A. Parker News

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON returns for a seven-week limited engagement, tonight, June 28, through August 14, 2016, at the Bank of America Theatre (18 West Monroe). 

The 2016 BET AWARDS took place at Microsoft Theater last night, Sunday, June 26. This year's broadcast marked 16 years of spectacular performances, must-see moments, outstanding talent, including an all-star tribute to the late artist Prince.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Little Shop of Horrors Reunion Concert; Blood Brothers in Concert; 54 Celebrates The Neil Simon Theatre; Rob McClure at 54 Below; and 54 Celebrates Prince.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

I love Mormons. I met my first church member while I was a teenager, studying my family history. They archive practically every family tree ever recorded. It has something to do with their religion, but they don't really like to talk about it, similar to their stance on magic underwear. Now on stage at The Wharton Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University is the wickedly cutting, outrageously hysterical 'Book of Mormon,' a musical satire that unearths all those little idiosyncrasies associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This performance was magical, I could almost feel the mana imbued in the actors' magic underwear. One of the stars, Cody Jamison Strand plays Elder Cunningham, gave a performance to die for.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played a sold out one-week run in 2015, returns to Vancouver for a limited engagement August 23- September 4 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Single tickets will go on sale Monday, June 30 at 10am. Tickets available by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 1-855-985-5000.  Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 1-800-889-8457. 

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played a record breaking one week run in 2015 returns to Winnipeg for a limited engagement September 27 - October 2 at the Centennial Concert Hall. Single tickets will go on sale June 13 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Centennial Concert Hall box office (555 Main Street), all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 1-855-985- 5000. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 1-800-889-8457 and go on sale May 2.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played a recordbreaking and sold out week long run in 2014 returns to East Lansing for a limited engagement June 14-19, 2016 at Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall. Tickets are available at Wharton Center's official ticketing outlets: online at whartoncenter.com, at the Auto-Owner's Insurance Ticket Office at Wharton Center, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON - which played a record-breaking and sold-out weeklong run in 2014, returns to East Lansing for a limited engagement June 14-19, 2016 at Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall. In East Lansing, the production will conduct a pre-show lottery at the ticket office, making a limited number of tickets available at $25 apiece per performance.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON , which played a record breaking weeklong run in 2014, returns to the Fox Cities P.A.C. for a limited engagement October 4-9, 2016. 

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played record breaking and sold out engagements in 2013 and 2014, returns to Toronto for a limited engagement February 28 - April 16, 2017 at The Princess of Wales Theatre. Tickets will go on sale online on Monday June 13 at 12:01 AM and are available by visiting Mirvish.com, or by phone at 9:00 AM by calling TicketKing at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333. Tickets will also be available in person at 12 Noon at the Princess of Wales Theatre Box Office, 300 King Street West. Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by calling 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420.

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President) and The Village Voice (Peter Barbey, Owner) have announced the winners of the 61st Annual Obie Awards. Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj, produced by the Atlantic Theater Company, received the Obie Award® for Best New American Play, which is accompanied by a $1,000 prize. Legendary actor/dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade and renowned playwright A.R. Gurney each received a special Obie Award® for Lifetime Achievement. Obie and Screen Actors Guild® Award-winning actress Lea DeLaria returned as host of this year's ceremony, which was held at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street).

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played a recordbreaking and sold out week long run in 2014 returns to East Lansing for a limited engagement June 14-19, 2016 at Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall.

THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, returns to Minneapolis for a limited run May 10-29 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's historic Orpheum Theatre (910 Hennepin Ave.) as part of the Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin Season. The production in Minneapolis is pleased to announce a pre-show ticket lottery, making a limited number of tickets available for $25 each, cash only, at the Orpheum Theater Box Office.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, which played a record breaking one week run in 2015 returns to Winnipeg for a limited engagement September 27 - October 2 at the Centennial Concert Hall.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma announces casting and production teams for its annual summer shows, featuring new and returning national talent, including Emily Skinner, Adam Heller, Sandra Mae Frank, Trista Dollison, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jerry Jay Cranford, Martin Burke, David Coffee, Kristina Love, Monte Riegel Wheeler, Casey Elizabeth Gill, and more. All four productions- DREAMGIRLS, THE WIZARD OF OZ, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - will perform at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.

The 20th Annual Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards were held on April 11 at the Holiday Inn Boston/Brookline. Founded by Beverly Creasey of the Journal Newspapers and Larry Stark of the TheaterMirror in 1997, the IRNE Awards recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community. 

As part of the kick-off event for the 2016 Kennedy Center (KC) American College Theater Festival, a special preview of the EVERY 28 HOURS PLAYS will be performed and livestreamed as part of KC's Millennium Stage Series. The preview consists of an excerpt of the collection with more than 30 one-minute plays inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, with participation by theater makers and institutions across the nation and showcases the creative outcome of a community outreach residency in Ferguson and St. Louis County, Missouri in the fall of 2015.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 150 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the 48th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 12-16, 2016 in multiple locations throughout the Center. Thousands of student artists from eight regions across the country presented their work at regional festivals from January 5 through February 27, 2016 and more than 150 were selected to travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., for an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the national festival.

?THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, is pleased to announce a lottery ticket policy for the National Tour, which begins March 29 at the Aronoff Center and plays a limited one week engagement through April 3, 2016. In Cincinnati, the production will conduct a pre-show lottery at the box office, making a limited number of tickets available at $25 apiece.