Julie Andrews News

Music Director Steven Reineke has announced that Tyne Daly, Tom Wopat, Gregg Edelman, Aaron Lazar, Tony DeSare, Michele Lee and Jamie Barton have joined the roster of guest artists to perform at The New York Pops' 28th Birthday Gala, Celebrate Hope, on May 2, 2011. A grand gala evening celebrating the legacy of late actor and comedian Bob Hope and honoring decades of support by Interpublic Group, the event begins at 7:00 PM with a concert at Carnegie Hall featuring a special lineup of concert artists, followed by a black tie dinner and dance held at the luxurious Plaza Hotel.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine and "an invaluable New York institution" by The New York Post will continue its Spring 2011 season with the debut of six time Grammy Award nominee NNENNA FREELON from May 10 through 14.

Julie Andrews is adapting her book, 'The Great American Mousical,' for the stage at Goodspeed Opera House. Dates for the production have not yet been announced. Andrews co-wrote the book with daughter Emma Walton Hamilton.

Off-Broadway's acclaimed Irish Repertory Theatre presents its 2011 Annual Benefit Gala, a concert performance on Broadway of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's CAMELOT - the beloved musical that defined an age with its lush romantic score that soars above the legendary tale of idealism, passion and betrayal - on Monday, June 6 at The Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) in Manhattan. Charlotte Moore, who directed last year's acclaimed concert staging of BRIGADOON on Broadway and helms the Irish Repertory's current production of Dion Boucicault's THE SHAUGHRAUN, will direct.

Matt Logan could easily have rested on his laurels and simply re-staged the second offering of showHOPE's Cinderella, the Enchanted Edition in exactly the same manner as he did in 2010 - it was a magical evening, at the very least, and it would certainly be easier, acceptable even to his most loyal fans, to have done so. Instead, as expected, Logan, one of the region's finest and most inventive stage directors, chose to re-imagine his vision for Cinderella, giving it a more sophisticated presentation and breathing new vigor into the project while tapping heretofore unknown reserves of creativity among his cast and crew - and even himself.

Today we are talking to the composer of the new Broadway musical WONDERLAND, who is the only American composer to have had three of his shows running concurrently on Broadway - JEKYLL & HYDE, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and THE CIVIL WAR - and has since solidified himself as one of the most successful international musical theatre composers of the 21st century, with his globe-spanning productions of everything from THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in Switzerland to CYRANO in Tokyo to TEARS OF HEAVEN in Korea to the forthcoming Broadway production of BONNIE & CLYDE - the warm and gracious Frank Wildhorn. Over the span of our considerable discussion last week we touched on everything from his pop music roots writing hits for Whitney Houston and Kenny Rogers, to his tenure at Atlantic Records and his series of recordings, shows and concerts with muse Linda Eder, as well as a thorough discussion of his compositional process, what inspires him in a story, his own favorite musicals, what the future holds - EXCALIBUR with Jim Steinman, perhaps? The world premiere of the long-awaited HAVANA? JEKYLL & HYDE: THE MOVIE MUSICAL? - and much, much more!

Bay Street Theatre is celebrating its 20th season and has announced the 2011 Mainstage productions. From the insightful look into the life of Truman Capote, to the wild comedy of Christopher During, and a Broadway bound musical.

Broadway's Rex Smith (Grease, The Pirates of Penzance) and Kamilah Marshall (Hairspray, Rent) join Carol Channing and the previously announced Eric Kunze (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family, In The Heights) and Tony-Nominated Jonelle Allen (Two Gentlemen of Verona) in BACK WHERE YOU BELONG - a benefit concert celebrating Carol Channing's 90th Birthday, April 16 at The Heritage Forum Theatre of Anaheim.

Long time Forbidden Broadway Diva Christine Pedi sings songs about and made famous by the great ladies of the stage, screen and beyond. With comic flair & warm appreciation, she conjures up Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews and more as well as classic tunes first popularized by many a great dame (real or imagined). Christine Pedi's Great Dames has won the 2008 New York NightLife Award, Backstage Bistro Award, Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs nomination and 'Top Ten Memorable Theatre Moments of the Year' on BroadwayWorld.com.

Storrs: Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus. For tickets and information, call 860-486-4226 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

The Moth Theatre, John Markland, Artistic Director, Efrain Schunior, Managing Director, has announced their production of Super Sunday, a comedy by Stephen Collins, directed by Jamie Wollrab.

Broadway, TV and Film actress Andrea McArdle will star in Connecticut Repertory Theatre's (CRT) production of the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.

"Sexting". "Felt Up At The Airport". "Liza Meets Gaga". Audiences can now own all the hits from the newest edition of the Drama Desk-nominated comedy revue Newsical the Musical: Full Spin Ahead by heading to iTunes and purchasing the original cast recording.

The long overdue London premiere of the Broadway musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd, directed by acclaimed West End and RSC director Ian Judge, and designed by three time Olivier Award winner Tim Goodchild, opens for a four week limited season at the Finborough Theatre on Tuesday, 7 June 2011 (Press Night: Thursday, 9 June 2011 at 7.30pm).

The cast of the upcoming West End revival of PYGMALION starring Rupert Everett, Kara Tointon and Diana Rigg also features Simon Ward, Peter Eyre and Peter Sandys Clarke as Alfred P. Doolitte, Colonel Pickering, and Freddy Eynsford Hill respectively. Marty Cruickshank and Roberta Taylor also star. The first rehearal photos have surfaced and appear below!

Broadway's Rex Smith (Grease, The Pirates of Penzance) and Kamilah Marshall (Hairspray, Rent) join Carol Channing and the previously announced Eric Kunze (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family, In The Heights) and Tony-Nominated Jonelle Allen (Two Gentlemen of Verona) in BACK WHERE YOU BELONG - a benefit concert celebrating Carol Channing's 90th Birthday, April 16 at The Heritage Forum Theatre of Anaheim.

Pay no attention to what Joshua Waldrep tells you when you ask him what he thinks about his voice. The man is a master of understatement (no, really, he is...well, sometimes) and for some untold reason doesn't realize that he has an absolutely gorgeous voice. Seriously. At last fall's First Night, the Nashville Theatre Honors, he very nearly stole the stage out from under the estimable (read 'lovely and talented') Linda Sue Simmons Runyeon and Jenny Norris-Light when he joined them for Les Miserables medley that featured the very handsome and talented Mr. Waldrep (after he'd already stopped the show with Darin Richardson in their duet of 'The Proposal' from Titanic) doing a rather stunning version of 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.' Take it from me, the man has some very serious pipes on him.

On April 8, Helen Mirren hosted Saturday Night Live, and in one skit, 'The Best of Both Worlds with Hugh Jackman' where she played Julie Andrews. The clip also featured Andy Samberg as Hugh Jackman along with 'Gerard Butler,' and 'Ice Cube.'

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.