Michael Bennett News

'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.

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.

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.

Wow. Tonight Donna McKechnie held court in front of the audience at the PlayGround Theatre and none of us will ever be quite the same again. Of course, she gave our goose bumps, goose bumps. Yet so much more happened.

The award winning San Diego Musical Theatre announces its 2010-2011 of Broadway musicals, which includes SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, THE STORY OF MY LIFE, and A CHORUS LINE. Show times are Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. All productions will be at the Lyceum Theatre is located at 79 Horton Plaza. There is four hours of free parking at Horton Plaza with the purchase of tickets.

Growing up as the daughter of one of the most iconic comediennes of all time could not have been easy, yet Melissa Rivers has managed to carve her own place in the Hollywood landscape as a producer and television personality herself, coming after nearly a decade of co-hosting the red carpet fashion rundowns on E! and the TV GUIDE channel with her mother Joan. Her (mostly) behind-the-scenes work as a producer on E!'s weekly FASHION POLICE show starring Joan is just half of her duties, as she also stars in and produces the new WE reality series JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? Also, she manages to find the time to be a single mom and confidant to her legendary mother - and clean up after camera crews. I was lucky enough to speak to Melissa over the weekend in anticipation of tonight's special edition FASHION POLICE: SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS on E! and Tuesday's JOAN KNOWS BEST? on WE. Also, be sure to check out my weekend feature interview with Joan Rivers, as well.

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.

Today, we have perhaps the biggest Broadway star of the modern era, having appeared in the three most iconic theatre-related enterprises in entertainment in each of the last three decades, having lead roles in the original casts of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1996 rock musical RENT, a Best Actress Tony Award for her work in Stephen Schwartz's megahit WICKED, and now a recurring role on Fox's hit 2011 Golden Globe-winning musical comedy series GLEE - the amply gifted and endearing Idina Menzel. In this exclusive interview we discuss her US concert tour with Oscar-winning maestro Marvin Hamlisch - as well as what she will be singing in their NY Philharmonic performance on February 5th - as well as new motherhood, new music and what she would like to do on the future - on Broadway, on GLEE and beyond! Plus, what does she think of TV daughter Lea Michele taking on her signature RENT tune coming up on GLEE?

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. '9 To 5,' 'Wicked,' 'Working,' 'Spamalot,' Hollis Resnik, 'Tomorrow Morning,' more....

The National Tour of DREAMGIRLS, which kicked off last fall at the Apollo Theatre in New York City, will conclude in Detroit after its run from December 21 through December 26, 2010.

2010 was a year filled with all sorts of exciting BroadwayWorld interviews - here's some of this year's highlights!

The City of Cleveland Heights and Cain Park Theater Artistic Director Russ Borski announce that DREAMGIRLS will open Cain Park's 2011 season in the Alma Theater June 10-26 (preview June 9).

Stephen Sondheim to Jerry Herman to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael John LaChiusa to Kander & Ebb to Dempsey & Rowe, PUTTING IT TOGETHER to MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET on Broadway - the phenomenally gifted co-founder of the Signature Theater is one of the brightest lights in directing today - whether in regional theatre or on Broadway or the West End - and a mere glance at his resume reveals many of the reasons why. Discussing the current production of SUNSET BOULEVARD opening later this month at the Signature, plus a complete rundown of the upcoming Kennedy Center production of FOLLIES, in this, his most comprehensive interview to date, Eric Schaeffer bares all and reveals what makes his productions shine so bright on Broadway and beyond.

Further casting has been announced for (re:) Directions Theatre Company's upcoming benefit concert of the rarely-seen Seesaw. RTC previously announced stars Celina Carvajal (Toxic Avenger, Tarzan, Dracula) as Gittel Moscal, Kilty Reidy (Drowsy Chaperone, In My Life) as Jerry Ryan, Ben Cameron (Wicked, Aida, Footloose) as David, Erik Sisco (Stonewall Sensation Winner) as Oscar and LaDonna Burns as Sophie.

Culture Project (Allan Buchman, Artistic Director) will present the world premiere of Imagining Heschel, a new play by Colin Greer, directed by Larry Moss, who was last represented Off-Broadway by his acclaimed production of Syringa Tree. The two-character play will feature actors Richard Dreyfuss and Rinde Eckert. Performances begin at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street, NYC) on Thursday, November 4th, 2010, and continue through Sunday, November 28th, 2010, for 20 performances only. An official opening night is set for Monday, November 8, 2010.

Thousands audition. 24 get to the stage. But in the end, only 8 will win the chance to dance. This is the story of the ones who make it… and the ones who don't! Bill Hanney's all new North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) continues its 2010 season with Broadway's singular sensation, A CHORUS LINE from November 2 - 21.

Today, we are presenting a special interview edition of FLASH FRIDAY with a two-time Tony-winning legend famous for her star-making turn in the original cast of WEST SIDE STORY under the direction of Jerome Robbins through to her heralded performances in the original casts of a trio of thrilling Kander & Ebb musicals - CHICAGO, THE RINK and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Most recently, she stormed Broadway with her bio-musical THE DANCER'S LIFE. She is Chita Rivera and over the course of our career-spanning conversation her unmistakable vivacity and earthy elegance belied her more than fifty years experience in show business. Her optimism is positively infectious and her charm alarmingly disarming. You can catch her live onstage beginning a week from today for four special performances at Birdland. Tickets are available at the link below. Don't miss Chita on BroadwayWorld and at Birdland... and all her jazz!

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center presents "one singular sensation" with the new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award-winning musical A Chorus Line for a limited one-week engagement November 9 through 14.

I recently had the opportunity to lead the original Tony-winning star of MISS SAIGON - as well as the voice of the animated heroines of Disney classics ALADDIN and MULAN - in a look back at her astounding career, covering everything from MISS SAIGON to her new forthcoming original musical ALLEGIANCE co-starring George Takei: Ms. Lea Salonga. In speaking with the iconic boundary-breaking Broadway leading lady, we also touched upon all things LES MIZ - everything from LES MISERABLES onstage, the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast to, now: the 25th Anniversary 02 Concert Experience! Don't miss Lea alongside stage veterans Norm Lewis, Ramin Karimloo and pop superstar Nick Jonas in the truly spectacular concert presentation of the world's most beloved musical as it is released in movie theaters for one night only on November 17th in anticipation of its worldwide release on DVD and Blu-Ray early next year! Plus, in this exclusive conversation, Lea shares her thoughts on GLEE and her wish to duet with new GLEE cast member Charice, plus memories of the concert event of the past century, HEY! MR. PRODUCER, and much, much more!

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center presents "one singular sensation" with the new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award-winning musical A Chorus Line for a limited one-week engagement November 9 through 14.