Jerry Frankel News

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award®-winner in years is coming to Milwaukee. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, will open at the Marcus Center and play from October 6-11 and is presented by Broadway Across America Milwaukee and the Marcus Center of the Performing as part of Time Warner Cable Broadway at the Marcus Center.

RACE, the new play written and directed by David Mamet, is proud to announce its award winning design team: set designer Santo Loquasto, lighting designer Brian MacDevitt and costume designer Tom Broecker.

WhatsOnStage.com is reporting that the hit Broadway revival of HAIR is eyeing a West End transfer. The site indicates the show is hoping for a run at either the Piccadilly or Cambridge Theatre.

Variety reports that the Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR has announced has recouped its investment cost of $5.76 million. The production recouped in less than six months, after opening on Broadway March 31. HAIR began preview performances March 6, 2009.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to present Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award®-winner in years this summer. SPRING AWAKENING, the 8-time Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, will play the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited engagement, August 4 to 16, 2009.

RACE, the new play written and directed by DAVID MAMET, is proud to welcome DAVID ALAN GRIER to the cast alongside previously announced cast members JAMES SPADER, RICHARD THOMAS and KERRY WASHINGTON.

The producers of August: Osage County, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play that tells the bitingly funny and sensationally entertaining tale of the Weston family of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, present the First National Tour. The tour officially kicks off in Denver at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on July 28, 2009.

Variety's Gordon Cox has a very interesting and informative article today about the West End transfer potential of several Broadway hits including audience favorites HAIR and ROCK OF AGES.

The Philippine premiere of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's Tony award-winning rock musical SPRING AWAKENING will feature new actors Miguel Mendoza and Kelly Frances Lati when the production opens on September 25, 2009 at the Carlos P.Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City.

The producers of August: Osage County, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play that tells the bitingly funny and sensationally entertaining tale of the Weston family of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, are pleased to announce that full casting for the First National Tour has been completed. The tour will kick off in Denver at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on July 24, 2009.

August: Osage County, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play that tells the bitingly funny and sensationally entertaining tale of the Weston family of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, starring Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons in the role of the family matriarch, Violet, will launch its national tour, in Denver, CO on July 24th, 2009. Following two weeks at Denver's Ellie Caukins Opera House (7/24-8/8), the show will play San Francisco's Curran Theatre from August 11 - September 6, 2009. Subsequent engagements will be announced shortly. Ms. Parsons is currently appearing in the show on Broadway where The New York Times recently raved, 'Estelle Parsons gives a superb performance...sends chills down your spine. It may prove to be a crowning moment in an illustrious career.' Ms. Parsons joined the company in June, 2008. Estelle Parsons first foray into the business began when she was hired by 'The Today Show,' first as a production assistant, then staff writer, which eventually led her to become the first female television network political news reporter. Estelle began acting and appeared in her first stage performance on Broadway in Happy Hunting. Since then, Estelle has gone on to either star in or direct over 25 productions. Most notably, she has been nominated for the Tony Award for her performances in The Seven Descents of Myrtle, And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Miss Margarida's Way and Mornings at Seven.

Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit completed its limited Broadway run at the Shubert Theatre (West 44th Street) on Sunday, July 19th, 2009.

Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit completes its limited Broadway run at the Shubert Theatre (West 44th Street) today July 19th, 2009.

The full cast from the original Chicago production of Steppenwolf's new American play 'Superior Donuts' will reprise their roles when the play makes its Broadway debut this fall.

In an unprecedented move, the producers of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical have announced they are canceling the show's Sunday, October 11th performance so that the entire cast can join the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. The announcement was made this evening by the cast of HAIR at a spirited rally in Los Angeles (the entire company of HAIR has traveled from New York to California to appear on tonight's broadcast of 'The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien').

Theatre, film, television and music star Michael McKean will reprise his role as donut shop owner Arthur Przybyszewski in the Broadway premiere of Steppenwolf Theatre Company?s new American play Superior Donuts, by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning ensemble member Tracy Letts, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau. Mr. McKean originated the role during Superior Donuts? sold-out, world premiere at Steppenwolf last summer. Full casting will be announced shortly.

The 8-time Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, SPRING AWAKENING will make its Chicago premiere at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited engagement August 4 to 16, 2009.

The 8-time Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, SPRING AWAKENING, will make its Chicago premiere at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited engagement August 4 to 16, 2009.

TRACY LETTS' AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, winner of five 2008 Tony Awards, as well as the 2008 Pulitzer Prize, and currently starring Tony and Emmy award winner PHYLICIA RASHAD, will play its final performance on SUNDAY, JUNE 28th, 2009. It will have played 648 performances and 18 previews, surpassing The Heidi Chronicles, Master Class, The Real Thing, and Doubt, among many others, to become one of the longest running plays in Broadway history.

Superior Donuts, Steppenwolf's new American play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning ensemble member Tracy Letts will follow Letts' Tony Award-winning play August: Osage County into The Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), beginning performances on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, with an officially opening on Thursday, October 1, 2009.