KEVIN SPIRTAS News

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th St., 54 BELOWwelcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events, featuring no cover charges and low minimums:

Tonight, September 30 (7pm), some of Broadway's biggest stars will sing a song or tell their story at an intimate Salon benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS at 210 Central Park South. Among the performers scheduled to appear are Maya Days, Meghann Fahy, Felicia Finley, Jose Llana, Andrea McArdle, N'Kenge, Chris Noth, Kate Shindle, Christopher Sieber and Kevin Spirtas.

On September 30 (7pm), some of Broadway's biggest stars will sing a song or tell their story at an intimate Salon benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS at 210 Central Park South. Among the performers scheduled to appear are Maya Days, Meghann Fahy, Felicia Finley, Jose Llana, Andrea McArdle, N'Kenge, Chris Noth, Kate Shindle, Christopher Sieber and Kevin Spirtas.

More talent is on display this coming Wednesday, Aug 7th, for Broadway Ballyhoo at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. This ever-changing musical revue will feature, this week, some of the greatest performers of our contemporary nightclub world. Scott will welcome to the Ballyhoo, the new leader of the Mabel Mercer Foundation and one of cabaret's most award-winning stars, KT SULLIVAN, plus the irrepressible MARK NADLER who has been called, 'arguably the greatest entertainer in the world,' and the multiple-award winning vocalist JULIE REYBURN. All three of the above are Nightlife Award-winning performers. They will be joined by the musical theater and TV Star who famously understudied Hugh Jackman inThe Boy From Oz, KEVIN SPIRTAS, as well as Broadway Rising star NIKKI GUEVARA.

Daphne Rubin-Vega is joining the previously announced cast of the reading of 'You're Really Not Helping,' the second of three plays producer Aaron Grant is presenting this summer, as part of a new developmental reading series. Erik Shapiro's new sharp-edged comedy, which directed by Jeremy Scott Blaustein, also features Stacie Bono, Max Crumm, Ashton Foster, Aaron Simon Gross, Ari Benjamin Hirsch, Guy Lemonnier, Catherine Russel, Stewart Schneck, and Kevin Spirtas. The reading takes place in midtown today, July 29, at 2pm.

Daphne Rubin-Vega is joining the previously announced cast of the reading of 'You're Really Not Helping,' the second of three plays producer Aaron Grant is presenting this summer, as part of a new developmental reading series. Erik Shapiro's new sharp-edged comedy, which directed by Jeremy Scott Blaustein, also features Stacie Bono, Max Crumm, Ashton Foster, Aaron Simon Gross, Ari Benjamin Hirsch, Guy Lemonnier, Catherine Russel, Stewart Schneck, and Kevin Spirtas. The reading takes place in midtown on Monday July 29, at 2pm.

Today we're speaking with Tara Hugo, Olivier nominee for THE THREEPENNY OPERA at the Donmar Warehouse, star of JoAnne Akalaitis and Philip Glass' THE BACCHAE at the New York Shakespeare Festival, singer, lyricist and all-around talented actress. Hugo is reprising her 2010 London role in the new musical LEGACY FALLS, a soap opera farce currently playing through July 24th at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival. Below, Hugo talks about starting fresh with a new cast, her favorite scene and takes a detour to discuss her new album of Philip Glass songs.

The 2013 Festival opened earlier this week and BroadwayWorld wants to keep you in the loop on highlights of this season. Check out some of the most buzzed-about productions below!

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL ended its triumphant two-year run yesterday, July 7th, 2013, at the Elektra Theatre. The production played a total of 529 performances and eight previews.BroadwayWorld was there for closing night and you can check out photos from the festivities below!

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run this Sunday, July 7th at the Elektra Theatre. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run today, July 7th, 2013, at the Elektra Theatre. The production will have played a total of 529 performances and eight previews. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you back through the parody's time off-Broadway!

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run next Sunday, July 7th at the Elektra Theatre. The production will have played a total of 529 performances and eight previews. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival presents LEGACY FALLS - the musical comedy where soap opera is a dirty business - from July 16 to 24, 2013. The show has Music & Lyrics by James Burn and Book by James Burn and Ian Poitier. The show is Directed and Choreographed by Ian Poitier with Music Direction byJonathan E. Gill. The show was originally presented at the New Players Theatre in London, UK in 2010. LEGACY FALLS is an Official Selection of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th at the Elektra Theatre. The production will have played a total of 529 performances and eight previews. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for futureSILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Beginning today, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced this week that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for futureSILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Beginning tomorrow, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced yesterday that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

The Group Theatre Too, along with choreographer, Justin Boccitto and director, Kimberly Vaughn presents the 2013 Broadway Performance Project (BPP), an evening of young, aspiring Broadway bound talent performing tonight, June 11th and Thursday, June 13th, 7:00pm at cabaret hub, The Laurie Beechman Theater.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will play a special added holiday performance today at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. The show, which normally plays at 5 PM on Sundays, will have two performances today at 2 & 7 PM. Winner of the 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, SILENCE! is the unauthorized parody of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, with book byHunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli. After opening initially at Theatre 80 on July 9, 2011 to unanimous rave reviews, the show immediately became a sold-out phenomenon and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the year's Top 5 Musicals.

The Group Theatre Too, along with choreographer, Justin Boccitto and director, Kimberly Vaughn presents the 2013 Broadway Performance Project (BPP), an evening of young, aspiring Broadway bound talent performing on Tuesday, June 11th and Thursday, June 13th, 7:00pm at cabaret hub, The Laurie Beechman Theater. BPP selected twelve participants from among those who auditioned, including: Caitlin Catanella, Melissa Coffey, Isaac Dayley, Kristin Feeney, Anelena Frollini, Billy Hannon, Erica Kimble, Amelia Rose Ortman, Kelly Reader, Daniel Schultz, Alan Simon and Micki Weiner. In preparation for their Beechman performances these artists will have coached with Justin and Kimberly, along with musical director Andrea Grody, and workshopped their songs in an 'in studio' performance class with a panel of industry professionals who include talent manager Naomi Kolstein and casting director Dale Brown. The project also had a successful benefit show last December where they unveiled "The Nicole Fosse Scholarship" and saw performances from Richard Kline, Phillip Boykin, Anita Gillette, Kurt Peterson, Wayne Alan Wilcox, Colleen Zenk, Kevin Spirtas, Raissa Katona Bennett and Sheri Sanders.