The veteran of 12 B'way shows looks back on hits, flops, L.A. and unforgettable choreographers.
On March 12, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., The Collegiate Chorale appears with The New York City Opera Orchestra at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall in a performance of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's 1945 Broadway operetta The Firebrand of Florence. The performance, led by guest conductor Ted Sperling, stars baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Anna Christy, baritone Terrence Mann, and soprano Victoria Clark. Krysty Swann, David Pittu and Patrick Goss complete the cast, and narration will be provided by Stage Director Roger Rees.
Boasting a score by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by playwright and screenwriter Edwin Justus Mayer, The Firebrand of Florence had a short run on Broadway in 1945. The work was subsequently not heard for over a half-century until three presentations - Ohio Light Opera (1999), the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London (2000) and the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna (2000) - shed new light on the relatively obscure work. The performances were not only accepted, but widely acclaimed, thus giving hope for a new life in a new century. Variety's theater critic Steven Suskin says 'I have long believed that Firebrand in concert should be a dazzling delight.'
Benvenuto Cellini, the great Florentine artist, is sentenced to hang, but he is pardoned when the duke realizes that he has not completed a previously commissioned sculpture. Freed, he is able to turn his attention to his favorite model (and object of his affections), Angela. The Duke also is interested in Angela. In a typical operetta plot, Cellini swashbuckles around the stage, keeping the Duke away from Angela, keeping himself away from the Duchess, and escaping yet another death sentence by fleeing to Paris, as the end of the show recapitulates the beginning.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.
Variety is reporting that Tony-nominated choreographer Rob Ashford will be joining the creative team of the upcoming production of Shrek on Broadway.
Thirty years after its Tony Award-winning world premiere, Ain't Misbehavin'comes to Goodman Theatre in a brand new production.
Ted Sperling has joined The Public as Director of The Musical Theater Initiative.
Bounce, the Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical about American resilience, may have some life in it yet.
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, will open on Broadway November 8th 2007 at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St). Previews begin October 11th 2007. The production stars Roger Bart (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein), Megan Mullally (Elizabeth), Sutton Foster (Inga), Shuler Hensley (The Monster), Fred Applegate (Kemp) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Igor).
Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, artistic director; Barry Grove, executive producer) is pleased to announce full casting for the American premiere of Simon Mendes da Costa's LOSING LOUIE at the Biltmore Theatre. Previews for LOSING LOUIE begin Thursday, September 21 for a Thursday, October 12 opening.
The world premiere recording of See What I Wanna See is now available for pre-order on Sh-k-boom records. Their web site reports a release date for the album of mid-February.
The Public Theaters Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Mara Manus announce the New York premiere of SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE, a musical with words and music by Michael John LaChiusa.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jenna Leigh Green, known to many in the general public from her TV and film work, but she's most known these days, especially to New York theater audiences as Ivy, star of the Off-Broadway hit, 'Bare: A Pop Opera.'
I recently had the chance to sit down with Bruce Kimmel and ask him a plethora of questions. Bruce is used to putting others in the proverbial hot seat on his website - but as they say...turnabout is fair play!
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