Julie Andrews News

WESTCHESTER BROADWAY THEATRE is Proud To Present I DO! I DO! February 10 - March 20, 2011

Though she's a stage and film regular, Kerry Washington has never starred in a TV series - until now. The 34-year-old, who in 2010 starred in Tyler Perry's 'For Colored Girls' film and in David Mamet's play Race, will shoot a pilot for Shonda Rhimes's upcoming show tentatively titled 'In Crisis'.

Vesturport Theatre Group, lead by Gisli Örn Gardarsson and Robin de Levita have announced they will be joining forces for international theatrical productions specifically aimed at Broadway, The West End and other first class theatrical territories.

As seen on The Today Show, this co-viewing musical singing sensation known as LAUGHING PIZZA is wholesome fun for kids - and their parents.

La Jolla Playhouse announced the fifth production in its 2011/12 season: Finding Neverland, book by Allan Knee, with a score by the Grey Gardens writing team of Scott Frankel (music) and Michael Korie (lyrics), directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Rob Ashford (Cry-Baby, Thoroughly Modern Millie).

Outspoken. Incisive. Biting. Irreverent. Courageous. Hilarious. Profane...those are just some of the words that describe the energetic, peripatetic, hard-working (we had to add just a few more) Joan Rivers. The comedy legend brought her superbly outrageous act to the stage of Andrew Jackson Hall of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on Friday night, February 2, delighting the packed house with her trademark wit and ribald sense of humor.

Tony winning Broadway legend Carol Channing will be honored at the LIGHT OF HOPE AWARDS on February 5, 2011 at The Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Palm Springs, California for her outstanding work with The Dr. Carol Channing And Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts in advocating for arts education in all public schools across the nation. The 'Night At The Movies' Gala will star Tony Nominated stage, film and television actress Jonelle Allen and the nationally renowned young performing group, The Kids Next Door. Proceeds from the event will benefit Christophers Clubhouse, a non profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering children, parents and communities to keep children safe from predatory crimes.

The Cabaret at the Columbia Club announces its third season, featuring the finest of cabaret performers from across the United States and around the world.

Last night I had the privilege of interviewing comedy icon and red carpet legend Joan Rivers about her first love of theatre and live performance, working the red carpet and virtually inventing celeb-reality culture, her Broadway endeavors - FUN CITY, Neil Simon's BROADWAY BOUND and SALLY MARR... AND HER ESCORTS, plus her new autobiographical piece - as well as all about the dazzling documentary JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK. All of this, in addition to discussing her two weekly TV shows - FASHION POLICE on E! and the hit new WE reality series with daughter Melissa Rivers, JOAN AND MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? Stay tuned to BroadwayWorld for a complete conversation with Melissa all about growing up Hollywood, her superstar mother and running a production company and what it was like filming season one of MOTHER KNOWS BEST? coming up soon.

WESTCHESTER BROADWAY THEATRE is Proud To Present I DO! I DO! February 10 - March 20, 2011

Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre has announced the artistic team behind the upcoming world premiere of the musical comedy And the Curtain Rises (formerly known as Wheatley's Folly), which begins performances on Thursday, March 17, 2011. And the Curtain Rises marks the third production presented as part of Signature's groundbreaking American Musical Voices Project, the largest commissioning program for new musicals in the country, following Michael John LaChiusa's Giant in 2009 and Ricky Ian Gordon's Sycamore Trees last year.

The Relevant Stage presents the Broadway classic 'Kiss Me, Kate' choreographed by Marisa Martinez and Keenon Hooks, with costume design by Kara McLeod, February 17 - 28 runs Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 and 7:00 p.m. at The Warner Grand Theatre 478 West Sixth Street, San Pedro. General admission tickets are: $20 adult, $15 senior (55+)/college student, and $5 18 and under; prestige seating (first five rows, reserved seat) $30 adult, $25 senior/college student, and $10, 18 and under. Tickets are available at Williams Book Store in Downtown San Pedro, or online at therelevantstage.com or 1-800-838-3006.

