Joan Marcus News

Heading to Providence Performing Arts Center the other night, I couldn't help but turn to my friend who accompanied me and say, "When was the last time you saw a magic show??" It seems that these days magic shows are less common than they were in our youth. Back in the day, you would often hear about and could witness live the likes of David Copperfield, Doug Henning, The Pendragons and others. Today, it seems, magic shows are relegated to kids' birthdays, college campuses and the Las Vegas Strip (wherefore art thou, Sigfried and Roy?). On the other hand, The Illusionists, a touring show featuring seven different magicians and playing this weekend at PPAC, proves that magic shows are alive and well. And still extremely entertaining, although perhaps in slightly different ways. While magic shows of old seemed to be much more about the grand illusions and massive spectacle, The Illusionists keeps things at a much smaller scale. This may be due, largely or in small part, to the fact that it's a touring show. There's only so many props and set pieces you can fit in the back of a truck.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include coverage of new cast members of YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU and IT'S ONLY A PLAY, Cheyenne Jackson at Cafe Carlyle, opening nights of CONSTELLATIONS and HONEYMOON IN VEGAS, and more!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: GIGI kicks off in D.C., BEAUTIFUL is on the hunt for its next Carole King, James McAvoy leads THE RULING CLASS revival in the West End and more!

Jason Robert Brown dumps the artsy stuff for a big fat hilarious musical comedy.

Honeymoon in Vegas, the eagerly anticipated new musical comedy with book by Blazing Saddles and Fletch writer Andrew Bergman and score by three-time Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, opens tonight, January 15, at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

MAMMA MIA is a show full of many ABBA favorites such as "Winner Takes It All" and "Dancing Queen." The story is endearing and funny as a family tries to unite and work together preparing for the wedding of Donna's only child, Sophie

Inside Broadway's Executive Director Michael Presser has announced that on Thursday, February 12, the Lyric Theatre (213 West 42nd Street) will be visited by thousands of NYC public school students as the theatre arts and education organization presents its popular program Creating the Magic. Featuring the cast and production crew of the Broadway musical ON THE TOWN, the 80 minute program will be offered at 10:45am and 1:15pm.

Honeymoon in Vegas, the eagerly anticipated new musical comedy with book by Blazing Saddles and Fletch writer Andrew Bergman and score by three-time Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, opens tonight, January 15, 2015 at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

The Toronto production of 'The Heart of Robin Hood' opened to great fanfare yesterday evening at The Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. The audience leapt to its feet at curtain call to cheer on the cast - and it was well deserved. 'The Heart of Robin Hood' is a great, feel-good night out at the theatre - with a fun twist on the story you probably already know and love.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: HONEYMOON IN VEGAS opens on Broadway, the 2015 OSCAR nominations are revealed and more!

The Public Theater announced a second extension today for the world premiere musical HAMILTON, beginning previews on Tuesday, January 20 in The Public's Newman Theater. Inspired by the book "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail, HAMILTON will now run through Sunday, April 5 with an official press opening on Tuesday, February 17.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that the 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, will open its National Tour at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) in September 2015. The show will play two weeks in Chicago September 29 - October 11, 2015 as the start of its 44-week National Tour.

Call Nick Payne's new play If/Then without the music or Sure Thing without the bell.

In an interview with Billboard, Tony-winning Hedwig and the Angry Inch star Neil Patrick Harris talked about this year's Best Musical Theater Album Grammy nomination for the Broadway show's cast recording, plus his overall experience acting in the award-winning production.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

The American premiere of Constellations, the acclaimed new play by Nick Payne, directed by Michael Longhurst, starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Golden Globe nominee for Nightcrawler; Brokeback Mountain) and two-time Olivier Award winner Ruth Wilson (Golden Globe winner for Showtime's 'The Affair;' BBC's and PBS' Emmy nominated 'Luther'), opens on Broadway tonight, January 13 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

Anna Chlumsky and Richard Thomas just joined the hit Broadway revival of YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU on January 6, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at them onstage below!

The American premiere of Constellations, the acclaimed new play by Nick Payne, directed by Michael Longhurst, starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Golden Globe nominee for Nightcrawler; Brokeback Mountain) and two-time Olivier Award winner Ruth Wilson (Golden Globe winner for Showtime's "The Affair;" BBC's and PBS' Emmy nominated "Luther"), opens on Broadway tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

Manila, Philippines--The first-ever international touring production of the Broadway hit musical Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast,' based on the 1991 Oscar-nominated full-length animated feature film, and now--after 20 years--has reunited its original 1994 Broadway collaborators: director Robert Jess Roth, choreographer Matt West, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward, lighting designer Natasha Katz, bookwriter Linda Woolverton, composer Alan Menken, and lyricists Tim Rice (and the late Howard Ashman), is currently playing at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) until Sunday, January 25.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include coverage of closing night of SIDE SHOW, new additions to the cast of WICKED, a first look at Vineyard Theatre's BROOKLYNITE, and more!