Richard Ridge News

On August 19, 2007, Grease was the word for the third time in Broadway history. The revival opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre following a nation-wide search for its leading players on NBC's You're the One That I Want, throwing winners Laura Osnes and Max Crumm into the Broadway spotlight. The show, directed by Kathleen Marshall, went on to play for 554 performances.

Billy Elliot made a huge splash in London in 2005 before it crossed the Atlantic. The Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on November 13, 2008, where it remained for over three years and 1312 performances. The show made Tony winners of its three pint-sized leading men (David Álvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish) and picked up nine other Tonys that season. The production also notabley starred Haydn Gwynne, Gregory Jbara and a young, future Tony-winner, Santino Fontana.

After premiering in Los Angeles in 2008, Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 opened on Broadway on April 30, 2009 at the Marquis Theatre. Based on the 1980 film of the same name, the musical featured cast, including Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, Marc Kudisch, and Andy Karl.

As Broadway braces for a month of darkness, BroadwayWorld wants to make sure that you still get your theatre fix each and every day until April 13. In our daily series Broadway Rewind, we're uncovering footage from the depths of our archives so that you can relive magical moments of Broadway past!

Ever since it opened on Broadway last winter, To Kill a Mockingbird has been making history at the Shubert Theatre, where it has already become the highest-grossing American play ever. The history-making continued on February 26... this time at Madison Square Garden.

Provocative. Scalding. Explosive. Radical. Daring. These are just a few words that have used to describe Jeremy O. Harris's latest work- Slave Play, which just concluded its Broadway run at the Golden Theatre in January. The critically acclaimed play, brought to life onstage by director Robert O'Hara, rocked the world of audiences since it opened on October 6, and long before that, during its off-Broadway run at New York Theatre Workshop.

Later this month, Disney will celebrate the second birthday of one of its latest hits, Frozen, which just welcomed three new stars: McKenzie Kurtz, Ciara Renée and Ryan McCartan, who star as Anna, Elsa, and Hans respectively. The new cast hasn't been the only major change at the St. James Theatre, however...

Fresh off his wins for BroadwayWorld's Best Debut Show and Best Independent Recording of 2019, Mark returns to The Green Room 42 on Friday March 6th at 7pm to continue his love affair with the Great American Songbook. Mark hypnotizes with a set of enduring classics filtered through his youthful perspective and talent set. The show is distinctly new-age romantic, while still evocative of golden-age cinematic glamour. Backed by a stellar six-piece band led by musical director Clint Edwards, the show is directed by Preston and Richard Ridge.

You're invited to a Q&A with cast members Ato Blankson-Wood & James Cusati-Moyer from Jeremy O'Harris' searing Slave Play in conversation with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge. The event will take place Tuesday, March 3 (7pm) at the Robin Williams Center (247 W 54th St).

Five Broadway shows of the past and three of the present all have one man in common... Thomas Schumacher. As the president and producer of Disney Theatrical Group, Schumacher has quickly become one of the most influential voices on Broadway, overseeing the development, creation, and execution of all Disney live entertainment around the globe.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Bernadette Peters, Sierra Boggess, Orfeh, and more will perform at Broadway Belts for PFF! tonight, and more!

Tony Goldwyn is back onstage this season in one of the most poignant roles of his career, which happens to be in one of the most powerful plays that Broadway has seen in many years. The play is The Inheritance, and you can catch it now through March 15 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. 

Today's top stories: Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf will lead a revival of Death of a Salesman in 2021, and more!

Since making her Broadway debut just six years ago as a replacement in Mamma Mia!, Ashley Park has taken on everything from Sondheim to K-pop. This season, she tackles her next great challenge- starring in her very first play. 

BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge interviewed 'The Next Generation of Major Playwrights' at this weekend's BroadwayCon 2020!

Today's top stories: Grand Horizons officially opens tonight, and more!

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, a new Evan Hansen has been found in Jordan Fisher. The recording artist and actor will return to Broadway, joining the cast of the Tony Award- winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, playing the title role for a limited 16-week engagement, beginning Tuesday, January 28. 

She has already taken on Broadway and the West End. Now Katharine McPhee is back to close up the diner for good! As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the stage and screen star will close out the Waitress's run, which concludes on January 5, after having played 33 previews and 1544 regular performances.

In just days, the jellicle moon will shine bright over CATS, the big screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved musical. How did directer Tom Hooper manage to bring the feline favorite to life?

As 2019 comes to a close, BroadwayWorld is bringing you the stars' best advice, to give you a bit of inspiration for the new year. We've got all of the answers from 2019's interviewees. Read the words of wisdom from Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti, Brian d'Arcy James, and many more!