Jack Viertel News

The cast and creative team gave a special press preview yesterday, and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with the whole gang. Check out what they had to say and watch a preview below!

New York City Center will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its Tony Award-winning Encores! series on November 12 with a Gala Benefit starring Raul Esparza and Kelli O'Hara, and featuring performers who have starred in Encores! productions over the past two decades.

Joshua Henry will join Amber Riley ("Glee"), Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox in New York City Center's acclaimed production of Cotton Club Parade, returning for seven performances from November 14-18, 2012. (Mr. Henry replaces the previously announced Brandon Victor Dixon. Mr. Dixon is no longer available due to scheduling conflicts.) Conceived by Jack Viertel and presented under the auspices of City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series, Cotton Club Parade will once again be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with music direction by Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The show will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars under the direction of Daryl Waters.

Laura Osnes and Will Chase will perform selections from Encores! PIPE DREAM, along with Celia Keenan-Bolger and Betsy Wolfe performing selections from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, tonight at Barnes & Noble (150 East 86th Street). The event begins at 7.

Continuing its commitment to nurturing and producing the next generation of musical theatre artists, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has awarded its first annual Donna Perret Rosen Award for excellence in musical theatre to composer/lyricist Adam Gwon. The $10,000 award was established at the off-Broadway company's 2011 gala to honor Second Stage Theatre trustee Donna Perret Rosen in recognition of her long-standing commitment to young artists and new works. The award was chosen by Tony Award winners James Lapine, Susan Stroman, and Jack Viertel.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM, recorded live at New York City Center's Encores! series in March, will be released by Ghostlight Records on September 18. Produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein: An Imagem Company, this preservation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1955 Broadway musical rarity marks the first time an Encores! musical has been recorded live.

Amber Riley ("Glee") joins original cast members Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox in New York City Center's acclaimed production of Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, returning to City Center for seven performances from November 14-18, 2012. Conceived by Jack Viertel and presented under the auspices of City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series, Cotton Club Parade will once again be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with music direction by Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The show will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars under the direction of Daryl Waters.

New York City Center's 2012-13 season will open on September 27 with the ninth annual Fall for Dance Festival, featuring 20 acclaimed international and U.S. dance companies and choreographers in five programs for only $15 a ticket. City Center will celebrate the 20th season of its acclaimed Tony Award-winning Encores! series on November 12 with a Gala benefit starring Raul Esparza and Kelli O'Hara. The Encores! Anniversary Season will open on January 30, 2013, with Fiorello!, the show that launched the series in 1994, and will continue with It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, followed by On Your Toes.

New York City Center's acclaimed production of Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade will return to City Center for seven performances from November 14-18, 2012. Conceived by Jack Viertel and presented under the auspices of City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series, Cotton Club Parade will once again be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with music direction by Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The show will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars under the direction of Daryl Waters.

The 20th Anniversary season of New York City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series will open on January 30, 2013 with Fiorello!, the show that launched the series in 1994. The season will continue with It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, followed by On Your Toes. A Gala Encores! at 20 Celebration on November 12, 2012 will star Tony Award nominees and Encores! alumni Rauil Esparza and Kelli O'Hara.

Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced the judges and guest performers for the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM will be recorded live at New York City Center's Encores! series this week, and released this Summer on Ghostlight Records. Produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein: AnImagem Company, this preservation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1955 Broadway musical rarity marks the first time an Encores! musical has been recorded live.