Scott Wittman News

It's the Broadway musical that was, then wasn't. On December 3, join the intrepid cast of the ill-fated Rebecca when they gather on the 54 Below stage for one night only in Keep the Home Fires Burning: A Very Manderley Holiday. For tickets, visit; http://54below.com/T_keephomefiresburning.html

Today BroadwayWorld is particularly proud to present an exceptionally exciting exclusive byway of this career-spanning chat with two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Bernadette Peters. In this all-encompassing conversation we discuss many aspects of her storied career, with a special focus on her upcoming feature film, COMING UP ROSES, which opens this Friday in NYC - a gritty and uncompromising independent feature offering Peters a searing central role as a struggling actress with a teenage daughter (Rachel Brosnahan) and their shared experiences cohabitating in 1980s era New York City. In what very well could be her finest dramatic performance of the new millennium, Peters does it all in COMING UP ROSES; she even gets to sing in it - the soundtrack features a familiar FIDDLER ON THE ROOF tune, a Kander & Ebb gem and even a stirring original song. Additionally, Miss Peters also sheds some light on her role in Season 2 of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH. Over the course of the discussion we also look back at her exceptional career on stages and screens large and small, touching upon her theatre work with Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber and what roles of theirs she would consider in the future, as well as her experiences sharing the small screen with stars like Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston and Carol Burnett and acting on the big screen for Woody Allen in ALICE. Plus, Bernadette gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what we can expect from her role in an upcoming animated feature film co-starring SMASH's Hilty and GLEE's Lea Michele, the highly anticipated DOROTHY OF OZ, and shares her satisfaction with her original, Bryan Adams-penned musical material for the forthcoming film. Yes, indeed, everything is definitely coming up roses today on BroadwayWorld and it's all thanks to the one and only Bernadette!

This week at Joe's Pub, tonight, November 5th through November 11th, get ready for Taylor Mac, a night with PigPen Theatre Co., Benjamin Walker's Find the Funny, Akiko Yano Trio, Bridget Everett and the Tender Moments, Alicia Jo Rabins: A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff, Henry Rollins: The Long March, Toshi Reagon and BigLovely, Alice Smith, Davis Rogan, Deleon, Jack Hitt: Making Up the Truth and Elliott Sharp's Terraplane. More details below!

54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, will host an Election night this year. Full details below!

Family, friends, and colleagues will gather to celebrate the life and voice of Broadway librettist Mark O'Donnell on Monday, November 12 at 3pm at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Doors will open at 2:30pm and the event is open to the public.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond …

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond …

According to Newsday, Tony Award nominee and Broadway star Brian d'Arcy James, who is currently starring in the world premiere of the musical Giant at The Public Theater through December 2, will return to NBC's 'Smash' in the premiere episode of season 2 as Debra Messing's husband 'Frank Houston'.

Catch Me If You Can, the high-flying, splashy new Broadway musical based on the hit DreamWorks film and the incredible true story that inspired it, makes its Minnesota debut at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, December 11-16, 2012. This first national tour captures the astonishing life story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a world-class con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer and a jet pilot-all before age 21. Single tickets are on sale now. Catch Me If You Can is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2012/13 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), now celebrating its 21st year as a not-for-profit service organization, has announced a lineup of Broadway stars performing at their annual TRU Love Benefit, Making the Impossible Possible!.

54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, will host a Halloween night this year. Full details below!

NBC today announced changes to its 2013 primetime mid-season schedule highlighted by the premieres of three new series, including comedy '1600 Penn,' from one of the architects of 'Modern Family'; an intriguing drama 'Deception' (formerly 'Infamous'); and producer Eva Longoria's big reality relationship show 'Ready for Love.' In addition, several of the network's biggest hits will return, including 'Smash' (February 5), which this season will feature The second season of SMASH will include a growing list of high-profile guest stars, including Nikki Blonsky, Jesse L. Martin, Jeremy Jordan, Sean Hayes and Jennifer Hudson.

The beauty, intelligence, charisma and singular silver voice of Melissa Errico has been wowing audiences since she was plucked out of Yale to star in the first national touring company of Les Miserables. Since then, Broadway has embraced her in My Fair Lady (Eliza, 1993 revival), High Society, Amour (Tony nomination) and, most recently, Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Kennedy Center audiences applauded her performance as Dot opposite Raul Esparza's George in Sunday in the Park with George. Having sung throughout the world in some of the most prestigious concert halls, and having released three critically-heralded CDs, Blue Like That, Lullabies and Wildflowers and A Legrand Affair (produced by Phil Ramone), look for Melissa lighting up 54 Below this Fall with a brand new evening of tales and tunes right before she starts rehearsals for the first New York revival of Stephen Sondheim's Passion! Directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, Musical Direction by John Oddo.

54 Below will welcome Broadway's own Michael Cerveris for two very special performances only on November 2-3, featuring him and his band, the magnificent Loose Cattle. Broadway was introduced to Michael in The Who's Tommy. Since then, audiences have embraced him in leading roles in Titanic, Assassins, Sweeney Todd, Lovemusik and, among others, his current Tony-winning performance as Juan Peron in Evita. BroadwayWorld brings you complete coverage of Cerveris in action at a preview for the concert below!

On October 31, Cadavaret- Broadway's Halloween Cabaret, will be hosted by Lance Roberts (Broadway's Ghost, Sister Act, Jafar in Disney's Aladdin and The King of Cartoons in The Pee Wee Herman Show on Broadway). Ka'davaret features some of Broadway's finest performers singing some devilish ditties from musicals with a "darker" theme, including Sweeney Todd, Little Shop of Horrors, Wicked, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Damn Yankees, Phantom of the Opera and more. Special guests include Tony nominees Robin De Jesus (In the Heights, La Cage aux Folles), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Ghost), Jen Noble (Ghost), Jennifer Sanchez (Spiderman), Chester Gregory (Sister Act, Cry Baby, Tarzan, Hairspray), and Orville Mendoza (Peter and the Starcatchers), with more to be announced shortly!

One of Broadway's favorite leading men, Brent Barrett has delighted audiences of the Great White Way and London's West End in Dance a Little Closer, Grand Hotel, Chicago, Candide, Kiss Me Kate and Annie Get You Gun, among others. As a soloist, Brent has appeared at Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert and Royal Festival Halls in London, and with symphonies and Philharmonics ranging from the Boston Pops and the Berlin Philharmonic to Opera Pacific and the Birmingham Symphony. This October, Brent makes his 54 Below debut with Musical Director Christopher Denny in a new show titled Night Songs - think everything from Music of the Night to Rhythm of the Night to You and the Night and Music - and you've got the idea! BroadwayWorld brings you complete coverage of Barrett in action at a preview for the concert below!

Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris, Tony Award nominee Melissa Errico, Award winning star Brent Barrett, multi-talented Broadway and television star Lance Roberts and MAC award-winning singer pianist Terese Genecco gave a special press preview from some of the upcoming engagements at 54 Below earlier today. BroadwayWorld brings you a preview of the special event below!

Based on the hit DreamWorks film and the incredible true story that inspired it, the first national tour of the high-flying Broadway musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will land in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre for eight performances tonight, October 23-28.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported the second season of SMASH will include a growing list of high-profile guest stars, including the just-announced Nikki Blonsky of Hairspray, as well as Jesse L. Martin, Jeremy Jordan, Sean Hayes and Jennifer Hudson. Now according to Vulture, Bernadette Peters, who guest starred last season as Ivy's (Megan Hilty) mom, will return in season two. The Broadway favorite will begin filming soon in New York City.