Twyla Tharp News

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce its line-up for the 2011-2012 season, sponsored by Farmington Bank, featuring some timeless Broadway classics, family entertainment, comedy, and more. Tickets to the shows listed below will go on sale Monday, August 1, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

The new Broadway musical, COME FLY AWAY, conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp and by special arrangement with the Frank Sinatra Family and Frank Sinatra Enterprises, will open at Detroit's Fisher Theatre on Tuesday, September 13.

West Coast Ensemble is thrilled to announce that its smash-hit critically-acclaimed production of GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel, is EXTENDING through Sunday, July 31 at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage, 1625 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood.

Let me just say this right off the bat... BURN THE FLOOR is quite possibly the most entertained I have ever been at a dance-centric stage show. From its electric start to its rousingly gangbusters finalé, the show truly lives up to its scorching name. Direct from its Broadway berth, the tour is now calling the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa its temporary dance home for the next two weeks through June 12.

Think about it: How many times have you seen the title of a show or movie with an exclamation point on the end? There's Oklahoma! Airplane! ¡Three Amigos! Mamma Mia! Hot Shots! Oliver!....and those are only a few. Some of them actually, depending upon your response, may have deserved the exclamation. Most, however, do not. An exception to this general truism is Vegas! The Show.

Christopher Butler is one of the stars of Nashville Ballet, taking on some of the most challenging roles to be found for men in the canon of classical ballet and contemporary dance. He's also a critical and audience favorite, veritably dancing his way into the hearts of dance devotees during his career in Nashville.

The new Broadway musical, COME FLY AWAY, conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp and featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra, will make its Connecticut premiere at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford May 29-June 3, 2012, as part of The Bushnell's 2011-2012 Broadway Series.

Jacob's Pillow announces today that Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff will soon present the fifth annual Jacob's Pillow Dance Award to Crystal Pite, an internationally renowned Canadian choreographer and Artistic Director of contemporary dance company Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM.

The Juilliard School holds its 106th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 20, 2011 at 11 AM in Alice Tully Hall (Broadway at 65th Street, NYC). Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi presents honorary degrees to four outstanding artists.

As previously reported, Warner Bros. Records is proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ingenious collaboration between renowned composer Danny Elfman and legendary film director Tim Burton, with the release of the The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box on May 24th.

Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary season, the internationally acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) returns to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Dr., to present three Chicago premieres, Tuesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m.

The Herb Alpert Foundation and California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) have awarded the 17th Alpert Award in the Arts to five exceptional mid-career artists. The award, an annual prize of $75,000, recognizes past performance and future promise to artists working in Dance, Film/Video, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts, the five major fields of investigation at CalArts.

J.L. 'Lynn' Singleton, President of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), is pleased to announce PPAC's 34th Anniversary Broadway Season

Dances Patrelle presents the World Premiere of Francis Patrelle's GILBERT & SULLIVAN, The Ballet!, an evening-length work featuring live music and singers, as well as characters from Gilbert and Sullivan favorites, from May 12-15, 2011 at Dicapo Opera Theatre, 184 W. 76th Street, NYC.

Dances Patrelle presents the World Premiere of Francis Patrelle's GILBERT & SULLIVAN, The Ballet!, an evening-length work featuring live music and singers, as well as characters from Gilbert and Sullivan favorites, from May 12-15, 2011 at Dicapo Opera Theatre, 184 W. 76th Street, NYC.

The Colony Theatre is excited to present musical theatre dynamo JASON GRAAE in "PERFECT HERMANY: JASON GRAAE SINGS JERRY HERMAN" with musical direction by John Boswell, and directed by Lee Tannen.

New Orleans has been selected as one of only three US cities for the upcoming tour of Corella Ballet Castilla y Leon, Spain's only classical ballet company.