William Ivey Long News

On Friday, March 25, 2011, the internationally acclaimed revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO will reach another major milestone when it becomes the fifth-longest running production in Broadway history, surpassing Oh! Calcutta with a total of 5,960 performances!

PERFORMING ARTS FORT WORTH proudly welcomes the acclaimed national Broadway tour CHICAGO to BASS PERFORMANCE HALL on JUNE 17-JUNE 19. Tickets start at $38.50 and will go on sale Saturday, March 26, at 10:00 a.m.!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production of their 2010-2011 season of shows, the blood-thirsty musical comedy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by David O, choreography by Dana Solimando, directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite and starring Brett Ryback, Lesli Margherita and Bob Amaral.

Broadway Beat recently went behind the scenes of Broadway's newest musical, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, which just began previews at the Neil Simon Theatre last week. During their visit at the rehearsal studio, they stopped to chat with Aaron Tveit, who plays leading man Frank Abagnale Jr. in the production.

Two-time Tony Award-nominated Alison Fraser has joined the cast of David Ives' new comedy, THE SCHOOL FOR LIES, from the Molière classic The Misanthrope, directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie, beginning performances Wednesday, April 13 at Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 22. The official press opening is Sunday, May 1 at 2 pm. The cast of THE SCHOOL FOR LIES also feature Mamie Gummer, Jenn Gambatese and Hamish Linklater, as well as Steven Boyer, Frank Harts, Rick Holmes, Hoon Lee and Matthew Maher.

Broadway Beat recently went behind the scenes of Broadway's newest musical, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, which just began previews at the Neil Simon Theatre last week. During their visit at the rehearsal studio, they stopped to chat with Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, who plays lovable FBI agent Carl Hanratty in the show.

Sh-k-boom will release the cast recording of Broadway's newest musical, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. The show, which began previews at the Neil Simon Theatre last week, is based on the hit DreamWorks film and the incredible true story that inspired it. A release date for the album has not yet been announced.

Goodspeed Musicals will honor the tremendous creative team that introduced the world to Annie nearly 35 years ago when it debuted at the Goodspeed Opera House. The incomparable team of Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin will be celebrated at a Gala evening on Saturday, June 4, 2011 when they will each receive The Goodspeed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in recognition of their extraordinary careers. Previous award recipients include Julie Andrews, Ira Gershwin, Jerry Herman, William Ivey Long, Michael P. Price, Gerald Schoenfeld, Stephen Schwartz, Susan Stroman, Tommy Tune and Paul Williams. Proceeds from the Gala will support Goodspeed Musicals' Education Programs through The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, will close at The Orpheum Theatre, March 13th, 2011.

One of the most anticipated musical events of the season, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, begins previews tonight March 11, 2011 at The Neil Simon Theatre. Opening night is set for Sunday, April 10, 2011.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, will play at The Orpheum Theatre, March 8th-13th, 2011.

CHICAGO is coming back to Detroit and its PURE ENTERTAINMENT! CHICAGO will be at Detroit's Fisher Theatre March 8-13, 2011!

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, is coming to the DuPont Theatre for eight (8) performances only.

Theatre artists and productions nominated for The 27th Annual Helen Hayes Awards were announced this evening at a press conference hosted by The National Theatre in its Helen Hayes Gallery.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, is coming to the DuPont Theatre for eight (8) performances only.

The phenomenal Parsons Dance returns to New Orleans with a program featuring the critically-acclaimed dance/rock opera Remember Me, a collaboration with the Grammy-nominated East Village Opera Company (EVOC), on April 16 at 8pm at the Mahalia Jackson Theater.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony®-Award winning smash The Producers, is coming to Omaha, Tuesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 3, 2011. The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein will be presented at the Orpheum Theater by Omaha Performing Arts and Broadway Across America.

Three-time Tony Award-winning scenic designer ROBIN WAGNER and esteemed costume designer LEWIS BROWN are among the 2011 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, April 8 at 6:30pm at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). Mr. Brown was selected to receive the 2011 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design, and Tony Award-winning scenic designer Robin Wagner will receive the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design. Sadly, Mr. Brown passed away in January of 2011. His award will be accepted by his long-time colleague and friend, Albert Wolsky, who was the recipient of the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will begin on Friday, March 11, 2011 at The Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd Street and will open on Sunday, April 10, 2011. The first video pieces that we ran from this exciting event were SO popular that we are thrilled to share some more footage, given to us by the production!

The 1980 movie Nine to Five was a pretty big hit when it came out, and one reason is because it touched a nerve with its tale of three secretaries (Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton) who extract revenge from their chauvinistic boss, superbly played by Dabney Coleman, who made a career out of playing the man you love to hate in a number of comedies from that period. And since there are still issues of inequality in the workplace with regards to the salaries and opportunities that are afforded to women (even though there's certainly been some progress made in those areas in the last 30 years), I can see why this material might still seem pertinent enough to launch a stage musical. Even though it runs a bit long, and loses momentum about halfway through, it was obvious to me that most of the audience in attendance found 9 to 5: THE MUSICAL to be a very entertaining show. The current production playing the Fox Theatre is served well by a talented and enthusiastic cast that appears to be having a great deal of fun.