Susan Stroman News

A touch of Broadway is coming to the Manatee Players to bring us an extended holiday season! The high-energy song and tap duo "Two On Tap" will return to the Manatee Players just in time to celebrate the New Year. "Two On Tap" are Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano.

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) will present a workshop presentation of four classic musical theater and film dance numbers today, November 14 at New York City Center, Studio 4 at 6 pm. Each piece has been coached by artists intimately involved in their original productions; numbers from CONTACT, JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY, LOVELY TO LOOK AT and BIG DEAL will be presented.

At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball on Monday, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater. Earl Weiner, Board Chairman of both The Acting Company and the Theater Development Fund (TDF) will receive the Warburg Humanitarian Award for his outstanding philanthropic endeavor and leadership. According to Barbara Fleischman, Gala Chair, Harriet Harris(Thoroughly Modern Millie, upcoming in Cinderella) and Dr. Kate Levin, Commissioner of New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, will present the awards; Jim Dale will host, Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow, upcoming in Giant) will perform and tributes will be offered by Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Rainn Wilson, Dana Ivey, Hamish Linklater, Joe Dowling, Director of The Guthrie and Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of Washington's Shakespeare Theater. Four hundred guests complete an industry-filled audience of producers, directors, entertainers and other notables including The Honorable Thomas Kean, record producer Clive Davis,director/choreographer Susan Stroman, TV personality Pia Lindstrom, Juilliard President Joseph Polisi, composerMary Rodgers Guettel and The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin. Tickets from 212-258-3111.

Columbus Children's Theatre (CCT) presents MUSICAL THEATRE MASTER CLASS with Broadway's David Ayers and Angela Gaylor, Monday, December 17, 2012, 4:30-6:30pm (Ages 10-15) and 7-9:30pm (Ages 16-Adult).

Prepare to experience The Nutcracker like never seen before as Flat Rock Playhouse, in partnership with Pardee Hospital and Pardee Hospital Foundation, presents the world premier of The Nutcracker, adapted by Chase Brock from E. T. A. Hoffman's story The Nutcracker and The Mouse King onstage November 28 through December 22 at Playhouse Mainstage. This new interpretation of the holiday all-dance classic is choreographed by Playhouse YouTheatre alum Chase Brock, choreographer of the Broadway hit, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Prepare to experience The Nutcracker like never seen before as Flat Rock Playhouse, in partnership with Pardee Hospital and Pardee Hospital Foundation, presents the world premier of The Nutcracker, adapted by Chase Brock from E. T. A. Hoffman's story The Nutcracker and The Mouse King onstage November 28 through December 22 at Playhouse Mainstage. This new interpretation of the holiday all-dance classic is choreographed by Playhouse YouTheatre alum Chase Brock, choreographer of the Broadway hit, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Following up on BWW's exclusive scoop on a presentation of the show, Michael Riedel reports this morning that the show has indeed been picked up by Tom Viertel and Richard Frankel who are aiming to bring the show to New York next fall.

Fifteen years after its Broadway debut - when it was nominated for 11 Tony Awards - Steel Pier, a musical by Cabaret and Chicago composers John Kander and Fred Ebb, will get its European professional premiere at the Union Theatre from tonight, 31 October.

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) will present a workshop presentation of four classic musical theater and film dance numbers on Wednesday, November 14 at New York City Center, Studio 4 at 6 pm. Each piece has been coached by artists intimately involved in their original productions; numbers from CONTACT, JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY, LOVELY TO LOOK AT and BIG DEAL will be presented.

A creative team from London England's West End has been assembled for the Drayton Entertainment production of Disney's and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, which will launch the new Dunfield Theatre Cambridge next March.

Ted Sod, Education Dramaturg, interviewed Choreographer Warren Carlyle about his work on The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Happy Birthday Susan Stroman! Winner of the Tony award for both direction and choreography of the original Broadway production of The Producers, Stroman's Broadway work includes The Scottsboro Boys, Contact, Crazy for You, Show Boat, Oklahoma!, Young Frankenstein, The Frogs, The Music Man, Thou Shalt Not, Steel Pier, Big, Picnic. A five-time Tony Award winner, Stroman's work has been honored with Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Lucille Lortel, George Abbott and Astaire awards.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that a new presentation of the production is taking place today, to hopefully line up additional investors for the show. In the cast of today's reading are Josh Grisetti, LaChanze, Emily Skinner, Sierra Boggess, Shuler Henlsey, Richard Kind, Amanda Kloots-Larsen, Caroline O'Connor and David Pittu.

Fifteen years after its Broadway debut - when it was nominated for 11 Tony Awards - Steel Pier, a musical by Cabaret and Chicago composers John Kander and Fred Ebb, will get its European professional premiere at the Union Theatre from Wednesday 31 October.

Today we are talking to a charismatic leading man who has made quite a mark on Broadway over the last few seasons, having participated in the original Broadways casts of Kander & Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS (for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Actor), Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT (as Favorite Son) and, most recently, the rapturously-received revival of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS (as Jake), which won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival - the multi-talented Joshua Henry. Discussing the creation, casting, rehearsal and reception of each of the aforementioned musicals, as well as working with his collaborators on said projects - John Kander, Susan Stroman, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tom Kitt, Michael Mayer, Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis, Diane Paulus and more included - Henry illustrates the process of bringing the three wildly different entities to the stage and how he shaped his disparate characters within them. Additionally, Henry also discusses his role in the original production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS and that Tony-winning Best Musical's inception and legacy. Plus, Henry expounds on his new self-composed family-friendly musical, AMIGO DUENDE, directed by Luis Salgado, which begins performances October 5 at El Musio Del Barrio and also shares the inspiration behind it. All of that, first news on his starring role in COTTON CLUB PARADE at City Center (co-starring GLEE's Amber Riley), sharing the screen with Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson and the Fab Four in SEX & THE CITY: THE MOVIE, his role in the recent MOTOWN workshop (as Marvin Gaye), future plans and much, much more!

ANNIE, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, went into rehearsal today in New York City with its full company. The production begins previews October 3, 2012 and opens November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Meet the full cast below!

Joshua Henry will join Amber Riley ("Glee"), Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox in New York City Center's acclaimed production of Cotton Club Parade, returning for seven performances from November 14-18, 2012. (Mr. Henry replaces the previously announced Brandon Victor Dixon. Mr. Dixon is no longer available due to scheduling conflicts.) Conceived by Jack Viertel and presented under the auspices of City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series, Cotton Club Parade will once again be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with music direction by Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The show will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars under the direction of Daryl Waters.