Andrew Rannells News

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's new feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more!

As previously reported, the cast of PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT will be performing the show stopper 'It's Raining Men' at the Tony Awards ceremony on Sunday, June 12. The performance will be broadcast as part of the ceremony on CBS. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the rehearsal run with special guest performers Paul Shaffer (who wrote the tune) and Martha Wash (the song's original songstress). Click below for a video preview of Sunday's production number!

The complete Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON will be available for digital download for $1.99 from Amazon.com, starting tonight at midnight, Pacific Time. The special offer will be available for four days only through Monday, June 13 at midnight, Pacific Time. Visit www.amazon.com/bookofmormon for download information.

We're just hours away from the 2011 Tony Awards on CBS this Sunday night, June 12 at 8pm and, as usual, BroadwayWorld.com will be your one-stop shop for all things Tonys on Tony Day, Night and Beyond!

8 of the 2011 Tony Award nominees visited the Empire State Building's world famous Observatory including Colman Domingo (The Scottsboro Boys, 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical'), Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon, 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical'), Judith Light (Lombardi, 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play'), Patina Miller (Sister Act, 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical'), Arian Moayed (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play'), Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon, 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical'), Lily Rabe (Merchant of Venice, 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play') and Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon, 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical').

Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters will host the 13th annual BROADWAY BARKS!, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is sponsored by official charity partner, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) with additional sponsorship by the New York Times. The event will take place on Saturday, July 9 in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). The festivities begin at 3:30 p.m.; celebrity presentations of pets from citywide animal shelters will take place between 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Casts from some of Broadway's hottest tickets will take the stage at the Tony Awards this year - including the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert featuring Nick Adams, Tony Sheldon, Will Swenson and special appearances by Paul Shaffer and the legendary Martha Wash. BroadwayWorld has learned that the men of Priscilla will be taking the stage with Wash for a rendition of 'It's Raining Men,' a number written by Paul Shaffer and originally performed by Martha Wash. Click below for Wash singing the hit tune from days past!

THE BOOK OF MORMON composer and co-creator Robert Lopez recently visitied Studio 360, where he peformed 'I Believe,' at the piano. Click below to catch a sneak peek of the song that will be perormed by Andrew Rannels at the 2011 Tony Awards!

The Tony Awards today announced the line-up of performances for the 65th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12th. Featuring unforgettable opening and closing numbers and non-stop entertainment throughout the entirety of the show - the evening will include performances by the 2011 Tony-nominated Best Musicals, Anything Goes featuring Sutton Foster; Catch Me If You Can with Norbert Leo Butz and Aaron Tveit; How to Suceed in Business Without Really Trying featuring Daniel Radcliffe and John Laroquette; Sister Act featuring Patina Miller; The Book of Mormon featuring Andrew Rannells and The Scottsboro Boys featuring Joshua Henry.

Ghostlight Records releases the Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON in stores today, Tuesday, June 7. The packaging for the album features a booklet with color photos, complete lyrics and liner notes by Frank Rich. The recording's digital release is already the fastest selling Broadway cast album in history. A free stream of the recording is also available at www.BookOfMormonCastAlbum.com.

The Oscars have become famous for the galmour. The MTV Video Music Awards for the onstage drama. And then there is the Tony Awards ceremony, the season closer most celebrated for its live performances. Though always full of surprises, BroadwayWorld has gotten the scoop on a number of performances audiences can expect from their favorite Broadway shows this season.

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and is the winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus), four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. This weekend, Richie Ridge had a special sit down with the shows 4 nominated stars to talk Tonys, Mormonism, what it's like backstage, and how it feels to be a part of the season's blockbuster.

The Drama Desk Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein on May 23 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center. This year, for the first time, a 90-minute Highlights Special of the Drama Desk Awards Ceremony will be televised nationally on OVATION, the national cable network dedicated to presenting creative arts programming to national TV audiences. The ceremony will be given two primetime broadcasts plus four other airings between June 4 and June 19, 2011.

Last week on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' BOOK OF MORMON star and Tony Award nominee Andrew Rannells stopped by to hit some high notes with Jimmy and Ed Helms. Afterwards, he stuck around to answer some questions from fans via twitter. Click below to hear him talk about averything from goofing lyrics on stage to his favorite cereals!

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and is the winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus), four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. The show's cast and creators were featured on 'CBS Sunday Morning' on May 29. Click below to check it out!

The New York Civil Liberties Union (The New York State affiliate of the ACLU) today announced a star-studded lineup of award-winning performers for Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, its annual benefit show scheduled for Monday, July 25 at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

Casey Nicholaw, co-director, choreographer and Tony nominee for THE BOOK OR MORMON, recently sat down with 'Theater Talk' to discuss his switch from performing to directing.

Facebook fans of THE BOOK OF MORMON can now listen to a free stream of the Broadway musical's newly released cast recording from Ghostlight Records. Visit THE BOOK OF MORMON on Facebook at facebook.com/TheBookOfMormonOnBroadway. The cast album stream can be found by clicking on 'Cast Album' in the left-hand column. Fans can listen to a stream of the cast album and share it with friends.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON, released digitally by Ghostlight Records on May 17, is the fastest selling digital release of a cast recording in history, according to Billboard Magazine. THE BOOK OF MORMON's cast recording was the #6 digital download of the week. Ghostlight Records will release the CD for THE BOOK OF MORMON on Tuesday, June 7, featuring a booklet which includes color photos, complete lyrics and liner notes by Frank Rich.