Michael Cerveris News

On Monday November 7th, 7:30pm Red Bull Theater will host a staged reading of THE AENEID by Olivier Kemeid.

The next IN THE RAW workshop at Red Bull Theatre will focus on a new play by Olivier Kemeid directed by Kay Matschullat. Inspired by Virgil, this powerful new work transports Aeneas's search for a homeland into the modern world of middle-eastern revolution.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns to the elegant Allen Room in January for its fourteenth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 16 nights the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting. The music of Broadway, Latin culture and hip-hop, bluegrass, rock, and pop will be presented, along with three evenings devoted to great American composers and lyricists. The 2012 season - January 11 through February 11 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including Tony Award winners Laura Benanti, Michael Cerveris, and LaChanze, as well as the 'Queen of British Musicals,' the great Elaine Paige.

If you're looking for a quick roundup of all the theatre events this week, look no further: here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

The new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical EVITA will open on Broadway Thursday, April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway), previews begin Monday, March 12, 2012 and tickets go on sale today, Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM via www.ticketmaster.com / 1-800-745-3000.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more!

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders announced today the official opening night and first preview dates as well as the public on-sale date for the new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical EVITA. The show will open on Broadway Thursday, April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway), previews begin Monday, March 12, 2012 and tickets go on sale this Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM via www.ticketmaster.com / 1-800-745-3000.

The New Ohio Theatre presents an industry reading of the new play Schooled, written by Lisa Lewis and directed by Oliver Butler, starring Michael Cerveris, Phoebe Strole, James Kautz and Mara Davi, with dramaturgy by Matthew Schneider. The reading will take place on Tuesday, November 15 at 8pm at the New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City.

Red Bull Theater announces its upcoming shows and classes.

Michael Riedel reports in today's New York Post that producers of FOLLIES on Broadway had been trying to convince the Nederlanders to allow the show to extend past its current January 22, 2012 closing date at the Marquis Theater. Doing this, Riedel reports would require forcing the upcoming revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA starring Ricky Martin, Elena Roger and Michael Cerveris to move theatres, which they were unwilling to do.

Red Bull Theater announces its upcoming shows and classes.

The Public Theaterhas just announced the final line-up for its two upcoming fall Public Forum events. The 2011-2012 Public Forum season will continue on October 23 with 'The Legacy of Steve Jobs,' a provocative discussion with Mike Daisey, the creator and performer of The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs; Robert Krulwich, the science correspondent of NPR and co-host of Radiolab; and Dan Lyons, the technology editor at Newsweek Daily Beast and creator of 'Fake Steve Jobs,' the persona behind the notorious tech blog The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs. Single tickets, priced at $25, are on sale now.

Beyond the Music, a new musical with original book and direction by Tony Award winner Andy Sandberg (Hair; The Last Smoker in America) and a fresh and exhilarating pop-rock score by multiple Emmy Award-winner Cliff Downs and Katie Kahanovitz, will have invitation-only readings in New York on October 17 and 18th, 2011.

Stars from Hollywood and Broadway came together tonight for a one-of-a-kind performance featuring some of the biggest names from stage and screen to benefit the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). Catherine Zeta-Jones returned to host the evening, marking the 6th anniversary of the event and raising $1 million. Funds raised during the evening support the numerous essential health and social services the MPTF provides to more than 60,000 entertainment industry members every year.

The Amoralists today announced a final extension of HotelMotel, their acclaimed, site-specific theatrical event at The Gershwin Hotel. As a grassroots company, The Amoralists understand that theatre is often prohibitively expensive and are pleased to offer $35 tickets for these last three weeks of performances (originally $60). HotelMotel now runs through October 10. 'We are proud of the work that we've done on the show,' says The Amoralists' Artistic Director James Kautz, 'We've put our heart and soul into this production and we want as many people as possible to see it.'

Today, in an extension of the FLASH FRIDAY column, we are sharpening our focus on the six upcoming revivals of musicals that are soon to hit the boards in the next few months (post-FOLLIES) and battle it out for the Best Revival as the Broadway season heats up just when the weather begins to cool: the classic Jule Styne/Bob Merrill musical that originally starred that star-of-stars, Barbra Streisand - FUNNY GIRL; the groundbreaking rock opera that rewrote the theatrical rulebook thanks to young creators Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR; the hippie, flower child take on the Christ story covering some similar Biblical ground to that of SUPERSTAR, with this one being the composing debut of WICKED songwriter Stephen Schwartz - GODSPELL; another Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice collaboration that won seven Tony Awards and acted as the vehicle for Patti LuPone's blazing Broadway debut in a starring role - EVITA; the significantly reworked, revised and rewritten new version of the beautifully scored time-travel musical by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner, this time starring a male movie star crooner - ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER; and, the landmark American opera composed by the Gershwins with DuBose Haywerd - PORGY & BESS. While each and every one of these entities has a huge hit song or two that nearly everyone on the planet knows by heart - "Don't Rain On My Parade", "I Don't Know How To Love Him", "Day By Day", "Don't Cry For Me Argentina", "On A Clear Day…" and 'Summertime' included - each of these revivals also comes after a film version (or two) that, in more than a few of these cases, will be relatively difficult to top as far as expectations of many audience members undoubtedly will go. So, by taking a listen to the smash hit crossover songs from these musicals as well as looking at their respective film version's trailers - as well as a couple of surprises, too - perhaps we can glean some insight into what makes these generally pretty terrific properties so well worth reviving on Broadway, here, now, today, in 2011. Furthermore, all of this crystal ball commentary is not even taking into account the starry assortment of performers that have already been announced for these productions so far - especially with FUNNY GIRL's Lauren Ambrose and Bobby Cannavale, GODSPELL's Hunter Parrish, SUPERSTAR's lauded Josh Young, EVITA's Ricky Martin and Michael Cerveris, PORGY's Norm Lewis and Audra McDonald, as well as the leading man in what was once a leading lady's role (that of Barbara Harris) in ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, Harry Connick, Jr.! What a tight race it is turning out to be for these new productions, particularly come Tony time in June! With rock to rhumba and borscht belt comedy to messianic hosannas and even full-out opera, seemingly every conceivable customer base is more than covered by this packed, potentially, well, awesome, season of shows - and many Broadway babies around BroadwayWorld are undoubtedly looking most forward to these six forthcoming revivals - with particularly good reason given the relative dearth of new musicals announced so far. So, let these revivals revive your flagging spirits as we leap into the 2011-2012 season with this comprehensive prospective and retrospective all about what makes them work so well in the first place and so worthy of another look!

Beyond the Music, a new musical with original book and direction by Tony Award winner Andy Sandberg (Hair; The Last Smoker in America) and a fresh and exhilarating pop-rock score by multiple Emmy Award-winner Cliff Downs and Katie Kahanovitz, will have invitation-only readings in New York on October 17 and 18th, 2011.

The Amoralists' Hotel Lounge Happy Hour series featured a performance by Michael Cerveris and his band Loose Cattle on September 30 at The Gershwin Hotel (7 East 27 Street) in New York City. Cerveris, star of the upcoming Broadway production of Evita, was joined on stage by band members Kimberly Kaye, Lorenzo Wolf, Eddie Zwiebeck and Gabriel Caplan.

Audience members have the opportunity to ask questions of the talented cast and the artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth (who also has a small role in the play) on Friday, September 30, immediately after seeing the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's production of 'Dulcy.'