Molly Brown News

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: A WALL APART by Air Supply's Graham Russell opens at NYMF!

Join BroadwayWorld on Instagram today as Karl Josef Co takes us behind the scenes of The Muny's production of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN.

Hannibal Missouri's own brash and beguiling Molly Brown shines in this exhilarating adaptation of Meredith Willson's 1960 musical. Her rags-to-riches story sparkles with a new book by Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie), and new songs from the Meredith Willson songbook.

With lyrics and music by Meredith Willson, additional lyrics and book by Dick Scanlan, based on the original book by Richard Morris, THE UNSINKABLE Molly Brown will run at The Muny from July 21 to 27, 2017.

This year, the Bowl's annual staged musical visits the 2001 international phenomenon about a young woman's plot to uncover the identity of her father among three of her mother's former loves, all of whom are invited to her wedding on a Greek island. But which man turns out to be her father and walks her down the aisle? Filled with ABBA's timeless songs, including 'Dancing Queen' and 'Voulez Vous,' get ready to have the time of your life July 28-29-30 seeing MAMMA MIA! at the Hollywood Bowl, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and conducted by David Holcenberg. Kathleen Marshall is one of Broadway's most celebrated artists. Honored numerous times for her work on stage and screen, she has won three Tony Awards (with six more nominations) and two Drama Desk Awards (four additional nominations). Marshall has also been nominated for both an Olivier and an Emmy. The MAMA MIA! production at the Hollywood Bowl marks her Los Angeles debut as a director/choreographer, and I recently was fortunate to speak with her, and stars Corbin Bleu and Lea DeLaria, about their excitement being involved in the musical extravaganza.

Laguna Playhouse is thrilled to announce that the first show in the Laguna Playhouse 2017-2018 and 97th season, their smash-hit, critically-acclaimed musical, HAIRSPRAY, book by Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, musical direction by Michael Ferrara, directed and choreographed by Paula Hammons Sloan is EXTENDING through SATURDAY, AUGUST 5th at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Joining an elite group of institutions worldwide, the Great American Songbook Foundation at the Center for the Performing Arts has been named a Cultural Affiliate of the Los Angeles-based GRAMMY Museum.

BroadwayWorld is excited to announce that Broadway star Caroline Bowman will be taking us behind the scenes at The Muny's thrilling new production of ALL SHOOK UP!

Acclaimed rising star director Thom Southerland (Titanic, Grey Gardens, Grand Hotel) is to direct the first ever revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony and Olivier Award-nominated musical The Woman in White.

The cast of PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL gave audiences a sneak peek at the NYMF outdoor concert at World Wide Plaza in Midtown. The production opens July 27th. Scroll down for photos from the preview!

One of Iowa's newest theatre companies has scheduled a full slate of productions for its first summer.

Check out highlights from our Twitter takeover last week with John Tartaglia, who's currently gearing up to open A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at The Muny!

Fans of the unforgettable Debbie Reynolds and members of the Thalians, an organization she helped found, flocked to the El Portal Friday June 30 for a dedication of the mainstage and grand party to celebrate her life and career. It was an SRO event, with celebrity guests, whose proceeds benefited the great charity work of the Thalians - 'Hollywood for Mental Health', to which Reynolds devoted tirelessly of herself since its inception in 1955. Debbie had history with the El Portal. It was one of her favorite venues, as she used to ride her bicycle there to go to the movies as a young girl living in Burbank...and she performed there with her fabulous night blub act and the play Love Letters 46 times between 2003 and 2015 So, it is totally apropo to name the mainstage in honor of this great star and humanitarian.

GOOD MORNING, LAGUNA BEACH!  Laguna Playhouse is thrilled to announce the first show in the Laguna Playhouse 2017-2018 and 98th season with the effervescent musical, HAIRSPRAY, book by Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, musical direction by Michael Ferrara and directed and choreographed by Paula Hammons Sloan. 'We are opening our season with just the perfect show for a Laguna Beach Summer,' comments Laguna Playhouse Executive Director Ellen Richard.  Adds Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham 'We welcome Paula Hammons Sloan and the 'nicest kids in town' back to our stage for this nostalgic musical confection. Talent abounds on our stage this Summer!'  HAIRSPRAY will begin previews on Wednesday, July 5; will open on Sunday, July 9 at 5:30pm and will run through Sunday, July 30, 2017 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The Muny Production of THE LITTLE MERMAID. Check out the video below!

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The Muny Production of THE LITTLE MERMAID. Check out the video below!

Bruce Kimmel wrote, directed and starred in the cult movie hit, "The First Nudie Musical."  He also co-created the story for the hit film, "The Faculty," directed by Robert Rodriguez.  As an actor, Mr. Kimmel guest-starred on most of the long-running television shows of the 1970s.    Mr. Kimmel is a legendary Grammy-nominated producer of theatre music on CD, having produced over 180 albums. Most recently he has directed the shows L.A. Now and Then, Hit Song, The Musical, Welcome to My World, Li'l Abner, and Inside Out.  Mr. Kimmel is the author of seventeen books, many musicals, and is an award-winning songwriter. Bruce Kimmel serves as director on the Group Rep's upcoming production of Frederick Knott's mystery thriller Dial "M" for Murder which opens on the Main Stage, June 30th, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.  Written by Steve Peterson

The New York Musical Festival and Center Stage Theatre Company have announced that James Ignacio (King and I), Diego Lucano (School of Rock), Eliza Holland Madore (Matilda), Madison Mullahey (Mary Poppins, Shrek), as well as the show's own 14-year-old co-playwright, Carrie Berk (NYMF Camp Rolling Hills) will lead the company of PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL as part of the 2017 New York Musical Festival.

Jay Irwin & Pegge Forrest Producers and The Thalians proudly present Debbie…A Night to Remember: A Dedication and Renaming of the historic El Portal Mainstage Theatre at 5269 Lankershim Blvd in the NOHO Arts District, North Hollywood, California on Friday, June 30, 2017 at 7pm.

The Muny announced today its ensemble and design teams for Jesus Christ Superstar, the opening production of its 99th season. Performance dates are set for June 12-18.