Twyla Tharp News

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post, and series executive producer Susan Haskins.

YoungArts, the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, is pleased to announce that famed dancer/choreographer Desmond Richardson has joined its Board of Trustees. Richardson will be one of two YoungArts Alumni representatives on the Board.

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post, and series executive producer Susan Haskins.

Michael Cavanaugh, made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway Musical Movin' Out, is debuting a new show, The Songs of Elton John & more together with the Indianapolis Symphony on June 11, 12 and 13, 2010 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, IN.

Twelve former SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE show favorites are set to return to summer's No. 1 series as All-Star Dance Partners. Skilled in various dance styles from Krump to Contemporary, the Season Seven All-Star Dance Partners are: Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, Comfort Fedoke, Courtney Galiano, Anya Garnis, Lauren Gottlieb, Neil Haskell, Allison Holker, Mark Kanemura, Pasha Kovalev, Kathryn McCormick, Ade Obayomi and Dominic 'D-trix' Sandoval. Each week, finalists will be partnered with a different All-Star dancer.

Parsons Dance - praised around the world for its virtuosity, exceptional theatricality, athleticism, energy and accessibility - has awarded two partial scholarships to attend the Master Choreography Workshop with Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Parsons Dance founder David Parsons. The talented dancers receiving the scholarships this year are Leslie Duner and Jamie Baptist.

SoBe Institute of the Arts announces its SoBe Arts Summer Program 2010 for children, teens and adults.

On Sunday, May 23, the Drama Desk Association hosted the 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Former Drama Desk Award winner Patti LuPone hosted the ceremony, which honored the best of Broadway and off in the 2009-2010 season. BroadwayWorld.com provided live coverage on the site throughout the ceremony and was also present in the audience to capture the best of the evening.

Here are the winners of the 2010 Drama Desk Awards... Outstanding Play: Alan Ayckbourn, My Wonderful Day Annie Baker, Circle Mirror Transformation Lucinda Coxon, Happy Now? **John Logan, Red ** WINNER Geoffrey Nauffts, Next Fall Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park Outstanding Musical:

The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony just ended at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Former Drama Desk Award winner Patti LuPone hosted tonight's ceremony.

Voting is fully underway for BroadwayWorld's 2010 Theatre Fans' Choice Awards, with thousands of votes already in and early leads established for some surprising and not so suprising early choices. Voting will continue through June 4, 2010 and anything can happen between now and then. In the meantime early leaders range from those overlooked by the TONY nominations to fan favorites. Check out the current stats below by category after the latest weekend audit on the votes.

The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Former Drama Desk Award winner Patti LuPone will host the awards ceremony. Keep your browser tuned to BroadwayWorld.com for LIVE coverage on the site of all the winners and more starting at 9pm.

Tywla Tharp is this year's recipient of the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Choreography.

KARINE PLANTADIT, nominated for a TONY Award, Astaire Award and Drama League Award for her starring role in 'Come Fly Away', will be a guest on the CBS-TV News Weekend Morning Show this Saturday, May 22nd at 9 AM.

Previews will begin today at Virginia's Signature Theatre for the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees written by Ricky Ian Gordon, the award-winning composer of the opera The Grapes of Wrath and the musicals Dream True and My Life with Albertine. A starry Broadway cast portrays Gordon's own family story - complete with a tough Bronx-born father and former 'Borscht Belt' singer/comedian mother - in a tale of two generations' struggles and triumphs in the decades from World War II through the 1990s.

Signature Theatre, the current recipient of the Tony Award® for Regional Theatre, presents the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the acclaimed opera The Grapes of Wrath and the OBIE Award-winning Orpheus and Euridice, as well as the musicals My Life with Albertine and Dream True.

American Ballet Theatre will celebrate its 70th Anniversary Season with an Opening Night Gala on Monday, May 17 at 6:30 P.M. Mrs. Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairman, along with Caroline Kennedy and Blaine Trump. The Spring Gala will honor David H. Koch for 25 years of service to ABT and its Board of Governing Trustees.

American Ballet Theatre's 2010 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 17-July 10, will celebrate the Company's 70th Anniversary with a tribute to legendary ballerina Alicia Alonso and the 30th Anniversary of Natalia Makarova's production of La Bayadère. The season will also feature the Company Premiere of John Neumeier's Lady of the Camellias. Tickets for ABT's Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on March 28.

Voting is fully underway for BroadwayWorld's 2010 Theatre Fans' Choice Awards, with thousands of votes already in and recording voting numbers already being set. So far there have been early leads established for some surprising and not so suprising early leaders.

The Tony Awards Nominations were announced Tuesday, May 4th and the Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 13, 2010. The day after the nominations, on Wednesday, May 5th, Broadway Beat talked to nearly all of the nominated stars in advance of a special two-part Broadway Beat Tony Awards extravanganza. Every day, we'll be presenting unedited, raw 'Short Takes' sneak peeks of some of these amazing interviews. Next up - Twyla Tharp, nominated for Best Choreography of a Musical for COME FLY AWAY. Read the transcript of her interview below!