BroadwayWorld was saddened to report that Broadway veteran Merwin Foard recently passed away at 59 years old. Born September 16, 1960 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Foard was last seen on Broadway in Aladdin as a standby for Jafar/Sultan.
The Broadway community mourns the loss of Tony Award winner Carole Shelley, who passed away on Friday, August 31 at age 79. Take a moment to remember the legendary star with a look back at some of her recent appearances.
Jersey Boys, winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, is the authentic biographic story of the magic behind the music of worldwide megahit group, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Featuring over 30 chart-topping hits, including fan favorites 'Sherry,' 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' 'Walk Like a Man' and 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You,' this Muny premiere is almost too good to be true, and will leave audiences saying, 'Oh, What a Night!'
As BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, Broadway star Jan Maxwell passed away at 61 years of age after a battle with cancer. The star is survived by her husband, actor/playwright Robert Emmet Lunney, and their son William Maxwell-Lunney.
To kick off its 19th season, First Folio Theatre (Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st St. & Rt. 83) presents the World Premiere of the gothic drama THE GRAVEDIGGER, which opened October 4 and will run through November 2, 2014. The production is written by First Folio Artistic Associate Joseph Zettelmaier, who recently opened the World Premiere of his play Salvage at First Folio Theatre to sold-out audiences. Jeff Award nominee Alison C. Vesely (First Folio's A Moon for the Misbegotten) will direct. The cast is led by Craig Spidle (Brigadoon at The Goodman Theatre, Twelfth Night at First Folio Theatre, Fiddler on the Roof at Drury Lane Theatre) as "Kurt" (The Gravedigger), Joshua Caroll as "Anton" (The Monster), Simina Contras as "Nadya" (A Gypsy), and Doug MacKechnie as "Victor" (The Creator).
Film and stage legend and two-time Tony Award winner Lauren Bacall, passed away last week (first reported by TMZ) at the age of 89. The legendary actress suffered a massive stroke and died at home (New York City's famous Dakota Building) according to a family member. BroadwayWorld remembers the legend below.
The company of Cabaret just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Violet just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Bullets Over Broadway just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of If/Then just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Les Miserables just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The Gypsy Robe began in 1950, when Bill Bradley, in the chorus of GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, borrowed a dressing gown from Chorus member Florence Baum and sent it to a friend in CALL ME MADAM on opening night Oct 12, 1950 saying it was worn by all the Ziegfeld beauties and would 'bless' the show. A cabbage rose from Ethel Merman's gown was added and the robe was passed along to next Broadway musical on opening night. The tradition evolved so that the robe is now presented to the 'gypsy' who has performed the most Broadway musicals on a chorus contract. Along the way, the robe is decorated, painted, patched, stitched, and signed by everyone in the show, becoming a fanciful patchwork for an entire Broadway season.
The company of A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, lead by Mary Bridget Davies, just celebrated their Oct. 10 opening night with the famed Gypsy Robe ritual. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Big Fish just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Angie Schworer. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of PIPPIN just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Stephanie Pope. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of JEKYLL & HYDE just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Jason Wooten. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of MOTOWN just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Michael Arnold. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of MATILDA just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Nadine Isenegger. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Kinky Boots just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Charlie Sutton. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of A CINDERELLA just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Linda Mugleston. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of A CHRISTMAS STORY just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Kirsten Wyatt. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The company of Elf just celebrated their opening with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Timothy J. Alex. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
On November 15, the company of Scandalous celebrated their opening night with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Carlos L. Encinias. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
On November 13th, the company of The Mystery of Edwin Drood celebrated their opening night with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Eric Sciotto. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!
MARY POPPINS celebrates its sixth anniversary today, November 16, 2012. It began previews at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on October 14, 2006 before officially opening on November 16, 2006.
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