Neil Simon News

Fans have rallied in an effort to show their support for a JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR cast recording. An online petition was launched earlier this week with the tagline 'We want a JCS 2012 Broadway Cast Recording!'

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the play by Mark St. Germain, will host special post-performance discussions after both the 2:30 & 8pm performances tomorrow, May 30th led by the playwright and the production's stars, Mark H. Dold (C. S. Lewis) and Martin Rayner (Sigmund Freud). They will also conduct Q&A sessions with the audience.

Bay Street Theatre is pleased to announce the first production of the 2012 Mainstage Season. Polly Draper stars in MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, by Geraldine Aron. This American Premiere runs May 29 - June 24. The production is directed by Matt McGrath, one of Bay Street's Artistic Associates.

Bay Street Theatre has announced the first production of the 2012 Mainstage Season. Polly Draper stars in MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, by Geraldine Aron. This American Premiere begins Tuesday, May 29 and runs through Sunday, June 24. The production is directed by Matt McGrath, one of Bay Street's Artistic Associates. See photos of Draper on stage below!

Two-time Tony Award® winner Katie Finneran (Promises, Promises, Noises Off) will star as Miss Hannigan in the new production of ANNIE, the Tony Award-winning classic musical. ANNIE opens November 8 at the Palace Theatre (1567 Broadway at 47th Street). Previews begin October 3.

Nevada Public Radio is accepting reservations for their annual summer theatre excursions to Utah Shakespeare Festival, Neil Simon Festival and for the first year, Tuacahn Amphitheatre.

My first dose of musical theater was through my uncle's old screechy phonograph recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's hippie, loud, angst-laden rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" (JCS). The classic stage hit, which was originally a concept album before evolving into a full-blown Broadway musical that follows the passion and death of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, had completed its three-year run on Broadway (1971-1973), and its first commercial movie release (1973) by the time I got to experience JCS's electrifying, personally-impactful songs in the '80s though. So when the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Toronto, Canada announced late last year that its critically-acclaimed, deemed revolutionary production of JCS, directed by Tony winner Des McAnuff, was coming to Broadway, I was delighted to hear the news; and more so when I learned that three Filipino-Canadian musical theater artists - brothers Julius and Jason Sermonia, and Laurin Padolina - are part of the show.

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 5/25/2012.

Yesterday, May 24, New Dramatists honored two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters with their 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 63rd Annual Spring Luncheon tribute at the New York Marriott Marquis. Among those who offered tributes were Emmy Award-winner Mary Tyler Moore, Peters' Tony Award-winning A Little Night Music co-star Elaine Stritch, and New Dramatists Artistic Director Todd London. Tony and Academy Award-winner Joel Grey and Peters' Tony-nominated Gypsy co-star John Dossett offered musical tributes. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you photo coverage below!

After premiering in a sold out, critically acclaimed run in Los Angeles, I AM A TREE, written and performed by Dulcy Rogers and directed by Allan Miller, arrives in NY, produced by United Pies, Inc, in association with The Elephant Theatre (Los Angeles).

Brent Barrett, SILENCE! The Musical's original Hannibal Lecter, returned to check out the show this past Saturday, May 19th and reunited with his old friends afterward. See below for a photo of Barrett and the cast!

Josh Young and the cast of the Tony nominated Broadway musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR performed 'Superstar' on ABC's THE VIEW today. Check out the electric performance below!

The cast of the Tony®-Nominated Broadway revival JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will perform on 'The View' today, May 24th at 11:00 am ET/PT on ABC.

The Emergent Arts Theatre Company (2009's The Mousetrap and 2011's Arsenic and Old Lace, both at The Arthur Miller Theatre, and Waiting For Godot at Riverside Arts Center) presents Neil Simon's legendary comedy The Odd Couple on May 24 through 27 at the Arthur Miller Theatre in The Walgreen Drama Center, 1226 Murfin, on the North Campus of the University Of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Shows are at 8 pm tonight, May 24 and Friday May 25, then at 2 pm and 8 pm on Saturday May 26, and at 2pm on Sunday May 27. Tickets are $20 General Admission, $16 Seniors and Students with ID. Discount tickets to the special Preview Night performance on Wednesday May 23 are $10 each, available at www.emergentarts.com.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that on May 25, Leo Ash Evens will replace Jonathan Winsby as Phillip in Broadway's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, due to an injury. Evens will remain with the production through July 1.

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild's 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurney's Sylvia, and Kander & Ebb's Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.

Manhattan Theatre Club will celebrate Artistic Director Lynne Meadow's 40th anniversary as the visionary and artistic leader of the organization with a special tribute on Monday, June 18. The event will begin at 6:30 PM with a VIP cocktail reception, followed by a 7:30 tribute event at the Samuel J. Friedman (261 West 47th Street). Immediately after the Friedman tribute event, a party will follow at Copacabana (268 West 47th Street).

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the play by Mark St. Germain, will host a special post-performance discussion at tomorrow's matinee, May 23rd led by one of the show's producers, Jack Thomas, and the production's stars, Mark H. Dold (C. S. Lewis) and Martin Rayner (Sigmund Freud). They will also conduct a Q&A session with the audience.