Ken Davenport News

Kinky Boots, the smash-hit musical that brings together four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (Book) and Grammy® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper (Tony Award-winner for Best Score for Kinky Boots), opens at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 4-14. The 11-day run marks the launch of the musical's national tour. A hit on Broadway, the highly popular show has created much anticipation for a touring production. Kinky Boots will be the first Broadway show to launch a national tour in Las Vegas, which is a dazzling fit.

The Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots celebrates its 500th Performance tonight, June 19th, at the Hirschfeld Theatre.

According to Entertainment weekly, Harry Potter veteran Rupert Grint will soon make his Broadway debut in Terrence McNally's next Broadway comedy- It's Only a Play. Grint will play 'Frank Finger', a 'wunderkind director of a new play by an anxious writer.' He made his stage debut earlier this year in the West End production of Jez Butterworth's Mojo.

Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, lead producers of Kinky Boots, the smash-hit musical that brings together four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (Book) and Grammy Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper (Tony Award-winner for Best Score for Kinky Boots), have announced casting for the upcoming first national tour.

Altar Boyz introduces a struggling Christian boy band from Greenville, Ohio, who are on the last night of their 'Raise the Praise' U.S. tour and determined to make the big time. The Boyz - Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (he's Jewish) - are intent on saving souls and raising spirits.

Producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig announced today that the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots will celebrate its 500th Performance on Thursday, June 19th with a social media contest for fans. Beginning today, fans can enter to win tickets to the 500th Performance by using a Do-It-Yourself Kinky Boots Card to add the show's iconic red boots to their photos, and sharing those photos online using hashtag #Kinky500.. On Tuesday, June 17th, the five most creative photos will be selected, and the winners will be given a pair of tickets to celebrate with the cast on June 19th at the Hirschfeld Theatre.

Producers Tom Kirdahy, Roy Furman, and Ken Davenport announced today that tickets are now on sale to the general public for the star-studded Broadway production of Terrence McNally's uproarious comedy, It's Only A Play.

On Tuesday, June 24, Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages) and stage and screen icon Marilu Henner (The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Chicago) will headline private industry readings of the new Broadway-bound musical GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER in midtown Manhattan.

Broadway Producer Ken Davenport (author of the popular blog, The Producer's Perspective) announces The 3rd Annual 10 Minute Play Contest! 10 original plays will be selected from submissions to be featured in a presentation evening and vie for the title of 'Best Play' as chosen by a panel of industry professionals. Finalists will receive a cash prize of $50 and the grand prize winner will receive $500.

Producers Tom Kirdahy, Roy Furman, and Ken Davenport announced today that Academy Award® winner F. Murray Abraham, Tony Award® winner Matthew Broderick, Tony Award® winner Stockard Channing, Tony Award®winner Nathan Lane, Emmy Award® winner Megan Mullally, and Micah Stock will star on Broadway in a newly revised version of Terrence McNally's uproarious comedy, It's Only a Play, which first premiered in New York in 1986 at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Tony Award® winner Jack O'Brien will direct. Additional casting will be announced shortly. The production will play a strictly limited 17-week engagement at Broadway's Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) beginning this fall, 2014, with an opening night set for Thursday, October 9.

J. Robert Spencer (Tony nominee "Next to Normal," original Broadway company "Jersey Boys") is set to play the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, in the world-premiere 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) production of BAYONETS OF ANGST - an original musical comedy set to a bluegrass soundtrack and narrated by the last remaining veterans of the American Civil War - Book by Rick Kunzi & Justin Zeppa, Music by Rick Kunzi & Adam Barnosky, Lyrics by Rick Kunzi, and Directed by Michael Lluberes. General Management Team for BAYONETS OF ANGST is Suellen Vance and Good People Management Group.

