The day after The Who's Tommy debuted on Broadway in 1993, The New York Times exclaimed, '...at long last the authentic rock musical that has eluded Broadway for two generations...an Entertainment Juggernaut.' Twenty-one years later, no other musical has come close to replicating its sure power, electricity and monumental impact.
The new off-Broadway production of Soul Doctor, created by Daniel S. Wise, David Schechter, and Shlomo Carlebach and directed and choreographed by Mindy Cooper, is currently in previews at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street. Opening night is set for Sunday, December 14.
Below, BroadwayWorld brings you an exclusive article by Rabbi Dr. Natan Ophir (Offenbacher), author of the definitive biography, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: Life, Mission, and Legacy, Urim Publications, Jerusalem, 2014.
Gloria McLean, a New York-based dancer, choreographer and teacher, is the founder and artistic director of LIFEDANCE/Gloria McLean and Dancers. From 1982-1993, Ms. McLean was a member of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, performing in New York, the U.S., and internationally. She is considered one of the leading exponents of this American Modern Dance tradition.
MSG Network today announced “The Garden's Defining Moments,” a special 20-part television event presented by SAP, celebrating some of the greatest moments at Madison Square Garden spanning the legendary venue's more than 135-year history.
BroadwayWorld.com's Richie Ridge was on hand at PETER PAN's press day where he talked to the stars and creative team about how they are putting together this live TV event. Here, Richie talks to the producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.
From Broadway debuts to stage veterans, this season is swarming with big screen stars. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you the backstory on this year's film-to-stage transplants. Scroll down to learn more, and be sure to let us who you're most excited to see on the Great White Way, plus which actors you'd like to make the leap!
Artistic director Ed Fernandez breathes new insights into one of the deepest plays in musical theatre
Season 18 at the Mad Cow Theatre Company is here, and up first: THE WHO'S TOMMY. The 1993 Best Musical nominee is considered to be Broadway's first Rock Opera turned Rock Musical. Shows like Greenday's AMERICAN IDIOT, Stew's PASSING STRANGE, and, more recently, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's HERE LIES LOVE all followed. But it was The Who that first took their concept rock album and turned it into a warm-blooded stage musical. In doing so they attracted a younger audience (that once looked at Musical Theatre as something their grandparents listened to on vinyl) to Broadway.
In celebration of the life and times of funk master Rick James, the 2014 Funk Festival is taking over the Fox Theatre tonight, October 4 at 8 p.m.
According to Variety, London theatre critic David Benedict will soon pen a new Stephen Sondheim biography for Random House, titled: "How Did It Happen: The Life and Career of Stephen Sondheim." The book will include interviews withe the man himself, as well as information gathered from his frequent collaborators.
Random House expects Benedict's first daft by December 2017.
Debbie Reynolds – actor, singer, dancer, author, champion for the preservation of the artifacts of film history and for the understanding and treatment of mental illness – has been named the 51st recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest honor:
The Old Globe today announced additional performances for the third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). By popular demand, it will now play through Sunday, August 31. Tickets for the extension will go on sale to the general public on Sunday, August 10 at 12:01 a.m.
In celebration of the life and times of funk master Rick James, the 2014 Funk Festival is taking over the Fox Theatre on Saturday, October 4 at 8 p.m. The lineup is loaded with funk stars including Cameo, the Mary Jane Girls featuring Val Young and The Family Stone, the Zapp band, Al Hudson and One Way and Jalil and Exstacy of Whodini. Funny-man Charlie Murphy of the Dave Chappelle Show will host the festival celebration.
The Old Globe presents its third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). Quartet will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, today, July 25 - August 24, 2014.
During the opening gala the star of the film, Denzel Washington, will be presented with the Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). Quartet will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, July 25 - August 24, 2014.
Lehmann Maupin is pleased to present a group of seminal films and video sculptures by pioneering artists Gilbert & George. Among the longest-enduring artist duos, they have had sustained influence on the contemporary art world for the past fifty years. The exhibition Films and Video Sculptures, 1972-1981 will be shown in the gallery's 201 Chrystie Street location and represents an integral, transitional link between the artists' early art and their later, more widely known large-scale pictures. This exhibition is the artists' fifth show with Lehmann Maupin.
