Sam Mendes News

Northern Stage, considered one of the most prestigious and fastest-growing regional theaters in New England, presents the Tony Award winning play, Red, through April 21. Red was first produced at the 250-seat Donmar Warehouse in London in December 2009, starring Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne. The production transferred to Broadway's John Golden Theatre, with the same cast, for a limited run, from March 11 - June 27, 2010. It picked up six Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Featured Actor (Redmayne), as well as three Drama Desk Awards, including Best Play.

Today we are talking to the composing half of one of the most talented and consistently exciting songwriting teams in musical theatre, Dempsey/Rowe - the force behind ZOMBIE PROM, THE FIX, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, and, now, the brand new rock musical at Washington, D.C.'s lauded and progressive Signature Theatre, BROTHER RUSSIA - Dana Rowe. Discussing the finer details of his previous collaborations with John Dempsey on the West End iterations of THE FIX and THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, as well as their subsequent American premieres at the Signature, Rowe and I dissect his career thus far, with a particular focus on his edgy new hard rock theatre piece, BROTHER RUSSIA, directed by frequent Dempsey/Rowe director, previous InDepth InterView participant Eric Schaeffer. In addition to all about the boundary-breaking and genre-spanning BROTHER RUSSIA and his other notable musicals, Rowe and I also outline his influences and his own personal favorite scores, as well as shine a light on his enthusiasm for the musical genre at large and what makes his exceedingly complimentary partnership with Dempsey so elemental to the success of their risky and rewarding shows, ZOMBIE PROM until now. All of that and much, much more!

Just as the 2012 presidential race heats up,International City Theatre (ICT) presents the West Coast premiere of a hard-boiled, darkly comic, Olivier Award-nominated rock musical about the American political machine. With book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, The Fix begins a four-week run on April 27 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Randy Brenner is at the helm, with musical direction by Darryl Archibald, choreography by Heather Castillo, and Sal Mistretta reprising his Helen Hayes Award-winning role as Uncle Grahame. Low-priced previews take place on April 24, 25 and 26.

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport presents the Neil Simon comedy, The Sunshine Boys.

According to TVLine.com, Hugh Dancy is set to star in the upcoming NBC drama pilot HANNIBAL. The series is a contemporary take on Thomas Harris' novel 'Red Dragon'.

When a big Broadway star like Bernadette Peters makes her way onto a national TV program, Broadway babies await it with abated breath. Yet, when a big Broadway star like Bernadette Peters appears on an actual musical TV series like SMASH, Broadway babies have reason to throw an all-out bacchanal - and, last night, they most certainly had a reason cause celebre. While GLEE has spoiled us with a plethora of guest stars from Broadway and Hollywood over the course of its three seasons - Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Carol Burnett and Patti LuPone among them - the presence of two-time Tony Award-winner Peters - to say nothing of the forthcoming appearances by Norbert Leo Butz and Marc Kudisch - is a gift from the theatrical gods that instantly makes SMASH must-see-TV for the theatrically attuned among us (which, let's be honest, is most of us). Playing Ivy Lynn's blithely selfish and calculating former star of a mother, Leigh, Peters wrought every last ounce of bravado out of her bravura performance recreation of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from GYPSY - a show she famously starred in under the direction of Sam Mendes earlier this century - and made her thorny scenes with Megan Hilty blossom; her overall star turn giving the entire affair a cold, brusque but all-too-believable bloom - ice in veins all too tangibly real to feel. The tension was certainly thick for the first workshop performance of the show-within-the-show on SMASH, as well, but Hilty still managed to set fire to her scenes and songs - and McPhee shows considerable promise with her burgeoning pop music career (and next week's Ryan Tedder-composed "Touch Me" sequence seems certain to deliver on the sultry, sexy siren of song front as McPhee comes closer to getting the role of Marilyn). And, speaking of songs knocked out of the park for the umpteenth time by this all-star musical team responsible for SMASH, besides the slowed down grand slam ballad version of "Let Me Be Your Star" - given a bluesy Broadway belt only the very best, like Hilty, could possibly provide - we were also treated to a striking and wholly stylistically unique new Marilyn Monroe/Joe DiMaggio song in the form of the arresting "On Lexington & 52nd Street", another homerun to tick off on the perfect scorecard for songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman on SMASH so far; Will Chase's best (and, apparently, last) showcase. Film noir with a pulsating, almost atonal, steely and terse tinge, this is the sort of character number that seamlessly presents plot development and character exposition simultaneously in a purely, thrillingly theatrical manner and the type of dramatic and musical merging of storytelling SMASH excels at most of all, time after time after time after time. While "Everything's Coming Up Roses" was a strong cover of a classic Broadway barn-burner on account of Peters, "On Lexington & 52nd Street" expertly showcased the type of entertainment entity SMASH can ultimately be at its very best, firing on all axels - and how utterly enthralling in its layers of meta-narratives the real-life/showbiz soap saga that make it all come together it can fascinatingly be. Additionally, the workshop musical montage was the best example yet of how excitingly combustible and hot SMASH can really be when the boiler at its core is at full blast as it was sporadically last night in the appropriately titled "The Workshop" episode - almost always fueled by the simply spectacular songs for the show-within-the-show.

