Jim Steinman News

The Australasian premiere of Whistle Down the Wind, with Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Jim Steinman, Book by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, will play PNBHS, tonight, March 14-23, 2013.

Boundary-breaking fashion designer Asher Levine has deemed the theme of his new Spring fashion line to be 'Theatricality' and has taken significant inspiration for it from legendary power ballad pioneer Jim Steinman's eternal pop gem 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart', which was featured in the short-lived 2002 Broadway musical DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES.

From Kristin Chenoweth to Deborah Cox to Idina Menzel to Barbra Streisand to Michael Crawford to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Patti LuPone, Raul Esparza, Alan Menken, Lea Salonga, Bernadette Peters, Laura Osnes, Victoria Clark, GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2013 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

The Australasian premiere of Whistle Down the Wind, with Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Jim Steinman, Book by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, will play PNBHS, March 14-23, 2013.

Today we are talking to a phenomenally talented performer who has starred in a string of contemporary musicals, ranging from replacement gigs in the Broadway productions of Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA and Stephen Schwartz's WICKED to creating lead roles in Jim Steinman's DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS, in addition to her memorable contributions to the Laura Nyro revue, ELI'S COMIN', Off-Broadway - the one and only Mandy Gonzalez. Discussing her time spent in many of the aforementioned shows as well as her experiences inhabiting the wildly different characters within each, Gonzalez shares her infectious enthusiasm for performance and her appreciation for having participated in such landmark shows. Most importantly, Gonzalez shares stories from the heated rehearsal rooms backstage at the 24-Hour Musicals celebration and what participating in the event that would form the basis for ONE NIGHT STAND, a documentary film being released in select cities this Wednesday, January 30. Additionally, Gonzalez reflects on her new role as a mom, as well as roles she would enjoy pursuing in the future, onstage and off, as well as her own favorite shows and scores. All of that and much, much more!

New York City's acclaimed Children's Acting Academy (CAA), which made world headlines in September 2010 when four of its student actors were invited to participate as the United States representatives in the first ever international children's theatre exchange in London, England, is proud to announce more major successes by members of its student body.

According to Classic Rock Magazine, Monty Python's Terry Jones is collaborating with composer and lyricist Jim Steinman on a musical adaptation of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite, called Nutcracked. Jones said he is hoping for a Christmas 2013 opening in New York.

Over the last two weeks, GLEE has bravely taken on a catalog comprising everything from David Bowie and Simon & Garfunkel to FOOTLOOSE, PROMISES, PROMISES, the Scissor Sisters, Kelly Clarkson and fun., to say nothing of Psy's current worldwide smash hit "Gangnam Style", and, in so doing, it is clearly showing no signs of slowing down - actually, its amped up. Mashing up the New Directions of the original glee club with the new crew comprised of GLEE PROJECT winners and new faces, to say nothing of the Season Four additional storyline following the New York City-set travails of Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) with guest stars Kate Hudson and Sarah Jessica Parker, both "Dynamic Duets", written and directed by co-creator Ian Brennan, and "Thanksgiving", written by Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner, directed by Bradley Buecker, also introduced anomalous themes into the GLEE universe while juggling everything else - namely: super heroes and a holiday tribute, Thanksgiving. While this week's episode was perhaps more generally amiable and appealing and certainly more successful in its overall execution and worthy place in the upper half of the episode stack four seasons in, last week packed a plosive "Pow!" of a punch insofar as its appreciable visuals and creative utilization of the tried and true tropes of comic book lore, new and old.

This week at Joe's Pub, November 26 - December 2, 2012, features performances by Karine Hannah, a night with PigPen Theatre Co., Nicole Henry, Jack Ingram & Radney Foster, Razia's Shadow, Jonah Smith, Maia Vidal, Frisk Me: The Songs of Max Vernon, Alice Smith, Martha Redbone, Emanuel and the Fear, Public Forum Deut: Tony Kushner and Rachel Maddow, and Grace McLean and Them Apples. Details below!

Directed with sharp focus by David Shamburger and featuring the expert musical direction of Jo Lynn Burks and the terrific, dance club-infused choreography of Emily Tello Speck, BUMT's Footloose seems far removed from the silly musical theater oddity that debuted on Broadway in 1998, another example of producers seeking to capitalize on a film's success by transferring it to the stage.

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Tony Award-winning SPRING AWAKENING songwriter Duncan Sheik all about his staggering spate of upcoming stage projects - the musical stage adaptation of the controversial Bret Easton Ellis bestseller AMERICAN PSYCHO, as well as his Steven Sater collaborations on THE NIGHTENGALE, WHISPER HOUSE, MR. CHESS and ALICE included - in addition to all about his upcoming concert appearance on November 23 at the Gramercy Theatre. Additionally, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter also expounded upon his career thus far and we took a look back at some of his favorite scores and composers, as well as the individuals to have the most impact on him and how that has played out in both his theatre and recording career. Plus, Sheik shares exciting exclusive news on the development of the forthcoming film adaptation of SPRING AWAKENING, directed by McG, to potentially begin filming next summer if all goes as planned, as well as opens up with his feelings on GLEE's recent homage to his hit 90s single "Barely Breathing" and his original SPRING AWAKENING leads Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff, as well as news about his upcoming solo album and the many, many stage projects he currently has in development. All of that and much, much more!

