Ira Gershwin News

On Wednesday, May 9th, as part of their "In Performance at the White House" series, the President and First Lady will host a concert in the East Room honoring songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, who will be awarded the 2012 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. President Obama will present the award as he did in 2010 and 2009, when the Library of Congress honored Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, respectively. The program will include performances by Sheryl Crow, Michael Feinstein, Diana Krall, Lyle Lovett, Mike Myers, Rumer, Arturo Sandoval, Shelea and Stevie Wonder.

Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick, Robyn Hurder and the cast of the Tony-nominated Best Musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT performed 'Sweet & Lowdown' on CBS 'The Late Show with David Letterman' last night, May 3rd. Check out the full performance below!

The creative team behind last summer's sold-out, acclaimed Southwark Playhouse musical, Parade - long-listed for The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical in the 2011 Evening Standard Awards - are returning to the venue for a major revival of the Jerry Herman/Michael Stewart Hollywood musical, Mack and Mabel. The show runs July 5 - August 25.

Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick, Robyn Hurder and the cast of the Tony-nominated Best Musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT will perform "Sweet & Lowdown" on CBS "The Late Show with David Letterman" tonight, Thursday, May 3rd between 11:35 p.m. and 12:35 a.m. Check local listings.

THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS was nominated for ten Tony Awards yesterday morning, including Best Revivial of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and is Actress counterpart. Check out this backstage footage of the cast, including Phillip Boykin and Joshua Henry, reacting to the news.

'I feel pretty damn good! I'm exhausted because it's six in the morning here in LA, but it still feels pretty damn good! My phone started buzzing and I ran to my computer because I wasn't sure. People were texting me and saying 'I'm crossing my fingers to you' and stuff like that. So, I ran to my computer and because we're in this housing, first you have to enter your log in information and I couldn't get it to work. I'm like 'Why now?!' I finally got it to work and it was only after a friend sent me a text saying 'CONGRATULATIONS' that I thought 'Thank God!' I'm in tech right now so I'll spend the rest of the day in tech until midnight, but for this I'll do it!'

Broadway: Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lion King, Jelly's Last Jam, Oh Kay! Off-Broadway: ResurGents: The Reappearance of Hope, Real Black Men Don't Sit Crosslegged On The Floor, City Center's St. Louise Woman. Regionals: Ruined, Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Master Harold and the Boys, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Cinderella . TV: "2-2," "Criminal Intent," "Late Night With Conan O'Brien." Film: Brother To Brother, Family On Board, Steve McQueen's Shame.

Broadway: Grease (Marty), Chicago (Mona), Wedding Singer (Donatella), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang(Violet). Off-Broadway/NYMF: Play It Cool (Lena), Tour De Fierce (starring as Broadway Doll). National Tours: A Chorus Line (Cassie, 1st Nat'l), Spamalot (Lady of the Lake u/s), Starlight Express (Pearl). Regional: Chicago (Roxie). Gratitude must go out to Kathleen, Jay Binder, Professional Artists, BBS, and my beloved friends. So much love to the amazing Hurder and Alves family, and to the love of my life, Clyde.

THE LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS celebrates its seventeenth year of bringing together under one roof, in just three days, over 100 performing arts organizations, local and international celebrities, independent artists, poets, playwrights, musicians, puppeteers, film makers and many others - all of whom reside, work or have their roots in the culturally diverse, willfully anarchistic Lower East Side - for New York City's most diverse FREE 3-day festival, from Friday, May 25 through Sunday, May 27, at Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue, between E. 9th and 10th Sts.) in Manhattan. OBIE Award-winning actress Crystal Field is co-founder and Artistic Director of Theater for the New City.

Broadway: Lend Me A Tenor (Diana); Urinetown (Hope Cladwell, originated - Tony® nomination, Best Leading Actress in a Musical); Footloose (Ariel Moore, originated); Wicked (Glinda, first replacement). Off-Broadway: Jenny in Lincoln Center's recent production of Company; Little Fish; Urinetown. She has had the pleasure of doing several concerts with ENCORES! productions at City Center and has sung with symphonies across the country and Europe. Television/film: "Law & Order SVU," "Person of Interest," Company, Construction. Graduate: The University of Michigan, B.F.A. Musical Theatre.

Broadway: Born Yesterday, Memphis, Spamalot (Tony® and Drama Desk nominations), Is He Dead?,Wonderful Town, Little Me, Swinging On A Star (Theater World Award winner, Drama Desk nominaton), The Goodbye Girl, My Favorite Year. Encores: Follies, The Boys from Syracuse, DuBarry Was A Lady. Off-Broadway: The Cocoanuts, The Butter and Egg Man, Game Show, Louisiana Purchase, Forbidden Broadway. Television: side man to Martin Short on "The Martin Short Show." Film: The Interpreter, Changing Lanes, Ira and Abby. Wife: Toni DiBuono. Daughter: Kathleen Claire.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Easter Bonnet earns big money, FOLLIES preps for LA, six shows open, and so much more!

Chris Sullivan made his 2010 Broadway debut as Jim Taylor in Lombardi and he just finished a run as Amos Hart in Chicago the Musical. Sullivan's regional credits include The Ballad of Emmett Till, The Hairy Ape, The Mystery of Irma Vep and Tony Kushner's The Illusion (Chicago). Defending the Caveman (Nat. Tour). He is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Sully is also a photographer and a singer/songwriter. None of this is possible without the support of his family and 'Sweetie.'

Judy Kaye has been a star of the theatre for over 40 years. Phantom of the Opera (Tony Award®),Mamma Mia (Tony® Nomination), Ragtime (LA Ovation Award), On the 20th Century, Souvenir(Tony® Nomination), Grease, Sweeney Todd and The Pajama Game are just some of her credits. She recently starred as Mrs. Madrigal in the new musical Tales of the City at A.C.T in San Francisco and inSaving Aimee in Seattle. Ms. Kaye has sung with major orchestras around the world and recorded numerous albums, both cast and solo. She has sung in concert, opera and cabaret and twice at the White House. She has recorded all of Sue Grafton's Alphabet Mystery Series for Random House Audio of which V Is For Vengeance is the latest. For more visit www.JudyKaye.com.

A long-standing opening night tradition on the Great White Way, the fabled Gypsy Robe is bestowed upon a veteran Broadway chorus member for each opening production. In what has now become a theatrical ritual, originating on Broadway 60 years ago, on April 24 the robe was presented to NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT 'gypsy' Cameron Adams.

BroadwayWorld.com is excited to unveil the latest in a series of Digital Character Cards for the new musical! Check back for new cards daily! Click here for Matthew Broderick & Kelli O'Hara!

The new musical comedy NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro, opened last night, April 24 at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT stars two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick and three-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara and is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall. BroadwayWorld was there for the after party and brings you photo coverage below!

The new musical comedy NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro, opened last night, April 24 at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT stars two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick and three-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara and is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall. BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities, and we bring you interviews with the cast and creative team below!

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and what's coming up in the world of cabaret (and sometimes beyond!) Today's column features the marvelous Marilyn Maye and her new show 'The Happiest Sound In Town' at Feinstein's at Loews Regency.

The new musical comedy NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro, opened last night, April 24 at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT stars two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick and three-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara and is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall. BroadwayWorld was on the red carpet as the stars arrived for showtime and brings you photo coverage below!