Michael Bennett News

On this very day in 1943, Michael DiFiglia was born in Buffalo, New York, and the world of Broadway would simply never be the same. Cutting his teeth with the accomplished choreography for A JOYFUL NOISE, PROMISES, PROMISES, SEESAW and COCO was merely the beginning of a career that would virtually rewrite and revolutionize the ways and means by which a director could yield ultimate control over a project. With COMPANY and FOLLIES, the later co-directing with Hal Prince, Bennett solidified himself as one of the most talented and brilliant choreographers of his generation and, shortly thereafter, proved with A CHORUS LINE that he was a master theatrical engineer with few, if any, peers. Worldwide success, Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize were just the gravy. Who else but Michael Bennett would then, or ever, receive - or should I say, earn - the credit "Entire Production Conceived, Produced and Directed by," besides him? While BALLROOM failed to live up to A CHORUS LINE in mostly every way, he soon after reinvented the wheel yet again with DREAMGIRLS in 1981. We never got to see his productions of CHESS and SCANDAL, both of which he was in the latter stages of developing at the time of his death in 1988. Broadway has never been the same since he's been gone. So, today, on the day following a glittering new production of COMPANY at Lincoln Center - with the complete dance sequence "Tick Tock" fully restored, now with five dancers - we take a tip of the top hat to the tops in taps, temerity and truthfulness onstage - the one and only Michael Bennett.

MusicalFare's 2011-2012 Subscription Season consists of two re-conceived classics, two regional premieres, and a return to the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein after a 18 year absence from the MusicalFare stage.

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth for a limited eight-performance engagement March 29 through April 3.

To accrue all the characters, characteristics and components of a career as diverse and varied as that of stage and screen star John Leguizamo would be near-impossible for even the most gifted performers in the galaxy. Having appeared in nearly ninety films so far in his twenty-five year career - including a musical, MOULIN ROUGE, and an adaptation of Shakespeare, ROMEO + JULIET, both for noted directed Baz Luhrmann - as well as five off-Broadway and Broadway solo shows - MAMBO MOUTH, SPIC-O-RAMA, FREAK, SEXAHOLIX and, now, GHETTO KLOWN - Leguizamo is consistently challenging himself and revealing new sides to his personality and skills as an actor and performer with his daring choices of roles and searing performances. In this comprehensive career retrospective, we cover Broadway, Hollywood and much more and we even have his first comments on his new feature film opening this weekend, THE LINCOLN LAWYER. From Todd Haynes' POISON to Brian DePalma's CASUALTIES OF WAR and CARLITO'S WAY, to Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM, to TO WONG FOO, SUPER MARIO BROS. and more; singing Sondheim's 'Send In The Clowns'; plus, stories on his recently departed co-stars Dennis Hopper (LAND OF THE DEAD) and Brittany Murphy (SPUN), and first news on the David Koresh biopic WACO co-starring Kurt Russell and Adrien Brody, and FUGLY with Radha Mitchell - Leguizamo‘s performances speak (and sing) for themselves. King, cartoon, criminal, artist, clown or klown - Leguizamo can play them all. And play them damn well, as well.

Two musicals which first firmly planted their roots in Chicago around 15 years ago achieved great acclaim on Broadway and elsewhere, and yet have never been far from our stages or our consciousness in Chicago. Both are about race relations in earlier times, and both continue to resonate with great success here. And both have received superior productions recently at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth for a limited eight-performance engagement March 29 through April 3.

Ava Astaire and Patricia Watt have announced the nominating committee for the 2011 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, the only awards that recognize excellence in dance on Broadway and in film.

Playwrights Theatre is pleased to announce the 25th Annual Madison Young Playwrights Festival will be held on Saturday, March 26 from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.

That 'one, singular sensation' - A CHORUS LINE - which wowed audiences and raked in awards with its 1975 premiere and reclaimed its place in Broadway's heart with a new production in 2006, comes to NJPAC's Prudential Hall from April 26th to May 1st.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. A benefit for Japanese disaster relief, the Paramount Theatre's season, Donny and Marie for Christmas, Porchlight and Billy Stritch at Mayne Stage, 'A Chorus Line,' 'Always, Patsy Cline' and other suburban productions, 'The Magic Flute' in English, more....

Starting next fall, the Paramount will join the ranks of Chicago's top Equity houses by self-producing and presenting a spectacular, four-show Broadway series including My Fair Lady (September 14-October 2, 2011), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (November 2-November 20, 2011), A Chorus Line (January 18-February 5, 2012) and Hair (March 14-April 2, 2012).

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta and will close on Sunday, March 20, 2011.

Raised in Florida and a graduate of Ole Miss (aka The University of Mississippi) and now based in New York City, actor Britt Hancock (you can find his photograph next to the dictionary entry for 'versatility') calls Tennessee 'home,' thanks to his long tenure at Crossville's Cumberland County Playhouse, where last year he starred in, among other shows, Camelot, Brigadoon and She Loves Me. In fact, he claimed the BroadwayWorld Nashville theater award for outstanding actor in a musical (professional) for his stellar performance in Brigadoon.

'Happiness' is more than just another hit song from the Broadway musical YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, it is the guaranteed emotion the audience will feel after seeing this delightful, family-oriented show, promises theatrical producer Vicki Halmos. Her new production company, the hot and hip Entr'Acte Theatrix, will be presenting the Tony Award-winning musical, March 18-27, at the Black Box Theater in Boca Raton's new Cultural Arts Center in Mizner Park.

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on Thursday, March 17, 2011 through Sunday, March 20, 2011. Tickets are on sale now at the Cobb Energy Centre's Bank of North Georgia Box Office, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Group orders for 10 or more may be placed by calling 770-509-2301.

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth for a limited eight-performance engagement March 29 through April 3.

The 2011 COLUMN Awards will have blinding star wattage appearing on their stage for this year's gala. Yesterday on a live tele/webcast the 2011 COLUMN Award nominations were announced.

The new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A CHORUS LINE comes to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on Thursday, March 17, 2011 through Sunday, March 20, 2011.

'Happiness' is more than just another hit song from the Broadway musical YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, it is the guaranteed emotion the audience will feel after seeing this delightful, family-oriented show, promises theatrical producer Vicki Halmos. Her new production company, the hot and hip Entr'Acte Theatrix, will be presenting the Tony Award-winning musical, March 18-27, at the Black Box Theater in Boca Raton's new Cultural Arts Center in Mizner Park.

Today we are talking to one of the most influential musical theatre writers of all time, having written the book and lyrics for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EVITA, CHESS and many more, as well as contributing lyrics to the stage adaptation of Disney's BEAUTY & THE BEAST and winning Oscars for his work on Disney's ALADDIN with Alan Menken and THE LION KING with Elton John - as well as sharing a Tony for Best Score with Elton John for AIDA in 2002 - who is now preparing for the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ for which the superstar composing team has rejoined once again to pen five new songs - Sir Tim Rice. Discussing everything from his 70s Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborations to CHESS to the first news on his new musical version of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, to GLEE and beyond, plus a look at his roots - all with an emphasis on his commitment to craft and bringing new audiences to the theatre. Sir Tim was kind and generous enough to illuminate his illustrious career in Hollywood, the West End and on Broadway exclusively for BroadwayWorld.