BWW Exclusive: Stephen Sondheim Drops Hint About New Musical with David Ives!February 29, 2012According to the London Evening Standard, theater powerhouses Stephen Sondheim and David Ives have teamed up on a new musical, which is currently in the earliest phases of composition. The Standard reports: 'Sondheim speaks of pushing forward and says he has '20 or 30 minutes' written of a new musical that he is collaborating on with American playwright David Ives, a New York regular little known in London.'
MONKEES Lead Singer Davy Jones Dies at Age 66February 29, 2012TMZ reports that Davy Jones, lead singer of the popular Biritsh invasion band, Monkees, has passed away of a heart attack this morning, February 29, at Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart, Florida. He was 66 years old.
Powerhouse Scribes Stephen Sondheim & David Ives at Work on New Musical!February 29, 2012According to the London Evening Standard, theater powerhouses Stephen Sondheim and David Ives have teamed up on a new musical, which is currently in the earliest phases of composition. The Standard reports: 'Sondheim speaks of pushing forward and says he has '20 or 30 minutes' written of a new musical that he is collaborating on with American playwright David Ives, a New York regular little known in London.'
TV: Blair Underwood, Daphne Rubin-Vega & A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Company Meets the Press!February 28, 2012A Streetcar Named Desire starring Blair Underwood as Stanley, Nicole Ari Parker as Blanche, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Stella and Wood Harris as Mitch, begins its limited Broadway run at the Broadhurst Theatre on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, and celebrates its opening Sunday, April 22, 2012. The production will run through July 22, 2012. Click below to meet the company!
TV EXCLUSIVE: Broadway Belts and Raises $50,000 for PFF! Joel Grey, Adam Pascal, Julie Halston & More! February 28, 2012With honors ranging from the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame to the Tony Awards, Broadway's best performers gathered last night, February 27, to raise awareness of the rare disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and honor the memory of Associated Press theater critic, Michael Kuchwara (today would have been Kuchwara's 65th Birthday). Hosted by award-winning actress and devoted Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) advocate Julie Halston, Broadway Belts for PFF! returned to Birdland in New York City for a second successful year. The event raised almost $50,000 to benefit the Foundation.
TV: New Clips of ONCE, Now on Broadway!February 28, 2012ONCE, the acclaimed new musical based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning film is now in previews at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The production will open on Sunday, March 18, 2012. New production footage has just been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a look below!
TV: First Look at Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE - Performance Highlights!February 27, 2012Signature Theatre presents the world premiere production of Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE, directed by Patricia McGregor. HURT VILLAGE runs through March 18, 2012 with a February 27th opening night and is the inaugural production in the The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center. Check out video highlights below!
Photo Flash: Disaster at Seth Rudetsky's DISASTER! DISASTER! Musical!February 27, 2012Disaster at Disaster! Yesterday, February 26, Seth Rudetsky and the company of DISASTER! DISASTER! The Musical were faced with a real life crisis when cast members Clif Thorn and Kathy Fitzgerald had to call out of last night's production - without understudies.
Photo Coverage: 2012 Starry Spirit Awards Red Carpet - Zac Efron, Michelle WIlliams & More!February 27, 2012Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, held its annual honors yesterday, February 25, in Santa Monica. Hosted by Seth Rogan, the awards ceremony premiered later that night at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC.
Winners included Christopher Plummer, Michelle Williams, the company of The Artist and more! CLICK HERE for a full winners list. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you onto the starry red carpet.
Photo Flash: Tracie Bennett & More in Broadway's END OF THE RAINBOW February 24, 2012Directed by the Tony® Award winning Terry Johnson, End of the Rainbow will begin performances on Monday, March 19, 2012 at the Belasco Theatre, with an opening night now set for Monday, April 2. Michael Cumpsty, Tom Pelphrey and Jay Russell will join two-time Oliver Award-winner Tracie Bennett in Peter Quilter's acclaimed play about the legendary Judy Garland. Production photos of the show have surfaced and BroadwayWorld brings you a look below!
Kelli O'Hara to Star in New FAR FROM HEAVEN Musical at Williamstown Theatre Festival This SummerFebruary 24, 2012According to the New York Times, Playwrights Horizons will present FAR FROM HEAVEN, a new musical with book by Tony Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain), music by Tony Award nominee Scott Frankel (Grey Gardens) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie (Grey Gardens, The Grapes of Wrath), in Spring 2013. The show will also play Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer. The musical was adapted from the acclaimed, award-winning 2002 Focus Features/Vulcan Productions motion picture Far From Heaven, written and directed by Todd Haynes.
STAGE TUBE: Sutton Foster Brings ANYTHING GOES to Jimmy Fallon's Broadway Week!February 24, 2012All the excitement of the Broadway stage was broadcast into viewers' homes last night, as Broadway Week continued on LATE NIGHT WITH Jimmy Fallon (12:35 a.m. ET on NBC). Last night, Fallon featured Roundabout Theatre Company's 2011 Tony Award winning musical 'Anything Goes.' Sutton Foster took the 'Late Night' stage to sing a rousing selection from this saucy production set on the S.S. American. The show was the recipient of three 2011 Tony Awards including Best Revival and Best Actress in a Musical (Foster). Check out her performance on Fallon last night below!
Sara Jean Ford, Stephanie Rothenberg are New 'Smitty'/ 'Rosemary' in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, Feb. 28February 24, 2012BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Sara Jean Ford (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) will step into the shoes of 'Smitty' in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. Ford will be replacing Mary Faber, who originated the role in the revival.
Additional cast changes over a the Al Hirschfeld Theatre will also take effect on February 28 for the role of 'Rosemary Pillkington' when current star Rose Hemingway takes a leave from the production through April 29. No reason for her hiatus has been announced. Hemingway's understudy, Stephanie Rothenberg, will assume the role on her absence.
TV: First Look - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Exclusive Fan Concert Preview!February 23, 2012On Friday night, February 17th, cast members from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR performed a special secret fan preview concert for a few very lucky fans of the show. The concert featured some of the show's most notable hit songs, performed at the very appropriate venue of 'The Crypt' at The Church of the Intercession on 155th Street and Broadway in New York City. Want a first look at the latest cast of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in action? Click below for the show's first performance footage!
LA FOLLIES Cast Complete; Jayne Houdyshell, Terri White & More Join Victoria Clark, Jan Maxwell, Ron Raines, Danny Burstein & Elaine Paige!February 23, 2012Coming to the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre direct from Broadway for six weeks only, the Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," has now completed casting. "Follies" stars four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Maxwell, Burstein, Raines and Paige are all returning to the roles they originated on Broadway.
Magic Johnson to Bring SOUL TRAIN to Broadway?February 23, 2012According to EW.com, Soul Train, the popular musical variety show that ran in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006, may be getting Broadway treatment, thanks to Magic Johnson. The former NBA star-turned-entrepreneur purchased the Soul Train brand in 2011 and has been considering reviving it via TV, print and stage outlets, among other ideas.