia Birch and starred Michael Cerveris as Kurt Weill, Donna Murphy as Lotte Lenya, David Pittu as Bertolt Brecht and John Scherer as George Davis.

This week the 2012 Tony Awards Nominations were announced! I always get up early to watch the nominations on NY1; but my favorite part of the noms is the day after, when the nominees meet the press. Here are excerpts from my favorite nominee reactions in recent years.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY continued its Spring 2012 season with Randie Levine-Miller's "SHOWSTOPPER DIVOS - A SWELL PARTY" on April 29 starring Tony Award nominated actor Stephen Bogardus, Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu, Bistro Award winner Nicolas King, star lead singer from The Platters Myles Savage, and acclaimed vocalist/actor Kevin Spiritas.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will continue its Spring 2012 season with Randie Levine-Miller's "SHOWSTOPPER DIVOS - A SWELL PARTY" tonight, April 29 starring Tony Award nominated actor Stephen Bogardus, Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu, Bistro Award winner Nicolas King, star lead singer from The Platters Myles Savage, and acclaimed vocalist/actor Kevin Spiritas.

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events in the theatre world? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan. BroadwayWord was on hand for the big announcement and we bring you full photo coverage below!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.

Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project is both a timeless benefit effort and a uniquely compelling multimedia experience. The project-which incorporates a 2-CD, 26-song set; a lavishly illustrated hardcover book of 17 songs from the album; a corresponding e-book encompassing the entire collection; and a documentary film and web series -gathers many of contemporary musical theatre's greatest composers and vocalists, as well as illustrators, all of whom have donated their talent to deliver an emotionally affecting set of new lullabies, some written specifically for this project. Proceeds from sales of the book and 2-CD set will benefit breast cancer research, support and education.

Earlier today, Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James announced nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a chart that illustrates the number of Drama League nominees that were subsequently nominated for Tony Awards. Additionally, we calculated the percentage of eligible nominees that earned Tony Awards in the past five years (discounting off-Broadway nominations). Check out the chances that this years DD nominees have at a Tony nod below!

Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project is both a timeless benefit effort and a uniquely compelling multimedia experience. The project-which incorporates a 2-CD, 26-song set; a lavishly illustrated hardcover book of 17 songs from the album; a corresponding e-book encompassing the entire collection; and a documentary film and web series -gathers many of contemporary musical theatre's greatest composers and vocalists, as well as illustrators, all of whom have donated their talent to deliver an emotionally affecting set of new lullabies, some written specifically for this project. Proceeds from sales of the book and 2-CD set will benefit breast cancer research, support and education.

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced at a news conference on Friday, April 27, 2011, at 9:30 AM at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency, 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street, in Manhattan. Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James will announce the nominations in the various categories. Tune in to dramadeskawards.com to watch a live stream of the announcement!