WAKE UP with BWW 6/27/14 - Town Hall, FIDDLER at Goodspeed, New BRIGADOON, Farewell to AFTER MIDNIGHT and More!
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: THE AMBASSADOR REVUE gathers a group of celebs at The Town Hall, FIDDLER begins in Connecticut, an augmented BRIGADOON opens in Chicago, and AFTER MIDNIGHT closes on Broadway this Sunday!
Next up in our series of Broadway stars introducing BWW's morning feature is Jennifer Simard (portrait by Walter McBride), who has appeared in Broadway's Sister Act, Shrek and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, plus off-Broadway's recent hit Disaster! Make like Simard and indulge in the Broadway world (and some caffeine) before kicking off your weekend...
THIS WEEKEND'S TOP ITEMS:
- The Town Hall presents THE AMBASSADOR REVUE this evening, featuring special guests Amy Burton, Anita Gillette, Jason Graae, Ted Levy, Catherine Russell and Tom Wopat.
- FUERZA BRUTA WAYRA begins performances off-Broadway tonight.
- To life! Goodspeed Musicals celebrates FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's 50th anniversary with Adam Heller, Lori Wilner and more, beginning tonight!
- Lerner & Loewe's BRIGADOON, featuring a refreshed libretto and enhanced score, opens tonight in Chicago.
- And on Sunday, we wave farewell to AFTER MIDNIGHT, which will close after eight months on Broadway...
NEWS YOU MISSED YESTERDAY:
- Sad news to start off... Broadway composer of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, and countless other shows, Mary Rodgers Guettel passed away at 83.
- Michael Chernus, Tracee Chimo, America Ferrera and Austin Lysy will lead Second Stage's LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART this fall!
- New Group's 20th season announced a starry lineup, with Holly Hunter & Bill Pullman in STICKS AND BONES, Cynthia Nixon directing RASHEEDA SPEEKING, starring Dianne Wiest, and Jesse Eisenberg's THE SPOILS!
- Women's Project Theater is on the hunt for a new artistic director.
- Nope, it's not just a rumor! Lindsay Lohan will make her West End debut in SPEED-THE-PLOW this fall...
- In other UK news, National Theatre Live will be screening the West End's SKYLIGHT, with Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy, in movie theaters this autumn!
- Plus, Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS will be making a reappearance in the West End this winter, and Disney's ALADDIN musical is eyeing a 2016 London run.
- We got a first look at highlights and photos from TARZAN at the Muny in St. Louis!
- MODERN FAMILY's Sarah Hyland and Broadway's Benjamin Walker have joined HAIR at the Hollywood Bowl!
- And finally, some shocking news -- Shia LaBeouf was escorted from last night's performance of CABARET in handcuffs...
Broadway Weather Forecast: High of 82 and partly cloudy all weekend, so get out and enjoy your summer (just make sure to get back to the theatre district in time for a show or two)!
Quote of the Day: As AFTER MIDNIGHT drops its curtain this weekend, Duke Ellington gives us some perspective on art...
Art is dangerous. It is one of the attractions: when it ceases to be dangerous you don't want it.
-- Duke Ellington (via BrainyQuote)
What we're looking forward to: FINDING NEVERLAND. With sneak peek rehearsal photos just released, we can't wait to see the new musical take the stage at A.R.T. this summer!
And finally, a Happy Birthday shout-out to Michael Ball, who turns 52 today!
The West End actor starred in the title role in Sweeney Todd in 2012, opposite Imelda Staunton. Ball has also appeared in the West End in Hairspray, Kismet, The Woman in White (and later on Broadway), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Passion, Les Miserables and Aspects of Love (both in London and NYC).
See you bright and early on Monday, BroadwayWorld!
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