Nicole Rosky - Page 692

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's Choir Boy, the new play featuring gospel music directed by Trip Cullman will open July 2 at MTC's The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New YorkCity Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). BroadwayWorld brings you highlights below!

Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas's epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare's greatest plays. 'Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearstome stormtroopers, signifying...pretty much everything. Clic kbe low to check out the amazing Shakespearean inturpretation titled: 'William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily a New Hope.'

Elizabeth Gilbert's first novel in twelve years is an extraordinary story of botany, exploration and desire, spanning across much of the 19th century. The novel follows the fortunes of the brilliant Alma Whittaker (daughter of a bold and charismatic botanical explorer) as she comes into her own within the world of plants and science. As Alma's careful studies of moss take her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, the man she loves draws her in the opposite direction-into the realm of the spiritual, the divine and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose is a Utopian artist. But what unites this couple is a shared passion for knowing-a desperate need to understand the workings of this world, and the mechanism behind of all life. The Signature of All Things is a big novel, about a big century. Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, this story novel soars across the globe-from London, to Peru, to Philadelphia, to Tahiti, to Amsterdam and beyond. It is written in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time. Alma Whittaker is a witness to history, as well as maker of history herself. She stands on the cusp of the modern, with one foot still in the Enlightened Age, and she is certain to be loved by readers across the world.

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of Disney's The Jungle Book began previews on June 21 (opening night is July 1) and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. The show opens tonight, July 1 and you can check out highlights below!

Happy Birthday Terrence Mann! Mann's Broadway credits include the Beast in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast, Rum Tum Tugger in Cats, Inspector Javert in Les Miserables and Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel. He also has starred in additional Broadway productions including Lennon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Getting Away With Murder, A Christmas Carol, Rags, Barnum, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and Jekyll & Hyde. He has earned multiple Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents the world premiere of The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin by Steven Levenson, directed by Scott Ellis. The cast includesChristopher Denham as 'James Durnin,' Lisa Emery as 'Karen Brown-Canedy',Sarah Goldberg as 'Katie Nicholson,' David Morse as 'Tom Durnin,' and Rich Sommer as 'Chris Wyatt'.

In the video below, the West End cast of the Matilda The Musical takes part in the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of Roald Dahl's creation, Matilda, featuring Pass the Parcel and a surprise finale for the cast on stage. Puffin have published a large format colour edition of Matilda earlier this year to join the celebrations. Watch to the end to find out what happens!

BROADWAY BARES 23: UNITED STRIPS OF AMERICA, a randy road trip of modern-day burlesque featuring 220 of New York's sexiest dancers, raised an all-time record high for the fourth year in a row on Sunday, hitting $1,430,241 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In the video below, the Skivvies perform their America Mega Mashup entitled 'Stars and Strips' as the 'fluffer' for Broadway Bares 2013. Check it out below!

U.S. Authorities are holding a 1909 Pablo Picasso painting for the Italian Government entitled 'Compotier et tasse, ' or 'Fruit bowl and cup' in English, According to the HUffington Post. The painting is worth an estimated $11.5 million, and is being held 'pending the outcome of criminal proceedings against its owner in Italy.'

Global star and legendary entertainer Barry Humphries is to transfer his FAREWELL TOUR to the London Palladium for a West End run from Wednesday 13th November (Press Night: Friday 15th November). EAT PRAY LAUGH! will give audiences the chance to bid farewell to Humphries, arguably Australia's greatest entertainment export, whose creations have brought him international acclaim and adoration: cultural attache the Honorable Sir Les Patterson, Sandy Stone and, of course, the incomparable Dame Edna Everage. Below, BroadwayWorld has collected some of our very favorite Dame Edna appearances!

The 'Gang of Eight' pushed the immigration bill through the Senate with promises of a 'border surge' and Stephen Colbert had a lot to say about it on THE COLBERT REPORT. Check it out below!

Cutting-Edge Composers is particularly excited about this week's composer, Zoe Sarnak, because we are presenting a concert of her musical, A Lasting Impression, this Saturday night at Joe's Pub!

Williamstown Theatre Festival is currently presenting ANIMAL CRACKERS, directed by Henry Wishcamper and opening tonight, June 27. In the video below go behind the scenes of the cast sitzprobe!

Happy Birthday David Alan Grier! Grier began his professional career on Broadway as Jackie Robinson in The First, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award. He then joined the cast of Dreamgirls before going on to star opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Play, for which both actors reprised their roles in the film adaptation titled A Soldier's Story. Recently was seen in David Mamet's Race on Broadway and received his second Tony Award nomination. He is currently starring on Broadway in Porgy and Bess.

Happy Birthday Emily Skinner! Emily Skinner was nominated for a Best Actress TONY Award for the Original Broadway Production of Side Show. Other Broadway credits include the original casts of Jekyll & Hyde, James Joyce's The Dead (with Christopher Walken) The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight (Outer Critics Circle nomination, Drama League Award). Most recently, she starred in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot.

Today in 1987, the FIRST Broadway revival of Dreamgirls opened at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 177 performances. Dreamgirls features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams', who become music superstars. The musical opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre, and was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. It was later adapted into a motion picture from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures in 2006. The 1987 cast featured Lillias White as 'Effie.'

Today in 1976, the second Broadway revival of Pal Joey opened at the Circle in the SquareTheatre, where it ran for 73 performances. Pal Joey is a musical with a book by John O'Hara (from his novel of the same title) and music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart based on a character and situations O'Hara created in a series of short stories published in The New Yorker. The original 1940 Broadway production was directed by George Abbott and starred Gene Kelly. There have been several revivals since, including a 2008-09 Broadway run, and a 1957 film adaptation starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak. The 1976 cast featured: Christopher Chadman (Joey), Harold Gary (Mike), Terri Treas (Kid), Janie Sell (Gladys), and Gail Benedict (Gail).

Comedian Will Stasso recently stopped by the Today Show where he shared his love of Vine, Twitter's video app that allows users to share up to 6 seconds of footage. Check it out below!

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Douglas Hodge stars as Willy Wonka in the brand-new production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes, the story is brought to life with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics byScott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Grammy winners for Hairspray; Smash), with a book by award-winning playwright and adaptor David Greig (The Bacchae; Tintin In Tibet). The show opened last night, June 25 and you can check out highlights of the cast in action below!