Ragtime 2012 - Articles Page 16

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb in the Eisenhower Theater June 8 to July 1, 2012. The musical revue will star Heidi Blickenstaff, James Clow, Alan H. Green, Leslie Kritzer, Patina Miller, and Matthew Scott. Originally produced at Signature Theatre in Virginia and co-conceived by David Loud and Eric Schaeffer, the production features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and will be directed by Eric Schaeffer. Jon Kalbfleisch will conduct the 22-piece Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Press opening night is Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

From today, rehearsals are underway for the 2012 season at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, which includes productions of RAGTIME and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

The 2012-2013 season features six productions opening with Catch Me If You Can, a splashy new musical inspired by the blockbuster DreamWorks film that recounts the true story of a teenager who runs away from home with nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forged checks, October 23 - 28, 2012. Prepare to take flight in an all new production of Peter Pan filled with timeless magical moments and a captivating hook, December 4-9, 2012. The legend you thought you knew, is now the adventure you never dreamed possible. Tony Award nominee Cathy Rigby carries off the flights, fights and acrobatics that will leave you mesmerized.

HAIRSPRAY, the Tony Award-winning musical, will be presented at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, previewing April 12, opening April 19, and running through June 17, 2012.

Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner David Strathairn (Dr. Austin Sloper) will join Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Catherine Sloper) in the Tony Award®-winning play The Heiress. Written by Ruth Goetz & Augustus Goetz, The Heiress will be directed by Tony Award® nominated playwright and director Moisés Kaufman and will open in the Fall of 2012 at a theatre to be announced.

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) will be hosting its annual Gala at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria

Now, on the show's official Facebook page, lead producer Ben Sprecher writes 'Rebecca is moving forward. We have identified the final missing piece of investment and the Shuberts (to whom I shall be forever indebeted) have graciously allowed us to resume production to open at the Broadhurst in fall of 2012. Thank you all for you patience and most of all to the extraordinary creative team who have stuck by this fantastic production through thick and thin as Rebecca continues to play in productions throughout the world.'

The Old Globe will open its 2012-13 Winter Season with the World Premiere of Allegiance - A New American Musical. Created by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione with music and lyrics by Kuo, the original musical tells the story of a Japanese American family forced into an internment camp during World War II. Directed by Stafford Arima (Carrie, Altar Boyz, West End premiere of Ragtime), the production features musical direction and arrangements by Lynne Shankel (Cry-Baby, Company) and choreography by Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Godspell, South Pacific). Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), television and film icon George Takei ('Star Trek,' 'Heroes') and Telly Leung (Godspell, Rent) will star.

York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), celebrating the legendary librettist and lyricist Tom Jones with Musicals in Mufti: The Tom Jones Festival, has announced that Graham Rowat (Guys and Dolls) will join previously announced Tom Jones (The Fantasticks), Stephanie Umoh (Ragtime, York's Falling for Eve) and Susan Watson (Follies) in the series opener, The Show Goes On, a portfolio of theater songs by Mr. Jones and his longtime collaborator Harvey Schmidt directed by Pamela Hunt.

Gary Naylor sees the genesis of many comic characters still with us today.

Seth Rudestky will join the City of Sarasota's Van Wezel Hall to announce the Purple Cow's 2012-2013 Broadway Season on April 2 at 6:00 pm. Seth is the Broadway host, seven days a week, on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Broadway stars Andrea Burns (In the Heights, Beauty and the Beast) and Ron Bohmer (Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime) will appear in concert with Stuart Malina and the Florida Orchestra on Friday March 9th 2012 at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida; Saturday March 10th, 2012 at Progress Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida; and Sunday March 11th, 2012 at Richard B. Baumgardner Center in Clearwater, Florida.

Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to Los Angeles where it all started for him on March 9, 2012. Brian Stokes Mitchell's credits include work as an actor, singer, dancer, voice-over artist, author, arranger, orchestrator, conductor and record producer. He has enjoyed a career on Broadway, television and film, along with appearances in the great American concert halls. On Valentine's Day this year, he joined the national TV phenomenon of Glee (along with Jeff Goldblum) to play one of Rachel's (Lea Michele) two Dads.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced Thomas Mygatt will join the company on March 5th, 2012 as Director of Marketing & Sales Promotion.

Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to Los Angeles where it all started for him on March 9, 2012. Brian Stokes Mitchell's credits include work as an actor, singer, dancer, voice-over artist, author, arranger, orchestrator, conductor and record producer. He has enjoyed a career on Broadway, television and film, along with appearances in the great American concert halls. On Valentine's Day this year, he joined the national TV phenomenon of Glee (along with Jeff Goldblum) to play one of Rachel's (Lea Michele) two Dads.

The 39 Steps hits Arizona Theatre Company's stage at the Temple of Music and Art. Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps plays from January 14 - February 4, 2012 and continues its run in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center through February 26, 2012.

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia. The event begins at 7:00 PM with a concert at Carnegie Hall featuring a spectacular lineup of guest artists under the baton of Music Director Steven Reineke. Following the concert, a black tie dinner and dance will be held at the luxurious Plaza Hotel.

The Denver Center Theatre Company (DCTC) concluded its Seventh Annual Colorado New Play Summit on a high note, with the announcement that one of its premieres has been signed for a production in New York. The three-day festival, which has rapidly become one of the nation's top tier new play festivals, included multiple standing-room-only showings of three play readings, a staged reading of a musical, a multimedia workshop, and two fully-produced main stage plays, one of which - The Whale, by 2011 Obie winner Samuel D. Hunter - will now be presented in October 2012 at New York's Playwrights Horizons.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) President and CEO John C. Breckenridge announced today TUTS' 2012-2013 Season: From Camelot To Spamalot - A Lot To Love, running October 2012 through June 2013 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. "We're proud to introduce the line-up for our 45th season. From the comedies to the dramas and the family favorites to the reinvented classics, there's going to be a lot to love next season," says Breckenridge.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation announced today that its third annual Born for Broadway benefit will take place at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street, on Monday, May 21, 2012 at 8 PM. Tony nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime) has signed on to direct; Lawrence Yurman (On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Grey Gardens) will musical direct.

Direct from the Big Apple, Neil Berg's 101 Years of Broadway features a cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band, coming to San Jose Rep February 14 - 18, 2012.

After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in 2009, WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will return to Salt Lake City's Capitol Theatre July 18-August 26. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Friday, May 11 at 10am. Part of Zions Bank Broadway Across America - Utah.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma opens a brand new season with the inspiring comedy, XANADU, showing at Lyric's Plaza Theatre from January 25 through February 11, 2012.

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, "Private Practice") as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Miserables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, "In Living Color") as Sporting Life. The New York Times has just revealed that the production will extend its run through September 30, 2012, due to both critical and box office success. The production was originally scheduled to close on July 8, 2012. The news was released by producers, who have emailed groups sales reps informing them of the extension.

Ashley C. Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the company's 2012-2013 season, launching in the fall with a mixed repertory program featuring James Kudelka's Pretty BALLET and Ji?i Kylian's Forgotten Land, along with the return of Kurt Jooss' anti-war masterpiece The Green Table, celebrating its 80th Anniversary, October 17 - 28, 2012.