Harold Prince News

On October 18, the Joel Grey-directed, 25th anniversary staged reading of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play, The Normal Heart, earned a heartfelt standing ovation at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The reading starred Glenn Close, Victor Garber, Jason Butler Harner, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello, Jack McBrayer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Patrick Wilson in the one-night-only event that raised $150,000 for The Actors Fund and Friends In Deed.

"You're sure to catch the spirit of the season when you come to see our big holiday musical, Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS," states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars.

You're sure to catch the spirit of the season when you come to see our big holiday musical, Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS,' states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. 'This delightful romantic musical comedy has it all...glorious Irving Berlin songs, spectacular dance numbers, and gorgeous sets and costumes. Bring your loved ones to the Fabulous Fox Theatre for a heart-warming celebration of Americana from November 2-7. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster locations, the Fox Theatre Box Office, by calling 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

You're sure to catch the spirit of the season when you come to see our big holiday musical, Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS," states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Tracy Aron, announced that two time Tony® Award-winner Donna Murphy will star in the new Broadway musical THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE, directed by Leonard Foglia. THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE features book & lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart and music by Mike Stoller and Artie Butler.

Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. are proud to announce that, due to popular demand, they are extending the final engagement of the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by two weeks. Added performances October 19th through 31st will go on sale to the public on Sunday August 29th at 10am. The national tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, known as The Music Box Company has been running continuously for 17 years, and will play its farewell performances in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre. This national tour remains the most successful and longest continuously-running tour in U.S. history. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA began performances in Los Angeles in May 1989 (Christine Company), and played for over 4 years. Performances of this farewell engagement will begin September 23rd, 2010.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the World Premiere of A SMALL FIRE, a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Drunken City at PH, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows).

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will bid 'Pharewell' to the Third National Tour, known as The Music Box Company, after a highly successful 18 year run. The Music Box Company will play its final performance on Halloween Night - Sunday October 31, 2010 at the Pantages Theatre, Hollywood.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance. Crawford will next be see starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Slant of Light Theatre Company of Norwalk, Connecticut is set to present an exclusive reading of a newly revised edition of Susan Cinoman's acclaimed play, All Me, All the Time on Wednesday, October 27th at 7:30 to 9:00 pm.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance. Crawford will next be see starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Goodman Theatre celebrates its 10th season in Chicago's North Loop Theatre District with a fresh take on an enduring masterpiece- Candide, Voltaire's effervescent, picaresque adventure, newly adapted and directed by Chicago's own Mary Zimmerman, the Goodman's Manilow Resident Director. A cast of 19 and an orchestra of 12, under the direction of Music Director Doug Peck, bring to life nearly 30 songs in Leonard Bernstein's glorious score, and recreate Voltaire's satirical story of Candide (Geoff Packard)-a young optimist shipwrecked, soldiered, swindled and separated (repeatedly) from his true love, Cunegonde (Lauren Molina). For this major revival, Zimmerman has tapped her signature design team-Daniel Ostling (Set), Mara Blumenfeld (Costumes), T.J. Gerkens (Lighting) and Richard Woodbury (Sound). Danny Pelzig choreographs the cataclysmic events that ensue.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance.

Slant of Light Theatre Company of Norwalk, Connecticut is set to present an exclusive reading of a newly revised edition of Susan Cinoman's acclaimed play, All Me, All the Time on Wednesday, October 27th at 7:30 to 9:00 pm.

Happy Days star Tom Bosley has passed away in his home in Palm Springs. He was 83 years old.

Tony & Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch, currently starring opposite Bernadette Peters in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Trevor Nunn, will be interviewed by Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins on "Theater Talk" this Friday, October 22 at 1:00 AM EST on WNET-TV (Channel 13).

Happy Days star Tom Bosley has passed away in his home in Palm Springs. He was 83 years old. In the following clip, 'Happy Days' co-star Henry Winkler remembers his dear friend on 'The Today Show'.

Tony & Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch, currently starring opposite Bernadette Peters in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Trevor Nunn, will be interviewed by Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins on "Theater Talk" this Friday, October 22 at 1:00 AM EST on WNET-TV (Channel 13).

On Friday, November 19 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Broadway stars Kate Baldwin, Aaron Lazar, and Christiane Noll join The New York Pops, under the direction of Steven Reineke to celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim-whose actual birthday was on March 22-is widely acknowledged as the most innovative and influential composer and lyricist in modern Broadway history. The concert will feature performances of some of the most beloved songs and soliloquies from Sondheim's extensive career. Vocal ensemble Essential Voices USA-led by Judith Clurman-also joins The New York Pops for this special performance.

Last week I conducted an illuminating InDepth InterView with legendary producer and director Harold Prince in which we discussed his singular career, having won more Tony Awards than any other person on the planet for his near one-hundred productions since his start as George Abbott's assistant producer over fifty years ago. He produced such landmark musicals as DAMN YANKEES, THE PAJAMA GAME and WEST SIDE STORY in the 1950s and then went on to become a director in his own right with Kander & Ebb's FLORA, THE RED MENANCE (Liza Minnelli's Broadway debut), CABARET into the Sondheim series of masterpieces in the 1970s - COMPANY, FOLLIES, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, PACIFIC OVERTURES, SWEENEY TODD - bridging into his two biggest commercial successes, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals EVITA and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Celebrating its 23rd year on Broadway in January, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the most successful entertainment of all time, more than any other musical, television show or even feature film in history. It's a juggernaut like no other and the mystery, magic and majesty that had made the show such a rousing success is thanks to the masterful eye-of-all-eyes, the true master director of the American Theatre, Harold Prince. But, will he be doing the sequel?