Maury Yeston News

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

In a correlative column to this weekend's extensive and exclusive InDepth InterView, tonight we are shining a special solo spotlight on the vast multitude of talents possessed by one of Broadway's brightest stars - known best to theatre fans for his tremendous turns in Maury Yeston's TITANIC, Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY, the original musicals SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, SHREK and NEXT TO NORMAL as well as original dramas such as TIME STANDS STILL - who now can now regularly be seen on NBC's hit music drama series SMASH, and, starting this Sunday in a three-episode arc on Showtime's THE BIG C with fellow Broadway notable Tammy Blanchard - the one and only Brian D'arcy James. While you will have to wait until tomorrow for the career-spanning conversation that covers his experiences working on those thrilling original musicals as well as reflections on collaborating with the starry array of cast members and creatives on the Steven Spielberg-produced SMASH and what lays ahead for Season Two, now is an absolutely ideal opportunuity to reacclimatize ourselves. Just what can't Brian d'Arcy James do? As this spell-binding collection of clips prove - everything; and then some.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's ongoing interview series with the stars and creative team of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH with a Broadway/Hollywood leading man who first made his mark on the stage creating a role in the Tony Award-winning TITANIC after having appeared in BLOOD BROTHERS and CAROUSEL and who has since starred in productions as diverse as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK and many more - the jovial and multi-talented Brian d'Arcy James. Discussing all aspects of his role on SMASH as well as cluing us in on what we can expect from Monday's highly awaited season finale, d'Arcy James and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and he shares fond recollections of working on TITANIC, SWEET SMELL, SHREK, NEXT TO NORMAL, TIME STANDS STILL and THE WILD PARTY Off-Broadway as well as offers his observations of his collaborators and co-stars in each endeavor. Plus, Brian also reveals his other current TV project: his character arc on Showtime's dramedy THE BIG C, starring his TIME STANDS STILL co-star Laura Linney and previous John Benjamin Hickey, that begins this Sunday and continues through the rest of this month. Additionally, we also discuss his upcoming 54 Below concerts June 26-30 - as well as his thoughtful and candid opinions on some of his favorite songwriters and his own songs. Plus, comments on his film roles in HBO's GAME CHANGE, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, an upcoming short film - and much, much more!

Cincinnati Music Theatre (CMT) will present a musical tribute to the dreams and aspirations of those who sailed aboard the greatest achievement of "The Remarkable Age," the RMS Titanic. Join us tonight, May 11 through May 19, 2012 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater as we honor the memories of those lost on the maiden voyage 100 years ago, with our production of Titanic: The Musical.

CHAPLIN, a new musical depicting the life of film icon Charlie Chaplin, with music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and book by three-time Tony Award-winner Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Christopher Curtis, will open on Broadway on Monday, September 10, 2012 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Previews will begin Tuesday, August 21, 2012. Acclaimed director/choreographer Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway) directs and choreographs the production. Casting and additional creative team to be announced soon.

York Theatre Company will present the 8th Annual NEO 8 on Monday, May 21 at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by a champagne and dessert reception to toast the evening.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'tick...tick...BOOM!,' 'A Little Night Music,' a local 'Avenue Q?,' Kevin Earley and Nathan Lane are in town, 'Sexy Baby,' the High School Musical Theater Awards and more....

Nominations for The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Friday, April 27, 2012 at Feinstein's at Loews Regency by Drama Desk Award winners Brian d'Arcy James and Donna Murphy, with Death Takes a Holiday, Follies and Nice Work If You Can Get It leading the pack. Yesterday, May 8, all of the nominees were celebrated at a special reception and BroadwayWorld was there to capture it all.

Today Nancy Rhodes, Artistic Director of Encompass New Opera Theatre announced that Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway will headline the annual Jazz-Cabaret Gala on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 7:00 PM in New York City.

A free concert celebrating the release of Over The Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project, a multi-media charity project that includes a two-CD set of original lullabies composed and sung by Broadway's brightest stars, a lavishly-illustrated hardcover book of 17 songs from the album, a corresponding e-book encompassing the entire collection, and a documentary film. The project gathers many of contemporary theater's greatest composers and vocalists, as well as award-winning illustrators and set designers, all of whom donated their talent to this endeavor.

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced a new Broadway production of Clifford Odets' The Big Knife, starring Emmy® Award winner and Tony Award® nominee Bobby Cannavale, directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments), for one night only tonight, April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They are joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong provides lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street tonight, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced today four musicals to be developed at its 2012 National Music Theater Conference (NMTC).

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.