Stephen Schwartz News

Multi-award-winning film and theatre composer Stephen Schwartz has announced his next new stage project, an original musical centering on the lives of famed European theatrical producers Emanuel and Eleanor Schikaneder, titled SCHIKANEDER.

DEFYING GRAVITY: THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ will be presented tonight, June 18th at Toronto's Jazz Bistro. The 9 p.m. performance features vocalists, Michael Hughes (2013 New York City Bistro Award Winner, MICKEY & JUDY) and Callandra Dendias (Toronto's MAMMA MIA!), who last joined forces in 2010 for their sold-out concer t"Unexpressed" at the Berkeley Street Theatre, will reunite for DEFYING GRAVITY: THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ. With performances by special guests, including multiple East Coast Music Award nominee, John Connolly, Lindsey Frazier (star of Neptune Theatre's LEGALLY BLONDE), singer/songwriter Kritty Uranowski (Patti Cake), newcomer Joel Cumber, and accompanist Mark Selby.

Broadway In Chicago, Emerald City Theatre and First Stage are thrilled to announce their partnership for the holiday classic, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER will play the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 East Chestnut) Nov. 14 - Dec. 29, 2013.

Vocalists, Michael Hughes (2013 New York City Bistro Award Winner, Mickey & Judy) and Callandra Dendias (Toronto's Mamma Mia!), who last joined forces in 2010 for their sold-out concert 'Unexpressed' at the Berkeley Street Theatre, will reunite for Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz tonight, June 18th at Toronto's Jazz Bistro.

The parables of Jesus Christ come to life when M&M Stage Productions presents the modern day musical "Godspell" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Performances are Fridays, July 12 and 19 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, July 13 and 20 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, July 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on July 12.

The New York Musical Theater Festival will present a one-night-only staged concert featuring the music and lyrics of the 2013 Kleban Award-winning writer Daniel Mate on Monday July 15th with performances at 6:30pm and 9:30pm.

Putting together on one stage Lea Salonga, Ramin Karimloo, and Sierra Boggess sounds such a completely stellar idea; but, when examined closely, it is quite tricky. Given the varied theater credits under their names, one would have to carefully consider what type of show--in a concert form--would showcase their vocal abilities in a way that they need not upstage one another. To make things more interesting, or complicated, what if you would include Japan's very own TV and theater star Yu Shirota in the already mixed bag of performers? How will he fit in?

Sunfish, the award-winning musical by the songwriting team of Michael Cooper and Hyeyoung Kim has been selected to open DIMF (Daegu International Musical Festival), the largest international Musical Theatre festival in the world, today, June 17, 2013. Performances run at the Daegu Opera House through June 23rd.

Beginning today, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced this week that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for futureSILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Beginning tomorrow, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced yesterday that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar and Tony awarded composer and lyricist, will collaborate with Christian Struppeck on a musical about Emanual Schikander (1751-1812), the librettist of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. The musical, which will be mounted in Vienna, is tentatively planned for the 2015/2016 season.

Tickets: $20 and $18. Show time is 7:30 PM. For more information or tickets call 609-525-9300 or visit www.ocnj.us/boxoffice

PIPPIN - the New Broadway Cast Recording from Ghostlight Records - debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Cast Albums chart the week after its June 4 digital release. It also hit #34 on the Digital Albums Chart and #92 on the Billboard Top 200.

Sunfish, the award-winning musical by the songwriting team of Michael Cooper and Hyeyoung Kim has been selected to open DIMF (Daegu International Musical Festival), the largest international Musical Theatre festival in the world, Monday, June 17, 2013. Performances run at the Daegu Opera House through June 23rd.

Today in 1977, Pippin closed at the Minskoff Theatre, after having played 1944 performances. Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto. The musical uses the premise of a mysterious acting troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance. The original cast included: Eric Berry, Jill Clayburgh, Leland Palmer, Irene Ryan, Ben Vereen, and John Rubinstein.

The company of the second North American tour of WICKED is thrilled to welcome John Hillner as Dr. Dillamond and Jenny Fellner as Nessarose on Monday, July 1 in Milwaukee, WI and Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible on Wednesday, July 10 in Houston, TX.

The producers of the recently crowned 2013 Tony Award winning Best Revival of a Musical PIPPIN are pleased to announce that a new block of tickets have gone on sale and seats are now available for purchase through January 5, 2014. PIPPIN, now playing at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), also took Tony Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Patina Miller), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Andrea Martin) and Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus).

BroadwayWorld.com's Richie Ridge sat with all of the 2013 Tony Winners right after they came off stage from their big wins. The winners were filled with joy, memories and excitement and we've got it ALL! Here's Patina Miller, who won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her portrayal of the Leading Player in Pippin.

Our picks for theatre in Utah in the summer of 2013.

Three-time Tony winning director Jack O'Brien's memoir 'Jack Be Nimble: The Accidental Education of an Unintentional Director' will be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on June 18, 2013. For Jack O'Brien, there's nothing like a first encounter with a great performer, nothing like the sound of an audience bursting into applause. In short, there's nothing like the theater. In the special interview below, director Richard Jay-Alexander chats with his friend about what fans can expect from the new book. Check it out below!