John Kander News

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the York Theatre (James Morgan, Artistic Director) is pleased to present an invitation-only showcase presentation entitled An Afternoon with Doug Cohen featuring the words and music of the 2010 Fred Ebb Award Winner. Featured in the presentation will be Heidi Blickenstaff, Bradley Dean, Tovah Feldshuh, Jackie Hoffman, Lauren Kennedy, Jeff McCarthy, Lindsay Roberts, Lance Rubin, Howie Michael Smith and Barbara Walsh.

On April 11, 2011, Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage and screen actress Bernadette Peters with the company's second Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The 2011 Sondheim Award Gala is chaired by Ted and Mary Jo Shen; Honorary Hosts include Stephen Sondheim, Helen Henderson, His Excellency Gary Doer and Ms. Ginny Devine, The Honorable James Moran, His Excellency Giulio Terzi and Ms. Antonella Cinque, and The Honorable Jim Webb and Mrs. Webb. The Sondheim Award Gala will help to benefit Signature Theatre's numerous artistic, education, and community programs. Last year's recipient was stage, screen, and television icon Angela Lansbury.

New York City Opera's General Manager and Artistic Director George Steel will moderate an in-depth roundtable discussion on what defines the opera and musical theater genres at the Gershwin Theatre on the set of Stephen Schwartz's acclaimed Broadway production Wicked. He will be joined by a panel of distinguished composers and playwrights including Stephen Schwartz, Rufus Wainwright (composer and performer), Adam Guettel (composer of Floyd Collins and The Light in the Piazza), John Kander (composer of Cabaret and Chicago) and David Henry Hwang (librettist for operas such as Alice in Wonderland and The Fly, playwright of M. Butterfly, book for Flower Drum Song, Tarzan and Aida on Broadway). The discussion, which will take place on April 10, precedes the New York premiere of Schwartz's first opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, opening at New York City Opera on Tuesday, April 19.

When the curtain goes up for Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's hit Broadway musical Cabaret, the audience will be transported back in time to an exciting, decadent cabaret world of pre-war WW II Berlin

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) will present CURTAINS, a clever 'whodunit' musical comedy guaranteed to knock ‘em dead, March 29 - April 10 at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Based on the book by Rupert Holmes, this Broadway gem features the razzle-dazzle musical style of celebrated songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, the same pair behind hits like Cabaret and Chicago.

Eric Rosen, artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre, has added CABARET to the Rep's 2010-11 season lineup. Rosen will direct the Tony Award-winning musical written by two of America's most distinguished and prolific songwriters, Kansas City native John Kander and Fred Ebb, with a book by Joe Masteroff.

Christie Brinkley, one of the world's most successful supermodels, made her highly anticipated Broadway stage debut as merry murderess Roxie Hart in the Tony Award-winning hit musical CHICAGO at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.).

42nd Street Moon's Ira Gershwin celebration continues in April with STRIKE UP THE BAND, to be presented at the Eureka Theatre in low-priced previews on April 6, 7 and 8, opening on Saturday, April 9, and running through April 24. Heading the cast will be Carson Church as Horace Fletcher with Michael Scott Wells as Jim Townsend, Samantha Bruce as Joan Fletcher and Moon's Producing Director Stephanie Rhoads as Mrs. Draper.

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor® recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, proudly announces that 14-time Tony Award® winner Roger Berlind will be honored with their 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 62nd Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held Tuesday, May 17th at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce casting for Curtains. Directed by Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, Curtains will run at the Millburn theater from April 27 through May 22, 2011. Family Week is April 27 through May 1 and during this period, children 18 and under receive half off the regular ticket price (certain restrictions apply). Curtains is generously supported by a gift from Allen and Joan Bildner. Curtains is a co-production with Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, Texas. Press opening is set for Sunday, May 1st at 7:00pm.

