Mary Macleod 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.

Andrea Martin, Michael Cumpsty and Tony Yazbeck have been cast in On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running November 19 - 23. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, will be directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle.

Rolex presented 'ON BROADWAY! A Glittering Salute To The American Musical'- Career Transition For Dancers' 23rd Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 27 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves). Multi award-winning actress Angela Lansbury hosted the Gala, which was followed by an Anniversary Supper with the Stars at Hilton New York's Grand Ballroom. It was a capacity filled performance at New York City Center and there were 713 guests for Anniversary Supper with the Stars at the Hilton New York's Grand Ballroom. The total amount including live auction, performance only tickets at City Center and all pledges and monies in is: $1,085,000.

Fave dance numbers from musicals were re-created at Career Transition for Dancers' annual gala, which also featured some ballet and acrobatics.

Rolex presents 'ON BROADWAY! A Glittering Salute To The American Musical'- Career Transition For Dancers', 23rd Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 27 at 7pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves).

Andrea Martin, Michael Cumpsty and Tony Yazbeck have been cast in On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running November 19 - 23. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, will be directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle

Rolex presents 'ON BROADWAY! A Glittering Salute To The American Musical'- Career Transition For Dancers', 23rd Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 27 at 7pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves).

Barbara Walsh, celebrated Tony and Drama Desk award nominated actress in such Broadway musicals as the 2007 revival of COMPANY, FALSETTOS, BIG, HAIRSPRAY, BLOOD BROTHERS, NINE AND ROCK AND ROLL: THE FIRST 5,000 YEARS, as well as television's 'One Life To Live' and 'Law and Order,' will star as Beatrice Stanton in the New York Musical Theatre Festival's production of ABOUT FACE.

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!

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).

BroadwayWorld.com is giving away a pair of free Orchestra tickets to the Encores! production of Damn Yankees on Saturday July 12th at 8PM.

BroadwayWorld and Broadway Beat's cameras takes you where no audience member has gone before - to the rehearsal room of the uber-popular and highly anticipated New York City Center Encores! series. Click now to watch interviews and rehearsal highlights from 'Damn Yankees' starring Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff, 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).

Cheyenne Jackson, Randy Graff and Ana Gasteyer will join previously announced cast members Sean Hayes and Jane Krakowski in DAMN YANKEES running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). Damn Yankees will be directed by John Rando with Music Direction by Rob Berman and the original Bob Fosse choreography recreated by Mary MacLeod. A July 10 opening is planned.

Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark will be joined by Conrad John Schuck, Dermot Crowley, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Michael Arden in Marc Blitzstein and Joseph Stein's Juno, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008 season. Directed by Tony Award- winner Garry Hynes with guest music direction by Eric Stern and choreography by Warren Carlyle, Juno will play for five performances, from March 27 - 30, at New York City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). This will be the first production since the original Broadway staging in 1959 to use the original orchestration by Blitzstein, Hershey Kay and Robert Russell Bennett.

Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark will be joined by Conrad John Schuck, Dermot Crowley, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Michael Arden in Marc Blitzstein and Joseph Stein's Juno, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008 season, performances are March 27-30.

Scott Siegel's summer series came to a close with a dazzling display of song and dance from Broadway's brightest.