Rob Fisher News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Patti LuPone, composer tributes, new musicals in Chicago and New York, 'Beauty And The Beast' and 'The Jungle Book,' yet another 'Reefer Madness' and more....

Ravinia's 2012 Gala Benefit Evening, entitled "Leading Ladies" and featuring celebrated stars Patti LuPone and Patricia Racette, honors the 50th anniversary of the festival's Women's Board at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 21.

The final two weeks of performances begin today for Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony Award-winning production of Anything Goes. Scheduled to run through August 5th, the musical must end on Sunday, July 8th, 2012. Directed & choreographed by 2011 Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes is playing on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street).

Today, June 20, Roundabout Theatre's production of Anything Goes celebrated its 500th Broadway performance. This acclaimed production marks the second longest Broadway run in Roundabout's history, following its beloved revival of Cabaret. As previously announced, the show, which won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, will shutter on August 5, 2012. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the celebration today and brings you a sneak peek at the salute below. Stay tuned for full coverage coming shortly!

Anything Goes' Stephanie J. Block ("Reno Sweeney") will be interviewed on WAMC radio's "The Roundtable" on Thursday, June 21st at 9:40AM.

The company of ANYTHING GOES will welcome Joyce Chittick as 'Erma' beginning tonight and continuing through July 31.

Roundabout has announced that the final eight weeks of performances begin today for the Tony Award winning production of Anything Goes. The original limited engagement subscription run opened on April 7, 2011 and was scheduled to run for 19 weeks. It went on to be extended three times through August 5, 2012 and this week, Anything Goes will celebrate its 500th performance on Broadway. This acclaimed production marks the second longest Broadway run in Roundabout's history, following its beloved revival of Cabaret.

Internationally renowned Meistersinger Caranza and soprano Emily Stokes will be the headliners this coming Tuesday, June 12, at 8 PM in the Enrico Caruso Room at Little Italy's legendary Grotta Azzurra Ristorante, located at 177 Mulberry Street on the corner of Broome Street. Ms. Stokes, who is the winner of the Teaneck Cabaret Competition this past Memorial Day, is replacing the previously scheduled soprano Michelle Trovato, who had to drop out because of illness.

Ten Chimneys Foundation has announced the ten actors who will participate in the 2012 Lunt- Fontanne Fellowship Program, a widely acclaimed national program to serve the future of American theatre. July 22-29, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will join Broadway legend Joel Grey for an intensive, weeklong master class and immersion experience at Ten Chimneys, the National Historic Landmark estate of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.

Ten Chimneys Foundation has announced that Washington, D.C. actors E. Faye Butler, Christopher Bloch, and Brad Oscar have been selected as 2012 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows.

The 2012-2013 Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre season was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. The new season, the 46th season at the Music Center of Los Angeles, will include Jeff Goldblum in the West Coast premiere of the smart, sexy, new Broadway comedy "Seminar," Rachel York in the beloved 1930s musical romp - Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," the American premiere and pre-Broadway presentation of the dramatic musical "Backbeat" which features classic rock 'n' roll in its story of the birth of the Beatles, Tracie Bennett starring as the iconic Judy Garland in the West Coast premiere of the acclaimed play with music - "End of the Rainbow," and the daring new musical that explores a shocking event in American history - Kander and Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys." In addition, the exuberant musical "Fela!" will return for a limited engagement as a bonus option to the season subscription.

The 20th Anniversary season of New York City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series will open on January 30, 2013 with Fiorello!, the show that launched the series in 1994. The season will continue with It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, followed by On Your Toes. A Gala Encores! at 20 Celebration on November 12, 2012 will star Tony Award nominees and Encores! alumni Rauil Esparza and Kelli O'Hara.

Guest artistic director Mark Waldrop serves as referee in 92nd Street Y's Lyrics & Lyricists'™ Mad Dogs & Educated Fleas: Noel & Cole, A Battle Of Wits, through tonight, May 7. Interpreting the songs of these two master lyricists are vocalists La Tanya Hall, Jeff Harnar, Edward Hibbert, Colleen McHugh and T. Oliver Reid with special guest Harriet Harris.

92nd Street Y today announced the 2013 line-up for Lyrics & Lyricists™, 92Y's celebrated American Songbook series. Deborah Grace Winer returns for her fifth season as artistic director of the series, as well as one of the shows. Guest artistic directors leading the individual concerts are Rob Fisher (with host Sheldon Harnick), David Loud, Billy Stritch and Mark Lamos in his L&L debut.

'I feel great - calm and good! My husband came in and told me this morning. We both had messages on our phones because we had them off. I try not to put too much pressure on the situation. He told me to wake up and it was a great way to start the day! This one feels different for me. I'm so excited and relieved- it makes you feel good and validated, though I hate to admit it. It feels very overindulgent because the show had been so fun, easy, and effortless. I love the people involved and it's been the icing on an already big cake. I'll do my show with my great cast and crew tonight and we'll all celebrate that we've been recognized. It's great- it makes you feel like you've already won.'

It took two years, a Pulitzer Prize and an Olivier Award-winning London production before happening, but Bruce Norris' searing satire, Clybourne Park, has finally made the six-block transfer from Off-Broadway's Playwright's Horizon to Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre.  The original ensemble of director Pam MacKinnon's excellent 2010 production has been reunited for the playwright's scathing telling of the racial integration of a Chicago neighborhood, as seen through the history of one very significant home.

Colin Donnell, who currently plays the role of 'Billy Crocker' in Anything Goes, is set to depart the production on April 29. Bill English, who played the role while Donnell was filming a pilot in January, will take over started May 1.

Last night, April 24, Carnegie Hall presented its gala benefit performance of The Sound of Music in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. The cast was led by Laura Osnes (Maria Rainer), Tony Goldwyn (Captain von Trapp), Brooke Shields (Elsa Schraeder), Patrick Page (Max Detweiler), Stephanie Blythe (The Mother Abbess), Mary Michael Patterson (Liesl von Trapp), Nick Spangler (Rolf Gruber), Cotter Smith (Herr Zeller), and Reed Birney (Admiral von Schreiber). They were joined by and Joel Hatch (Franz, The Butler), Joy Hermalyn (Sister Berthe), Linda Mugleston (Sister Margaretta), Faith Sherman (Sister Sophia), and Veanne Cox (Frau Schmidt). BroaadwayWorld was on hand for the exciting evening and brings you photo coverage below!

Carnegie Hall will present The Sound of Music tonight, April 24 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. A gala benefit for Carnegie Hall, this one-night-only concert performance of the beloved musical with a timeless score by Rodgers & Hammerstein will provide support for the music education programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute.