Stephen Schwartz News

Beginning performances on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, Lindsay Mendez will assume the role of Elphaba in the Broadway production of WICKED. Ms. Mendez has previously worked with both the composer and director of WICKED, having appeared in the 2011 Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's Godspell, and, more recently, giving a breakout performance in the world premiere musical, Dogfight, staged by WICKED director Joe Mantello.

A portion of proceeds from SoLuna Studio's upcoming production of GODSPELL will benefit PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. Performances will run on weekends from May 10th- 26th.

Broadway San Jose, a partnership between the Nederlander organization of New York and Team San Jose, announced the six shows in its 2013-14 Season today at an event attended by approximately 500 Subscribers and community leaders at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts in downtown San Jose. Headlining the Broadway San Jose season will be a three-week run of WICKED, the Tony Award winning musical that maintains its position as the top selling musical on Broadway, nine years after its premiere.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2013 Drama League Awards Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie this morning at Sardi's Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

The National Symphony Orchestra Pops will present three performances of The Wizard and I: The Musical Journey of Stephen Schwartz May 16-18 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Led by Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke, the performances feature performances by Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis, Julia Murney, Jennifer Laura Thompson, and The Washington Chorus. The performances celebrate Stephen Schwartz's 65th birthday as well as the 10th anniversary of the perennially "popular" Wicked.

'The Kevin Gray Musical Theater Award Endowment Fund' at Duke University and 'The Kevin Gray Memorial Scholarship Award' at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford have been created to provide financial support to promising students as they pursue training in musical theater. Any level of contribution will help guarantee that this type of educational experience is made available to students who choose to follow in Kevin's footsteps as they attend one of these two institutions.

According to a report by The New York Times, actor and Tony winning composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda will present his new show, The Hamilton Mixtape, at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater this season, which runs June 21 to July 28, 2013.

Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's beloved coming-of-age musical comedy Pippin is currently in previews at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). This all new production is directed by Diane Paulus featuring choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at highlights from the show!

Luminaries of stage and screen will come together on May 20th at LaGuardia Arts High School in Manhattan to pay tribute to treasured alumnus and show biz icon Ben Vereen (Pippin, Roots, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fosse, Jelly's Last Jam, Sweet Charity, Hair, Wicked). This evening of song and dance will include such notables as:

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: MOTOWN opens on Broadwy, the Gyspy Robe gets passed on, BIG FISH is introduced to Chicago, and so much more!

Glenn Carter* (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar, Whistle down the Wind), Stephen Rahman Hughes* (Emmerdale, Dream Team, Bombay Dreams, West Side Story), David Thaxton (Passion, Les Miserables) and Matt Willis (Wicked, Flashdance, Footloose and BRIT award winning member of Busted), join the previously announced Lee Mead (Wicked, Legally Blonde, BBC Series Winner of Any Dream Will Do) to complete The West End Men. All four will be joined by special guest star Kerry Ellis* (Wicked, Oliver, We Will Rock You, Born Free Tour with Brian May) for the limited run at the Vaudeville Theatre from 25 May to 22 June.

According to Deadline.com, The Weinstein Company has hired Matthew Ponsoldt to pen a film adaptation of the musical Pippin. No film version of Pippin has ever been produced.

Beginning Saturday, May 4th, Kevin Spirtas will assume the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter's nemesis, Dr. Chilton, in Off-Broadway's smash hit SILENCE! The Musical at the Elektra Theatre.

Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's beloved coming-of-age musical comedy Pippin is currently in previews at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). This all new production is directed by Diane Paulus featuring choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action below!

Lee Mead (Wicked, Legally Blonde, BBC Series Winner of Any Dream Will Do) will be joined by special guest star Kerry Ellis for selected performances (Wicked, Oliver, We Will Rock You, Born Free Tour with Brian May) in The West End Men, running at the Vaudeville Theatre from 25 May until 22 June, with press night on 3 June 2013. The West End Men is directed by the award winning Mitch Sebastian (The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas) and produced by Milton Morrissey Ltd, Jason Haigh Ellery and in association with Paul Tyrer & Jamie Clark for The Booking Office. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Sunfish, the musical by the award-winning songwriting team of Michael Cooper and Hyeyoung Kim, will be featured as part of the Broadway's Future Songwriters Series at the Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center in Manhattan, on Monday, May 20th at 6 pm. Songs from Sunfish will be sung by a cast soon to be announced. The evening is produced and directed by John Zindarsic. The performance is presented by Arts and Artists at St. Pauls, and is free and open to the public.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Sunday, April 14, 2013.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts previously announced national awardees for outstanding work from the regional festivals that were held January 8 through March 3, 2013. Individual awardees and a representative from each of the outstanding productions will travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for an expenses-paid trip to participate in the 45th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), today, April 15-20, 2013.

Erik Altemus is making his Broadway debut as 'Lewis' in the current revival of PIPPIN, returning to the stage for the first time in 40 years. The talented actor revealed to BWW why making his Broadway debut at this point in his career was exactly 'the way it was meant to happen.'