Monica Simoes News

Philadelphia's Broadway dreams will come true once again when the Broadway Dreams Foundation offers their Summer Performing Arts Intensive for the second consecutive year at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (300 South Broad Street) Monday, August 2 through Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab, under the mentorship of Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist William Finn, kicks off its fifth season with the world premiere of Pool Boy, a splashy new musical with music and lyrics by Nikos Tsakalakos and book and lyrics by Janet Allard.

The work of Bill T. Jones, eminent choreographer, Tony Award-winner, director, and recipient of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, is celebrated throughout the Pillow's 2010 Festival.

Cause Celebre and Tina's Wish will present RECIPE FOR LIFE/PART TWO at New York's Acorn Theatre from July 12 to 18, Ticket Central announces. The series, which will benefit Tina's Wish, an ovarian cancer research organization, will consist of three separate productions.

Direct from her run Off-Broadway in the hit comedy White's Lies, the Broadway star, actress/singer Betty Buckley opens Song Interpretation Workshop to new participants in July 2010. The Song Interpretation Intensive class schedule consists of six sessions beginning on Monday July 12, Wednesday July 14, Monday July 19, Wednesday July 21, Monday August 2, 2010, Wednesday August 4. Classes begin at 6:30pm and last 4-5 hours. For further details and to arrange an interview, prospective participants should call (940) 300-4944 An accompanist will be provided. For more information go to www.bettybuckley.com.

A recent special on 'Q2 with Terrance McKnight' featured an exclusive two-hour interview with MacArthur 'Genius' Award-winner Bill T. Jones and traced his life through music.

Join us Saturday, July 24th for the not-to-be-missed musical event of the season.

The best of Broadway will be presented FREE on six consecutive Thursdays this summer with '106.7 Lite fm Presents Broadway in Bryant Park 2010' - a lunchtime series which began on Thursday, July 8th at 12:30pm on the Bryant Park Stage. Sponsored by Bank of America, and JCPenney 33rd & 6th, and hosted by Lite fm's on-air personalities, the tenth annual presentation of open-air, On- and Off- Broadway lunch hour performances runs through August 12th.

Ben Vereen's performance in 'Broadway Legends: An Evening with Ben Vereen' at the Hartford Stage will be recorded live on July 7 and July 8 for Vereen's album, Vereen announces on his Twitter account.

Ben Vereen's performance in 'Broadway Legends: An Evening with Ben Vereen' at the Hartford Stage will be recorded live on July 7 and July 8 for Vereen's album, Vereen announces on his Twitter account.

Last week, Dee Roscioli performed her cabaret debut, 'Decidedly Dee' as part of the Broadway at Birdland series. Fresh off her Broadway run as Elphaba in Wicked, Dee explored her un-green side with a mix of new songs and old favorites. In her cabaret debut, she performed songs penned by friends, including 'See' from David Austin, 'Reasons' by Bobby Cronin and 'Say Goodbye' by Scott Alan. Dee also sang more widely-known songs like 'Many the Miles' by Sara Bareilles, 'People Get Ready' by The Impressions and 'I Think it's Going to Rain Today' by Randy Newman. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you coverage below.

Whoopi_to_Join_Sister_Act_20010101 Whatsonstage.com is suggesting that Whoopi Goldberg may be joining the final weeks of SISTER ACT in the West End as a means of boosting the show's finale before it takes its final bow on October 30, 2010. Goldberg, who starred as 'Doloris van Cartier' in the 1992 film and who is co-producing the West End production, would be assuming the role of 'Mother Superior' onstage (made famous by Maggie Smith in the film version). SISTER ACT will vacate the Palladium in October for THE WIZARD OF OZ and is headed to Broadway in the Spring of 2011, as BroadwayWorld previously reported. Producers are reportedly hoping to re-open the production in the West End at a new theater sometime next season.

Baz Bamigboye reports in the U.K. Daily Mail today that a stage musical adapation of the movie Ghost may hit Manchester sometime next spring in anticipation of a West End transfer in the summer of 2011, likely at the Piccadilly Theatre. Bamigboye writes that high on the list of Manchester venues for the out of town tryout is the Opera House of Manchester, where the show would would play for an extended 10 week-or-so run. So far, producers are reportedly only in discussion-phase. Laura Michelle Kelly is rumored to be in talks to play the female lead made famous by Demi Moore in the film version.

Cause Celebre and Tina's Wish will present RECIPE FOR LIFE/PART TWO at New York's Acorn Theatre from July 12 to 18, Ticket Central announces. The series, which will benefit Tina's Wish, an ovarian cancer research organization, will consist of three separate productions.

As part of The River To River Festival, the dance community's leading lights will celebrate the extraordinary life of Merce Cunningham in a free outdoor performance on July 26th in New York, the city in which he worked and lived for 70 years.

Playwright Lynn Nottage, author of RUINED, hosted a fund-raising party for the New Black Fest, an upcoming festival which will 'showcase innovative work by and about black people,' The New York Times reports. The first New Black Fest will be held this fall and will feature readings and panel discussions; the festival's organizers and supporters are currently raising funds and seeking advisers.

Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Clinton, and Elizabeth Hurley will attend this year's Life Ball in Vienna as guests of honor, Yahoo! News reports. The ball, which will benefit AIDS research, will be held on July 17 at Vienna's City Hall. Approximately 40,000 people are expected to attend.

Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab, under the mentorship of Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist William Finn, kicks off its fifth season with the world premiere of Pool Boy, a splashy new musical with music and lyrics by Nikos Tsakalakos and book and lyrics by Janet Allard.

This month, as part of our 'Debut of the Month' series, BroadwayWorld is shining the spotlight on actor Kevin Mambo who is making his Broadway debut as legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in the Broadway musical Fela! The musical earned three Tony Awards: Best Choreography, Best Sound Design, and Best Costume Design.

Last night, June 28, the 2nd Annual Jimmy Awards were held at the Marquis Theatre, home to COME FLY AWAY. Kathie Lee Gifford hosted and presenters included nine time Tony-winner Tommy Tune, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka of A Little Night Music, and Krysta Rodriguez and Adam Riegler of The Addams Family. BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture the celebration.