Stephen Sondheim News

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.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving neglected shows from the past, presents the season opener of the Fall 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series: BIG, today, Oct. 11, with book by John Weidman, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. 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. BroadwayWorld brings you production photos below!

Despite all of its violence and disturbing themes, Director Jim Petosa and company find the humor in ASSASSINS and are able to make the characters come alive as people with flaws, rather than monsters. In the controversial Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman musical, the cure for what ails them is to kill a President and the 1991 show strikes a chord in our gun-happy culture. A terrific lineup of voices handles the Sondheim score with aplomb.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving neglected shows from the past, presents the season opener of the Fall 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series: Big, today, Oct. 11, with book by John Weidman, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire.

El prestigioso compositor norteamericano Stephen Sondheim ha confirmado que se encuentra trabajando en un nuevo musical, que contará con libreto del dramaturgo David Ives, y que estará basado en dos películas del cineasta español Luis Buñuel : 'El discreto encanto de la burguesia' y 'El angel exterminador'.

Confirming previously reported rumors, the new project will be a collaboration between Sondheim and contemporary American playwright David Ives. The project, whose title was not announced, will be based on two classic films by Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel. The two separate films will be the basis for one complete story which the characters will exist in seamlessly. The first half will be based on The 1972 film 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' and the second half will be based on the 1962 film 'The Exterminating Angel.'

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.

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, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the star onstage below!

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents the world premiere musical production Little Dancer in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater from October 25 to November 30, 2014. The musical features book and lyrics by Tony Award winner Lynn Ahrens, music by Tony Award winner Stephen Flaherty, and direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Press night is Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Roundabout Theatre Company is thrilled to welcome back four-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory," Roundabout's Harvey) in a hilarious one-night-only reading of George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly's Merton of the Movies. This rollicking evening will be helmed by Roundabout's Adams Associate Artistic Director, six-time Tony nominee Scott Ellis (Roundabout's Harvey, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), currently represented on Broadway with You Can't Take It With You.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving neglected shows from the past, presents the season opener of the Fall 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series: Big, with book by John Weidman, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. 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.

According to Amazon.com the official soundtrack recording for Disney's big screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's INTO THE WOODS will be released on December 16th. The recording is now available for pre-order.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'this week in pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include openings of IT'S ONLY A PLAY, CURIOUS INCIDENT, and CAN-CAN, Michael C. Hall's meet the press event for HEDWIG, Len Cariou's birthday celebration at 54 Below, and more!

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 10/10/2014.

Meryl Streep is currently in negotiations to star as American-born opera singer Florence Foster Jenkins in an upcoming film.

A one night only concert performance of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's critically acclaimed and award-winning musical A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC will come to London's West End Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. The all-star cast includes Janie Dee as Desiree Armfeldt, David Birrell as Fredrick Egerman, and Anne Reid as Madame Armfeldt.

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.