Ann Sanders News

Rehearsals begin today, February 14, for Broadway's LEAP OF FAITH, beginning previews on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). LEAP OF FAITH stars four-time Tony nominee Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale, Jessica Phillips as Marla Humes, Kendra Kassebaum as Sam Nightingale, Kecia Lewis-Evans as Ida Mae Robinson, Leslie Odom, Jr. as Isaiah Robinson, Krystal Joy Brown as Ornella and Talon Ackerman as Jake Humes. The production will open on April 26 at 6pm.

Gabriel Livingston takes you through the Starlight Season from THE KING AND I to XANADU

BroadwayWorld.com has been following the progress of Broadway-bound musical, ALLEGIANCE, since its first reading in Los Angeles two years ago up to its final workshop presentation held at the Baryshnikov Arts Center yesterday. What we just saw certainly bore little likeness to its initial working draft while some aspects of the production have remained the same, like its central story on the Japanese American experience during and after the World War II internment; and its composer and lyricist Jay Kuo's uplifting and emotionally charged music and lyrics.

Tomo Yo: My Friend - A Benefit for Japan held Friday, April 29th @ 11:30 PM at Joe's Pub

Tomo Yo: My Friend - A Benefit for Japan held Friday, April 29th @ 11:30 PM at Joe's Pub

The Geisha Gig, a benefit for Japan is an evening of music with an all female line up featuring some of Broadway's hottest leading ladies. The evening, which takes place at The Laurie Beechman Theater, www.westbankcafe.com/beechman_theatre.html, on Sunday, April 10th at 8pm will be donating all of the $30 ticket price to The Japanese Red Cross Society.

'At This Performance,' the ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway standbys and understudies is set to continue March 20-21.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Broadway and US television stars Lea Salonga (Gloria Suzuki), George Takei (old Sam Omura), Telly Leung (young Sam Omura), Allie Trim (Hannah Campbell), Michael K. Lee (James Omura), Paolo Montalban (Ben Chin/Mike Masaoka), Christine Toy Johnson (Kimiko Omura), Alan Ariano (Tatsuo Omura) and Jason Tam (Frankie Suzuki) led two public staged readings of 'American Idiot' associate producers Lorenzo Thione and Jay Kuo's Broadway bound musical 'Allegiance' on Monday, October 25, 2010 at the Julia Miles Theatre, 424 W55th St. New York, NY. BroadwayWorld.com has been covering the new Asian American play's different stages of development since its private staged reading in Los Angeles, CA last year.

Tony-award winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables) and television and film icon George Takei (Star Trek, Heroes) will return to portray the roles of Gloria Suzuki and Old Sam Omura in a developmental reading of the new Broadway-bound musical, Allegiance, on October 25th at the Julia Miles Theatre in New York City. Telly Leung (Flower Drum Song, Pacific Overture, Wicked, Rent) and Allie Trimm (13, Bye Bye Birdie) also star. Allegiance is produced by Lorenzo Thione and Sing Out, Louise! Productions.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, October 17th and Monday, October 18th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, October 17th and Monday, October 18th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, October 17th and Monday, October 18th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, winner of four 2006 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2009, has now received ten nominations for the Victorian Green Room Awards. The JERSEY BOYS Original Cast Recording also received a 2006 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Show Album. JERSEY BOYS has now grossed over $812 million worldwide and been seen by 9 million people around the world. Over 450,000 people have attended the show in Melbourne to date. JERSEY BOYS - The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, officially opened in Sydney at the Theatre Royal on Saturday 18 September 2010.

Jennifer Barnhart - the original AVENUE Q cast member who performed with the show for over seven years from the very beginning at the Vineyard Theatre through its entire run on Broadway - will once again join AVENUE Q when she resumes the roles of Mrs. T, Bad Idea Bear and other characters on Sunday, May 2nd at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) in Manhattan.

Jennifer Barnhart - the original AVENUE Q cast member who performed with the show for over seven years from the very beginning at the Vineyard Theatre through its entire run on Broadway - will once again join AVENUE Q when she resumes the roles of Mrs. T, Bad Idea Bear and other characters on Sunday, May 2nd at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) in Manhattan.

Ann Sanders -- who enjoyed a long run as Christmas Eve in AVENUE Q during its record-breaking six-year run on Broadway -- returns to the Tony Award-winning musical to resume the role of the lovable, no-nonsense Japanese therapist starting Monday, April 5 at New World Stages (340 W. 50 St.) in Manhattan.

On Sunday, March 28, 2010, Broadway's Ann Harada, Christine Toy Johnson, Raymond J. Lee, Deborah Lew, Jose Llana and Ann Sanders will sing in A HELLUVA TOWN, a concert to benefit the documentary film, TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY and celebrate the release of the DVD. The concert, directed by Tony Award winner Michele Pawk with musical direction by Marco Paguia, will feature songs from the 1946-47 Broadway season.

On Sunday, March 28, Ann Harada, Raymond J. Lee, Deborah Lew, Jose Llana, Ann Sanders, and Christine Toy Johnson, will celebrate the DVD release of 'Transcending - The Wat Misaka Story' with a benefiit concert for the film. The event will take place at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at 9:30pm.