Arthur Laurents News

Today, I am recapping the 2010 Tony Awards as it was broadcast on CBS last night - and on NY1 for the first hour. I was particularly privileged to have my interviews conducted for BWW and TonyAwards.com used throughout both telecasts and was quite moved by the evening in general. But, first: let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start - as Ted Chapin, President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and the first presenter of the evening would surely recall from his friend Oscar Hammerstein - who, of course, also mentored Stephen Sondheim who personally selected last night's Best Actress winner Catherine Zeta-Jones for the revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

@BroadwayGirlNYC is live blogging and tweeting all throughout the 2010 Tony Awards! To follow her along on Twitter, click here!

Franklin-born and -raised Hannah McGinley, now a senior at New York University pursuing a degree in musical theatre, is spending the summer at home, portraying 'Louise,' the young woman who would become Gypsy Rose Lee in the Towne Centre Theatre production of Gypsy. Karen Himelrick directs Gypsy, the beloved musical by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents, as it dances its way onto the Towne Centre stage for a July 10-July 3 run at the Brentwood theatre.

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.

Today, we are taking a look at a clip from the 1984 Tony Awards and the original Broadway cast of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES which was that year's big winner, starring Gene Barry and George Hearn under the direction of Arthur Laurents with a score by Jerry Herman, book by Harvey Fierstein and produced by Alan Carr.

Today, we are taking a look at a clip from the 2008 Tony Awards and a chilling performance by the trio of Tony-winning talents that won that year's Best Actress In A Musical, Best Featured Actress and Best Featured Actor: Patti LuPone, Laura Benanti and Boyd Gaines in Arthur Laurents's lauded revival of his classic musical written with Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, the spectacular classic GYPSY!

Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation, continues its 34th Season of great theatre with a variety of choices for all audiences. We offer the hottest ticket in town to ten of Broadway's best, from classic musicals to rock icons to beloved family fare - not to mention dance!

Commonwealth Youthchoirs has announced that Broadway star Alison Fraser and opera star Lauren Flanigan, will appear as guest artists at its 6th Annual Gala Concert at the Kimmel Center on June 6, 2010.

Franklin-born and -raised Hannah McGinley, now a senior at New York University pursuing a degree in musical theatre, is spending the summer at home, portraying 'Louise,' the young woman who would become Gypsy Rose Lee in the Towne Centre Theatre production of Gypsy. Karen Himelrick directs Gypsy, the beloved musical by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents, as it dances its way onto the Towne Centre stage for a July 10-July 3 run at the Brentwood theatre.

The Trustees of The Laurents/Hatcher Foundation, Inc are proud to announce the LAURENTS / HATCHER FOUNDATION AWARD, an annual prize to be given for an un-produced, full-length play of social relevance by an emerging American playwright. The foundation will provide a $50,000 cash award to the selected playwright and a grant of $100,000 to go directly towards the production costs of the play's premiere at a nonprofit theatre.

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Broadway legend Carol Channing is fond of telling the story about a group of Russian diplomats who came to see the original production of Hello, Dolly! in 1964. Although they spoke virtually no English, they sat through the show and visited with the star in her dressing room afterwards. Talking through an interpreter, they told her that they loved the musical because it was filled with so much optimism. Although they couldn't understand the lyrics, the ebullience of Jerry Herman's music allowed them to experience and enjoy what producer David Merrick touted as 'the world's happiest musical'.

Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda and internet sensation 'Miranda Sings' have taken on 'The Word Of Your Body' from Spring Awakening in a new YouTube video....that you need to see to believe.

Dayton Playhouse will close the 2009/2010 Mainstage Season, Gypsy on May 23. Gypsy is the classic tale of the infamous Gypsy Rose Lee adapted from her 1957 autobiography. The Gypsy libretto is by Arthur Laurents with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and music by Jule Styne. The Dayton production is directed for the Playhouse by Brian Sharp with musical direction from Ron Kindell, choreography by Chris Erk, lights by Anita Bachmann, sound by Tony Fende, costumes by Marilyn Johnson, stage management by Wade Hamilton and set design by Chris Harmon.

The Farmington Players Present GYPSY April 30 through May 22 at the Barn Theatre. The production is directed by Jason Wilhoite, with musical direction by Rachel Rose and choreography by Allison Soranno.

Commonwealth Youthchoirs has announced that Broadway star Alison Fraser and opera star Lauren Flanigan, will appear as guest artists at its 6th Annual Gala Concert at the Kimmel Center on June 6, 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.

The producers of WEST SIDE STORY announced today that Tony Award- winner Karen Olivo will be out of the Broadway musical as she sustained a broken foot at the 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 8. Ms. Olivo's doctors estimate that she will be out of the show for 6-8 weeks. In the interim WEST SIDE STORY cast member Natalie Cortez will take over the role of "Anita."

Like the episodes preceding it in the second half of the season, this week's episode of GLEE has a theme: finding one's voice. ‘Laryngitis' revolves around Puck's attempts to regain popularity after a trip to the skin doctor forces him to part with his signature mohawk, which in turn leads to his being deposited in a dumpster by the school's geeks, Rachel Berry's tonsillitis, and Kurt's attempts to connect with his father. Ultimately, though, ‘Laryngitis' left me wishing the writers would come down with a case of the illness themselves (I realize the tie-in is forced, but so is most of the show's writing).