Based on the 1985 Universal motion picture "Mask"
The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber?s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway on Monday, January 26, 2009. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years.
The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats? record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances ? the only show in Broadway history to do so ? and all with no end in sight.
As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production?s sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May?s successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.
The Cedar Lake Theater in West Chelsea will come to life on Friday, January 24 with a thrilling evening of dance to benefit Dancers Responding To AIDS (DRA), a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCEFA). Hosted by Tony Award winning choreographer Rob Ashford, this gala event guarantees to be a soul-stirring showcase of the best and brightest from today's varied dance landscape with performances by American Ballet Theatre, Battleworks, Broadway's 'Billy Elliott,' Camille A. Brown, Dresden Ballet, Les Ballet Grandiva, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. The program will also feature the world premiere of TITLE by choreographer Chase Brock performed by NYCB principal Tiler Peck.
Four hunters, lost in the Canadian woods, begin losing their minds and battling a gigantic, unseen creature in this adaptation of Algernon Blackwood's classic tale of supernatural horror.
One of Blackwood's best stories is the magnificent THE WENDIGO, written in 1908. On the surface, this is a classic story of man versus nature but on a spiritual level the story forces us to question our position and purpose in the universe, to wonder if perhaps there are some places, as the narrator says, that 'no human foot was meant to trod.'
Everyday, she meditates at the dog park to try to let go of her slowly deteriorating parents and dead brother. There, she meets her therapist in the wet tongue of a Black Lab/ German Shepard standing alone by the fence. The therapist dog, who wears a red robe and smokes an intricate
pipe, guides 'She' on missions to go to the banks of the grave of the boy that is buried, to take off her grotesque mask and hang her face on a doorknob, and to look her dad straight in the eye. This one-woman play is about putting yourself back together after everything you once knew and trusted has fallen apart.
Back in Pictures celebrates the songs that were originally written for the masterpieces of the Golden Age of Hollywood, featuring music from Casablanca, Easter Parade, A Star Is Born, Pennies From Heaven, Disney, Meet Me In St. Louis, Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, The Wizard of Oz and many more. Back in Pictures is showing at the Reprise Room, 245 West 54th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, New York, from April 7, 2008 through January 5, 2009.
What a year it has been here at BroadwayWorld, truly an astonishing 12 months of talent and excitement in the world of theatre and beyond! As always we have strived to bring you the very best, but as always you've got the final say and boy did your numbers show it in regards to what you found most exciting story wise. We tallied the numbers, combed the archives and are proud to bring you the top twenty articles of 2008! Relive the memories, revisit the opening nights and remember the magic of 2008, we can't wait to bring you whats ahead in 2009! Happy New Year from the entire BroadwayWorld.com team.
In an interview with CNN's Larry King, film star Jim Carrey tells the veteran interview that he'd love to come to Broadway. With the continued presence of film stars on Broadway, it's most likely only a matter of time.
Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced the complete cast and design team for the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS. The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, GUYS AND DOLLS will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Opening Night is March 1, 2009.
The Lark Play Development Center was one of five theaters selected for the first-ever NEA Distinguished New Play Development Project. Each theater receives $20,000 to support early development activities for a new play which the Lark will be using to implement a national, multi-theater development strategy for Aditi Brennan Kapil's AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP, A FAIRY TALE.
Frances Hill, Founder/Artistic Director Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director in association with Sara Katz presents Larson & Kleban Award Winning Composer JOE ICONIS' World Premiere of ReWrite; a musical comedy triple feature, directed by John Simpkins.
The Lark Play Development Center was one of five theaters selected for the first-ever NEA Distinguished New Play Development Project. Each theater receives $20,000 to support early development activities for a new play which the Lark will be using to implement a national, multi-theater development strategy for Aditi Brennan Kapil's AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP, A FAIRY TALE.
The Pink Dress, the popular puppet-theater performance with music based on creator Leslie Kitashima-Gray's mother's experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp during World War II, is returning for two public performances in Little Tokyo the first weekend of December. Triumvirate Pi Theatre presents two performances, first at the Japanese American National Museum on December 6, then at Centenary United Methodist Church on December 7, to commemorate Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Babes With Blades closes its 2008-2009, 11th anniversary season with an all-female production of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth,' directed by Next Theatre's Kevin Heckman.
Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced today that Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as 'Sarah Brown' in the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS.
Jackie Beat's cups overfloweth with... DRAG NOG!
November 28 & 29 10:30 PM, $30
The Bricklayers continue their collaboration with Collectif Masque (France) performing the English Language premiere of Frederic Fort?s comedic mask theatre adaptation of Stevenson?s classic macabre tale, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Ford?s adaptation is translated into English by Bricklayer Kyle Cadotte, and is directed by Bricklayer Patrick Goulding.
The Pink Dress, the popular puppet-theater performance with music based on creator Leslie Kitashima-Gray's mother's experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp during World War II, is returning for two public performances in Little Tokyo the first weekend of December. Triumvirate Pi Theatre presents two performances, first at the Japanese American National Museum on December 6, then at Centenary United Methodist Church on December 7, to commemorate Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
On Friday, November 14, John Cudia will return to the U.S. National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and slip behind the mask as the elusive Phantom who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all its occupants. The international award-winning musical, directed by Harold Prince, is currently at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center through November 22 before it begins a 6-week holiday engagement at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco.
Jackie Beat's cups overfloweth with... DRAG NOG!
November 28 & 29 10:30 PM, $30
Chocolate Factory Productions, Sonia Friedman Productions, David Ian Productions, The Ambassador Theatre Group, David Mirvish, Tulchin/Bartner and Jamie Hendry will present La Cage aux Folles with music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein.
Frances Hill, Founder/Artistic Director Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director in association with Sara Katz presents Larson & Kleban Award Winning Composer JOE ICONIS' World Premiere of ReWrite; a musical comedy triple feature, directed by John Simpkins.
Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2: On Stage plays the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from November 6-16, 2008. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 404-817-8700 and online at www.ticketmaster.com Ticket prices range from $20-$68. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000. The musical begins performances tonight, November 6th.
BroadwayWorld gave the cast of Disney's High School Musical 2: On Stage a FLIP video camera and then set them loose backstage during rehearsals as they prepare for opening night.
LAUREN GRAHAM (Golden Globe Award nominee for 'Gilmore Girls') will appear as 'Miss Adelaide' opposite Oliver Platt's 'Nathan Detroit' in the new Broadway production of GUYS AND DOLLS.
'Excitement is mounting as we prepare for the Professional Stage Premiere of Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 from November 6-16 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre,' states Nick Manos, President of Atlanta's Theater of the Stars.
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