Pat Collins News

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award-winning smash The Producers, opened on Broadway November 8th 2007 at the Hilton Theatre and opens its national tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center, September 29 - October 4, 2009.

Off-Broadway sensation Bat Boy: The Musical opens May 29, 2009 at the Village Players Theatre. Continuing the saga started by the Weekly World News, this Off-Broadway hit is chock full of both hilarity and heart-wrenching emotion. Edgar, the Bat Boy, is found in cave in West Virginia and then brought-up by a well-meaning family. Still the outsider, Edgar struggles to fit and survive in a world that is not ready to accept him.

Four-time Tony Award winner Tom Stoppard returns to the Alley with Rock ?n' Roll, winner of London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best New Play.

Four-time Tony Award winner Tom Stoppard returns to the Alley with Rock ?n' Roll, winner of London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best New Play.

The 16th Annual Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration program, honoring world class scenic designer Todd Rosenthal (August: Osage County), will take place on Monday, April 27, at the Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theatre. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a viewing of the third annual ?Theater Design Expo' showcasing the works of over 20 Chicago-area emerging theatrical designers and a student portfolio review. Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will moderate an inclusive discussion, 'Moving Chicago Productions to New York and Beyond' with the awardees, Director Anna Shapiro and Joshua Schmidt, composer and librettist, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. are pleased to announce that the ?big fat hit?* Broadway production of SHREK THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, directed by Jason Moore, will launch a National Tour in Chicago. SHREK THE MUSICAL will play the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited engagement beginning in June 2010.

Four-time Tony Award winner Tom Stoppard returns to the Alley with Rock ?n' Roll, winner of London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best New Play. It's August 1968, and Russian tanks are rolling into Prague. Jan, the Czech student, lives for rock music, Max, the English professor, lives for Communism, and Esme, the flower child, is high. By 1990, the tanks are rolling out, the Stones are rolling in and idealism has hit the wall.

The 16th Annual Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration program, honoring world class scenic designer Todd Rosenthal (August: Osage County), will take place on Monday, April 27, at the Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theatre. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a viewing of the third annual ?Theater Design Expo' showcasing the works of over 20 Chicago-area emerging theatrical designers and a student portfolio review. Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will moderate an inclusive discussion, 'Moving Chicago Productions to New York and Beyond' with the awardees, Director Anna Shapiro and Joshua Schmidt, composer and librettist, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Hollywood Broadway and Beyond: Spring Arts Preview Hosted by Pat Collins to feature IN THE HEIGHTS, WEST SIDE STORY, ROCK OF AGES, and 9 TO 5 Friday, March 13, 2009 on FOX 5 at 10:30pm Re-airing: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 on MY9 at 10:30pm

Tony Winner John Rando returns to Houston's Alley Theatre to direct Two-time Tony Nominee Josie de Guzman as Maggie Cutler, Theatre World Award Winner James Black as Sheridan Whiteside and Alley Company Member Elizabeth Heflin as Lorraine Sheldon in Kaufman and Hart's classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner, beginning performances on February 20 on the Alley's Hubbard Stage.

Tony Winner John Rando returns to Houston's Alley Theatre to direct Two-time Tony Nominee Josie de Guzman as Maggie Cutler, Theatre World Award Winner James Black as Sheridan Whiteside and Alley Company Member Elizabeth Heflin as Lorraine Sheldon in Kaufman and Hart's classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner, beginning performances on February 20 on the Alley's Hubbard Stage.

Tony Winner John Rando returns to Houston's Alley Theatre to direct Two-time Tony Nominee Josie de Guzman as Maggie Cutler, Theatre World Award Winner James Black as Sheridan Whiteside and Alley Company Member Elizabeth Heflin as Lorraine Sheldon in Kaufman and Hart's classic comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner, beginning performances on February 20 on the Alley's Hubbard Stage.

Cory English begins as the new Igor in Mel Brooks' award-winning Young Frankenstein this Tuesday, November 25th, at Broadway's Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St), joining current cast members Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Beth Leavel, Fred Applegate, Michele Ragusa, and Kelly Sullivan. Young Frankenstein's original Igor, Christopher Fitzgerald - Tony nominated for his performance - completes his run Sunday, November, 23rd.

Today's Page Six in the Sunday New York Post reports that Mel Brooks asked 'Tropic Thunder' star Jack Black to join the Broadway cast of his 'Young Frankenstein,' when the comic actor asked which role - Igor or Dr. Frankenstein? Brooks said 'either one,' but Black politely declined according to the Page Six columnist.

Robert F.X. Sillerman and Mel Brooks and the company of The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, recently celebrated their one year anniversary. The show opened on Broadway November 8th 2007 at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St). Previews began October 11th 2007

A world premiere musical by Cameron and Emma Lively, The 'Medium at Large', starring John Herrera as Bruce, the Medium. A romantic comedy set in New York City in 1938, filled with hope, mischief, ghosts, and the idea that those who have passed on have never really left us at all...it's possible!

Thornton Wilder's comic farce, The Matchmaker, plays through October 12 at Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE.

Beth Leavel, Michele Ragusa and Kelly Sullivan become the new leading ladies of Mel Brooks' award-winning Young Frankenstein this summer at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St), joining original cast members Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Fred Applegate and Christopher Fitzgerald. Kelly Sullivan will assume the role of Inga on Tuesday, July 8th; Tony winner Beth Leavel (Drowsy Chaperone) will become Frau Blucher on Tuesday, July 22nd and Michele Ragusa (Adrift in Macao) takes over the role of Elizabeth on Tuesday, August 5th.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel will join the cast of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein as Frau Blucher on Tuesday, July 15, one week earlier than previously announced.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel will join the cast of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein as Frau Blucher on Tuesday, July 15, one week earlier than previously announced.