Gregory Jbara News

BroadwayWorld Presents The 2009 Tony Award Nominees: 'Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical'

Creative Alternatives of New York (225 West 99th Street), celebrating the use of theater to help New York's most vulnerable children and adults, honored Tony Award winner & Board Chairman, Dick Latessa, and Emily Nash, Artistic Director at this year's 25th Anniversary celebration, 'Broadway at the Boathouse,' which held at Loeb Central Park Boathouse (at East 72nd Street entrance) on May 4, 2009.

The 2008-2009 Tony Award nominations were announced this morning May 5th by Tony Award winning actress Cynthia Nixon and Tony Award winning actor Lin-Manuel Miranda at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Avenue (betw 64th & 65th Street). BroadwayWorld.com spent the following hours checking in with the nominees to get the scoop on how they heard about the happy news and to hear their reactions!

Nominations in 27 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced today by Tony Award Winners Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Billy Elliot the Musical stars David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish will perform live on the Tuesday, May 5th telecast of CBS News' 'The Early Show.' The appearance will include all three boys performing 'Electricity.' 'The Early Show' airs from 7am - 9am on WCBS channel 2 in the tri-state area.

The Drama Desk Awards invites personal sketches from this year's nominated performers and creative talent for its Art*Kive program.

Drama Desk nominees received their official nomination certificates at a cocktail reception on May 1st at IL Bastardo Restaurant and BroadwayWorld.com was there!

The 23rd ANNUAL EASTER BONNET COMPETITION was a great success with $3,402,147 being raised this year by the 58 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Since it began in 1987, 23 editions of the Annual Easter Bonnet Competition have raised nearly $39 million for BC/EFA.

Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. They were joined for the announcement by William Wolf, Drama Desk President, Barbara Siegel, Chairperson of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee, Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and Randie Levine-Miller, Director of Special Events for the Drama Desk.

On Tuesday, May 12, 2009, New Repertory Theatre will hold its 25th Anniversary Gala Fundraiser?an exciting evening of memorable scenes and songs from seasons past, including A Streetcar Named Desiree, The Clean House, The Threepenny Opera, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Ragtime. The performance will feature some of your favorite New Rep artists. There will also be a fond farewell tribute to outgoing Producing Artistic Director Rick Lombardo.

Based on a recommendation by the OCC Executive Committee, Special Achievement Awards will be given to David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish for their performances in 'Billy Elliot the Musical' and an Outstanding Ensemble Performance Award will be bestowed to the full cast of 'The Norman Conquests' (Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter and Amanda Root).

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment announced today that Tommy Batchelor has joined the rotation in the role of 'Billy Elliot.' Tommy joins Broadway's original Billys David Alvarez,Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulishon stage at the Imperial Theatre.

BROADAWAY BY THE BAY (BBBay), the Peninsula's premiere musical theatre company, is proud to present 'An Evening with Lucie Arnaz,' a benefit concert for Broadway By the Bay, on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at Hotel Sofitel in Redwood City. Tickets range in price from $150 - $200 and are on-sale now at the Broadway By the Bay box office (600 N. Delaware Ave., San Mateo), by phone at 650-579-5565 or online at broadwaybythebay.org. 'We are honored and thrilled that Ms. Arnaz will be lending her support to raise funds for the many programs offered by Broadway By the Bay,' said Executive Director Jim Gardia.

BROADAWAY BY THE BAY (BBBay), the Peninsula's premiere musical theatre company, is proud to present 'An Evening with Lucie Arnaz,' a benefit concert for Broadway By the Bay, on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at Hotel Sofitel in Redwood City. Tickets range in price from $150 - $200 and are on-sale now at the Broadway By the Bay box office (600 N. Delaware Ave., San Mateo), by phone at 650-579-5565 or online at broadwaybythebay.org. 'We are honored and thrilled that Ms. Arnaz will be lending her support to raise funds for the many programs offered by Broadway By the Bay,' said Executive Director Jim Gardia.

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season, concluded its limited run yesterday, Sunday, February 8th. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, was directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production ran for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). BroadwayWorld's camera caught the final curtain call of the Encores! treat. The cast includes Kristin Chenoweth, Douglas Sills, Dick Latessa, Marni Nixon, Tom Alan Robbins, Sierra Boggess, Walter Charles, Anne L. Nathan, David Schramm, Ryan Silverman and Robert Sella. Music in the Air, with music by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, has been restored by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and has not been seen in New York in its original form since its premiere Broadway engagement at the Alvin Theatre in 1932. Opening on November 8th of that year, it played for 342 performances in a production directed by the authors. A revised version had a brief revival at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 1951. Music in the Air is a musical romance, with the wit and elegance of an Ernst Lubitsch film. It's the story of a Bavarian music teacher (Robbins), his beautiful young daughter (Boggess), and the daughter's suitor (Silverman), who travel to the big, bad city of Munich where they encounter a cast of self-involved, egotistical theater folk who promise them fame, fortune and romance. Kristin Chenoweth and Douglas Sills play a Diva (Chenoweth) and an egotistical operetta librettist (Sills) who take the young couple under their wings (and claws). Songs include 'I've Told Ev'ry Little Star' and 'The Song Is You.' Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

A hit in London and one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season, Billy Elliot officially opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on Thursday, November 13th. The show will play a special Actor's Fund performance on Sunday, January 25th at 8pm. For tickets call 212-221-7300 ext. 133, email at 'tickets@actorsfund.com.

The Actors Fund will host a Special Performance of Billy Elliot which is this Sunday, January 25th at 8 pm at The Imperial Theatre. People can purchase tickets through the box office and telecharge at 212-239-6200. They can purchase premium tickets through The Actors Fund at 212-221-7300 ext. 133. A hit in London and one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season, Billy Elliot officially opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre last night, Thursday, November 13th. The show will play a special Actor's Fund performance on Sunday, January 25th at 8pm. For tickets call 212-221-7300 ext. 133, email at 'tickets@actorsfund.com. With music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry, this joyful musical lit up Broadway as Elton John joined the cast for the Opening Night bows. BroadwayWorld's cameras caught the exciting moments as the curtain came down on a triumphant evening. Directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot has played over 1,300 performances and recently celebrated its 3rd anniversary in London. Billy Elliot the Musical opened at London's Victoria Palace in May 2005 to unanimous critical acclaim. The production went on to sweep London's nine awards for Best Musical, including the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. In London, Billy Elliot has now been seen by over 1.5 million people and has grossed over ?65 million. The musical opened to equal acclaim at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia in December 2007. The two current productions have played to over 2.3 million people.

A hit in London and one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season, Billy Elliot officially opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre last night, Thursday, November 13th. The show will play a special Actor's Fund performance on Sunday, January 25th at 8pm. For tickets call 212-221-7300 ext. 133, email at 'tickets@actorsfund.com.

The 20th Annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION announced a total of $3,061,000 had been raised by the 63 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras had VIP access on all levels to bring you the most complete coverage of this very special event!

Tune in to Thirteen (WNET/Ch. 13) on Monday, December 1st at 8pm for the world premiere of 'Finding Billy,' a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the nationwide search for the three actors who play the lead role in Billy Elliot the Musical on Broadway. During the broadcast, stars David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish and Carole Shelley will be present in the Thirteen studio to talk about the show.