Warren Kelley News

When looking for memorable images from America in the late 50's/early 60's, you are bound to find some old standards. Mom in the kitchen baking, Dad returning home from a long day at the office, children playing with their Slinky/Mr. Potato Head while drinking Tang, or the iconic footage of man walking on the moon for the first time. These images immediately place you firmly in an era where tradition crashed headlong into a world of new sights and sounds. And it is these images that brilliantly set the stage (and the mood) during the overture for Goodspeed Musicals' new production of the classic Adams/Strouse/Stewart musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE; and they signal the nostalgic, yet amazingly fresh romp the audience will experience for the next two hours.

The exuberant cast of BYE BYE BIRDIE will 'spread sunshine all over the place' in this summertime sensation directed by Jenn Thompson. Ms. Thompson's new take on this youthful classic includes two new songs, 'BYE BYE BIRDIE' from the 1963 film and 'A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore' from the 1995 television presentation along with crisp new dance arrangements by accomplished composer of Broadway, film and television David Krane. Go inside Friday's night's first performance cast party - scroll down for photos!

The exuberant cast of BYE BYE BIRDIE will 'spread sunshine all over the place' in this summertime sensation directed by Jenn Thompson.

The exuberant cast of BYE BYE BIRDIE will 'spread sunshine all over the place' in this summertime sensation directed by Jenn Thompson. Ms. Thompson's new take on this youthful classic includes two new songs, 'BYE BYE BIRDIE' from the 1963 film and 'A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore' from the 1995 television presentation along with crisp new dance arrangements by accomplished composer of Broadway, film and television David Krane.  Check out a sneak peek below!

The exuberant cast of BYE BYE BIRDIE will 'spread sunshine all over the place' in this summertime sensation directed by Jenn Thompson.

Riverside Theatre, led by Producing Artistic Director/CEO Allen D. Cornell and Managing Director/COO Jon R. Moses, present Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike playing the Waxlax Stage from February 16 - 28, 2016. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is sponsored by Ray and Sonia McGowan and Riverside Theatre's 2015-2016 Patron Producers Group.

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 70 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2015 Orlando winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Orlando Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Orlando Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Orlando Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Orlando Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Orlando Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw, under the leadership of Artistic Director David Staller, presented its 108th concert presentation of Shaw's whimsical Irish play, JOHN BULL'S OTHER ISLAND earlier this week atSymphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre (2537 Broadway at 95th Street).

The brilliant Klea Blackhurst repeated her starring role as the saucy, wisecracking housemaid Hazel in a new musical based on Ted Key's cartoon character Hazel - best known for the 1961-66 TV sitcom of the same name. Titled 'Hazel: A Musical Maid in America', the four Lab Workshop performances were May 28 and 29 at the Lyric Theatre Performance Space in Times Square. Scroll down for a peek at the cast onstage!

Evan Thompson, a New York City-based theatre actor whose long and eclectic career included work in cabaret, children's shows, summer stock, regional theatre, and on and off Broadway, died Feb. 28, 2015, in Brooklyn, NY, at the Hopkins Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare following a long respiratory illness. He was 83 years old.

To some audience members THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR may not be the most familiar of Shakespeare's comedies, but after seeing this production it now stands in my top three. Orlando Shakespeare always does a great job keeping the material fresh and accessible to all audiences. THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR is a natural fit for the Shakes interpretation, which sets the play in the late 1950s in a shiny suburb of America.

William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor runs tonight, February 4, through March 7, 2015 at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents The Merry Wives of Windsor from tonight, February 4 - March 7, 2015 in the Margeson Theater.

Everyone has read Harper Lee's classic American novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, which explains the sold out crowds flocking to see Orlando Shakespeare's live adaptation. It is a luxurious production that ships audience right into 1930s southern life. As with all great stories the ones that leave a lasting impact are those that are timeless and speak to all generations.