Fred Ebb News

Darius Campbell (formerly Danesh) will return to the smash hit musical CHICAGO when it re-opens at the Garrick Theatre on Monday 7 November to reprise his role as Billy Flynn opposite Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner America Ferrera, who will be making her British stage debut as Roxie Hart.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the eight musicals selected to be part of the 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Prospect Theater Company will present by special arrangement with Fireboat Productions a new Off Broadway production of the 2006 hit musical Iron Curtain, winner of the Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! The 1960's are coming back to Washington as the Broadway sensation Hairspray will begin performances at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre on November 21st - just in time for the holidays. Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star national radio host Robert Aubry Davis (WETA's 'Around Town' and Sirius/XM Radio), making his musical theater stage debut in the iconic role of Edna Turnblad. The impressive cast of DC favorites is headlined by Carolyn Cole (Tracy Turnblad), Nova Y. Payton (Motormouth Mable), Sherri L. Edelen (Velma Von Tussle), Patrick Thomas Cragin (Link Larkin), and Harry A. Winter (Wilbur Turnblad). Hairspray will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from November 21, 2011 through January 29, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) 2011-12 season continues with David Mamet's newest play, Race, directed by former CENTERSTAGE Artistic Director Irene Lewis. Fresh from a triumphant run on Broadway, Mamet's wicked and scathing courtroom comedy makes its West Coast premiere at A.C.T. With his trademark verbal pyrotechnics, Mamet unleashes two attorneys and the firm's young associate as they scramble to decide if they want to represent a wealthy white man accused of assaulting a black woman.

Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) is extending its world-premiere production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS a second time -- extending now through November 20 -- it has been announced by The Vineyard's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit on April 16, 2012 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer said, 'I am thrilled that Patti LuPone will be this year's recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Award. With her wonderful performances in Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Company, Passion, and more - she has had an amazing connection to Steve's words and music. It's wonderful to add her name to the distinguished honorees Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters. We look forward to saluting Patti and her extraordinary talents in April.'

On Monday, November 14, the internationally acclaimed revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO celebrates another major milestone with its 15th anniversary on Broadway!

Hart House Theatre is proud to announce a new partnership with Zadkiel Productions for its 2011/2012 season.

While Broadway fans know full well of Peter Filichia's prowess as a theatre columnist and critic, some may not be aware that he is one of those cliché-defying gents who can define both the infield fly rule and an 11 o'clock number. So in his terrific new book, Broadway Musical MVPs, he borrows a page from the sports section and picks a Most Valuable Player for the past 50 Broadway seasons.

John Bucchino's 'It's Only Life,' featuring the Australian Cast (Christian Cavallo, Phoebe Coupe, Zack Anthony Curran, Madeleine Featherby, Laura Fitzpatrick, Sam Rabbone and Cameron Thomas) with John Bucchino at the piano plays BIRDLAND on Monday, November 14 at 7pm.

The Actors Fund and the Vineyard Theatre have announced details for their upcoming one-night-only benefit concert performance of Kander & Ebb's THE VISIT, starring Broadway stage legends and Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and John Cullum. Directed by Carl Andress with choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking and musical direction by David Loud, the performance will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Broadway's Ambassador Theatre (219 West 49th Street), current home to the celebrated revival of Kander & Ebb's worldwide smash Chicago.

Two-time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career with an intimate evening of music in CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY coming to Segerstrom Center for the Arts November 10 - 13 for four shows.

For its 22nd season, Signature Theatre is celebrating their signature composer Stephen Sondheim by presenting his very first musical, Saturday Night (1953) as a concert event for four performances only on Saturday, October 29th (2pm and 8pm) and Sunday, October 30th (2pm and 7pm). This rarely performed hidden gem from America's foremost musical theater composer features a book by Julius and Philip Epstein, with music and lyrics - unperformed in full until 1997 - by Sondheim. This special limited engagement will be directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Side by Side by Sondheim, The Hollow) and the Music Director is Jon Kalbfleisch. Limited seating is still available, with single ticket prices at $41 each. Saturday Night will play in Signature's MAX Theatre.

Philadelphia Theatre Company opens its 2011-2012 season with the Philadelphia premiere of John Logan's Tony Award-winning drama Red October 14-November 13 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). Directed by Anders Cato, the two-person cast features Broadway veteran Stephen Rowe and Oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment. In the video below, Osment stops by Good Day, where he chats about starring in the production!

Vineyard Theatre is extending its world-premiere production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS, starring Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, through November 11, it has been announced by The Vineyard's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner America Ferrera, known across the world as Ugly Betty from the hit TV series of the same name, swaps her trademark braces for fishnets from 7 November for eight weeks only, when she makes her British stage debut as the alluring publicity-seeker Roxie Hart in the smash hit musical CHICAGO.

Sweet Tea will play close in Signature's intimate ARK Theatre on October 9, 2011.