Mary Lea Johnson News

Virginia Arts Festival has cast one of Broadway’s leading lights in the role of a new, key position at the Festival: The Goode Family Artistic Advisor for Musical Theater and American Songbook.

Virginia Arts Festival will present Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical Sweeney Todd in an orchestral performance. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.

Opera Saratoga announces updated casting and ticket information for its innovative new festival model that embraces partnerships with multiple venues across the region. The 2022 Summer Festival continues with:

Signature Theatre has announced its 33rd season today, which highlights the organization’s long-time relationship with the legendary Stephen Sondheim. Signature has produced 31 Sondheim productions in its 32 season history – more than any other theater in North America.

Opera Saratoga announces updated casting and ticket information for its innovative new festival model that embraces partnerships with multiple venues across the region.

Opera Omaha has an outstanding 2020/2021 Season in store, filled with exhilarating productions and remarkable artists. We look forward to numerous exciting debuts as well as the return of some of Omaha's favorite artists who will thrill us once again.

The Atlanta Opera closes its 2017-18 mainstage season with Stephen Sondheim's seminal musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This production of Sweeney Todd remains faithful to the original Broadway show, and features an all-star cast, including Michael Mayes in his role debut as Sweeney Todd, and Maria Zifchak as Mrs. Lovett. Timothy Myers will conduct in a company debut, and Albert Sherman, who has directed Sweeney Todd under the mentorship of Harold Prince, will serve as production director.

The Atlanta Opera closes its 2017-18 mainstage season with Stephen Sondheim's seminal musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This production of Sweeney Todd remains faithful to the original Broadway show, and features an all-star cast, including Michael Mayes in his role debut as Sweeney Todd, and Maria Zifchak as Mrs. Lovett. Timothy Myers will conduct in a company debut, and Albert Sherman, who has directed Sweeney Todd under the mentorship of Harold Prince, will serve as production director.

Name an opera or operetta and it is likely listed in soprano Sarah Rice's repertoire. Over her long and illustrious career, she has starred and performed in a myriad of productions all across the map, from Broadway to Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Italy. Strauss, Salieri, Sondheim--- it's there. Now, in her first solo show since 2013, Rice will debut her new show Music of the Night (borrowing, of course, from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, in which Rice played Christine in the National Tour) at Pangea Restaurant Pangea Restaurant (2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th streets) on August 17, 18, and September 20, all at 7 pm. Alongside pianist Matthew Martin Ward (Eric Sedgwick for the September show) and special guest David Vernon, she will sing and play a set aimed to explain 'the things that go through your head at 4:00 AM,' covering classical, Celtic, television and movie themes, and musical theatre.

Talk about Razzle Dazzle! The rags to riches story of famed CHICAGO producer Marty Richards, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 80, is set to be turned into a biography and a television series

Lynn University and producer Jan McArt, director of theatre arts program development, today announced that the Libby Dodson's Live at Lynn Theatre Series will present three major shows during January and February 2015.

Lynn University and producer Jan McArt, director of theatre arts program development, today announced that the Libby Dodson's Live at Lynn Theatre Series will present three major shows during January and February 2015.

The Producer Circle. Co will present a concert reading of Kenneth Jones and Gerald Stocksill's NAUGHTY/NICE in benefit of the The New York Center For Children at Caroline's on Broadway on Dec. 3. The reading features musical direction by David Gardos and direction and staging by Stephen Nachamie. Alexandra Frohlinger, Timatha Kasten, Eric Michael Krop, and George Salazar will star, along with Emily Bindiger, Dennis Deal, Carolee Goodgold, and Jim Vincent.

Great Lakes Theater (GLT) will commence its 2013-14 season at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's royal epic, Richard III and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory September 27 - November 3, 2013.

Great Lakes Theater (GLT) will commence its 2013-14 season at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's royal epic, Richard III and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory tonight, September 27 - November 3, 2013.

Great Lakes Theater (GLT) will commence its 2013-14 season at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's royal epic, Richard III and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory September 27 - November 3, 2013. Joseph Hanreddy will direct Richard III.Victoria Bussert will direct Sweeney Todd. (Sweeney Todd's music and lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim based on a book by Hugh Wheeler and an adaptation by Christopher Bond.Sweeney Todd was originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince with orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. It was originally produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in association with Dean and Judy Manos.)

On April 8th, producer Marty Richards' feast of friends and loved ones gathered in celebration of his extremely accomplished life at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street) where they were entertained by a star-studded retrospective of show-stopping numbers from Mr. Richards' acclaimed Broadway musicals including Chicago, On The Twentieth Century, The Life, Grand Hotel, Sweeney Todd, La Cage Aux Folles, Sweet Smell Of Success, The Will Rogers Follies and Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life. BroadwayWorld was there for the special celebration and you can check out highlights from inside the concert below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Sunday, April 14, 2013.

On Monday evening, April 8th at the finale of Marty Richards' star-studded-sold-out Memorial to benefit his beloved New York Center For Children, which he co-founded with his wife Mary Lea Johnson Richards, Chita Rivera quieted the crowd to make an important announcement regarding the future of the American Theatre and the New York centric film and television's East Coast community. Dan Gallagher and Michael Milton, Mr. Richards' co-workers and right-hand visionaries for over fifteen years, have power-teamed with Producer/General Manager, Cheryl Dennis, to form the new Producer Circle Co. with offices in Manhattan.

Last night, April 8th, producer Marty Richards' feast of friends and loved ones gathered in celebration of his extremely accomplished life at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street) where they were entertained by a star-studded retrospective of show-stopping numbers from Mr. Richards' acclaimed Broadway musicals including Chicago, On The Twentieth Century, The Life, Grand Hotel, Sweeney Todd, La Cage Aux Folles, Sweet Smell Of Success, The Will Rogers Follies and Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life. BroadwayWorld was there for the special celebration and you can check out who was there to celebrate the legend below!