Stuart Benjamin News

Director Bruce Beresford, whose iconic film Driving Miss Daisy captured four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, is teaming with Ray and La Bamba Producer Stuart Benjamin, in helping to tell the story of how Buddy Holly and other famous musicians of the late 1950s helped birth rock 'n' roll and change the trajectory of civil rights in America.

A lawsuit has now been filed by Evergreen Media in Connecticut federal court, alleging that Concord producers lined up the wrong rights for their project.

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this summer, Grammy-winning producer Stuart Benjamin, along with Concord Music Group, is in the process of developing a new musical based on the Stax Records music label, with book by Matthew Benjamin and sights on a 2016 Broadway bow. Now according to the Hollywood Reporter, Evergreen Media Group (which is currently suing Concord for publishing rights to the music) is working with Robert Gordon to adapt his book 'Respect Yourself' into both a film and musical on the same subject. Morgan Neville has signed on to produce the project.

Billboard reports that Grammy-winning producer Stuart Benjamin, along with Concord Music Group, is developing a new musical based on the Stax Records music label, with book by Matthew Benjamin and sights on a 2016 Broadway bow.

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: BROADWAY IN BRYANT PARK launches its summer season today, BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY begins off-Broadway, Leslie Uggams stars in GYPSY in Connecticut and more!

As the acclaimed Peter and the Starcatcher prepares for its first National Tour, the show's creative team and touring cast, including directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, and cast members including Joey deBettencourt, Megan Stern, John Sanders, Harter Clingman, Jimonn Cole, Nathan Hosner, Carl Howell, Ian Michael Stuart, Benjamin Schrader, Luke Smith, Edward Tournier, Lee Zarrett, Ben Beckley, Robert Franklin Neill, Rachel Prather, and Nick Vidal, recently met the press. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can meet the company below!

As the acclaimed Peter and the Starcatcher prepares for its first National Tour, the show's creative team and touring cast meet, including directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, and cast members including Joey deBettencourt, Megan Stern, John Sanders, Harter Clingman, Jimonn Cole, Nathan Hosner, Carl Howell, Ian Michael Stuart, Benjamin Schrader, Luke Smith, Edward Tournier, Lee Zarrett, Ben Beckley, Robert Franklin Neill, Rachel Prather, and Nick Vidal, met the press yesterday. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out full photo coverage below!

The acclaimed "Tomorrow Morning" by Bill Quigley performing Off Broadway at the HB Playwrights Theatre, 124 Bank street (between Greenwich and Washington Streets) concludes this run tonight, Wednesday, April 20th at 8:00 pm .

"Tomorrow Morning" by Bill Quigley is being performed Off Broadway at the HB Playwrights Theatre, 124 Bank street (between Greenwich and Washington Streets).

According to Variety, UNCHAIN MY HEART might not move to Broadway this spring after all. The show, which was previously titled RAY CHARLES LIVE!, was to open at the Ethel Barrymore on November 7, but was postponed until spring. Now the production has been put on hold because a producer of the show is suing the show's primary investor. A rep for UNCHAIN MY HEART commented that he 'had no details about a new production timeline, but admitted a spring start doesn't seem viable.'

According to the Hollywood Reporter, RAY CHARLES LIVE! producer Stuart Benjamin is suing his primary investor, Maurice Grant, for fraud, and is demanding $20 million in damages. Grant reportedly 'promised him $9 million in several installments to get Ray Charles Live! to Broadway'. Grant's first payment of $150,000 never cleared, and he never received a $2 million payment from February.

NCTC is proud to present the West Coast premiere of Don't Ask, a drama by Bill Quigley and directed by Ben Randle.The show previews August 13 - 20th (Press Night is Friday, August 20th), opens on Saturday, August 21st and runs through September 19, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

NCTC is proud to present the West Coast premiere of Don't Ask, a drama by Bill Quigley and directed by Ben Randle.The show previews August 13 - 20th (Press Night is Friday, August 20th), opens on Saturday, August 21st and runs through September 19, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

NCTC is proud to present the West Coast premiere of Don't Ask, a drama by Bill Quigley and directed by Ben Randle.The show previews August 13 - 20th (Press Night is Friday, August 20th), opens on Saturday, August 21st and runs through September 19, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

NCTC is proud to present the West Coast premiere of Don't Ask, a drama by Bill Quigley and directed by Ben Randle.The show previews August 13 - 20th (Press Night is Friday, August 20th), opens on Saturday, August 21st and runs through September 19, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

NCTC is proud to present the West Coast premiere of Don't Ask, a drama by Bill Quigley and directed by Ben Randle.The show previews August 13 - 20th (Press Night is Friday, August 20th), opens on Saturday, August 21st and runs through September 19, 2010: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

UNCHAIN MY HEART, the Ray Charles Musical, which was scheduled to open at the Barrymore Theatre on Broadway on November 7, will now open in the Spring of 2011 at a Shubert Theatre to be announced. The principal cast is expected to stay with the production. Producer Stuart Benjamin cited logistical reasons for the change in date.

Producer Stuart Benjamin has announced that UNCHAIN MY HEART, The Ray Charles Musical, will open at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th St.) on Broadway on November 7, 2010; previews begin October 8. Directed by Sheldon Epps, UNCHAIN MY HEART features the music of Ray Charles and a book by Suzan-Lori Parks.

The cast of UNCHAIN MY HEART, The Ray Charles Musical, will be lead by Brandon Victor Dixon (2010 Lortel, Drama League & Outer Critics Circle nominee for The Scottsboro Boys, 2006 Tony nominee for The Color Purple) starring as 'Ray Charles' and Nikki Renée Daniels (Promises, Promises, Nine) as 'Della'.