After a national online search, the votes have been tallied and the top 10 finalists for BroadwaySpotted's Next Big Star have been announced. The 10 finalists will compete for the title of BroadwaySpotted's Next Big Star live at The Davenport Theatre (354 West 45 Street New York, NY 10036) tonight, May 22nd, 2014 at 7PM. The winner will be determined by a panel of industry judges and popular audience vote. Industry judges include Tony Award winning Producer Ken Davenport (Kinky Boots, Godspell), casting director Cesar Rocha (C.S.A, Telsey + Company), composer/lyricist Georgia Stitt (This Ordinary Today), and acclaimed NYC voice teacher Robert Sussuma; rock audition guru Sheri Sanders (Rock The Audition) will host the evening.

Harlem's Mama Foundation for the Arts will celebrate its 15th Anniversary at its second annual Gala, which will take place at St. Martin's Cathedral (230 Lenox Avenue at 122nd Street) on Monday, June 16th from 6 - 9 PM. The special evening of food and entertainment -- which benefits Gospel for Teens, a program of the Mama Foundation for the Arts' School for Gospel, Jazz, and R&B Arts -- is graciously underwritten by Larry Scott and Lawrence Scott Events. Tickets for the Gala are $250.00 and $500 (VIP) and are now available by calling the Mama Foundation for the Arts at (212) 280-1045.

The long-running Off-Broadway interactive show THE AWESOME 80s PROM has a new place to cut footloose this spring and summer! The production will return for five Saturday evening performances only -- today, May 17 through September 20 -- at New York's hottest new club 42West, located at the bottom of The OUT Hotel on West 42nd Street.

An experienced group of individuals from all sides of the world of producing, from NYC to Latin America have been invited as panelists to lead this discussion. Ken Davenport, (Broadway Producer), Felipe Gamba, (International Strategy Director, Disney Theatrical), Morris Gilbert, (Director of Theatre, OCESA), Carlos Arana, (Broadway Investor & Producer), Roberta Pereira, (Broadway/Off-Broadway Producer), Kelly Crabb, (Partner, Sheppard Mullin), Robert Darwell, (Partner, Sheppard Mullin) & Luis Salgado, (Actor & Producer), will share their producing and creative experiences in the Broadway circuit and international productions. As well as discuss the much-needed accounting, tax and law information necessary in order to put together a show.

The 80th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon is being held this afternoon, May 16, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, where winners will be announced for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. This year's event, which began at noon, is hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson. BroadwayWorld is updating the winners live! Check back in to find out who took home the big awards!

Barnes & Noble will celebrate the new Ghostlight Records cast recording of The Bridges of Madison County, the new romantic musical currently running at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), with a special in-st0re performance and CD signing on Friday, May 23 at 5:00 PM. The event will feature stars Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale, in addition to other cast members. The composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown will join them at the piano, with Justin Goldner and Gary Seiger on guitars and Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf on cello. Barnes & Noble is located at 150 East 86th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues on the Upper East Side. Fans who purchase the CD at the store will be offered priority seating. Please call (212) 369-2180 for details.

After a national online search, the votes have been tallied and the top 10 finalists for BroadwaySpotted's Next Big Star have been announced. The 10 finalists will compete for the title of BroadwaySpotted's Next Big Star live at The Davenport Theatre (354 West 45 Street New York, NY 10036) Thursday May 22nd, 2014 at 7PM. The winner will be determined by a panel of industry judges and popular audience vote. Industry judges include Tony Award winning Producer Ken Davenport (Kinky Boots, Godspell), casting director Cesar Rocha (C.S.A, Telsey + Company), composer/lyricist Georgia Stitt (This Ordinary Thursday), and acclaimed NYC voice teacher Robert Sussuma; rock audition guru Sheri Sanders (Rock The Audition) will host the evening.

On Thursday, May 15th devoted theater lovers will celebrate two decades of the best in contemporary theater in New Jersey. The 20th Anniversary Gala for The Theater Project, a professional theater company, will be held at the Wilshire Grand in West Orange. The evening will include a cocktail hour, sit down dinner, silent auction and conclude with an entertainment program.

The Theater Project will recognize J. Edward "Joe" Cecala, one of eight honorees at its 20th Anniversary Gala to be held on Thursday, May 15th at the Wilshire Grand in West Orange, New Jersey.