James Lapine News

The Madison Recreation Department and Playwrights Theatre present INTO THE WOODS JUNIOR music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, originally directed on Broadway by JaImes Lapine, original Broadway production produced by Heidi Landesman, M. Anthony Fisher, Rocco Landesman, Frederick H. Mayerson, Rick Steiner, Jujamcyn Theaters, originally produced by the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has found its LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Nine-year old HANNAH ROSE NORDBERG will play Olive Hoover, who aspires to the coveted title of 'Little Miss Sunshine,' in this new musical comedy from Tony Award winners JAMES LAPINE (book/direction) and WILLIAM FINN (music and lyrics).

Today we are talking to a passionate and prolific performer who has appeared in a number of impressive properties over the course of his career thus far - Milky White in the most recent Broadway revival of INTO THE WOODS to his starring roles in MEMPHIS and beyond - the charming Chad Kimball.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run next Sunday, July 7th at the Elektra Theatre. The production will have played a total of 529 performances and eight previews. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Joanna Gleason won the Tony Award for her leading role of the Baker's Wife in Into The Woods, by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. She launches this season's Broadway @ The Art House season in Provincetown tonight, June 28 and the 29th with An Evening with Joanna Gleason. Each performance will combine the East Coast premiere of a the hilarious and moving one act play Bloom, written for her by Emmy and Golden Globe winning writer Michael Patrick King (creator of Sex and The City & Two Broke Girls) with a second act of songs featuring special guests Well-Strung, and hosted by pianist/host Seth Rudetsky.

Taylor Richardson and Sadie Sink will share the title role of ANNIE on Broadway, beginning performances on Tuesday, July 30. Lilla Crawford will play her final performance as Annie on Sunday, July 28 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street).

According to Deadline.com, after Sandra Bullock pulled out of talks for upcoming Annie film remake as 'Miss Hannigan', Sony has quickly lined up and signed on her replacement - Cameron Diaz. The studio is also now aiming for a Christmas 2014 release.

Andy Blankenbuehler spoke exclusively to BWW about the new PBS documentary - ANNIE: It's the Hard-Knock Life, From Script to Stage, which follows the cast and creative team of the 2012 Broadway revival as they prepared for the production of the iconic musical number 'It's the Hard-Knock Life.'

Second Stage Theatre's (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) upcoming 35th Anniversary Season will kick off with the previously announced new musical LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, by James Lapine and William Finn, and will continue with the New York premiere of Quiara Alegria Hudes' THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST, the follow-up to last season's acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning, Water by the Spoonful, and the final play in Ms. Hudes' Elliot trilogy, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The season will also include the New York Premiere of Laura Eason's provocative play,SEX WITH STRANGERS, directed by David Schwimmer.

Classic Stage Company's new production of Bertolt Brecht's THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE, featuring Christopher Lloyd (Azdak), directed by Brian Kulick (who directed Brecht's Galileo last season), and featuring new music by Tony Award-winning singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), closes today, June 23, after a two-week extension.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Anna Kendrick, who is currently filming THE LAST FIVE YEARS adaptation, is in talks to play 'Cinderella' in Rob Marshall's INTO THE WOODS. The actress played the same part in last year's all-star reading of the project.

Premiere Stages is proud to present the New Jersey Premiere of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris from July 11th through July 29th in the Zella Fry Theatre at Kean University. Directed by Wes Grantom, this Tony Award-winning play is an exceptionally witty and deliciously dry satire that explores the reactions of Clybourne Park's 1950s all-white community when a couple unknowingly sells their house to a black family. The tables of gentrification turn when - fifty years later - the now all-black community greets the news of an impending sale to a white family with the same level of apprehension.

Taking a cue from last season's artistically (and commercially!) successful 'Season of Family', the 2013/2014 Ringwald season also adheres to a theme: the power of words.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th at the Elektra Theatre. The production will have played a total of 529 performances and eight previews. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for futureSILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Just yesterday, the adorable orphans of ANNIE gathered at Magnolia Bakery to try the new ANNIE-themed cupcake. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos below!

Shout! Broadway released the new 2012 Cast Recording for ANNIE CD on Tuesday, June 18. To celebrate the release of the CD cast members Jane Lynch, Anthony Warlow, Lilla Crawford, Brynn O'Malley, Clarke Thorell, creators Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Tom Meehan and more signed copies of the album at Barnes & Noble (160 East 54th Street at 3rd Avenue) yesterday. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photo coverage below!