Susan Watson News

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, has announced a line-up of Broadway performers who will honor legendary musical theatre writing team Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks, I Do, I Do!, 110 in the Shade, Celebration) with the 2017 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 26th Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala set for Monday evening, December 4, 2017 at The Asia Society (725 Park Avenue).

For its 50th season, The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. (NEC) has been presenting a retrospective of some of the troupe's signature works. The culminating event of this landmark season will be NEC's most famous and successful production, 'A Soldier's Play' by Charles Fuller, which NEC first presented in 1981 at Theatre Four.

For its 50th season, The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. (NEC) has been presenting a retrospective of some of the troupe's signature works. The culminating event of this landmark season will be NEC's most famous and successful production, 'A Soldier's Play' by Charles Fuller, which NEC first presented in 1981 at Theatre Four.

According to Deadline, Dick Gautier, star of BYE BYE BIRDIE and television's GET SMART, passed away on January 13. He was 85. Gautier's wife, Tess Thompson, reportedly announced the actor's passing with a brief Facebook post.

The latest production of the classic THE FANTASTICKS arrived at The Pasadena Playhouse September 6, 2016, directed by Seema Sueko. With the book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, THE FANTASTICKS was awarded the Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre in 1991, in its 33rd year of its 42-year Off-Broadway run (17,162 performances!).

Khalil Muhammad, in association with The Collective-NY is proud to announce Pryor Truth as part of the 20th Annual New York International Fringe Festival-FringeNYC. Pryor Truth is a one man show written and performed by Khalil Muhammad. Directed by Marcus Naylor. Co-Developed and Executive Produced by Victoria Dicce.

The team wrote the Broadway hits BYE, BYE, BIRDIE and APPLAUSE and the classic song 'Once Upon a Time.'

From Laura Benanti to Jeff Daniels, check out BroadwayWorld's complete breakdown of past nominees and winners that will be walking the red carpet this Sunday at the Beacon Theatre. 

BRIC is pleased to present the world premiere of The Messiah Complex, a new play written by Nia Witherspoon and visionary director Charlotte Brathwaite with choreography by Ni'Ja Whitson and dramaturgy by Cherrie Moraga.

BRIC is pleased to present the world premiere of The Messiah Complex, a new play written by Nia Witherspoon and visionary director Charlotte Brathwaite with choreography by Ni'Ja Whitson and dramaturgy by Cherrie Moraga.

Theatre fans love to fantasy cast revivals, but what if the show you're casting played on Broadway earlier than it actually did.

Catalina Bar & Grill will present singer ALEXIS GERSHWIN, the niece of the iconic American composer and lyricist, GEORGE & IRA GERSHWIN, in a 75-minute musical journey and salute to her uncle's music in a show entitled 'GERSHWIN SINGS GERSHWIN,' backed by The Gershwin Singers & Band, under the musical direction of Steven Applegate, to be presented One Night Only on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 8:30 p.m. at Catalina Bar & Grill; 6725 West Sunset Boulevard (just east of North Highland Avenue); Los Angeles, CA 90028. There is $20 Cover Charge, plus dinner or a two-drink minimum per person. Valet Parking is available.

BREAKING THROUGH, a world premiere musical, features a book by Kirsten Guenther, and music and lyrics by Cliff Downs and Katie Kahanovitz. The production is choreographed by Tyce Diorio and directed by Sheldon Epps. Preview performances began October 27, 2015 with the official press opening on November 1, 2015 at The Pasadena Playhouse (39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at opening night on the red carpet below!

Founded by BroadwayWorld TV's own Michael Sterling (On-air Producer and Host for live entertainment news events in Los Angeles), Sterling's Upstairs first opened its doors at the renowned Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA. where it single handedly brought back to Los Angeles the art of intimate upscale cabaret concerts which had all but vanished from the cultural scene in movie town, USA.  However, in due time, the venue was whole heartedly embraced by enthusiasts of LA's performing arts community and continued to thrive for 6 successful years in a former storage room that was transformed by Sterling into a true supper club environment.  

Jennifer Kranz, winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2014; and Stage Star top finalist Adrienne Visnic make their respective headlining debuts at Sterling's Upstairs November 16th and 23rd.

"The Fantasticks" is the world's longest running musical, having played for over 52 years in Manhattan and entranced generations of audiences the world over. Many actors have appeared in the show over those five decades, and when Panic! Productions mounts this beloved classic in Thousand Oaks, directed and choreographed by Joshua Finkel, three accomplished actresses who played the lead role of Luisa in New York will be special audience guests.

Sterling's Upstairs - housed at popular LA hot spot The Federal in North Hollywood's NoHo Arts District - has not only been described by the Los Angeles Times as "LA's cabaret destination;" but was just cited by LA Weekly as one of Los Angeles's top five supper clubs, With an arsenal of similar accolades from LA based media, Sterling's Upstairs celebrates its eight-year anniversary this month with Broadway performers Maura Hanlon Smith (June 9), Sandy Bainum (June 22) and Bernard Dotson (June 29-June 30). Kritzerland Records' Nobody Does it Better... The songs of Dorothy Fields kicked off the month-long celebration on June 1st featuring Tara Browne, Cynthia Ferrer, Zachary Ford, Kim Huber, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sami Staitman, Sarah Staitman, Robert Yacko and Special Guest... Broadway's Kerry O'Malley.

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will present OUR BROADWAY SCRAPBOOK, a benefit concert at their new venue: Santa Monica's Ann and Jerry Moss Theatre. OUR BROADWAY SCRAPBOOK, a celebration benefit introducing the Musical Theatre Guild, will be presented September 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm, two months in advance of their inaugural Moss Theatre season opening. All proceeds from this one-night-only event will benefit the New Roads School

The Sunday, June 2nd Kritzerland Show at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in North Hollywood proved another highly enjoyable evening from Bruce Kimmel and Adryan Russ. The composer celebrated in this show, Noel Coward, is perhaps more renowned for his lyrics than his melodies, but what lyrics they are! Clever, witty, or cynical, they come fast and they delight the intellect.

The 34th Kritzerland show is a tribute to a unique, one-of-a-kind original - Noel Coward. Coward did it all -he wrote plays (Blithe Spirit, Hay Fever, Present Laughter, Private Lives), musicals (The Girl Who Came to Supper, Sail Away and others), divertissements (Tonight at 8:30 - a cycle of nine short plays performed over three nights), he starred in and directed most of his shows, and he was posessed of an incredible "talent to amuse" - a brilliant wit with a brilliant way with words and music, a romantic who could melt the heart, and someone who was the very epitome of sophistication and style.