Stephen Flaherty 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. 'The Last Ship' sails, 'Chicago' and 'The Heartbeat Of Home' stop by, 'Chicago's Golden Soul,' and 'Ain't Misbehavin' pack 'em in, catch 'Dessa Rose,' 'Love Story' and 'A New Brain,' and the Waa-Mu Show announces 2014, plus more!

The new Broadway musical ROCKY began previews in a big way on Thursday, February 13th! Following the first performance, the one and only Sylvester Stallone stepped back into the ring to celebrate the show's launch with the cast. BroadwayWorld was there for his curtain call speech and you can check it out below!

The new Broadway musical ROCKY began previews in a big way on Thursday, February 13th! Following the first performance, the one and only Sylvester Stallone stepped back into the ring to celebrate the show's launch with the cast and we were there to capture the appearance.

With just over a week to go before the star-studded BroadwayWorld Awards Show to celebrate the Best in Cabaret for 2013, reservations for this event at Joe's Pub on February 23 are going fast. Tickets for what should be an exciting night of cabaret will be $35 and $25 with a $12 food minimum or two-drink minimum per person. (Reservations are now made when tickets are purchased; it is no longer necessary to call Joe's Pub for reservations.) We recommend arriving no later than 30 minutes before show time. http://tickets.joespub.com/production/?perf=23792

The first preview of the new Broadway musical ROCKY (presented by Stage Entertainment USA and Sylvester Stallone), set for tonight, February 11, has been canceled; it was announced this morning. ROCKY will now begin previews on Thursday, February13, with no performance originally scheduled for tomorrow.

ROCKY begins previews tonight, February 11, and officially opens on March 13 at Broadway's historic Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway, New York, NY).

For the first DG Conservatory of the new year, the Dramatists Guild is thrilled to team up with the writers who created Behind the Music-al, Kyle Ewalt and Michael Ian Walker, today, February 11, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

On Twitter Watch, RockyBroadway wrote ' Performances of #RockyBroadway begin tomorrow night. The cast is preparing for the fight of the century.

For the first DG Conservatory of the new year, the Dramatists Guild is thrilled to team up with the writers who created Behind the Music-al, Kyle Ewalt and Michael Ian Walker, on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Dramatists Guild's New York office, in the Frederick Loewe Room, 1501 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Streets), Suite 710. This free seminar is opening a limited number of seats to the public and reservations are required.

The evening will be co-hosted by two of the company's alumni actors: two-time Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce (at PH in Richard Greenberg's The Maderati in 1987) and two-time Tony Award nominee, two-time Obie Award winner and 2012 Special Drama Desk Award winner Mary Testa (at PH in William Finn's In Trousers in 1979, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Lucky Stiff in 1988, Tom Donaghy's From Above in 1998/Obie Award and Kathleen Tolan's The Wax in 2000).

ROCKY, beginning previews February 11 and officially opening on March 13, announces a day-of-performance lottery for Golden Circle seats in the first two rows of Broadway's historic Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway, New York, NY). Golden Circle ticketholders will be escorted onto the stage to watch the climatic fight during the final 20 minutes of the performance. Entry to the lottery will begin two hours prior to each performance and the winners will be announced 90 minutes prior to curtain. The seats will be priced at the special rate of $35 each, limit two tickets per person. All tickets are subject to availability. For further information, visit www.rockybroadway.com.

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York premiere production of STAGE KISS, a new play marking the eagerly-awaited return of two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Sarah Ruhl (Dead Man's Cell Phone at PH; The Clean House, In the Next Room...) to the theater company. Directed by Rebecca Taichman (Milk Like Sugar at PH; the current Marie Antoinette, Orlando, The Scene, Luck of the Irish), the production begins previews this evening, February 7 at 8PM with an Opening Night set for Sunday, March 2 at 7PM. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, March 23 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Bailiwick Chicago will launch its 2013-14 season with the Chicago premiere of the thrilling musical drama DESSA ROSE by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning team behind Ragtime, Once on This Island and Seussical!, directed by Artistic Director Lili-Anne Brown with music direction by Collective Member James Morehead. DESSA ROSE plays March 6 - April 5, 2014 at the Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are available at www.victorygardens.org, by calling (773) 871-3000 or in-person at the Victory Gardens Box Office. The press performance is Sunday, March 9 at 7 pm.

The new musical ROCKY begins previews February 11 at Broadway's historic Winter Garden Theatre ahead of an official bow on March 13. In the video below, a slew of celebrities and Broadway casts celebrate the start of ROCKY on Broadway by belting out the iconic theme song.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)'s world premiere production of musical WITNESS UGANDA, which begins performances tonight, February 4, is the winner of the 2014 Richard Rodgers Production Award for Musical Theater. The award was announced yesterday by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which administers the Richard Rodgers Awards.

The new musical ROCKY begins previews February 11 at Broadway's historic Winter Garden Theatre ahead of an officialy bow on March 13. Below, check out just-released rehearsal photos with stars Andy Karl, Terence Archie and Margo Seibert!

The winner of the 2014 Richard Rodgers Production Award for Musical Theater was announced today by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which administers the Richard Rodgers Awards.

Therefore, Bob O'Hare's Recovery at Don't Tell Mama on the evening of November 17th may well be one of the greatest surprises beheld in many a moon....It's not simply the fact that O'Hare's truly-lovely voice emerges as never over-coached and with a really terrific natural sound. It's not simply that he's made truly impeccable choices in terms of material, both for not being terribly precocious but also very carefully selected. It is, in point of fact, that this really is what an act is supposed to represent both as what cabaret was in its heyday and what the art form is supposed to be from this point on....The evening's first true high-point rears its head with 'One Step' by Malby and Shire, featuring a spectacular patter sequence, followed shortly thereafter by 'Journey to the Past' by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Award-winning director Eric Michael Gillett once again proves himself as a master of the genre here...O'Hare emerges as triumphant at every turn. The guy has very simply been through hell and back, and it never shows. He couldn't be more quick with a smile or generosity of spirit, and it's truly one of the feel-good evenings of this or any other of the several last cabaret seasons. Should Bob O'Hare and Recovery return, please visit the process. It couldn't possibly be more worth visiting.' - Andrew Martin, NiteLifeExchange

ROCKY just revealed on its official Twitter page a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals for the show's Broadway debut. Scroll down for a photo of Margo Seibert and Andy Karl onstage!

The 2013-2014 Broadway season is particularly notable for its preponderance of screen-to-stage adaptations, ranging from ALADDIN to ROCKY to BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and more - not to mention this week's big announcement of KING KING: THE MUSICAL coming to Broadway soon, as well as BACK TO THE FUTURE hitting the West End - so today we are looking at some of the reasons why these properties in particular are perfect for the boards, and, hopefully, the box office.