Mel Brooks News

Rob McClure, who originated the role of Chaplin at the La Jolla Playhouse, will star in the title role of the new Broadway 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, CHAPLIN 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. Additional casting and additional creative team to be announced soon.

Hall, who is back in the public eye after winning the title of 'Celebrity Apprentice' on Donald Trump's NBC reality series, has reportedly been in talks with CBS TV Distribution about the possibility of hosting a talk show which would involve Tribune.

As previously scooped by BroadwayWorld.com, it's now official that the Hollywood Bowl's production of the Broadway hit THE PRODUCERS will star Richard Kind as Max Bialystock and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Leo Bloom.

You will find yourself holding your sides with laughter as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom sing and dance their way through the greatest show biz scam that there ever was!

The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE...and it's headed to Ottawa May 25 - 26 2012! You'll have a monstrously good time at this spectacular new production, winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for BEST MUSICAL! Don't miss the sensational cast delivering all your favorite momentsfrom the classic film, plus brand-new show-stopping numbers for the stage, including 'Transylvania Mania,' 'He Vas My Boyfriend' and “Puttin' on the Ritz.

Speculation is running rampant in California with an announcement expected shortly for the casting of the Hollywood Bowl's summer musical - THE PRODUCERS. Earlier this week, BWW reported that Richard Kind revealed on Kevin Pollak's Chat Show that he was on board for the project. Now, our LA sources are buzzing that Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson might play 'Leo Bloom' after recently tweeting: 'I wanna be a producer'. No official casting announcement has been made.

Richard Kind revealed he will be leading the Hollywood Bowl's THE PRODUCERS this July on the Kevin Pollak's Chat Show on Saturday. No casting has been announced officially by the production, but when asked if the engagement was set in stone, Kind said 'I think so'.

Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV announce that the two nonprofit theaters will formally merge effective July 1, 2012 under a new name - Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep). With a budget exceeding $5 million, four distinct venues, and an annual audience over 550,000, Virginia Rep will become the largest professional theater and one of the largest performing arts organizations in Central Virginia along with the Richmond Ballet, Richmond Symphony, and the Virginia Opera. Barksdale and Theatre IV celebrated the announcement and the unveiling of the new Virginia Rep sign today, May 20, at the November Theatre (formerly the Empire Theatre) at 114 West Broad Street at 4:00 p.m. after the closing of Seussical, thelast mainstage children's production under the Theatre IV name. Virginia Rep will transition into the new organization between now and July 1.

6th Street Playhouse presents 'The Producers' with book and music by Mel Brooks, lyrics and libretto by Thomas Meehan and Mel Brooks.

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is getting ready to cut loose this summer with the dance musical Footloose. The stage production, based on the Paramount Pictures film, will open at the Frederick theatre on Friday, June 15th and run through August 25th.

The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE...and it's headed to Ottawa May 25 - 26 2012! You'll have a monstrously good time at this spectacular new production, winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for BEST MUSICAL! Don't miss the sensational cast delivering all your favorite momentsfrom the classic film, plus brand-new show-stopping numbers for the stage, including 'Transylvania Mania,' 'He Vas My Boyfriend' and “Puttin' on the Ritz.

On June 10, 2012, The Actor's Fund will present its 16th Annual Tony Awards party at the Skirball Center, this year honoring Jason Alexander with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement.. Scott Bakula will host the gala and this year's Honorary Celebrity Committee includes: Julie Bowen, Nancy Dussault, Dann Florek, Elliott Gould, Steve Guttenberg, Garry Marshall, Chita Rivera, Susan Sarandon, Holland Taylor and Zachary Quinto. The event includes cocktails and a silent auction followed by ainner and a live telecast of a live feed of the Tony Awards as they happen in New York.

Two-time Emmy®-winning filmmaker Peter Jones explores his life, career, complexities, and contradictions in the two-hour documentary American Masters JOHNNY CARSON: KING OF LATE NIGHT premiering nationally tonight, May 14, 2012 at 9 pm (ET) on PBS (check local listings). 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Carson taking over The Tonight Show from Jack Paar and the 20th anniversary of his retirement.

It's difficult when you have an iconic show to work with such as "The Producers" currently playing at Village Theatre. The Mel Brooks classic movie turned Mel Brooks mega hit stage musical turned Mel Brooks movie musical is definitely a big piece of musical theater history. Add in huge stars like Gene Wilder, Zero Mostel, Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane to that history and the result of subsequent productions can vary from bland imitation to just plain not in the same league to the other end of the spectrum with spot on awesome, but you'll always kind of compare with the original. Well, luckily the Village production is on that latter end of the spectrum. With their couldn't-be-better-if-they-tried cast they manage an amazing show and even a few departures along the way that only made it stronger.

Last night, May 9, VOCA PEOPLE (www.VocaPeopleNYC.com), the hit musical, welcomed "Police Academy" star and "the man of 10,000 sound effects" Michael Winslow as he joins the VOCA PEOPLE for four select performances through May 20 at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street). Mr. Winslow will perform with VOCA PEOPLE again May 13 at 5:30pm, May 14 at 8pm, May 16 at 7pm and May 17 at 7pm. Winslow blasts into this out-of-this-world musical, which combines vocal sounds, a-cappella singing, comedy and the art of beat box. See photos of Michael Winslow in VOCA PEOPLE below!

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.

Village Theatre presents Mel Brooks' multi-Tony award-winning musical production of The Producers. This is the final production in Village Theatre's 2011-2012 Mainstage Season. Opening night is tonight, May 10 at 8PM.

Perhaps the reason the film version of the musical The Producers did not do so well as its Tony-award winning Broadway counterpart because it lacked that special magic that only live theatre can give. Movie musicals like Hairspray have succeeded on the big screen, but the current trend seems to involve actual live performances streamed in movie theaters across the nation. And it's no wonder that people prefer the one-night-only streamed performances to Hollywoodized versions. While such broadcasts will never live up to the real thing, they contain a piece of the real thing that thrills our souls.