Freddie Gershon

Broadway to Welcome Six Teachers To The Eleventh Annual 'Freddie G Fellowship'

Six outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the U.S. will work one-on-one with Broadway professionals at the 11th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP July 14th - 17th.

Music Theatre International Celebrates 70 Years

Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) announced the celebration of its 70th anniversary. Officially recognized on May 29th, the date former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared “Music Theatre International Day” in 2012, MTI is celebrating this milestone throughout the next year by showcasing the incredible talents of theatrical organizations around the world.

Photos: On the Red Carpet for Opening Night of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE on Broadway

The new Broadway production of the Tony Award nominated and Olivier Award-winning musical Caroline, or Change opened just last night, October 27, at Studio 54. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the special event and you can check out photos from the star-studded red carpet arrivals.

Jason Robert Brown, Savion Glover, Priscilla López & More Join NYPL's I'M STLL HERE Benefit

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts announced today that Jason Robert Brown, Savion Glover, Priscilla López, Susan Stroman, Marisha Wallace, and Christopher Wheeldon have joined the growing list of Broadway stars participating in I'm Still Here: A Virtual Benefit for the Billy Rose Theatre Division, airing June 23, 2021 on Broadway On Demand at 8pm EST and 8pm PST. The fundraiser will help raise critical funds for the Library for the Performing Arts' beloved Theatre Division as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

BWW Exclusive: Freddie Gershon Pens Touching Tribute to Roger Englander

Television producer Roger Englander passed away earlier this month at the age of 94. Now his friend and colleague Freddie Gershon has written a beautiful tribute in his memory.

MTI Presents 'Courage in Theatre Award' to Orchard Cove Retirement Community

Music Theatre International (MTI)  has awarded its fourth Courage in Theatre Award to a group residents and staff at Orchard Cove, a senior living retirement community in Canton, Mass., for safely conducting a pilot workshop of Guys and Dolls SR. during the pandemic.

Karen Olivo, Jennifer DiNoia, JJ Niemann & DeAundre Woods Headline Musical Theatre MEGA DAY

Karen Olivo, Jennifer DiNoia, JJ Niemann, DeAundre Woods Headline Musical Theatre MEGA DAY -- A Nationwide Virtual Camp for Musical Theatre Students

Reneé Rapp, Megan Hilty, Emily Swallow, Antonio Cipriano and More To Headline The 2nd Musical Theatre Megacamp

Over 30 Broadway and Hollywood guest artists join students from across the globe in the nation's largest virtual musical theatre camp -- the Musical Theatre MEGACAMP!

BWW Interview: Timothy Allen McDonald, Founder and CEO of iTheatrics, Talks to BWW About the 4th Annual Junior Theater Festival West

Forget that other show. I was in the REAL room where it happened last weekend at the 4th Annual Junior Theater Festival West (JTF), which celebrates youth theatre and encourages students and teachers to keep theatre alive in their community. Each year it follows the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, which just finished its 15th season. Over 2,200 people participated in the three-day festival, some coming from as far away as Australia, England, and South Korea. Students and educators benefited from the knowledge of top Broadway professionals in the form of adjudications, workshops, and a discussion panel entitled Pathways to Success, in which the featured guests shared how they forged their own paths to Broadway and beyond.

Caissie Levy, Nicholas Christopher and More to Participate in 2020 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta

President & Producer of Disney Theatrical Productions Thomas Schumacher; Caissie Levy (Frozen on Broadway); Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton on Broadway); Jennifer Locke (Hamilton national tour); creator/Executive Producer Tim Federle, Olivia Rodrigo, and Joshua Bassett (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney +); Luca Padovan and Isabella Russo (School of Rock); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Between The Lines); Rob Rokicki (The Lighting Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical); and Lotte Wakeham (Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical) are some of the stars and creatives confirmed for the 2020 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF).

BWW TV: Seniors Take Center Stage in New MTI Adaptation of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this year, Music Theatre International announced the launch of Broadway Senior, a new series of adaptations of popular Broadway musicals specifically designed for older adults.

BWW TV Exclusive: Watch Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones on Stage Together One Last Time

As magical as the evening was, after Freddie Gershon gave an impassioned presentation to the duo, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones hit the stage and brought the house down at ages 88 and 89 respectively. They joined forces onstage to perform a song from their musical The Bone Room, described by Jones as being about 'the pleasures of dying and being embalmed in this great country of ours.' Below, watch as they perform together for the last time. BWW feels privileged to share with you a bit of highlights of these two legends together before a rapt and ecstatic audience who precded to shower them with a (well deserved) standing ovation... RIP Harvey Schmidt. 

Just yesterday, 2012 Tony honoree and MTI Chairman and CEO Freddie Gershon; Rodgers & Hammerstein President and past American Theater Wing Chairman Ted Chapin, SMASH's Krysta Rodriguez and more joined forces in Times Square to celebrate Musicals in our Schools Week. During Musicals in our Schools Week, Monday, March 18 through Monday, March 25, students, educators, industry leaders and community members advocate for the importance of quality arts programs in schools through grassroots efforts like organizing a flash mob, giving a free public performance from a Spring musical or sending a thank you note to an educator via letter, internet, video or kind deed.

Yesterday evening, June 9th, Music Theatre International Chairman and CEO Freddie Gershon was among the recipients of a 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre at the 2012 Tony Eve Cocktail Party at the InterContinental Hotel. The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.

Tonight may be the big night but last evening, June 9, The Tony Awards Administration Committee hosted the annual Tony Eve Cocktail Party Tony at the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts to celebrate this year's Special Tony Award winners. The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories. This year's Tony Honors were presented to: Freddie Gershon, CEO and Chairman of Musica Theatre International, Artie Siccardi, Production Supervisor of Arthur Siccardi Theatrical Services, Inc. who has overseen more than 200 Broadway productions, and TDF Open Doors, Theatre Development Fund's arts education program.

As previously reported, the Tony Award's Administration Committee has announced that Theatre Development Fund's Open Doors program will be among those honored with a special 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.

Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Tony-nominated How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying and the beloved Harry Potter films, served as master of ceremonies as hundreds of students from middle and intermediate New York City Public Schools in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Manhattan had their Broadway debut at the Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway JR. Student Celebration at the Majestic Theatre (245 West 44th Street) today, Monday, June 6th from 10:30 AM to noon. Each school performed a song from their production of a student version of a classic musical, including Annie JR., Once on this Island JR., Seussical JR., Disney's Aladdin JR. and Guys and Dolls JR. A list of schools which participated in the June 6th celebration follows.

The production played 3 nights - July 31, August 1 and August 2 to cheering crowds, but the crazy part is - the final dress is done at 10am, in broad daylight and is open to the public, as the venue is a county-owned facility. People showed up in droves, for the run-through and cheered on the actors, the Hollywood Bowl orchestra and conductor Kevin Stites, who you will see is wearing a black, casual shirt for the rehearsal. The show's director, Richard Jay-Alexander, made a brief speech before the run, welcoming everybody, and in this exclusive footage, I was also able to catch him, in his dressing room, before the Opening Night performance.