Today, we have perhaps the biggest Broadway star of the modern era, having appeared in the three most iconic theatre-related enterprises in entertainment in each of the last three decades, having lead roles in the original casts of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1996 rock musical RENT, a Best Actress Tony Award for her work in Stephen Schwartz's megahit WICKED, and now a recurring role on Fox's hit 2011 Golden Globe-winning musical comedy series GLEE - the amply gifted and endearing Idina Menzel. In this exclusive interview we discuss her US concert tour with Oscar-winning maestro Marvin Hamlisch - as well as what she will be singing in their NY Philharmonic performance on February 5th - as well as new motherhood, new music and what she would like to do on the future - on Broadway, on GLEE and beyond! Plus, what does she think of TV daughter Lea Michele taking on her signature RENT tune coming up on GLEE?

From March 5 through April 25, 2011, the undeniable glamour and irresistible allure of orchids take center stage at The New York Botanical Garden in a dazzling display created by Tony award-winning set designer Scott Pask, image-maker Drew Hodges, and Botanical Garden curators.

William Atherton, Matt Cavenaugh, Lisa O'Hare, Carol Lawrence, Millicent Martin and Jason Graae are the acclaimed film, Broadway and West End stars who will lead the cast of Reprise Theatre Company's second production of the 2010-2011 season, 'Gigi', playing February 15 to February 27, 2011 (press opening February 16, 2011) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The musical - with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe -- will be directed by veteran musical theatre director David Lee, with choreography by Peggy Hickey and musical direction by Steve Orich.

This month, BroadwayWorld is showcasing actress Sara Topham, who is making her Broadway debut as Gwendolyn in Roundabout Theatre Company's production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Previously, she was part of this production at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Bebop Meets Metal in Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata's 'I Have Confidence'

Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian and The Really Useful Group are delighted to announce that Verity Rushworth will star as 'Maria' alongside Jason Donovan as 'Captain Von Trapp' in their smash hit production of the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "THE SOUND OF MUSIC".

Having essayed the roles of Belle in BEAUTY & THE BEAST and the title role in MARY POPPINS on Broadway, as well as having created a role in the jukebox revue ON THE RECORD, Ashley Brown has carved a place for herself as the premiere Disney leading lady of the 21st century and her participation in the recent symphonic presentation of SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARVES only furthers that point. I spoke to Ashley yesterday as she was on her way to rehearsals for SIR TIM RICE & FRIENDS, a special concert taking place in NYC on Friday at 6 PM and we discussed her career so far and her plans for the future, both near and far. Also, here you will find the first news of Ashley's upcoming PBS special airing in March and a forthcoming original Charlie Chaplin musical as well as a Cole Porter revue based on the film ROMAN HOLIDAY.

Today, in this BWW Exclusive interview, we are investigating the iconic and incomparable career - in every arena of entertainment, as depicted in her PBS concert retrospective DIAHANN CARROLL: THE LADY, THE MUSIC, THE LEGEND - of Ms. Diahann Carroll. From the first African American Golden Globe winner, winning for the first network series to feature a fresh, non-Caucasian actress as the lead character, JULIA; to the co-starring in the films of George & Ira Gershwin's PORGY & BESS and Oscar Hammerstein's CARMEN JONES opposite the likes of Harry Belafonte and Sammy Davis Jr.; to her remarkable roles on Broadway in Harold Arlen and Truman Capote's HOUSE OF FLOWERS and Richard Rodgers's NO STRINGS all the way up to Andrew Lloyd Webber's SUNSET BLVD in the 1990s in Toronto - and that's not even mentioning her concert appearances everywhere in the world for the last fifty years as well as her lauded performance on USA's hit nighttime drama WHITE COLLAR, which she returns to this week. Also, don't forget her humanitarian work for breast cancer awareness! She has done it all, and blazed a new path for herself and everyone coming in her wake in order to do so. She is the lady. She is the music. She is the legend. She is Diahann Carroll - and what divinity that is.