Ashley Blanchet News

Broadway Belts for Bucks, a one-night-only kamikaze karaoke concert fundraising event featuring newly minted University of Michigan alumni along with Broadway veterans, begins July 15th at 7pm at the Lit Lounge.

For those living under a rock or if you happen to have missed my story last fall on Annie casting, the little orphan with big dreams and red hair is coming back to Broadway this fall. Annie begins previews October 3rd at the Palace Theatre and tickets are now on sale.

ANNIE, the new production of the classic Tony Award-winning musical, is now on sale. ANNIE, which features a Tony Award-winning score by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin and a Tony Award-winning book by Thomas Meehan, will be directed by three-time Tony Award-winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Andy Blankenbuehler. The production begins previews on October 3 at the Palace Theatre (1567 Broadway at 47th Street). Opening night is Thursday, November 8.

ANNIE, the new production of the classic Tony Award®-winning musical, goes on sale today to American Express cardholders. For tickets, call 877-250-2929 or visit Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be available to the general public on Monday, June 25. ANNIE will star two-time Tony Award® winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie, with Brynn O'Malley (Wicked, Hairspray) as Grace Farrell, Daddy Warbucks' devoted personal secretary, Clarke Thorell (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan's ne'er-do-well brother and J. Elaine Marcos (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line) as Lily St. Regis, Rooster's floozy girlfriend. The orphans are Madi Rae DiPietro as July, Georgi James as Pepper, Junah Jang as Tessie, Tyrah Skye Odoms as Kate, Taylor Richardson as Duffy, Emily Rosenfeld as Molly and Jaidyn Young as standby for the roles of Annie, Pepper, Duffy and July. The production also features Ashley Blanchet, Jane Blass, Jeremy Davis, Merwin Foard, Joel Hatch, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Gavin Lodge, Liz McCartney, Desi Oakley, David Rossetti, Sarah Solie, Dennis Stowe and Ryan VanDenBoom.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre, under the artistic leadership of Eric Rosen, closes its 2011-12 season with a professional production of the popular musical Little Shop of Horrors; book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken, based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffith. Kyle Hatley directs. Little Shop of Horrors runs now through May 20 at the Rep's Copaken Stage. See photos from the production below!

Kansas City Repertory Theatre, under the artistic leadership of Eric Rosen, closes its 2011-12 season with a professional production of the popular musical Little Shop of Horrors; book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken, based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffith. Kyle Hatley directs. Little Shop of Horrors runs April 20 - May 20 at the Rep's Copaken Stage.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre has announced the cast for Little Shop of Horrors, its final production of the 2011-12 season. The Rep's Associate Artistic Director Kyle Hatley will direct. He has also directed the Rep's productions of Circle Mirror Transformation, A Christmas Carol, The Borderland, Nathan Louis Jackson's Broke-ology, and he has appeared in The Whipping Man and The Glass Menagerie at the Rep. Hatley is a noted writer and director for the Kansas City Fringe Festival and is artistic director and co-founder of Chatterbox Audio Theater.

Theatre Aspen is holding a private reading of the new musical Cross That River on Thursday, January 26th, in New York City. The musical is subtitled "a new musical about the black west" with a book by Allan & Pat Harris and Andrew Carl Wilk and music and lyrics by Allan Harris (based on an original story by Allan & Pat Harris).

Triassic Parq, a new version of the FringeNYC hit Jurassic Parq: The Broadway Musical (Best Musical, FringeNYC '10) will have its first readings November 10th and 11th at The Players Club on Gramercy Park.

Triassic Parq, a new version of the FringeNYC hit Jurassic Parq: The Broadway Musical (Best Musical, FringeNYC '10) will have its first readings November 10th and 11th at The Players Club on Gramercy Park.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next edition of At This Performance... to be held on Monday, October 17th at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street at 7 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next edition of At This Performance... to be held on Monday, October 17th at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street at 7 PM.

Each week, BroadwayWorld has been bringing you coverage of each of your favorite shows in the recording studio for the 2011 edition of Carols for a Cure album, for which show casts sing Christmas carols in the style of their musical. Below, we bring you MEMPHIS in action!

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!

The 2010 Tony winning Best Musical MEMPHIS has announced a partnership with The Great Atlantic Pacific & Tea Company (A&P) to raise money for New York-area Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Beginning July 4, 2011, customers at all A&P, Pathmark, Food Emporium, Waldbaum's, Food Basics, Super Fresh and Best Cellars stores will be asked to make a donation to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at the register.

'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, March 20th and Monday, March 21st 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...TM to be held on Sunday, March 20th and Monday, March 21st 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, March 20th and Monday, March 21st at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.