Michael Bennett News

Dress Circle posted news today that the 2013 West End revival of A Chorus Line is getting an original cast recording! The album is set for release on September 16th, 2013. Tracklisting to follow.

According to reports, West End's A Chorus Line will close at the London Palladium on 31 August 2013. It will then begin a European tour before returning to the UK for a tour 'beginning in autumn 2014'.

Producers today announced that the revival of A Chorus Line will close on Saturday August 31, following a critically acclaimed six month run at the London Palladium. Leigh Zimmerman (Sheila) won Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical and the production was nominated for Best Musical Revival at this year's Laurence Olivier Awards.

Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, the world premiere of Love Songs, A Musical with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction by Richard Berent. Opening is set for tonight, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) has announced the cast for A Chorus Line, running July 16 - 21 at Miller Outdoor Theatre. A Chorus Line is 'one singular sensation' that garnered virtually every award imaginable, including the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize. The groundbreaking musical, set during an audition for an upcoming Broadway show, shines a light on the hopes, fears and dreams of performers vying for a chance to do what they all know they were born to do.

Today we are talking to an exceptionally accomplished actress known for her many leading and featured roles in a number of illustrious musical theatre properties - among them, part of the original Broadway casts of FALSETTOS, CITY OF ANGELS, PARADE, LESTAT, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, SCANDALOUS and many more - the gifted and genuine Carolee Carmello. Discussing many aspects of originating roles in those aforementioned shows as well as her replacement gigs in everything from KISS ME, KATE to SISTER ACT and MAMMA MIA!, Carmello sheds some light on her process in bringing such a striking series of characters to life onstage eight times a week, including creating roles Off-Broadway in ELEGIES, HELLO AGAIN and JOHN & JEN. Additionally, Carmello shares stories from the set of NBC's musical drama series SMASH as well as comments on other potential roles she would like to pursue someday. Most importantly, Carmello previews her highly anticipated performance at this Monday night's NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS and comments upon her affection for the iconic Ms. Garland. Plus, Carmello shares behind-the-scenes stories involving many of her notable collaborators and inspirations such as William Finn, Stephen Sondheim, Kathie Lee Gifford and she also expresses enthusiasm for her upcoming turn in the new musical TUCK EVERLASTING, set to premiere later this season. All of that, early Broadway and touring memories from CHESS, LES MISERABLES, CITY OF ANGELS, observations on the newly-released SCANDALOUS cast recording and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on one of the most Tony Award-winning artists in history, actor/choreographer/director Tommy Tune!

You know those dreams you have when you wake up suddenly, and all you want to do is fall back asleep and continue the dream? If you are lucky enough to see Dreamgirls at Maine State, you will leave the Pickard Theatre feeling the same way.

The short Webber classic becomes a montage of stage dance history as Marc Robin reinterprets JOSEPH as a celebration of great choreographers

Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, Love Songs, with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction byRichard Berent, there will be one preview performance on June 21, andopening is set for Saturday, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, have been announced as presenters and performers at the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony on Monday evening, June 3, 2013 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. Mother and daughter, Rosemary Harris and Jennifer Ehle, both Theatre World Award Alumni, are 2013 Honorary Co-Chairs.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on a multi-Tony Award-winning choreographer, director and performer who was involved with many landmark musicals of the 20th century - Michael Bennett.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on two of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s, DREAMGIRLS & NINE!

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on one of the biggest battles in Tony Awards history - 1976 and A CHORUS LINE versus CHICAGO.

Jessica Simpson Tweeted tonight some wonderful throwback footage of her performing as Cassie singing 'The Music and the Mirror' from A CHORUS LINE in high school. Click below to watch!

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on the Tony Awards broadcast from 39 years ago, all the way back in 1974!

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, have been announced as presenters and performers at the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony on Monday evening, June 3, 2013 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. Mother and daughter, Rosemary Harris and Jennifer Ehle, both Theatre World Award Alumni, are 2013 Honorary Co-Chairs.

One Chekhovian country house exits the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater and a new Chekhovian country house enters.  But Richard Nelson's Nikolai and the Others, enjoying an elegant staging by director David Cromer, is a more sober-minded effort than the venue's last tenant, Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike.

Today we are talking to a five-time Tony Award-winning director/choreographer celebrated for her stupendous work on CRAZY FOR YOU, THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT, THE FROGS, THOU SHALT NOT, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS and many more - the master musicals director Susan Stroman. In discussing a vast array of topics, Stroman and I touch upon many of her past projects as well as look ahead to her current and future endeavors - that is: the forthcoming Broadway bow of the new musical BIG FISH, starring Norbert Leo Butz, as well as the world premiere of Ahrens & Flaherty's LITTLE DANCER next year. Most importantly, Stroman shines a light on her enduring artistic partnership with Mel Brooks in bringing to life the screen-to-stage musical adaptations of both THE PRODUCERS and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, with BLAZING SADDLES on the way - their rich collaboration also being highlighted in this week's AMERICAN MASTERS tribute to Mel Brooks on PBS. Additionally, Stroman reflects on some of her lesser-known entities and casts a light on some of her foremost influences as well as candidly discusses her specialty work for a bevy of major stars - such as at SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION AT CARNEGIE HALL in 1992 - and the finer points of working with Stephen Sondheim and Nathan Lane on Sondheim's most recent original Broadway musical, THE FROGS. Plus, Stroman shares first details of her upcoming collaboration with comedy master Woody Allen on the musical stage adaptation of Allen's Academy Award-winning BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and also offers the 411 on the upcoming Los Angeles and West End productions of Kander & Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - including the real-life role the musical has played in the pardoning of the originally accused nine just last month. Stroman also comments on her work with Hal Prince on the career revue PRINCE OF BROADWAY, opening in Japan in 2015, and also touches upon her ongoing desire to pursue a film adaptation of her multi-Tony Award-winning and genre-redefining 2000 Best Musical, CONTACT. All of that and much, much awaits in this wide-ranging conversation!