William Ivey Long News

To enhance Orange County theater-going when the national tour of the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS visits April 21 - May 2, the Center has scheduled two post-performance talkbacks with cast members on April 22 and 29. During the talkbacks, which will follow the performances in Segerstrom Hall, audience members can speak to the cast and ask questions. The talkbacks are free, but tickets to the April 22 and 29 performances of DREAMGIRLS are required.

During what was called 'Andrew Lloyd Webber week' of the seventh season of the hit TV talent competition American Idol, Webber predicted to an audience of millions that Syesha Mercado will 'bring the house down' with a sexy, splashy take on one of his many musical hits. And that, she did. Then 21, she eventually lasted on the show to become the second runner-up. Fast forward two years later, and she is now in the midst of a multi-city national tour of the rebooted DREAMGIRLS stage musical, where she nightly plays Deena Jones, the beautiful and eventual front-woman of the semi-fictional musical group The Dreams. Before she takes the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center (April 21-May 2), Mercado spoke with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on the road, her American Idol roots, and what it takes to become Deena Jones night after night.

Legendary costume designer ALBERT WOLSKY and world renowned scenic designer MING CHO LEE are among the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, April 23 at 6:30pm at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). Two-time Academy Award-winner Albert Wolsky will receive the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design, and Tony Award-winning scenic designer and educator Ming Cho Lee will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design.

CHICAGO, the winner of six 1997 Tony AwardsŽ including Best Musical Revival which is now celebrating its eleventh year touring the United States, returns to the Pantages Theatre for a strictly limited three week engagement April 20th through May 9th.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) presents the 76th annual fashion show, FASHION 2010, Friday, May 7. For the first time in its storied history, the fashion show takes place in the critically acclaimed Renzo Piano-designed Griffin Court of the Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing (159 East Monroe Avenue).

To enhance Orange County theater-going when the national tour of the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS visits April 21 - May 2, the Center has scheduled two post-performance talkbacks with cast members on April 22 and 29. During the talkbacks, which will follow the performances in Segerstrom Hall, audience members can speak to the cast and ask questions. The talkbacks are free, but tickets to the April 22 and 29 performances of DREAMGIRLS are required.

Parsons Dance, praised around the world for its virtuosity, exceptional theatricality, athleticism, energy and accessibility, seeks a male dancer and a female dancer. Auditions will be held on Thursday, May 27, 2010 from 1-6pm at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, 248 West 60th Street, NYC. Appointments are required for the audition and dancers must bring headshots and resumes.

The hilarious, new musical comedy, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, based on the Oscar-nominated smash hit 1974 film, is the wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Mary Shelley classic from the comic genius of Mel Brooks. Tony Award winners Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley reprise the roles of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and The Monster in this hilarious new monster musical playing the Golden Gate Theatre June 30 - July 25, 2010.

To celebrate DREAMGIRLS' upcoming visit to the Center, Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza is creating a special 'Get the Look' boutique inspired by the stunning costumes from the sensational new stage production direct from Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater in New York City.

LOOPED, the new comedy starring Valerie Harper, written by Matthew Lombardo and directed by Rob Ruggiero, will close Sunday, April 11. It will have played 27 previews and 25 regular performances at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street. Previews began on February 19 and it opened on Sunday March 14.

Producer John Breglio and Broadway Across America-Seattle will end the Seattle stint of DREAMGIRLS on April 11th.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed recent reports that LOOPED, starring Valerie Harper, is looking at a busy post-Broadway life. The show, which will close this Sunday, April 11, is in discussions with several regional markets for a national tour.

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, comes to St. Louis for a limited two-week engagement at the Fabulous Fox Theatre May 11-23 for 16 performances only!

CHICAGO veterans Bianca Marroquin and Ruthie Henshall will each return to the role of Roxie Hart yet again, in the upcoming months. Marroquin will play the merry murderess from April 15 through April 25 and the original London Roxie will play the role from April 26 through June 13.

Now celebrating 13 glorious years of girls, glitz and glamour on the Great White Way, the record-breaking smash hit musical CHICAGO is now the sixth longest-running production in Broadway history ... and shows no sign of ever slowing down!

To celebrate DREAMGIRLS' upcoming visit to the Center, Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza is creating a special 'Get the Look' boutique inspired by the stunning costumes from the sensational new stage production direct from Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater in New York City.

Now celebrating 13 glorious years of girls, glitz and glamour on the Great White Way, the record-breaking smash hit musical CHICAGO is now the sixth longest-running production in Broadway history ... and shows no sign of ever slowing down!

Producer John Breglio and Broadway Across America-Seattle will present the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS April 6-11.

LOOPED, the new comedy starring Valerie Harper, written by Matthew Lombardo and directed by Rob Ruggiero, will close this Sunday, April 11. It will have played 27 previews and 25 regular performances at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street. Previews began on February 19 and it opened on Sunday March 14.

Terra C. MacLeod will end her engagement as Velma Kelly onSunday, April 4, 2010 at the Ambassador Theatre. MacLeod comes direct from her debut engagement with the London production of CHICAGO. MacLeod appeared opposite Michelle Williams as Roxie Hart.