Mark Blum, Michael Stahl-David, Donna Hanover, Tom Lipinski and Liz Stauber will comprise the cast of Christopher Shinn's play PICKED -- being given its world-premiere production by the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.), with previews starting April 6 prior to its official opening night on April 20 -- it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, the Vineyard's artistic director. Michael Wilson will direct.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the York Theatre (James Morgan, Artistic Director) is pleased to present an invitation-only showcase presentation entitled An Afternoon with Doug Cohen featuring the words and music of the 2010 Fred Ebb Award Winner. Featured in the presentation will be Heidi Blickenstaff, Bradley Dean, Tovah Feldshuh, Jackie Hoffman, Lauren Kennedy, Jeff McCarthy, Lindsay Roberts, Lance Rubin, Howie Michael Smith and Barbara Walsh.

New York City Opera's General Manager and Artistic Director George Steel will moderate an in-depth roundtable discussion on what defines the opera and musical theater genres at the Gershwin Theatre on the set of Stephen Schwartz's acclaimed Broadway production WICKED. He will be joined by a panel of distinguished composers and playwrights including Stephen Schwartz, Rufus Wainwright (composer and performer), Adam Guettel (composer of FLOYD COLLINS and THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA), John Kander (composer of CABARET and CHICAGO) and David Henry Hwang (librettist for operas such as ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THE FLY, playwright of M. BUTTERFLY, book for FLOWER DRUM SONG, TARZAN and AIDA on Broadway). The discussion precedes the New York premiere of Schwartz's first opera SEANCE on a WET AFTERNOON, opening at New York City Opera on Tuesday, April 19.

Two-Time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career with an intimate evening of music in CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY coming to Sydney and playing the York Theatre at the Seymour Centre on the 22 June 2011 at 8pm. Accompanied by her longtime musical director Michael Croiter on percussion and guitar, Michael Patrick Walker on the piano, and Dave Ellis on the Double Bass. Ms. Rivera will perform selections from her most celebrated musicals, including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays'), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie and The Rink, and featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Charles Strouse, Stephen Sondheim and Cy Coleman among others.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce casting for Curtains. Directed by Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, Curtains will run at the Millburn theater from April 27 through May 22, 2011. Family Week is April 27 through May 1 and during this period, children 18 and under receive half off the regular ticket price (certain restrictions apply). Curtains is generously supported by a gift from Allen and Joan Bildner. Curtains is a co-production with Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, Texas.

CHICAGO is coming back to Detroit with John O'Hurley starring as Billy Flynn. CHICAGO will be at Detroit's Fisher Theatre May 17 -22, 2011. CHICAGO which opened to rave reviews on November 14th, 1996, now has the distinction of being the longest-running musical revival playing on Broadway, the second longest-running musical production currently playing on Broadway, and the fifth longest-running production in Broadway history, and... shows no sign of ever slowing down!

CHICAGO is coming back to Detroit with John O'Hurley starring as Billy Flynn. CHICAGO will be at Detroit's Fisher Theatre May 17 -22, 2011.

Reprise Theatre Company will present 'The Apple Tree' with book music and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, additional book material by Jerome Coopersmith, and based on stories by Mark Twain, Frank R. Stockton, and Jules Feiffer as the third production of its 2011-2012 season, playing April 17 to 29, 2012 at the Freud Playhouse.

CHICAGO which opened to rave reviews on November 14th, 1996, now has the distinction of being the longest-running musical revival playing on Broadway, the second longest-running musical production currently playing on Broadway, and the fifth longest-running production in Broadway history, and... shows no sign of ever slowing down!

Broadway In Chicago has announced the complete 2011-2012 subscription series. The upcoming season will include WEST SIDE STORY; LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE; ANN: AN AFFECTIONATE PORTRAIT OF ANN RICHARDS; MEMPHIS; DONNY & MARIE: CHRISTMAS IN CHICAGO; LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and COME FLY AWAY. Off-season specials include CHICAGO, MARY POPPINS, ROCK OF AGES, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Season ticket packages go on sale to new subscribers this Friday, April 1. Tickets are available now to all shows for groups of 15 or more.