Northern Stage, considered one of the most prestigious and fastest-growing regional theaters in New England, presents the Tony Award winning play, Red, March 14- April 21. Red was first produced at the 250-seat Donmar Warehouse in London in December 2009, starring Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne. The production transferred to Broadway's John Golden Theatre, with the same cast, for a limited run, from March 11 - June 27, 2010. It picked up six Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Featured Actor (Redmayne), as well as three Drama Desk Awards, including Best Play.

The new Broadway production of Arthur Miller's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece DEATH OF A SALESMAN directed by eight-time Tony Award® winner Mike Nichols and starring Academy Award® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman, Obie Award winner Linda Emond as Linda Loman and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man), making his Broadway debut as Biff Loman is currently in previews and opens on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue).It will play a strictly limited 16-week engagement. Check out the production photos below!

Today we are talking to one half of the supremely talented composing team responsible for ZOMBIE PROM, THE FIX, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, and, now, BROTHER RUSSIA, the lyricist of the formidable Dempsey/Rowe himself, John Dempsey. In this career-spanning conversation, Dempsey and I discuss major and minor details of his handful of skillfully written and entertaining shows written with the collaboration of composer Dana Rowe (who will also be highlighted in this column next week), in particular their affiliation with legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh and Signature Theater founder and director Eric Schaeffer, director of the US premieres of three of their musicals, including the most current one opening later this month - as well as touch on his work with Boublil & Shonberg on THE PIRATE QUEEN and his musical adaptation of the religious-themed film SAVED! As if all of that were not enough, Dempsey and I also dissect the finer points of the new Dempsey/Rowe show in previews in Washington, D.C., BROTHER RUSSIA, as he outlines its inspiration, purpose, style and the intriguing story of the new heavy metal fairy tale meta rock opera - all of that and much, much more.

Northern Stage, considered one of the most prestigious and fastest-growing regional theaters in New England, presents the Tony Award winning play, Red, March 14- April 21. Red was first produced at the 250-seat Donmar Warehouse in London in December 2009, starring Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne. The production transferred to Broadway's John Golden Theatre, with the same cast, for a limited run, from March 11 - June 27, 2010. It picked up six Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Featured Actor (Redmayne), as well as three Drama Desk Awards, including Best Play.

When the sad news came out this morning that famed Disney songwriter Robert B. Sherman died yesterday, March 5, in London, some of our first thoughts here at BroadwayWorld went out to Tony-winner Marc Shaiman. Shaiman had been a huge proponent of the incredible 'THE BOYS - The Sherman Brothers' Story' documentary and it was his enthusiasm that sent us off to see the fantastic film, and our lives were better off for it. We asked Marc to put together some of his thoughts on Robert Sherman and are proud to present them below.

