Hal Prince News

Returning Favorites Include Billy Stritch & Jim Caruso, Nicole Henry, Nicolas King, Aaron Weinstein & Bucky Pizzarelli, The Four Freshmen and Tommy Tune

The Muny announced today the cast for its production of Oklahoma! (August 10 -16) directed by Rob Ruggiero, choreographed by Susan Stroman and music directed by Kevin Stites. Ginger Thatcher will restage Ms. Stroman's choreography.

Before iTunes and Spotify came along, I used to collect every original cast CD of any Broadway or West End musical that I could lay my hands on, including foreign language cast recordings. By far, my largest collection of non-English cast CDs consists of Japanese cast recordings, many of which were released by Gekidan Shiki (Shiki Theatre Company). Over the last five decades, Shiki has mounted Japanese-language productions of Applause (1972), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), West Side Story (1974), A Chorus Line (1979), Evita (1982), Cats (1983), The Phantom of the Opera (1988), Crazy For You (1993), Beauty and the Beast (1995), The Lion King (1998), Aspects of Love (1999), Mamma Mia! (2002), Aida (2003), The Little Mermaid (2013), The Sound of Music (2013), Wicked (2013) and Aladdin (2015).

Broadway performer and BackStage Bistro Award-winning recording artist Rebecca Spencer will celebrate her Palm Springs concert debut with a performance on Sunday, August 9 at 2:00pm, part of the Summer Series at the Arthur Newman Theatre in Palm Desert, CA. Unique arrangements that fuse both classical etudes as well as contemporary expressions of the art song, with the romantic American Songbook, Broadway, film and popular music, have become Rebecca's signature. Working with her long-time collaborator, virtuoso pianist Philip Fortenberry, their musical symmetry has been hailed by critics across the country, and heralded in BackStage as "collaboration at its finest".

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince, will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan. Now according to the show's official website, 2015 Tony nominee Tony Yazbeck (On the Town, Gypsy Chicago, A Chourus Line) has joined the company.

Michigan Shakespeare Festival is currently presenting HENRY IV, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action 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.

Dramatists Guild Fund President Andrew Lippa and Executive Director Rachel Routh announced today that Laurence O'Keefe will Co-Chair the nonprofit's Fellows Program.  

She was hand-picked by Leonard Bernstein to sing Mimi in his Grammy nominated La boheme

The Chickasaw Nation presents a Master Class "How to Audition and Song Interpretation," led by Broadway star Emily Skinner, from 1:30 - 4 p.m.,  Sunday, July 19, at the arts & humanities building.

The Nevada Conservatory Theatre (NCT) will present the new musical "ACE" in a fully-staged concert setting for two performances only on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23, 2015 at 1 p.m. in the Judy Bayley Theatre.  This special concert presentation is a benefit for the NCT with all proceeds going to help fund the ongoing work of the prestigious cultural institution.

The landmark Supreme Court ruling handed down late last week instating national legalization of marriage rights for all individuals is a cause celebre for the country at large, particularly the Broadway community who has vocally and vociferously fought for equal acceptance for all for decades. Given the preponderance of LGBT people in the theatre community itself, this victory is a particular joy for many to celebrate. As a result of this momentous event, now is the ideal time to take a look back at the most important and notable musicals that have appeared on Broadway in the last several decades to shine a light on the gay community, ranging from portrayals of closeted individuals trapped and unable to find acceptance in a conservative society all the way to the out and proud representations available to see in some currently running smash hits. Additionally, who could forget all of musicals that have touched upon LGBT issues over the years - from the campy to the controversial to the highly acclaimed.

Maestra Marin Alsop conducts BSO accompanied by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society

Umeda Arts Theater recently announce the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince. The production will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan. In celebration, Prince, director Susan Strom, Shuler Hensley, and Kaley Ann Voorhees recently made the trek to Tokyo to meet the press - BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photos below!

The creators discuss THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY!

Below, BroadwayWorld has some behind-the-scenes photos of the making of FOREVER ALWAYS. Plus, click here to read Pati Buehler's interview with Dodie about the project!

'I know I'm who I am today, because I knew you...' This words by the late Kevin Gray come back to him as 150 Broadway colleagues join their voices in song and music as a loving tribute to an artist/teacher and friend who who never knew how loved he was.

THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY is onstage at last!

Umeda Arts Theater just announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince.  The production will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan.

Whatever Lola wants... Tari Kelly gets? It would seem so with the resume this talented actor presents as she returns to the Ordway for her fourth production on the Saint Paul stage. Get to know more about her in 6 Questions & a Plug.