THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: November 8-14

Pictured: Jack O'Brien. Photo Credit: Stephen Sorokoff.

Last weekend, three-time Tony Award winning director Jack O'Brien opened his new cabaret show at 54 Below, entitled I'VE STILL GOT MY HEALTH, SO WHAT DO I CARE? Featuring stories and songs from his directing experiences, ranging from Hairspray to Hamlet, the show was directed by Scott Whitman with musical direction by Dan Lipton. Many of Broadway's best came to this special event, including Marc Shaiman, Victor Garber, Jamie DeRoy, and many more. Click here to see more BroadwayWorld coverage of O'Brien's concert!

Pictured: Anthony Herald, Bradley Cooper, and Patricia Clarkson. Photo Credit: Walter McBride.

The Booth Theatre's newest occupant began preview performances last Friday, November 7th. THE ELEPHANT MAN stars two-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper, as well as Alessandro Nivola and Emmy winner Patricia Clarkson. Directed by six-time Tony Award nominee Scott Ellis, the revival officially opens on December 7th, 2014 and will play a limited engagement through February 2015. Based on the true life of Joseph Merrick, the play tells the story of a man who becomes the star of a traveling freak show. Click here to see more coverage from the show's first preview!

Pictured: Laura Osnes. Photo Credit: Walter McBride.

Several of Broadway's biggest stars gathered together at New World Stages for BEST IN SHOWS, a benefit event for the Humane Society of New York. Dorothy and Bill Berloni presented this event in order to bring Broadway and the Human Society of New York together to help animals in need. Among the stars that performed at the event were Laura Osnes, Christian Borle, Tituss Burgess, Rachel Bay Jones, Julia Murney, Hugh Panaro, and more. Seth Rudetsky provided both musical direction and his hosting skills for this one-night-only cabaret event. Click here to see more photos from the benefit!

Pictured: James Lapine, Stephen Sondheim, and Mo Rocca. Photo Credit: Doug Gifford.

Last Sunday, November 9th, a historic event occurred at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, California. Members from the original cast of INTO THE WOODS gathered together for a special reunion performance, accompanied by the show's creators: the legendary Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Cast members included Bernadette Peters (the Witch), Chip Zien (the Baker), Joanna Gleason (the Baker's Wife), Robert Westenberg (Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf), Kim Crosby (Cinderella), Danielle Ferland (Little Red), and Ben Wright (Jack). Click here to see more photos from this extraordinary reunion!

Pictured: Hugh Jackman and Laura Donnelly. Photo Credit: Richard Termine.

Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman is making his return to Broadway, after a three-year long hiatus in THE RIVER at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Along side him are Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo, both of whom are making their Broadway debuts in the production. THE RIVER will officially open this Sunday, November 16th, and will play a strictly limited thirteen week engagement, closing in late January. Click here to see more photos of THE RIVER!

Pictured: Frankie J. Grande. Photo Credit: Kevin Thomas Garcia.

"Big Brother" star Frankie Grande made his return to Broadway earlier this week in the long-running hit ROCK OF AGES, playing at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Grande will play the role of "Franz" through January 18th, 2015, alongside Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis, who starred in the production's original cast. Grande's "Big Brother" family were among audience members who came to see his return to Broadway. Click here to see more coverage of Grande's return to the stage!

Pictured: Danny Burstein, Emma Stone. Photo Credit: Walter McBride.

Golden Globe nominee Emma Stone made her Broadway debut earlier this week in the critically acclaimed revival of CABARET. Stone joined Tony Award nominated cast members Danny Burstein and Linda Emond, as well as Alan Cumming, in the role of Sally Bowles. Stone claims that she fell in love with the musical at the young age of 9, and has wanted to play the part of Sally since then. CABARET is set to run through March 29th, 2015 at Studio 54. Click here to see more coverage of Emma Stone's debut as Sally!

Pictured: Aaron Nelson, Nteliseng Nkhela, Chantel Riley, Alton Fitzgerald White. Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski.

One of Broadway's most beloved and long-running musicals THE LION KING celebrated its seventeenth birthday on Broadway earlier this week! It premiered on November 13th, 1997 and has since been produced on nineteen countries and has been seen by over 75 million people. THE LION KING is frequently the top Broadway show from week-to-week, and crowds continue to flock to the Minskoff Theatre to see the production today. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration; click here to see more photos!

Pictured: Alan Alda and Candice Bergen. Photo Credit: Walter McBride.

LOVE LETTERS, which opened in September of this year to critical acclaim at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, has a constantly rotating cast of two, and the latest two cast members joined the production this week. Both Emmy and Golden Globe Award Winners, Alan Alda and Candice Bergen began performances this week, and will continue through December 18th of this year. BroadwayWorld was there to welcome the actors to the roles; click here to see more photos!