Michael Bennett News

Porchlight Music Theatre today announced details of their annual benefit, The Icons Gala, Celebrating the Art of Michael Bennett, Sunday, April 22, 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at The University Club of Chicago, 76 East Monroe Street.

A CHORUS LINE opened at the Lewis Family Playhouse: Broadway at the Gardens this weekend. Only three performances left Friday March 16th at 7:30pm, Saturday March 17th at 7:30pm, and Sunday March 18th at 2pm.

On June 9th, at the 2012 Tony Eve Cocktail Party the the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre are presented and this year's recipients will be MTI's Freddie Gershon, production supervisor Arthur Siccardi and the Theater Development Fund's Open Doors Arts Education Program.

Recently, noted DREAMGIRLS composer Henry Krieger was generous enough to take a comprehensive look back at his many accomplishments onstage and onscreen with me, turning back the pages of time and sharing memories of DREAMGIRLS, both on Broadway and in Hollywood, THE TAP DANCE KID, SIDE SHOW, KEPT, ROMANTIC POETRY and beyond, as well as discuss many aspects of his exciting new family-friendly musical opening next week at the New Victory Theater, LUCKY DUCK. Over the course of our compelling conversation, Krieger also revealed new details about the forthcoming 2014 production of SIDE SHOW, to be directed by DREAMGIRLS film director and TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN helmer Bill Condon - to premiere first at the La Jolla Playhouse and then at the Kennedy Center, as it makes its way towards Broadway - as well as first news on a musical collaboration with lyricist David Yazbek based on the life of television evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker set to star Tony and Emmy-winning Broadway and GLEE standout Kristin Chenoweth. DREAMGIRLS to LUCKY DUCK and much, much more awaits!

Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director of Signature Theatre, today announced the lineup for the company's 2012/2013 season. The Tony Award®-winning company, long renowned for staging bold and innovative productions of classic musicals, will be reinventing four legendary Broadway favorites for their exciting 23rd season. In addition to a co-production with Ford's Theatre of the 10-time Tony Award®-winner Hello, Dolly!, Signature will be bringing the uproarious musical comedy The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and the inspirational award-winning musical Dreamgirls to the intimate MAX Theatre. Signature, the Theatre most closely associated with producing definitive productions of Stephen Sondheim, will also present the quintessential musical on love and marriage, Company, for the first time in twenty years.

Pittsburgh CLO has announced the creative team for the 2012 Summer Season, running June 5 through August 5 at the Benedum Center. Three Pittsburgh CLO veterans and one newcomer highlight this group selected to helm the organization's 66th year of bringing Broadway's best to Pittsburgh's Cultural District. The season includes the National Tour of Come Fly Away (June 5-10), A Chorus Line (June 15-24), Annie(June 29-July 8), Fiddler on the Roof (July 13-22), Sunset Boulevard (July 24-29) and the National Tour of The Addams Family (July 31-August 5).

The all-new Australian production of the American Broadway musical A CHORUS LINE will play at Sydney's Capitol Theatre for 21 performances only from 20 July, 2012.

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.

As first reported on EWonline, actress Kelly Bishop will be joining the cast of Amy Sherman-Palladino's new ABC Family show BUNHEADS. It was previously reported that Tony award winner Sutton Foster will play the lead role in the new series.

Broadway star and legendary entertainer Donna McKechnie will be heating up two different Florida stages this month, beginning this weekend, where she'll be doing two performances of MY MUSICAL COMEDY LIFE, launching the inaugural season of the new Plaza Theatre in Manalapan, which has been engineered by Florida based Producer, Alan Jacobson.

BroadwayWorld TV te ofrece algunos de los mejores momentos de 'Follies', el musical de Stephen Sondheim, con libreto de James Goldman, dirigido por Mario Gas que comenzó previas el 10 de febrero y se estrenará oficialmente el 23 de febrero en el Teatro Español de Madrid. El público de la capital podrá disfrutar hasta el 8 de abril de este musical, que se hace por primera vez en castellano, protagonizado por Vicky Peña, Muntsa Rius, Pep Molina, Carlos Hipólito y Massiel entre otros.

Echa un vistazo a las imágenes de la producción de FOLLIES en el TEATRO ESPAÑOL de Madrid, dirigido por Mario Gas y protagonizado por Vicky Peña, Muntsa Rius, Pep Molina y Carlos Hipólito, cuyas previas comenzarán el 10 de febrero. El estreno oficial de la versión española de este musical de Stephen Sondheim y James Goldman será el 23 de febrero.

Ya están ultimándose los ensayos para que todo este listo para este jueves 10 de febrero, fecha en que comenzarán las previas de FOLLIES, el musical de Stephen Sondheim y James Goldman, en el TEATRO ESPAÑOL de Madrid. El estreno oficial será el 23 de febrero. Aquí tenéis algunas imágenes del proceso de preparación de este gran espectáculo.

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 latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Doyle and Debbie and Patsy Cline, an opera company 'Oklahoma!,' 'The Hunchback Variations Opera,' 'A Catered Affair,' 'Beyond The Fringe,' a Candlelight reunion and more....

Musical theater fans can look forward to another singular sensation in downtown Aurora: A Chorus Line, the Paramount's third production in its inaugural, 2011-2012 Broadway musical series. Winner of nine Tony Awards plus the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, A Chorus Line introduces 17 dancers all competing for a coveted spot on the line. Get ready for intense drama, big dance numbers, emotionally charged vocals, laughter, pathos, and of course, that fantastic, familiar music by famed composer Marvin Hamlisch. View photos below!

El musical, dirigido por Marios Gas, se podrá ver en el Teatro Español de Madrid desde el próximo 10 de Febrero hasta el 8 de Abril.

El actor Diego Rodríguez (Mamma Mia!, Los Miserables, Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar) intepretará al Joven Ben en la producción de FOLLIES, con música y letra de Stephen Sondheim y libreto de James Goldman , dirigida por Mario Gas y con dirección musical de Pep Pladellorens, a partir del próximo 10 de Febrero y hasta el 8 de Abril de 2012 en el Teatro Español de Madrid.

30 years ago today, Dreamgirls premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre. The production was directed by Michael Bennett, produced by Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records, and The Shubert Organization, and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. It starred Sheryl Lee Ralph as Deena Jones, Jennifer Holliday as Effie White, Loretta Devine as Lorrell Robinson, Ben Harney as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Cleavant Derricks as James 'Thunder' Early, and Obba Babatundé as C. C. White. Dreamgirls proved to be a star-making vehicle for several of its performers, particularly Holliday, whose performance as Effie received significant praise.