Avenue Q 00/00/0000 - Articles Page 9

The 25th anniversary celebration of GYPSY OF THE YEAR, the culmination of six weeks of extraordinary fundraising by 56 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring companies, raised an amazing $4,343,234 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents a concert version of Jason Robert Brown's powerful contemporary musical The Last Five Years for three performances only this weekend, November 23 and 24.

Ina Garten, the best-selling cookbook author and star of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa is coming to Pittsburgh on Thursday, October 17 to theBenedum Center at 7:30 pm. Tickets ($45.75 & $55.75) are available at TrustArts.org, by calling 412-456-6666, and in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue. This event is a Trust Guest Attraction, and produced by Mills Entertainment.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents a concert version of Jason Robert Brown's powerful contemporary musical The Last Five Years for three performances only November 23 and 24. Adam Kantor (Rent, Avenue Q) and Betsy Wolfe (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture) play the two twenty-something New Yorkers who dive head-first into marriage, fueled by the optimism of finding 'the one.' Winner of Drama Desk Drama Awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics, The Last Five Years takes a bold look at one young couple's hope that love endures the test of time.

An all-star cast will take the stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre this fall in the celebrated organization's 15th new musical, Secondhand Lions. Based on the beloved film starring Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, Secondhand Lions springs to musical life in Seattle with a superbly talented cast of Broadway stars and Seattle musical theater actors. Lead by Tony Award nominees Gregg Edelman and Mark Jacoby, this adventure story also features Jason Danieley, Jenny Powers, Kevin Earley, Jared Michael Brown, Kendra Kassebaum, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Justin Huertas. Johnny Rabe, star of Broadway's A Christmas Story, takes center stage as Walter.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is thrilled to announce the 45 Houston area high schoolscompeting in the 12th annual Tommy Tune Awards. Developed by TUTS in 2002, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level, celebrating outstanding student achievement in 15 categories. During the 2013-2014 school year, a team of Houston-based theatre professionals will evaluate the participating high schools' productions and announce the winners at a Tony Awards-style ceremony to be heldApril 16, 2014 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The event will spotlight musical numbers from the nominated shows as well as reveal the winning performers, directors, choreographers, orchestras and designers who have defined excellence throughout the 2013-2014 school year. The Best Leading Actor and Actress, the most prestigious recognitions of the Tommy Tune Awards, will represent TUTS in an all-expense paid trip as they go on to compete at the national level for the Jimmy Award at the National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City in June 2014.

Joseph Graves is a western theatre actor and director who has been living in China since 2002. He is the Artistic Director of PKU Institute of World Theatre and Film, playwright and actor of RAVEL'S WORLD OF SHAKESPEARE, and director of the upcoming musical AVENUE Q. BroadwayWorld China recently chatted with Joe about his plays and his stories in China.

Honeymoon in Vegas will star television, screen and stage icon Tony Danza (Who's the Boss?, Taxi, The Producers, A View From The Bridge, The Iceman Cometh) as Tommy Korman, a widowed and unscrupulous gambler looking for another shot at love. Leading the company are Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin) as Jack Singer, Brynn O'Malley (Annie) as Betsy Nolan, Tony nomineeNancy Opel (Memphis, Urinetown) as Bea Singer, Matthew Saldivar (Peter and the Starcatcher) as Johnny Sandwich and David Josefsberg(Wedding Singer) as Tony Rocky/Roy Bacon

An all-star cast will take the stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre this fall in the celebrated organization's 15th new musical, Secondhand Lions. Based on the beloved film starring Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, Secondhand Lions springs to musical life in Seattle with a superbly talented cast of Broadway stars and Seattle musical theater actors. Lead by Tony Award nominees Gregg Edelman and Mark Jacoby, this adventure story also features Jason Danieley, Jenny Powers, Kevin Earley,Jared Michael Brown, Kendra Kassebaum, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Justin Huertas. Johnny Rabe, star of Broadway's A Christmas Story, takes center stage as Walter.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosher is a new vocal competition - 'The Callback," and more:

20th Century Fox has formed a joint venture with top Broadway producer and Tony Award winner Kevin McCollum (Motown, Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights), prolific film producer John Davis (Predator, The Firm, Grumpy Old Men, I Robot, Chronicle) and leading industry executive Tom McGrath, to develop live stage productions based upon the studio's vast library of films.

