Jacquelyn Piro Donovan News

Technical wizardry and solid singing highlighted this new production of WIZARD OF OZ, now playing at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in Saint Paul.

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts today announced the opening of Andrew Lloyd Webber's all-new stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, which will run tonight, Dec. 4-29 at the Ordway in Saint Paul, Minn. This national production features the original music by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg from the 1939 Oscar-winning film, with additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

What do you do for an updated stage adaptation of arguably one of cinema's much-beloved motion pictures of all time? Well for theater impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Jeremy Sams, you populate the show with over-the-top, more cartoonish characters and snarky, audience-winking dialogue. Oh, yeah, and add a few new songs from Webber and his frequent collaborator, lyricist Tim Rice, too. The touring company plays the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through October 6.

TV and stage star Eric McCormack saw THE WIZARD OF OZ Tour at Saturday's matinee at the Pantages in Hollywood, CA where the show plays through October 6th. He is an old friend of Lee MacDougall who plays the Lion, and took time after the show to pose for photos with the cast.

THE WIZARD OF OZ national tour, with old standards and new music written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book adapted by Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams, opened at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre last week on September 18. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

The Wizard of Oz, featuring some of movie music's most unforgettable standards, along with new music written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber; a book adapted by Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams... and everything else that is good made its way successfully to Hollywood's Pantages Theatre last week (September 18) for a high flying opening night celebration which drew a full house of young and old alike. Among those involved with the festivities were BWW TV's own Los Angeles correspondents Michael Sterling and Jerry Evans on the red carpet walk of fame. Among the celebrities in attendance were Rico Rodriquez (ABC's Modern Family) and his sister Raini Rodriguez (Disney's Austin and Ally), Fox TV's Lauren Potter (Glee), Academy Award winner George Chakiris (West Side Story), Kate Linder (The Young and The Restless), Jane Kean (The Honeymooners), Ann Jeffrey's (General Hospital, Topper), Corbin Bleu (One Life to Live), RJ Mitte (AMC's Breaking Bad), Michelle Dockery of the BBC's Downton Abbey and others of note. Check out the video below!

Producers Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment, Warner Bros. & The Nederlander Organization have announced that the first North American tour of the new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ will make its L.A. debut at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for a limited 3 week engagement; today, September 17 - October 6, 2013. Full casting for the tour is now complete.

BroadwayWorld's Alan Aronshtam sat down for an interview with THE WIZARD OF OZ's Wicked Witch, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan!

Producers Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment, Warner Bros. & The Nederlander Organization have announced that the first North American tour of the new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ will make its L.A. debut at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for a limited 3 week engagement; September 17 - October 6, 2013. Full casting for the tour is now complete.

Producers Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment & Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures just announced that casting is complete for the first North American tour of the new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ, which will commence on September 10, 2013 at The Smith Center in Las Vegas, NV.

As much as the Judy Garland film version of 'The Wizard of Oz' upholds its status as a classic, there's something about seeing the joyous musical live that makes it immensely more enjoyable. As performed in the round at Music Circus, glorious orchestrations (led by conductor and music director Jeff Rizzo) and ethereal, surround-sound vocals from ensemble members enhance the magic, taking audiences somewhere over the rainbow as Dorothy awakes in a new land with Munchkins, ruby slippers, witches and more.

After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California Musical Theatre Artistic Director Glenn Casale has announced casting for the 63rd Music Circus season, including Broadway veterans, Tony nominees and audience favorites from previous Music Circus seasons. The five-show season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion includes The Wizard of Oz, Show Boat, Sugar, The King and I and the Music Circus premiere of Chicago.

California Musical Theatre's Les Miz Gala takes place tonight, May 4, starting at 6:00 p.m., at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J Street in Sacramento. Memorial Auditorium will be elegantly decorated for the evening with a French theme, celebrating the hit Broadway show Les Miserables, opening at Community Center Theater on May 29.

California Musical Theatre's Les Miz Gala takes place on Saturday, May 4, starting at 6:00 p.m., at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J Street in Sacramento. Memorial Auditorium will be elegantly decorated for the evening with a French theme, celebrating the hit Broadway show Les Miserables, opening at Community Center Theater on May 29.

Apotpourri of performers present a musical tribute to the Signature Theatre's Artistic Director.

The York Theatre Company in association with Edward Negley, Neil Berg and Adam Friedson, welcomes Marya Grandy (Les Miserables, Damn Yankees) to the cast of Closer Than Ever with Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Music by David Shire, filling in for Jacquelyn Piro Donovan from October 13 - November 4, due to a prior commitment.

Tasti D-Lite has named a new flavor, "MISS BYRD'S RED VELVET D-LITE," to honor one of the best reviewed Off-Broadway shows of the year, Closer Than Ever, with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire. Current cast members of The York Theatre Company production, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, Anika Larsen, and James Moye, were on hand on October 4th at Tasti D-Lite Times Square to introduce the world to the deliciously decadent new treat. This exciting new flavor will be available exclusively at the Times Square location for the entire month of October. Check out photos from the unveiling below!

Tasti D-Lite has named a new flavor, "MISS BYRD'S RED VELVET D-LITE," to honor one of the best reviewed Off-Broadway shows of the year, Closer Than Ever with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire. Current cast members of The York Theatre Company production, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, Anika Larsen, James Moye, and Sal Viviano, will be on hand on Thursday, October 4th at 5:00 p.m. at the Times Square Tasti D-Lite (1588 Broadway between 47th & 48th St) to introduce the world to the deliciously decadent new treat. There will also be an in-store raffle to win two tickets to Closer Than Ever and a $25 Tasti Treat Card.