Howell Binkley News

On November 8th, A Christmas Story, The Musical! launches its National Tour at The Hershey Theatre in Hershey, PA. America's #1 Christmas movie comes to life on stage as hilarious holiday musical featuring a bright holiday score by composer/lyricist team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Joseph Robinette based on the writings of radio humorist Jean Shepherd and the 1983 holiday film favorite. Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown, The Wedding Singer) will direct the production with Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow, Follies, An Evening With Hugh Jackman) choreographing. Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie in the original 1983 film, serves as a producer for the holiday tour.

Daniel Radcliffe, John Larroquette and the rest of the cast and crew of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING celebrated their 250th performance on Broadway at the Hirschfeld Theatre in New York City on Saturday and BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the hit show's special backstage celebration. With the recently announced replacement leads including Darren Criss, Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges coming in 2012 -- we see many more celebrations in the show's future!

The national tour of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the Tony Award®-winning new musical inspired by the true story of four rock ‘n' roll icons will make its Indianapolis premiere December 13-18 at the Old National Centre as part of the Broadway in Indianapolis series. Tickets go on sale Thursday, November 3 and will be available in person at the Broadway Across America Box Office downtown at 342 Massachusetts Avenue, Clowes Memorial Hall, The Old National Center Ticket Office, online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces the national tour of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the Tony Award®-winning new musical inspired by the true story of four rock 'n' roll icons will make its Pittsburgh premiere November 1-6, 2011, at the Benedum Center, as part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America.

The producers of the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING announced today that Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning star of screen, television and stage, Beau Bridges, will return to Broadway for the first time in 38 years in his first musical as J. B. Biggley, beginning Tuesday, January 3, 2012, for 6 months through Sunday, July 1, 2012. Mr. Bridges will co-star with Darren Criss (January 3, 2012 - January 22, 2012) and Nick Jonas (January 24, 2012 - July 1, 2012). Beau Bridges will replace 2011 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner John Larroquette, who will play his final performance along with co-star Daniel Radcliffe on Sunday, January 1, 2012. Tickets for Mr. Bridges' engagement in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING are now on sale.

Producers Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo (Lombardi) will next present MAGIC/BIRD on Broadway, reuniting with Tony-nominated director Thomas Kail (Lombardi, In The Heights) and Lombardi playwright and Oscar winner and Emmy Nominee Eric Simonson. The new play chronicles the intertwined life stories of two of the most influential figures in sports and pop culture of the past 25 years, basketball Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Earvin ‘Magic' Johnson. According to an audition notice out today, the production will go into rehearsal on January 23, 2012 and begin previews on February 27. An opening date and theater have yet to be announced.

WEST SIDE STORY is currently touring the country, and now stars Ross Lekites as Tony, Evy Ortiz as Maria, Michelle Aravena as Anita, Drew Foster as Riff and German Santiago as Bernardo. Also featured are Mike Boland as Schrank, Stephen DeRosa as Glad Hand, Jon Drake as Action, Wally Dunn as Krupke, Alexandra Frohlinger as Anybodys, Jay Garcia as Chino, Casey Garvin as Diesel, Nathan Keen as Big Deal, Harris Milgrim as Snowboy, John O'Creagh as Doc, Christopher Rice as Baby John, Clay Thomson as A-rab, along with Karolina Blonski, Alicia Charles, Lauryn Ciardullo, Dean Andre De Luna, Lori Ann Ferreri, Ryan Ghysels, Tim Hausmann, Nicole Hellman, Laura Irion, Thayne Jasperson, Gizel Jimenez, Eric Anthony Johnson, Patrick Ortiz, Kristen Paulicelli, Christie Portera, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Alexandra Blake Redelico, Michael Scirrotto, Jeffrey C. Sousa, Dani Spieler, Jessica Swesey, Kathryn Lin Terza and Kirstin Tucker.

The national touring production of MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, kicked off on October 16, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in - where else - Memphis, TN, where it played through October 23. The company is now in Houston, where is plays through the weekend, and will next head to Tulsa from November 1 through November 6). Production shots have just been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical and one of Broadway's most exciting new shows, is coming to the Hobby Center for one week only!

The Tony Award-winning AVENUE Q celebrated its second anniversary at New World Stages (340 W. 50 St.) in Manhattan on October 21, 2011. After a triumphant, six-year run on Broadway, AVENUE Q moved to New World Stages, opening there on October 21 and continuing to play to large houses filled with enthusiastic audiences eight times a week. On the occasion of its second anniversary, AVENUE Q will play its 835th performance at New World Stages.

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical and one of Broadway's most exciting new shows, is coming to the Hobby Center for one week only!

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Des Moines.

The national touring production of MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, kicked off on October 16, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, TN (203 South Main Street) where it will play through October 23. Check out highlights from the tour below!

In London, the cast of JERSEY BOYS is led by Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli, Matthew Wycliffe as Bob Gaudio, Jon Boydon as Tommy DeVito and Eugene McCoy as Nick Massi. Jon Lee plays the role of Frankie Valli at certain performances. The cast also includes Carl Au, Charlie Bull, Mark Carroll, Michael Conway, Chris Gardner, Lucinda Gill, Lauren Hall, Trina Hill, Mark Isherwood, Paul Iveson, Stuart Milligan, Tom Oakley, Jake Samuels, Jo Servi, Wayne Smith, Ben Wheeler and Rachael Wooding. THe show just celebrated 1500 performances, and you can go behind the scenes of the celebration below!

The Tony Award-winning AVENUE Q will celebrate its second anniversary at New World Stages (340 W. 50 St.) in Manhattan tonight.

IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards® and the 2008 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, is coming to the State Theatre in Easton, PA for one show only, Thursday, October 20 at 7:30 PM.