Professional theaters from across Michigan will share the spotlight August 19 when The 2013 Wilde Awards are presented at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield. Presented by EncoreMichigan.com, the most comprehensive resource for news and information about the state's professional theater industry, The Wilde Awards were established by Pride Source Media Group in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan's professional theaters.

Dallas Theater Center presents the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.

Last month, Chicago's St. James Cathedral announced its fourth summer of free concerts, the "Music in the Neighborhood" series. And for the third straight year, BroadwayWorld Chicago's Regional Editor, Paul W. Thompson, author of the weekly column, "The Showtune Mosh Pit," will be performing on the series! This year, Thompson's concert will take place on Thursday, June 13, 2013, at 5:30 pm at 65 E. Huron Street in Chicago's Magnificent Mile neighborhood. His show is called, 'This Is Not Over Yet: Broadway Songs of the Millennial Era (1995-2003)." And today, his set list is being released!

Last month, Chicago's St. James Cathedral announced its fourth summer of free concerts, the "Music in the Neighborhood" series. And for the third straight year, BroadwayWorld Chicago's Regional Editor, Paul W. Thompson, author of the weekly column, "The Showtune Mosh Pit," will be performing on the series! This year, Thompson's concert will take place on Thursday, June 13, 2013, at 5:30 pm at 65 E. Huron Street in Chicago's Magnificent Mile neighborhood. His show is called, 'This Is Not Over Yet: Broadway Songs of the Millennial Era (1995-2003)." And today, his set list is being released!

The big night is coming up quickly, and BroadwayWorld wants you to be the most knowledgable person at your Tonys party on June 6. Brush up on your trivia for the nominess for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical below!

Dallas Theater Center announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.

And this Monday, May 20th, John Bantay will do his farewell SPIN as he leaves to continue pursuing his career and becomes a stage manager at the long-running musical, Avenue Q. Speaking to John Bantay, I, of course, was curious as to what his favorite video clips have been over the years. He was reticent to put them in 'Top 10' format because, to him, he considers them all number 1's. So here's his hit list, in no particular order:

VJ John Bantay will play his final night at Spash's Musical Mondays next Monday May 20th after 10 smash years. Bantay leaves to join Avenue Q as stage manager.

The Muny announced principal casting for the sixth show of its fantastic 95th Season, Disney and Cameron Mackinstosh's Mary Poppins the Musical, directed by Gary Griffin and choreographed by Alex Sanchez. Mary Poppins the Musical is sponsored by Ameren.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tonys Meet & Greet on May 1, 2013, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Rob McClure, a nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Chaplin. Check out what he had to say below!

The Pace University Department of Performing Arts is producing a concert of works by Adam Guettel, performed Tony award-winning composer of the musicals The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins, Myths & Hymns and accompanied by Pace Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Musical Theater students and alumni.

The Muny announced principal casting for the second show of its fantastic 95th Season, Dreamworks Shrek The Musical, directed by John Tartaglia and choreographed by Vince Pesce. Shrek is sponsored by US Bank.

The Pace University Department of Performing Arts is producing a concert of works by Adam Guettel, performed Tony award-winning composer of the musicals The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins, Myths & Hymns and accompanied by Pace Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Musical Theater students and alumni.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that CHAPLIN star Rob McClure will return to Paper Mill Playhouse this Fall in Jason Robert Brown's Honeymoon in Vegas. The new musical will open September 26 and run through October 27, 2013 at the New Jersey theatre. A Paper Mill representative told BroadwayWorld: 'We are thrilled to have Rob McClure back at Paper Mill. He went to our conservatory and did everything from working the box office to winning our Rising Star Award. It's great to see him come full circle.'