The final season of The Bridge Project starring Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director of The Old Vic, in the title role of Richard III, will close at BAM tonight, March 4th.

Today we are completing our triptych look at the leading ladies of the new BAM production of RICHARD III, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Kevin Spacey, with a solo spotlight on a stage and screen star known for her wide range of roles in dramas, comedies, musicals, television and film - the one and only Haydn Gwynne. In addition to all about her intense preparation for her role in the searing and prescient Shakespearean historical tragedy, Gwynne also recounts her experiences working with Mendes, Spacey and the previous ladies who have participated in this RICHARD III spotlight with whom she shares the stage every night now through March 4, Gemma Jones and Maureen Anderman. Besides all about RICHARD III and its international tour begun at the Old Vic in London's West End and ending up in New York at BAM, Gwynne and I also discuss her recent stage work in Elton John and Lee Hall's Tony-winning international hit BILLY ELLIOT and working with theatre and film director Stephen Daldry on it, as well as some remembrances of her other notable stage and screen roles, old and new - prior musicals (such as CITY OF ANGELS), as well as her recent guest-starring stint on the hit BBC series SHERLOCK included, as well as a look ahead to her new feature film, HUNKY DORY, starring Minnie Driver. All of that and much, much more!

One of the greatest joys of our job is seeing our audiences transformed by a theatre performance. At some point in Roundabout's 46-year history, you've likely experienced a play or musical that has inspired you. Roundabout has been fortunate to produce award-winning productions on Broadway for 20 years now. You may even recall our first Broadway production of Anna Christie at the Criterion Center in 1992.

Known for her many memorable roles on stages and screens large and small, many from the canon of William Shakespeare (OTHELLO, MACBETH) and Edward Albee (THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE, SEASCAPE, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? & LISTENING), Maureen Anderman is making her grand return to the realm of Shakespeare onstage in New York with the new BAM production of RICHARD III directed by Sam Mendes, starring Kevin Spacey. In addition to illustrating many aspects of the rapturously received revival of the historical tragedy as she has traveled with it around the world, Anderman and I also discuss her affiliation with Shakespeare and what she derives from performing his greatest works, with RICHARD III being the central focus. Also, Anderman details her experiences working with Edward Albee on the original Broadway productions of THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE and SEASCAPE, as well as offering some candid observations on some of her favorite feature film and television appearances over the years - THE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MOLLY DODD and LAW & ORDER included. As well as all of that, Anderman also shines a light on her recent standby duties for Vanessa Redgrave in THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING and DRIVING MISS DAISY, as well as the forthcoming Westport Country Playhouse production of MAGICAL THINKING in which she will be starring later this year.

Today we are kicking off our trio of InDepth InterViews with the leading ladies of the new BAM production of RICHARD III by talking to stage and screen star Gemma Jones all about her role in the politically-themed Shakespeare historical drama, which continues performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music through March 4.

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport has announced the cast and creative team for the Neil Simon comedy, The Sunshine Boys. Previews began yesterday with the official opening on Saturday, February 4 at 8:00 p.m. and running through March 25.

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport has announced the cast and creative team for the Neil Simon comedy, The Sunshine Boys.

Kevin Spacey, currently starring in The Bridge Project's Richard III at BAM, will be a guest on "Theater Talk" on Friday February 3 at 1 AM on Channel 13 in New York. "Theater Talk" subsequently airs on CUNY TV on Saturday February 4 at 8:30 PM; Sunday February 5 at 12:30 PM; and Monday February 6 at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. "Theater Talk" is hosted by The New York Post's Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins.

Welcome to BroadwayWorld's first-ever talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. This time, we bring you Adam Pascal, RENT's original 'Roger' and newest resident of MEMPHIS, 'Huey Calhoun'. In this candid talk, Pascal opens up about the joys and challenges of taking over a celebrated role, what it was like becoming so famous, so fast, and why he - surprisingly - wasn't the biggest fan of the Rent film.