Richard Rodgers News

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 9/26/2014.

Bucks County Playhouse Producers Robyn Goodman and Alexander Fraser announce the launch of a musical theatre development program focusing on the importance of lyrics in the creation of new musicals: The Oscar Hammerstein Festival - named in honor of the master writer whose countless accomplishments during his illustrious career include having mentored a young Stephen Sondheim at Hammerstein's Bucks County farm -- is a year-long program that offers expert mentorship to early career composers and lyricists. The Oscar Hammerstein Festival will culminate in a weekend with musical theatre experts, artists, and enthusiasts and various events open to the general public. The Festival will launch this weekend, September 26 - 28, 2014.

Bucks County Playhouse is launching their first Oscar Hammerstein Festival this year. This festival was inspired by the mentorship Hammerstein offered Stephen Sondheim as a young man. One of the people teaching a workshop at the Hammerstein Festival is Michael Korie. Korie is a lyricist and librettist, who is known for writing the lyrics for the musical GREY GARDENS. I had a chance to speak with Korie about the Hammerstein festival as well as the importance of working with emerging artists.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has entered an agreement with Shout! Factory to release the classic Lesley Ann Warren version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on home video. Cinderella comes to life in this 50th Anniversary Edition of the most beloved fairy tale of all time, now available on DVD from Shout! Factory. Warren was promoting the release of the DVD at Barnes & Noble yesterday and you can check out photos from inside the special event below!

Samuel Goldwyn Films has entered an agreement with Shout! Factory to release the classic Lesley Ann Warren version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on home video. Cinderella comes to life in this 50th Anniversary Edition of the most beloved fairy tale of all time, now available on DVD from Shout! Factory. Warren was promoting the release of the DVD at Barnes & Noble yesterday and you can check out photos from inside the performance below!

Westchester Broadway Theatre will be donating a portion of all ticket sales for the opening night of SOUTH PACIFIC to sponsor the upcoming October 18th flight from Westchester with the second flight following in April of 2015.

Music & Lyrics Limited and Royal & Derngate Northampton present a new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical OKLAHOMA!, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and with new choreography by Drew McOnie, which will tour the UK and Ireland next year, opening at the Derngate Theatre Northampton on 19 February 2015.

The Untold Stories of Broadway, Volume 2 can be pre-ordered by visiting Dress Circle Publishing and will officially release on November 18, 2014.

First the star joined the cast of the current Broadway company on stage to perform a number from the musical at the conclusion of the September 23rd performance. Then she went backstage to talk to the press, meet the cast and more!

Where have the 50 years gone? Academy Award® nominee Lesley Ann Warren - who was all of 18 years old when CBS-TV selected her as its CINDERELLA for the famed 1965 telecast of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA - joined the cast of the current Broadway company on stage to perform a number from the musical at the conclusion of the September 23rd performance. Miss Warren's CINDERELLA was such a success for CBS that the musical aired once each year for 8 years until 1974. Miss Warren's appearance coincides with the 50th anniversary release of the DVD of the 1965 CBS telecast

The married, song-writing duo Laura and Dan Curtis has had an exciting past year of work, which isn't slowing down anytime soon. The couple has a concert coming up at the Royal Albert Hall on October 14th, which will feature the music from the popular album, LOVE ON 42ND STREET (For tickets, click here.) Laura and Dan took the time to chat with BroadwayWorld this weekend about their upcoming concert, the amazing work they've done over the past year, and their exciting plans for the future. Read the full interview below, and find access to several video links!

Primary Stages in association with Susan Dietz (Fela!, Mothers and Sons), presents the world premiere of While I Yet Live by the Tony-winning star of Kinky Boots and Angels in America, Billy Porter, and directed by Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller (Mothers and Sons, Next Fall, Adrift in Macao). While I Yet Live plays a limited, six-week engagement, tonight, September 24, through October 31 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a NEW 42ND STREET project (229 West 42nd Street). Opening night is Sunday, October 12 at 5PM.

Westchester Broadway Theatre will be donating a portion of all ticket sales for the opening night of SOUTH PACIFIC to sponsor the upcoming October 18th flight from Westchester with the second flight following in April of 2015.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the 2015 ICONS Gala will celebrate the legendary career of Elaine Stritch, Sunday, April 12, 2015, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Grand Ballroom, InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, 505 N. Michigan Ave.

The Broadway community will celebrate the life of Seth Popper on Tuesday, September 30th from 4:00pm - 5:00pm at the Richard Rodgers Theatre at 226 West 46th Street.

The Ziegfeld Society will present Tony Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner Walter Willison in JOLSON, MY DAD & ME on Saturday, September 27th. The multi-media musical weaves together the songs of Al Jolson to tell the story of his father as a young man, growing up in the early part of the 20th Century, through Prohibition, The Great Depression, WWII, and into the present day, and of his own personal encounters with such iconic Jolson associates as Ruby Keeler, Patsy Kelly, Judy Garland, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin and others. Featuring such all-time American Songbook classics as 'Rockabye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody', 'Swanee', 'You Made Ne Love You' and many more.

Primary Stages has announced that the world premiere of While I Yet Live will begin performances on Wednesday, September 24 at 7PM. Producers have decided to delay the start of previews due to technical issues.

BroadwayWorld.com reported yesterday the sad news that actress, singer and stage veteran Polly Bergen died today at her home in Connecticut, at 84 of natural causes. The star was surrounded by friends and family at the time of her passing. Today, we take a look back at photos of the star, taken by BWW's Walter McBride.

Singer, actor, author, and playwright Storm Large is a unique talent whose charms and remarkable voice are quickly creating a buzz within the performing arts world. As the singer in the band Pink Martini, a finalist in the reality show Rock Star Supernova, and as a critically acclaimed performer, Storm Large has taken her voice from rock clubs along the west coast to the Carnegie Hall stage, performing with The Detroit Symphony.