Arthur Laurents News

On Tuesday night I had the privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with legendary composer, conductor and musical director Marvin Hamlisch. The three-time Oscar-winner has also won a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony, Emmys and Golden Globes making him the only individual besides Richard Rodgers to accomplish as much in his forty-year-plus career. His scores for A CHORUS LINE, THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, along with his work on classic films like THE WAY WE WERE and THE STING surely cement his place in the pantheon of great American artists, a legend in his own time. On Monday night he also participated - accompanying Idina Menzel on a song from A CHORUS LINE - in the White House celebration of Broadway also starring Nathan Lane, Idina Menzel, Audra McDonald and the First Family themselves which will be airing on PBS in October. He also hosts the 70s music special THE WAY WE WERE, MUSIC OF THE SEVENTIES airing in August on PBS, as well.

Children Will Listen On Monday night, the Obamas hosted a starry event at the White House that was streamed live on the White House Official Website and right here on Broadway World that featured the top talents of the Great White Way singing the very best songs by (mostly) American composers. Among the participants were Elaine Stritch, Nathan Lane, Tonya Pinkins, Brian D'Arcy James, Audra McDonald, Chad Kimball, Karen Olivo and Idina Menzel. Additionally, the concert featured Marvin Hamlisch, who accompanied Idina Menzel on his song from A CHORUS LINE, 'What I Did For Love', who I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing yesterday and whose InDepth InterView will be going live tomorrow. First, a review of the Washingtonian events that were online only until the concert premieres on PBS on October 20. Free

The 2010 2011 Kravis On Broadway season boasts a powerful line up which includes The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein and straight from the great white way, a revival of West Side Story. Add to this, NETworks Presents Disney's Beauty & The Beast, Dreamgirls and The Color Purple, all making their West Palm Beach debut at the Kravis Center. 'The upcoming Kravis On Broadway season promises a world of excitement and escape for our audience,' said Lee Bell, the Kravis Center's Senior Director of Programming.

A miscast Vicki Lewis as Mama Rose and awkward staging in-the-round rob this mother of all musicals of its bite and brilliance

From the first trumpet blast of its legendary overture to the last white hot spotlight, GYPSY is considered by many to be 'the best musical ever.' Lakewood Theatre Company is proud to present this classic musical as its summer production in the 2010-11 season.

As the former captain and current coach of the New London Lady Leopard Varsity Cheer Squad, Doretha Bolingbroke will do anything to keep the cheer bloodline intact. Her daughter Halle is poised to become captain, but when Doretha's old rival Nuella Percy returns from exile with her own cheerleading-machine daughter Charmain, the women must wage an epic battle for control of the squad and cheerdom itself. Inspired by Henry IV, Part 1 and the true story of Wanda Holloway.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Massachussetts will present 'An Evening with Patti Lupone' on Sunday, July 11 at 7PM.

Denver Center Attractions has announced a high-spirited season of Broadway hits headed to Denver. The 2011 season, generously supported by United Airlines and Vectra Bank, features hits straight from Broadway-including the 2009 Best Musical Tony Award winner BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner NEXT TO NORMAL.

Bill Hanney launches the 2010 Broadway musical series at the new North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) with Vicki Lewis starring in GYPSY. A veteran of the stage and screen, Vicki Lewis is most remembered for her 5 seasons playing Beth on the NBC sitcom, 'NewsRadio.' The multi award winning Broadway classic GYPSY runs July 6 - 25, 2010, with press night scheduled for July 8 at 7:30pm.

The 2010 2011 Kravis On Broadway season boasts a powerful line up which includes The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein and straight from the great white way, a revival of West Side Story. Add to this, NETworks Presents Disney's Beauty & The Beast, Dreamgirls and The Color Purple, all making their West Palm Beach debut at the Kravis Center. 'The upcoming Kravis On Broadway season promises a world of excitement and escape for our audience,' said Lee Bell, the Kravis Center's Senior Director of Programming.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Penguin Rep Theatre, in association with Chase Mishkin, to AMERICAS OFF BROADWAY with the New York City premiere of FREED, written by Charles Smith and directed by Joe Brancato. FREED begins previews on Friday, June 11 for a limited engagement through Saturday, July 3.

From the first trumpet blast of its legendary overture to the last white hot spotlight, GYPSY is considered by many to be 'the best musical ever.' Lakewood Theatre Company is proud to present this classic musical as its summer production in the 2010-11 season.

Today, I am sharing with you Part II of my exclusive InDepth InterView with legendary Broadway star Donna McKechnie who is perhaps best known as the genius director-choreographer Michael Bennett's muse and primary interpreter as well as the originator and inspiration for the character of Cassie in A CHORUS LINE - for which she won Best Actress In A Musical at the 1976 Tony Awards - in addition to her many roles on Broadway and the West End, as well as all over the country on tours of every kind over the years. In Part II of this comprehensive chat we discuss her new show with Kaye Ballard and Liliane Montevecci that kicks off next year titled BROADWAY LADIES, working with choreographers Jerome Robbins and Ron Field, Bennett's thoughts on Leonard Bernstein, Robbins and ON THE TOWN, what Robbins work meant to Bennett growing up, what Gwen Verdon's work meant to her, her thoughts on punk rock and amplification in the theatre as well as working with Rock Hudson, Dick Van Dyke and, of course, Bennett himself.

Stage legend Patti LuPone sereved as the featured guest for the 'From Stage To Page' workshop at the 2010 BookExpo at the Javits Center last month. In the discussion, LuPone provides insight into her forthcoming memoir 'Patti LuPone: A Memoir,' the struggles she faced finding stardom in EVITA at a young age, and yes, GLEE.

25 recordings have been added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry including the original cast recording of GYPSY featuring Ethel Merman. Other titles include Patti Smith's debut album and Tupac's 'Dear Mama.'

Broadway/L.A. has announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award®-winning creator, composer-lyricist and original star of Broadway's 2008's Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS will reprise the lead role of ‘Usnavi' when the show has its Southern California premiere engagement at the historic Pantages Theater in Los Angeles from June 22nd through July 11th. The gala opening night is Wednesday, June 23rd, following one lower-priced preview on Tuesday, June 22nd.

Today, I am sharing with you Part I of my exclusive InDepth InterView with legendary Broadway star Donna McKechnie who is perhaps best known as the genius director- choreographer Michael Bennett's muse and primary interpreter as well as the originator and inspiration for the character of Cassie in A CHORUS LINE - for which she won Best Actress In A Musical at the 1976 Tony Awards - in addition to her many roles on Broadway and the West End, as well as all over the country on tours of every kind over the years. In Part I of this comprehensive chat we discuss her earliest featured roles on Broadway, working on the groundbreaking COMPANY and her thoughts on collaborators Bennett, Sondheim and Hal Prince; as well as her thoughts on the current state of Broadway, the out-of-town experience in the Golden Age and creating Cassie in A CHORUS LINE. Plus, of course, we discuss her fantastic new show and much, much more!

The touring production of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY, set to tour North America beginning this fall, will open at Detroit's Fisher Theatre, Sept. 30 - Oct. 16, 2010.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Penguin Rep Theatre, in association with Chase Mishkin, to AMERICAS OFF BROADWAY with the New York City premiere of FREED, written by Charles Smith and directed by Joe Brancato. FREED begins previews on Friday, June 11 for a limited engagement through Saturday, July 3.

Bill Hanney launches the 2010 Broadway musical series at the new North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) with Vicki Lewis starring in GYPSY. A veteran of the stage and screen, Vicki Lewis is most remembered for her 5 seasons playing Beth on the NBC sitcom, 'NewsRadio.' The multi award winning Broadway classic GYPSY runs July 6 - 25, 2010, with press night scheduled for July 8 at 7:30pm.