Gwen Verdon News

It's easy to find big Broadway-type productions in gorgeous old theaters carrying hefty ticket prices. But what's harder to unearth are the off-Broadway gems, those rare performances that come through the city for a night or two every couple of months.

It's been rumored, talked about, discussed and we've been reporting on it for what feels like forever -- and now, it's official! Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that it will present Tony & Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth as 'Lily Garland' and Golden Globe & SAG Award winner & Tony nominee Peter Gallagher as 'Oscar Jaffe' in a new Broadway production of the classic musical ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY features music by Cy Coleman and book & lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green.

DAMN YANKEES, the 1955 Broadway musical based on the Faust legend, will be staged by Light Opera Works at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, June 7 through 15. The production features a full 28-piece orchestra accompanying such songs as 'Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)' and 'You Gotta Have Heart.'

Today in 1954, Damn Yankees opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 1019 performances. Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 4, 2014 - Sunday, May 4, 2014.

Strong performances highlight this production. Beach, who created the role of Henry in The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in 2012 is a comic genius (loved him in the original Urinetown on Broadway). He's sleazy enough to be believable as the devil, yet sarcastic enough to be likable.

Today in 2005, the second Broadway revival of Sweet Charity opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, where it ran for 279 performances. Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1966, where it was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End as well as having revivals and international productions. THe 2005 revival starred Christina Applegate in he title role.

Special guests Dot-Marie Jones (GLEE) and Tony winner Julie Newmar (Batman) will join Oxford University Press, as they announce the release of the book NOTHING LIKE A DAME: CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GREAT WOMEN OF MUSICAL THEATER by Eddie Shapiro at 6 p.m. tonight, March 26 at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove/Farmers Market (189 The Grove Drive, Suite K 30, Los Angeles, Calif.).

The legendary Liza Minnelli will perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight, March 25, 2014, making her debut performance at the iconic venue. This special, one-night-only performance features Minnelli and her band performing songs from throughout her groundbreaking career. This performance is part of a short West Coast tour.

NEW DRAMATISTS,Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, proudly announces that they will honor five-time Tony Award winning director/choreographer Susan Stroman with their 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 65th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held Thursday, May 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Among the Stroman collaborators offering tributes will be Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines and New York City Ballet's Tiler Peck performing a selection from Little Dancer, Taylor Mac performing a selection from The Last Two People on Earth, Tony nominee Marin Mazzie performing from Bullets Over Broadway; and Contact collaborator John Weidman, and cast members from The Scottsboro Boys.The event co-chairs are Letty Aronson, Roy Furman, and Julian Schlossberg.

Lindsay Nicole Chambers stars as Robyn in the popular Off-Broadway comedy, 'Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man.' This clever comedy is based on the best selling book by the same name.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Special guests Dot-Marie Jones (GLEE) and Tony winner Julie Newmar (Batman) will join Oxford University Press, as they announce the release of the book NOTHING LIKE A DAME: CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GREAT WOMEN OF MUSICAL THEATER by Eddie Shapiro at 6 p.m. on March 26 at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove/Farmers Market (189 The Grove Drive, Suite K 30, Los Angeles, Calif.).

Broadway legend, Barbara Cook, will be honored with The Julie Harris Award for Artistic Achievement at The Actors Fund's 18th Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party on June 8th, 2014.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Donna McKechnie's new Talk/Variety show will return on Monday, March 24 at 7pm. Andrea McArdle has signed on to be Donna's Very Special Guest.

Sweet Charity - the first production at Hayes Theatre Co - starts this week, with limited tickets available for the season's performances. The classic award winning musical, is produced by Luckiest Productions and Neil Gooding Productions and will play at the Hayes Theatre Co from 7 February - 9 March 2014

This February and March at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond, including Christopher Sieber, Annaleigh Ashford, Randy Graff, Melinda Doolittle, Jeff Daniels, Linda Eder, Andrea McArdle, Sondheim Unplugged, Taboo: 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Beth Leavel, Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena.

This February and March at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond, including Christopher Sieber, Annaleigh Ashford, Randy Graff, Melinda Doolittle, Jeff Daniels, Linda Eder, Andrea McArdle, Sondheim Unplugged, Taboo: 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Beth Leavel, Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena.

Today in 1966, Sweet Charity opened at the Palace Theatre, where it ran for 608 performances. Featuring music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon, the musical was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1966, where it was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End as well as having revivals and international productions.