Kenny Leon News

The Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition continues to spotlight the best emerging playwrights with a full production for the competition winner and staged readings for four competition finalists.  Too Heavy for your Pocket, the 13th competition winner, will have its world premiere on the Hertz Stage February 4 - 26, 2017.  Opening night is Thursday, February 9, 2017. 

Thomas Schumacher, Jeff Calhoun, Christopher Gattelli, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Zina Goldrich, Marcy Heisler, Arielle Jacobs, Curt Hansen, Luca Padovan, and New York Times best-selling authors Jodi Picoult and Mary Pope Osborne are some of the talent confirmed for the 2017 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF17, #JTFATL) happening January 13-15, 2017 in Atlanta, GA.

Today's big news: NYTW's starry OTHELLO puts on a benefit show tonight, and YEN - with Lucas Hedges and more - begins this evening at MCC Theater!

The Directors Guild of America has today announced the nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in TV , Commercials and Documentary Films for its 69th annual DGA Awards. The guild's feature film nominees will be announced tomorrow, January 12th.

The LEXington Theatre Company has announced that Laura Bell Bundy (TONY Nominee - Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Television's Fuller House, Anger Management), Leslie Kritzer (Something Rotten, A Catered Affair, Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening, The Addams Family, First Date, Television's Smash) and Matthew Scott (An American in Paris, Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair, Sondheim on Sondheim) will be joining this year's line-up of Broadway Vets for "Concert With The Stars," on Sunday, January 8 at 3:00pm, at The Lexington Opera House (Lexington, KY.)

Last night, NBC aired an encore telecast of HAIRSPRAY LIVE! The broadcast delivered a 0.5/2 rating in the 18-49 demographic as well as 2.5 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET.

Can't get enough of HAIRSPRAY LIVE!? Then tune in to NBC for a reprise telecast of the musical on Monday, December 26th from 8-11 p.m. ET!

The inspiration behind the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company says he's never actually eaten there. Mykelti Williamson, the actor who played Forrest Gump's best friend Bubba in the 1994 Academy Award-winning film, admits he's never been to the restaurant featuring his character's name, despite performing only a few blocks away from its Times Square location.

Thomas Schumacher, Jeff Calhoun, Christopher Gattelli, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Zina Goldrich, Marcy Heisler, Arielle Jacobs, Curt Hansen, Luca Padovan, and New York Times best-selling authors Jodi Picoult and Mary Pope Osborne are some of the talent confirmed for the 2017 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF17, #JTFATL) happening January 13-15, 2017 in Atlanta, GA.

The gratitude and nostalgia run deep for the cast of Hairspray Live!, who are continuing to share their thoughts about the special experience on social media. Today, Jennifer Hudson (Motormouth Maybelle) posted an Instagram of her with the live musical's producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, thanking them for believing in her and giving her an opportunity to be a part of Hairspray Live! On the heels of her post, we received a mega thank you photo of the entire cast and members of the creative team. One thing's for sure: we'll be feeling the beat from Hairspray Live! for some time to come!

It's only been three days since NBC's latest installment in their series of annual live musical events, Hairspray Live!, but the stars of the production are already being hit hard with nostalgia! Several members of the cast, including Ephraim Sykes (Seaweed), Ariana Grande (Penny), and Tracy herself, Maddie Baillio, have taken to Instagram to express their post-Hairspray feelings. BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the most adorable posts below-let us know which ones we missed, and fingers crossed Ephraim keeps his promise to flood our timelines with more precious behind-the-scenes memories!

Can't get enough of HAIRSPRAY LIVE!? Then tune in to NBC for a reprise telecast of the musical on Monday, December 26th from 8-11 p.m. ET!

Artistic Director Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company presents the Southeastern premiere of Exit Strategy written by Ike Holter and directed by John Dillon, running February 21 - March 19, 2017 at Fulton County's Southwest Arts Center's Performance Theater. 

Yesterday, Ariana Grande, who starred as Penny Lou Pingleton in NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE!, turned to Instagram to share an emotional message with the cast and crew of the musical

Pittsburgh CLO presents its 25th Anniversary production of A Musical Christmas Carol this month at the Byham Theater. This production will feature exciting new set elements and special effects.

Miss last night's live broadcast of HAIRSPRAY LIVE! on NBC or just need to re-live the magic all over again? Below, watch the musical in full!

NBC has just released early ratings results for last night's broadcast of HAIRSPRAY LIVE! BWW will be updating these results as more numbers become available.

NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE aired last night, Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and originated from Los Angeles. Let's see what the critics had to say!

Welcome back to the '60s, Harvey Fierstein! The Tony Award winner reprised his role last night as Edna Turnblad in NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE, and we've got the video for you below! Also, keep an eye out for some other performers from the original Broadway cast of HAIRSPRAY.

Below, check out more images from NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! The live broadcast aired tonight from Los Angeles, CA.