Jerome Robbins News

One of the most well-known shows of all time, West Side Story, is coming to the Durham Performing Arts Center this June. In anticipation of its arrival, I spoke with Joey McKneely, the show's choreographer, to gain insight into the unique elements of this production. He offered a glimpse into the creative minds of the late Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents. He explains why every generation needs to experience the power of West Side Story, and why this imagining of the production brings to light the relevance of the themes.

Pittsburgh CLO has announced casting for its summer season, which includes six shows, featuring the national tours of Come Fly Away and The Addams Family, and CLO original productions of A Chorus Line, Annie, Fiddler on the Roof and Sunset Boulevard. Notably, A CHORUS LINE brings on board a slew of the show's national tour veterans, ANNIE stars Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF features Broadway's Lewis J. Stadlen, Susan Cella, Hunter Herdlicka, Joel Robertson, Emily Shoolin and Kay Walbye. Liz Callaway and Walter Charles are set to star in SUNSET BOULEVARD.

KEIGWIN + COMPANY (K+C) hosts the company's first summer intensive program, Let's Make a Dance, from today May 21 through May 25, 2012 at The Julliard School.

BELLS ARE RINGING, the next staged reading of MUSICAL THEATRE WEST'S REINER READING SERIES, will take place tonight, May 20, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

The world premiere of the beautifully crafted musical "Los Otros" begins previews Wednesday, May 23 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. With book and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh and music by Michael John LaChiusa, "Los Otros" opens on June 3, 2012; performances continue through July 1. Tony Award-winner Michele Pawk has been cast to play the role of Woman and Julio Monge will play the role of Man.

Several Tony Award-winners are teaming up to bring an adaptation of the 1988 musical "Lucky Stiff" to the screen. The show, based on Michael Butterworth's 1965 novel "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo," was written by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty and first performed at New York's Playwright's Horizons where it won the Richard Rogers Production Award before going on to London and hundreds of international productions. Ahrens & Flaherty went on to win the Tony for their musical "Ragtime" as well as two Academy Award nominations. Other notable credits include "Once On This Island" and "Seussical." Ahrens has adapted the play for the screen, while Flaherty and Ahrens have written additional songs.

As previously reported, Julian Ovenden will star in a new musical version of the film Finding Neverland, which starred Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet and followed the the story of J.M. Barrie's inspiration for his famous children's book, Peter Pan.

On June 10, 2012, The Actor's Fund will present its 16th Annual Tony Awards party at the Skirball Center, this year honoring Jason Alexander with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement.. Scott Bakula will host the gala and this year's Honorary Celebrity Committee includes: Julie Bowen, Nancy Dussault, Dann Florek, Elliott Gould, Steve Guttenberg, Garry Marshall, Chita Rivera, Susan Sarandon, Holland Taylor and Zachary Quinto. The event includes cocktails and a silent auction followed by ainner and a live telecast of a live feed of the Tony Awards as they happen in New York.

Jonah Bokaer, who has been making artistic waves on the international dance circuit since he began choreographing almost ten years ago, will be seen both close-up and afar in these coming months: outdoors at the Avignon Festival in France (July 20-22, 24-26) and indoors at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, MA (August 1-5) when he and Bolshoi Ballet star David Hallberg perform together in the world premiere of Bokaer's "CURTAIN."

Below lists information regarding pre-performance programs for children and adults taking place at New York City Ballet from today May 12 through May 19. For additional information, visit: www.nycballet.com.

SpeakEasy Stage presents the Boston Premiere of the hit Broadway musical comedy XANADU. This acclaimed show will be the company's 100th production and opens tonight, May 11.

New York City Ballet's 2012 Spring Gala tonight, May 10 will feature a one-time-only salute to France titled À La Francaise, and will feature two World Premiere ballets, one by NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to a score by the French composer Marc-Andre Dalbavie; and one by French-born choreographer and former NYCB Principal Dancer Benjamin Millepied to a commissioned score by Nico Muhly. The evening will also include a major revival of George Balanchine's Symphony in C, which was created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1947 to a score by the French composer Georges Bizet.

Below lists information regarding pre-performance programs for children and adults taking place at New York City Ballet from May 12-19. For additional information, visit: www.nycballet.com.

More than fifty years ago one musical changed the theatre forever! From the first note to the final breath, this new Broadway production of WEST SIDE STORY soars again as the greatest love story of all time. Dancap Productions presents the first national tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY beginning tonight, May 8, at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Tickets can be purchased at dancaptickets.com.

Broadway vet Jason Alexander guest stars as Alan's cardiologist, Dr. Goodman on the 200th episode of the CBS comedy TWO AND A HALF MEN tonight, May 7. In the episode entitled "The Straw In My Donut Hole", Alan is showered with love and affection upon returning from the hospital after suffering a minor heart attack. The episode airs 9:00-9:31 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

To mark the one year anniversary of the passing of famed Broadway librettist,screenwriter and director Arthur Laurents, BroadwayWorld spoke with his close friend and the literary executor of his estate, David Saint.