Gwen Verdon News

Five of the entertainment world's leading ladies will perform in New Orleans in 2013 as Seth Rudetsky's popular Broadway Concert Series makes the leap to NOCCA's Lupin Hall from its summer home at The Art House in Provincetown, MA. Patti LuPone, two-time Tony winner for Gypsy and as the legendary original Evita, will appear for two shows only on January 7th at 6:30 and 8:30. Sutton Foster, two-time Tony-winner for this year's Anything Goes and previously for Thoroughly Modern Millie and star of the ABC Family series Bunheads arrives for one show only on March 2nd at 7:30. Megan Mullally, two-time Emmy-winning star of TV's Will and Grace and star of Broadway's Young Frankenstein performs two shows only on April 6th at 7:30 and 9:30. Audra McDonald, a five-time Tony Award winner and recent star of Porgy and Bess on Broadway and TV's Private Practice will make her New Orleans debut with two shows only on May 18 at 7:30 and 9:30. Betty Buckley, the Tony winning legendary star of Cats and Sunset Boulevard will close the series on June 1 with two shows only at 7:30 and 9:30. The visiting Broadway artists will also be giving master classes for the NOCCA Institute's high school-aged musical theatre students. All five concerts are produced by Mark Cortale, long time producer/manager of Jeffery Roberson aka Varla Jean Merman, and will be hosted by Sirius/XM radio star Seth Rudetsky at the piano. The series is sponsored exclusively by the New Orleans Hotel Collection and Gambit. Tickets can be purchased at www.broadwaynola.com or by calling 800-838-3006.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, November 25, 2012 - Sunday, November 25, 2012.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the eighth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Sam Willmott. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by David Hyde Pierce tonight, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lobby of The American Airlines Theater.

The new family musical special, The Christmas Rose, features a cast of over 400 and stars the multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress Jane Seymour and legendary Broadway actor and Tony nominee Lee Roy Reams. The Christmas Rose, with music and story by PBS composer Tim Janis, follows a young orphan named Annabelle, played by thirteen year old Bailey Grey, into the desert where she crosses paths with everyone from the three wise men and singing angels to Mary and Joseph, while being pursued by a team of desert bandits. The Christmas Rose is created in association with the Ogunquit Playhouse and is on stage at Carnegie Hall one night only Thursday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (212) 247-7800 or online at www.carnegiehall.org. In honor of Thanksgiving, a special holiday offer of 30% off all tickets is available starting Friday, November 23 at 11a.m. and ending Monday November 27 at 11:59p.m. by using code GIV15704.

Broadway legend Chita Rivera is currently starring alongside Stephanie J. Block, Will Chase, Jim Norton, and more in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which opened, November 13 at Studio 54. In this second part of the interview, Richard chats with Chita about playing her iconic role in Chicago, starring alongside friend Liza Minnelli in The Rink, earning her second Tony for Kiss of the Spider Woman, and so much more! Watch PART 2 below!

Broadway legend Chita Rivera is currently starring alongside Stephanie J. Block, Will Chase, Jim Norton, and more in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which opened, November 13 at Studio 54. In this first part of a two part interview, Richard chats with Chita about playing the 'Princess Puffer', how she won her role in WEST SIDE STORY, her friendship with Gwen Verdon and so much more. Click below to watch PART 1 and check back later for PART 2!

Newington Mainstage presents the third in its series of Brodway Master Classes - FOSSE STYLE with Broadway veteran CAROLYN KIRSCH - today, November 19.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the eighth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Sam Willmott. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by David Hyde Pierce on Monday, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lobby of The American Airlines Theater.

= Christie Brinkley, who played this role twice on Broadway, gives it a professional effort (adopting a speaking voice that sounds a lot like original Roxie Gwen Verdon), and she looks terrific, but singing and dancing don't come naturally to the former supermodel.

Newington Mainstage presents the third in its series of Brodway Master Classes - FOSSE STYLE with Broadway veteran CAROLYN KIRSCH - on Monday, November 19.

I suppose there's nothing unusual about a little kid waking up one morning to see a group of her parents' friends socializing around the family piano.  It's just that when you're young Loni Ackerman, those friends include Mayor John Lindsay, Ted Kennedy, Ralph Nader, several members of the Black Panthers and, playing the piano, football star Rosie Greer.

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood begins previews tonight, Friday, October 19th at 8:00PM. The Mystery of Edwin Drood stars Stephanie J. Block, Will Chase, Gregg Edelman, Jim Norton, and Chita Rivera with Andy Karl, Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Nicholas Barasch, Peter Benson, and Robert Creighton. Check out the just-released commercial for the show below and meet the cast with videos of them from past productions!

Florida Studio Theatre presents a tribute to the dreamy harmonies and boyish innocence of pop music's past with Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, the new '50s & '60s style revue bopping into Florida Studio Theatre's (FST) Goldstein Cabaret (1241 N. Palm Avenue) tonight, October 17 at 7:30pm. Tickets

With a new production of Annie now previewing on Broadway, it looks like Gwen Verdon may have to relinquish her title as the most famous redhead to have played the Palace.

Florida Studio Theatre presents a tribute to the dreamy harmonies and boyish innocence of pop music's past with Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, the new '50s & '60s style revue bopping into Florida Studio Theatre's (FST) Goldstein Cabaret (1241 N. Palm Avenue) on Wednesday, October 17 at 7:30pm. Tickets

The spirit and generosity of the theatre community once again shined as brightly as the autumn sun as the 26th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction blew past all previous record totals to raise a spectacular $681,892 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

After a successful run earlier this year, Broadway veteran Loni Ackerman (Evita, Cats, The Magic Show, No, No Nanette and George M!) is set to bring her cabaret show Next to Abnormal back to the Metropolitan Room in October, playing Sundays 10/7, 10/14, 10/21 and 10/28 at 7pm.

The great Cole Porter's Can-Can, hits the Westchester Broadway Theatre stage, now through October 7, 2012. Get a first look at the show in the photos below!