Stephen Sondheim News

Today in 2009 the first Broadway revival of Bye Bye Birdie opened at Henry Miller's Theatre (now the Stephen Sondheim Theatre), where it ran for 117 performances. Originally titled Let's Go Steady, the satire on American society is set in 1958. The story was inspired by the phenomenon of popular singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into the Army in 1957. The original Broadway production was a Tony Award-winning success. It spawned a London production and several major revivals, a sequel, a 1963 film and a 1995 television production.

Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy is considered by many to be the greatest of the Broadway musicals. Featuring classics such as Let Me Entertain You, Rose's Turn and Everything's Coming Up Roses,Gypsy is both moving and spectacularly entertaining.

Pride Films and Plays annual fall benefit Simply Sensational: Legends will reach new heights this year when Tony Award Winner Donna McKechnie headlines the event on October 20. She will be joined on stage by other musical guests American Idol Finalist Devin Velez, Colte Julian from Million Dollar Quartet, and Ryan Lanning from Bailiwick Chicago's The Wild Party. WGN's Dean Richards serves again as the emcee, which features a preshow reception at 6 pm, the performance at 7, and a post show champagne toast with Ms. McKechnie.

When Stephen Powell's Sweeney Todd lunges at the audience in vengeful anger declaring, "No ones in the chair, come on! Come on! Sweeney's waiting, I want you bleeders," It's hard to think of anything more thrilling. And yet, Powell's performance along with a glorious 28 piece orchestra only partially makes-up for the Virginia Opera Company's rather uneven production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

(NJPAC) to present a series of evenings direct from 'Broadway's living room' to the audiences at the esteemed arts venue in Newark, NJ. The series, '54 Below at NJPAC,' launches with three Saturday night events, originally presented on stage at 54 Below, celebrating the music of legendary Broadway songwriters and featuring all-star Broadway talent.

London's newest fringe theatre is closing after staging one of the most acclaimed productions of a Stephen Sondheim musical in recent times.

Imelda Staunton stars as 'Mama Rose' in Chichester Festival Theatre's current production of Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's GYPSY, running now through November 8. The production officially opens tonight, October 14, 2014.

For 90 solid minutes, Tony Award-winning Broadway icon Brian Stokes Mitchell---under the guise of a showtunes-centric cabaret concert themed around his most recent studio album Simply Broadway---provided his enthralled Costa Mesa audience a virtual master class in musical theater performance. Not only did he sing every selection beautifully (as expected), he performed the heck out of each song with electric, palpable passion. Instead of merely parking himself in front of a mic, the seasoned pro of film, television and the Broadway stage chose to actually disappear into each song's character with purposeful yet effortless ease. It's not difficult to be awed by Mitchell.

Golden Globe winner, Amanda McBroom - the international nightclub and theater performer and composer of the hit song 'The Rose,' joins with her husband -- multi-award winning theater actor George Ball -- to present the New York debut of their show, SOME ENCHANTED EVENING -- An Evening of Love Songs for Grownups, at 54 Below. The second show is set for tonight, October 14th at 7:30pm.

The national tour of ANYTHING GOES, the new Broadway revival of Cole Porter's timeless classic musical theatre masterpiece, will make its Houston premiere today, October 14-19 as part of the 2014-2015 Season of Broadway at the Hobby Center.

The Mimesis Ensemble presents 'Beyond Boundaries,' a program featuring vocal works with a social commentary. The concert will explore songs from the 20th and 21st centuries which examine topics ranging from the ancient story of Gilgamesh, the Americanization of Japan in the 1850's to the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's.

The York Theatre Company has announced that Tony Award winning director and lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. has joined the cast and has assumed the role of MacMillan in the season opener of the Fall 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series: Big, with book by John Weidman, lyrics by Mr. Maltby. and music by David Shire. This presentation of Big marks the New York premiere of the script and score created by the authors for the show's national tour-a significantly revised version of the show with eight new Maltby and Shire songs, yet to be recorded. Mr. Maltby replaces Walter Charles who left the production due to an unexpected conflict.

York Theatre Company hosts its concert '45 at 54' in celebration of its milestone 45th anniversary season tonight, October 13. The first of two planned concerts is presented in association with 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, and Broadway producer/York Board Member Jim Kierstead. Discover what makes the York Theatre unique, or introduce a new musical theater lover to all that is happening at the York Theatre. The evening will feature a stellar cast and some very special guests.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: HERE LIES LOVE rocks its opening night in London, THE FIRST WIVES CLUB gets a reading, and the Jeff Awards celebrate the best of Chicago theatre tonight!

This beautifully surreal production of INTO THE WOODS is the finest production of a Sondheim musical I have had the pleasure of seeing on the stage.

Aragon High School Performing Arts is proud to present their fall musical, 'Into the Woods', opening Thursday, November 20th. Anyone who's ever read a fairy tale knows that getting your wish is not always as easy as it should be.'Into the Woods' magically spins the challenge of getting your wish by posing the question: how do your favorite fairy tale characters handle the wish they've been given? To their confusion, and our enjoyment, they are not careful what they wish for.

Manhattan Theatre Club's New York premiere co-production of The Country House, the new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan, is currently playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, starring Tony and Emmy Award winner Blythe Danner, Kate Jennings Grant (The Lyons, Proof), Eric Lange (FX's 'The Bridge,' 'Weeds'), David Rasche (Regrets Only, Speed-the-Plow), Sarah Steele (Slowgirl, Speech and Debate), and Tony nominee Daniel Sunjata (TNT's 'Graceland,' Take Me Out). Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Danner in the BroadwayWorld.com series 'In The Spotlight' by acclaimed photographer Walter McBride!

Just a few weeks ago I was dodging a falling chandelier at the Orpheum's staging of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA; at the 'Phantom Event' held prior to the play, I was reminded of all the physical (as well as fiscal) requirements for properly staging this production. I kept thinking, 'How many small, financially strapped towns would breathe a sigh of relief if the proceeds from such a production were to come their way?' Well, that's one extreme of theatre. Tonight I was exposed to the opposite; Circuit Playhouse's production of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones' allegorical THE FANTASTICKS reminded me of Thornton Wilder's minimalism in the staging of OUR TOWN. If musicals like PHANTOM and LES MISERABLES are the 'central air' of theatre, THE FANTASTICKS is rather like a quaint little oscillating fan. Yet, its breeze can be refreshing.

In celebration of this season's ON THE TOWN, we've collected 10 of our favorite dance musicals. From classics like ANYTHING GOES, 42ND STREET, A CHORUS LINE and WEST SIDE STORY to modern marvels such as NEWSIES and STRICTLY BALLROOM, the way choreography is used to tell a story continues to evolve and inspire.