New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars News

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights).

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights)

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 ? July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights). A June 18th opening is planned.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY played its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 11, 2009. New York Magazine was granted the exclusive chance to document the historic final performance in a photo essay featuring the production's Tony Winning 'Mama Rose', the legendary Patti LuPone. Directed by theatrical legend and author of the musical Arthur Laurents, GYPSY played 332 performances and 27 previews. The production starred Tony Award winners Patti LuPone as 'Rose,' Boyd Gaines as 'Herbie' and Laura Benanti as 'Gypsy'. GYPSY began preview performances on Monday, March 3, 2008 and officially opened on Thursday, March 27, 2008. GYPSY was awarded three 2008 Tony Awards, one for each of the show's three stars: Patti LuPone (Leading Actress in a Musical), Laura Benanti (Best Featured Actress) and Boyd Gaines (Best Featured Actor). The production was nominated for seven Tony Awards in total, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Arthur Laurents), Best Costume Design of a Musical (Martin Pakledinaz) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Dan Moses Schreier). In addition, GYPSY was nominated for six Outer Critics Circle Awards (boasting wins for LuPone and Benanti), four Drama Desk Awards (including wins for LuPone, Gaines and Benanti) and three Drama League Awards including the 'Distinguished Performance Award' for Patti LuPone.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY played its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY, originally announced to close on Sunday, March 1, 2009, will play its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) today, Sunday, January 11, 2009.

Savvy BroadwayWorld.com visitors noticed a message up on Telecharge.com for those purchasings tickets to Gypsy's final performances back when they were to be in March. The good news for fans of the show, who were worried that the show's early closing might have derailed those plans is that the message is back up for the shows between January 2 and January 4, 2009.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY, originally announced to close on Sunday, March 1, 2009, will now play its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

Savvy BroadwayWorld.com visitors have noticed a new message up on Telecharge.com for those purchasings tickets to Gypsy's final performances.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY will play its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, March 1, 2009 at the conclusion of Tony Award winner Patti LuPone's scheduled engagement.

Laura Benanti will play Louise and three-time Tony-winner Boyd Gaines will play Herbie in Gypsy starring Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone, in the New York City Center's Encores! Summer Stars debut presentation directed by Gypsy bookwriter Arthur Laurents