Richard Rodgers News

Second Stage Theatre will present the world premiere musical, DOGFIGHT. Previews begin June 27 in anticipation of a July 16 opening. Nick Blaemire (Godspell) joins the previously announced Annaleigh Ashford (Rent, Wicked, Legally Blonde), Becca Ayers (The Addams Family, Avenue Q), Steven Booth (Glory Days), Dierdre Friel (Leap of Faith), Adam Halpin (Glory Days), F. Michael Haynie (Carrie), Derek Klena (Carrie), Lindsay Mendez (Godspell, Second Stage's Everyday Rapture), James Moye (Million Dollar Quartet), and Josh Segarra (Lysistrata Jones).

A by-invitation-only reading of Lempicka, a musical commissioned by Yale Rep and New Dramatists, about the tumultuous life of art deco artist Tamara de Lempicka, will be presented June 15 in Manhattan.

Doesn't the title say it all!?!

Lyric Stage presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!, with music by Richard Rodgers, book by Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and original Dances by Agnes de Mille, based on the play GREEN GROW THE LILACS by Lynn Riggs. The show runs June 15-24, 2012 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, Texas. Performances are June 15, 16, 21, 22 & 23 @ 8:00 PM and June 17 & 24 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ www.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.

The Associated Press reports that Andrew Lloyd Webber is in possible talks to join the judge's panel of the UK version of THE X FACTOR. Commenting on the rumor, the composer coyly told The Associated Press, 'There could be a little bit of 'you never know.'

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 6/8/2012.

The stars of the upcoming revival of JEKYLL & HYDE, Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages) and Grammy Award Nominee Deborah Cox (Aida), will host the 4th annual National High School Musical Theater Awards on Monday, June 25th at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). The show will feature 60 of America's most talented young musical theater performers vying for the "Jimmy Award" for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor. Winners will be awarded college scholarships and other prizes will be announced live.

Confirmed as special guest for the Coterie Theatre's Coterie Under the Stars benefit on June 30th will be Mary Rodgers.

A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK, a new musical which was a finalist in this year's prestigious Richard Rodgers Awards for Musical Theater, is one of 10 musical plays being presented by the 2012 New York Musical Theatre Festival Next Link Project (NYMF), which starts on July 9th. The musical is based on the short story, 'A Letter To Harvey Milk' by Lesléa Newman.

With a cast led by Broadway veterans Jessica Grove (who ideally captures the spirit and charm of Maria in her thoroughly captivating performance) and Ben Davis (tall and commanding as the naval captain torn by conflicting loyalties and social upheaval), Logan presents The Sound of Music you would expect from him, although in no way can you call it predictable or expected. To the contrary, Logan excels at delivering the unexpected and while The Sound of Music is probably the one show you would expect to be played out in the traditional, often-seen manner you've encountered in numerous other productions, he manages to surprise and delight you with his vision, his concept and his daring.

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 6/1/2012.

Today in 1975, Chicago opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rogers Theatre), where it ran for 936 performances. Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago, with music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal'. The original cast starred Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly, Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and Barney Martin as Amos Hart.

Today in 1954, Carousel opened at City Center, where it ran for 79 performances. Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics). The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline. The story revolves around carousel barker Billy Bigelow, whose romance with millworker Julie Jordan comes at the price of both their jobs. He attempts a robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child; when it goes wrong, he has a chance to make things right.

Men Alive - The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus concludes its successful 11th Season with VON TRAPPED!, a uniquely entertaining, wholly original tribute to the Tony® and Oscar®-winning musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC... the way only Men Alive can do it! The concert event opens Friday, July 20 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre with two additional shows on Saturday, July 21. The chorus will transform this beloved musical into a one-of-a-kind stage extravaganza featuring moving orchestrations, genre-crossing remixes, fabulous costumes, buoyant choreography, and even a few rowdy, yodel-loving goats! And nuns. Lots and lots of nuns.

Broadway favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda, a graduate of Weslyan University, recently visited his alma-mater, where he (in true Miranda style) rapped and spoke at the Alumni Association's annual meeting. Check out what he had to say below!

Rob McClure, who originated the role of Chaplin at the La Jolla Playhouse, will star in the title role of the new Broadway musical CHAPLIN. A new musical depicting the life of film icon Charlie Chaplin, with music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and book by three-time Tony Award-winner Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Christopher Curtis, CHAPLIN will open on Broadway on Monday, September 10, 2012 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Previews will begin Tuesday, August 21, 2012. Acclaimed director/choreographer Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway) directs and choreographs the production. Additional casting and additional creative team to be announced soon.

The third annual Hollywood Fringe Festival is gearing up for another celebration of the emerging arts in Hollywood. Here's Part One of our 'Focus on the Fringe Series' highlighting musical productions to consider adding to your Fringe dance card.

Today we are talking to a two-time Tony Award winning lyricist and book writer who was responsible for the 2010 Best Musical winner, MEMPHIS, and who has since written the libretto of the Gershwin revue NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET and received a well-earned Tony nomination for his efforts; one of the show's ten nods - Joe DiPietro. Discussing the finer points of his many musicals with a special focus on the two currently running on Broadway - MEMPHIS and NICE WORK - DiPietro eloquently elaborates on the process of creating both shows and the challenges new musicals these days face on their developmental road to Broadway. Additionally, we discuss Montego Glover, Chad Kimball, Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye, Adam Pascal and the many other talented individuals onstage and off who have participated in the two hit productions treading the boards eight times a week. Besides the complete 411 on MEMPHIS in Part I and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT in Part II, DiPietro also opens up about his new musical endeavor with Bon Jovi and MEMPHIS composer David Bryan, THE TOXIC AVENGER, and its star, Constantine Maroulis - and don't miss my exclusive interview with Constantine all about the most recent Alley Theater iteration of the show, available here. Plus, DiPietro shares fond remembrances of shows past - I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, F*CKING MEN and ALLEGRO - and future - CHASING THE DREAM - and expresses his infectious enthusiasm for the theatrical arts in general by revealing his early theatre memories, favorite scores and general love for the art form. All of that and much, much more! In Part I, DiPietro and I analyze MEMPHIS and take a step-by-step look at its creation and the development of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical. Additionally, DiPietro shares his theatrical influences and the shows and scores that meant the most to him growing up. Plus, he shares his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and the new movie musical era.