Murray Head News

While this Muny production is more similar to the original West End production in London versus the Broadway rewrite, CHESS is still more of a concert-like production. While the actors, ensemble and orchestra perform this material masterfully, the story doesn’t fully capture the competitive nature of the Chess champions or the tensions of the cold war. The love story is slightly more compelling, but the lack of a well-written and emotional narrative does not allow the audience to fully connect to the story and softens the overall production. This production of CHESS is a must-see for those who love this score. This is not a musical that packs a powerful emotional wallop. If that is more of what you’re looking for then wait for WEST SIDE STORY or RENT.

I’ll see it again.

NOTRE DAME DE PARIS - IL VENTENNALE IN TOUR IN TUTTA ITALIA E CON IL CAST ORIGINALE, TORNA IN SCENA UNA DELLE OPERE PIù CONOSCIUTE E AMATE DAL PUBBLICO.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the 1970 concept double album, Jesus Christ Superstar, it has today been announced that a variety of special anniversary edition albums will be released on September 17th.

Nel 1981, dopo solo 8 anni dal loro primo singolo gli ABBA misero fine alla loro carriera come gruppo.

Earlier this month, Hedonist Records released SHE IS RISEN: VOLUME ONE, a concept EP of Andrew Lloyd Webber's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR performed by an all female cast. The record, inspired by and featuring cast members of a 2017 concert at the Highline Ballroom, takes the cherished rock opera back to its 1970 concept album roots by letting listeners experience magnificent highlights from the score while envisioning an exhilarating new chapter for this triumphant piece of theater.

Below, we're counting down to the Jesus-filled weekend with a look back at notable Judases, from Broadway to London and everywhere in between! Which version of 'Heaven on Their Minds' is your favorite?

The Fourth of July was celebrated not only by Americans across the country but Stranger Things fans when the third season of the Netflix original series was released. Although the streaming platform has not yet released the viewer count for the show's newest season, the show garnered over 15 million views in October 2017 for the second season's premiere and is expected to have another impressive view count. If you weren't one of the millions to catch up on the show over your long weekend, BroadwayWorld has you covered. This goes without saying, but spoilers below. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's timeless musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' opens at Algonquin Arts Theatre on Saturday, March 30, at 8 p.m.

Well, the next step in my decluttering/digitizing journey is throwing out my Chess CDs, not that they take up much space. I only have the Original Concept Recording and the Broadway cast. I'm going to download the freaking 2008 Royal Albert Hall concert version (with Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Adam Pascal) to try to keep this column hip. But let's all just remember two things: 1.) I am not hip; and, 2.) I'm just downloading the concert for this column, so it doesn't really count as part of my digitizing.

The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) tonight announced the winners of the 2019 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio/audio, promotional, and graphic animation categories at concurrent ceremonies at the Edison Ballroom in New York City and The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

SNL and Broadway alum Taran Killam appeared on last night's episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers. Killam proposed a SNL sketch in which Murray Head has a talk show but can only speak in the cadence in which he sings One Night in Bangkok from Chess. Killam then proceeded to do his own impression of Head.

The epic musical love story CHESS starring Michael Ball as Anatoly, Alexandra Burke as Svetlana, Cedric Neal as The Arbiter, Tim Howar asFreddie, Cassidy Janson as Florence and Phillip Browne as Molokov has just two weeks remaining of its limited West End season which must end on 2 June 2018.

The epic musical love story Chess starring Michael Ball as Anatoly, Alexandra Burke as Svetlana, Cedric Neal as The Arbiter, Tim Howar as Freddie, Cassidy Janson as Florence and Phillip Browne as officially opened last night, 1 May 2018, for a strictly limited 5 week season.

The epic musical love story CHESS starring Michael Ball as Anatoly, Alexandra Burke as Svetlana, Cedric Neal as The Arbiter, Tim Howar as Freddie, Cassidy Janson as Florence and Phillip Browne as Molokov opens tonight, Thursday 26 April 2018 (Press night on Tuesday 1 May 2018) for a strictly limited 5 week season. Check out a first look at the production in the photos below!

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Jesus Christ Superstar will embark on a national tour, get a first look at Mean Girls, and more!

Chess is coming back to the West End for the first time since 1986, opening at the London Coliseum on Thursday 26 April 2018 (Press night on Tuesday 1 May 2018) for a strictly limited 5 week season. The show will come without one of its previously announced cast members, however. BroadwayWorld has just learned that Murray Head has withdrawn from the production. A show representative explained:

Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera that tells the story of the final week in the life of Jesus Christ. It begins with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem and ends with the crucifixion. It also highlights the political and interpersonal struggles between Jesus and one of his 12 apostles, Judas Iscariot that are not present in the Bible narratives.

For many, musical theater and Andrew Lloyd Webber are synonymous. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying that his music has been influential within and outside of the world of musical theater. To celebrate the prolific composer's 70th birthday, UMe / Polydor has released ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER UNMASKED: THE PLATINUM COLLECTION, a sprawling and somewhat bloated 4-disc collection of music personally curated and overseen by Lloyd Webber himself.

Hallelujah! The big day is here at last. Tonight on NBC (8/7c), live musicals rise again with a one-of-a-kind live staging of the iconic 1971 Broadway rock opera, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE IN CONCERT.