Joan Marcus News

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is pleased to announce its first exhibition of 2014, Motown: The Truth is a Hit. Featuring items that highlight Motown's inimitable founder Berry Gordy and the institution's most beloved musical acts, the multi-media showcase chronicles one of the most significant record labels in American music history.

The Hollywood Pantages, a Nederlander Theatre, reveals its lineup for the 2014-2015 SEASON, featuring six blockbuster productions currently playing to sold-out houses on Broadway and a new production of a beloved title.

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

Musical biography of Carole King frequently pushes its central character aside for more interesting and entertaining moments played out by supporting ensemble.

The national tour of ONCE, the 2012 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, roars into the Boston Opera House with a baker's dozen cast of talented actor/musicians under the direction of Tony Award-winner John Tiffany. Based on the motion picture, the autobiographical story of musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova captures the glorious intensity of one week that changed both of their lives forever with the help of friends, family, love, and music.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts invites audiences to 'Be Our Guests' during enchanting pre-show entertainment designed for Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, running January 14 through 19, 2014.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced a final two week extension for The Commons of Pensacola, the sold out hit play by Amanda Peet, directed by MTC's award-winning artistic director Lynne Meadow.

The Marsh presents new opening dates for the World Premiere of THE SCION, a tale of privilege, murder, and sausage performed by award-winning performer Brian Copeland (Not a Genuine Black Man, The Waiting Period). Written by Brian Copeland, developed by Brian Copeland and David Ford, and directed by David Ford, THE SCION was performed in workshop October 4 - 26, 2013 and will receive its World Premiere tonight, January 9 - March 1, 2014 (press opening February 1) at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia Street.

Due to popular demand, the Broadway repertory season of Harold Pinter's NO MAN'S LAND and Samuel Beckett's WAITING FOR GODOT starring Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Billy Crudup and Shuler Hensley, directed by Sean Mathias, has been extended through Sunday, March 30 only at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). For performance schedule and moreinformation, visit TwoPlaysInRep.com.

The Broadway League previously announced the shows participating in the 18th KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY, which will take place Monday, February 24, 2014 to Sunday, March 2, 2014. Tickets to participating shows will be available to the public starting today, January 8, 2014 at 10 a.m. ET.

With BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL's official Broadway bow imminent, a new look at the production, with updated costumes and more, has just been released. Chronicling the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, BEAUTIFUL is currently in previews at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street), following a critically acclaimed, sold-out World Premiere in San Francisco. An official opening night is set for Sunday, January 12, 2014. Check out the just-released photos, below!

After a sold out run at Roundabout Underground's Black Box Theatre, Joshua Harmon's hit comedy Bad Jews moved upstairs to the Laura Pels Theatre for our 2013-2014 Season. This production played a total of 100 performances from first preview on September 19 through the extended closing date of December 29. Original cast members Tracee Chimo, Philip Ettinger, Molly Ranson and Michael Zegen came back to our stage under the direction of Daniel Aukin.

Ted Sod: Where were you born and educated? How did you become a costume designer?

Tomorrow evening, January 4, A Night With Janis Joplin, the new Broadway musical, will celebrate its 100th regular performance at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street).

ANNIE will play its final performance on Broadway today, January 5, 2014. Upon closing, the production, which opened on November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street), will have played 487 performances and 38 previews. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you on a look back through the musical's revival run on the Great White Way!

FIRST DATE, which opened on August 8, 2013 at Broadway's Longacre Theatre, plays its final performance today, Sunday, January 5, 2014, at 3pm, having played 34 previews and 174 regular performances. First Date, starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, began performances on Broadway on July 9, 2013, and has a book by Austin Winsberg, music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, direction by Bill Berry, musical staging by Josh Rhodes, orchestrations by August Eriksmoen, and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum.

According to The New York Times, South Korean Broadway producer Kim Byeong-seok of entertainment company CJ E&M, who helped produce the two productions on Broadway, is interested in bringing Tony winner 'KINKY' and the recently closed 'FISH' abroad.

As always, Connecticut's professional theaters offerered a bountiful selection of excellent theater in 2013. It's hard to pick just a few, but here are some of the year's standouts from the theaters I cover for BroadwayWorld.com:

Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Machinal, starring Rebecca Hall, written by Sophie Treadwell and directed by Lyndsey Turner, began previews on December 20, 2013 ahead of an official opening on January 16, 2014 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway. Machinal is a limited engagement through March 2. Scroll down to learn more about the cast!