President Obama today named 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. America's highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
Taylor Hicks, currently starring the in the Broadway tour of GREASE had a visit from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper last night, after the performance at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, ONT. Take a look at some fun pictures of the meeting right here on BroadwayWorld.com!
The Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz will hold two free post-matinee talkbacks and audience Q&A sessions with Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel and members of the company on Wednesday, June 24 and Wednesday, July 1 at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenue).
The Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz will hold two free post-matinee talkbacks and audience Q&A sessions with Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel and members of the company on Wednesday, June 24 and Wednesday, July 1 at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenue).
The Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti, LaChanze and Orlando Jones, will open on Thursday, June 18 at New York City Center. (Previews begin June 12). Easing down the road with Ashanti's Dorothy will be Joshua Henry, James Monroe Iglehart, Christian White, Tichina Arnold and Dawnn Lewis.
Fox Associates announces its stellar 2009-2010 U.S. Bank Broadway Series, featuring Broadway's latest sensation IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical. The new Mel Brooks Musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, a zany recreation of the classic film, will make its St. Louis debut. Also included in the series are: the recent Broadway smash hit production of IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS; the 2007 Broadway revival of GREASE starring 'American Idol' winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY starring Estelle Parsons.
Nigel, a brindle-hair Cairn Terrier, will be making his professional stage debut as Toto in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti as Dorothy, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).
Tony Award-winner Mark Rylance will be presented with the Samuel H. Scripps Award at Theatre for a New Audience's Spring Gala Celebrating Shakespeare's 445th Birthday. The celebration, Monday, May 11, will be held at The Powerhouse at the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street.
Orlando Jones will play The Wiz, and Tony Award-winning actress LaChanze will play Glinda, the good witch, in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti, June 12 July 5 at New York City Center. Glinda's sister-witches will include Tichina Arnold as Evillene and Dawnn Lewis as Addaperle. Easing down the road with Ashanti's Dorothy will be Joshua Henry as the Tinman, James Monroe Iglehart as the Lion and Christian White as the Scarecrow.
Tony Award-winner Mark Rylance will be presented with the Samuel H. Scripps Award at Theatre for a New Audience's Spring Gala Celebrating Shakespeare's 445th Birthday. The celebration, Monday, May 11, will be held at The Powerhouse at the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street.
Come out of the cold and celebrate the New Year with the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company as we present the United States premiere production of Chutzpah ? go-go by David Gale and Randy Vancourt. Chutzpah ? go-go is playing February 21 through March 15, 2009, and will feature Joe Bombard, Teri Parker-Brown, Adena Brumer, and Chet Taylor.
Join the Bubkes Jewish Community Players for their tour stop in St. Paul. This newish Jewish musical celebrates the centennial of Bubkes, North Dakota. You?ll discover the roots of the early Jewish settlers of the upper Midwest in a town full of mavens of political and social causes, inventors, and entrepreneurs, and delight in the creativity of individuals who adapted into American life without losing their Jewish identity.
Chutzpah ? go-go is a rollicking tribute to early Jewish settlers that paints a unique portrait of a people?s journey from the shtetl to the prairie. You won?t want to miss this joyful hit that celebrates everything endearing about the Jewish culture.
Chutzpah ? go-go will be directed by David Gale. Gale grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, and after graduating from Winnepeg?s Hebrew high school, studied theater arts at the University of Minnesota where he appeared in numerous productions. After returning to Canada, he became a part of the improvisational scene in Toronto and performed with Mike Myers and The Kids in the Hall. Throughout the last 25 years, Gale has been a successful actor, director, choreographer, writer, and television host. As host of Loving Spoonfuls, the grandmother cooking show, he won both a Gemini (Canadian Emmy ? 5 nominations) and a Galaxi award (Canadian cable award). The series continues to air in Canada, Israel and around the world. He is currently Vice President of ACTRA Toronto and councilor of ACTRA National (Canadian actors? film and TV union). He also sits on the board of The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
Gale?s directing and choreography credits include Bye, Bye, Birdie, Godspell, The Me Nobody Know, Dads: The Musical, and I Slept With Tony Trouble which was selected to be performed
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at the Edinburgh Festival. Chutzpah ? go-go won a Dora (Toronto?s Tony Awards) and played to sold out houses in Montreal, Winnipeg, and Toronto. ?Randy and I were approached by the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre to write a musical based on the dictionary cum joke book: The Joys of Yiddish. With the help of our dramaturge, Jordan Merkur, we came up with a more personal concept of writing a show about my own experiences growing up surrounded by Yiddish in a small but vibrant Jewish community in Winnipeg. We all felt that the title Chutzpah ? go-go would work better than Little Jews on the Prairie.?