Concert One Ltd, the innovative UK-based production company has announced it will release Meat Loaf - The Guilty Pleasure Tour DVD, which was captured during the singer's recent sold-out Australian Tour. Featuring a blend of classic Meat Loaf hits and material from his last few albums, The Guilty Pleasure Tour DVD will give fans the definitive bird's eye view of the legendary singer during one of his most memorable performances. Released worldwide today, October 16th, 2012, the DVD will include a bonus documentary on Meat Loaf in Australia including a brand new in depth interview with the man himself.

The stars came out for Andre De Shields' SRO return Friday night Oct 5 to the Laurie Beechman theatre (downstairs at the West Bank Cafe). De Shields will perform his new theatrical concert, I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, for one more show this Friday Oct. 12 at 11PM.Tickets are available atwww.smarttix.com or by calling 212-868-4444.

This week on Week Four of THE X FACTOR, the first round of contestants to make it into the competition for the $5 million recording contract were let go at boot camp - and, on GLEE, romantic walking papers were issued willy-nilly as four long-standing relationships between central characters came to a conclusion (at least for now).

Concert One Ltd, the innovative UK-based production company has announced it will release Meat Loaf - The Guilty Pleasure Tour DVD, which was captured during the singer's recent sold-out Australian Tour. Featuring a blend of classic Meat Loaf hits and material from his last few albums, The Guilty Pleasure Tour DVD will give fans the definitive bird's eye view of the legendary singer during one of his most memorable performances. Released worldwide on October 16th, 2012, the DVD will include a bonus documentary on Meat Loaf in Australia including a brand new in depth interview with the man himself.

Today we are talking to a multi-talented performer who has performed on Broadway in everything from BROOKLYN to WICKED who made her most recent Broadway bows standing by in both ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT - the dynamic and compelling Julie Reiber. Talking all about her new solo album, LOVE TRAVELS, and its various inspirations as well as casting a look back at her many Broadway, touring and regional roles thus far in her eclectic career - ALL SHOOK UP, SWEENEY TODD and many more included - Reiber and I attempt to illustrate her unique place on Broadway and what she would like to pursue in the future, both on the stage and in the recording studio. Additionally, Reiber opens up about her exhaustive song selection process for LOVE TRAVELS and shares candid stories of the recording process of her solo debut, including providing some background on the songs that did not make the cut, how the sterling arrangements arose out of the material and the process of becoming a singer-songwriter in her own right over the project's three-year-long creation. Also, Reiber outlines her experiences performing in the out-of-town tryout of the new musical adaptation of Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY penned by rock super group Scissor Sisters and expresses her desire to continue with future iterations of the 70s-set Broadway-bound tuner as she looks ahead to her new roles of recording artist, and, also, she is happy to announce, mother. Plus, Julie offers details on her role in the heretofore little-known Meat Loaf-inspired movie musical ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (hopefully released some red moon soon), expresses her thoughts on GLEE and SMASH, compared Broadway now versus a decade ago - and much, much more!

Christian Community Theatre is following up their inaugural 2011 summer season with an explosive production of the high-energy dance musical, Footloose, opening Friday, August 10 - and playing through Sunday, August 19. Press night is scheduled for Friday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Christian Community Theatre is following up their inaugural 2011 summer season with an explosive production of the high-energy dance musical, Footloose, opening Friday, August 10 - and playing through Sunday, August 19. Press night is scheduled for Friday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

REBECCA, the new musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel, has found its male and female leads: Jill Paice will play the role of "I" and Ryan Silverman the role of "Maxim de Winter." REBECCA will open on Broadway Sunday, November 18 at The Broadhurst Theatre. Previews will begin Tuesday, October 30.

Today we are talking to a supremely gifted performer who can be seen eight times a week on Broadway in the currently running Des McAnuff revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Jeremy Kushnier. Tracing his Broadway trajectory from his memorable debut in FOOTLOOSE back in the late 1990s to his impressive regional theatre and concert work - CHESS to The Dream Engine to BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and beyond - to his success touring in AIDA, RENT and others, up to his most recent gig in JERSEY BOYS, Kushnier opens up about his diverse career thus far and what we can expect from him in the future, near and far. Plus, Kushnier analyzes the five roles he has essayed in the current production of SUPERSTAR so far, since he was first brought into the production as a standby and understudy, after all - Jesus, Judas, Pilate and two different priests - and shares his enthusiasm for the dazzling, Tony Award-nominated production - all of this as he prepares for his long-awaited upcoming solo spotlight concert at Birdland on June 18! Additionally, Kushnier shares plans and wishes for a forthcoming solo album, as well as offers his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and much, much more!