Margo Lion News

WhatsOnStage.com reports that UK comedy star Brian Conley will make his return to the West End this summer when he takes over from Michael Ball as the 'Mama of all Mamas', Edna Turnblad in the multi award-winning Broadway import Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Nigel Planer and Verity Rushworth joined the cast of Hairspray the musical as Penny Pingleton and Wilbur Turnblad.

Tony? Award winners Kathleen Marshall (Pajama Game, Wonderful Town) and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), and Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys) have joined the panel of Jurors for The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for the 2009 Next Link Project along with lyricist Susan Birkenhead, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, producer Robyn Goodman, and director Francesca Zambello.

Come hang out with the NYMF gang on Wednesday evening, January 28! Get all of your burning Next Link Project and Festival Submissions questions answered and also learn about other ways you can get involved with NYMF. A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the Irish Rogue (356 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues. NYMF staff members will be on hand to answer questions about the Next Link Project submissions process and chat about other ways to get involved with the Festival. A cash bar with drink specials will be available, including $3 Domestic Bottles & Drafts and $4 Martinis & Cosmos. Drop by after work and say hi! The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 - October 18, 2009. Any work that has not been produced professionally in New York City may be submitted by authors with or without industry representation, but scripts should be ready for developmental production and the widespread exposure NYMF provides. All entries undergo double-blind evaluations by several members of NYMF's reading team, with finalists referred to a grand jury of celebrated industry professionals. Previous jury members have included such Tony winning talents as Victoria Clark, Raul Esparza, Robyn Goodman, Margo Lion, Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx, Kathleen Marshall, Kevin McCollum, Tom Meehan, Phylicia Rashad and BD Wong.

Come hang out with the NYMF gang on Wednesday evening, January 28! Get all of your burning Next Link Project and Festival Submissions questions answered and also learn about other ways you can get involved with NYMF. A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the Irish Rogue (356 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues. NYMF staff members will be on hand to answer questions about the Next Link Project submissions process and chat about other ways to get involved with the Festival. A cash bar with drink specials will be available, including $3 Domestic Bottles & Drafts and $4 Martinis & Cosmos. Drop by after work and say hi! The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 - October 18, 2009. Any work that has not been produced professionally in New York City may be submitted by authors with or without industry representation, but scripts should be ready for developmental production and the widespread exposure NYMF provides. All entries undergo double-blind evaluations by several members of NYMF's reading team, with finalists referred to a grand jury of celebrated industry professionals. Previous jury members have included such Tony winning talents as Victoria Clark, Raul Esparza, Robyn Goodman, Margo Lion, Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx, Kathleen Marshall, Kevin McCollum, Tom Meehan, Phylicia Rashad and BD Wong.

The producers of 'HAIRSPRAY' are delighted to announce that Nigel Planer and Verity Rushworth are to join the cast of the multi-award winning musical, beginning on Monday 2 February. Nigel takes over the role of 'Wilbur Turnblad', husband of larger than life 'Edna' played by Michael Ball.

Jurors for The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for the 2009 Next Link Project will include lyricist Susan Birkenhead, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, producer Robyn Goodman, and director Francesca Zambello. The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 ? October 18, 2009. Twelve of the Festival?s full production slots are reserved for participants in The Next Link Project, NYMF?s primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from mere readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival. A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the Irish Rogue (356 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Ave). NYMF staff members will be on hand to answer questions about the Next Link Project submissions process and chat about other ways to get involved with the Festival.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Tuesday, January 6, 2009.

On January 4th 2009, after over 2,641 performances, the curtain fell at the Neil Simon Theater on the final performance of Broadway's 2003 Tony Award winning musical HAIRSPRAY starring original cast members Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur. BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to party with the cast one last time! Look for more BWW Hairspray fun coming soon-stay tuned Hairhoppers!

Mumsnet.com, the UK's leading family website, is delighted to announce that, from Monday 5 January, kids will go free to the musical 'HAIRSPRAY' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. On Mondays, for every full paying adult buying a ticket, Mumsnet will give a child's ticket completely free. This offer is available at www.mumsnet.com/offer or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.co.uk.

Now entering its sixth year, The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize musical theater culture by discovering and promoting new musical theater artists, producers and projects; nurturing a vibrant and innovative artistic community; and connecting one of America's greatest art forms with a diverse, contemporary audience. The New York Musical Theater Festival will begin accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project January 7th for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 - October 18, 2009.

Talking to Bloomberg News' Jeremy Gerard last week, HAIRSPRAY producer Margo Lion says she's at work 'doing what makes her happiest' and that's developing new material.

Mumsnet.com, the UK's leading family website, is delighted to announce that, from Monday 5 January, kids will go free to the musical 'HAIRSPRAY' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. On Mondays, for every full paying adult buying a ticket, Mumsnet will give a child's ticket completely free. This offer is available at www.mumsnet.com/offer or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.co.uk.

American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards® Administration Committee 2008-2009.

Constantine Rousouli is the dreamy new Link Larkin in Hairspray. We gave him a FLIP video camera...

All signs indicate that 'Hairspray' will end it's successful run on January 18th, 2009. Official word is expected at any moment, there is also a strong chance that Harvey Fierstein will return to his Tony Winning role of Edna Turnblad to help the show go out in style.

Broadway fans are invited to SIRIUS Live on Broadway with host Seth Rudetsky at the Broadway Concierge & Ticket Center each Wednesday at 12 noon ET to watch interviews and performances with their favorite Broadway stars. Tomorrow, Wednesday October 1st, Seth welcomes Hairspray stars Constantine Rousouli and Marissa Perry live and in person at 12:00PM.

On Thursday, September 11th 2008 the cast of HAIRSPRAY had two very special guests: Olympic all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin and Original and Final cast member of RENT, Gwen Stewart. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were backstage to capture the moment.

Michael Ball has extended his run playing the role of 'Edna Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical 'HAIRSPRAY' by another six months. He will now be starring in the role until Saturday 25 April 2009, marking the longest continuing contract that Michael, one of the UK's leading stage stars, has ever performed.

The producers of Hairspray, winner of eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, have announced that Charlotte Crossley will take over the role of Motormouth Maybelle beginning Tuesday, September 2 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre.