Annie Strong News

BroadwayWorld San Francisco spoke with the confident, outgoing Ashley Edler, who plays Grace Farrell in a new non-equity touring production of Annie, coming to San Francisco June 3-14. On the phone, Ashley displayed contagious excitement about the show. Read our interview to see how that translates on stage, learn how Ashley enjoyed working with director Martin Charnin and get a few sneak peaks behind the curtain with the kids and Sandy.

There is less than a month left until the biggest night on every theatre-lover's calendar- the 69th Annual Tony Awards, which will be co-hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming on Sunday, June 7 (8PM on CBS). As June approaches, BroadwayWorld will be counting down some of the very best Tonys performances from the past five years, and we need your help to decide who will make the list! Below, cast your vote by telling us which performance from 2013 was your favorite. Can't remember that far back? Just click 'WATCH IT' to refresh your memory! Be sure to check back later this month to find out who makes the ultimate countdown!

A safe, inoffensive, cutesy crowd-pleaser for the young and the young-at-heart, the brand new non-Equity touring revival of the Broadway classic ANNIE is eager to please and pretty much does so. The show is, by all accounts, a cute if standard-issue charmer, filled with hummable ear-worm music (via lyricist/book writer Martin Charnin and composer Charles Strouse) and enjoyably hyperbolic characters that audiences will delight in either cheering or jeering. Sure, ANNIE may not be the best or most groundbreaking musical ever created, but it certainly has its heartwarming place in the genre. The tour continues at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through May 24.

Reprising her role from the New Theatre production of Hairspray, Mandy Morris returns to Kansas City as Amber Von Tussle. Hairspray with book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mark Shaiman runs through July 12 at Ithe dinner theater. Dennis D. Hennessy directs the New Theatre production and Richard J. Hinds provides choreography.

Art & culture are vital to our existence and Seattle Theatre Group's 2015-2016 season features ample offerings of live performance experiences from arts provocateurs, global masters, cultural icons, and contemporary legends.

In this episode of COMMUNITY, we learn all about “Grifting 101.” The new Greendale course catalog is out, which includes a class in Grifting. When Jeff tells them the class would be a joke, since he himself is a grifter, the group decides to take it just to rub it in Jeff's face. However, they find out that Jeff was right, and the class, taught by Professor Roger DeSalvo—guest star Matt Berry—is just one big grift in itself.

This week's episode of COMMUNITY deals with Hondas and love. Frankie is made aware that the school has guerilla advertisers on campus, and we find out that one of them is none other than Subway—err, Rick—Britta's former flame.

Broadway at the National announces its 2015-16 season, featuring the Washington premieres of Motown The Musical, the story of Berry Gordy's journey from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, the Tony® Award-winning Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, with its fresh new take on the beloved tale, and the reconceived adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, featuring additional new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The full subscription series also includes the highly anticipated return of Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, as well as everyone's favorite orphan, Annie.

Gilgamesh Taggett currently plays the role of Oliver Warbucks and BWW had a chance to chat with Gilgamesh about the road that lead to playing Daddy Warbucks.

In the fifth episode of this season of COMMUNITY, we find Jeff squaring off against Willy, an inmate taking classes at Greendale as a part of a rehabilitation program. Greendale is allowing prisoners to be students, attending classes via 'telepresence robots,' which are essentially rolling iPads on a stick. The Dean green-lights this program due to Jeff's insistence, since the school would get a $300,000 incentive for allowing the inmates to attend class.

Community has reached the coveted 100-episode mark! After being on the chopping block for 4 seasons, Dan Harmon getting fired and re-hired, being cancelled by NBC, and saved by Yahoo! Screen, Community somehow made it to triple digits (and thank goodness it did). No one will understand how important this show is to me in terms of comedy and writing. Dan Harmon is a genius, and I am so glad he is still able to write a show as great as this.

Last week I had the opportunity to take advantage of the warmer weather and spend the day in the Niagara region and then take in The Phantom of the Opera at the Shea's Performing Arts Centre in Buffalo, NY. The Shea's Performing Arts Centre is a stunning venue just a couple of hours from the Toronto downtown core - and is well worth the trip to take in a show and spend some time exploring all the region has to offer.

Order your DVD and Blu-ray copy of the new ANNIE!

The Boy from Oz opens March 6 and runs through March 29, 2015, on the Lohrey Stage at Theatre Memphis. Touted as one of the national premieres on its return to the United States, this 'life of' musical tells the story of Peter Allen's rise from an intro act for Judy Garland, to his marriage to her daughter, Liza Minnelli, through his triumph as an Oscar-winning song writer and Radio City Music Hall concert star and his untimely death. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the show!

The Boy from Oz runs through March 29, 2015, on the Lohrey Stage at Theatre Memphis. Touted as one of the national premieres on its return to the United States, this 'life of' musical tells the story of Peter Allen's rise from an intro act forJudy Garland, to his marriage to her daughter, Liza Minnelli, through his triumph as an Oscar-winning song writer and Radio City Music Hall concert star and his untimely death. Featuring the original songs made popular in night clubs and on tours, memorable hits as 'Don't Cry Out Loud,' 'Love Don't Need a Reason,' 'Everything Old is New Again' and 'I Go to Rio' are included In this all out extravaganza.

Nominees for the 35th Annual Razzie Awards, satirizing the Worst Achievements in Film for 2014, included new names and several Repeat Offenders, returning for more pie-in-the-face/light-hearted joshing by the one Tinsel Town trophy derby no one sets out to win. 'Winners' in all categories were announced on the now traditional date of 'Oscar Eve', at 8pm yesterday, February 21 at the Montalban Theatre in Hollywood. Scroll down for the full list of winners!

The 2015/2016 KeyBank Broadway at The Paramount season brings another year of superb entertainment to The Paramount Theatre, with a roster of shows that spans the ages, featuring familiar titles and brand new productions. The 2015/2016 Season starts with an all-time favorite, ANNIE, followed by the original new musical IF/THEN, a story about living in New York today and the possible paths one's life could follow.

The Kings Theatre announced today programming for its inaugural 2015 year, as the newly revitalized entertainment palace reopens this month.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Musical television series abound! Also special nights for 'Allegro' and 'Reefer Madness,' that Dolphin show at Annoyance, Mercury's 'Addams Family,' a big children's premiere, the return of 'Option Up!' and a surprising, real live 'Beauty!'

The nominations for the 2015 GOLDEN REEL AWARDS have been announced. The awards, which are presented by the Motion Picture Sound Editors, recognize the industry's best work in sound editing.