Neil Simon News

Cortland Repertory Theatre has announced the nominees for their ninth annual 'Pavilion Awards' which recognize Outstanding Achievement in Local High School Theatre. For the fifth year, First Niagara Bank serves as the Corporate Sponsor for this program, which allows for many categories within the musical and non-musical genres. Musicals in consideration were held at the Cortland, Dryden, Groton, Homer, McGraw and Tully High Schools. Non-musical plays were also presented at Cortland, Homer and Tully.

Act II Playhouse concludes its 2010-2011 season with Art (May 10-June 5) by Yasmina Reza (author of the recent Broadway hit God of Carnage), translated by Christopher Hampton.

Since 1998, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has been awarded to some of the biggest names in entertainment: Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and George Carlin, to name a few. This year, the Kennedy Center will present the 14th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to Will Ferrell on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 7 p.m. The award, named to honor one of America's-and the world's-greatest humorists, will feature a lineup of the biggest names in comedy.

BroadwayWorld.com has excitedly learned that NBC has officially picked up the pilot entitled SMASH for a series to begin this fall. The news will be officially announced later this week at NBC's upfronts which begin next week in New York.

On Thursday, May 12, audience members at the new Broadway musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will get the chance to hear first-hand from the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (played on stage by Aaron Tveit), whose teenage escapades are the basis for the musical and the 2002 film of the same name. Immediately following the 8pm performance, Mr. Abagnale will host an on stage post-show talk back and Q&A. Tickets for this performance can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com and at The Neil Simon Box Office (250 West 52nd Street). Only ticketholders for that evening's performance will be able to attend the Talk Back.

Drury Lane Theatre presents Neil Simon's Tony Award-winning dramatic comedy BROADWAY BOUND, previewing June 9, opening June 16 and running through July 31 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane.

DanceOn, the YouTube partnership channel exclusive to dance videos, released the ninth episode of DIARY OF A CHORUS GIRL today. Alex Ellis chats with Kerry Butler who plays Brenda Strong, the leading role Alex understudies, and gets the chance to sing Brenda's show-stopping number 'Fly, Fly Away' for the first time in front of a live audience.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,' 'White Noise,' 'Porgy And Bess,' 'The Wiz,' 'Adrift In Macao,' 'Glee,' more.

Yesterday, May 9, The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center presented its annual Monte Cristo Award to legendary Broadway and screen actor James Earl Jones, in recognition of his monumental achievements and contributions to the American and international theater community. The award was presented to Mr. Jones at a gala dinner that included special guests and performers Tony Award-nominee Michael Berresse ([title of show], Kiss Me Kate); Chris Chalk (Fences),; Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas (Wall Street); Emmy Award-winner Charles S Dutton (The Piano Lesson, 'Roc'); Tony Award nominee Penny Fuller (Dividing the Estate, The Dinner Party); Tony Award-winner Boyd Gaines (Driving Miss Daisy, Gypsy); Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award-winner Vanessa Redgrave (Driving Miss Daisy, Long Days Journey Into Night); Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Seven Guitars); Tony Award winner Leslie Uggams (On Golden Pond, King Hedley II); and Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Executive Director Preston Whiteway.

Join us for a very special Gala Evening - 'Cabaret 55' - celebrating Westport Community Theatre's 55th anniversary! 'Cabaret 55' will be held Friday, May 20 at 7:00 PM at the Westport Woman's Club, 44 Imperial Avenue.

Tom Hewitt, Lesli Margherita, Meg Gillentine and Seán Martin Hingston are the Broadway and West End stars that will lead the cast of Reprise Theatre Company's third production of the 2010-2011 season, 'Kiss Me, Kate', playing May 10 to 22 (press opening May 11, 2011) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The musical - with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Samuel and Bella Spewack will be directed by Michael Michetti, co-artistic director of The Theatre @ Boston Court and choreographed by Lee Martino. Michael Paternostro will serve as musical director.

Act II Playhouse concludes its 2010-2011 season with Art (May 10-June 5) by Yasmina Reza (author of the recent Broadway hit God of Carnage), translated by Christopher Hampton.

Looking to buy last minute tickets to a Broadway show? Don't know what to see? Trying to find a theater? Welcome to one of BroadwayWorld's newest features: the Broadway Ticket Buying Guide. Inside, you will find weekly updates on full priced tickets, discounts, availability for the hottest productions, and locations for shows playing the Great White Way! Catch up on all the latest stats so that you can see your favorite productions at the best price! (And make it there on time). Spring is in the air and the announcement of the 2011 Tony Awards nominations last week is still the hottest news in the theatre community. Topping the list for the most nods was none other than God's favorite musical: THE BOOK OF MORMON, making it more impossible than ever to snag tickets to this season's big draw. London import WAR HORSE has also been enjoying weeks of sold-out houses, which is unlikely to change after earning 5 nominations last Tuesday. And though this year's Tony hype didn't effect them, Broadway staples WICKED and THE LION KING are still going strong, filling their respective theatres on a weekly basis.

The Drama League has announced the rosters of stars who will appear as presenters at The 77th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, May 20, 2011 (noon) in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square (1535 Broadway at 46th Street). The ceremony will be hosted by Kathleen Turner (High).

On Thursday, May 12, audience members at the new Broadway musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will get the chance to hear first-hand from the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (played on stage by Aaron Tveit), whose teenage escapades are the basis for the musical and the 2002 film of the same name. Immediately following the 8pm performance, Mr. Abagnale will host an on stage post-show talk back and Q&A. Tickets for this performance can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com and at The Neil Simon Box Office (250 West 52nd Street). Only ticketholders for that evening's performance will be able to attend the Talk Back.

On Monday, May 9th at 6pm New York Post columnist and theatre critic Michael Riedel will interview Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue).

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award to legendary Broadway and screen actor James Earl Jones, in recognition of his monumental achievements and contributions to the American and international theater community. The award will be presented to Mr. Jones at a gala dinner held in his honor at Bridgewaters - South Street Seaport in New York City on Monday, May 9th at 6:30pm.

Presented by the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) and Midtown Direct Rep, RATED P makes its long-awaited premiere from Friday, May 5th to Sunday, May 8th at SOPAC.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN stars Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz as Carl Hanratty, Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr., Tony Nominee Tom Wopat as Frank Abagnale, Sr. and Tony Nominee Kerry Butler as Brenda Strong. This new musical, created by a team of Tony winners, features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, choreography by Jerry Mitchell and is directed by Jack O'Brien. Click below for a behind the scenes look at the making of the show's television commercial.

Times are tough, unemployment is on the rise, and people are struggling to make ends meet let alone keep their sanity. Sound familiar? Well ACT's current production of Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" sounds like it could be set today but instead we go back not too long ago to 1971 to another recession in our country's economy. But even with this dark subject, the cast makes this show frenzied, frothy and fun!