Kathy Fitzgerald News

Perched above the stage in their private bleacher section, just beyond an outfield fence graffitied with the musical's title, conductor Rob Berman and his 25 piece Encores! Summer Stars orchestra might be mistaken for the conservatory cousins of Brooklyn's legendary Dodger Sym-Phony. But instead of serenading umpires from the Ebbet's Field grandstands with double forte arrangements of 'Three Blind Mice,' the musicians of director John Rando's cracker-jack production of Damn Yankees - a 1955 musical that opened in the early weeks of the baseball season that saw Brooklyn beat the Yankees for the borough's only World Series championship - treats 21st Century audiences to that thrilling sound of a Broadway Golden Age orchestra. The detailed movements and textures contained within Don Walker's orchestrations, whether giving comic accents to the pepper-upper 'Heart,' setting a satirical mood for the pseudo-vamp 'Whatever Lola Wants' or lifting a slow ballad like 'A Man Doesn't Know' with phrases that search the mind of the singing character, help bring majestic touches of artistry to this rousing vaudeville disguised as a book musical.

On the heels of its successful run at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre it was announced today that tickets for 9 To 5: The Musical on Broadway will be available exclusively to American Express Gold card holders, on Wednesday, October 29, 2008, and will go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, December 1, 2008.

9 to 5: The Musical opened on September 20th 2008 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances will continue through October 19, 2008.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Ahmanson Theatre spokeswoman Nancy Hereford confirmed Tuesday that Marc Kudisch, one of the stars of the musical did, indeed, fall while making a jump from a set piece on Sunday. 'Paramedics were called and the actor was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and kept overnight for observation. He sustained no serious injury and is back at rehearsals', Hereford explain to reporters.

Producer Robert Greenblatt announced today that 9 To 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, will begin previews on Broadway Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and will open Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist.

Producer Robert Greenblatt announced today that 9 To 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, will begin previews on Broadway Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and will open Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. The musical's book by Patricia Resnick is based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy.

On July 10th, 2008 the musical Damn Yankees opened at New York City Center as part of the Encores! Summer Series and BWW was there. The show runs through July 27th!

Currently appearing in Encores!' revival of Damn Yankees are two ladies who know from funny.

Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff star in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

On Tuesday June 24th, BroadwayWorld.com cameras got the opportunity to visit the rehearsal of Encores! presentation of Damn Yankees, one of this summer's most highly anticipated production.

Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff star in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

Megan Lawrence will join Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). Lawrence replaces Ana Gasteyer; Ms. Gasteyer has suffered a minor injury.

Veanne Cox, Michael Mulheren and P.J. Benjamin will join Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, Ana Gasteyer and Randy Graff in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the casts and directors of the eight musicals for its 19th Annual Festival of New Musicals to be held at New World Stages (340 West 50th St between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Sunday, October 7 and Monday, October 8, 2007.

A public reading of Ain't We Got Fun will be held September 17 at 7:30 PM. The new musical written by Jack Wrangler is based on three short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald and features the music of Richard Whiting.

The Producers, after playing its final Broadway performance on April 22nd, held an after-party at Tony's DiNapoli Times Square, and BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities!

On Sunday, April 15th at 9:30 PM, Joseph John Productions and the cast of Mel Brooks' Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Producers presented their cabaret benefit show: The Big Bang Blowout, to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Liz Larsen, Jordan Leeds and Patrick Quinn will be among the stars performing in a free reading of the musical The Times on March 6th

Is the movie stagey? Sure, it is. Gloriously stagey. Click in to read Michael Dale's review of The Producers film, opening nationwide on December 25th.