Michael Cerveris News

Today we are taking a look at one of the most exciting DVD/Blu-Ray releases of the year - perhaps ever, at least as far as Broadway connoisseurs are concerned. Taped back in mid-March of this year, a week before the actual central celebratory event itself occurred, comes SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert, which will also be shown next Wednesday on PBS as part of this season's sensational series of GREAT PERFORMANCES at 9 PM on WNET in New York and across the country. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that has been ever-so-lovingly rendered on disc in high definition preserving a heavenly host of the very best Broadway talent one could ever possibly ask to be assembled. SONDHEIM! has it all.

Kyle Dean Massey (Gabe in Broadway's Next to Normal) spent Sunday, November 14th, mentoring the young talent of Broadway's future as he led a Pop/Rock and Next to Normal-themed master class with Broadway Artists Alliance. Kyle Dean skillfully guided a master class in 'Song Interpretation' to a group of eager and talented young performers ages 10 to 21. Kyle Dean's morning class was followed by an advanced audition technique workshop with a top representative from Telsey and Co. casting agency.

Image Entertainment is proud to share a celebration of the life and wondrous work of one of Broadway's greatest legends - the incomparable Stephen Sondheim. For the master composer and lyricist's 80th birthday, scores of the musical theater's brightest stars gathered to perform more than two dozen sensational numbers from Sondheim's unsurpassed canon. Many of these enduring songs are rarely heard and several are performed by the original Broadway cast members. David Hyde Pierce hosts this magical event with Sondheim's longtime collaborator Paul Gemignani conducting the New York Philharmonic. Directed for the stage and television by Lonny Price and filmed live March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, this is a must-have addition for every musical theatre aficionado. SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert is available today, November 16, at an SRP of $24.98 for the DVD and $29.98 for the Blu-ray; the concert is also be available via digital download. Click below for some preview clips!

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

The Amoralists present the New York Premiere of Ghosts in the Cottonwoods, written and directed by Adam Rapp. Ghosts in the Cottonwoods, Adam Rapp's first full-length play, runs Off-Broadway now through December 6, 2010 in a limited engagement at Theatre 80 St. Marks, located at 80 St. Marks Place between 1st and 2nd Avenues in NYC. Previews began November 11 and opened on November 13. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photo coverage below.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) announced ticket information today for the third Public Forum event, "The Public Forum: Sondheim/Kushner," held at the New York University's Skirball Center on Monday, November 29 at 8 p.m. Curated by Jeremy McCarter, The Public Forum is an exciting new series of lectures, debates and conversations that showcase leading voices in the arts, politics and the media.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) announced ticket information today for the third Public Forum event, 'The Public Forum: Sondheim/Kushner,' held at the New York University's Skirball Center on Monday, November 29 at 8 p.m. Curated by Jeremy McCarter, The Public Forum is an exciting new series of lectures, debates and conversations that showcase leading voices in the arts, politics and the media. Tickets are $25 and currently on sale to Public Theater members. Any remaining single tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, November 17.

Sonnet Repertory Theatre presented their annual Benefit & Cabaret last night, November 8th. Sonnet Repertory Theatre brought together a diverse and talented group of performers and composers at Joe's Pub to honor multi Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning director Jack O'Brien. Jerry Mitchell served as the evening's host.

Sonnet Repertory Theatre announced their Ninth Annual BENEFIT & CABARET HONORING JACK O'BRIEN to be held Monday, November 8th at Joe's Pub, to be hosted by Jerry Mitchell with Musical Direction by Dan Lipton and featuring performances by John Behlmann, Kerry Butler, Michael Cerveris, Victor Garber, Ethan Hawke, Carly Jibson, Andrew Lippa, Duncan Sheik, Joe Allen Players.