Kevin Dutcher is music director for Chutzpah ? go-go. Dutcher has a long history with MJTC, as well as credits for over 100 productions as a director, music director, and actor. He was Josef Mashkan in MJTC?s acclaimed production of Old Wicked Songs (1997 and 1998), and music director for our first musical, The Odd Potato. He appeared as Luther Rosser in MJTC?s production of Parade (co-produced with Theater Latt? Da). Other credits include director of Actors Theater of Minnesota?s productions of I Do, I Do!, Magic Moments, and We Gotta Bingo. He also scored their current production, Tony and Tina?s Wedding.
Chutzpah ? go-go opens February 21 and plays through March 15, 2009 with performances Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm and 7 pm. Ticket prices are Saturdays $25, Sunday afternoons $22, and Sunday evenings $18. Student rush tickets are $12. Group discounts are available. All performances are at MJTC?s theater home, Hillcrest Center, 1978 Ford Parkway, Saint Paul The little brown stage Off-River! For ticket reservations call 651-647-4315, Monday through Friday, 9 am ? 5:30 pm, or e-mail info@mnjewishtheatre.org.
Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company is a non-profit organization now in its 14th year of presenting professional productions rooted in the Jewish experience but illuminating the common humanity among us all. The audience for MJTC is almost equally divided between Jews and non-Jews. For further information about MJTC, call 651-647-4315 or visit our website at www.mnjewishtheatre.org.
The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.
The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues
with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.
West Coast Ensemble presents the West Coast Premiere of Christopher Durang's MISS WITHERSPOON, directed by Joel Swetow (The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night). MISS WITHERSPOON will preview Sunday, October 26 at 3pm; Wednesday, October 29; Thursday, October 30; and Friday October 31 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 1 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 14 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.
West Coast Ensemble presents the West Coast Premiere of Christopher Durang's MISS WITHERSPOON, directed by Joel Swetow (The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night).
West Coast Ensemble presents the West Coast Premiere of Christopher Durang's MISS WITHERSPOON, directed by Joel Swetow (The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night). MISS WITHERSPOON will preview Sunday, October 26 at 3pm; Wednesday, October 29; Thursday, October 30; and Friday October 31 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 1 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 14 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Mara Manus) announced that KICKING A DEAD HORSE, a new play written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and featuring Tony Award nominee Stephen Rea, has extended its run by two weeks. Following a sold-out run at Ireland's Abbey Theatre, it will preview at The Public on Wednesday, June 25 and run through Sunday, August 10 with an official press opening on Monday, July 14 at 7 PM.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Mara Manus) announced that KICKING A DEAD HORSE, a new play written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and featuring Tony Award nominee Stephen Rea, has extended its run by two weeks. Following a sold-out run at Ireland's Abbey Theatre, it will preview at The Public on Wednesday, June 25 and run through Sunday, August 10 with an official press opening on Monday, July 14 at 7 PM.
Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announces the cast for Christopher Durang's award winning comedy The Marriage of Bette and Boo directed by Walter Bobbie, featuring Terry Beaver (Father Donnally), Heather Burns (Emily Brennan), Victoria Clark (Margaret Brennan), John Glover (Karl Hudlocke), Julie Hagerty (Soot Hudlocke), Kate Jennings Grant (Bette Brennan), Adam Lefevre (Paul Brennan), Charles Socarides (Matt), Christopher Evan Welch (Boo Hudlocke).
Comic playwright Christopher Durang talks with BWW about musicals, politics, maturity, and the hits & misses of his career.
Michael Rupert will star in the new Christopher Durang musical Adrift in Macao, which will run in Philadelphia from October 19th through November 20th
The tour of the two-time 2005 Tony Award-nominated production will launch September 2006.
In the third in a series of Women's History Month profiles, Nugent talks about producing hits and flops, getting backers, making movies and leveling the playing field for women in theater.
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