Michael Grandage News

Dean Chisnall will play Shrek and Neil McDermott will play Lord Farquaad in the West End stage hit SHREK THE MUSICAL® from February 29, 2012. They will join Richard Blackwood who will continue in the role of Donkey in the hit musical at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Puccini's La Bohème will return to the Met on November 18 under the baton of Louis Langrée, who will lead his first house performances of Puccini's extraordinarily popular romantic opera.

According to published reports, London's Donmar Warehouse has just announced the 2012 line-up. Josie Rourke, who will take over for artistic director Michael Grandage, will direct George Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer, which runs February 9-April 14. Peter Gill will helm Robert Holman's Making Noise Quietly, which runs April 19-May 26; and Rourke will then direct Friedrich Durrenmatt's The Physicists, which runs May 31-July 21.

NYC & Company, New York City's marketing, tourism and partnership organization, today announced that The Metropolitan Opera is the Culture Spot pick for November, the City's monthly cultural program that encourages local and visitor exploration by spotlighting a different arts organization each month. Located at Lincoln Center in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City's iconic opera company has been presenting world-class productions since 1883.

The Met: Live in HD continued its sixth season Saturday with a live transmission of its new production of Don Giovanni, starring Mariusz Kwiecien, with an estimated attendance of 107,000 in North America earning a gross of $2.3 million. It was seen live on more than 850 screens.

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!

New production! Mariusz Kwiecien brings his sensual interpretation to Mozart's timeless anti-hero, Don Giovanni, under the direction of Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage. Broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater.

Luca Pisaroni makes his Metropolitan Opera role debut as Leporello in the Met's new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, conducted by Fabio Luisi (October 13-November 11). The Met Opera will beam the production to cinema audiences across the nation and around the globe with its HD broadcast on October 29.

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.

As previously reported, previews will begin in March of 2012 in anticipation of an April 2012 opening and rehearsals begin in February of next year for the highly anticipated revival of EVITA, starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger. Click below to go behind the scenes of a recent photo shoot with the cast!

The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, this year's awards will be announced on November 20.

Peter Mattei will sing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni on October 17 and 22 evening, in addition to the new production premiere tomorrow night, October 13.

National CineMedia (NCM), the operator of the largest digital in-theater network for cinema advertising, entertainment and events in North America, today announced an agreement with the Metropolitan Opera (the 'Met') to bring the Emmy and Peabody award-winning The Met: Live in HD series to U.S. movie theaters for the 2011-12 Met season.

The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's award-winning series of live transmissions to movie theaters around the world, returns for a sixth season Saturday, October 15 with the Met premiere production of Donizetti's Anna Bolena, featuring Anna Netrebko in the title role.

Cineplex Entertainment (TSX:CGX), via our Front Row Centre Events announces the very popular series The Met: Live in HD is returning to participating Cineplex theatres.

Mariusz Kwiecien will sing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni on October 25 and 29. After injuring his back at the dress rehearsal of the new production on October 10, Kwiecien had surgery to repair a herniated disc.

Peter Mattei will sing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni for the new production premiere this Thursday evening, October 13, replacing Mariusz Kwiecien, who injured his back at the final dress rehearsal today.