Tom Hewitt News

The former Rockette has done everything from Berlin to Sondheim to Wildhorn on Bway, as well as 'Rock of Ages' and 'Chorus Line'.

BroadwayWorld's Senior Photographer Walter McBride has picked his favorite onstage photos from the year and you can check out his full collection below! CLICK HERE to check out Part 2.

The world premiere musical Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots just finished its West Coast run at La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff, on December 16. According to the North County Times, when the McAnuff spoke after the final curtain about the musical's future, he discussed the possibility of taking it to Broadway.

In this week's edition of 'Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week', we take you around the country - and beyond - with the most-read theater stories for the week of December 3! Scroll below to see what made news in your area!

La Jolla Playhouse presents Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a world-premiere musical featuring a story by The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Playhouse Director Emeritus Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), music and lyrics by The Flaming Lips, and direction by Des McAnuff. The show is currently running through December 16, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production highlights below.

La Jolla Playhouse presents Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a world-premiere musical featuring a story by The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Playhouse Director Emeritus Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), music and lyrics by The Flaming Lips, and direction by Des McAnuff. The show is currently running through December 16, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a world-premiere musical featuring a story by The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Playhouse Director Emeritus Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), music and lyrics by The Flaming Lips, and direction by Des McAnuff. The show will run tonight, November 6 - December 16, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse presents Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a world-premiere musical featuring a story by The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Playhouse Director Emeritus Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), music and lyrics by The Flaming Lips, and direction by Des McAnuff. The show will run November 6 - December 16, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the rehearsals below.

COMMENTARY, the latest feature film by writer/director Aaron Mark (Patti Issues), which features an ensemble of Broadway veterans, will be screened today, October 20th at 4:15 PM at the Producers Club (358 West 44th St. between 8th and 9th) as part of the third annual NYC Independent Film Festival. Check out the trailer below!

COMMENTARY, the latest feature film by writer/director Aaron Mark (Patti Issues), which features an ensemble of Broadway veterans, will be screened Saturday, October 20th at 4:15 PM at the Producers Club (358 West 44th St. between 8th and 9th) as part of the third annual NYC Independent Film Festival. Check out the trailer below!

Broadway Records announced that the new Jekyll & Hyde 2012 Concept Recording will be released on iTunes today, September 21st and on CD on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012. The new concept recording is produced by Frank Wildhorn, Jason Howland, and Billy Jay Stein and executive produced by Van Dean, Kenny Howard and Ken Mahoney. The Jekyll & Hyde 2012 Concept Recording is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008K8G530.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a world-premiere musical featuring a story by The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Playhouse Director Emeritus Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), music and lyrics by The Flaming Lips, and direction by Des McAnuff. The show will run November 6 - December 16, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, will present a staged reading of The Suicide: A Musical Comedy, Sunday, August 26 and Monday, August 27 at 7pm at the St. Germain Stage (formerly Stage 2) at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Tickets are $15 (reserved seating).

BroadwayWorld.com and Broadway Records are co-sponsoring a liner notes essay contest for the new Jekyll & Hyde studio concept recording. Fans will have the opportunity to submit a 250 to 500 word essay for consideration. Five finalists will be chosen by the staff of BroadwayWorld.com in consultation with Broadway Records. Frank Wildhorn, Constantine Maroulis and Broadway Records will select the Grand Prize Winner who will have his or her liner notes essay will be included in the upcoming recording.

Following celebrated runs at the Toronto Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, and on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR takes its final Broadway bow tonight, July 1. Upon closing, the show will have played 116 regular performances and 24 preview performances. One of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous shows, the Stratford production undeniably had a great run and introduced some exciting new stars to the Great White Way, including Tony nominee Josh Young, Jesus himself Paul Nolan, and Chilina Kennedy. Below, BroadwayWorld revisits the journey of SUPERSTAR!

As BroadwayWorld reported last week the Broadway production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR announced that unless business improves, the musical will close at the Neil Simon Theatre on Sunday, July 1. Now according to the show's official website, the production will indeed take its final bow on July 1. As of that date, the show will have played 116 regular performances and 24 previews.

The producers of the Broadway production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR have announced that unless business improves, the musical will close at the Neil Simon Theatre on Sunday, July 1. As of that date, the show will have played 116 regular performances and 24 previews.

Today we are talking to a supremely gifted performer who can be seen eight times a week on Broadway in the currently running Des McAnuff revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Jeremy Kushnier. Tracing his Broadway trajectory from his memorable debut in FOOTLOOSE back in the late 1990s to his impressive regional theatre and concert work - CHESS to The Dream Engine to BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and beyond - to his success touring in AIDA, RENT and others, up to his most recent gig in JERSEY BOYS, Kushnier opens up about his diverse career thus far and what we can expect from him in the future, near and far. Plus, Kushnier analyzes the five roles he has essayed in the current production of SUPERSTAR so far, since he was first brought into the production as a standby and understudy, after all - Jesus, Judas, Pilate and two different priests - and shares his enthusiasm for the dazzling, Tony Award-nominated production - all of this as he prepares for his long-awaited upcoming solo spotlight concert at Birdland on June 18! Additionally, Kushnier shares plans and wishes for a forthcoming solo album, as well as offers his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and much, much more!

Fans have rallied in an effort to show their support for a JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR cast recording. An online petition was launched earlier this week with the tagline 'We want a JCS 2012 Broadway Cast Recording!'

Josh Young and the cast of the Tony nominated Broadway musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR performed 'Superstar' on ABC's THE VIEW today. Check out the electric performance below!