Carmen de Lavallade's career as a dancer, choreographer, and stage and film actress spans more than six decades working with luminaries such as Lena Horne, Josephine Baker, Harry Belafonte, Alvin Ailey, and many others. She already holds the distinction of the longest Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival performing career on record, having made her Pillow debut with Lester Horton Dance Theatre in 1953 and performing at the Festival as recently as 2004 (with Paradigm), and she now extends that record by another decade. In the world premiere of her new solo show, As I Remember It, de Lavallade combines powerful movement and poignant storytelling to weave a theatrical memoir about her venerable life on stage. This exclusive engagement opens the 2014 Festival in the Doris Duke Theatre with a limited three-show run, this weekend, June 20-22.
Carmen de Lavallade's career as a dancer, choreographer, and stage and film actress spans more than six decades working with luminaries such as Lena Horne, Josephine Baker, Harry Belafonte, Alvin Ailey, and many others. She already holds the distinction of the longest Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival performing career on record, having made her Pillow debut with Lester Horton Dance Theatre in 1953 and performing at the Festival as recently as 2004 (with Paradigm), and she now extends that record by another decade. In the world premiere of her new solo show, As I Remember It, de Lavallade combines powerful movement and poignant storytelling to weave a theatrical memoir about her venerable life on stage. This exclusive engagement opens the 2014 Festival in the Doris Duke Theatre with a limited three-show run, June 20-22.
Happy Birthday, Judy Kuhn! Kuhn made her Broadway debut was in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She then played Cosette in the 1987 multiple award winning Broadway production of Les Miserables brought her the first Tony Award nomination. The following year, Kuhn took on a transfer from London's West End, playing one of the main roles (Florence Vassy) in the Trevor Nunn-directed Chess, with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (formerly of ABBA) and lyrics by Tim Rice. Later in 1993, Kuhn played the role of Betty Schaefer in the U.S premier production of Sunset Boulevard at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. Kuhn sang the title role in the 1995 Disney animated film, Pocahontas, the film included her rendition of the song Colors of the Wind, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for its composers Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. On October 23, 2007, Kuhn returned to the Broadway Production of Les Miserables after 20 years, but this time assuming the role of Fantine.
Entering its sixth season in 2014-15, CONTACT!, the Philharmonic's new-music series, will include five programs featuring World, U.S., and New York Premieres, four of which explore the new-music scene from four different countries, and a fifth curated and hosted by composer John Adams. CONTACT! will return for three programs at SubCulture, co-presented with 92nd Street Y: John's Playlist, featuring works by five composers selected by John Adams; a concert of works by Israeli composers, featuring The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Lisa Batiashvili alongside Philharmonic musicians; and a performance of works by Italian composers. Two CONTACT! programs will take place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art with Met Museum Presents: a concert of works by Nordic composers conducted in part by Music Director Alan Gilbert; and a program featuring works from Japan, conducted by Jeffrey Milarsky.
According to TMZ, Mickey Rooney, who spent nearly his entire life in the show business, died today at 93, after being in ill health for quite some time. He appeared on Broadway in Sugar Babies (opposite fellow MGM legend Ann Miller) and The Will Rogers Follies.
Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) presents the 3rd show of its 21st season, SKIN TIGHT. In 2004, Laura Gordon had her first professional directorial debut with SKIN TIGHT, produced by Renaissance Theaterworks. 'We're ecstatic, ten years later, Laura and the original cast are returning to remount this poetic love story. I literally cannot wait to see it again' shares Suzan Fete, RTW's Artistic Director.
Well, after last week's mini-disaster of a top-13 week, there was not much that American Idol could have thrown out on stage tonight that wouldn't have been an improvement. The home-visit episode, where the final three contestants receive ticker tape parades in their respective hometowns, has been the most emotional in each of IDOL's first 12 seasons. So apparently, new producer Per Blankens decided to use some of that emotion in the early stages of this season. While both the vocals and performances were stark improvements over last week, I'm not sure that this episode is going to harken back to the Golden Days of AMERICAN IDOL's dominance.
The New York World-Telegram and Sun became known as the New York World-Telegram in 1931, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and then the New York World-Telegram and Sun in 1966. While the paper closed in 1967, it had published thousands of articles and touched many people in the city. In his new book, 'The Winds of Barclay Street: The Amusing Life and Sad Demise of the New York World-Telegram and Sun' (published by AuthorHouse), John Ferris immortalizes his time as a writer with the New York World-Telegram and Sun.
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