Molly Brown News

When fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill comes marching into town, you know there's going to be trouble right here in River City. His goal is to con the good townspeople out of their money, but Marian the Librarian has other plans. This wonderful slice of Americana will leave your entire family humming such familiar tunes as "Seventy-Six Trombones, "Gary, Indiana," and "'Till There Was You."

The new musical Foreverman, with book, music, and lyrics by Brett M. Boles, will be presented as an official selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival's (NYMF's) 2012 Next Link Project, beginning performances Friday, July 20 and running through Sunday, July 28, at the PTC Performance Space, 555 West 42 Street (between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues).

The creative team behind last summer's sold-out, acclaimed Southwark Playhouse musical, Parade - long-listed for The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical in the 2011 Evening Standard Awards - are returning to the venue for a major revival of the Jerry Herman/Michael Stewart Hollywood musical, Mack and Mabel. The show runs tonight, July 5 - August 25.

When fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill comes marching into town, you know there's going to be trouble right here in River City. His goal is to con the good townspeople out of their money, but Marian the Librarian has other plans. This wonderful slice of Americana will leave your entire family humming such familiar tunes as "Seventy-Six Trombones, "Gary, Indiana," and "'Till There Was You."

When fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill comes marching into town, you know there's going to be trouble right here in River City. His goal is to con the good townspeople out of their money, but Marian the Librarian has other plans.

When fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill comes marching into town, you know there's going to be trouble right here in River City. His goal is to con the good townspeople out of their money, but Marian the Librarian has other plans.

Earlier today I had the extreme privilege of speaking to one of the biggest Broadway stars of the new millennium all about her new ABC Family original series BUNHEADS - two-time Tony Award-winning triple-threat dynamo Sutton Foster. Candidly recalling her professional beginnings, auditioning for the national tour of THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES at only 17 for director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun - our recent 2012 Tony Awards special chat available here - and starring in GREASE on Broadway under his direction shortly thereafter, Foster also shares her post-Tony Awards night memories from ten years ago today, when she first won a trophy for her star-making turn in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. Clearly, Foster has remained busy since her Tony-winning Reno Sweeney in the hit revival of ANYTHING GOES last season, as well, with the fantastic new Amy Sherman-Palladino-penned BUNHEADS proving to be the ideal opportunity for her to bring her considerable stage chops to the small screen and show off her serious skills as a comedienne, dancer, singer and actress to a whole new audience in a major way. Of course, Broadway babies have known for over a decade that Sutton Foster is the rare star that comes along once a generation and BUNHEADS now gives her the national stage so that she may give the world everything she's got to give - and that's a whole lot. In addition to an analysis of the central character on BUNHEADS, Michelle, and a look ahead to what we can expect in the ensuing season that kicks off tonight at 9 PM on ABC Family with the enchanting and hilarious pilot episode, Sutton and I also shine a light on the many musical theatre associations in the BUNHEADS universe, current and future - such as the razzle dazzle Las Vegas opening number of the pilot, penned by songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, which was originally performed on Broadway in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN; BUNHEADS series regular and A CHORUS LINE original cast standout Kelly Bishop as Michelle's domineering ballet instructor mother-in-law; Michelle's determination to land a lead role in CHICAGO someday; and, we even discuss some possibilities for musical numbers and song sequences on BUNHEADS in the future ("At The Ballet", perhaps?). Plus, Sutton shares her thoughts on SMASH, expresses her interest in exploring a revival of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN onstage soon and much, much more!

Mc Coy Rigby Entertainment & Fox Operator Bill Malone of FX Arts, in association with Nederlander Presentations, Albert Nocciolino, Larry Payton, Michael Filerman and Heni Koenigsberg, bring audiences in Riverside the final production of the 2011-2012 season with the ultimate musical theatre experience for the entire family, Cathy Rigby and Brent Barrett starring in PETER PAN, a musical production of the play by Sir James Barrie, with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, music by Moose Charlap, additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and additional music by Jule Styne, beginning June 29.

The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts announced the details of its 2012-2013 Season today, featuring Debbie Reynolds and Betty Buckley. Filled with premieres and exclusive GTA appearances the 2012-2013 Season, Captured Moments, will further solidify the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts as the centre of culture in York Region.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) just announced the cast of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, running June 5 - 17 at the Hobby Center for The Performing Arts. It's all big songs and big hair in this sassy, spirited musical about a real-life brothel in Texas. Based on the "Chicken Ranch", the infamous, long-running house of ill repute, this tongue-in-cheek story chronicles Miss Mona Stangley, a classy yet brassy madam with a heart of gold, as her "business" becomes the center of a media controversy. Thrusting the Chicken Ranch into the spotlight is Melvin P. Thorpe, a loud-mouthed reporter based on Houston's own late Marvin Zindler. Spicing up the story line is a hot-headed, trigger-happy town sheriff, the Texas A&M football team, and Miss Mona's risque girls. The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas will be a feisty, fun-filled treat that includes favorites such as "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place" and "Hard Candy Christmas".

The creative team behind last summer's sold-out, acclaimed Southwark Playhouse musical, Parade - long-listed for The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical in the 2011 Evening Standard Awards - are returning to the venue for a major revival of the Jerry Herman/Michael Stewart Hollywood musical, Mack and Mabel. The show runs July 5 - August 25.

Broadway veteran Bill Starr directs Hillbarn Theatre's upcoming production of the Mel Brooks musical, The Producers, playing May 3-27. Below, Starr talks about how his own experience informed his direction of the show, what makes the show fun and unique, and what audiences can expect from Hillbarn's production.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments), for one night only tonight, April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They are joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong provides lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

From the creative minds of Julian Fellowes, Academy Award ('Gosford Park'), Emmy and Golden Globe winner ('Downton Abbey'), and BAFTA-winning producer Nigel Stafford Clark ('Bleak House') comes the highly anticipated ABC Premiere Event, TITANIC, a four-part miniseries that will premiere SATURDAY, APRIL 14 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Crafty con-man Harold Hill brings mischief and the magic of music to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater this spring in Meredith Willson's The Music Man. This five-time Tony Award-winning musical is directed by Artistic Director Molly Smith, whose cultural dynamism made Oklahoma! a record-breaking audience favorite last season. With choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Lawrence Goldberg, The Music Man runs May 11-July 22, 2012 in the Fichandler Stage, with all performances in May already sold out.