Photo Flash: Hollywood Legend Ron Howard Visits RUTHLESS! Off-Broadway

Ron Howard took in a performance of the Off-Broadway hit Ruthless! The Musical this past Saturday, November 7th. After laughing heartily throughout the entire show, Howard was the first to leap to his feet at the curtain call's standing ovation. As a former top international child star himself, Howard was particularly interested in meeting the 11-year-old star of RUTHLESS!, Tori Murray. The two can be seen below posing and goofing with each other after Saturday's performance!

As a young actor, Ron Howard starred on the phenomenally successful TV series' "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Happy Days," and in numerous films including AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THE MUSIC MAN, THE SHOOTIST, and THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER. He went on to become an Oscar-winning director of such films as A BEAUTIFUL MIND, RUSH, CINDERELLA MAN, FROST/NIXON, APOLLO 13, WILLOW, and many more.

RUTHLESS! opened July 13th at St. Luke's Theatre to unanimous rave reviews led by Entertainment Weekly which called the show, "Uproarious! A mash-up of THE BAD SEED, GYPSY, ALL ABOUT EVE, plus the films of Douglas Sirk and John Waters!" Book and lyrics are by Joel Paley with music by Marvin Laird. Paley also directed the original production as well as productions in L.A., South Beach and the record-breaking concert event starring Bernadette Peters. He once again serves as director of the newest incarnation of RUTHLESS!, with Marvin Laird on board as music supervisor as well.

When THE BAD SEED meets GYPSY, it's fun for the whole dysfunctional family! Tina Denmark is a pretty, charming and diabolical eight-year-old who "was born to entertain." With the encouragement of slick and overbearing potential agent Sylvia St. Croix, Tina will do anything to play the lead in her school play. The question is, where does such remarkable talent and unstoppable ambition come from? The answer is shocking in this award-winning Stage Mother of all musicals.

Featured in the cast of RUTHLESS! are Kim Maresca (Westport's TWELFTH NIGHT), Paul Pecorino (DEVIL BOYS FROM BEYOND, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW), Rita McKenzie (ETHEL MERMAN'S BROADWAY, RUTHLESS! L.A.), Andrea McCullough (URINETOWN, GREASE), Jennifer Diamond (INTO THE WOODS, JEKYLL & HYDE), and introducing Tori Murray (Paper Mill's NEW VOICES OF 2014: OH, WHAT A NIGHT!)

RUTHLESS! is produced Off-Broadway by Maxine Paul, Evan Sacks and Ken Schur.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Direction of a Musical - Top 3

1. Michael Arden - The Lost Boys

33.1% of votes

2. Tim Jackson - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

15.5% of votes

3. Lear deBessonet - Ragtime

10.6% of votes

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