Allan Williams News

PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will release the new two-disc set Broadway cast album of the Kennedy Center's acclaimed revival of FOLLIES on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. On Thursday, December 1st, Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines, Elaine Paige and other members of the cast of FOLLIES will sign copies of the album at Barnes & Noble (150 E. 86th St; between Lexington & 3rd Ave.) beginning promptly at 4:00 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. The album is produced by Tommy Krasker.

The Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed revival of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece FOLLIES joined the million dollar club, grossing $1,122,778 million in the week ending September 25th. This is also the highest weekly gross for any Broadway musical production featuring both music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The production, which opened to rave reviews on September 12, 2011, is currently playing a limited engagement through January 22, 2012 at the Marquis Theatre.

As previously reported by BroadwayWorld, rocker and former Poison frontman Bret Michaels has filed a lawsuit agains the Tony Awards, stating that a near-fatal brain hemorrhage that he suffered is related to the injuries he received at the 2009 ceremony. The suit was filed on March 25th in Los Angeles, against Tony Awards Productions, White Cherry Entertainment, Inc, Richard Kirshner, Glen Weiss, Alan Wasser Associates LLC, Alan Wasser, Allan Williams and CBS Entertainment.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2011-2012 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Tony Award Productions Inc have reached agreement on union staffing of the red carpet staging area for the 2011 Tony Awards program this Sunday.

Variety is reporting that due to a logistical decision to move the Tony Awards red carpet across the street from the Beacon theatre, and the hiring of a non-union crew to do so, the Local One union (who will work on the rest of the Awards) is threatening to protest and picket the red carpet. It's being speculated on by the trade paper that a Local One picket could result in Actors Equity members not walking the red carpet for the awards show.

The 65th Annual Tony Awards will be simulcast live to Times Square on Sunday, June 12th. The Tony Awards, in partnership with the Times Square Alliance and Clear Channel Spectacolor, in addition to simulcast co-sponsors, Daktronics Inc., Cohen & Perfetto LLP and the Broadway Association, will air the Tony Awards Red Carpet courtesy of NY1 and the entirety of the Tony Awards show, including the Creative Arts Awards, on Clear Channel's SpectacolorHD screen in Times Square on Sunday, June 12th, from 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

VideoGenie, the expert in customer-generated video, today announced that it has partnered with the Tony Awards to launch an innovative fan generated social video campaign. Leading up to the 65th Annual Tony Awards, theater fans will have the unique opportunity to express 'What Broadway Means to Them' by recording and contributing personal video responses on The Tony Awards' Facebook page. The Tony Awards, which are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, will air live on CBS on Sunday, June 12th.

Tune into BroadwayWorld.com at 8am on May 3 to watch past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announce the 2011 Tony Awards nominees! The video webcast will air live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City.

According to TonyAwards.com, 'The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards Ceremony has been relocated to the Beacon Theatre in 2011. While we have been able to offer limited public sale to the Tony Awards in the past, the reduced capacity of our new venue has required us to allocate seating very differently this year, and unfortunately there will be no tickets available for sale to the public. The best way to watch the Tony Awards is live on CBS, Sunday, June 12th at 8:00p.m./7c.'

This year's Tony nominations will be announced on May 3. The 65th annual Tony Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, June 12, 2011, broadcast on CBS. EW.com has revealed this morning that the announcers will be former Tony recipients Matthew Broderick (The Producers, The Odd Couple, The Philanthropist, Brighton Beach Memiors, How To Succeed in Business...) and Anika Noni Rose (Caroline or Change). The nominations will be announced at Lincoln Center's Public Library for Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center beginning at 8:30am.

He told the Dallas Magazine today that 'Billionaire businessman Donald Trump counseled rocker Bret Michaels to file suit against CBS Entertainment and others over injuries Michaels suffered at the 2009 Tony Awards, the Poison lead singer said in Dallas Saturday. Talks to resolve the matter earlier broke down because, 'let's just say, they were pretty cold,' Michaels said, referring to the defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed in L.A. by his lawyers Friday. While Trump offered to intercede and advised him to sue aggressively, Michaels said, he decided mainly to ask to be compensated for work-time lost due to his injuries, which included stitches with a cut lip and a broken nose.' He also notes 'They never needed to show me getting hurt,' he added. 'They didn't offer to pay my medical costs or anything. ... I'm sorry it came to this.'

Rocker and former Poison frontman Bret Michaels has filed a lawsuit agains the Tony Awards - including Tony Awards Productions, White Cherry Entertainment, Inc, Richard Kirshner, Glen Weiss, Alan Wasser Associates LLC, Alan Wasser, Allan Williams and CBS Entertainment, stating that a near-fatal brain hemmorhage that he suffered is related to the injuries he received at the 2009 ceremony.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the Tony Awards Administration Committee is set to meet for the third time this season on March 31.

According to a Tony Awards spokesperson, the Tony Awards Administration Committee will will meet on December 9 for the first time this season.

As BroadwayWorld reported this summer, the Tony Awards is in search of a new home for 2011 and beyond, now that their 13 year occupation of Radio City Music Hall in midtown is complete. (Radio City will be occupied with a Cirque du Soliel production during Tony time next year). While the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, who present the Tonys, have not yet released an official statement on a specific move, published reports have suggested a likely option was the 3,400+ seat United Palace Theater in Washington Heights.

CBS announced that it extended its agreement with the Tony Awards to broadcast the ceremony through 2013. The Tonys, which won 2 Emmys earlier this year have been broadcast on the network since 1978.

It's not just the venue that might be moving for the 2011 Tony Awards (Radio City is booked). The New York Times is reporting that the normal end of April cutoff for Tony eligibility might be moved earlier this year. The Times quotes an email from Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League saying that:

The June 2009 broadcast of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards was honored this evening with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Dave Boone, Writer and Special Material Written by Paul Greenberg. As previously announced, the telecast was presented with the Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Programs - Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer; Glenn Weiss, Executive Producer; and Neil Patrick Harris, Host; at the Creative Arts Emmys on August 21st.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2010-2011 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.