Henry Krieger News

For 12 years, Merkin Concert Hall's Broadway Close Up series has been taking audiences behind the scenes of classic musicals old and new with eye-opening interviews and inspiring performances. The annual Bound for Broadway show hosted by Liz Callaway gives theater lovers sneak peeks at some of the best new shows in production. This season's line-up includes:

The red carpet premiere of Loving the Silent Tears: A New Musical will be held on October 27 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to New York. The BIC preview concert in Millennium Park, concerts by Barbra Streisand, Olivia N-J and Levi Kreis, 'Man Of La Mancha,' 'Dreamgirls,' 'A Class Act' and so much more!

The raucous, irreverent, and unfiltered new Off-Broadway musical comedy The Last Smoker in America, with book and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Bill Russell (Side Show) and music by Drama Desk Nominee Peter Melnick (Adrift in Macao), with direction by Tony Award winning producer and director Andy Sandberg (Hair; Gore Vidal's The Best Man), choreography by Tony Award nominee AC Ciulla (Footloose) and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Fred Lassen (The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess), just opened last night at The Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street). Opening Night is Thursday, August 2, 2012. BoadwayWorld was there for the big opening, and we bring you photos from the starry arrivals and first official curtain call below!

Last week, the stars came out to 54 BELOW to catch Jenifer Lewis with Marc Shaiman, Andrea McArdle and Lea Delaria. Visitors included Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg, the legendary Bette Midler, Tony Award winners Nathan Lane, Tommy Tune, Dick Latessa and Cady Huffman, Emmy Award winner John Turturro, star of Broadway's Gore Vidal's The Best Man Cybill Shepherd, Dreamgirls and SIde Show composer Henry Krieger, Miss Abigaiil's Guide and 'The Brady Bunch' star Eve Plumb, McArdle's Annie successor Shelley Bruce, and star of the upcoming Broadway production of Rebecca Karen Mason.

DREAMGIRLS, the smash Broadway musical turned hit movie, previews August 22, opens August 29 and runs through November 4 at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire.

If you only went to the Muny this week to see a very svelte Jennifer Holliday sing "And I'm Am Telling You I'm Not Going", in the role that virtually made her career, you would already have enough reasons to attend The Muny's production of DREAMGIRLS. But, the fact is, there are so many more things to like about this show, that your attendance is practically mandatory. A superb cast and sharp direction heighten the pleasure of watching this finely rendered presentation.

Demetria McKinney plays the role of Deena in The Muny's production of DREAMGIRLS, running through July 22, 2012, in St. Louis. Before the opening of this historic production, she sat down with Mike Isaacson to discuss her path to this role, her television acting career and her relationship with Jennifer Holliday. Watch the video interview below!

This summer, original 'Effie,' Jennifer Holliday will return to DREAMGIRLS, playing the role at the MUNY in St. Louis. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the show's opening night, July 16, below!

54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, hosts some of Broadway's brightest stars tonight, July 9 through July 22. Coming up are Ben Vereen, Bucky Pizzarelli, Maury Yeston, MX Justin Vivian Bond, Joe Iconis, Jamie Deroy, Rebecca Luker, Annie Golden, Mara Davi and more.

This summer, original 'Effie,' Jennifer Holliday will return to DREAMGIRLS, playing the role at the MUNY in St. Louis. According the the MUNY's official website, Milton Craig Nealy will star as Jimmy, alongside previously announced Demetria McKinney as Deena, Jenelle Lynn Randall as Lorrell, Muny veteran Ken Page as Marty, Christopher Jackson as Curtis, Karla Mosely as Michelle, and Tommar Wilson as C.C.

Today in 1987, the FIRST Broadway revival of Dreamgirls opened at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 177 performances. Dreamgirls features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams', who become music superstars. The musical opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre, and was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. It was later adapted into a motion picture from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures in 2006. The 1987 cast featured Lillias White as 'Effie.'

At the press event today for THE LAST SMOKER IN AMERICA, BWW couldn't resist asking Bill Russell (book and lyrics) for the scoop on the upcoming revival of SIDE SHOW. Click below to get the latest on how much of the show is being revised and more!

This summer, original 'Effie,' Jennifer Holliday will return to DREAMGIRLS, playing the role at the Muny in St. Louis. According the the MUNY's official website, she will be joined by Demetria McKinney as Deena, Jenelle Lynn Randall as Lorrell, Muny veteran Ken Page as Marty, Christopher Jackson as Curtis, Karla Mosely as Michelle, and Tommar Wilson as C.C.

Easton's State Theatre has announced its 2012-13 season- on sale to State Theatre Members Wed, August 1 (Box Office window at 453 Northampton Street opens at 6 AM; Online Ticketing and Phone lines open at Noon). Tickets will go on sale to the Public August 15th at 10 AM. Limit 6 tickets per Member per performance during Members Only sales. Membership to the Non-Profit State Theatre starts at $75, lasts one year and is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Mad Cow Theatre has announced its 2012-2013 season of live, professional theatre in the Heart of Downtown Orlando will include Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, Death of a Salesman and more.

Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale, "The Princess and the Pea," comes to the stage as a musical comedy in Once Upon a Mattress tonight, June 19 - August 5 at the Coterie Theatre in Crown Center.

As BroadwayWorld first reported in March, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will produce, in association with La Jolla Playhouse, a re-imagining of Henry Krieger and Bill Russell's Side Show.

This June, 54 BELOW, a new performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife opens its doors to the public. The venue, located just below legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents an exciting lineup of Broadway brightest talent.

Yesterday in the 2012 Tony Awards Clip Countdown - a look at the finest moments in theatre history as shown on the Tony Awards telecasts over the last sixty years - we focused on the 1982 Best Musical winner, NINE. While Tommy Tune's Fellini-inspired fever dream won the big prize, Michael Bennett's innovative and visionary R&B pop opera DREAMGIRLS won many of the night's most significant awards and has certainly firmly established itself as a firmament of the history of the modern musical in the intervening years. Among the prizes won by the DREAMGIRLS cast and creative team: Best Actress for Jennifer Holliday, as well as wins in the Featured Actor In A Musical category, Best Book for Tom Eyen and wins in the technical categories for the unprecedented, hi-tech design.