Harold Prince News

Preparations are already underway for Cygnet's upcoming musical event, PARADE, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Alfred Uhry. Artistic Director Sean Murray, Musical Director Billy Thompson and Choreographer David Brannen are tackling each artistic angle of the true story of the trial of Leo Frank, while the Cygnet staff is hard at working putting together multiple exciting special events designed to aid audiences' reflections and explore the themes found in the play.

MAIEUTIC THEATRE WORKS (MTWorks) and producer, Martha Goode, have announced the world premiere production of Riti Sachdeva's PARTS OF PARTS & STICHES, recognizing the 65th Anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan, directed by Cat Parker.

Career Transition For Dancers will present The Third Annual "HEART & SOUL" Awards Luncheon Celebrating Dance on Broadway on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 11:30 am at Club Colette in Palm Beach, FL. Jane Powell legendary star of movies, stage and television will be the host.

Casting is complete for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream, the second Encores! production of the 2011-12 season, running March 28 - April 1. Pipe Dream will be directed by Marc Bruni with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Kelli Barclay. It will play for seven performances at New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Individual tickets and table reservations are now available for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 12th Annual Monte Cristo Award honoring Michael Douglas. Individual tickets are $750 and $1,000 (including event program listing), and are available online at www.theoneill.org. The award will be presented during a gala dinner at the Edison Ballroom in New York City on Monday, April 16th at 6:30pm.

Cortland Repertory Theatre has announced that the previously undisclosed show for the 2012 season is Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical "CATS", which will run from July 11 - 28.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 brings back the spirit of Philadelphia's own Ethel Waters with her life stories and memorable songs in Ethel!

It is a rare enough occurrence for a genuine born and bred Broadway star to emerge post-millennium, but one as astonishingly versatile as Raul Esparza, having scored accolades since his blazing debut in a string of hit plays and musicals, ranging from Mamet and Sondheim and Pinter to CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and his aforementioned Broadway bow in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, is a downright cause for celebration. Esparza makes his grand return to the Broadway stage in a musical with his upcoming starring role in Alan Menken & Glenn Slater's adaptation of the Steve Martin film LEAP OF FAITH, featuring a country and gospel influenced score and a spirited, energetic production by Christopher Ashley (who, incidentally, helmed Esparza's first Broadway show, ROCKY HORROR). While Esparza has been seen in many - most, if not quite all - Broadway seasons in the decade since 2001, he has also scored in leading roles in regional productions such as 2002's spectacular SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG revivals, part of the unprecedented Sondheim Celebration, as well as the Cincinnati Playhouse COMPANY, directed by John Doyle, which transferred to Broadway and was subsequently preserved on DVD and Blu-ray, in addition to being presented on PBS as part of Great Performances. Besides Esparza's many notable musical revival performances (lest we forget his essaying of the Emcee in CABARET), he also created the Broadway iterations of his roles in the controversial and brilliantly scored TABOO, produced by Rosie O'Donnell and composed by Boy George, as well as the stage adaptation of the hit family classic CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, as well as originating the lead role in TICK, TICK...BOOM! Having played three of Sondheim's most memorable male roles was not enough, though, apparently, for Esparza recently took on the part of the hapless Hapgood in Sondheim's ANYONE CAN WHISTLE when it was revived at City Center's Encores! - with Tony-winners Donna Murphy and Sutton Foster his co-stars, no less - with much success. Yet, in one of a myriad of examples of the broad spectrum of Esparza's abilities, it is instructive to remember he first made a name for himself with the role of Che in an Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice show, directed by no less than the ultimate man of the theatre himself, Harold Prince - EVITA, which, of course, is being revived this season with Ricky Martin in the role of Che. Besides Esparza's many musical roles throughout the past decade and prior, he has also carved out a seriously impressive straight drama resume, having appeared in plays by the great playwrights of our age, such as Pinter (THE HOMECOMING), Mamet (SPEED-THE-PLOW), Stoppard (ARCADIA) and, the greatest of all, Shakespeare (AS YOU LIKE IT, part of Shakespeare In The Park). ROCKY HORROR to ARCADIA to, now, with LEAP OF FAITH, Esparza constantly and consistently surprises fans and audiences alike with his audacious choice in roles and electrifying performances that are indelibly enjoyable in their uniqueness, variety and sheer breadth of emotion - time and time again. Yes, indeed, Raul Esparza is the best of the best Broadway has to offer, so let us hope LEAP OF FAITH is the ideal star vehicle for one of the most charismatic and multi-talented leading men of the 21st century and that it brings him his well-deserved Best Actor Tony at last.

The 5th annual Sheridan Morely Prize was presented today, March 8th, at the Garrick Club in London's Covent Garden to Stephen Sondheim for his book LOOK, I MADE A HAT., according to WhatsOnStage.com.

Two Muses Theatre, the new professional theatre in West Bloomfield, Michigan, announces "Auditioning for the Musical Theatre Workshop" series every Saturday in April from 1:00-3:00 pm. Conducted in a Master Class format, the series will be led by Toni Babineau, AEA. Ms. Babineau's professional theatre experience includes leading roles on National Tour and Off Broadway; Audrey in The Little Shop of Horrors at the Orpheum Theatre in New York, directed by Howard Ashman; Peron's Mistress in the National Tour of Evita, directed by Harold Prince, and numerous additional regional and local roles.

UCI EVENTS präsentiert das preisgekrönte Broadway-Musical mit Starbesetzung, aufgenommen 2011 mit den New York Philharmonikern, an zwei Terminen auf der großen Kinoleinwand

CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse announced today casting for their co-production of Into the Woods, and Broadway fans will be excited to hear that the original Little Red Riding Hood, Danielle Ferland, is making her way back Into the Woods. The production is set to run March 7-April 15 at CENTERSTAGE before moving to Westport Country Playhouse in May. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical will be directed by Westport Country Playhouse's Artistic Director Mark Lamos.

As previously announced, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II - OUT OF MY DREAMS will premiere on PBS stations beginning tonight (check local listings).

CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse have announced casting for their co-production of Into the Woods, and Broadway fans will be excited to hear that the original Little Red Ridinghood, Danielle Ferland, is making her way back Into the Woods. The production is set to run March 7-April 15 at CENTERSTAGE before moving to Westport Country Playhouse in May. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical will be directed by Westport Country Playhouse's Artistic Director Mark Lamos, who directed A Little Night Music in 2008.

MAIEUTIC THEATRE WORKS (MTWorks) and producer, Martha Goode, have announced the world premiere production of Riti Sachdeva's PARTS OF PARTS & STICHES, recognizing the 65th Anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan, directed by Cat Parker.

Coming to the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre direct from Broadway for six weeks only, the Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," has now completed casting. "Follies" stars four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Maxwell, Burstein, Raines and Paige are all returning to the roles they originated on Broadway.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 will bring back the spirit of Philadelphia's own Ethel Waters with her life stories and memorable songs in Ethel! Written by and starring Broadway's Terry Burrell, this world premiere begins with previews on February 21st, opens February 23rd and runs through March 11th in the intimate Independence Studio on 3.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 is set to bring back the spirit of Philadelphia's own Ethel Waters with her life stories and memorable songs in Ethel!

Today in 1973, A Little Night Music opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 601 performances. A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Since its original 1973 Broadway production, the musical has enjoyed professional productions in the West End, by opera companies, in a 2009 Broadway revival, and elsewhere, and it is a popular choice for regional groups. It was adapted for film in 1977, with Harold Prince directing and Elizabeth Taylor, Len Cariou, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg starring.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 is set to bring back the spirit of Philadelphia's own Ethel Waters with her life stories and memorable songs in Ethel!