Nicole Rosky - Page 721

Today in 1988, Chess opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 68 performances. Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other; all in the context of a Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, during which both countries wanted to win international chess tournaments for propaganda purposes.

Today in 2000, the second Broadway revival of The Music Man openened at the Neil Simon Theatre, where it ran for 699 performances. The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. In 1957, the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances. The cast album won the first Grammy Award for 'Best Original Cast Album'. The show's success led to revivals and a popular 1962 film adaptation and a 2003 television remake.

Today in 1970, Company opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), where it ran for 705 perfrmances. Company is a musical comedy based on a book by George Furth with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The original production was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six. Originally entitled Threes, its plot revolves around Bobby (a single man unable to commit fully to a steady relationship, let alone marriage), the five married couples who are his best friends, and his three girlfriends. Unlike most book musicals, which follow a clearly delineated plot, Company is a concept musical composed of short vignettes, presented in no particular chronological order, linked by a celebration for Bobby's 35th birthday.

Today in 1991, The Secret Garden opened at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 709 performances.The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's book and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon. Directed by Susan H. Schulman with choreography by Michael Lichtefeld, the cast featured Daisy Eagan, Mandy Patinkin, and Rebecca Luker. It won the 1991 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Daisy Eagan), and Best Scenic Design (Heidi Landesman).

Bette Midler stars in Tony Award winner John Logan's new play, I'll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, which opens tonight at the Booth Theatre. Appearing on Broadway for the first time in 30 years, Tony and Grammy Award-winning superstar Bette Midler plays the legendary Hollywood agent Sue Mengers (1932-2011) in the new, one-character play. The show opened last night and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with John Logan, Bette Midler and the rest of the ganag about the new play. Check out what they had to say below!

Bette Midler stars in Tony Award winner John Logan's new play, I'll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, which opens tonight at the Booth Theatre. Appearing on Broadway for the first time in 30 years, Tony and Grammy Award-winning superstar Bette Midler plays the legendary Hollywood agent Sue Mengers (1932-2011) in the new, one-character play.

Earlier this week, Huntington Theatre Company raised more than $1,005,000 at the Spotlight Spectacular gala honoring longtime supporters Trustee Judith Krupp and her husband Douglas and visionary Our Town director David Cromer. The celebratory event at the Boston Park Plaza Castle was attended by more than 500 guests and featured entertainment from Broadway stars Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana (the prince and title character from Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella), cast members from Cromer's acclaimed Huntington production of Our Town, and a rousing sneak peek of The Jungle Book, which opens at the Huntington in September. The Krupps were celebrated by Broadway stars Fontana and Osnes, who performed Cole Porter's 'You're the Top' updated with 21st century and Boston-specific lyrics and you can check it out below!

Now according to the New York Times, Roundabout Theater Company, which revived the musical back in 1998, is planning to bring the show back to Studio 54 in early 2014. Composer John Kander revealed to NYT that a revival is indeed in the works, with Alan Cumming attached to reprise his role as the Emcee. Rehearsals are planned to begin in January 2014.

Earlier today, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reported that Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway would make her Broadway debut in September as Sally Bowles in the Tony winning musical Cabaret. Now according to Just Jared, a rep for the actress has confirmed that the rumors are false and are ' totally made up.'

The Broadway revival of Horton Foote's beloved classic, The Trip to Bountiful, opened last night, April 23, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 W 43rd St).Directed by Michael Wilson, the cast features Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson, Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr, Emmy Award nominee and recording star Vanessa Williams, and Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there for opening night, where he got to chat with Tyson, Williams, and the rest of the cast. Check out what they had to say below!

Happy Birthday Barbra Streisand! Streisand has appeared on Broadway in I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE and FUNNY GIRL, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Streisand won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actress for the role in the film version of the musical. Her next two movies were also based on musicals, Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly!, directed by Gene Kelly (1969), and Alan Jay Lerner's and Burton Lane's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, directed by Vincente Minnelli (1970). Additionally, she has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, one special Tony Award, five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.

Award-winning stage and screen actress Fiona Shaw returned to Broadway on Monday night, April 22, for the opening of The Testament of Mary, by the acclaimed author Colm Toibin, directed by Deborah Warner. The production will run for a twelve-week limited engagement through Sunday, June 16, at the Walter Kerr Theatre. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with with the whole gang and you can check out what they had to say on the special night below!

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2013 Drama League Awards Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie this morning at Sardi's Restaurant. Miss the announcement? Watch it below and check out a full list of nominees HERE!

Our featured composer this week is Ryan Scott Oliver. Here is his song "Halfway" sung by Morgan Karr (Spring Awakening) and Jay Armstrong Johnson (Hands on a Hardbody) at our Cutting-Edge Composers concert at the Canal Room. We asked Ryan where he got the inspiration for the song and this was his reply:

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Featured on Friday, April 19, was teh music of Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, featuring Michael Arden, Nikki M. James, Carrie Manolakos, Josh Young and others.

Today in 1997, Titanic opened at the Lunt-Fonatnne Theatre, where it ran for 804 performances. Titanic is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone that won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical. Titanic is set on the ocean liner RMS Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912. Directed by Richard Jones with choreography by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, the cast included John Cunningham, David Garrison, Larry Keith, Alma Cuervo, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, and Brian d'Arcy James.

Broadway's powerful new production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, starring Tony and Olivier Award winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee Alan Cumming (Cabaret, 'The Good Wife'), opened on Broadway last night, April 21, 2013. Veteran stage actors Jenny Sterlinand Brendan Titley complete the cast. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge wa sthere for the festivites and you can check out what Alan Cumming and the rest of the gang had to say on opening night below!

On Friday night, April 19, the Tribeca Film Festival presented Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, directed by Chiemi Karasawa. In the film, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains in the spotlight at eighty-seven years old. Join the uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner both on and off stage in this revealing documentary. With interviews from Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Hal Prince and others, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me blends rare archival footage and intimate cinema verite to reach beyond Stritch's brassy exterior, revealing a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and an inspiring artist. BroadwayWorld was there for the special screening and you can check out rep carpet interviews with Stritch and friends below!

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's world premiere of Buyer & Cellar, written by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Stephen Brackett, and starring Michael Urie, will play through Sunday, May 12, at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place, west of Seventh Avenue South. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of Urie in action below!

In the special interview below, husband and wife team Terrence Mann and Charlotte d'Amboise chatted about the show's journey to Broadway, Diane Paulus' new take on the musical, married life, and so much more. Click below to check it out!