New York City Opera has announced that Cheyenne Jackson (XANADU, ALL SHOOK UP, FINIAN'S RAINBOW) will join the fall concert's cast of Lucky to Be Me: The Vocal Music of Leonard Bernstein, on Saturday, November 6 at 8 pm and Sunday, November 7 at 1:30 pm. The concert, which will be held at the David H. Koch Theater, is directed by Ted Sparling and conducted by City Opera music director George Manahan. This exciting concert examines the work of one of America's most influential composers, including music from the Kaddish Symphony, Mass, Songfest, Wonderful Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, On the Town, West Side Story, and more. It will feature the musical talents of Jackson and other Broadway favorites: Victoria Clark, Christine Ebersole, Kelli O'Hara, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris, Darius de Haas and Michael Urie. Marty Thomas (XANADU, WICKED, THE SECRET GARDEN) will host intermission and post-show festivities.

In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Lincoln Center stood tall.

A world premiere screening of the Sondheim: The Birthday Concert was held at the NYIT Auditorium on November 1, 2010 and attended by cast, crew and friends. The star-studded event, Sondheim! The Birthday Concert, celebrating the 80th birthday of the Broadway and film legend Stephen Sondheim with performances of his music and songs by some of the world's biggest talents, will make its debut on PBS stations across the country on November 24th, thanks to the Emmy Award-winning producer Ellen M. Krass and multiple Tony Award-winning co-producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley in association with Thirteen/WNET and Image Entertainment. The production, which is hosted by David Hyde Pierce, will air at 9PM ET (check local listings).

On November 19, 2010 at 8:00 PM in Carnegie Hall, Music Director and conductor Steven Reineke will lead The New York Pops in a concert of Stephen Sondheim's greatest songs and soliloquies, in commemoration of the composer's 80th birthday.

Sonnet Repertory Theatre announced their Ninth Annual BENEFIT & CABARET HONORING JACK O'BRIEN to be held Monday, November 8th at Joe's Pub, to be hosted by Jerry Mitchell with Musical Direction by Dan Lipton and featuring performances by John Behlmann, Kerry Butler, Michael Cerveris, Victor Garber, Ethan Hawke, Carly Jibson, Andrew Lippa, Duncan Sheik, Joe Allen Players.

The Broadway Cabaret Festival at Town Hall kicked off with a concert of hit songs that started on Broadway.

New York City Opera has announced that Cheyenne Jackson (XANADU, ALL SHOOK UP, FINIAN'S RAINBOW) will join the fall concert's cast of Lucky to Be Me: The Vocal Music of Leonard Bernstein, on Saturday, November 6 at 8 pm and Sunday, November 7 at 1:30 pm. The concert, which will be held at the David H. Koch Theater, is directed by Ted Sparling and conducted by City Opera music director George Manahan. This exciting concert examines the work of one of America's most influential composers, including music from the Kaddish Symphony, Mass, Songfest, Wonderful Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, On the Town, West Side Story, and more. It will feature the musical talents of Jackson and other Broadway favorites: Victoria Clark, Christine Ebersole, Kelli O'Hara, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris, Darius de Haas and Michael Urie. Marty Thomas (XANADU, WICKED, THE SECRET GARDEN) will host intermission and post-show festivities.

Last night's, Joel Grey-directed, 25th anniversary staged reading of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play, The Normal Heart was a phenomenal success. The cast featured Glenn Close, Victor Garber, Jason Butler Harner, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello,Jack McBrayer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Patrick Wilson in the one-night-only event that benefited The Actors Fund and Friends In Deed. The historic reading took place at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street) on Monday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Last night's, Joel Grey-directed, 25th anniversary staged reading of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play, The Normal Heart was a phenomenal success. The cast featured Glenn Close, Victor Garber, Jason Butler Harner, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello,Jack McBrayer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Patrick Wilson in the one-night-only event that benefited The Actors Fund and Friends In Deed. The historic reading took place at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street) on Monday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

This year Southern Rep adds our venue to the New Orleans Fringe Festival, November 19-21 at 7 pm with the extraordinary and sizzling comedy INCENDIARY by Adam Szymkowicz directed by Damon Arrington. Featuring Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris and Southern Rep Artistic Director Aimée Hayes.

Dead Agenting, a new play that is 'not about Scientology' by award-winning independent filmmaker/playwright Aaron Mark, will receive a private reading in Manhattan on Monday, October 18th.