Ethel Merman News

Saturday matinees for RUTHLESS! The Musical will begin at 1:30 PM effective August 1st at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46 Street (just west of Eighth Ave.)

In 1959 Ethel Merman, the prominent musical theatre actress of her time, and David Merrick were searching for their next project. After reading an excerpt from the memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee, Merrick felt they had said project and GYPSY was born.

The company of AMAZING GRACE just celebrated the beloved Broadway tradition of the Gypsy Robe. SOMETHING ROTTEN!'s Matt Wall bestowed the robe upon Dan Sharkey and BroadwayWorld was on the scene for the occasion. Check out photos from the ritual below!

 Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2015 - 2016 Spotlight Series opens with the sidesplitting savagery known as Forbidden Broadway October 1 - 4, 2015. There will be just four performances of a special adaptation of their recent hit edition, Forbidden Broadway Alive and Kicking! The cast includes members of the Tony Award®-winning New York company, including Forbidden Broadway stalwarts Gina Kreiezmar, Marcus Stevens, Kevin B. McGlynn and Trisha Rapier (who hails from Orange County!). This touring edition is presented by John Freedson and Harriet Yellin.

STAGES St. Louis continues the voyage through its 29th season with the tap-happy Broadway classic, Anything Goes. The de-lovely Cole Porter musical comedy from Broadway's Golden Age kicks off performances today, July 17th, where it will run through August 16th at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

A brand-new featurette goes behind the scenes of RUTHLESS! The Musical, encapsulating the fun and frantic journey of this new production, and you can check it out below! RUTHLESS opened Off-Broadway this past Monday night.

Romance was in the air at last night's opening of RUTHLESS! off-Broadway. 

No one tried to plug their cell phones into an outlet on the stage last night at Idina Menzel's World Tour concert. Maybe that's because it wasn't a Broadway house, but a concert venue in New Jersey's suburbs. But, some might think it was Broadway based on the set list for her solo show at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel Sunday night.  

Professional writer, playwright and lyricist, Stephen B. Crowley has shared astounding footage of the original 1959 production of GYPSY in rehearsal.

RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL opens Off-Broadway tonight, July 13th at St. Luke's Theatre. Book and lyrics for RUTHLESS! are by Joel Paley with music by Marvin Laird. Joel Paley also directed the original production as well as productions in L.A., South Beach and the record-breaking concert event starring Bernadette Peters. He will once again serve as director of the newest incarnation ofRUTHLESS!, with Marvin Laird on board as music supervisor as well.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Neil Patrick Harris guest judges on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT tonight!

ArtsEmerson: The World on Stage presents the East Coast Premiere of HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN: A NEW MUSICAL PLAY at the Emerson/Cutler Majestic Theatre. Performances have been extended through August 2nd for this feel-good evening of just over two dozen selections from Berlin's vast catalogue. The program includes unknown gems, lovely ballads, patriotic tunes, and favorites that everyone can sing along with, but Felder's artistry also evokes the man behind the music. Irving Berlin is a delight for any and all who appreciate hearing an array of standards from the great American song book.

The entire company of Ruthless! The Musical will join host Bernadette Peters at the 17th annual Broadway Barks fundraiser today, July 11th at 5 PM in Shubert Alley.

The entire company of Ruthless! The Musical will join host Bernadette Peters at the 17th annual Broadway Barks fundraiser this Saturday, July 11th at 5 PM in Shubert Alley.

Join one-of-a-kind mother, Rose, and her two talented daughters as they search for fame in Pittsburgh CLO's production of GYPSY, tonight, July 10, through July 19 at the Benedum Center. This entertaining musical is complete with memorable performances, mother-daughter struggles and the hardships of show business life, all while set during the infamous vaudeville era.

The complete cast and creative team have been announced for The Comedy of Errors as The Old Globe's 2015 Summer Shakespeare Festival continues the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration.

As usual, Jennifer Ashley Tepper puts the history of musical theatre into perfect perspective.

Today, we celebrate all the performers that earned the right to wear the robe this past season, including Tracee Beazer, Jess LeProtto, Jeremy Davis, Barrett Martin, Katie Webber, Cameron Adams, Jennie Ford, Ron Todorowski, Lainie Sakakura, Joseph Medeiros, and Matt Wall. Read below, as they reflect on what the honor meant to them!