Stephen Schwartz News

The production of WICKED that's currently playing the Fox Theatre delivers an enchanting experience to its audiences that dazzles and delights, filling the stage with jaw-dropping scenery and incredible special effects, as well as a host of wonderful performers. The plot based on Gregory Maguire's novel gives a back story to L. Frank's Baum's beloved Wizard of Oz, that is unexpectedly infused with a strong, positive message about accepting people for who they are inside And, while most musicals are guilty of utilizing a threadbare plot to hang a multitude of songs upon, this is not the case with Wicked, where the reverse is nearly true, with Winnie Holzman's clever adaptation providing a more than sturdy framework for Stephen Schwartz's catchy score.

FIRE ISLAND - THE ICE PALACE, located within the Grove Hotel in Cherry Grove, is pleased to announce the fifth season of BRANDON & RAY'S BROADWAY AT THE BEACH, an open-mic musical theatre party on Fire Island featuring Broadway's best! On Monday, June 21st, from 9pm till 11pm, join host BRANDON CUTRELL (Bistro, three-time MAC, and Nightlife Award winner) with RAY FELLMAN (Bistro Award winner) at the piano for opening night of this weekly party on Fire Island. There is no cover charge and no minimum.

Vista 360° in association with American Opera Projects presents the premier concert performance of the new chamber opera, Marymere, composed by Matt Schickele, based on the haunting true story of John D. Sargent and his wife, Edith, who lived as pioneer settlers on the shores of Jackson Lake, Wyoming, under the peaks of the Teton Range.

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival (June Lindenmayer, Executive Director; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director), with sponsorship from The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, has announced the line-up for the 2010 summer season of theatre and dance at the venerable performing arts camp and school in Steamboat Springs, CO.

American Opera Projects and Sing for Hope team up next week to present a scene from the new opera Paul's Case in three locations around the city to the surprise of bystanders and passersby. Utilizing the pianos placed around the city for the 'Play Me, I'm Yours' program, the scene from Paul's Case, by composer Gregory Spears and librettist Kathryn Walat, will feature tenors Thomas Wazelle and Dorian Balis as two turn-of-the-twentieth dandies on the loose in New York City for the first time in their lives.

Landmark on Main Street's 2009-10 Season concludes on Saturday, June 19th with 'Hello, Jerry!' - The Songs of Jerry Herman. Landmark thanks the sponsors of our Main Stage Series Susan Isaacs and Elkan Abramowitz, Jane & Martin Schwartz and Dot & Ed Slade as well as program sponsors Cecile & Jerry Shore.

Vista 360° in association with American Opera Projects presents the premier concert performance of the new chamber opera, Marymere, composed by Matt Schickele, based on the haunting true story of John D. Sargent and his wife, Edith, who lived as pioneer settlers on the shores of Jackson Lake, Wyoming, under the peaks of the Teton Range.

Kanye West appears to be sampling a bit of WICKED on his new album 'Good Ass Job,' set for release this September. BroadwayWorld brings you full coverage of this video footage showing the rapper remixing Stephen Schwartz's 'Popular' to a hip hop beat. Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of 'Glinda,' can be heard on the recording.

FIRE ISLAND - THE ICE PALACE, located within the Grove Hotel in Cherry Grove, is pleased to announce the fifth season of BRANDON & RAY'S BROADWAY AT THE BEACH, an open-mic musical theatre party on Fire Island featuring Broadway's best! On Monday, June 21st, from 9pm till 11pm, join host BRANDON CUTRELL (Bistro, three-time MAC, and Nightlife Award winner) with RAY FELLMAN (Bistro Award winner) at the piano for opening night of this weekly party on Fire Island. There is no cover charge and no minimum.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Café (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong it's third, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

'I murdered Mozart!' rings out across Europe from Composer Antonio Salieri on his death-bed. Salieri had been the toast of Europe. He had been a devout Catholic all his life. He made a pact with God that he would be the vessel through which God's music would spring. All was good until Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrives in Vienna. In horror Salieri determines that it is Mozart instead who is his God's chosen voice.

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival (June Lindenmayer, Executive Director; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director), with sponsorship from The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, has announced the line-up for the 2010 summer season of theatre and dance at the venerable performing arts camp and school in Steamboat Springs, CO.

WICKED veterans Marcie Dodd and Alli Mauzey will be San Francisco's new witches in the hit musical beginning June 29, 2010. This will be a reunion for Dodd and Mauzey in their roles as Elphaba and Glinda respectively, and will mark the first time the two actresses are back on stage opposite each other since they played the roles on Broadway from November 2008 - February 2009. The actresses will take a final bow with WICKED when it closes on September 5, 2010.

AMERICAN OPERA PROJECTS (AOP), 'known for bringing cutting-edge vocal production to the masses,' (New York) will present The Voice of Brooklyn: Opera and Song from the People's Republic, a free outdoor concert of new songs and beloved classics on the eve of the longest night of the year.

The Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center opens its first summer season with the Los Angeles premiere of the musical Daddy Long Legs. From John Caird, the Tony and Olivier Award-Winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, and the creators of Jane Eyre.

WICKED, London's 'hugely popular musical' (The Times) that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, has reached a major new Box Office milestone with an incredible gross to date of £100 million at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. The production has played over 1500 performances since its West End premiere in September 2006.

New works and old favorites performed by Broadway stars and Northwestern music theatre students are part of the 2010 Summer Music Theatre Festival (June 25 to Aug. 7) presented by the Theatre and Interpretation Center (TIC) at Northwestern University.

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, which will be performing from June 16-July 11 at the Fox Theatre

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2010 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

it's an art: the songs of Stephen Schwartz will add 2 performances June 6 & 14 at 8 PM, it was announced from the stage at Davenport's Piano Bar & Cabaret on Sunday night. Reservations can be placed at www.davenportspianobar.com.