John Lee News

Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District present The 6th Annual Lincoln Park Music Festival- A Celebration of Spirit and Dance July 28-31, 2011

On Sunday, July 31 at 8pm, American rock band,Little Feat will perform in the Warner's Nancy Marine Studio Theatre.

Lincoln Center Theater has announced that Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski will star in its Broadway production of Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES this fall. The production, to be directed by Joe Mantello, begins performances Wednesday evening, October 12 and opens on Thursday, November 3 at the Booth Theater (222 West 45 Street).

On Sunday, July 31 at 8pm, American rock band,Little Feat will perform in the Warner's Nancy Marine Studio Theatre.

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Gary Clark Jr. will release his major-label debut EP, Bright Lights, on August 9th on Warner Bros. Records.

Broadway heats up this summer when the company of the record-breaking, Tony Award-winning hit CHICAGO welcomes Nikka Graff Lanzarone as she makes her debut in the role of merry murderess Velma Kelly. Lanzarone, who last appeared on Broadway in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, takes over for Amra-Faye Wright.

Two-time Tony Award® winner James Earl Jones (Hoke Coleburn), Tony and Oscar® winner Vanessa Redgrave (Daisy Werthan) and four-time Tony Award® winner Boyd Gaines (Boolie Werthan) will star in the critically acclaimed production of Driving Miss Daisy, at the Wyndham's Theatre from 26 September until 17 December, with press night on 5 October. The play, written by Alfred Uhry and directed by David Esbjornson, enjoyed a record breaking sell-out run on Broadway until 9 April this year. Design is by John Lee Beatty, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting is by Peter Kaczorowski , music by Mark Bennett and sound by Christopher Cronin. Driving Miss Daisy is being produced in the West End by Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich.

After garnering some of the best reviews of the season, Born Yesterday is set to close following the matinee on Sunday, June 26; it will have played 28 previews and 73 performances. The production, which stars Jim Belushi, Robert Sean Leonard, and Nina Arianda, opened Sunday, April 24, at Broadway's Cort Theatre, 138 West 48 Street. Doug Hughes directed the classic Garson Kanin comedy.

While critics and fans alike justifiably lament the paucity of female leads in Broadway musicals this season just past, you need look no further than the current tour of The Color Purple for a musical filled to overflowing with noteworthy women characters. The beautiful and moving reimagination of Alice Walker's extraordinary novel of faith, despair, horror, beauty, love and redemption, The Color Purple might best be described as a woman's story, but it is, in every possible way, a human story as universal and as affecting as any work of musical theater ever created.

The Musical about Love, THE COLOR PURPLE will play the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Tuesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 26 for eight performances.

After garnering some of the best reviews of the season, Born Yesterday is set to close following the matinee on Sunday, June 26; it will have played 28 previews and 73 performances. The production, which stars Jim Belushi, Robert Sean Leonard, and Nina Arianda, opened Sunday, April 24, at Broadway's Cort Theatre, 138 West 48 Street. Doug Hughes directed the classic Garson Kanin comedy.

The producers of Driving Miss Daisy have just announced on the Tony red carpet that the Broadway production will play a limited engagement in London for 12 weeks beginning in October with the Broadway cast, including James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave and Boyd Gaines. BroadwayWorld will keep you updated as more details are revealed!

Lincoln Center Theater production of Jon Robin Baitz' OTHER DESERT CITIES, directed by Joe Mantello, opened on January 13 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. The cast features Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Linda Lavin, Elizabeth Marvel and Thomas Sadoski. Today, the New York Times suggests that the show is looking to transfer to Broadway, however, a full house on the Great White Way will prevent the show from making a spring move.

Nikka Graff Lanzarone, who recently appeared as 'Marisa' in Lincoln Center Theater's production of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, will be stepping into the role of Velma Kelly in Broadway's long-running production of CHICAGO.