Jessica Lewis - Page 48

Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello assumed the role of Mother Superior in the Broadway musical SISTER ACT this November, taking over the role from Victoria Clark. Want a look at Carmello in habit? Check out production shots below!

Ever wonder what the rockers of Broadway's ROCK OF AGES do in their free time? Or at least during intermission? Of late, the cast was hard at work on a new web series, The Sardi's Redemption, a parody inspired by the Hollywood Blockbuster, The Shawshank Redemption.

This fall, Rent vet Adam Pascal stepped into the shoes of Tony nominee Chad Kimball as Broadway's newest 'Huey Calhoun' in MEMPHIS. Check him out in action below!

Sunday, January 8 at 4pm Smoke Jazz Club will presents a reading of Frank Christopher's play Flutter By's, a play that pushes the suspension of disbelief envelope. The comedy is set in turbulent New York circa 2001 and examines the lives of the O'Neil family and the lives of their son Anthony's childhood friends. The show will star Michael Cunio, America Olivo, Christian Campbell, Lou Liberatore, Ann Dowd, Brian Kerwin, Lea DeLaria, Annette Hunt, Gerardo Gudino, Eric Michael Gillett and Cindy Cheung.

Good news for producers everywhere: according to a report in Time Out Chicago, a new tax credit just signed into Illinois law on December 16, 2011 will make producing theater in The Windy City more economical than ever. As explained in Time Out Chicago, the 'Live Theatre Production Tax Credit...allows for up to $2 million in incentives to for-profit live-theater presenters that could give Illinois a competitive leg up on other states in attracting and keeping more pre-Broadway and long-run shows such as The Addams Family and Jersey Boys. The legislation also aims to create and retain theater jobs. Presenters can apply for the credit at the end of the tax year with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which may award credits worth up to 20 percent of their spending in Illinois.'

Laura Bell Bundy's parody Cooter County series has treated fans to a Christmas special, following 'Shocantelle' as she hosts her Holiday Breakfast at the local Holiday Inn Express, despite not having a room. Click below for the hilarity.

New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse is currently presenting Irving Berlin's White Christmas, directed by Marc Bruni, with choreography by Randy Skinner and musical direction by Steven Freeman. The cast features: James Clow (Bob Wallace), Tony Yazbeck (Phil Davis), Jill Paice(Betty Haynes), Meredith Patterson (Judy Haynes), Edward James Hyland (General Waverly) and Lorna Luft (Martha Watson). The show opened last night, November 20, and runs through Saturday, December 24. Click below for a peek at the production onstage!

Entertainment One US will release CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE in New York and Los Angeles on January 20, 2012, with additional markets to follow. The film, directed by Dori Berinstein (ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway, Some Assembly Required, Gotta Dance), examines the life and career of Tony Award-winning Broadway legend, Carol Channing - her extraordinary stage life, her offstage struggles and survival and the extraordinary storybook romance that found her reunited with her junior high school sweetheart after over 70 years. BroadwayWorld has gotten a glimpse of the movie's trailer and brings you a sneak peek below!

BONNIE & CLYDE will record the official cast album on January 2, 2012. The album producers are Frank Wildhorn, John McDaniel and David Lai. It will be Executive Produced by Van Dean, along with Corey Brunish, Howard Kagan and Terry Schnuck.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the musical adaptation of Tim Burton's BIG FISH, will hold a private industry reading next week in New York City. As previously announced, the show, which was initially aiming for Broadway in spring 2012, is now set to open in spring 2013.

David Archuleta is one of the American Idol's most famous runners up. The Season 7 second place finisher has since been building his independent music career and touring the country...a routine which will come to an end tomorrow. Following the close of his current holiday tour tonight, December 21, at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek, Colorado, Archuleta will be taking a two year hiatus from music to become a Mormon missionary.

The North American tour of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT kicks off in Toronto on December 28 and run through January 15 before continuing on to 14 other markets across the United States. As a warm up the company will play two public preview performances tonight, December 21, and tomorrow, December 22 at the Stanley Theatre in Utica, New York before heading north to prep for the December 28 premiere. Check out the company in rehearsal below!

As first reported back in the Spring of 2010, Sutton Foster and her ANYTHING GOES director Kathleen Marshall had teamed up on a reading presentation of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN, which could be gunning for a Broadway revival in the near future. In 2010, Foster starred alongside Craig Bierko in the role of James Joseph 'J.J.' Brown. Michael Riedel had reported in the New York Post at the time that Reba McEntire was being courted for the famous role of 'Molly'.

The Broadway production of GODSPELL will host a special performance to benefit The Actors Fund on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 8pm. The Actors Fund will also be on hand to celebrate THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA's 10,000th Broadway performance on Saturday, February 11 at 2pm.

The New York Times reports today that a FINDING NEVERLAND musical has been greenlighted by The Weinstein Company for further development following successful readings in London last week. The project was last workshopped in New York this past spring and was scheduled to premiere at the La Jolla playhouse this fall. The Weinstein's pulled the project at the last minute (which was replaced at La Jolla by the Startford Festival's Jesus Christ Superstar, currently running) to develop further. Tony Award winner Rob Ashford helms the project, which has Broadway apsirations. The project marks the first musical on which the Weinstein company is lead producer.

MAGIC BIRD has found its "Magic". Producers of MAGIC BIRD, Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo report that the most widely asked question throughout the MAGIC BIRD process has been who is going to play Magic Johnson. On December 9th while the basketball fan learned the details of the newly announced NBA Season, in walked actor Kevin Daniels to the Magic Bird audition room.

The New Broadway Cast Recording of the revival of GODSPELL is being released digitally today, December 20, 2011 on Ghostlight Records. Produced by Stephen Schwartz, Michael Holland and Kurt Deutsch with Executive Producer Ken Davenport, the CD will be available in stores on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Click below to go inside the recording studio to hear Hunter Parrish's rendition of 'Beautiful City'.

40 coreutas, un maestro de ceremonia, dos bailarines, una veintena de músicos y un Gran Rex lleno. Y ellas, por supuesto. 22 mujeres que dejaron todo en el escenario para demostrar por qué son las Primeras Damas del Musical.

The Manhattan Theatre Club world premiere of CLOSE UP SPACE, by Molly Smith Metzler, directed by Leigh Silverman began previews Thursday, December 1 and opens Monday, December 19 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Actor David Hyde Pierce will visit "LIVE!" on Monday December 12th to talk about his play "Close Up Space.' Check your local listings.

The Old Globe will open its 2012-13 Winter Season with the World Premiere of Allegiance - A New American Musical. Created by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione with music and lyrics by Kuo, the original musical tells the story of a Japanese American family forced into an internment camp during World War II. Directed by Stafford Arima (Carrie, Altar Boyz, West End premiere of Ragtime), the production features musical direction and arrangements by Lynne Shankel (Cry-Baby, Company) and choreography by Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Godspell, South Pacific). Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), television and film icon George Takei ("Star Trek," "Heroes") and Telly Leung (Godspell, Rent) will star.