Nikki M. James News

The New York Civil Liberties Union (The New York State affiliate of the ACLU) today announced a star-studded lineup of award-winning performers for Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, its annual benefit show scheduled for Monday, July 25 at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

Voting opened on May 5, 2011 and runs through June 3, 2011 for the 9th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards! Here are the current standings as of 5/30

Casey Nicholaw, co-director, choreographer and Tony nominee for THE BOOK OR MORMON, recently sat down with 'Theater Talk' to discuss his switch from performing to directing.

Yesterday, May 26, The Outer Critics Circle honored Broadway's and Off Broadway's best of the 2010-2011 season. BroadwayWorld was on hand at Sardi's for the ceremony and brings you photo coverage below!

Facebook fans of THE BOOK OF MORMON can now listen to a free stream of the Broadway musical's newly released cast recording from Ghostlight Records. Visit THE BOOK OF MORMON on Facebook at facebook.com/TheBookOfMormonOnBroadway. The cast album stream can be found by clicking on 'Cast Album' in the left-hand column. Fans can listen to a stream of the cast album and share it with friends.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON, released digitally by Ghostlight Records on May 17, is the fastest selling digital release of a cast recording in history, according to Billboard Magazine. THE BOOK OF MORMON's cast recording was the #6 digital download of the week. Ghostlight Records will release the CD for THE BOOK OF MORMON on Tuesday, June 7, featuring a booklet which includes color photos, complete lyrics and liner notes by Frank Rich.

Last night on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' BOOK OF MORMON star and Tony Award nominee Andrew Rannells stopped by to hit some high notes with Jimmy and Ed Helms. Click below to check out the video!

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that The Book of Mormon's Andrew Rannells will perform the song 'I Believe' for the Tony Awards ceremony. This was reportedly a plan B for the production, which had wanted to open the telecast by knocking on the doors of nominated celebrities in character, hitting up Neil Patrick Harris last who would also emerge as a Mormon. This idea, according to Riedel, was reportedly nixed and Harris will simply open the show with a musical medley instead.

Last night, May 23, the 2011 Drama Desk Awards Ceremony took place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, War Horse and The Normal Heart were the night's big winners, with favorites Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Frances McDormand, Laura Benanti, John Larroquette, Brian Bedford and Edie Falco taking home the evening's top performance honors. The Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the evening's starry opening red carpet and brings you Part 1 of our complete photo coverage below!

The Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center! BroadwayWorld was updating the winners list live throughout the evening.

Nominations for The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Friday, April 29, 2011, at 9:30 AM at the New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street, in Manhattan. Amongst the shows with multiple nominations were THE BOOK OF MORMON with 12, ANYTHING GOES with 10, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with 7, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SEE ROCK CITY & OTHER DESTINATIONS and WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN with 6.

Winners of the 2010-11 Drama League Awards, presented at the 77th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, May 20, 2011 (1 p.m.) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square. Here is BroadwayWorld.com's special coverage of all the lovely ladies in attendance.

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and this week won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. THE BOOK OF MORMON is also nominated for 12 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. In the video below, Tony nominee Rory O'Malley stops by 'Goo Day NY' to chat about everything from his role in the show to Broadway Impact. Click below to chck out the interview!

New Dramatists, Tony Honor® recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, honored 14-time Tony Award® winner Roger Berlind with their 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 62nd Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, yesterday, May 17th at the New York Marriott Marquis. Philip J. Smith and Robert E. Wankel of The Shubert Organization served as the Luncheon Chairs. Jim Dale, Emily Mann and Brian Stokes Mitchell were among those paying tribute to Mr Berlind. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you phoot coverage below.

The cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON signed copies of the show's Original Broadway Cast Recording from Ghostlight Records today at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and is the winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker) and Best Actor (Josh Gad). BroadwayWorld was on hand for the signing and brings you photo coverage below.

Yesterday evening, May 16, The New York Drama Critics' Circle presented their 2011 Drama Critics Circle Awards at Angus McIndoe Restaurant in Times Square. The 2011 recipients are Best Play: Good People, by David Lindsay-Abaire; Best Foreign Play: Jerusalem, by Jez Butterworth; Best Musical: The Book of Mormon, by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez; Special Citations: The Broadway revival of The Normal Heart; Mark Rylance for La Bête and Jerusalem; and the direction, design and puppetry of War Horse.

The cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON will sign copies of the show's Original Broadway Cast Recording from Ghostlight Records on Tuesday, May 17 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and this week won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. THE BOOK OF MORMON is also nominated for 12 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. Check out creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's recent appearance on 'The Today Show' below!

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and this week won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. THE BOOK OF MORMON is also nominated for 12 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. Check out creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's recent appearance on 'Morning Joe' below!

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for all media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2010-11 season in 23 categories.